A BRIEF REVIEW OF A SERMON PREACHED BY REV. F. L. GOODSPEED.

My attention has been directed to a sermon by Rev. Frank L. Goodspeed, delivered before the San Francisco Presbyterian Ministerial Association, and published, by the request of that association, in the Pacific Presbyterian. I take it for granted therefore that it fairly represents the views now considered "sane and safe" by the body of men who minister to the spiritual needs of Presbyterians and others who choose to hear them in San Francisco. It is also fair to suppose the same of the majority of the preachers of that great and venerable denomination throughout America, if not throughout the world. It is therefore worthy of careful attention, as setting forth the present attitude of so many leaders of thought in the Protestant ranks on the important subject of the inspiration of the Bible.

Dr. Goodspeed would likely resent the imputation of being a destructive critic, or indeed of being in sympathy with that wing of the modern church. He is generally considered as being distinctly evangelical, and he is looked upon as one who believes that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God." Therefore his utterances may well claim our consideration, as those of a blatant opponent of the authority of the word of God would not.

The doctor states his position as to the Bible in the following easily understood terms :

" Plato said that the radiant light was the shadow of God. The highest forms of truth are similitudes
ideal images, parables, allegories, spiritual resemblances, moral dramas. Behind every symbol there shines a great truth. All truth is true, whether it be fact, or whether it be clothed in literary form and presented as ideal. Doubt has been cast upon the historic reality of some of the Old Testament characters. My object this morning is to show that it does not matter whether they are historical or not. Truth is truth. Their historicity does not affect one way or the other their value in conveying religious lessons. Around some of the Old Testament books rage the battles of the critics, while all the time there shines from these same books, between the discussions of writers conservative and writers radical, supernal and soul-stirring truth. Whether these stories are true in the sense of being literal facts is not, for the purpose of religion, relevant. Are they in accord with the universe as we know it, as ruled over by a righteous God? That is the question." (Italics are mine.)

Now all this sounds very fair, and will doubtless be subscribed to by many well-meaning people who will see in it an easy way out of the difficulties that have confronted them in regard to the divinity of the Scriptures. The position seems to be that the Bible is from God, inspired by Him, and in all things profitable, but that it is quite consistent to believe this and yet to suppose that many of the narratives and biographies contained therein are really not historical at all, or else are simply like the tales often handed to children, "founded on fact," but nevertheless with a great deal of fiction interwoven. As long as these tales present truthful ideals, and serve as an incentive to upright living and devotedness of heart, it can make little or no difference that they are not true as to fact. "Truth is true," says the doctor, '' whether it be fact, or whether it be clothed in literary form and presented as ideal."

In order that his meaning may be perfectly plain, he goes on to speak of doubtful and fictitious characters in mythology and the literature of fiction. It makes no difference whether William Tell ever lived or not, the Swiss have been inspired to deeds of patriotism by his supposed example. Homer's conception of Achilles (if indeed Homer himself was not merely an ideal for the spirit of Greek poetry) is the incarnation of the martial valor of the ancient Hellenes. And so with the creations of modern authors- the characters of Dickens, Thackeray, Hugo, etc. Apply this principle to Scripture, and we are told it need make no difference to a Christian's faith if it be found that the great characters of the Bible are also inventions. They stand for ideal truth, and the ideal is the important thing, not the means of directing attention to it. I purposely refrain here from using the doctor's language, in order to set forth the bald theory, untrammeled with the admittedly elegant phrases of the sermon in question.

Now in the application of all this we are told to consider first "the epic of Eden." Dr. Goodspeed will not commit himself to the view that the early chapters of Genesis are merely poetical and unhistorical. But he undertakes to show that even if this is the case, it has nothing to do with the "ideal truth" therein set forth. On the other hand, the bias of his mind is easy to discern. It is clear that he has swung a long way from the position that these chapters are literally true. It is the same with the story of Jonah, his next illustration. "The book of Jonah," he says, "is one of the divinest in the Bible." This itself sounds badly, for one who is supposed to believe that all the books of that volume are equally God-breathed. If that be so, what place is there for the comparison of one with another as to divine or divinest? " I do not say that the whale story is impossible-nothing is impossible with God," he tells us. "But that is not the point," he adds:" It does not matter whether it is literal history or not. It is fairly crowded with ideal truth." And then he goes on to apply it, and that with considerable intelligence as to its great moral lessons.

The third and last illustration is what he calls " The drama of Job." To the query, " Is Job literal history ?" he replies, " I do not know." But he suggests that "very likely at the foundation of the book there was a man by the name of Job, a personal, real, live man." On the other hand he will not, he says, contend for this. " It does not matter. The truth is all that matters." And so again the lesson is drawn that he has been pressing throughout the address.

This then fairly, I believe, represents the standpoint of the sermon I am desirous of considering. So without quoting more at length, I turn to consider the question, Does it matter ? Does it matter if the Bible characters are merely the creations of a poet's or a novelist's fancies ? Does it matter if the story of the creation, of the garden of Eden, of Job, Jonah, Abraham, Daniel, Samson, Moses, and all the other characters and events described in Scripture, are only imaginary ? Providing we can detect the "ideal truth" behind the narratives, does it matter if they are, as to fact, false and unreliable? Well, so far as I at least am concerned, it does matter, and that decidedly. For if the doctor's contention is correct, it leaves me with no light as to the future, and no hope as to the present. It leaves me without a Saviour, and bereft of the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Is this too strong ? Then let me give my reasons for saying it. If the narratives of the Old Testament are only fables, then He whom I adore as my Saviour and own as my Lord stands convicted of false witness. If His witness is false, He could not be the Son of God; and if He is not the Son of God, then I am of all men most miserable, for on that I have hung my hopes for eternity. Again, believing in the deity of the Lord Jesus, relying on His omniscience, I have believed that He meant what He said when He promised another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth. I have therefore accepted the New Testament as what it professes to be, the revelation of that Holy One who of old inspired the prophets, and now has in like manner guarded the New Testament writers from error. But if the statements of Dr. Goodspeed are correct, the testimony of Him whom I have supposed to be the Holy Ghost is not to be credited; therefore all must be a delusion, and for me at least there is no Holy Ghost, and thus I am left in darkness and doubt, like a shipwrecked mariner, with neither chart nor compass to give me any true conception of where I am or whither I am tending.

I have put the case in all its bald, blasphemous suggestion, that the real outcome of this Satanic theory propounded by Dr. Goodspeed may be readily seen and grasped by the souls of those who are affected.

Now for the proof of my assertions:The Lord Jesus, when here on earth, again and again authenticated the writings of the Old Testament. He spoke unhesitatingly of the Volume as true, and its characters as real. He tells us that Moses wrote of Him. Moses then was real, or Christ's witness is false! Abraham, He says, rejoiced to see His day. Does it matter then whether Abraham was a real character, or merely an ideal one ? To ask the question is to answer it. He speaks of Daniel the prophet, not Daniel the hero of a historical novel! And the record of Jonah He authenticates in language unmistakably clear, declaring that Jonah was three days and three nights in the fish's belly. Does it matter if he was not? It does matter, most positively ; for it convicts Him of either conniving at a falsehood, or of being ignorant of the facts. In either case I could never trust my eternal destiny to Him, after knowing of His unreliability as a witness. If He tells me of earthly things and I cannot believe Him, I dare not credit Him when He undertakes to tell me of heavenly things.

As to the testimony of the Holy Ghost, I notice only one instance; for if that be false, I need not another. He inspired the apostle Paul to write, concerning the stories of Israel in the early Bible records, "all these things happened." Did they, or did they not ? If they did not, you may as well take all the Bible away. It can be of no more value to my soul now, for it is only on a par with other great literary works, emanating from the minds of men, whose ideas may be sublime and grand, but who
differ one from another in a thousand things, and whose ipse dixit is no more to be relied on than my own.

The humble, reverent believer will have no difficulty as to whom to trust in the dilemma here presented. Without hesitancy he will accept the testimony of the Christ of God, and the authentication of the Holy Spirit, utterly spurning the unholy suggestions of any who, like Dr. Goodspeed, would by their good words and fair speeches rob us of the word of God, and offer instead only a handful of literary ideals. But it is to be feared his views will be the ruin of many who have never yet learned, or who are unlearning, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. He it was who spoke all these words, every one weighed and measured out in such a way as to make known His mind and will perfectly.

I do not undertake to argue here for this truth. Others have done that well, and their writings are easy to obtain. Besides, I remember that He who spoke as never man spoke has given us to know that '' if they believe not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

For Dr. Goodspeed, and such as imbibe his poisoned sweetness, an awful awakening is yet to come. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Satan is making every effort in these last days to overthrow all confidence in the Holy Scriptures as the revelation of the Holy Ghost to the souls of men. Doubtless, when the doctor preached this sermon, he thought he was helping to save men from giving up altogether any allegiance they ever had to the Scriptures. His cure, however, is no cure at all. It leaves the soul as truly without the inspired word of God as does the boldest Higher Criticism and the most open infidelity. May the Lord in grace keep His own from endorsing views so destructive of all true faith! H. A. I.

QUES. 9.-Can you tell me through " Help and Food" what this " Watchtower Bible and Tract Society," Allegheny, Pa. is? A man is canvassing our town with three books on " The Plan of the Ages," etc. I have asked my brother, aud he warns me against them. I would like to know.

ANS.-We are living in "perilous times," when men can look pious and yet defy the God of heaven and make Him a liar to His face. The Bible teaches that " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever " (Heb. 13:8). Speaking of Him, it says, "Thy throne, O god, is forever and ever" (Heb. 1 :8).

The "Watchtower" or "Millennial Dawn " publications declare Him a changeable and changing person. They deny He is, and ever was, God. According to them He was but a spirit-creature of a higher order than the angels before He became Man. Then when He became Man He ceased to be a spiritual being. Then He has gone through another change, for He is now no more a Man. Yet the Bible, looking forward to the coming judgment, says "God . . . now commandeth all men every where to repent, be" cause He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by THAT man whom He hath ordained ; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead " (Acts 17:30, 31). But the "Watchtower Bible Society " denies that God has raised "that Man" from the dead. Though the Scriptures never speak of the resurrection of Christ except as applying to His body; though the sepulcher was found empty; though Jesus bid His wondering disciples handle Him and see that He was again among them, aud in His raised body; though over 500 witnesses had seen Him at once; though the company with Him on the Mount of Olives saw Him taken up bodily from their midst and carried up to heaven ; though God has left no possible ground to deny the resurrection of the body of His Son, these professed teachers of the Bible flatly contradict Him and annul His testimonies. In explanation they tell us that "our Lord's human body was, however, supernaturally removed from the tomb." How they know this they do not say. There is but one who dares contradict God :It is he that said " Ye shall not surely die" when God hail said, "Thou shall surely die." To do this, he transforms himself "into an angel of light," and to do effectively as he does "his ministers" also must transform themselves into "ministers of righteousness " 'See 2 Cor. 11 :15).

We might say much more, but what we have said should be sufficient to remind us forcibly of Peter's warning, " There were false prophets also among the [Jewish] people, even as there shall be false teachers among you [Christians], who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" (2 Peter 2 :1, 2).

So this teaching has indeed"many"who "follow" it, and this for a manifest reason:It promises them another opportunity of salvation after death. This is sweet to the lovers of sin ; they need not worry while enjoying and practicing it, for they are going to have another chance in the after-life ; and, besides, if they miss that, there is nothing to be feared, for they are then to be annihilated. Only the "father of lies" is the author of such a gospel.

One's soul mourns at seeing multitudes thus deceived. How insidiously the elements are preparing for the final apostasy of Christendom ! May God's beloved people carefully abide under His shelter.
If you desire fuller and more detailed information concerning this evil sect, our publishers can supply you with it. They have issued several excellent pamphlets.

QUES. 10.-The Scriptures say that " the chastisement of our peace was upon Him (Christ); and with His stripes we are healed." He must then have suffered the full and entire penalty of our sins, or our salvation would not be a righteous one. But Christ was under the wrath of God upon the cross only for a few hours, whilst the unrepentant are to be in "everlasting punishment." Justice must be in this, somehow, for God is just; but I would be thankful to understand it.

ANS.-If you were set with a bucket at the task of emptying the ocean, how long do you think it would take you? We hear you say, Oh I could never do that, for I have no place to hold the water; it would go back as fast as I took it out. True ; now let God take up the task ; how long will it take Him " who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand" to do it? The difference in the person makes all the difference in the work. No mere man could ever suffer the full measure of what sin deserves at the hand of God, for no mere creature can fathom the heinousness of sin nor the holiness of God. Christ, being both God arid Man in His person, could fathom both, suffer accordingly the full penalty of sin in a moment of time, and thus empty the cup of divine wrath to the last drop. A man in hell-fire for eternity cannot do this any more than an ounce forever offered can ever make it a pound.

This is one reason why the true Christian can no more yield up the deity of Christ than His humanity. Apart from either there is no salvation, because there can be no true atonement.

QUES. 19.-There are none here, where I am, with whom I can have much fellowship in the things which I have learned out of the word of God, though there are earnest Christian people who belong to churches, and who seem to be anxious to secure the salvation of others. What advice would you give as to identifying myself with them?

ANS.-Our hearts should be ever open to all the people of God, wherever they may belong."Faith in Christ Jesus, and love to all the saints " (Col. 1:4), is the chief mark of the true Christian.

We should also express our fellowship with them in everything that is of God, both in their doctrines and in their ways. As to identifying yourself ecclesiastically with any of the various denominations of Christendom, you will find two things continually facing you :

1. The impossibility of holding, preaching and practicing the whole, truth. The word of God in its entirety is not free in any of them; a portion of the truth must be suppressed here, and another there, or offense is given. It is a serious thing for a Christian to be found where things continually clash against some part of the word of God; it hinders his growth and fruitfulness, inasmuch as it grieves the Spirit of God.

Thus, to love all saints, even if found in abominable Romanism, is right, and of God; but to be identified with an order of things which is not of God is ruinous, and contrary to His revealed mind (2 Cor. 6 :14-18 ; 2 Tim. 2 :15-22).

2. You will be liable to encounter "Higher Criticism" at any time, for the schools are now, almost without exception, training the young men into it; and this is not merely error, or ignorance of truth; it is apostasy;-the destruction of all truth.

Do you think it would be love to God to countenance what He hates? or love to His people to encourage them in what either robs them of their blessings or destroys all their hope ? It may cost one much to be faithful. It always does. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12). The conditions in the Church to-day are no better than they were in Israel in Jeremiah's day. See his sorrow, his position, his reproach, and God's promise to him, in Jer. 15:15-21. It is great profit to the soul now to suffer with Christ. It will be no mean glory to reign with Him after a while (2 Tim. 2 :12).

To most professing Christians it looks like denying all about the Church to stand outside all denominations. This is because they do not know what the Church of God-the " one body "-really is. They cannot therefore know the blessedness of membership in it by the baptism of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12, 13) and the power of the ecclesiastical tie between all those who confess this membership and refuse all other.

The Lord give you grace to be faithful to all yon possess of the truth. ," Behold, I come quickly:hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev. 3 :11).

QUES. 26. – Is it proper and in keeping with Scripture to introduce the singing of a hymn at the Lord's Supper between the passing of the bread and that of the cup?

ANS. – We do not believe it is. It grates against Christian feeling ; for at that moment we are before the sorrow and reproach of our Lord ; we are meditating upon what our sins brought Him to, and weeping becomes us then more than singing. Nor are we aware that Scripture teaches otherwise anywhere. The bread and the cup are ever immediately together, keeping us in the presence of our Lord on the cross. In Mark 14 :26 it is said, " And when they had sung a hymn," etc. ; but this is after the Supper, and when the Lord had already spoken of drinking it "new in the kingdom of God"; that is, the fruit of His cross was before the mind – not the cross itself.

QUES. 27. – What is the difference between " through faith" in Rom. 3 :30?

ANS.- The apostle has just been laying bare the condition of both Jews and Gentiles – all alike guilty sinners before God, and unable therefore to stand before Him by their works. Then He has shown that it is by the work of Christ on the cross they can stand before God. By that, all that believe are justified. The Jew, though he may be superior in his morals, can be justified only "by faith"; that is, on the principle of faith, not of law ; and the Gentile, more deeply degraded morally, is justified "through faith " as well as the Jew. In a word, it means that the Jew has no other way of salvation than faith in Christ, and the Gentile is equally saved in the same way. (See also J. N. D's. translation.)

QUES. 28. – I am sending you a booklet, 'Baptism:Is it for the remission of sins?1' Will you kindly say if you consider it a true exposition of Scripture along the lines it takes up?

ANS. – The booklet in the main teaches the truth, bat it fails in the application of it. For instance, it recognizes the difference between the "Gospel of the Kingdom" and the "Gospel of the grace of God," which is quite right; but it makes the gospel preached to the Jews in the first chapters of Acts the same as that preached further on, chiefly by the apostle Paul. The only difference it makes is that the remission of sins to the Jew s was through baptism, while to the Gentiles it was through faith alone.

But remission of sins through baptism is the "Gospel of the Kingdom "; is administrative, that is, in the hands of man acting for the King (Matt. 16:19); it is not remission for heaven, for eternity, but for admission into that kingdom set up on the earth, not in heaven, though from heaven.

Peter was given its keys-baptism and teaching-"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you " (Matt. 28 :19, 20). This is not the eternal salvation, but subjection and allegiance to the King, though wherever there is faith it goes on to eternity.

The "Gospel of the grace of God," as especially committed to Paul, is altogether in view of eternity, and is not connected with baptism, but with faith alone. It does not annul the kingdom ; it recognizes it; but its sphere is beyond the kingdom, in heaven, not the earth. Remission here is final and eternal; is not administered by man, but by God only, though He uses man to preach it.

Every human being baptized of water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is in the kingdom ; is a disciple of Christ; and disciples may be true or false ; they may go on for a time, then draw back and be lost forever. Only those who are of faith abide forever. Such never go back, though they may stumble here and there on the way.

In a word, baptism of water marks disciples; new birth marks the family of God; the baptism of the Spirit (peculiar to the present dispensation) marks the Church, which is the body of Christ. Many Christians are not aware of this, that the Old Testament is full of promises especially to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles, of a kingdom set up on earth under a King from heaven-a King who, after the earth has long suffered from misrule, will rule it in equity. This King is Jesus. John announced His coming, and sought to prepare the Jews for it, but the Jews refused Him, and the Gentiles crucified Him. He is coming again, and will then take the kingdom, spite of His enemies. He will then judge His enemies, and establish in His kingdom on the earth all who are subject to Him. It will then be a kingdom of glory:now it is a kingdom of truth, waiting in patience for that coming kingdom.

(Hebrews 13:12, 13.)

In this last chapter of the epistle, the Spirit of God, speaking of the fact that "the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high-priest for sin are burned without the camp," goes on to say, "Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify [set apart] the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach," etc.

Many are at a loss to know what is referred to by the term "camp," yet it is very important to understand it, because those who love the Lord Jesus Christ are exhorted to go forth from it, unto Him.

In order to learn what is meant, then, (as is our duty to do) by this expression, we should first of all find out to whom the epistle is primarily and specially addressed, and with God's blessing it will soon be made plain. The epistle to the Hebrews was written to professedly converted Jews (chap, i:i), who had been born and trained up under the law given by God to Israel at Mount Sinai when in camp in the wilderness, where and when a system of worship was ordained of God for this nation in the flesh, which was perfect in its place, but which did not suppose or require that the worshipers should be born again, and under which system they, as a nation, utterly failed.

Next, we must get clear on what the Spirit of God calls "the camp" when this was written.

The ninth chapter tells us that there were ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary, consisting of a tabernacle made with men's hands, and pitched on earth (afterwards, when in the land, it was a temple at Jerusalem), which was their place of worship.

Then they had an ordained priesthood-men of a certain family set apart to come between the worshipers and God, of whom Aaron was the high-priest. And this man was the minister of this sanctuary, without whom the worshipers could not worship.

This high-priest offered up an atonement for these people's sins once every year, besides the other sacrifices that were offered up continually.

And, as already noticed, these worshipers did not require to be converted people, though some of them were so, but were a company of believers and unbelievers mixed together; all of them on the ground of law-keeping for righteousness, i e., under the law. Now this system embraced as worshipers all the nation of Israel then in camp, and was then going on at Jerusalem when this epistle was written. The Spirit of God calls that ''the camp," out of which the "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling," were to go forth.

I learn, then, that Judaism, or this system of worship in the flesh, was, in Paul's day, "the camp." And, dear Christian reader, is it not clear at a glance that any system of worship of a Jewish nature and character, and in consequence, a system that the flesh and sight-the world, in fact-can naturally join in, is the camp in our day ? We know, as revealed by the Son of God Himself, that "God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth"-a thing impossible for the flesh to do. It requires men to be born of the Spirit. In John 4:21, our Lord says, " Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." The time had come when places of worship on earth-mountains, and temples made with hands-should be done away with. Men in the flesh had been thoroughly tested, and proved to be utterly incapable of obeying God's law, or worshiping Him either, and now a new order of things comes in:men born of the Spirit, indwelt by the Spirit, worshiping in spirit and in truth, not in a temple or tabernacle on earth, but in the holiest, that is, heaven itself-the only worshiping-place now,-having boldness to enter there by the blood of Jesus.

Therefore, if any system of worship exists now which has a worldly sanctuary-a temple made with hands, with an ordained priesthood, or class of men set apart to take a special place between the worshipers and God, without whom they cannot worship; where unconverted people are admitted as worshipers-that is indeed "the camp." It is Judaism, in nature and character as a system of worship, though true Christians be in it, and the gospel be still preached more or less faithfully by
some in it.

It is the Holy Spirit-it is God-that says, through the apostle, to any of His dear children who are in any kind of system such as this, '' Let us go forth unto Him [Christ] without the camp, bearing His
reproach."

"But," say some, "why not stay inside and do all the good you can where you are ?"

Because "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to harken than the fat of rams" (i Samuel 15:22).

Because God will not have Christianity and Judaism mixed together. It would be new wine in the old bottles.

Because God will not have the world and the Church unequally yoked together (2 Cor. 6).

Because Jesus Christ has come a High-Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands. He has been cast out by worshipers in the flesh (Jewish worshipers), and suffered outside the gate, on Calvary; proving that worship in the flesh is not a real thing, for if they had loved God, they would have reverenced His Son. Yea, though these worshipers in the flesh could point out in the Scriptures where Christ was to be born to the wise men of the east, not one foot did they go to find Him, but were troubled and distressed at the very thought of His being come.

And now risen from the dead, He has entered into the holy place made without hands, even into heaven itself; not with the blood of bulls and goats,'' but by His own blood," "having obtained [not redemption for a year only, but] eternal redemption for us." So now, the Man in the glory is our High-Priest; the Man in the glory, the God-Man, is our Minister- " a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man " (Heb. 8:i, 2; 9:11, 12, 24).

And though it is true that God at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, He has more highly honored us in these last days, says Hebrews 1:2-He hath spoken unto us by His Son. Here, the Spirit of God puts God's Son above and before all other prophets.

Again, though Moses was the apostle of that dispensation (and was faithful in all his house as a servant), and Aaron was God's chosen high-priest for this nation of worshipers in the flesh (Israel), we Christians are to consider the Apostle and High-Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; thus exalting Christ above and before Moses and Aaron (Heb. i:i, 2; 3:1-6). Under the law, it was commanded and instituted by God Himself that sacrifices of bulls and goats should be offered-a shadow of better things to come; but now, Christ has offered Himself, and risen and gone in and presented His own blood to God for us, having thus by one offering . perfected forever them that are sanctified (chap. 10). Thus Christ's sacrifice is put above, and in the place of, all these other sacrifices which could never take away sins. The Substance has come, and taken the place of the shadows.

Again, though perfectly true that God told Moses to make the tabernacle, and Solomon the temple, for a place of worship on earth under the law; now, He has opened heaven to us, and we have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,- heaven itself taking the place of the tabernacle, and temple at Jerusalem, as the Christian's worshiping-place (Heb. 8:i, 2; 9:24).

Then, though God made a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the law (a covenant of works, under which they failed) the Christian is not under law, but under grace-though under responsibility to obey, as a child. Christ has delivered us from the law and its curse, having been made a curse for us; " for I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God " (Gal. 2:19; Heb. 8:9-13).

Then, indeed, conversion was not required to be of the congregation of worshipers under the law; but now, He who is a Spirit, must have worship in spirit and in truth. Who can do so ? Those, and those only, who, converted and sealed by the Spirit of God, have the power and heart for it.

In short, Christ and Christianity has taken the place of, and is in direct contrast to, the law and Judaism; and God will not allow us to mix the two, or rather, I should have said, try to do so.

So the word is, " Let us go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach," etc.

Now, my reader must take notice that this is not a question of salvation-it is not that many souls inside the camp may not be saved; but it is a question of worshiping God according to the principles of Christianity,-surely, a very important thing in the eyes of those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

When the epistle to the Hebrews was written, there were many thousands of Jews that believed, and they were "all zealous of the law"-the apostle James, who says so, one of them. See Acts 21:20. If we compare dates too, we shall find that God, in long-suffering goodness and mercy, allowed the believing Jews to remain in "the camp" for perhaps thirty years after Pentecost, and so Christianity and Judaism were mixed together for some years. But now that, through the apostle Paul, the unique character of Christianity is fully made known, God's command is to break entirely with Judaism, for the one is the destruction of the other.
We are to " go forth unto Him without the camp." Where, outside the camp, shall I find Him ? and in what special way is He to be found there? Christian brother and sister, the special place, "outside the camp," where the Lord vouchsafes to be, and to manifest Himself to faith is "where two or three are gathered together unto My name, there am I in the midst of them " (Matt. 18:20). The place, then, is the two or three, or twenty or thirty, or two or three hundred, gathered together unto His name; and the special way and manner He vouchsafes to manifest Himself there to faith is not to be described in words. It is to be felt and enjoyed by those who believe and obey His words. Oh that all His dear people believed it!

I would add that this does not do away with ministry-divinely appointed ministry-in the Church of God. There is a ministry; there are gifts given to men; there are evangelists, pastors, and teachers, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of [not a sect, but] the body of Christ." But these gifts are not given to lead Christians in worship; they are as the members of one's own natural body-for the service of the whole body. Christ is the Head of His body, the Church, of which all true Christians are members (1 Cor. 12:12), and it is He who leads by His Spirit in all acceptable worship.

He places the members of the body as it pleases Him; uses evangelists, pastors, and teachers when and where He chooses to do so; they looking to Him for guidance where to go, and how long to remain; to whom they are alone responsible for the use of their gift or gifts.

But in worship, we come together, not to hear a gospel address, not to be taught by a teacher, not to be exhorted by a pastor, but to give, as led by the Holy Spirit, praise, adoration, thanksgiving, to God our Father, and to our Lord Jesus Christ. This is something that requires no special gift in any one, but something which every true Christian walking with God has got in him, and which God is alone worthy to receive, 1:e., worship.

It may be one or another who will, in turn, be led to be the mouth-piece of all present; but it will not be so because he is more gifted than others.

This system of worship will never be done away with. It has begun on earth; in weakness and faultiness, true; but it has begun never to cease. J. D.
Silver Trumpets.

In quoting Scripture against an adversary, it is better to use it to strengthen our own soul than to silence him.

SOME THOUGHTS ON JOHN 5.

The pool represents the Law. There is no power for life or healing in it. The occasional troubling of its waters answers to the mercy and longsuffering of God connected with the second giving of the Law (see Ex. 34), extending to Israel a chance to profit by this gracious provision, if they had strength for it. The successive divine deliverances after failure (as witness the book of Judges) answer to the seasons of angelic ministry which are figured by the disturbance of the pool; but Israel's moral impotence is reflected in the one who at Bethesda had repeatedly tried to get first into the pool, and had failed. His thirty-eight years in that condition answer exactly to the number of years of Israel's wilderness wanderings, after refusing to enter the land at Kadesh-barnea. Jesus heals him by the power of His word, quickening his deadened body, which thus reflects His power to quicken souls "dead in trespasses and sins," such being "greater works" (ver. 20, etc.). This is the characteristic teaching of John's Gospel:life in Christ-its source, and the communication of it to those needing it. The cure is performed on the Sabbath day, which greatly angers the Jews-the Sabbath being the seal of the covenant between them and Jehovah. See Ex. 31. The violation of it signifies the broken covenant of which they are guilty, and answers to the breaking of the first tables of stone by Moses at the foot of Sinai; the latter in wrath, however; but this in grace; for "the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."Compare with this, other gracious acts on the Sabbath day. Compare Luke 6 :6-11, proving Jesus to be " Lord also of the Sabbath " (ver. 5).The persecution and murderous spirit of the Jews, called forth by this favor to the impotent man (ver. 16), is meekly answered by Jesus with the words, "My Father worketh hitherto (or until now), and I work (or am working) " ; showing Himself to be in harmony with the Father's heart in a love that sought the salvation of men from the beginning. There was no independence in His coming and service. As the obedient One, He could "do nothing of Himself" (1:e., independently, ver. 19).As the object of the Father's love, He was in all the secrets of His ways (ver. 20). All judgment being committed unto the Son (ver. 22), His coming into the world demanded from men equal honor for Him with the Father (ver. 23).By virtue of such authority, coupled with His divine power, He could deliver from coming judgment and impart eternal life to every one hearing His word and believing Him to be sent of the Father. Every such believer "passed from death unto life" (ver. 24).His authority as judge extends to the end of time, when He shall raise the wicked dead and pass judgment upon their deeds done in the body (ver. 29). How good to have such a One for our Saviour, "who hath delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10)! for there is no higher authority to reverse His sentence. "It is God that justifieth. Who is He that condemneth ?" (Rom. 8:33, 34). C. E. B.

"O mama, you forget Jesus!"

While in Charleston, S. C., for the word of God, a sweet incident was related to us by those who heard it from the lips of an eye-witness. This eye-witness was a Prussian surgeon, a Jew. While serving in his profession in the Prussian army during the Franco-Prussian war, a wounded French officer was brought to his hospital. He was grievously wounded; moreover he had been overlooked, and had lain a long time without help, in a hidden corner of the battlefield. He was told that the shattered limb must be amputated at once, but that his weakened condition made it very doubtful if he could survive the operation. He bid the surgeons proceed, but, should he die, to inform his wife, whose address he gave (which was near by), and to deliver his body to her. This the surgeons promised, and got to their work. He died during the operation; and a few moments later, while the surgeons were still about the body, the wife, led by a messenger, arrived with a little daughter.

As she realized that her husband was no more, she broke out in a paroxysm of grief, which moved the surgeons to tears. Then turning to her young daughter, she exclaimed, "O my child, our best friend, our protector and beloved is gone, and you and I are left all alone in this world of sorrows!"

Then the gentle child, wrapping her arms tenderly around her mother's neck, said, "O mama, you forget Jesus!" At these words the mother immediately calmed, and said, "Yes, darling, in my grief I had forgotten Jesus."

The power of that Name over the grief-stricken mother was an arrow of conviction which pierced the soul of the Jewish surgeon; nor could it be removed until, falling at the feet of Jesus, he confessed Him, "My Lord and my God." He knew that no mere man or theory could thus assuage such grief, or speak peace in the midst of such a storm.

The Outlook.

A Few weeks ago a request came to us from Pittsburgh to criticize an article in The Outlook. We did so, and sent it to that magazine as the proper place for it to appear. The editors have not seen fit to insert it. We therefore publish it here. Our purpose in so doing is that those who value their own souls may judge for themselves whether they are safe under the religious instruction of. The Outlook.

To the Editors of The Outlook :

Dear Sirs,-In your number of 6th March, page 539, in the article, "Salvation and Character," it is assumed by your correspondent that because Christ offered salvation to men before the Cross, and He was, of course, honest in so doing, therefore salvation must have been intended apart from the Cross. Then follows the teaching by yourselves that it is indeed so; that the Cross is simply martyrdom at the hand of man; that there is in it no judgment of God against sin; that "it was made necessary by the sin of man, not by the love of God."

What means then such a passage as i John 4 :10, " Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins " ?

What means Isa. 53:5, written long before the Cross, "But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed " ?

What of the still more ancient writing of Job 33, "He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, . . . then He is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down into the pit:I have found a ransom " ?

Furthermore, what of our Lord's words in John 12:24, uttered before the Cross, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone:but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit " ?

Sirs, if salvation could have been without the cross, what then is the meaning of Christ submissively going there when twelve legions of angels were at His disposal to prevent it ? Why "must" He be lifted up ? Why that vast system of incessant blood shedding, called Judaism, ordained of God to foreshadow the salvation which is for us by the once-shed blood of Jesus ? (Heb. 9 and 10.)

To your irreverent correspondent let me say, No, Christ was not acting out "a part in a prearranged play," but at infinite pain and sorrow was fulfilling "the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" in laying down His life for fallen and guilty men, to clear their way into the presence of God. Nor does this diminish in the least the guilt of man in the part he took in that greatest of all his crimes.

It is easy enough to assume that "salvation is character," but who among us has the " character" required to give him title to stand before a holy God? It matters little what " conventional theology" may teach, but if God has revealed to men in His word that Christ "by His own blood . . . has obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb. 9 :12), is it not a most serious thing, dear sirs, to contradict Him in supplanting the fathomless sufferings of His Son on the cross by the faulty character of man ? An error in politics is serious enough if it plunge a whole nation in distress for many years; but what of an error in the tremendous and eternal issues which encircle the Cross of Christ!

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Frances Bevan.

Many of our readers will be interested to learn that the Lord has recently taken to Himself Mrs. Frances Bevan. She died at Cannes, in the south of France, at the advanced age of 82 years. Her books, "Three friends of God," "William Farel," "The Quiet in the Land," &100:, &100:, and her delightful translations of hymns are precious legacies to God's people.

"The Law is not of Faith" (Gal. 3:12).

It is to be regretted that many who have clearly apprehended the difference between law and grace, between Judaism and Christianity, have not so clearly seen the principle of faith working in those who, spite of being dispensationally under law, and in Judaism as God's system for that time, were nevertheless of the household of faith, and, as such, the subjects of God's workings in grace.

"The law is not of faith," but those men were of faith. A cloud of them is mentioned in Heb. 11. They lived, and walked, and hoped, in a sphere far beyond and above law. Their vision was limited by the measure of revelation given them, and their portion was defined by the purpose of God; but they were His children, being of faith, walking in communion with Him according to their measure of light, looking "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God " (Heb. 11:10). It was not law that made David say, "For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:Thou delight-est not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Ps. 51:16, 17). It was not law that taught Isaiah the lesson of the sixth chapter of his book, nor Job to say, " But now mine eye seeth Thee."

They were not of the Church-the body of Christ; for the Church was not yet begun (Matt, 16:18). They were not indwelt by the Spirit; for the Spirit had not yet come (John 16:7). They were not in lace of sons as we are, and could not enjoy the same freedom that we do therefore (Gal. 4:1-7). All that faith in them looked forward to concerning the death and resurrection of their and our Lord, the same faith in us now looks back to, and enjoys its blessed fruits; but as to the glories which were and are yet to follow, they "all died in faith, not having received the promises "-as we do still while waiting for our Lord from heaven, and confessing thus with them that we are '' strangers and pilgrims on the earth " (Heb. 11:13).

Abiding, Not Progressing.

2 John 9 is a very important word, especially in this day of boastful progress. It says that "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God." The word "transgresseth" should be rendered progresseth, or, goeth forward:it stands in contrast with '' abideth." That is, the idea of improving, as men say, in the things revealed means infidelity-one who "hath not God." For instance, people say that everlasting punishment is a doctrine of the past; religion is improving-is progressing-and such a doctrine is no longer to be held or preached. This would mean that Christianity is not a divine revelation, but a human invention, to be therefore improved and perfected by man as he improves and perfects a piece of machinery. This is the destruction of all truth- it "hath not God." As well might we say that while two and two made four in time past, they make five now; or, that while the day had twenty-four hours in the dark ages, it has twenty-five now. Man changes in his ways because he is an ignorant creature, who progresses in knowledge; but God is not so. What He does, is forever; what He says, is never recalled, nor altered. The man who wants to improve on the revelation of God is a man who "hath not God." It is "he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ" who "hath both the Father and the Son."

"Sects.’
A "sect" is departing from the thing established and forming a party by it, while professedly remaining in the thing established.

In Christianity it is introducing some doctrine subversive of Christianity, forming a party by it, yet professing Christianity still. For instance, Unitarianism is a sect. It denies the deity of Christ, which is the very root of Christianity, and yet it still professes Christianity.

The teachers of Acts 15:1 were sectarian, for they introduced that which in the end destroys Christianity-the legal system combated in Galatians, which has prevailed throughout Christendom, and is leading it to apostasy.

We might mention a host of sects more or less destructive in their effects, but one and all departures in greater or less degree from the revelation of God in Christianity. If any man desires not to be sectarian, he must be sincerely subject to all the word of God; not to this or that portion which he selects, but to all. If he is truly humble, the Spirit of God will lead him in such an understanding of it as will make it one harmonious whole, filling his heart with peace, and love, and worship, and separating him from all that is sectarian. Such a man may not have an easy path amid prevailing conditions, but he will have the approval of a good conscience here and of the Lord Jesus "in that day" when He makes all things manifest.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow" (Matt. 6:14).

The calling of the Church is a high calling indeed. She is "the fulness (complement) of Him that
filleth all in all" (Eph. i:23). She is "blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. i:3). As she shares His cross and rejection now, she is to share His throne and glory when He returns. She is so truly identified with Him and united to Him that He calls us "members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones" (Eph. 5:30). How near, how dear this declares us to be! How passing sweet to be thus related to, and cherished by, the Lord of glory, the Son of God! It lifts the soul far above earth and earthly things, and carries it to where our Lord is.

At Pentecost the disciples did not yet know this high calling, for it was not yet revealed; but they had just received the Holy Spirit from heaven, who had baptized them all into one body (i Cor. 12:13), and that Spirit of truth knew what it all meant; and though they had not yet the intelligence of their calling, He had given them, the power and spirit of it:"They continued steadfast in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. . . . And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, as every man had need" (Acts 2:42-45).

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ had won their hearts; it commanded their faith, and they proved it in their practical daily life on earth. They took no thought for the morrow, for the Lord who loved
them would be there. They knew by His grace bestowed on them that they could trust Him at all times, for all things, and in all circumstances. The words He had spoken to them while with them were all dear to them, and they practiced them in truth. Earthly goods, instead of being accumulated, were distributed. Covetousness had received a deadly blow.

Ruin soon set in; and nowhere perhaps is covetousness now more manifest than in Christendom. May God's true people in the midst of it so enjoy their heavenly calling as to show their identity with the beginners of it, and not the enders! What holy freedom for doing all the will of God it gives if, of a truth, and by virtue of our confidence in Him, we take no thought for the morrow! It frees from many unholy influences which drive the people of God and the servants of Christ to unprofitable paths. May we not use high talk, with an earthly walk! Our eyes, though high up, despise not our feet that are way down, but seek out the good way for them.

Submission and Responsibility.

I may well submit patiently to all manner of unrighteousness from the rulers, governors, courts and powers of this world, for I form no part of them if I am a Christian (John 17:14), and am in nowise responsible for their actions. Like my Master before Pilate, therefore, I submit to all.

Not so, however, in the Church. I form a part of that if I am a Christian, and unrighteousness practiced there makes me responsible to have it removed or to depart from it if it cannot be removed (2 Tim. 2:19). To submit to unrighteousness there is to give up a good conscience. Where may not Christians drift when they have done that!
Bible Dictionaries.

In our last issue we were referring to the progress of Jewish events as proof of the nearing return of our Lord; for the restoration of that God-chosen nation to their God-chosen land is one of the chief events which mark the Lord's second advent.

We now call the attention of our readers to another event which takes place simultaneously, a painful event indeed-the apostasy and downfall of Christendom. What could give stronger proof of the rapid march toward this awful end than the recent appearing on the book-market of three different Bible dictionaries, two of which are in the full current of "modern theology." There must be demand for such books, for publishers who are destroyers of the Bible do not publish for love; and what must be the demand, when so many books of the same nature are published simultaneously! Thus is God at work to revive Israel, and the devil at work to destroy Christianity. They will cross each other's path at the coming of our Lord; and who that has ever fought against God has not fallen ?

Along with this, think of the New York Presbytery, unable to shut out of its pulpits young graduates of their schools who question the virgin-birth of our Lord, the resurrection of the body, and kindred foundation truths! Think of the Baptist body in Chicago, unable to expel from its ministry a professor of the university there who denies the deity of our Lord! Think of London, the old center of Christendom, having a " Bureau of Communication " between the living and the dead through spiritist mediums!

The word of God discredited and denied; the talk of demons accredited and desired ! Think you, reader, that God's patience can endure much longer ?

Egypt, both in its geographical position and physical condition, is a striking picture of the world as Scripture reveals it. It is bounded by deserts whose arid winds only burn, instead of bringing rain. Thus death lurks all about, and life would be extinct but for its great natural feature the Nile, with its phenomenal yearly overflow. This holds back death, and fosters productiveness and life. And so too is this world a place over which the ban of death hangs, held back from its full destroying power alone by the Creator's goodness and mercy.

On its religious side, Egypt is a worshiper of the creature, rather than of the Creator, fulfilling Rom. i:23, as history fully attests. And is not this the moral state of every unconverted man in the world? In Egypt Israel was downtrodden and oppressed. Pharaoh, its prince, feared them, and sought to enfeeble them. So Satan, the prince of this world, the adversary of Christ and of His people, ever oppresses those "heirs of salvation" whose consciences are awakened, and in whose hearts is wrought the apprehension of being under his dominion. It is to such God manifests Himself as Deliverer. The men of the world, like the Egyptians, have no sense of this, though they are as really Pharaoh's slaves as Israel.

With the appearing of Moses we have a very instructive type of the Lord Jesus as the Deliverer. But our present desire is to consider what directly applies to the experiences of the individual Christian:so we will pass on with only a brief remark as to the signs and plagues, in which the moral condition of the world and God's judgment of it is made manifest.

The sign of the rod shows whose power rules in the world-Satan's.

The river turned to blood tells how God's mercy is turned to judgment because of their independence of Him.

The frogs show how man, refusing God, is given up to all manner of uncleanness, for which he uses the very mercies given by the Creator.

In the dust becoming lice we have a lesson of the loathsomeness of death, the condition of man before God as creeping dust, and God's ban upon men – which none can dismiss, but all must own as the finger of God.

In the swarms of flies is shown man's condition of confusion, and ensuing conflict, as a result of being away from God.

The pestilence upon the cattle tells that the judgment of God, because of man's condition, reaches
also to all that He has ordained to minister to his very necessities. What an appeal to his conscience!

In the ashes and boils we see how God does and will make man's own devices of ministering to himself, as suggested in the furnace, bring out the corruption of sin. It is the outward expression of the inward condition.

The thunder, hail and fire testify that a world in revolt against God is subject to His judgment.
In the locusts, called "His army," it is nature and its laws, created to serve man, now (because of man's rebellion) contrary to him, though still in obedience to God. This begets a groaning creation.

Finally, the thick darkness shows where man is in his alienation from God.

All this told out, God now announces the judgment which is to fall upon it:-the first and best of all, typified in the first-born, is to be smitten. And if the best is under judgment, what of the rest ? It is from this that those who are heirs of salvation are to be delivered. To this end the passover is instituted, the beautiful and impressive type of Christ our Passover sacrificed for us. Thus alone is peace with God in righteousness established, and deliverance from judgment effected.

As a result the saved people are separated from Egypt, and God leads them toward the Red Sea. The Divine Presence is with them to lead and govern them-a manifest evidence that God by His Spirit immediately takes up His abode with the saved soul, henceforth to take control.

Then Israel encamps before the Sea. Here the surroundings and the approach of the enemy tell of the soul's exercises as to the serious question, " Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?-How shall we that have died to sin live any longer therein"? Shall we, who are delivered from God's judgment, continue to practice sin, even as Pharaoh and his hosts would, if they could, have taken back Israel to their former ways ? No; God is with them now, and they must walk with Him, in His ways. In His opening the sea to let them out of the land of bondage, we learn His way with us in delivering us from bondage to the sin that is within us and all about us. This is told in Rom. 6. We are told there to "reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin " because God sees us as having passed through death in our blessed Substitute. In His death our old man has been crucified ; the body of sin has been annulled; as Israel saw the dead bodies of their enemies cast on the shore, so we can gaze at the cross of Christ and say, "There, this sinful man in me, which I hate, has been crucified and brought to an end before God forever!" We can joyfully exclaim, "I am crucified with Christ :nevertheless I live ; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2 :20). This leaves us free to serve God (Rom. 6:12-23), and so we have in type the individual experiences connected with this in Israel's journey to Sinai.

What the world is now to the redeemed soul is being learned. It is a wilderness, and the supply of God's grace is alone sufficient for the need occasioned by it. This ministry of grace is now to characterize the whole of our life as delivered from the world, from the power of Satan, and from the thraldom of sin. And "being made free from sin, and become servants to God," we have our "fruit unto holiness " (Rom. 6 :22).

Horeb now comes in, and the law, only to prove that all confidence in the flesh must go; that flesh has no place before God; that no fruit can be got from it for God. We are ever prone to return to that principle in some form or other, for it suits our pride; but the least confidence in it only ends in failure and sin. Wilderness wanderings follow; the old generation gradually passes away, giving place to the new; and the soul learns thus practically how good and righteous was the judgment of God on the old man; for it is only the new who gets the inheritance and is fruitful to God. Law gives harrowing lessons wherever it comes in, but, deliverance from it being realized, the Spirit-governed life issues in consequent progress and victory. The old generation and its history illustrates man in the flesh, with the fruits, as brought out under the principle of law. Whether in relationship or in service, all is naught.

Caleb and Joshua evidently set before us the "new man," though hindered by the old; they therefore, and the new generation, enter into the land-type of our heavenly blessings. Not anything of the old can enter there. It is striking that in the very closing scenes of this history it is the new generation who cry out, "Behold, we die, we perish; every one that cometh at all near to the tabernacle of Jehovah dieth:shall we be consumed altogether?" (Num. 17:12, 13). We must learn practically that nothing whatever of the old creation can stand before God.

In Israel's case the cry comes from the new generation; so with the Christian, the cry comes from the "new man." Beautifully therefore does God now introduce that which meets the people's need and maintains relationship with Himself in spite of their failure and defilement. It is the priesthood of Christ and the ministry of the Spirit (Num. 16:46-20 :13). (1) The people are healed through the offering of incense:Christ's advocacy is precious to God and effective (chap. 16 :46-50). (2) Aaron's budding rod-type that with Christ risen there is the fruitfulness and power of new life (chap. 17).

(3) Chap. 18 tells how Christ can carry His people through to the end; also, what He gets from the new life of which He is the Head and Dispenser.

(4) The red heifer-the manner of purification from sin (Num. 19). (5) Water from the rock-the ministration of the Holy Spirit. "They drank of that spiritual rock that followed them; and that rock was Christ." Thus the apostle links together the first smiting and the present speaking-the Spirit who came at the beginning abides to the end of the people's journey (chap. 20:1-13).

The issue of all this is that we cannot use Edom, the flesh, the mere sense-life, as the road to blessing and fruitfulness. We find, as Israel with Edom, that it will have its own way. The only remedy is to turn away from it, for it is incorrigible. What must come in now is the lesson of mount Hor and the brazen serpent, which give us in type the truth of Rom. 7:1-4 and 8:1-4. At mount Hor Aaron dies and Eleazar takes his place, type of Christ in resurrection and of us in association with Him. Aaron means "progenitor"; Hor, "to be exalted"; and Eleazar, "help of God." Christ is our "progenitor," the One from whom we have derived new life. It is through death that He is "exalted" to the place of glory in resurrection, and so becomes our Eleazar, the "help of God," in whom, as before God, we stand, and with whom in resurrection-life we are linked. What is this but the teaching of Rom. 7:1-4? "Ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ." Our Progenitor passed through death, and we with Him. Thus we became dead to every old tie and all claims attached thereto, so that we "should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead "-our Eleazar-Christ in resurrection, who thus is the One by whom alone we can "bring forth fruit unto God." He thus is in this connection the true, divine, and only "help of God" for us. The realization of this puts the soul where it can say, as to deliverance from the body of this death, "Thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 7:25).

After realizing we are thus provided for by God in His grace, we may be the objects of an attack by the enemy along the lines of antinomianism. This means the satisfying of our natural desires. This attack is pictured in Arad the Canaanite. His name means "wild ass"-the evil will in us, which is the power of sin. This is not now in Egyptian character (Pharaoh and his hosts), seeking to deprive us of our liberty, to bring us into bondage to the world and sin, but in Canaanite character opposing our possession of heavenly blessing. It is the same power in different guise, used to obtain a different end, by our great enemy. But the truly renewed man rejects with summary judgment this new attack, even though in measure he may at first fail as Israel here, of whom Arad was able to take "some of them prisoners." But Hormah, "destruction," is the end of the matter.

Israel now realizing the hopelessness of compact with Edom, prepares to compass his territory; and in the serpent-judgment we come to the end of all this experience, to the full realization of what this ungovernable flesh is, which I can no longer own as being my true self, yet in which, more or less ignorantly and unconsciously, I still trusted, on the ground of kinship, as it were. The attempt only brought out its true character. So Israel is done with Edom, which for us is seen in Rom. 7:17-20.

The serpent and its deadly bite undoubtedly typify sin and its deadly consequences-the corruption of nature; "Satan's venom infused into the race." God makes the fleshly murmurings and rebellion against His ways to bring out the seriousness of the evil by the character of its judgment. Thus He gives the lesson of what this intractable nature really is, the flesh, and what it is linked with; the power back of it-Satan. It is an evil within, not difficulties without. It is what we have in Rom. 8:6-8. The flesh is irretrievably corrupt; it is linked up with death; it has the character of the serpent; it is under his power who is called that "old serpent, the devil, and Satan "; it has in it the venom of his sting. When this is realized, the sense of condemnation reaches the very heart and soul. Well may there be the cry of despair. But, one look at the brazen serpent, and the soul is free. It is the lesson of Rom. 8:1-4.

The brazen serpent pictures Christ, God's Son, sent by Him "in likeness of sinful flesh,"in whose work as being a sacrifice for sin (the One made sin for us as the serpent suggests), God "condemned sin in the flesh." Therefore the blessed truth now is, that for those in Christ Jesus there is no condemnation.

What! no condemnation ? But look at what I am linked with, as my experiences show since I believed and have tried in vain to bring forth fruit unto holiness. Look at this flesh, this evil nature, and the sin which springs up from it. Yes, look at it:but look too at the brazen serpent; God has judged it all at the cross of Christ, and there is now no condemnation attaching to you, spite of all you have found yourself to be. Oh how the soul pillows itself on the bosom of Divine Love when it learns this lesson!

But does it mean that the flesh will never raise its head again ? No. But / know now how to deal with it, for I know its character, and what God has done with it by the Cross. I need not be self-occupied. Self-occupation is still looking for something good in self. The flesh can only "serve the law of sin." What I have now is "the law of the Spirit," which is "life in Christ Jesus." In the apprehension of this is all spiritual power and progress. From this too proceeds all true self-judgment. Whatever does not flow from the "life in Christ Jesus" is only for God's judgment and mine.

Manifestly too law has no more place here; for all that law can address itself to is man in the flesh; and the Cross having made an end of that, I am now in Christ, where all is according to God.

There is now continued progress for Israel, as there is for the delivered saint. First, Oboth is reached, which means "water-skins." The soul has entered into the blessedness of a life governed by the Spirit-a life of holy liberty. It is practically a vessel holding the precious water of life, which flows out in blessing to others. Liberty thus known has opened up the channel for the outflow of the "rivers of living water " (John 7:38).It is the fruit of a walk in the Spirit, as in Rom. 8:5-14.

Next we have Ije-abarim, "regions beyond "-the heavenly portion for faith-"Heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ," with whom we are to be glorified. That which is "beyond" for us is the glory of the revelation of what we are as sons of God, with all that it involves. Ije-abarim is "in the wilderness," however; so yet amid trial and difficulty. We are to "suffer with Him " yet. But "the sufferings of this present time " are not worthy to be compared with the glory about to be revealed to us-in those "regions beyond." Our faces therefore are " toward the sunrising," as Ije-abarim is also said to be. We have been saved in hope; the coming glory fills the vision of the soul. Then, again, this place is "before," or, rather, " against the face of Moab "; that is, we are now able to stand against what is mere profession, which is but an alien world, hostile to the truth. All this finds full expression for us in Rom. 8:15-27.

Israel now pitch in the valley of Zared ("to scatter, or subdue "), suggesting that now we have the power to disperse and triumph over the evil which would oppose our possession of heavenly blessings. The plain language of this is given to us in Rom. 8:28-39.

The path of still further progress is traced for us in the next journey of Israel, where all the names speak of precious experiences of blessing. Og and Sihon are overcome-types of intellectualism and indulgence, or the carnal mind and the flesh.

Israel is next seen as the object of Moab's hatred. The more progress the soul makes, the more it is
brought into conflict with all that is unreal, all that is mere profession, which is only hatred in disguise to what is of God. But we are told that "in all these things we are more than conquerors." We are those who, because God is for us, can "scatter, or subdue." All serves God's ends for our final blessing, to His eternal glory.

Balaam's prophecy comes next. This is followed by Israel's failure at Shittim, illustrating how the sense of the truth may be lost and terrible failure result.

Finally, we have the complete destruction of Midian (Num. 31), which means "men of strife." It is the last deed before crossing Jordan. Does it not suggest to us the complete overcoming of all opposing power and contrary influences which we have been considering ?

The next thing is, Jordan crossed, the land entered, and the true spiritual warfare engaged in- the Ephesian conflict. The crossing of Jordan is the impressive type of our resurrection with Christ, which, being apprehended, brings us into the full blessing of our place and portion in Christ, as presented in the land entered and its possession begun.

I have given at best but a meager outline of the lovely consistency of these Old Testament types with the plain teaching of the New, in the hope that it will cause us to take up afresh what perhaps we well know, and yet the power and blessing of which is little realized with many. J. B. Jr.

It is not the presence of sin in me which hinders in the least my communion with God, for "our old man has been crucified with Christ." It is the allowance of it, for then it is still the love of it, and of my will, which are at work.

Grace, loth to close its door, has lingered over this scene another year, and a new one is before us. Its lingering means toward the world of our day what it meant in another day "when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." It means that some more are to be gathered in. Shall / have a share in this-by my own labor after souls, whether in private or in public; by earnest prayer for those who do; by hearty fellowship with them; by sacrifices to spread the knowledge of Jesus to every corner of the land and to the ends of the earth ?

Toward the people of God, the lingering means a little more time given them for "to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ"; for to be " fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." Shall we profit by it ? Shall we enlarge our vessel's capacity for the glorious things where we are going ? or shall we set our minds on things of earth as do the men of the earth ?

May our beloved fellow-workers, whose fellowship and contributions during the past year have been so encouraging to us and confessedly helpful to many, bear these great matters in mind, and with increasing prayer and devotedness still wield their pens to further them.

"Give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pet. 1:10. the Beloved" (Eph. 1:6)

It is not that there is anything we have to do to make our acceptance with God more secure. " He hath made us accepted in the Beloved:(Eph. i:6) and nothing can be added to the value of that "beloved" One before God.

But the people of God have a busy and determined enemy-none less than that crafty "Serpent" who dared to approach even our Lord Himself. What torments may he not cause us if there be with us, through pride, though careless or loose walk, some unguarded part in our moral being. What sad falls, with consequent dishonor to Christ and sorrow to ourselves and others, may we not be found in if we fail to "add" as mentioned in the verses preceding our text.

And yet more :not only he says that by making our calling and election sure we "shall never fall," but he also adds, '' For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (5:11).

" The end of the commandment" 1 Tim. 1:5.

We are told here that'' the end of the commandment," that is, the object of the word of God, " is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned."Swerving from that ends in "vain jangling"and "shipwreck of faith."How solemnly important then that the purpose for which the word of God has been given us should be fulfilled in us.

Love is a pure thing, but the heart is the channel through which it flows. Have I a selfish end? It
nature and faith. is not then love out of a pure heart. It ends in disaster.

Conscience is God's book-keeper in the soul of man. Make a false entry, a false balance, and all grows dark. So let the child of God from pride, from love of ease, for gain, for popularity, for any cause whatsoever, refuse to balance his walk with his measure of knowledge, and, instead of growing, he moves backward and shrivels away. The lines of truth are no more plain. All grows dark.

Faith is taking God at His word, not because we are up to what He says, but because He says it. "Unfeigned" faith does this. Arguing with God is no more unfeigned faith, and its end is shipwreck.

The Lord grant His people the deepest concern over these great matters.

*In several points of this article we differ from the writer, but give it publicity in this magazine as desired, that each may search the Scripture and decide for himself.*

Some time ago, in reading a valuable paper by a well-known brother in Christ, I was struck by his concluding sentence, which ran thus:" We firmly believe that the fifteen hundred sects of Christendom will yet coalesce with popery, and form the great whore of Rev. 17"; and the question was once more raised in my mind, Is this so ? Can the writer of that article, or the many brethren who have asserted the same thing for years past, give us Scripture for their thought ? or are we simply to take it for what it is worth ? My present purpose is to look and see if Scripture teaches anything definite on such an important subject.

I need not occupy space by enlarging on the details of the history of the seven churches:abler pens than mine have done that for those who desire to go into it. All intelligent Bible students agree that those seven churches were chosen to give us a complete picture of the history of the professing Church on earth, from its commencement to its close. They are evidently divided into three and four. The first three succeed each other, and do not exist together.

The last four "run on to the end," as it is usually put. The use of the words "the end," however, is too indefinite; we need to know what is meant by "the end." The fact is, the sixth, Philadelphia, only runs on to the "rapture," as we call it. The fourth continues after the rapture, up to the seventh vial; while the fifth and seventh evidently coalesce, and go on to the appearing of the Lord from heaven. This we shall see more clearly as we proceed.

I take it that the first four churches give us what we might term, and what has been termed, the ecclesiastical history. They succeed each other, and do not exist together. The fourth state, however, continues, and will do so up to a certain point still future, as stated above. It is the history of the Church as a professing system, in its outward and visible unity on earth, in contrast to Judaism and heathenism. At the commencement, the Church was a visible whole, a united body of people. There were no open and manifest divisions or sects then, such as exist at the present day, though the Spirit of sectarianism was seen working in the Corinthian assembly in Paul's day (i Cor. 3:3, 4). And even though there might have been outward divisions, they were not of such importance as to destroy the outward unity, and the candlestick still remained. The united testimony to the outward and visible unity of the Church, I take to be the candlestick; and that light and testimony were borne, and continued to be borne, until Thyatira, the fourth church, when it was disowned on account of the corruptions allowed by her in the midst. God "gave her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not" (chap. 2:21); and then, for the first time, He recognizes another company, addressed as, "the rest in Thyatira," as distinct from the mass (chap. 2:24). The candlestick was gone. God henceforth disowned the mass in their church position, though it still continues. Judgment on Thyatira was pronounced, though still waiting its execution (vers. 22, 23). The mass were disowned, and a remnant recognized. The candlestick was removed. No longer is it an outward and visible oneness, acknowledged by God, but a true, real and spiritual state, and the Morning Star given to the true saints as their hope in the midst of the corruption (vers. 24-28).

Now, that outward testimony to the unity of the Church is still professedly held and boasted in by Rome. She boasts of being the one true Church, and all else mere schisms. Ecclesiastically this is true, as to mere outward profession. In reality, however, she is disowned by God, and given up to the judgment which awaits her, as I have already stated.

Then chap. 17 gives us fresh light on the history of Rome-"Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots," the woman who sits on the "seven mountains," the Thyatira of chap. 2. She is here seen once more wielding the temporal and the so-called religious power. She is seen "riding the Beast" (17:3). That is, she dominates the civil power, the Beast, as she had done in the past, until the moment arrives when he throws her off; then the fall of Babylon takes place. Observe, however, this is not yet her doom, or destruction, but her fall. "She loses place of active governing, and which involves her moral degradation," as another has said. This riding the Beast is, of course, still future; but even now events may be seen gradually moving on towards its fulfilment.

I take it that this event-her fall-will take place at or about the dividing of Daniel's seventieth week; for it is only then that the Beast openly be- comes apostate. Up to that point he has been controlled by the so-called religious power-Rome; and surely it is self-evident that when he reaches that apostate stage of his career, he will refuse to be governed any longer by the so-called Church; hence her fall-she is thrown off. Then subsequently, when the seventh vial is poured out, she is destroyed (chap. 16:19), the agents for the carrying out of her destruction being the Beast that she had dominated and the ten kings, who combine to fulfil God's will (17:16, 17).

Now let me repeat this; and observe it well. The fall of Babylon the Great-papal Rome-is when the Beast throws her off-refuses her authority any longer; about the dividing of the week. The doom of Babylon is after that, and takes place under the seventh vial, shortly before the Lord appears. The Beast and his ten confederate kings destroy her. It is not a judgment executed upon her by the Lord Himself at His appearing, but previous to His appearing, and carried out by the secular power which she had previously dominated, and which God uses to carry out His will.

Now let us look at the last three churches. They do not give us the ecclesiastical history. There is no candlestick. Sardis, the fifth church, is a fresh start, though it does not date here from the start of the Reformation (that event is seen rather in the remnant in Thyatira, I should judge), but from the spiritual decline of it when it had become an organized system as opposed to the corruptions of popery. It is Protestantism, but viewed as a huge professing mass, having "a name to live, but dead" (chap. 3:3); and it is to be treated as the world when the Lord appears. Observe, not by the Beast and his confederate kings before the Lord appears, but by the Lord Himself when He appears. Thus we see that Sardis goes on beyond Thyatira, and continues till the appearing of the Lord when He comes to reign.

Philadelphia-the sixth church-is a state of soul suited to the Lord, and characterizing individuals, but not a system, or company of Christians, as contrasted with others. She is to be kept from (not in) the hour, of temptation which is coming upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth (chap. 3:10). Like Enoch, who was taken away before the flood, so all true saints will be taken away to be with the Lord (i Thess. 4:16-18), and thus kept from the judgments coming on all the world.

Laodicea is the final and awful state of so-called Protestantism. It is not the corruption of Thyatira, which, while boasting of its ecclesiastical position, is surely awaiting the execution of divine judgment; but it is the pure and unadulterated infidelity into which Protestantism lapses, with the name of Christianity still attached to it. Even now it may be seen marching rapidly on to it in the various movements of so-called Christian Socialism, Christian Science, Higher Criticism, and other such Christless efforts and effusions of the human intellect, apart from the Spirit and word of God. There is not a trace of divine life in Laodicea. The very things which denote it gold (divine righteousness), white raiment (practical righteousness), and eye salve (the Holy Spirit)- are all lacking, and they are exhorted to buy them ere it be too late. Alas, the exhortation falls on deaf ears, and she is "spewed out of His mouth "; that is, total rejection awaits her, and is seen fulfilled when the true Church is removed.

It appears to me-very clearly too-that there are two streams flowing side by side in the so-called Protestant section of the professing Church to-day. First, there is Ritualism, affecting at present a great part of the so-called Established Church, and which will eventually carry them all back into the Romish fold, and thus form part of Babylon the Great. The Catholics themselves see this, and the late Cardinal Vaughan once wrote:"The recent revival of Catholic doctrines and practices in the Church of England is very wonderful. It is a hopeful sign. It exhibits a yearning and a turning of the mind and heart toward the Catholic Church. It is a national clearing the way for something more." This is very striking, coming from such a source. All true Christians, of course, from all existing bodies will be taken out at the Lord's coming for the saints, thank God, as I have said before. Secondly, there is Rationalism, affecting every form of so-called Dissent, and all finding their level in the open infidelity of Laodicea. So that the darkness of Sardis develops into the infidelity of Laodicea.

Thus we see that Thyatira-Babylon the Great- Romanism in every form, is judged by the secular power before the Lord appears; while Protestantism is rejected as a nauseous thing in Laodicea-spewed out of the Lord's mouth; and is judged, not by the secular power, but subsequently, by the Lord Himself, when He comes from heaven, in "flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess i:7, 8); thus showing clearly, I think, that the two systems, with their judgments, and the time of their execution, as well as the executioners, are quite distinct in the Word; and that "the 1300 sects of Christendom do not coalesce with popery, and form Babylon, the great whore of Rev. 17."

If they do, then the whole of Christendom must be judged by the Beast and ten kings, and not by the Lord; for when "He appears, there is no Babylon the Great to judge; it has been destroyed. The whole system of popery is finally broken up and destroyed as a system, root and branch; and infidelity alone reigns supreme as the apostate mass outside of popery. How, then, does it receive its judgment ? Let 2 Thess. i:7-10 reply. Let Rev. 3:3 reply. While the Romish system, as such, is utterly destroyed, the individuals who may still be left will probably be identified with the apostate mass of apostate Christendom, and meet the fiery judgment from the Lord Himself when He appears in flaming fire. Wm. Easton

New Zealand

" Why should Peter be the one to tell us that all Christians are 'a holy priesthood' but in view of those who should misuse his name in after times ? or why should he be the one to announce to us that we are born again by the word of God, which is preached in the gospel, thus with two blows destroying ritualism to its foundations ? or why should Mary never prefer a request to her Son and Lord but to be checked for it, save as an after-rebuke to those who should think to avail themselves of the Virgin's intercession ? " From "The Revelation of Christ," by F. W. G.

After we are converted to God and saved by His wondrous grace, we get into the school of God, and become subjects of His disciplinary ways, in order that we may become instruments ready to His hand, to accomplish His purpose with regard to others, and that we may be well-pleasing to Him as His people here.

We are saved, it is true, and redeemed to God by the precious blood of Christ, and without fail our God is going to bring us to His eternal glory; but in the mean time we are not only the subjects of His ceaseless care, but also of His ways as Pruner, Refiner, and Potter; so that He may get fruit from us, see His own likeness in us, and we be altogether according to His own mind. As we read, " But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (i Peters:10, 11).

In the "five smooth stones out of the brook " that David chose, we have an illustration of this. These five stones lay a long time subject to the action of the water before they were ready for the hand of David, and for use in the destruction of the great adversary of Israel.

A long time ago they were rough and jagged stones, quite unfit for such a purpose; but now they are smooth-made such by the constant action of the water-and ready for the use of the already anointed king of Israel. There were many other stones in the brook, but David chose "five smooth stones out of the brook." The others were passed by as unfit, and the five were chosen. These were David's choice, and with them he went forth to victory.

There is a lesson in all this for the people of God today. Does our God want instruments to do His work ? He looks for those fitted to His hand:those who have been under His training, been in His school, learned of Him; who have been under the action and power of His Word, of which the water is a figure; in whom the flesh is refused, the will subject-fit instruments to accomplish His purposes.

The Master chooses these. They are fitted by Himself, and fit for His service. They may have lain in the water a long time, the action of the word of God has been going on, it may be, for years; but now He reaches down His hand into the brook and takes them up and uses them. He is sovereign in this, and yet there is a moral fitness in those whom He chooses. Others, whom man might deem more fit, are passed by, and these are used mightily for His glory.

How often do we see this illustrated in the word of God-Moses, for instance. How unfit when he thought himself fit! and how unfit in his own estimation when God had really fitted him. Forty years at the backside of the desert was a long time to wear off the jagged edges and make him a "smooth stone," "the meekest man in all the earth," and fit to bear the burdens that rested on him as the chosen deliverer of God's people. So with Joshua, "the young man that departed not from the tabernacle." David was another case. What secret training had he as a youth! and all along his pathway he seemed to be under the disciplinary hand of God, '' the water of the word " seemingly ever flowing over his soul. It is the way of God. How much were the prophets of old kept in retirement, waiting for the "word from His mouth." So with the apostles, and, last of all, the apostle Paul. Those three years in Arabia, if they were allowed to speak, would doubtless tell the story of secret training with his God, to fit him to brave the storms that met him, to enable him to suffer as he did for his Master, and at last joyfully to die for His sake. See Phil. 2:17.

There is much human training going on to-day. Much stress is laid on education, ordination, human credentials, and the like; but how often we are made aware of the fact that God moves outside of all this, and has His eye on the "smooth stones of the brook"; and when the time has come, He reaches down His hand and takes one up, and uses it to the astonishment of many that thought they were fit. One need not cite illustrations of this; they are too numerous. The long rows of names burdened with titles conferred by man are passed by, and some obscure miner, some unlettered clerk, some one who has been in secret training with God-a stone fitted to His hand-is taken up and used sovereignly and mightily to do His work.

This is humbling to the pride of man, to all his boasted attainments in an educational way; but it is the way of God; and we have to learn that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men" . . . "that no flesh should glory in His presence " (i Cor. i:25, 29).

Much is made of a man's presence, his eloquence, his enunciation, his education, his titles, his ancestry; but what are these to God ? The "five smooth stones," as they lay in the brook, were the expression of weakness. What could they accomplish ? Nothing, only as the hand of David took them up and used them. So with any of us. We are absolute weakness in ourselves, the expression of ignorance and nothingness; but when the mighty hand of our David takes hold of us, when the Spirit of God works in us and through us, then we are strong to accomplish the work of God. God will be no debtor to that which exalts the first man; those stones are not smooth enough for Him; He passes them by, and uses whom He pleases.

An obscure monk once shook the papal throne, and wrested from the grasp of Romish superstition multitudes of souls. At the Diet of Worms, how mighty he was in the hand of his mighty Master! How smooth the stone had become through those years of secret training with his God! and so, when slung by the hand of the true David, how it smote the Goliath of superstitious unbelief and laid him low, letting the precious truth of the gospel shine out in its heavenly beauty!

"When I am weak, then am I strong"; "If any man seem to be wise, let him become a fool, that he maybe wise" (2 Cor. 12:10; i Cor. 3:18), are lessons to be learned in God's school.

The time is fast approaching when it will be seen that God has not used the flesh at all, nor that which exalts man; that He has moved outside of it all; and that which has been done, which will abide, has been done by the mighty energy of His Spirit, through instruments prepared and chosen by Himself, who were willing to be nothing, so that He might be glorified.

God is at work in this world, and He has His own way of working. Instruments He uses, but they are instruments fitted by Himself, who have learned that "power belongeth unto God," and that God's work is not accomplished by the might and wisdom of man, nor in the energy of mere nature, whether refined or unrefined, educated or uneducated, but by the Spirit of God, as it is written, " Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." In this way only can the mountain become a plain and the work of God be accomplished, with shoutings of "Grace, grace unto it" (Zech. 4:6, 7).

The prophet was "waked, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep," to see and know this (Zech. 4:i). And is not this the important lesson that needs to be learned to-day by those who undertake the work of God, so as to do it in a way that shall manifest that it is the power of God that is at work, and that it is for the glory of His grace ? A. E.

A curly-headed little fellow lay on the operating table in the royal infirmary, Edinburgh. His right foot was to come off. He glanced at the gruesome trays of knives and saws, the awesome bottles, and then at the living wall of students which rose, tier upon tier, to the very ceiling.

Suddenly pushing aside the chloroform towel, He looked into the eyes of the surgeon bending over him, and his shrill voice piped out, " Will ye no pray first ?"

Glancing from the surgeon to the wall of faces beyond, and back again, he fixed his eyes wistfully on the face, palest of all, above him. A tear trembled on each of the young lids, and again the distressed little voice was heard, "Can ye no pray ? "

The surgeon wheeled round on his heel, saying, "Now, you mission lads, show your mettle."

There was a dead silence; then a tall, dark figure in the third row stood up and prayed, "Our Father in heaven, bless the little man on the table, and bring him safely through; and bless the efforts of Thy skillful servant. For Thy name's sake. Amen."

Then Curly-head on the table smiled and fell asleep, and the operation proceeded.

To our Friends.

Upon reaching the last issue of help and pood for the current year, it would be ungratefulness not to acknowledge the conscious help the Lord has given along the way. Small as it is, no service perhaps in one's path has excited more the sense of responsibility and dependence, and therefore the need of prayer. There has been no lack of trial in it; but if we live no more unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again, trial is but the way of progress, and progress is gain for eternity. The fellowship of fellow-laborers has been more abundant in various ways, and so the labor has been sweetened much. A greater sense of responsibility seems to have come upon such as are able to minister with the pen, and this is cheering. If they are diligent, and persevere with prayerfulness, and are patient toward the more or less faulty, though sincerely careful, criticisms of the Editor, they will find in the end that their labor has not been in vain. The Lord, beloved brethren, make you all, young and old, increasingly able to feed the flock of God. There is growing need of it. Let your words be as few as possible with clearness and pointedness. Do not load up an article with too many things. The great majority of people can take in only so much at a time, and no more.

Do not think it necessary to find some new and astonishing things to say to minister to God's people. '' The sincere milk of the Word "; the plain food; the precious things which flow from our Lord Jesus Christ, are ever in demand. If we live in them ourselves, and enjoy them, the sheep of Christ will thankfully pick them up from our lips. Ever keep in mind the whole Church of God. Our magazine is not for a little section of the people of God, but for all, and what is ministered therefore is of necessity to be in view of all, for the instruction of any and every child of God who desires to learn the word of God.

We are thankful that there has been increase in the circulation. Might there not be more ? We have received letters during the year from persons who had received rich blessing through its pages, and they stirred in us the desire to have it spread farther. Effort in this way usually finds success, and distributors and writers share in the common coming reward.

Above all things, we make request for the prayers of God's people, both of individuals and of prayer-meetings ; for what is all our service worth without the "increase" which God alone gives, or can give? What fruits we may find, when we reach the glory, from having made every service in Christ which commends itself to our Christian conscience a matter of individual and collective prayer-earnest and persevering prayer! While the Lord yet tarries, may we all live, serve, labor, as men who wait for Him.

Another Mark of the Approaching End.

We have from time to time taken notice in our pages of the great marks of the near coming again of our Lord-such as the return of the Jews to their land, the apostasy of Christendom, etc., preliminaries of which are now manifest before all who have eyes to see.

The downfall of "Babylon the Great" is another mighty event which is to take place at that time. It is described in Rev. 17 and 18. Preliminaries of this are also showing themselves, as witness her being cast off by the state in France of very recent date. We copy from a late number of The Presbyterian Record the following concerning her downfall in Italy. It shows in the same way what is surely awaiting her for all her awful history of crime, when God lets loose against her the hosts of her enraged enemies. As she has done to others, so is it to be done to her, and that not by the people of God surely, for they are a forgiving people, but by His enemies who know no mercy.

"Italy, as every one knows, is the seat and shrine of the Roman Catholic Church. In Rome the Pope for ages and ages has had his palace, and in Rome he once ruled supreme, and from that Old-World city made his influence felt for good and evil-mainly for evil-throughout the civilized world.

"In Italy, the "spell" of these "mighty magicians" has been broken. The Pope and the Curia have to content themselves with the use of the Vatican Palace, lent to them by act of Parliament; and even within that building they have obtained the protection of the Italian Government by night and by day to save them from the violence of the inhabitants of Rome.

"The tables in Italy have been entirely reversed. The Pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops and priests throughout the whole land, exist only on sufferance. All property has been taken from them. The Papal Church does not possess a stone of building in the land, nor an inch of soil. It cannot hold, it cannot build, it cannot inherit property. It is only a tenant at will.

" Indeed, by the new code, which threatens with fine, imprisonment, and dismissal from office, any priest who, in the exercise of his duties, talks against the king and government, or disturbs the peace of families, or seeks to annoy an Italian subject in the free exercise of his civil rights, or for doing what the law permits him to do-by this new penal code, the Roman Catholic Church in Italy is virtually placed in the category of criminal institutions.

"Again, marriage has been taken out of the hands of the Catholic Church entirely. No priest can perform the marriage ceremony. The Pope himself could not legally marry any one. Marriage in Italy is a civil rite, only legal when performed by the syndic (provost) of the place in which the couple reside, or by one of his assessors, and in the city council chambers.

"That law was found to be necessary in the interests of morality, as the Church was prepared to marry almost all and sundry, no matter though within the forbidden degrees, if money sufficient was paid for the indulgence. It was largely a question of pounds, shillings, and pence-just as in former times it was with all crimes, when the Church committed them for money.

"Again, education has been completely taken out of the hands of the Church so far as the national schools of the land are concerned. Before 1876, when the temporal power of the Pope was overthrown, education was entirely in the hands of the Church. Now, no priest, no monk, no nun, no sister, is permitted to be a teacher in any national school.

" It is an impossibility for the Church in Italy to get enough priests to fill her pulpits. Hence she is drafting them from Britain and Ireland and America and all countries. Hardly any respectable father will give his son to the priesthood. The priests are drawn from the lowest class in the land, many from the pauper and criminal classes. Two months ago the Government issued an order forbidding soldiers to salute the host, a thing they had been accustomed to do for centuries. The whole nation is up in arms against the Church. The Pope and the priests say this agitation is the work of Anarchists and Socialists, and is financed from France. It is nothing of the kind. It is the national movement, called forth by the discoveries of unspeakable crimes committed by priests and sisters in their educational establishments."

ON GUIDANCE.

"If I have no motive but my Father's will, how astonishingly it simplifies everything. If you never thought of doing a thing, except because it was God's positive will that you should do it, how many things of your life would at once disappear; not in a constant struggle against one thing and another, but in the quiet consciousness that the grace of God has provided for everything, that you do not take a step but what His love has provided for."

We wept – 'twas Nature wept-but Faith
Can pierce beyond the gloom of death,
And in yon world so fair and bright
Behold thee in refulgent light!
We miss thee here, yet Faith would rather
Know thou art with thy Heavenly Father.
Nature sees the body dead,
Faith beholds the spirit fled;

Nature stops at Jordan's tide,
Faith beholds the other side;
That but hears farewell, and sighs,
This, thy welcome in the skies.
Nature mourns a cruel blow;
Faith assures it is not so.
Nature never sees thee more;
Faith but sees thee gone before.
Nature tells a dismal story;
Faith has visions full of glory.
Nature views the change with sadness;
Faith contemplates it with gladness.
Nature sorrows, Faith gives meekness-
" Strength is perfected in weakness."
Nature weeps, and dreads the rod;
Faith looks up and blesses god.
Sense looks downwards; Faith, above;
That sees harshness, this sees love. Oh! let
Faith victorious be, Let it reign triumphantly!
But thou art gone! not lost, but flown;
Shall I then ask thee back, my own ?
Back, and leave thy spirit's brightness ?
Back, and leave the robes of whiteness ?
Back, and leave the Lamb who feeds thee ?
Back, from founts to which He leads thee ?
Back, and leave thy Heavenly Father ?
Back to earth and sin? Nay, rather
Would I live in solitude!
I would not ask thee, if I could;
But patient wait the high decree
That calls my spirit home with thee!

Elizabeth Webb

QUES. 3 -Will you please explain the second verse of John 15? Does this mean mere professors, or true children of God? I know that it does not mean that a sheep of Christ can ever perish; but does it mean that one of His own, dishonoring Him continually, and bearing no fruit, He will take out of the world, that they be not a hindrance to others? Please explain it simply, as to a little child. I have wanted to understand this so long. God bless yon, and reward you, is the prayer of a sister in Christ.

ANS.-Your question reaches us as our February number is about to go to press. It has already been put by another, as you will see, and we trust our answer to it in January number will make all clear to you. We only add that verse 6 of the chapter forbids the explanation you suggest. "They are burned" after being taken away, and this could not be said of children of God.

QUES. 4.-I have been taught that no signs are to be looked for before the rapture of the Church as described in 1 Thess. 4:14-17; but do not the dreadful catastrophes which happen so frequently of late, increasing in severity,-the most appalling of all now in Sicily,-compel us to think most seriously of such predictions as Matt. 24:7, where "famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places," are given as proofs of the end being near ?

Are we not also, in the present "labor" conditions, strangely near the order of things described in Rev. 13:17, when "no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name''?

ANS.-You have been rightly taught. If yon read carefully the epistles of Paul, you will find that along with the gospel which brings immediate salvation to the souls of them that believed it, he taught at once those who had, believed to look for the coming again of the Lord Himself. See 1 Thess. 1:9, 10; 1 Cor. 1:7; Titus 2:11-13, and a host of others.

The Church, which is the body of Christ, is a heavenly thing. She is liable to be removed from the earth and carried up into heaven at any moment of time, without the least warning or sign -just like Lazarus, suddenly raised out of his grave by the voice of the Lord, and, like the Lord Himself, caught up suddenly from the top of mount Olivet. All the signs and terrible happenings are in relation to God's earthly people (Israel) and the other nations of the earth, especially the nations of the restored Roman empire.

You cannot fail to see this if you read carefully Matt. 24, throughout which there is not one word applicable to the Church, save the exhortation at the end, which has no less moral weight with us than with them. Yon can easily see there the opposite to ourselves :Noah, the righteous man, is left for the blessing of earth ; the wicked are taken away by the judgment of the flood. With us, the righteous are taken away from this earth into heaven – the home of the Church, the bride of Christ – and the unbelievers left for the awful judgments which follow, and sweep them into everlasting perdition.

But the taking away of the Church from the earth is what brings Israel to the front again. It lets loose the flood of judgments upon the earth ; and as God usually has preliminaries to His great doings, so, no doubt, He has in this, and you are therefore quite right in associating in your mind the oft-recurring and appalling calamities of the present "time with the judgments of God which are to close the actual dispensation of grace, and usher in the millennial one. As dark clouds betoken a storm, and the shades of evening announce the night, so these famines and earthquakes declare the nearing wrath ; the covered apostates which still hide themselves under the names of Christian Science, Higher Criticism, Millennial Dawn, and what not, announce the prophesied open apostasy of Christendom ; the "labor" conditions prepare men for that solemn hour when none can buy or sell unless he owns the "beast" as God ; and the stir among the Jews to recover their land and nationality heralds the nearing time of their getting them. The end is surely near. Eternal joy to ns who have submitted to the Lord Jesus ! but oh, how dark and dismal the prospects of the rest! How important that our character and ways equally differ from theirs!

QUES. 5. – Will any who now have the gospel preached to them be saved during the space of time between the rapture of the heavenly saints and the appearing of Christ with them in the clouds of heaven ? I see that the Jewish Remnant will suffer persecution, and will not deny Christ ; but will any of the Gentiles do the same?

ANS. – The passage in 2 Thess. 2:8-12 definitely settles the question. It says that "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved . . . God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie :that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Of course God alone knows who they are in Christendom who have reached such a degree of responsibility. But is not this already manifested in part in such delusions as we have mentioned in our answer to the question before yours? Who could be carried away with such a delusion as "Christian Science," for instance, but such as have come in contact with truth and have not loved it? Having not loved it, they take up with a lie ; and they love that greatly, and do anything to spread it.

Rev. 7 :9-17 shows plainly that a remnant of the Gentiles-' a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues"-will, as well as a remnant of the Jews, refuse the mark of the "beast," and confess Christ.

QUES. 6.-Will you kindly explain the narrative given in Matt. 20:29-34 ; Mark 10 :46-52 ; and Luke 18 :35-43? Were there three blind men, or only two? Luke says, When He was come nigh unto Jericho; Matthew and Mark, When He was leaving Jericho.

ANS.-We have no doubt at all that the threefold narrative refers to the one and same incident. Matthew mentions two blind men ; Mark and Luke, only one of the two-that part only of the incident being used by the Spirit which suits the character of each Gospel. The only difficulty is that in Luke it seems to put the meeting before entering Jericho, whilst the others plainly state it was upon leaving it. A careful reading, however, shows there is no definite statement in Luke. The Lord is on His way to Jerusalem ; it is the engrossing subject, from chap. 9 :51. He has now reached the parts of Jericho, and here are the incidents which happened there, regardless of the time when they took place :A blind man is made to see; a Zacchaeus is made to rejoice; and a testimony is borne that before the kingdom can appear, the King, rejected by blind Israel, must go "into a far country to receive for Himself a kingdom, and to return." When He returns, Israel, still in the place of malediction, will experience what these incidents relate, and then will the kingdom appear in glory.
It is the moral of the incidents we are called upon to enjoy here. The time of their happening is therefore left purposely indefinite.

Translated from the French by E. L. Bevir.

There are evidently two accounts of the birth of the universe-that is, of Genesis.

1. The first account says that the world exists because God created it, and that the Author of the universe possesses power and life without measure. This account declares that the laws of nature, the harmonious whole of all cosmic and organic functions, with the evolution of all beings, is simply explained by the activity of one Will, and that this organizing power has both begun and sustained its work up to this moment. It also declares that the laws of nature evince intelligence rather than chance, and that life gives evidence of a source of life rather than of nothing. This account is summed up thus:"In the beginning god created …"

But the second account explains the formation of the universe without God. This is how it proceeds:

2. In the beginning heaven and earth made themselves. There was nothing! Imperceptibly the world appeared, for nothing was at work ! Thus out of nothing, something was made, and chance accomplished this miracle! This was the first step in Genesis. It is true that primaeval (initial) matter was very little removed from nothing, and differed but little from an absolute vacuum. It was an imponderable substance, infinitely light and subtle, and composed of such attenuated atoms that thousands of millions of cubic yards of it would hardly have weighed the tenth part of a grain!

Outside of this there was no kind of existence; no matter, living or dead. There was nothing! But progressively matter began to give itself that which it did not possess. Being uniform, it generated variety; and though inert, gave itself force and motion! The atoms, which were next door to nothing, and could borrow nothing anywhere, endowed themselves spontaneously with hidden powers of so prodigious a nature that the vast universe, life and intelligence, came forth from them! In the meantime there was nothing but a tumultuous mass of blind energies which chance was kneading into shape.

Chance, however, brought order into this chaos, just as nothing had made something out of nothing. Unconscious disorder did, by a miracle, exactly what an intelligent and reasonable power would have done. It distributed forces, organized matter, so that the nondescript whirlwind of cosmic atoms had the extraordinary good fortune to become one vast harmony of inviolable laws, like a gigantic orchestra. Just as a type-compositor by shaking up a bag of type would bring out an epic poem; or a man, born blind, running his brush at haphazard over the canvas, would give you at the end a Rubens or a Rembrandt. It was just thus in the combination of atoms and equilibrium of the universe. A question of centuries, of millions of centuries-yes, but that is nothing! And this was the second grand period.

Led by chance, the atoms, the work of nothing, performed greater miracles than ever! You have seen the strange shapes of clouds projected in shadow on the sands, uncertain and flitting forms:they soon disappear as the wind blows. Well, the atoms of a happier or cleverer kind, after having made different kinds of bodies-liquid, solid, or gaseous-managed to mix in such a manner, to combine so marvelously, that life arose from this combination.
Modern scientists, who have analyzed the elements of living bodies and found out the proportions in which these elements combine, cannot even produce one cell animated with life. They have made great numbers of experiments and shown that life does not occur spontaneously in the midst of inanimate matter. This would require a miracle which modern science denies; yet this very miracle of which it is incapable and which it denies, has been performed by chance!

Oh, a miracle a hundred times over! Let us believe it without understanding it! The mixing of inanimate atoms by blind chance has produced beings gifted with the mysterious power of growing, of exchanging matter with the surrounding medium, of feeding, digesting, organizing and reproducing themselves, obeying a kind of interior consciousness and will! This is how life appeared! Matter was its author-matter in which life did not exist and which could not get it anywhere!

No doubt the first forms of life were very elementary. There was between it and dead matter the smallest possible difference, the shortest distance. But just as some huge mountain crevices with the narrowest orifice conceal prodigious depths, so this slight distance-between elementary life and death -revealed an abyss in the form of "spots floating on the surface of the tides and multiplying."* *This is a quotation from a book, "The World Without God." Mangasarian, 1904.*
But this is only another miracle to be put to the account of "chance and atoms."

This was the third step in creation.

The accidental combinations of living molecules brought forth new prodigies. Caring not much for natural laws, the first animated cells were able to transmit the life that they had received from nowhere, and in a more and more complex form. These were the higher steps of the growth of the universe! Chance went on with its work on primitive matter, hatched out of nothing, and formed organisms more and more perfect.

Being judicious, though unconscious, chance brewed the elements steadily for millions of centuries during which it never belied itself, until superior animals, man, intelligence, conscience, will-these being the far-off descendants of almighty nothing, that is of the original and productive void-appeared at the surface of eternal nature!

Thus the universe expanded, miraculously in bloom as a rich flower with no roots, or a river without a source.

Is there any room for a third theory as to Genesis? No! You must choose between a creation caused by the accidental meeting and mixing of atoms, and that which declares that God created everything. According to many of the learned, and not the least, this organization by chance is more than a miracle; it is inconceivable. But still we are told to shut our eyes-not in this case to what is mysterious, but to what is incoherent and absurd-and to believe this fable!

Which of the two accounts of Genesis is the more reasonable? E. Causse

"I beg leave to propose a short, clear and strong argument to prove the divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures:

" 1:The Bible must be the invention of good men or angels, bad men or devils, or of God.

" 2. It could not be the invention of good men or angels ; for they neither would nor could make a book and tell lies all the time they were writing it, saying, 'Thus saith the Lord,' when it was their own invention.

"3. It could not be the invention of bad men or devils ; for they would not make a book which commands all duty, forbids all sin, and condemns their souls to hell to all eternity.

"4. Therefore I draw this conclusion-that the Bible must be given by divine inspiration."

"They that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places :thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations ; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in" (Isa. 58:12). The 58th chapter of Isaiah contains much that is of deep interest and importance to the people of God at the present moment. It is ministry of a searching and serious character, but likewise full of comfort and encouragement for those who are in the place of self-judgment and brokenness before God, who fee! the conditions of things among His people, and have their welfare and His glory at heart.

The spiritual state of Israel could scarcely have been at a lower ebb than when Isaiah was directed to cry aloud and spare not, but to lift up his voice like a trumpet, and show the Lord's people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins (ver. i). This is never a happy service, save in so far as the servant of God seeks to have but One before him, and then speaks and acts with a view to His approbation alone.

It was hardly to be expected that Israel would honor and delight in one whose ministry necessarily meant the condemnation of so much that they had set their hearts upon. But he sought lovingly, yet faithfully, to show them the true state of affairs, with a view to rich blessing if they laid the word of God to heart.

His exhortation was a call to reality; and we ever need such stirring messages. It is so easy to become self-satisfied and formal, content that outward ceremonies are maintained in accord with the letter of Scripture, while the heart is away from God and the ways loose and unbecoming.

In Israel there was careful attention to the appointed fasts, and the solemn feasts, but unrighteousness flourished unjudged; hence all was obnoxious in the eyes of the Lord, who ever looks for that which springs from devotedness of heart to Himself (vers. 2-4).

It is easy to go on with the breaking of bread, meetings for prayer, ministry and Bible study, thus outwardly conforming to what is in accord with the Book, while all the time the power of the world is getting a stronger hold on the heart and life. This will be manifested by covetousness, human business principles that would not stand the searching test of Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, intimate association with unspiritual men, entering into unequal yokes, and a host of other evils; while, all the time, much is made of "separation truth," and even the highest ecclesiasticism maintained with a great appearance of devotedness to that truth.

In fact, the further one drifts in self-pleasing paths, the more pretentious often will be the claims made.

Only lately, one whose testimony even the world despised because of unspiritual ways, was calmly setting before some brethren (who were exercised before God as to the rent and divided state of His people professedly gathered to His name) the following simile, in order to hinder any exercise of soul in the matter:-God had raised up a special testimony in the last days. Certain " brethren " formed that testimony, which might be likened to a biscuit. In the course of time, pieces of the biscuit had been broken off. All who refused to own that assembly-judgments were bound in heaven (whatever their character), were such broken pieces. But, "thank God," was the self-satisfied wind-up, "we remain the middle of the biscuit! " Could conceit and spiritual pretension go further ?

What must be the mind of God in regard to such unholy claims, which, if true, would make the Lord Jesus Christ Himself the minister of sin ? Surely it ought to be plain to any godly believer that nothing is bound on earth or in heaven but what is in accordance with the word of God.

"The righteous Lord loveth righteousness," and He looks for integrity of heart and uprightness of behavior in every individual saint and collective company called by His name. It has been said, "An unrighteous act does not put a gathering off divine ground." This is true-for gatherings, like individuals, may fail even where the thought was to glorify God. But when the acceptance of an unrighteous act is made a test of fellowship, and saints refusing to bow to it are cut off in heartless indifference while the glory of Christ is pleaded as necessitating such unholy conduct, then such gatherings have utterly given up divine ground, and degenerated into the most sectarian position.

To many of God's dear people the words of Isa. 66:5 may well apply:"Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at His word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for My name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified:but He shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed."

Again, God has said, "Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these " (Jer. 7:4). And He calls upon His people to "execute judgment between a man and his neighbor," and not put "The temple of the Lord " before righteousness.

If for "temple" we substitute the word "table," we have what answers to all this pretentious boasting in our own day.

God, I repeat, looks for reality. So Isaiah called upon Israel to "loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke." Compassion was enjoined, and that grace which would lead them to deal their bread to the hungry, to "bring the poor that are cast out" into their house, to cover the naked, and not to hide themselves from their own flesh (vers. 6, 7). Then would their light break forth as the morning, and their health be revived. Then should righteousness go before them, and the glory of the Lord be their rearward (ver. 8).

What a voice has all this to every exercised soul! Coldness and indifference to fellow-saints; unconcern about gospel effort, which is indeed dealing out bread to the hungry; casting out the simple and the poor in intelligence because of inability to discern ecclesiastical quibbles-how markedly have all these things followed in the train of that carnal, worldly spirit which has wrought division and sorrow in the name of Him who prayed "that they all might be one"!

Surely it is time to abase ourselves before Him to seek His face for revival and blessing. Already
He has begun to work in many places, drawing together in loving unity saints long divided.

The moment is a most solemn one, and brings with it great responsibilities. Oh for grace to answer to them, and to seek to be lowly and broken in His presence, that thus He may lift us up!
To Israel He promised guidance, satisfaction in Himself, and refreshment of soul "like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not," if there were but a turning to Himself and owning the rod that had smitten them, followed by care for His people and godly concern about walking in His ways (ver. 11).

Then the precious promise was given, "They that be of thee shall build the old waste places:thou shalt raise up the foundation of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in" (ver. 12). Precious titles are these, and blessed service is that here commended.

There have been so many breach-makers, and so many breach-wideners! Oh to seek to be true repairers of the breach, engaged in the happy service of seeking out the scattered ones and making peace in a godly, righteous way, between saints who should never have been divided.

Notice there must be individual exercise first, and individual self-judgment for worldliness, pride, and contention, ere there can be a true repairing of the breach according to the mind of God.

Then, alas, there has been so prolific a growth of ecclesiastical traditions among us that not merely repairing of the breach is needed, but a restoring of paths to dwell in. If our exercises result in bringing us back more and more to the Book, in stirring our hearts to faithful searching of the Scriptures, to the banishment of mere theories, and the submission to the authority-not of the assembly! but-of the word of God, then these will be both repairing and restoring. Breaches will be healed in a godly way. The old paths will be trodden in lowly subjection to the Lord Jesus, the Head of the assembly.

A mere "letting bygones be bygones," and "beginning anew," for which some plead, is very different from this. It is a solemn facing of conditions in the presence of God, judging all that in the past has dishonored Him, and thus repairing the breach and restoring paths to dwell in.

May the Lord grant us to follow Him, and discern His mind in these things, for His name's sake.

H. A. I.

"Feed My lambs . . . My sheep" (John 21 :15, 17). "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, . . . to feed the Church of God " (Acts 20 :28). " Feed the flock of God which is among you " (i Peter

The above-mentioned scriptures contain much that is of a deep and searching character for all who have any true care and concern for the welfare and blessing of the Lord's dear people.

It is scarcely necessary to say that the terms "lambs – sheep," and " church," refer not merely to the few or the many with whom we may be in Christian association, but to every member of the body of Christ on earth, without exception. To take any narrower view of it would be sectarianism, more or less bigoted in character; yet is there not constant danger here ? How easily do we look at a Christian askance because "he followeth not with us" (Luke 9:49).

There is nothing that God is more jealous of than His truth – His doctrine; and it is only by doing His will that we know that doctrine (John 7:17). Nor has He greater joy than to have His people
walk in it. There never was a time when they required to be faithful and true to it more than at the present, when so many are seeking to "remove the ancient landmarks" (Prov. 22:28).We are assuredly in the Laodicean state described so fully in a Peter, chaps. 2 and 3; Jude, and Rev. 3; and to "contend earnestly for the faith once [for all] delivered to the saints " should be our chief care and earnest desire, by the help of God.

Hardly a Protestant system stands today but what is honeycombed with evil of a more or less glaring character; and, sad to say, true Christians in those systems, in many cases, are blind to it; others are at a loss to know what to do, or where to turn to. Even if they learn of a company of Christians who have departed from these evils, and are gathered together according to God, they are liable to be met there too with most puzzling difficulties and discordant sounds. One would not for a moment ignore the fact that, in the main, divisions occur among God's people because of evil coming in, and a firm refusal of it. The injunction, "Let him that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness, " necessitates division at times. Again, "There must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you."May the spirit of faithfulness ever be maintained! Nevertheless, under the existing conditions, pride becomes none; heartfelt humiliation is the only befitting mind in all, and in each one who has at heart the interests of the Lord Jesus and the welfare of His beloved people.

Two articles in September help and food-" Repairing the Breach and Restoring the Paths," and
"A Needful Lesson"-seem most timely and true, and have given help to the writer of this paper. Laboring in a small city on the Pacific coast, and being brought into close contact with tf1311^ of God's dear people, his heart has gone out to them with pity because of their being placed in such circum-stances, and with yearning love too, he trusts, for their welfare. He has been told by them repeatedly, "We are being starved; we get no food for our souls." In looking back, one pleads guilty of having used his knowledge of truth at times to smite the ignorant and those who are out of the way, rather than to lead them in it; of having, Pharisee-like, stood off at a distance, rather than physician-like, having drawn nigh. This humbles one, and the forgiving grace of God turns to a better use of His precious truth. What then should be our first thought when meeting fellow-saints in their difficulties and needs ? Seek to bring them in to association with ourselves ? or occupy them with, and worry them about, their ecclesiastical position? Has not this been one of the causes for the very great weakness now prevalent ? There are various other causes, we are sure:-how little depth of the sense of sin by many of the rising generation; how little conviction of truth, and how little therefore under its governing power; how many motives of a self-pleasing nature are at work, instead of pure obedience to Christ, cost what it may:these are after a better ministry, others after following their special friends, and others again are after the greatest numbers. What but weakness and worldliness can result from such things ?

What, then, we ask again, should be the first care and concern of every true-hearted servant of Christ ? We say unhesitatingly, in the language of our text, "Feed the flock of God which is among you"; feed them first with milk; and then, as the spiritual capacity increases with the desire, feed them with stronger food:feed them with Christ, and for Christ's sake; see to it that Christ's ends toward them are kept in view-not yours.

The great mass of Christians of to-day are profoundly ignorant of the main and fundamental truths of Christianity, such as New Birth, Eternal Life, Justification, Sanctification or Holiness, Two Natures, the difference between Law and Grace, New Creation, the two Adams, the Holy Spirit's presence, the Lord's Second Coming, the difference between the Church and the Kingdom, etc., as well as the fact that the special gifts of tongues, healing, etc., were simply sign-gifts at the inauguration of Christianity, to establish its identity. Hence the reason that so many are carried away by such extravagances as the Pentecostal or Tongues movements. Shall we not bestir ourselves to make known abroad what we have learned in secret with God ? Shall we not do all which, with good conscience toward God, we can do to make them sharers with us of the good things we have received ? Shall we not as one man assemble at our prayer-meetings with deliberate purpose to plead with God for His deluded and misled people ? True, they have the word of God, and they may read it for themselves; but for what reason do the Lord Jesus, the apostle Paul, and the apostle Peter, give utterance to the words quoted at the head of this paper ?

Our Lord has ordained a ministry, not for a section of His people, but for all. Every man gifted by Christ for the ministry of His word has received this gift, not for a particular congregation, or circle of congregations, but for all His people. Whoever refuses such, refuses Christ's gift to them; and whoever refuses to minister to any of His people unless they bind him with what obedience to Christ should refuse, is unfaithful to his calling. And the better Christ has equipped any servant of His with gift and knowledge, the more responsible that servant is.

Christ calls His people "My lambs," "My sheep." For them He laid down His life. For them He works from on high now. For them He will appear soon. Blessed then will they be who are found having fed and shepherded them for His sake while they were in this scene of need and of abounding evil. We may not all have the special gift of a pastor, with the holy qualifications belonging to it; but if the ruin of the Church is realized, and we love the brethren-not some of them-as every one redeemed by the Lord should do, our hearts will warm toward the poor, scattered, bewildered flock of God, and we will, each in our measure, carry the good things we have to them. Nor will this make us forget the special care needed by those who are brought together into holy association through such ministry. The dear apostle never neglected them; the care of them was ever upon him; the salutations at the end of his epistles show plainly that not only the assemblies as such were dear to him, but the individuals who composed them as well. But he pushed on; what he had received of the Lord made him a debtor to all. Oh for this devouring zeal; this unsectarian heart; this protecting care for those whom Christ loves!

Another thing:Our depositories are stocked with printed ministry of a most valuable character, containing the exposition of every line of truth already mentioned, and much more besides. Men of God have labored prayerfully and in self-denial to make available to all a ministry full of spiritual riches. All cannot preach, all cannot go with the things of God to all the corners of the land. Do those of the Lord's stewards who possess earthly things realize their responsibility in this line of ministry ? Do they know how much more that ministry could be extended by furnishing the hands of the servants of Christ who oftentimes are unable to purchase, save in small quantities ? What an opportunity to invest for eternal profits! We are all fellow-workmen; we need one another; we are all members of one body; the lack of one member makes room for the other.

False shepherds are abroad, and their number is legion. They are after the fleece and the milk of the flock of God. What are we after ? May God exercise our hearts as to all this! Let us serve patiently and devotedly. What they who are helped and fed by our ministry will do with it is their responsibility :ours is to be faithful toward them, ministering to them according to our measure as they are able to bear. If we but deliver them from the growing errors of the age, we have been to them "the salt of the earth"-the preserving element from corruption.

In conclusion, one scarcely need say that that part of the word of God which applies to the salvation of the sinner and his being established in grace is by no means the limit of the faithful ministry of Christ. Once established in grace, our relations to one another as members of the body of Christ, our individual and ecclesiastical responsibilities, most surely follow :to keep back any part of the word of God because it brings conflict with existing institutions of any kind would be practically denying that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

May the Lord give the tender and gracious spirit as to all this-exercising our hearts as to the welfare of the whole Church of God-thus proving the reality of that blessed tie that binds us all together to Him, and fulfilling the will and good pleasure of our God! F. J. Enefer.

JEHOVAH JIREH.

(The LORD will provide.)

There is nothing too small for His care.

There is nothing too great for His power.

There is nothing too Wearing for His love.

"Is anything TOO HARD for the Lord? "

-Gen. 18:14.

"HE CARETH FOR YOU"-i Pet. 5:7.

At the time we learned of your sorrow, my mind was engaged with the records of the deaths of Sarah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. I was noticing how, in each case, faith's comfort was in the thought that death does not annul its portion. The believer has lost nothing by death. In death he waits still for that he waited for in life. He waits for it with clearer vision, too, for to him death is gain. A clog on his enjoyment has been removed-a clog never to be resumed, for the new body will be a spiritual body, and in it promise, hope will be realized in full fruition.

Those gone on before, we miss-how much! but we are not without comfort as to them-what comfort!"

"Without holiness no man shall see the Lord."Heb. 12:14.

This is Christian character. It is not by character that we become Christians, as all who know the truth know, but there is no true Christian without a Christian character. There is no true Christian who does not hate evil and love good; who has not ceased from evil to practice good. This is holiness, and without this none is a true Christian, and none shall see the Lord.

"There is one body." Eph. 4:4.

This is the statement of Scripture. Just as it says '' There is one God," so it says, "There is one body." As we cannot therefore acknowledge more than one God, no more can we acknowledge more than one body- " the Church which is His (Christ's) body." A man who acknowledges more than one God is false to the true One, so a man who acknowledges more than one body is false to the true one.

Evil doctrines and evil practice have divided God's people greatly, but this does not change the abiding truth that "there is one body," any more than the many gods of the heathen can change the truth that "there is one God."

We cannot again bring the great and many pieces of Christendom together without enclosing with them a vast number of ungodly people as well as dire iniquity with which Christ, who is holy and true, cannot identify Himself.

We could not even bring together all the true members of the body of Christ-the people who have been washed from their sins by the blood of Christ-without enclosing many evil doctrines and ways with which Christ could not walk, for alas, how many of His own are entangled in evil!

When, then, shall we see with our eyes that one body in its divine oneness? When Christ comes again in glory. Then every child of God will, at the judgment-seat of Christ, have judged with the judgment of God everything in all his ways which grieved the Spirit in his life down here, and hindered the manifestation of the oneness of the body of Christ. Let all who know that oneness, and who love it, see well to their own ways, that they be no hindrance to its manifestation; and though they cannot restore it, the Lord will not fail "in that day" to credit them for what they have done toward it.

Are you standing at "Wits' End Corner,
Christian, with troubled brow ?
Are you thinking of what is before you,
And all you are bearing now ?
Does all the world seem against you,
And you in the battle alone ?
Remember-at "Wits' End Corner,"
Is just where God's power is shown.

Are you standing at "Wits' End Corner,"
Blinded with wearying pain,
Feeling you cannot endure it,
You cannot bear the strain-
Bruised through the constant suffering,
Dizzy, and dazed, and numb ?
Remember-to "Wits' End Corner"
Is where Jesus loves to come!

Are you standing at "Wits' End Corner,"
Your work before you spread,
All begun, lying unfinished
And pressing on heart and head,
Longing for strength to do it,
Stretching out trembling hands ?
Remember-at "Wits' End Corner"
The Burden-Bearer stands.

Are you standing at "Wits' End Corner,"
Yearning for those you love,
Longing, and praying, and watching,
Pleading their cause above,
Trying to lead them to Jesus,
Wondering if you've been true ?
He whispers, at "Wits' End Corner,"
"I'll win them, as I won you !"

Are you standing at "Wits' End Corner ?'
Then you're just in the very spot,
To learn the wondrous resources
Of Him who faileth not!
No doubt to a brighter pathway
Your footsteps will soon be moved,
But only at "Wits' End Corner "
Is "the God who is able " proved!

THE FAITHFUL AND THE FAITHLESS.

"Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you" (Col. 4:14).

"There salute thee . . . Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers" (Philem. 23, 24).

"Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world (age), and is departed unto Thessalonica. . . . Only Luke is with me" (2 Tim. 4:10, 11).

There are solemn lessons, particularly for those who essay to serve the Lord in the ministry of the Word, in the manner in which the Holy Ghost, through the apostle Paul, links the names of Luke and Demas in the three passages quoted above.

A careful reading of the Acts would seem to indicate that Luke, the writer of the book, joined himself to the apostle about the time that he, having been forbidden of the Spirit to preach the word in Asia, or to go into Bithynia, went down to Troas, and thence to Macedonia. In Acts 16:10, after relating the vision of the man of that country who prayed Paul, saying, "Come over and help us,"
Luke writes:"And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them." The use of the plural pronoun in the first person makes it evident that the writer was one of the company, heretofore composed of Paul, Silas, and Timotheus.

From this point on, the faithful physician-evangelist is ever linked more or less closely with Paul. With him he shares hardships to which his early training could scarcely have inured him; with him he enters too into the joys of spiritual conquests as he beholds the power of the name of Jesus made manifest among Jews and Gentiles.

Occasionally we miss the familiar yet unobtrusive "we" and "us," as Luke remains here or there, evidently for the further establishment of some whom Paul had to leave abruptly, owing to persecution or lack of time; but everywhere Luke is the dependable, steady-going, devoted servant, who, perhaps more than any other, understood and could care for the physical needs of the great apostle of the nations. He never vaunts himself, nor mentions his departure on special missions, his remaining in this or that place, nor his rejoining the company. In chap. 20:4, seven helpers are mentioned; but the name of Luke does not appear. Only the "us" in the 5th verse lets us know that this scholarly doctor of medicine was along as "he that serveth."

He seems to have spent some days with the brethren at Troas on his return, but he makes no mention of a special welcome to what may have been his home-assembly. He is ever the hidden one (vers. 6, 7). Leaving Paul to finish his ministry, he was with those who "went before to ship and sailed unto Assos," where Paul joined them after the breaking of bread on the first day of the week.

He is intimate enough to plead earnestly with the apostle, beseeching him not to go up to Jerusalem; but when the journey is decided on, he is one who says, "The will of the Lord be done"; and from this time to the end he is ever with Christ's honored servant, even to sharing his imprisonment.
In all the record of the Jerusalem and Caesarea imprisonments we see no sign of his characteristic "we," or "us"; for one figure alone engages our attention there. But in chap. 27:i again we get it. "And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius," etc.; and thus we learn that Luke is still with Paul, possibly, as his physician and body-servant; for it was evidently voluntary on his part.

He accompanied the apostle to Rome, was with him in his first imprisonment:and when he was re-arrested, and awaiting martyrdom, he is still the same faithful, unswerving companion, and Paul writes from the depths of the Mamertime dungeon, '' Only Luke is with me! "

Blessed, faithful man! Thy lowly life, so like thy Master's, speaks loudly to us all, calling away from self-seeking and indifference to Christ; calling away from paths of ease and comfort; calling from personal independence and worldly glory, to a life of toil, of rejection, of devotion to Christ and His truth! Not once named in all the book of Acts, which he penned himself, or in his Gospel either,- there is another book in which his name shall shine as in letters of gold when he gets his Lord's approval "in that day."

But he is, as we have noticed, thrice mentioned in connection with another servant, of whom, alas, we have a different story to tell, for the warning of all who venture, without counting the cost, on the path of discipleship and service.

"Luke and Demas," "Demas and Lucas":thus are the two names connected. Once Luke takes precedence. Again, it is Demas. How closely were these two men linked in their effort to serve the Lord, and to minister to His apostle! And how strange that in the book of the Acts no mention is made of Demas at all! It is idle to think of party feelings causing the omission of his name. God's Spirit inspired the holy record. He would not permit the name of Demas there, among the list of those devoted to His service. In the Epistles he is mentioned, but in such a way as to speak most solemnly to us all.

"Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present age, and is departed"! What a tale of a heart never weaned from the vanities of earth-or, that" has fallen back into them! How long it took to reveal the true state of affairs we know not. When he joined and when he left the apostolic company we cannot tell; but several years at least must have elapsed between the writing of the letters to Philemon and the Colossian gathering, and that to Timothy. And Demas, who joined in loving greetings in the former two, has "departed," and is stamped a lover of this unholy age in the latter.

Unhappy Demas, how many imitators hast thou had since!-how many who once fought well and promised fair but who turned back when came the crucial trial!

God's truth ever tests those who profess to hold it. It makes claims on one that will not be denied. "Buy the truth, and sell it not"! Its cost may even be tears and blood; but the judgment-seat of Christ will prove that it was cheap at any price! The flesh would ever seek an easier way than the word and Spirit of God mark out as the path for the man of faith; but every such road leads to ruin and defeat at last.

Where will Demas be for eternity ? Was he truly a child of God, but lured away from his post by the glitter of earth's baubles ? So one would think; but he passes from our sight beneath a dark and somber cloud, and we dare not pronounce with certainty. The day will declare it. Meantime he stands a monument of unfaithfulness, who may yet serve as a beacon to us, reminding us of the folly of self-pleasing in so serious a scene as this, where Christ our Lord is still the rejected One, to whom we have gone "outside the camp, bearing His reproach," which to the devoted soul is sweeter far than all this present age has to offer.

May reader and writer travel ever in company with "Luke the beloved physician," and walk humbly and softly, that we may be preserved from the path of poor Demas, who lost all the days of his Nazarite-ship by becoming defiled by the dead when he turned aside for a perishing cluster of the grapes of folly! (Num. 6:12.) H. A. I.