(

VOL. 13.

1\0. 3.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z., MARCH,

1893.

TWOPENCE.

ment, as well as against the liberty, the reason and happiness of mankind.' In our last month's issue wc referred to the change of opinions avowed by the Rev. A. E. Green of Adelaide. We learn that he has since been received into the fold of the Anglican Church by Canon Greene, the convert reciting publicly, at his reception, the Nicene <!banges in me::: C(eed. It would appeal' from the tone Iigions '{tbongbt. of his letter of resignation, and a reported interview, that he has gone over to the extreme Ritualistic section, and charges those with. whom he has been so long associated as' schismatics,' an accusation which has been promptly resented by members of his late flock; and some bitterness seems to be engendered by the charge. As a kind of balance to this case a change in the other direction is reported in the English papers. The Rev. Charles Stirling, of New Maldcn, sent in his resignation to the Bishop of Rochester, 011 the grounds that' the recent judgment in the Lincoln case has rendered it impossible for me to retain my connection with the Estub lished Church as she now is, with Popery taught by her clergy on every hand, her communion tables turned into altars, her ministers into sacrificing priests, her churches into mass-houses, and with auricular confession inculcated, practised, and where possible enforced. All this is done under' the eyes, with the knowledge, and under the protection of the bishop, who has introduced wolves in sheep's clothes into the fold, and then supported- them when the flock remonstrated. My lord, I have been for more than forty. one years a plain English clergyman. I must decline now to be any longer associated with Roman priests. That the Church of England will be punished for this apostacy from those catholic principles and truths of which she was in better days the bulwark, is as certain as that to-morrow's sun will rise.'

O:'IAN Catholicism has grown to such proportions in the United States, that many earnest patriots believe that it is fast becoming a standing menace to national liberty. The great tide of emigration which has sea towards America from Ireland and the Continent has swept in a large number of those who in their native lands were completely under the POWCl' of the Papacy, arid in the transfer to another soil the priests have tried, with a larso measure of snccess, to keep their hold upon the emi o grants. The municipalities in mallY of the large cities arc mainly composed of Roman Catholics, the 'nominees of the saloon-keepers, and evidences arc not wanting to show that the priests-the spiritual advisers-c-are the power behind the throne. Rnm and Romanism unite to accomplish their ends, So great a hold has Romanism upon America that the Pope has sent 1RomanisIll in Archbishop Satolli as Papal Legate. tbe States. H.e is to be the supreme power in all matters nertaininz to the Church of Rome. There can be '" no appeal from him to the Propaganda, because he represents the Propaganda, and is clothed with all its powers. This is an important step, and onc which the descendants of the Pilgrim Futhcrs view with great disfavour. A viceroy of the Pope, the enemy of religious freedom, settled on the soil where the home of religious liberty was set up, is not a pleasant thing to contemplate. Why not ~ Because as Adam Smith wrote, a hundred years ago, 'The Church of A recent change of fashion in ladies' dresses introducing Rome is the most formidable combination that ever was the trailing skirt has called forth many vigorous protests; formed against the authority and security of civil govern- but we have seen none so incisive as that reported in t~o>

.
34
Christian. (U.S.A.).

....-,

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

MARCH, 1896.

We pass it on for the benefit of our lady readers :-' A statement has been recently published horn an eminent lDress ano physician, "that he had found seven lDisease. tubercle bacilli on an inch microscopic slide, on which a l-ittle dirt from the trail oJ a lady's dress was dusted. There are worse things than typhoid fever patients stalking the streets, in the long dresses which fashion has ordered women to wear. A long dress on the street picks up the refuse of the walks, and the woman who wears one carries enough germ life to her home to sicken the whole family. The people who are always on the alert in fear of epidemics should take care of themselves and use a little common sense." A Ledger correspondent says:-" In view now of the cholera threatening us, it seems timely that the Director of Public Sa.fety, or Board of Health, should issue a warning notice ag rinst this disease- breeding fashion of women gatl/ering Ujl the street dir! 011 the traile 0/ their qarmenis. If a women's own sense of cleanliness is not sufficient warning of the danger, then let the police be instructed to politely remind everyone found trailing the skirts of her dress, that she is ill danger of carrying home some cholera bacilli along with the dirt. A few lessons of this kind would soon kill off the disgnsting fashion of wearing trailing dreases on the streets." The anti-Jewish feeling still remains yery strong in Europe. In Berlin crowds have passed along the principal streets crying' Down with the .J ews !' In Vienna, the 0PPO' sition to the seed of Abraham has been strengthened by the German action. A mass meeting was \!be j[,anb ano held recently in the Vienna Town tbe }people. Hall, at which two thousand working people were present. Prince Alois Liehenstein, amidst the plaudits of the crowd, advised them to boycott Jewish tradesmen. The 'blood accusation has been revived in Strasburg, and popular feeling ran high against the Jews. At .the trial, Dr. N oeldeke, Professor of Semitic Languages at the University, was called as a witness by the defence to state that neither the Talmud nor any Jewish law book contains a single passage capable of being construed into connection with ritual murder, or of war, ranting the baseless charge that Jews require the blood of Christians for the practice of their ritual. ' Roumania, too soon forgetful of her own former oppression under Turkey, has begun to imitate "Holy Russia" in her cruel treatment of the Jews. They are being evicted by the thousand, with great suffering and loss.' The evicted ones look longingly towards the land of their fathers, and the slightest prospect of gaining a livelihood there will attract them to it. The Society for the Relief of Persecuted Jews says :-' Settlement in the Land of Palestine is said to be what the refugees from Russian persecution most desire. Recent reports speak highly of the industry of Jewish settlers in Galilee and other parts of Palestine, in which there are now about twenty agricultural settlements, where Jews successfully farm many thousands of acres.'

If some of our men 0, science are not inventing new theories concerning the earth and the heavens, they endeavour to rehabilitate old ones. For long has the battle gone on between the geologists as to whether the earth was originally built up by water Science falseI}] process or by fire. 'About the beSO calIeb. ginning of the present century Werner finding evidences of stratification in the mines of Germany, taught that all rocks were originally formed under water. Hutton, a Scotch doctor, directing his attention to the cinders, and finding granite overlapping stratified rocks, declared they were formed by the action of fire. The N eptunists and V ulcauists, as they are now called, have waged conflict with various success to the present hour.' Perhaps neither of these theories would occasion serious thought if it were not for some things which are supposed to be inevitably connected with them. The Vnlcanist theory, for instance, not only tells us that the earth 'originated' in a fire-mist, but that it is even now a huge globe of molten fire with a very thin crust of rocks and earth, separating our world from fiery destruction, In a recent issue of the Portniylttly Recieio Mr. A. R. Wallace gives a popular account of the work of a reverend gentleman who has demonstrated to the satisfaction of Mr. Wallace that the world is in reality' a great molten globe, skimmed over by a crust of earth only eighteen miles thick. An ordinary :El fIDoltcn india-rubber ball with which it child Globe! plays, has a larger proportion of crnst to the internal air than what our earth has to its molten interior.' One of the principal argnments used to establish this is that for every fifty feet of descent into the earth there is an increase of heat by onc degree. Here is a prospect, truly, for pleasant reflection. Professor Wallace is a recognised scientist, and he endorses this theory, which is enough to breed disquiet in the mind of every reader. True, he does make a suggestion that possibly man may be able to tap this immense heat, and use it for his service. But most men would be inclined to let it alone, because however desirable it might be as a servant, it might prove the master j and should it once escape its thraldom it would destroy man and his works together. But, after all, is it not absurd for a theory to receive a scientific endorsement which will not bear the strain of common sense test. Dr. Pattcrson of San Francisco, in an issue of the Anti Infidel Libmry has ably shown the folly of it. We quote some of his pungent remarks , Perhaps the chief facts relied upon to prove the molten condition of the earth's interior at the present time is the gradual inC1'easeof terrestrial heat as we descend into mines for the very short distance we can penetrate the earth. From this it is inferred that the same (tom mon-sense ratio of temperature towards the centre prevails in the impenetrable 'lrests. depths, under unknown and totally different conditions of gravity, pressure, conduction, and

MARCH,

1893.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

35

cloctro-magnctism. It would be equally logical to invert the process, awl argue that as atmospheric temperature diminishes in the sunshine, in the tropics, from the sea level to the snow line 18 for every mile of ascent from the earth's surface, therefore the temperature of space one hundred million of miles from the earth's mountain tops is not less than 1,800,000,000' below zero. Sir John IIersehell gives an illustration which has all the force of a reductio ad absurdum. ' N 0\\", only consider what sort of a conclusion this lands us in. This globe of OUl'3 is 8,000 miles ill diameter ; a mle deep on its surface is a mere scratch. If a man had twenty great coats Oil and I found under the first a warmth of GO' above thc external air, I should expect to find GO' more under the second, and 60' under the third, and within all, no man, but a mass of red-hot iron. J ust so with the outside crust of the earth. Every mile thick is Sit ch a great coat, and at twenty miles depth, according to this rate, thc ground must he fully red-hot. This is not written in ridicule of the theory; though there is not a ten-year-old boy who on a wintry day, would not laugh at the notion of finding himself red-hot upon stripping off hi, coat, vest, etc. because while th e ail' is at zero the temperature under his great coat is 60 Fahrenheit.' Again. 'I-low could a crust of twenl y miles thick of half-melted rocks withstand the P' essure of super-heated steam, when less than the heat Ilecessary to melt iron will raise steam pressure of 500 pounds tJ the inch over the whole interior surface of the globe. :El <!rocf{el'}? Our best mechanics can build no boiler able to withstand that pressure, save :I13oilel'. of tubes less than two inches diameter. But here we have a boiler made 01 croclceru of 8,000 miles diameter, cornp-sed of c'ay and stone twenty miles thickor one-four-hundredth part of its diameter-standing a pressure of 500 pounds to the inch l Let any engineer imagine a steam boiler made of earthenware sewer pipe, eight feet four inches ill diameter, and only a quarter of an inch thick (\\ hich is just the same in proportion), standing a pressure of 500 pounds of steam to the inch! A boiler of such material and size could not stand its own weight. It would collapse on the sidewulk before it could be mounted over the fire. And could a boiler of any such stnff, ten or twcnty times as thick, Si and such a pressure?
, The temperature of the ocean is a conclusive demonstration of the non-existence of an!) such subterraneccn. fire under

he will be in getting up steam. The size of the boiler does not m-ike the slightest difference in the principle of the calculation, but only in the time of the operation. With a good fire the ocean will boil in due time; and according to the geologists we have a fire that should boil it in a very short time-c-Iess than an hour for eyery foot of its depth. The deep sea soundings made in the Atlantic prove that the bottom of the ocean, in those places where we can reach it with registering instrument', is not merely not warmer than the surface, but actually and uniforml!) colder,' Thus do a few cold facts show the folly of the theory, and compel us to place it in the category, named by an apostle, as 'science falsely so called.' Scientific theories undergo continued change, the science of one period is discarded aq an old wife's fable by later investigators; but' the Word of our God abidetlc for ever,' and in it is the assurance that the earth also abideth for ever. Believers need not imagine that the vagaries of so called scientists can perrrlanently take the place of the inspired record. They should, therefore, be. cautious about accepting any theory which apparently affects the truthfulness of the W ord.

$ct~nce auo $orcet'\~.

TIlE reality of sorcery has but little interest for the mnjority of Christians, and Christian journals still seem more desirous to treat it as folly, unworthy of serious attention, than ready to submit to the plain teaching of the Word of God, which places it in a posit.on of prominence as a dread reality, which the man of God has to confront. Perhaps this journal is the only one that gi \'es any really careful attention to the fact of the prominence it has in the Word. Let me just draw attention to the outline given :First and foremost, sin came in through sorcery. Cal l you that nothing? There was 110 fallen man to use in the Garden of Eden, so the most subtle of the beasts of the field was chosen for the purpose. Satan' possessed' the serpent. He used its brain, its organs for art.iculution. , Then the world was destroyed by water. Sorcery again. There was a fall of angels, and actual marr-iages with women took place, and men of gigantic stature were the result of the illicit union.

After the Flood the same thing was repeated, mainly among the Canaan itos. Their destruction was decreed, their land escheated to others, its bottom. If you put a good fire under a kettle of water Christians have no experience of such things as these. it will boil; and if YOIl put it good fire under the ocean, I am not saying they have; but I believe God, and am not and keep it np long enough, it will satisfied with merely saying I take His word for it, and not @cean boil too, just as surely as the kettle letting it influence my mind as a practical reality. I see 'lremperatut'c. on yonr cooking stove, only it will in it a most practical truth. take longer lime. But the geologists Israel was warned to have nothing to do with mediums are liberal both with time and fuel. Given the tempera- and witches, or she would be turned out of the land as the tnre of tl~e water, .its depth, the area of the heating surface Canaanites were. 'Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,' of the. boiler, and its tempe~'ature, ar~~ steam engineer will is a phrase that conveys no note of in~lecision, nor could speedily calculate, by the aid of familiar for mu Ire, how long give room for a doubt how to act .

..

36

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

MARCH, 1893 .

. Israel disregarded the injunction. She was turned out of the land. Let anyone read the first twenty-four chapters o Ezekiel, and learn with what accompaniments the City and Temple fell. "That o the witch o Endor 1 Is she treated in the

Why sit in judgment on them and their laws regarding facts that came before their cognisance because they have not come before 01l1'S? That is not being practical. But wait a little. Another ware o spiritual manifestation is Modern Spiritualism. No caves, no covenant with familiars (or with the devil), deliberately made, but a quiet yielding up o the will to their influence 01'the sake o wonder-working-sthe es tablishment o a ' rapport' at seances held in drawingrooms, darkness the only, but significant, requisite. These are necromancers.

Word as a mere impostor

Now, Sorcery varies very much in character. The priests themselves practised various kinds - sometimes in the visions beheld at the conclusion of initiations, the autopton. agalma, sometimes in consulting the oracle. ?f ote particularly that, 01' such as these, some pJlysical effect had to be. wrought upon the body of the patient. The witch o But Theosophy is replacing it in the public consideration. sorceress, on the other hand, made a deliberate contract Here is something more diabolical than any. The body with the familiar she employed. In such contracts there must be prepared, Abstention from meats and marriage is was .no provision for repentance. Instant death was the enjoined, and evil doctrines como up out of it. This seems only remedy .. to be what is expressly taught us in 1 Timothy iv. was then But Theosophists do not profess the supernatural, Now. pass we on to the Lord's times. There was a future. and their creed is totally different. terrible manifestation of evil spir-its Possession was more like the Spiritualists, in n(tture-tbat frequent then than cver. Yet there was no preparation of They merely deal with unseen intelligences the body, nor contract with the evil spirit. The men is, if we choose to believe them, 01' the demons that inspire them. They profess to be scientific. affected wcre most un willingly seized, and they were indeed thankful to be rid o tenants that distracted and tore them. In Paul's day we have another manifestation again-the pythonic spirit in a woman who brought gain to her masters. She was what would now be called 'a good subject.' There was no tearing, no distracting in her case. Like the modern medium she liked it. The bod!!, no doubt, was one that was suitable for the manifestations. TIII'se are enough instances to show how the Bible treats sorcery as a reality, and that its manifestations, while varying, are distinctly susceptible of regular classification according to time and place. There remains another class to be noficed-c-demoniacal healing. N aaman had expected Elisha to come to him and move his hand up and down: but the prophet, undesirous of being associated with mesmeric sorcery, or hypnotism-as science expresses it, to avoid the discredited word, mesmerism - stayed where he was, and told the leper to bathe in the Jordan, so that nothing could be attributed to his supposed' aura' or ' atmosphere.' But, perhaps, those spirits disappeared when the land, and the canon o Scripture was closed. Then what saith the Scripture Israel left

But what shall we my to this 1 Here are scientific men IJractising unknown to themselves, as experiments, the very things for which 300 years ago Englishmen executed the witches as criminals, and from whose' gross superstition' our more intelligent age is supposed to have been emancipated, The witch procured an efiigy o the person to be bewitched, and injuries inflicted on the effigy were said to take effect in the same part of his body as on that o his counterfeit presentment.
REMARKABLE EXPERDIE~TS IN

II

YPNOTISM.

1 . Read 1 Tim. iv,

What happened at the time of the Reformation and aft~l'\vards 1 There was a similar activity in 'the spirit world.' Then we had old hags with fearful countenances, and inhumanly cruel tempers and dispositions, the companions o black cats, broomsticks, toads, and caldrons, hiding away in gloomy caves, in almost inaccessible haunts (to avoid the ducking-stool) practising malevolently upon the health and limbs of persons at a distance, Are Englishmen men o practical sense or not 1 Our fathers enacted and enforced most stringent laws against these practices, believing intensely in their reality. It is fashionable now to say they were ignorant 1 But why 1 Are we more sensible than our ancestors?

On October 13, at the CharitC Hospital, Paris, the series of experiments which are being made by Dr. Luys of the 'exteriorisation' of the human body were continued. Thanks to the kindness of Dr. Luys, a Dalziel represcntative was allowed to be present at the seance. So complete was the exteriorisation of the subject that Dr. Luys was able to transfer a woman's sensibility into a tumbler o water. The tumbler was then taken out o sight o the hypnotised person, and the representative was invited to touch the water, and as his hands came in contact with it the woman started as i in pain. This experiment was repeated several times, the requisite precautions being taken that the hypnotised subject should not see the contact between the hands and the water. The water retained the sensibility a considerable time, and i drunk before the sensibility is exhausted, the patient falls into a deadly swoon. Dr. Luys was also able to confirm the wonderful discovery made by Colonel Roche, administrator of the Ecole Poly technique, who found that it was possible to transfer the sensibility of a hypnotised person to the negative o a photograph of the subject, and that the subject not only felt but showed signs o any mark made on the negative. Supposing, for instance, a scratch was drawn with a pin across the hand on the negative after it had been charged with sensibility, the subject would

MARCH,

1893.

TH'E BIBLE STANDARD.

37

shriek with pain and a few instants later a mark similar to that made on the negative would be visible on the hands of the subject, Dr. Luys tried the experiment to-day several t.imes with an extraordinarily sensitive subject now at the Charite, and each time with considerable success. The experiments are creating a great deal of interest in the scientific world. Now, whether or not the results are caused as Dr. LUYR and Colonel Roche believe, there they are. And the lesson to be derived from it is this: No one knows where demonstrative science ends anl "occult science,' i.e., S01'cer'Y, begins. The devil can distort doctrine and pervert the Church, but it is supposed, at least virtually, that he either cannot or will not deceive scientific men as to the influences they employ. Let us not be so sure. There is reason to believe that the pyramids of Egypt were built by the aid of a higher science than that which gave us the telegraph and the telephone, and hints have been dropped of the existence of a more powerful agent than electricity. There are depths of doctrine stored in those monuments, and scientific knowledge since believed to be lost. Thus, sorcery has come up in waves, varying in form, from the beginning of the world till now. It is no new thing. But when till now has it been employed in comfortable houses for an evening's entertainment, or indulged in for intellectual recreation? It is open to the million and no one is scandalised.-P1'ophetic ~N ews.

l~aper; on the 1ktngt)om.

No.

XIX.

THE RETURN OF THE NATION.

the history of the past as it relates to the Kingdom; we have looked at the establishment, the upbuilding and the downfall of the monarchy. We have also . " Doted that it is now in abeyance, because of the non- acceptance of God as King, .when He was on offer to the Israelites. And latterly we have seen the relationship which the Church now sustains to it. It would seem fitting that now we should devote It little time to the examination of the Bible testimonies concerning the restoration of the Kingdom. Hitherto 'we have been dealing, so to speak, with the realm of historic fact. The records of the past have been traced, and an attempt' has been made to understand them in the light of the covenants which are the matrix whence they proceed. 'Ve now cross over to the domain of prophecy; in so doing I think we shall bring together the twohal ves of the doctrine, nnd make it complete. If it was necessary in the carrying out of the divine plan that the people of Israel should be settled in the land of Canaan, and this was guaranteed by the covenant made to Abraham, then as that covenant has yet to be realised in its most extended form, we may believe that the presence of that people in the land is still necessary. Nate the

"'""E have gone step by step through

.0

11~eligiou; 3mpreBBiotlB.
TIlE simplest lessons are often the most .impressive and abiding. Many years ago a child was leaving the junior department of a city school for a new home in the country. As he left, his old teacher put her hand upon his head, and in a single simple sentence, commended him to God and to good. Years passed, and the child grew up, and read books-English, French, German, Greek-on ethics, and listened to lectures on the same subject, by famous professors in a venerable university. But no word which he read in the pages of ancient philosophers, or listened to from the lips of living teachers, ever proved to him a beacon-light like the simple words of his old school-mistress. In the time of temptation the learned discussions of the philosophers were forgotten, or were remembered only to cause bewilderment as to the basis' of right and duty; but the lesson of childhood shone then most clearly in the secret chamber of the soul, and neither time nor doubt had power to dim its radiance. That, nothing could obscure, that, nothing can obscure. Here is the power which God has given to those who train the little 011es. Perhaps neither the mother nor teacher can lead the child into the knowledge of the world's deeper wisdom; but a few simple, earnest words for God and good, from either, may do far more-they may enter into the very being of the child, to be a strength in weaknesses, a refuge in temptation, and a cherished memory in the long, hard conflict, of earthly life, This is not the wisdom which is taught by the speculative thinkers, but it is the best and most enduring wisdom: nevertheless.-Selected.

following

:-

of the people was asserted as part of the divine plan. And at the same time their complete separation from other nations. Its separation is affirmed :-"Lo, it is a people that dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.' N urn. x :siii. 9. 2. From this arises the declarations of God not to make a full end of them:, And yet for all that, w hen they be in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I 'abhor them to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am the Lord thy God.' Lev, xxvi. 44. , For I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee; for I will make a full end of all the natious whither I have scattered thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; 1111 t I will correct thee with judgment, and will in no wise leave thee unpunished.' Jer. xxx. ii. 'I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. For, lo : I will command and I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.' Amos. ix. 8-9. , Thus saith the Lord God: here as I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scabtered them among the countries, 'yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they are come. Therefore S3Y, thus saith the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples, and .assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.' Ezek. xi. 16-17.

1. The perpetuity

'V

Every step of the argument developed in our examination has tended to show that this nation is chosen above all others as the peculiar instrument by which the divine

--~--------

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--

:~8
purposes in redemption and governmeut out. So of them it is said :-

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

are to be carried
I pass, but that

MAHCl1, 1893.

partial

the first stage of that restoration will be a one, not the full and final one which is promised, but

'And what one nation in the earth is like tuy people Israel whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, to make thee a name by great and terrible things in driving out nations from before thy people, which thou liast redeemed out of Egypt? For thy people Israel did'st thou make thine own people forever; and thou Lord becamesb their God.' 1 Chron. xvii. 21-22. 'Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which stirreth np the sea, that. the waves thereof roar; the Lord of hosts is his name; if these ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from beinc a nation before me forever, thus saith the Loi d ; if heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched ont beneath, then will I also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.' Jer. xx xi, 35-37. This position is an indispensable feature in our argument, which must by no means be overlooked. In connection with this, it is worth while to remember the extraordinary vitality of that people. Through all their vicissitudes they have retained their distinctive peculiarities, and are un doubtedly bound together, not alone by their past, but by that past in its relation to a future. 3. This promised perpetuity involves the restoration of the nation. Owing to the unfaithfulness, as we have seen, the nation has been deported from its land, scattered amongst the nations; but such a removal, being designed for corrective punishmcnt, is not perpetual; it is only for an appointed time, the knowledge of which God has reserved to Himself. Their preservation is distinctly predicted, not as 11. nation properly organised, but in a disorganised and scattered state. 'For the children of Israel shall abide IIIA-ny days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or tcraphim : afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God.' Hos, iii, 4-5. The threatened evil came upon them, and just as we witness to-day the literal fulfilment of the predictions relating it, so we must believe on the express affirmation of the Scripture, that the return shall be literally accomplished. 'And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break clown, and to overthrow and to destroy, and to afllict; so will I watch over them to build and to plant, saith the Lord.' Jer. xx xi, 28. It is said by some that these predictions were all fulfilled in the return from Babylon, but it is sufficient to note t.liat, there was no king of David's line to reign Over Israel, the return was not so extensive as promised, there was no clwelling in safety, nor was there any removal of sorrow, nor an impartation of prosperity; nor protection from enemies; nor perpetuity of the Kingdom; nor repentanco of the nation; nOI' an engrafting of the Gentiles; nor a gathering of nations against Jerusalem, with sudden deliverance, and a fearful overthrow of the armies, and a corresponding exaltation of Israel. 4. I affirm then, that the literal restoration of Israel to its own land shall at some time, and in some way, come to

a partial and initiatory step-the prelude to another which shall be afterwards perfected. The partial restoration takes place before the ad vent in power, introductory to all other events in Israel's history; the other takes place after the I I bli I advent, the necessary step to srael's fina esta IS nnent on the renovated earth. That there is a partial return before the advent of Cln-ist is clear enough from the fact that numbers of the seed of Abraharu are found in the land when that advent takes place. (Compa.re Zech. x ii. 2- 8, xi,'. 1-3.) Jerusalem is said to be inhabited, her citizens are Israelites, she is besieged by the peoples round a bout, and is rescued by the advent in power. There must be, therefore: a partial restoration; perhaps that very one which is now occurring. That another restoration, full and complete, shall occur seems equally clear. , And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second timc to recover the remnant of his people, which shall remain, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, aud fr0111Elam, and from Shinar, anti from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea, and shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and Wtther together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.' Isa, xi. 11-1? , And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the flood of the river into the brook of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered one by one ye child reil of Israel.' Isa, xxvii. 13. 'Lift up thine eyes round about and see; they all gather themsel vcs together, they come to thee; thy sons shal! couie from far, a11l1 thy daughters shall be carried in the arms.' I8a. l x, 4. Notice that in these passages the restoration is declared as taking place; in the first, after the destruction of the wicked one; in the second, after the Lord has come out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth; and in the third, after the light of Israel has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon Jerusalem. So it is clear that the restoration takes place at the ad vent, and in other passages yet to be gi yen it appears that the Gentiles shall be instrumental in accomplishing the restoration. Previous to the ad vent the Gentiles entertain no friendly feelings towards Israel; on the contrnry, they are entirely hostile to her interests, and gather themselves together to assault and besiege her. The change in the Gentiles from enemies to helpers, is the consequence of their conversion, and the fruit therefore, of the ad vent; that state of Gentile sympathy, is never supposed to exist prior to the ad vent. The evidence may therefore be said to be clear in fuvou r of two distinct restorations, the one partial, and the other complete; one before the ad vent, and the other after it ; the one followed by the necessary hostility of a.ll nations against Israel, and the other effected instrumentally by the aid of the nations, then so changed to favour Israel. Let us notice some of the leading features of this partial restoration : When will it take place 1 No one can state. The probabilities are that in the disturbances in the European continent anent the Jews, there may bc at work the elements which are driving them home to the land of their

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1893.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

39

fathers. Certain it is that there are many thousands of Jews now in Palestine, and the manner ill which they are going to that land may be the mode by which they will return, to be in readiness for the preparative precursors of the advent. What will be the extent 1 On this we cannot speak positively, but we may say that we believe that the Scriptures suggest that there will be a goodly number. A people numerous enough, and rich enough, to tempt the onslaught of the anti-Christian hordes, and powerful enough to make a sturdy resistance. (Compare Zech. ii. 2-9.) 'Vhat are the means employed to effect this partial restoration 1 Most probably natural means. There is no intimation given of any extraordinary means. The passages declaring miraculous agency, refer to the gre1\t restoration. Indeed, in view of the fact that it is largely a preparatory stage, and that time with them does not count until the date of the commencement of the seven years' covenant, we may well believe that it will go on in a quiet fashion, and call Io: th no special attention from a careless world. It may seem good in the eyes of the nation, that so it should be, J udah will be parcelled from tile world's map by consent, 01'the occupation of its ancient possessors. It may be deemed, perhaps, politically safe, that this important post between Europe and Asia should be occupied by an independent and neutral people. 'Vho so fitted 01' the position M the ancient race that once held the soil. The conviction of its expediency, and the stroke of a pen, by the leaders concerned in the preservation of the balance of powel', could easily effect this. What will be the moral und religious condition of this returned remnant 1 Will the people be converted or unconverted 7

3u~ge mOt.
SOMBpeople have a famous faculty 01'finding out other people's duties before they do their own. They have, in their own estimation, g-ot other folks all consecrated to the work they have selected 01'them, and it is a subject of frequent remark by them why in the world they do not attend to it. But they are in no hurry to consecrate themselves to the work that lies at their own doors, Like Peter of old, before making a move themsel ves their bosoms heave with the anxious query, Lord, and what shall this man do r And the Lord's answer to Peter is just as pertinent in their case, What. is that to thee 1 Follow thou me.' They put iu much time and effort in spying out jobs for another ellow and shouting, I Here he is, Lord, send him,' instead o saying, Here am J, Lord, send me.' Now a man may possibly not do a certain work that others have picked out 01' him, because the Lord has not called or asked him to do it, and does not wish him to do ic on account of other work which He has given him to do. He used to give I to every man his work,' and probably He has not resigned this important office yet. He was appointed by the Father to be I a leader and commander of his people,' and probably knows about as well as anybody else what this man or that man is fit for and what to set them to do. And the fellow who waits on the Lord at headquarters, and gets his orders there, and understands them before he starts, will not run long on Torn Fool's errand nor waste much energy in so doing. He knoweth our frame." He knows what a man can do, and be made to do, provided He wants him, He needeth not to be told what is in man, 01'He knows. All are transparent to that infinite eye. He can tell at once, before the start, whether a man had better do this 01'that. You cannot, With you it is all a matter of conjecture or opinion, unless you are out of your place and in the Judge's stand. I Judge not.' You mity plead, but after all your pleading, to I.!.is own Master a man must stand or fall. Folks not only select a man's duties for him, but they think they discover the reason why he does not do them-there is something in his eye. 'Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye l' Some of the blindest people that I ever knew are those who are blind to their own faults, and there are plenty of them around town, They have microscopic eyesight toward the faults of others, but they seem to be benumbed with blissful ignorance and innocence that there is anything the matter with them. Of course, because there is a stick of timber in the eye that looks at self, and a microscope to the eye directed at others. Brothel', take that probe that you have B bout put your brother's eye out with, in vainly scouring about to find something, and dig the lumber out of your own eye, I And then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote that is in thy brotiler's eye.' But probably in that condition you will not see any at all: What wo.uldyou think o a blind man coming to your town and openmg a place and pubting out a sism as a professional oculist 7-CUAHLES CoPP in lVorld's Crisis . E.
I I I I I

The latter, we think, is more than implied in the passages . o wIrich speak of their national repentance at the coming o the Lord. As i,n the ollowing very striking text :I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplication; and they shall look unto me whomt.heyhave pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for his only son. . . . There shall be a fountain openedfor sin and for uncleanness.' Zech. xii, 10, xiii. 1. What is the object of their gathering 1 \Ve think that the primary intent is that chastisement and suffering may be endured, to effect the purification and conversion of the people. I'hen will be the time of Jacob's trouble, Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble.' (See the wholechapter.) Jer. xxx, It is then for the endurance o this, that Israel will partially return ; that she may be cast into the furnace, heated hotter than ever before ; submitted to this fiery ordeal, that she may see her sin, that afterwards she may the better appreciate the Grace of God who hits loved her with an everlasting love. Other things might be written, but these will be sufficient to call attention to the preparatory stages towards the final inbrin~ing of the Kingdom. In our next issue we hope to deal WIth the I Great Restoration, the Theme of Israelitish Hope, and of Prophetic Annunciation.' ALPHA,

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THE BIBLE STANDARD. ~* 'fhe

MAHCli,

1833.

~ihl 8tandard
MONTH LV
OF THE

7l
~ G)

ORG AN

J\
V

Nc\)) Zrabn!! EU<lll!)riistic an!! tlublic<1tiOI\ ia'ssociatiol\.

EDITED BY GEORGE ALDRIDGE. ASSISTED BY SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS. The Editor wishes it. to be understood that, while lie exercises a general supervision over the articles nnd correspondence appe<u'ing in the STA~DAnD,responsibility for sentiments exprc~ed rests upon the individual writer. .

tl(;50ciation 1Hote(;.
THE editor and the publisher arc away on a mission. The editor prepared nearly all the matter before he left, and onc, by this peep behind the Editorial Chair, obtained by the overhaul and the filling in of items, gets a better idea of the large amount of work involved in producing and publishing our paper. IVe hope to hear of their work South, and sec the report in the next issue.

IN THE

SOUTH.

On Wednesday, February 8th, Bro. Falkner and self lCt Auckland for a trip to the South, and knowing that our readers wonld like to learn how wc spent our time, the following notes arc submitted :-:-The day on which we left afforded anything but an augury of 'good things to come.' The rain had been falling heavily for about fifteen hours when we left, and ga've no sign of abatement. The atmosphere was very close and oppressi ve, and things generally presented a very mournful and depressing appearance. The steamer was advertised to leave at noon, but did not get away until half-past three, a circumstance which did not add to the general comfort. When, at last, we did get away wc were not many hours at sea before there was an addition to the stock of discomforts in an attack of seasickness. On this we need not dilate, the merest hint will be enough to satisfy the curiosity of our readers. The next morning was a very pleasant one, the rain clouds having all passed away, and the sun shining out strongly. From this to Dunedin, the trip was all that could be desired in the way of fair weather. IVe made some pleasant acquintanceships on board, and had many interesting talks. lYe had no time allowed to visit oar friends in Gisbornc and Nupicr, much as we wished to go on shore, as the steamer stayed but a short time in each port. Our brethren in these places must believe that wc lacked the opportunity, though strongly desiring to see them. Wc reached Wellington at 2.30 on Friday afternoon, and in the short time allowed u=, visited a few of the brethren. IVe spent the evening with Bro. Jamieson, who genially welcomed us, and whom we found to Le as firm an adherent as' ever to the great central truth of 'Life only in Christ.' When we stepped into the workshop of Bro. Hurrell, that giant received us with a grip of cordiality which was duly appreciated, although it made us wince. It was very pleasant to

find the brotherliness of'formel' days continued so steadily down to the present. Others we could not call upon, but wc hope to see them on our way homewards, IVe missed Bro and Sister Miller much, their former home in \V cllington having been always open to us; but that is a feeling shared deeply by every lover of Life and advent truths who resides in Wellington. That city received us in characteristic blustering fashion, and bade us farewell in half a g:1.le, which died away as we left Cook Straits, Bro. Falkner carrying off some real estate, deposited in his eyes by the boisterous wind. Port Lyttlcton was made at 10.50 on Saturday morning. On arrival at Christchurch, we were met on the platform by MI s. and Miss Lestcr, two sisters of the Auckland Church. This meeting was an agreeable surprise. Being half-holiday, and having but little time to spare, we made "no attempt to visit any of the brethren, but wc accidently met with Bro. Olney, a valued helper and a tried friend of the truth. In his own way he has done good yeoman service in the Baptist Union, in the fight for freedom of thought and speech on the great problems regarding man and his future. ~.V chatted e together on the progrc~s and the prospects of the work until train time. At the station we found Sister Pollock and Bro. Hewitt awaiting 118, and' these accompanied us to the steamer, ancl promised that on our return an effort should be made to get together all who sympathised in tho work. We hall et splendid passage from Lyttleton to Port Chalmers, arriving about six o'clock on Sunday morning. The tide did not permit of proceeding to Dnnedin until ten o'clock, so the intervening time was spent in a look at the Port. On arrival at Dunedin we speedily distingnished the faces of Bros. Beadle and Thomson in the crowd of people on the wharf. It was fully half past eleven before we could leave the steamer, and we had just time to make our way to the Stuart Street Hall, and join with our brethren in the breaking of bread. As we reached the door we could hear the voice of Bro. Pollock as he read the ninth chapter in John's Gospel. As he finished, wc entered the hall and soon were in the swing of the service. IVe gave our testimonies suggested by the words, 'Whereas I was blind, now J see.' IVe received it hearty welcome, the shining countenances, and the cordial hand-clasps, assuring 11S of its reality. No sooner had we arrived than our work was begun, for that afternoon the prizes gained by the Sunday-school children for ;ood. conduct and attendance during the year, were to be distributed, and the Editor was impressed for the occasion. In the evening we were gladdened at the sight of a full hall j many old friends were present to give a welcome, and close attention was paid to the theme discoursed upon. At the close of this meeting arrangements were made for addresses on four evenings during the following week, the theme to be chiefly dwelt upon being the central topic, 'Eternal Life.' Here for the present we close, glad of the opportunity to once more meet with dear brethren and friends, and to have the great pleasure of speaking upon themes which have become very .dear to them. Brethren Wilcock and Carr arc lovingly

MARCH,

1893.

TIlE BIBLE STANDAltD.

by the

41

remembered here for their work's sake, as shown many enquiries concerning their welfare.

EDITOR.

~be comtna Struggle.

m'
co J ~

G DER N

9. .A\ ' street

The preacher, ill the course of his remarks, said'Oan prophecy be relied upon any more than the mere guesswork of our day to show whence we a re being led or into what port we are drifting 1 vVe think that the words of Isaiah which referred to our Lord's first coming were fulfilled, and why should not those connected with His second appearing 1 If the words came to pass which spake of Ohrist being born a Saviour, why not those which refer to Him coming as a King? If the prediction of' Daniel connected with the .reign of the Medes and Persians and of Alexander the Great was true, why not that referring to the ultimate dominion of the Prince of Peace 1 There are various ways of looking at the future, and some expect that by the distribution of wealth and government for the people by the people unity and peace will become general. Others think that trouble is looming in the distance. All are agreed, however, that a great struggle has even now begun, that the lines are becoming more definite day by day, and that, as Paul said centuries ago, "perilous times are coming." If we expect that all this craving for something higher, nobler, and better is to be met and satisfied by liberalization of laws or extension of power to classes of the community who have in the past had very little to say about the forming of our laws, I venture to think that there will be much disappointment. VIe are being borne with irresistible force into an arena of action the details of which God has wisely hidden from our view; but in the hands of every voyager he has placed a chart, which gives correct information even though in bare outline. Sunken rocks and treacherous currents are noted. Men like to talk of peace and safety when the chart speaks of perilous times ahead. From a social standpoint a vote of no confidence appears to have been carried by eyery man against his fellow. Distrust is tacked up in every workshop, and is felt ill all trades. I think I see a gathering from every nation. They are writing out rules fOI' their guidance. They appear in dead earnest, and contemplate making advance for a great trial of strength. Their banners bear the words, "Unity is strength," "Equity in distribution," " Co-operation," " Ohristian Socialisr," "Go. vernment by the people for the people," and so on. I would say advance-advance in all that is noble, all that will lift men up to a better life and improve them morally, physically, mentally, 01' religiously. But be careful Of your steps. It may be your methods are not the best after all, and know this, that God will judge every action, and

this title, Pastor Adc~ck, of. the BeathamChristian Chapel, Adelaide, delivered an able ~liscourse. The following summary of It appeared 111 a local paper:

that He alone through the great Prince of Peace can bring about all that shall right' men's wrongs. There is also an opposing force gathering with splendid equipment-so Their horses prance; their chariot wheels speed on; line after line is formed; their ships from other climes sail in with ample stores; their trains drag vast supplies to the frontier line; and their banners wave defiant in the breeze. Upon one 1 see, "Our Commerce and our Castles"; and another, " God Save the King!" vVhy all this array 1 Who are the combatants 1 'I'hcy are brothers-some ,impelled by need, son.e by greed, some by fame, and some by fear. But all go to pro\'e w.urt of unity and imperfection of human government. Politically a similar thing is noticed. I hear fearful groaning (rnufiled though it be), and' I behold millions of down-trodden serfs, God has given to each a right to live, to be fed and clothed, and more than this, each one is capable of eternal life, and shall He not hear their cry and save them 1 But there they are with the feet of princes upon their necks. Again I hear the clinking of armed millions who are gathering day by day. Rulers are perplexed and tremble. "The time has come when men's hearts are failing them for fear." The ballotbox and the voice of wage-earners will cause a mighty upheaval, Drastic alteration ill laws will take place, and we fear that in some countries civil war may be resorted to as well. I compare all this with prophecy, and feel convinced that we are near the close of the Christian era. The religious outlook shows that a struggle may be expected between truth and error. My chart tells me that in "the last times there shall come scoffers walking after their own lusts, and saying where is the promise of His coming 1 " Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, but many preachers to-day are. Men talk glibly about the Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of men, but they shut up the Father's book aud the Brother's ad vice. I think we may see then that current events show a coming struggle=-tho.t the last form of human government is one of division rather than union. But, said Daniel, "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed." Let us trust him amid all the commotion with which we are surrounded.' The address, which occupied an hour in delivery, was listened to with attention by a large congregation, which included some of the leaders of the Labour party.

mapti611l.
Is positi vely commanded by our Lord .J esus Ohrist, and is to be submitted to by every instructed believer of the gospel message. 'And Jesus came unto them and spake unto them, saying: All authority liath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatever 1 commanded you, and ]0,'1 am with you alway even unto the end of the world.' Matt. xxviii. 18-20. RV. 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole

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tHE BIBLE STANDARD.

MARClf, 1893.

creation. He that bclievetli and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned.' Mark xvi, 16. In the next place we are taught that the command enjoins baptism in water. In John's baptism this is evident. John came who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentancc unto remission of sins. 'And there went out unto hiui all the country of .Iudrca, and all they of Jerusalem; and they were baptised of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.' Mark i. 4-6. See v. 9; and Jno. iii.23. This practice is evident also from the accounts given of the of those who were commissioned to preach the Instance the Eunuch and Philip.

is closely connected with the remission of sins. To the question so earnestly asked on the day of Pentecost-Brethren, what shall we do? Peter answers :, Repen t ye, and be baptized eyery onc of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of yonr sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'Acts ii. 3'3. Agl1in we have Ananias. in thc language addressed to Saul by

'And now why tarriest thou'? arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.' Acts xxii. 16. Paul, after speaking of baptism as a burial, subsequently speaks of it as a form or mould of doctrine, or teaching, into which the obedient disciples were cast, 01' delivered.

Word.

'And as they went on the way, they came to a certain water; , But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were the servants of and the Eunuch saith : Behold, here is water, what dot h hinder sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching me to be baptized ? AmI he commanded the chariot to stand still ; whereunto you were delivercd : and being made free from sin, ye and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the became servants of righteousness.' Rom. vi. 17-18. Eunuch; and he baptized him.' Acts viii. 36--38. Two other points of teaching are to be taken III ,'ery Instance also the case of Cornelius :-close connection with baptism and the remission of sins; 'Then answered Peter: Call any. man forbid the water, that and firstly of these two, we will name being in Christ in these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost connection with baptism. as well I1Swe '! AmI he commanded them to be baptized in the 'Are ye ignorant that all we 'who were baptized into Christ name of Jesus Christ.' Acts x. 47-48. Jesus were baptised into his death? Rom, vi. 3. In the third place we arc taught that there is one 'For as many of you as were baptized into Christ dill put on baptism. This is expressed in just so many words where Christ.' Gal. iii. 27. the seven fundamental unities are enumerated. The second point of the two is, that it is in Christ, and 'There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye were called in through His blood that we have OUt' redemption, the one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one forgi veness of our sins. God and one Father of all, who is over all, through all, and in all.' 'Having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus EVh. iv, 4-6. As to wliat the word baptism means we shall have more Christ unto himself, according to the pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in to say later on; it is enough to now say that there is the Beloved; in whom we have redemption through his blood, the nothing multiform, 01' complex in performing the act of forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace.' baptizing. Eph. i. 5-8. In thc fourth place we learn, without a formal definition 'Ye are a ware as well.as anyone can be that the forgi veness of the term, that the performance of baptism necessitates of our sins, and the cleansing us from all unrighteousness the burial of the person who is baptized. and guilt, are made dependent upon the shed blood of the 'Are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Chri~t Jesus were baptized into his death? 'Ve were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might \mlk' in newness of life.' Rom. vi. 3-4. 'Having been buried with hiui in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God who raised him from the dead.' Col. ii. 12. The pretension that baptism is rightly performed, either by the act of sprinkling a few drops of water, more or less, upon a pet'son, or Ly pouring a greater or lesser quantity upon one, is emphutically and forever negatived by these texts. Water being the element, and burial the act.on to be performed by the administrator, leaves no ground for raising a single question as to what is required in order to obey the command to be baptized. A solemn sense of duty to God compels us to say, that nothing short of a burial in water is baptism according to the explanation of the rite by the Holy Spirit; and, consequently, neither sprinkling nor pouring water upon a person is baptism according to its teachings. In the fifth place as an act of the obedience of faith, baptism Lamb of Goel, for we read: , Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins.' l\Iatt. i 21. 'Being justified frecly by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, by his blood.' Rom. iii. 25. 'But God corurnendeth his own love toward lIS, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being justified by his blood, shall we be saved from' the wrath of God through him.' Rom. v. 8-10. , If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of J esus his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' 1 J no. i. 17. These, and mrtny other passages, show that pardon, justification, and washing away sill. is effected through the blood of Christ; but at the same time the Scriptures show us that it is in Christ, and not out of Him, that we obtain forgiveness of sin and freedom from condemnation; and the Scriptures also show us that baptism is most intimately connected with our sincere repentance and faith in bringing us into Christ and unto His blood for the attainment of these and all other spiritual blessings.-The

Restitution.

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1893.

tHE BIBLE STANDAHD.

43

'ij"(Ilbile tbe IDn\? 'J.Ln6t6.

IN this' eleventh hour,' this time of the end, this' quickly,' this very last fragment of probationary time, the' children of the light' should be doing one thing-only one thing; not bickering; not disputing; not discussing intricate and unessential matters; not chasing rainbows of newlyimagined light; not inventing and pushing novel theories; not disturhing confidence in well-settled Biblical truths for the eclat of readjusting them ; not plunging into hairsplitting disquisitions. The' eleventh hour' of vineyard work is rather late for a new philosophy on the exact nature and intricacies of vegetable life. It is unseemly to Le analyzing the law of gravitation amidst the premonitory thunders of the final judgment; or striving to erect temples for philosophic and theologic acumen when the fires of the last day are hnrsting out beneath our feet .. The time for this kind of thing is far past. The minds and hearts of the masses of our people are sufficiently concentred in the fundamentals of 'the faith.' There is no occasion for attempting to tear up the rock bottom of our scriptural belief as to the personality and infinity of God; the nature and destiny of man; immortality through Christ alone; the extreme imminence of the end; the hope and fact of the resurrection of the dead; the power of the Spirit, ctc., etc, Our burning, crying need, as a people, is not new subleties of argument along lines of strange interpretations. We are not threatened with decadence in numbers and power for lack of truth and light. 'Ve need, rather, 1110revital confidence in the truths we hold and teach; profounder faith. in God and Christ and the Holy Spirit. And, especially and imperatively, we need the spirit of work; earnest, ample, persistent and untiring toorl: in spreading the truth into the dark places; in warning unsaved men of coming doom; in plucking sinners as brands from the hurning; in strengthening the things that are ready to die; in pointing bewildered souls to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world; in gathering sheaves for the mighty harvest so soon to come. The thing to address ourselves to now is preaching the gospel of the kingdom at hand, in its palpable features which the people can understand; the signs and plain evidences of redemption near; the warnings and appeals of God's \Yord, along with consistent, earnest efforts to induce the un saved to prepare to meet their God. It is altogether too late to be squandering time and talent UPOll metaphysical argumentation to the subversion of unsophisticated people, and the distraction of the body of Christ. No people can Le spiritually or doctrinally strong who are kept in the sieve of perplexing disputation. 0, let us have the gospel-the gospel of the coming and kingdom; the gospel of preparation; the gospel of redemption; the gospel in its simplicity, in its saving, comforting power. It is time that set} were out of sight and Christ and llis Words were at the front. Remembe1' that the Master's eleventh how' command is 'Go ye into the vineyard and wonx.' Worhl's Crisis.

,~___.~_(_,~:,.:._ix_?@_z_~._l,~' ... _ .i' _. _ .. ~_.

_'~~_'7'~_''jfi_"

connna.
It Illay be in the evening, When the work of the day is done, And YOIlhave time to sit in the twilight, And \\ atch the sinking sun, Wbile the long bright day dies slowly Over the sea, And thc hour gro\\'8 quiet and holy With thoughts of 1\1c; While you hear the village children Passing along the street, A mong those thronging footsteps l\1ay come the sound of LlJ!I feet. Therefore, I tell you, '" atch ! By the light of the evening stur, When thc room is growing dusky As the clouds afar; Let the door be on l.lre latch In your homo, For it may be through the glo<l.lIling I will come. It l1lay be when the midnight Is heavy upon the land, And the black waves lying duruuly Along the sand; When thc moonless night draws close, And the lights are out in the house; When the fires burn low and red, And the watch is ticking loudly Beside the bcd. Though you sleep, tired out, on your couch, Still your heart must wake and watch In the dark room; For it lllay be that at midnight I will come. It may be at the COCk'Ci'OW Whcn the night is dying slowly In thc sky, And the sea looks calm and holy, ", aiting for the dawn Of the golden sun Which draweth nigh; When the mists are on the valleys, shading The rivers chill, And my morning star is fading, fading Over the hill ; Behold, I say unto you, 'Vatch 1 Let the door he on the latch In your home ; In the chill before the dawning, Between the night and morning, I may come It may be in the morning, 'Vhen the sun is bright and strong, And the dew is glittering sharply Over the little lawn;

At even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in thc morning.

MARCH,

1893.

tHE BIBLE Sl'ANDAHD.

---------------------------------~

43

'U"UlhiIe the IDa\? jia6t6.

IN this' eleventh hour,' this time of the end, this' quickfV,' this very last fragment of probationary time, the' children of the light' should be doing one thing-only onc thing; not bickering; not disputing; not discussing intricate and unessential matters; not chasing rainbows of newlyimagined light; not inventing and pushing novel theories; not disturbing confidence in well-settled Biblical truths for the eclat of readjusting them ; not plunging into hairsplitting disquisitions. The ' eleventh hour' of vineyard work is rather late for a new philosophy on the exact nature and intricacies of vegetable life. It is unseemly to be analyzing the law of gravitation amidst the premonitory thunders of the final judgment; or striving to erect temples for philosophic and theologic acumen when the fires of the last day are bursting out beneath our feet. The time for this kind of thing is far past. The minds and hearts of the masses of our people are sufficiently concentred in the fundamentals of 'the faith.' There is no occasion for attempting to tear up the rock bottom of our scriptural belief as to the personality and infinity of God; the nature and destiny of man; immortality through Christ alone; the extreme imminence of the end; the hope and fact of the resurrection of the dead; the power of the Spirit, ctc., etc, Our burning, crying need, as a people, is not new subleties of argument along lines of strange interpretations, We are not threatened with decadence in numbers and power for lack of truth and light. ,Ye need, rather, more vital confidence in the trnths we hold and teach; profound er /ltith in God and Christ and the Holy Spirit. And, especially and imperatively, we need the spirit of work; earnest, ample, persistent and uutiring W07L in spreading the truth into the dark places; in warning unsaved men of coming doom; in plucking sinners as brands from the burning; in strengthening the things that are ready to die; in pointiug bewildered souls to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world; in gathering sheaves for the mighty harvest so soon to come. The thing to address oursel ves to now is preaching the gospel of the kingdom at hand, in its palpable features which the people can understand; the signs and plain evidences of redemption near; the warnings and appeals of God's IV orcl, along with consistent, earnest efforts to induce the unsaved to prepare to meet their God. It is altogether too late to be squandering time and talent npoll metaphysical argumentation to the subversion of unsophisticated people, and the distraction of the body of Christ. No people can be spiritually or doctrinally strong who are kept in the sieve of perplexing disputation. 0, let us have the gos])el-the gospel of the coming and kingdom ; the gospel of preparation; the gospel of redemption; the gospel ill its simplicity, in its saving, comforting power. It is time that self were out of sight and Christ and llis Words were at the front. Remember that the Master's eleventh hour command is Go ye into the vineyard and WORK' World's Crisis,

~r~i~dJ(o=e~ix,~z~.
V

l~
~

comtnn.
At even, or at midnight, or at thc cock-crowing, or in the morning.

It may be in the evening, When the work of the day is done, And you IHLI"eime to sit in the twilight, t And \\ atch the sinking sun, \Yhile the long bright day dies slowly Over t he sea, And the hour grows quiet and holy wtu. thoughts of ]\.fc; While you hear the village children Passing along the street, Among those thronging footsteps May come the sound of lIJ!J feet. Therefore, I tell you, ,\- atch ! By the light of the evening star, When thc room is growing dusky As the cluuds afar; Let the door be un t.he latch In your home, For it may Le through the glo1l.111ing I will come. It may Le when the lllitlnigh t Is heavy upon the land, And the black waves lying dumbly Along the sand; 'Vhen the moonless nii(ht draws close, And the lights are out in the house; When the fires burn low and red, And the watch is ticking loudly Beside the bed. Though you sleep, tired out, on your couch, Still your heart must wake and watch In the dark room ; For it may be that at midnight I will come. It may be at the cock-crow When the night is dying slowly In the sky, And the sea looks calm and holy, 'Vaiting for the dawn Of the golden sun Which draweth nigh; "'hen the mists are on the valleys, shading The ri vers chill, And my morning star is fading, fading Over the hill ; Behold, I say unto you, ,Vakil 1 Let the <1001' on the latch be In your home; In the chill before the dawning, Between the night and morning, I may come It may be in the morning, When the sun is bright anti strong, And the dew is glittering sharply Over the libtle lawn;

44

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

When the waves are laughing loudly Along the shore, And the little birds are singing sweetly About the door ; 'Vith the long day's work before you, You rise up with the sun, And the neighbours come in to talk a little Of all that must he done. But remember that I may be the next To come in at the door, To call you from all the busy work For evermore. As you work Jour heart must watch, For the door is 011 the latch In your room, And it lIIay be in the morning I will come. Selected. he laid his book his church. down ,on

MARCH.

1893.

the table, and looked about

on

He was a man of simplicity and sincerity, fully in earnest to do his Lord's work and do it with all his might, but he did sometimes feel discouraged. His congregat,ion was a mixture of farmers and mechanics, for Sugar IIollow was cut in two by Sugar Brook, a brawling, noisy stream that turned the wheel of many a mill and manufactory, yet on the hills around it there was still a scattered population eating their bread in the full perception of the primeval curse. So he had to contend with the keen brain and sceptical comment of the men who piqued themselves on powel' to hammer at theological problems as well as hot iron, with the jealousy and repulsion and bitter feeling that has bred the communistic hordes abroad and at home; while perhaps he had a still harder task to awaken the sluggish souls of those who used their days to struggle with barren hillside and rocky pasture for mere food and clothing, and their nights to sleep the dull sleep of physical fatigue and mental vacuity. It seemed sometimes to Mr. Parkes that nothing but the trump of Gabriel could arouse his people from their sins and make them believe on the Lord and follow His footsteps, 'I'o-dny-c-no, a long time before to-day-he had mused and prayed till an idea took shape in his thought, and now he W<lS to put it in practice: yet he felt peculiarly responsible and solemnised as he looked about him and foreboded the success of his ex pcrirnent. Then there flashed across him, as words of Scripture will come back to the habitual Bible reader, the noble utterance of Gamaliel concerning Peter and his brethren when he stood before the council: 'If this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought ~ but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it.' So with a sense of strength the minister spoke :_ , My dear friends,' he said, 'you all know, though I did not give any notice to that effect, that this week is the Week of Prayer. I have a mind to ask you to make it for this once a week of practice instead. I think we lllay discover some things, some of the things of God, in this manner that a succession of prayer meetings would not perhaps so thoroughly reveal to us. Now when I say this I don't mean to have you go home and vaguely endeavour to walk straight in the old way. I want you to take" topics," as they are called, for the prayer meetings. For instance, Monday is prayer for temperance work. Try all that day to be temperate in speech, in act, in indulgence of any kind that is hurtful to you. The next day is for Sunday-schools ; go and visit your scholars, such of you as are teachers, and try to feel that they have living souls to save. Wednesday is a day for fellowship meeting; we ace cordially invited to attend a union meeting of this sort at Bantam. Few of us can go twenty-five miles to be with our brethren there; let us spend that time in cultivating our brethren here. Let us go and see those who have been cold to us for some reason, heal up our breaches of friendship, confess our faults one to another, and act as if, in our M:~ster's \~Ol'ds, " all ye are brethren."

I
FOIt what

<Boing to cburcb.
do Christians go to Church? Is it chiefly in order that they may give or receive, through the services and their own part in them? These questions would be answered very differently by different persons. Some go out of a g'ad and grateful heart, to show and to express their gratitude to God, and to beat' a part in His public worship. Others go in order to gain some personal ad vantage through what they see, hear, and feel while there. The ODe sort are pretty sure to accomplish what they go for. They swell the service of prayer and praise, and by their countenance and evident appreciativeness they cheer the heart of the preacher, and gi ve added force to his preaching. The other sort often find their church going a failure. The singing is not what they hoped for; the prayers fail to meet their wants; the Bible selections are, poorly timed to their requirements; and as to the sermon, 'it does not feed' their souls. It is a great pity that there are comparatively so few of the first class of Christian worshippers, and that there are so many of the second class. And it is a noteworthy fad, that those who go to church to do wh.rt they can to make the service a success, grow steadily in character and in intellectual power, while those who go there with a chief desire to be personal gainers by their going, shrink and dwindle in their personality. The poorest specimens of church-goers are those who are constantly complaining- that the preaching 'does not feed' them. Hearers of that sort are like Pharaoh's lean kine ; the more they swallow the leaner they look. In this sphere, as in every other, the words of our Lord Jesus are true, that' it is more blessed to give than to receive.'-Selected. -- ~

~be IDencon'e 'tlUleeh.

By
ROSE
TERRY

COOKE.

THE Communion service of January was just over in the church at Sugar Hollow, and people were waiting for Mr. Parkes to give out the hymn, but he did not give it out;

MARCH,

1893.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

45

, Thursday is the day to pray for the family relation; let us each try to be to our families on that day, in OUl' measure what the Lord is to His family, the Church, remembering the words, "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger;" "Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." These are texts rarely.oommented upon, I have noticed, in OUt' conference meetings. We are more apt to speak of the obedience due from children, and the submission and meekness our wives owe to us, forgetting that duties arc al ways reciprocal. 'Friday t he Church is to be prayed fOI'. Let us then, each for himself, try to act that day just as we think Christ, our great Exemplar, would have acted in our places. Let us try to prove to ourselves and the world about us that we have not taken upon us His name lightly or in vain, 'Saturday is prayet' day for the heathen and foreign missions. Brethren, you know, s.nd I know, that there are heathen at our doors here; let everyone of you who will, take that day to preach the Gospel to some one who does not hear it anywhere else. Perhaps :'ou will find work that you know not of lying in YOUI' midst. And let us all on Saturday evening meet here :1gain and choose some one brother to relate his experience of the week. You who are willing to try Lhis method please to rise.' Everybody rose except old Auios Tucker, who never stirred, though his wife pulled at him and whispered imploringly. 11e only shook his grizzled head and sat

S:lyS it ain't : but dear me, it does set a man up good, cold mornings, to have a cup' of hot, sweet, tasty drink, and T haven't had the grit to refuse. I knew it made me what folks call nervous and I call cross before night come; and I knew it fetched on low spirits when our folks couldn't get a word out of me,-not a good onc any way; so I thought I'd try on that to begin with. 1 tell you it come hard! I hankered after that drink of coffee dreadful! Seemed as though I couldn't eat my breakfast without it. I feel to pity :1 man that loves liquor more'n ever I'did in my life before; but I feel sure they can stop if they'll try, for I've stopped, and I'm goin' to stay stopped. "Veil, come to dinner, there was another fight. I do set by pie the most of anything. I was fetche.i up on pie, as you ,may say. Our folks always had it three times a day, and the doctor he's been talkiri' and talkin' to me about eatin' pie. I have the dyspepsy like everything, and it makes me oureliable as a weather-cock. And Dr. Drake he mys there won't nothing- help me but to diet. I was

readiu' the Bible that morning while I sat waiting for breakfast, for 't was Monday, and my wife was kind of set back with wash in' and all, and I come acrost that part where it says' that the bodies of Christians are temples of the Holy Ghost. 'Veil, thinks J, we'd ought to take care of 'em if they be, and sec that they're kep' clean and pleasant, like the church; and nobody can be clean nor pleasant that has the dyspepsy. But, come to pie, I felt as immovable. though I couldn't! and, 10 ye, I didn't! I eet a piece faciu' IV hat I knew I ought . 'Let us sing the doxology,' said Mr. Parkes ; and it was right against my conscience; I tell ye, my sung with full fervour. The new idea had roused the to do, I went and done what I ought not to. church fully. It was something fixed and positi ve to do ; conscience made music of me consider'ble, and I said then I it was the lever-point Archimides longed for, and each felt wouldn't never sneer at a drinkin' man no more when he slipped up. I'd feel for him an' help him, for I see just ready and strong to move a world. how it was. So that .day's practice giv' out, but it learned Saturday night the church assembled :1gain. The cheerful me a good deal more'n I knew before. eagerness was gone from their faces; they looked downcast, 'I started out next day to look up my Bible class. They troubled, weacry-as the pastor expected. 'When the box haven't really tended up to Sunday-sohool as they ought to for ballots was passed about, each one tore :1 bit of paper along Lack; but I was busy here and there, and ther~ from the sheet placed in the hymn-books for that purpose "Veil, 'twould and wrote on it a name. The pastor said, after he had didn't seem to be a real chance to get to it. take the evcning to tell it all, but I found one real sick, counted them :been abed for three weeks, and was so glad to see me that I , Deacon Emmons, the lot has fallen on JOu.' felt fair ashamed. Seemed as though I heered the Lord for 'I'm sorry for't,' said the deacon, rising up and taking the first time saying, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of off his overcoat. "I ha'n't got the best of records, Mr. the least of these, ye did it not to me." Then another Parkes, now I tell ye.' 'This isn't what we want,' said Mr. Palkes. '\Ve want man's old mother says to me, before he come in from the been sayin' that if folks practised to know the whole experience of some onc among us, and shed, says she, "He's what they preached, you'd ha' come round to look him up we know you will not tell us either more or less than what afore now, but he reckoned you kinder look down on millyou did experience.' I'm awful glad you come." Brethring, so wets I ! Deacon Emmons was a short, thick-set man, with It hands. I tell you that day's work done me good. I got a poor shrewd, kindly face and grey hair, who kept the village opinion of J osiah Emmons, now I tell ye, but I learned store and had a well-earned reputation for honesty. '''VeIl, brethren,' he said, 'I dono why I shouldn't tell more about the Lord's wisdom than a month 0' Sundays it. I am pretty well ashamed of myself, no doubt, but I ever showed me.' ought to be, and maybe I shall profit by what I've found out these six days back. I'll tell you just as it come.' ';\'Ionday, I looked about me to begin with. I am amazing fond of coffee, and it ain't good for me, the doctor A smile he could not repress passed oyer Mr. Parkes's earnest face. The deacon had forgotten all external issues in coming so close to the heart of things; but the smile passed as he said ;-

46

THE BIBLE STANDAHD.

MARCH,

1893.

Brothel' Emmons, do you remember what the Master said: "If a man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself" l' ,''V ell, it's so,' answered the deacon, 'it's so right along. 'Vhy, I never thought so much of my Bible class nor took no sech int'rest in em as I do to- clay-not seuce I begun to teach. I b'lieve they'll come more reg'lar now, too. 'Now come fellowship day. I plain sailin' ; seemed as though felt pleasant towardst everybody, folks that was neighbours, and thought that would be all I'd got warmed up till I so I went around seein' 'twas easy; but when I

I are always havin' I when I remembered

I

aches, ';and I was jest agoiri' to say so, the tex' about not being bitter against 'em; so I says, "Philury, you lay abed. I expect Emmy and me can get the vittles to-day." I declare she turned over and gave me se eh a look; why, it struck right in. There was my wife, that worked for an' waited on me twenty-odd year, 'most scar't because I spoke kind of feelin' to her. I went out and fetched in the pail 0' water she'd always drawed herself, and then I milked the cow. When I came in Philury was up fryin' the potatoes, and the teal'S a shinin' on her white face. She didn't say nothin', she's k inder still, but she hadn't no need to. I

come home at noon-spell, .Philury mys, says she, "Squal'e Tucker's black bull i8 in tit' orchard a teariri' round, and he's knocked two lengths 0' fence down flat!" 'Veil, the old Adam riz up then, you'd better believe. That black bull has been a break in' into my lots ever sence we got in the aftermath, and it's Square Tucker's fence, and he \VO;1't make it bull-strong, as he'd oughter, and that orchard was It young one just comin' to bear, and all the new wood crisp as cracklin's with frost. You'd better b'Iieve I didn't have much feller feeling with All10S Tucker, I jest put over to his house and spoke up pretty free to him, when he looked up and says, sayB he, "Fellowship meetin' day, ain't it, deacon t" I'd ruther he'd lm' slapped my face. I felt as though I should like to slip behind the door, I see prctty distinct what sort of life I'd been liviu' all the years I'd been a professor, when I couldn't hold on to my tongue and temper one day.' , Breth-e-ren,' broken with interrupted emotion, 'I'll a slow, harsh tell the voice, somewhat on't. Josiah rest

felt a little meaner'n I did the day before. Bub ttwan't nothing to my condition when I was goin', toward night, down the sullar stairs for some apples, so's the children could have a roast, and I heered Joe up in the kitchen ~ay to Emmy, "I do believe, Em , p:1'S a-goiu' to die." ""Vhy, J'osiur ElIlmons, how you talk!" "\Yell, I do; he's so everlast in' pleasant and good-nntered. I can't but think he's struck with death." '[ tell ye, brethren, I set right down on them sullar stairs and cried. I did, reely. Seemed as though the Lord had turned and looked at me jest as He did at Peter, Why, there was my own children never see me act real fatherly and pretty in all their lives. I'd growled and scolded and prayed at 'em, and tried to fetch 'em up jest as the twig is bent the tree's inclined, ye know; but I hadn't never thought that they'd got right an' reason to expect I'd do my part as well as theirn. Seemed as though I was findin' out more about J osinh Emmons' was renl agreeable. ' Come around Friday I got back to the store. I'd kind have left it to the boys the early part of tIn week, and things was a little cuterin'; but I did have sense not to teal' round and use sharp words so much as common. I began to think 'twas getting easy to practise after five days, when in come Judge Herrick's wife after some curt'in calico. I had it han'some piece, all done off with roses an' things, but there was a fault in the weavin', e\'ery now and then a thin streak. She didn't notice it, but she was pleased with the figures on't and said she'd take the whole piece. Well, just as I was wrappin' of it up, what Mr. Parkes ilere said about tryin' to act just as the Lord would in our place come acrost me. Why, I turned as red as a beet, I know I .did. It made me feel all of [t tremble, There was I, a doorkeeper in the tents of my God, as David says, really cheatin' a woman. I tell ye, brethren, I was all of a sweat. "~[is' Herrick," says I, "I don't believe you've looked real close at this goods; 'tain't thorough wove," said I. So she didn't take it; but what fetched me was to think how many times before I'd done se ch mean onreliable little things to turn a penny, and all the time snyin' and prayiu' that I wanted to be like Christ. I kep' a trippin' of myself up all day jest in the ordinary business, and I was a peg lower down when night come than I was a Thursday. I'd ruther, so far as the hard work is concerned, lay a mile of four-foot stone wall than undertake to do a short-comings than

Emmons come around like a man and a Christian right there. He asked me for to forgive him, and not to think 'twas the fault of his religion, because 't was his'n and nothin' else. I think more of him to-day than I ever done before. I was one that wouldn't say I'd practise with the rest of ye. I thought it was everlasting nonsense. I'd ruther go to forty-nine prayel' meetin's than work at bein' good a week. I b'lieve my hope has been one of them that perish ; it ha'u't worked, and I leave it behind to-day. I mean to begin honest, and it was seein' one honest Christian man fetched me round to't.' Amos Tucker sat down and buried his grizzled head in his rough hands. 'Bless the Lord!' said the quavering tones of a still older man from a far corner of the house, and many a glistening eye gave silent response. , Go on, Brother Emmons,' said the minister. 'Well, when next day come I got up to make the fire, and my boy J oe had forgot the kindlin's. I'd opened my mouth to give him Jesse, when it come over me suddin that this was the day of prayer for the family relation. I thought I wouldn't say nothing. I jest fetched in the kindlin's myself, and when the fire burnt up good I called my wife. 'Dear me!' says she, 'I'\'e got such a headache, 'Siah, but I'll come in a minit.' I didn't mind that, for women

MARCH,

1893.

THE BIBLE STANDAR,D.

47
(-<>,~~, ~'W?~;) ~. '~'h-::P~'-')

man's livin' Christian duty for tw~lve working hours j and the heft of that is, it's because I ain't used to it and I ought to be. 'So cherk. thismornin' came around, 'Twas missionary mornin', and I felt a mite more and seemed as if 'twas a

I l'-'~ ~~
r~' I

~&i~(!,\)ilbr~L=~~~~~
~'--~~'~~,);~~~~;;:~~T~-. G) u\: ~""0.'\:fuf,-~ANSWERS TO FIRST

~ 0lit

I~~~);fo.~;t'l
SET.-TIIIRD

sight easier to preach than to practise. I thought I'd begin to old Mis' Veddor's. So I put a Tesjament in my pocket and knocked to her door. Says I, "Good mornin', ma'am," and then I stopped. Words seemed to hang, somehow. I didn't want to pop right out that I'd come over to try'n oonvert her folks. I hemmed and swallered a little, and ilnlly I said, says I, , " \Ve Veddor," don't see you to meetin' Yery frequent, Mis'

r r~. f;~~r't
SERIES.

cr

Have been received from 'V. E. Judkins, Smith, and Margeret Green.
ANSWEHS TO EXTRA

May Brewster, Sidney

QVESTIONS.

Mnrgarcb Green. As announced, the results will not be published until the end of the series. The questions not being selected, and as that is for the Editor to determine, there is an omission for this month of the questions.

'" No, you don't!" ses she, as quick as a wink. "I shy to home and mind my business. ' , "'Veil, we should like to hey' you come along with us and do ye good," says I, sort of conciliatin'. , "Look a here, Deacon!' she snapped, "I've lived
alongside of you fifteen year, and you knowed I never went to meetin' j we an't a pious lot, and you knowecl it j we're poorer'n death and uglicrn sin. Jim he drinks and swears, and Malviny dono her letters. She knows a heap she hadn't ought to, besides. Now what are you a-comiu' here to-day 101', I'd like to know, and talk in' so gIiIJ about meetin'? <10 to meetin'! I'll go or come jest as I darn please, for all you. Now get out, out 0' this!" Why, she come at me with a broomstick, There wasn't no need ont j what she said was enough. I hadn't never asked her nor hern to so much as think of goodness before. Then I went to another place jest like that--I won't call no more names j and sure enough there was ten children in rags, the hull on 'em, and the man half drunk. He give it to me too j and I don't wonder. I'd never lifted a hand to serve nor sal-e 'em before in all these years. I said considerable about the heathen in foreign parts, and gil'e some little for to convert 'em, and I had looked right over the heads of them that was next door. Seem as if I could heal' Him say, "This ought ye to have done, and not have left the other undone." I couldn't face another soul to-day, brethren. I come home, and here I be. I'I'e been searched through and through and found wantin'. God be merciful to me a sinner !' He dropped into his seat, and bowed his head; and many another bent, too. It was plain that the deacon's experience was not the only one among the brethren, Mr. Parkes rose and prayed as he had never prayed before j the week of practice had fired his heart, too. And it began a memorable yeat' for the church at Sugar Hollow j not a year of excitement or enthusiasm, but one when they heard their Lord saying, as to Israel of old, 'Go forward,' and they obeyed His voice. The Sunday-school flourished, the church services were fully attended, every good thing was helped on its way, and peaee reigned in their homes and hearts, imperfect, perhaps, as new growths are, but still an offshoot of the peace past understanding, And another year they will keep another week of practice, by common consent, To
TlIE EDITOR OF THE BIBLE flTANDArm.

THE invitation given in the STAND,\RD five months ago to discuss the question-' Ought a Christian to insnre his (or her) life?'-has not been taken advantage of as some of us hoped it would. 'Ye consider that it is not a Christian act to insure our lives, because life insurance is selfish. It is just for his own that a man seeks good, and for this he spends money every year that nlight have relieved many a 1'001'fellow creature. 'lIe that hath pity on the poor londeth unto the Lord, and his good deed will he pay him n,gain' (Prov. xix. 17), Brethren, if we all pail I into the poor fund the money we pay in insurance, we would have such a fund that we need never fear that our loved ones will 1I0t Le cared for after we are dead. 'Ve could not imagine the Lord .Iesus Chrisb " storing up money so that hi, mother should not want after He was dead. He left her to the care of His brethren, and so we should take care of those \I 110 are helpless->' visi t the fatherless and widows in their affliction' (Jam. i. 21), Our hymns are full of theory concerning how we 'lol'e each other,' and 'share each others' joys and cares,' and how \I e 'live a life of trust.' But how far does this life of trust ex tcnd ? 'Ve trust God for Eternal Life for we cannot obtain it apart from Him, hut the promise that 'he will be a father to the fatherless' we do not care to rely npon, if by any ine ms we can lay lip money against that day of bereavement, therefore it seems that we only trust God for those things which we cannot possibly obtain apart from Him. If we could by paying an annual Slim of money to a company make sure of Eternal Life, would we then chance getti11g it on God's cond itions ? Perhaps it will be said it is not chance, for Goel has promised it, and He will perform all His promises, then why not rely on Il is promise to be a ' father to the fatherless.' To li vo such a life of trust would draw us closer together, would make us rely more on God and on our brethren, and we would come nearer the prayer of Jesus that' they may be one' (John x vii. 11). Is it not because of Jack of trust that the Church to-day is almost lifeless? Israel did not trust God as they should, and for this they were punished, and when we read their history we wonder why they could not trust God in all things, yet if we look at ourselves we are verv like them. Should w e not trust God in this matter, and spend our money in doing good? The Bible teaches us that God's promises are sure, and the insurance company say that their promises are sure, Which shall we accept? Of course we do not believe that this is the only thing that stands between us and God, but we do believe that every evil we remove will draw us nearer to Him, and help us to see and give lip others. A YOUNG CHmsTIAN.

48

THE BIBLE Sl'AN DARt).

MARCH,

1893.

ztbe jBiQl~ $tan~al'~.

The BIBLE BTA:-lOARD can be ordered direct from the Publisher, E. H. FALK:-lER, Knrangahape Roud, Auckland, or obtained from any of the Agents. . PRICE per annum, post free ... 2s. 6d. beyond New Zealand, per annum) post free 3s. Od.

AUC!;:LANv.--The meetings have been gooll and edifying; there have Leen six baptisms, two of whom were from the Sunday-school Bibleclass. It is a feature wit h us, this up;:;ro\\'ing:of the children in truth and love culminating in their confession of j esus as 1.0 . , as they 1 approach mnn or womanhood. 'Ye have also to record the sudden death of one of our scholars ; in school one Sunday, asleep in the grave the next. We rejoice in the promise that the dead shnl l awake. Our
Brothers Aid ridge and Falk ner have gone on a mission South, carrying

Reputation is what men and women think of us ; character is what God and angels know of us. AGENTS FOR THE BIBLE STANDARD
NEW ZEALAND. Auckland=-Mr. C. Mackay, Bookseller, Grey-street. " 1111'. IIancock, Bookseller, Knrangahape Road, DunedinM r, Aitken, Arcade. Drury-s-Mr. j oseph Dixon. Gisborne-c-Mr. A. Slack. Hamilton-Mr. John Steadman. Invercargill-Neil's Botanic Dispensary. Karno-c-Mr. J. l Ieape. Kai8p01---:-1\1 J a mes lIolland. r. Milton-c-Mr. Gregg. New PIymouth-c-Mr, Fred, Goodacre, Courtney Road. T'irnaru-e-Mr. J" Rowbotham, Cash Store, Church Street Thmnes=-Xl r. W. H. CroPI" Wangaloa-:\Ir. Ta y lor. Adelaicle-s-Mr. Adelaide=-Xl SOUTH AUSTRALIA. C Gamble, Life and Advent Bouk Room, William-street, City. r. C. Gamble, l\Iagill Road, Stepney, King

wit h them our good wishes, Ilro. AiLllid~e's p'ace has been supplied by l.rothers French and Taylor. The Bil.le-class, the Sunday-school, the young meu's anti young women's meetings, hare been well sustained, au.l in view of all, we can thank God and take cour.'g". TllAMES.-Since last report' we have had the pleasure of a visit- from Bro, C. B. King and several other visitors; it has been, and we hope always will Le, a "ratification to entertain vi>iting brethren. 011 Jon. zoth, at our mornin:~ meetirg. Lro.. King ga\ie us words of cheer. III the aftel'lloJh we had a pleasant time with the children. At night, Bro. King gave an earnest address on the' Kingdom of God on Earth." On the Monday following (ja. 30th), 0111' Sunday-school festival was held at Kopu ; spi ing carts ar.d brakes were ellgagb.I to convey our c'rildre n and friends there, an.I some 250 all tckl enjoyed a I11Qsta;;ree3i,le day. We must not forget t o note that our Uro. and '~i~ter Clu istey, came over f.orn the l\liranda, and took an active interest The teachers desire to return their most sincere thanks to all w htlpcd in any way to
ho ma k e

the day such a success; -the sisters who attended

to the brethren who fixe.l the ~()at swill;..!"<".:) and to tire eatables ; to those who gave the lollies and

toys for prizes.

In f.icr , 'ye scarcely know who to th.uik in particular.

It

wa=, however, a most successful and eujoyable t ime, In couuect iou with our Sundav-schcol, Bro. Tnylor, as School Suprriutendent , has started a , Teachers' I're par.u ion Cl.rss ;' so that all the teachers meet one hour during- the week and converse about the lessons fur the co,11in~SUIH.by. This the teachers fi!1l1 very helpful, and we hope it l1lay he productive of much good. OUI" Band of Hope is also un tire move, \\'hen the Auckland Band of I [ope Union announced the competitive cx.iminat ion, BrC'. Taylor instituted a weckly class for ea ch sccrior-, with the re-ult that out of twenty-nine cand i.lntes who .were examined, some t weuty-Iour attended these classes, and now the i eturns have come to hand these t went y-niue have W('11 tweury-Icur certificates, and [our prizes, wliicl: we think very bratifying indeed. NOWt in other Church matters, we must not complain. \\'e have much to be thankful for, and are looking forward to some more th:"oi1,-jng in their! ot with us. Uro. Taylor, for some weeks, has been lccturillti on Sunday evenings on the . Creat inn,' and has given a course that has caused considerable enquiry. Su f.tr the sulject s have been, ' In the Beginning God,' , Was Creation Shapeless?' 'SlX Days of Creation,' '.llan not a

NEW SOUTH WALES. Syduey-c-Xl r. W. I!. Carr, Lyndhurst, El.ley Street,

"'averle)'.

Communications to the Editor 10 Le addressed :-G EO. 1\ LDIU DGE, Boston Road, Auckland. All Communications to the Association to Le addressed to tire Secretary, W ~1. RATT1L\ Y, Victoria A venue, off Eden Terrace, Auckland. ----

CHURCH

OF

CH~IST

Created

S!,i1il,' 'The

Image of God,' ':\dal11, EJen

and I'aradise.'

\VAUF..-llr0. G. 1\. Green Iecture.l ill litis township 011 Chrisunns eveuir-g, his subject was, 'The Saint's l nhe. irnnce in Light'; he contrasted the Christ iau's Hope founded on the promises in God's \\'ord, with the vain hope based on the mistaken ideas of modern theulogy, On Jail. 22, his sul.iect was, 'The Problems of Reuilnu ion;' proving- man's mortality, that despite the serr ent's lie, 'thou shalt not surelv die,' the wicked arc to be destroyed, 'For the ,,"ages of sin is deatll'-eternal death, the everlasting punishment spoken of by Christ. The passages cited to sustain tire so-called orthodox dogl11a, were shown to Le unable to sustain their theory. The attendance and interest was good. toliss Bond kindly assisted the singing w~ir the organ. \Ve pray that the seed 50\\11 will bear fruit to the glory of God.

current 'lAew;auo motes.

DR. BURTON, Ir om England, has been lecturiug in the Foresters' Hall on the' Doom of Christendom and the Anti-Christ ' ; there was a large attendance. It was pleasing to hear a stranger--and one of another assembly-c proclaim the same truths we so often proclaim from that same plat form, The Doctor urged upon his hearers rhe absolute necessity of adhering to the Word of God, to the -..cry words of the Holy Spirit, quoting 1 Cor. 2-13. Vet, directly after he pressed upon his hearers the importance er the' Immortality of the Soul;' and the' Eterniy of Torment,' his attention was called after the meeting to the fact that he was violating his own teaching by using terms which the lIoly Spirit never gave any prophets to pen, and which were never used I)y the Lord, or any apostle-that the verdict of J. N. Darby is that tire idea of the' Immoital Soul' is not from the Gospel, t.ut Ii o:u Plato. Tire Doctor has not replied. \Ve hope his answer will be the abandonment of this dogma of a vain philosophy.

Hold services as under :Aucxr.xrcu-c-Foresters' IIall, Kurangahape Roa,!. Sunday, at II o'clock a.m., Fellowship Meeling. 6.45 p.m., Lecture on some important Bil)le Theme. Sunday School at 3. \\' cduesday evening, Bible Class at 7.30. Evangelist's address-s-Geo. Aldridge, Boston Road. GrSllORNE-Address-l\lr. A Slack. North Gisborne. UUNEnIN-Oddfellows' Il.ill, Stuart-st reet, Sunday, at II a.rn., Fellowship "leeting. Lecture at 6.45. Sunday School at 2.45. Prayer Meeting and Bible Class every Friday evening at 7.30. Secretary's Address-Francis Bauson, Stafford Street, South Dunedin, Tl:A~!r:S - Pollen Street Lecture Hall. Sunday, at II a.rn., Fellowship Meeting. Evening Service at 6.30, Sunday School at 2.30. Bible Class every Wednesday evening at 7.30. Evangelist's Address-E. I!. Taylor, Thames . l\IELllouRNE-lIanover Rooms, Eastern Arcade. Sunday, at 1I a.m., Breaking of Bread. Evening at 7'p.m., Lecture on some Bible Theme. Monday at 7.30 p.rn., Bible Class. ADELAIDE, S.. \.-Inquiry and Discussion Class, Biackeby's Boot Shop. 226, Rundle Street, every Thursday, at 7.45 p. m. Secretary's address-F. B. Hughes, 96, North Terrace. SYDNEY-'Varwick Hall) Station Street, Newtown, Morning meeting at 1I. Bible Class Wednesday at 7.45. Secretary's address- W. Warner, 16 Pin-street, Redfern, Prirted by H. BRETT, Evening Star Office, Shortland-street, for Ihe New Zealand Evangelistic and Publication Association, and pul.Iished by E. H. FALKNER, Karangahape Road, Auckland. "lARCH, 1893.