"

No. 8. Vol. VI.

PROPRIETORS: The "'Conuitional Immortality Association." PUBLISHINGEDITOR: Cyrus E. Brooks; Office, Malvern Link, Worcestershire. LONDON AGENT: F. Southwell, 27, Ivy Lane, E.C. MONTHLY CONTRIBUTORS: BIBLICALEXEGESIS: Rev. B. B. Wale, Malvern. SACREDSONG: Rev. G. P. Mackay, Lincoln. NOTESANDQUERIES: Gen. H. Goodwyn, Reading. FAMILYCIRCLE: Mr. J. J. Hobbs, Poole, BIBLE LETTERS: "Devon." LIFE NOTES: ADVENTNOTES: bOSMORAM, . A: POSTALPICKIlIGS : REVIEW COLUMN:

MAY, 1883.

ONE

PENNY.

AGENTS

WANTED!

To supply the Christian Public with the MONTHLY PERIODICALs-Bible Standard (Id.), Messenger (2d.), Rainbow (6d.) , and OTHER LITERATUREadvocating Conditional Immortality and the Pre-Millennial. Advent. MONTHLY PARCELS are supplied Oarriage Free, wherever there is Postal, Rail, or Steam Communication. A UNIFORM DISCOUNT ALLOWED. Address the PUBLISHINGEDITOR of this Paper. N.B.-For India and other literature than the published HALF HIGHER for Zealand. This is charges. and the East all periodical is ONE-THIRD HIGHER VALUE English prices; and ONEAfrica, Australia, and New owing to the heavy transit

. Editor.

GENERAL CONTRIBUTOtlS: Mr. W. Laing, Edinburgh. Cel. E. Armstrong, Madras, India. C. Underhill, Esq., J.P., Oxford. W. G. Moncrieff, Esq., London, Canada. Rev. E. H. Taylor, Thames, New Zealand. M. M. Wilson, Esq., Liverpool. Rev. W. Griffith, West Croydon. John Bray, Esq., M.D., Washington, U.S.A. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS: That such may personally judge as to the suitability of this Paper for their purpose, we state that it circulates in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, East and West Indies, United States, and on the Continent. Terms, on application to the Editor (enclosing -eopy of advertisement), or of any of the Agents named herein. No advertisement of stimulants 'or drugs can be accepted. No Blocks inserted. AVERAGEMONTHLYISSUE 2,383 COPIES. PREPAID POSTALCHARGES: This Paper is sent free from the Publishing Office at following ratesTo the United 'Kingdom, Canada, United States, and Europe ....... '. East and West'[naies.. Africa, Au .tr~lia, & New Zealand. I'............

ALL GOODSare sent at Senders' Risk, but are Not Returnable. Where Import Duties and Excess Charges are levied on Literature, the charge must be borne by the Agent, and added to the selling value.
~ DUE SUBSCRIPTIONS.-Those Members and Subscribers who receive the present number in a COLORED u'mpper, will kindly regard it as an intimation that their Annual Subscriptions are now due; they will greatly oblige by forwarding, as early as convenient, to the SECRETARY.

BIBLICAL EXEGESIS
By Rev. BURLINGTON B. WALE, F.R.G.S.

righteousness"-that is money dishonestly. obtaiued=-made to himself friends out of his Master's debtors, by permitting themto make fraudulent deductions from the amounts they owed-" How much owest thou unto my Lord? and he said a hundred measures of oil; and he said, sit down quickly and write 'fifty." And then applying the parable to the Pharisees, the Lord said :-1 say unto you make to yourselves friends by the wealth you have unrighteously acquired (as, for instance, by devouring widows' houses), that when you are cast out of your stewardship, as you will be ere long-as they actually were by the invasion and destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans-they, i.e., the friends you may possibly make, by wisely using your unrighteous gains, may receive you into permanent. homes-Greek aionian tabernacles. This word "aionian" is always limited by the subject of which it treats. In Matt. xxv. 46, it is applied to the life of the righteous and the punisbment of the wicked, and carries with it its fullest force-u.nendingness, but in Paul's Epistle to Philemon he uses precisely the same word, when he expresses the wish that Philemon might have Onesimus as his servant for ever (aionian), and so in the passage under consideration, where the authorised version reads "everlasting habitations," and the revised version, " eternal ta bernacles;" the meaning being that they, the Pharisees, might thus obtain permanent homes as long as they lived. The word aionian being limited here as in Philemon's case, by the life of the individual. The Pharisees being money lovers heard all these things (and understood them), but they derided Him. This parable has been frequently quoted to enforce the duty of giving money to the poor; that when they, the donors, die, the poor who have benefitted by their bounty, may receive them into everlasting habitations-that is, into heaven. In which interpretation there are three or four perfectly gratuitous assumptions: 1, That all persons who give liberally to the poor go to heaven. 2, That they go to heaven because they have given liberally to the poor-" Make to yourselves friends by a liberal use of your money now, that when ye die, the poor persons to whom you have given it, may receive you into heaven." 3, That the poor who are thus benefitted, all die before their benefactors, otherwise they could not

The Parable of the Unjust

Steward.

Luke xvi.

}j
~ 1;)

'~8
'"

~~~.~.~ ~
&i< ~~

this parable the Saviour addressing the to them that their INPharisees, wasintimates to be taken from them. stewardship about

Is. 6d. 2s, 6d. 4.. 2s. ea, 3s. 6d. 6s, 2s. 48. 78.

P<

The Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses' seat, they claimed to be the successors of Moses (as our modern Anglican clergy claim to be the " successors" of the Apostles), and in the natural order of things they should have been the executive of the Messiah; but they employed 10s, 6d. their stewardship for their own aggrandisement, 16s.6d. wealth, and power. The unjust steward provided for himself by his dishonest craftiness a 19s, Od. home for life, and by the "mammon of un-

98
be waiting at the door of heaven to receive them. 4, That all poor persons, who are the objects of charity, go to heaven at death, and wait for their benefactors. Such an interpretation or application of the parable is as grotesque as it is unscriptural, and is therefore altogether untenable. It ignores and renders unnecessary the sacrificial work of Christ, and makes heaven obtainable upon liberal almsgiving to the poor, a luxury which none but the rich can indulge in, and yet by a strange and palpable contradiction, it makes the poor who can give nothing, but who receive even-thing, get to heaven before their rich benefactors. In this interpretation. the rich are found gaining heaven through their works, their almsgiving; how the poor obtain heaven is not stated, unless it implies tbat they obtain it because they are poor. Thus the parable is complete, and Christ is shut out altogether. Malvern,

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

undergoing in their naked but mmortal souls the torments of the damned in hell, and that at the judgment their bodies will be raised from the dust to be made immortal also, and to be joined to their souls to suffer inconceivable anguish through endless ages. Oh! my dear friend, what terrible mental suffering this has repeatedly caused me! Often have I sobbed myself to sleep when thinking of it in the dim solitude of the night, as imagination has transformed my bedroom into a corner of hell, and peopled it with suffering souls in all stages of misery, courting that death which fled from them." " But, my dear Innocent, why distress yourself with tbis? It is enougb, in a professional way, to name this doctrine (say once a quarter) from the pulpit for the good of the careless, but it is not intended to horrify and plague those who are Christians. AS for myself, I never think about it, and never preach on it. I don't think my people would be at all pleased with me if I did, and, so, I never think of introducing it." "But it is real to me, whatever it may be to you or others, and so I must preach it, and what I preach I must meditate upon." " Well, let that pass. I'm real sorry for you -and for your people. But what in the name of goodness has that got to do with your not marrying? " "Much, everyway. Yea, all. Did it never strike you that if people abstained from becoming fathers and mothers, that they would also cease to people hell? " " Whew! That's a new and original view of the question. Suffer me to answer your query with another? Did it never strike you that if people abstained from becoming fathers and mothers, that they would also cease to people' heaven? " " I grant the force of your ohjection, but would have you remember that since Christians form but a small minority of the earth's population, and the number of true Christians bot aminority of that minority, you are purchasing the bliss of the few at the expense of the misery of the many." " But, then, is not the everlasting bliss of a redeemed soul sufficient to compensate for the loss of a few unsaved souls? " "No, a thousand times no! Not from the standpoint of an orthodox Christian. If the fires of hell are real and everlasting, as 1 believe them to be, the salvation even of the great majority of the human race would be purchased at too great a cost. But the saved are, for we must deal with facts, a very small minority, and the Eternal Torture of the great bulk of mankind is a fact so appallinglyawful, that I dare not add unto the number by any controllable action of my own, and therefore dare not marry." "Well, Innocent. you're an odd mortal, and take altogether too serious views of life. Why don't vou turn annihilationist? and then your difficulty would be past, for certainly it is an immense mitigation of our stern creed to teach instead the destruction of the wicked. And that reminds me that on my way here I had as travelling companion a gentleman holding office in the Conditional Immortality Association,' who asked my acceptance of a pamphlet called Pauline Theology.' Not to seem disobliging I took it, and gladly hand it over to you. May it couvert you, my friend, for indeed our orthodox tenets-which sit so lightly on most of t:s-are too heavy for you." " I will not refuse the pamphlet, nor neglect to read it, but I am too fully grounded in the doctrines of my early life to be lightly moved therefrom. And certainly not moved for any merely personal, consideration. Thank you. Good-bye. Respect my secret," (To be continued.)-" Devon."

LIFE NOTES.
no man can make a mountain out of a mole bill, so no man can satisfactorily prove what at best is built on flimsy inf rences. Thus whilst Canon Liddon invested his sermon on . Natural Immortality," delivered in St. Paul's Cathedral on April 1st, with all the beauty and charm of his skilful rhetoric, even he could not " make the worse appear the better reason." A review and reply thereto will, however, {D.V.) appear in our next issue, from the pen of the Rev. W. Griffith, Croydon. An envelope with the Eastbourne postmark brings us the first leaf of our March issue, with a cross against the line "but the wrath of God ABIDEl'H on him" (John iii. 36), and the following footnote. "Will you be good enough in your next to explain how it can' abide' on him if he isn't there? As I write my hand abideth on the table, but if any power annihilate the table can my hand be said to abide on it still ?" This is signed "One who wishes to be right." Our correspond.ent has not fairly illustrated his difficulty, or he would have answered his own query. His hand and the table are two concrete things, and therefore cannot be used to illustrate a case in which we have an abstract or moral principle and a concrete or material thing. We will answer the question by correcting his illustration. Thus:" As I write my WRATH is kindled against my writing-table, if I destroy tbat table can my WRaTHbe said to abide upon it ?" Tbe .answer is so self-evident that it is seen at once how God's wrath may abide upon tbe sinner when that sinner has perished in Gehenna fire. In the same manner the wrath of British Law rests upon tbe criminal, when that criminal has paid the forfeit of his life, A Portsea member writes.:" Having been asked the following question, it occurred to me to write a few words on the subject to you, so that if considered suitable they could be iuserted in the Bible Standard, and would carry more weight as being so far accepted by another mind. DID CHRIST DIE IN VAIN? Inferential answer.-If Christ had not died, The just for the unjust,' (Peter iii. 18), every human being must inevitably have perisbed and thus the whole design of Providence in the Creation of Man being defeated by the machinations of Satan, instead of the present foreseen result, failure would have marked the page of history and shown that prophecy was unreliable; whereas in procuring His death, the devil solely secured the certain ultimate conquest and complete destruction of himself (Heb. ii. 14), to the greater glory of Jehovah, and the final eradication from the universe of all sin, pain, and mortality, so that our God can thereafter look on all remaining, and behold' it shall then again be very good' (Gen. i. 31), everything pure, holy, and by gift through the Redeemer, immortal, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption." . , . Death is swallowed up in victory.' (I Cor. xv. 54.") We have a long letter from a member who has recently sailed from Calcutta to Rangoon, but we have only space to state that our correspondent sought fellowship at Calcutta with the Plymouth Brethren, but became a marked man as soon as he broached the question of " Con. ditional Immortality." They prayed over him that he might be brought out of his" delusion," but finding him obstinate, they refused even to shake hands witb him. "We hear that the Rev. J. A. Faithful, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Scarborough, is no longer one of the Examining Chaplains of the Bishop of Liverpool, The Bishop has accepted his resignation because of his views on Conditional Im. mortality.''' We cull this from the Record, and gladly congratulate the rev, gentleman that he is counted worthy to suffer for the truth's sake. In the following issue of the Record, however,

A SUPPOSITIOUS DIALOGUE.
PART

1.

WHY

HE DIDN'T MARRY.

"lNNOI'ENT, why in the world don't you get married? Here you are, in your 35th year, a popular orthodox minister, with a well-to-do Church and a good salary, and, to boot, a decent face and form to match an assured position, and yet unmarried. What in the world is the cause of it? Have you been badly jilted? Or are you in training for the Romish priesthood, that you remain a miserable bacbelor ? It was only a few minutes since that I put the question to one of the sweetest girls in your congregation, She smiled, blusbed a little, and said, Oh, it is not for want of an opportunity, or a suitable choice. I am sure I could name (only I won't) half-adozen of my friends amongst his hearers, either of whom would willingly be called Mrs. Inuocent, and would prove a true helpmeet to him.' Now, my good fellow, do tell me why, with all your power of sympathy and affection, and strong domestic leanings, you still remain that half-part of a man-a bachelor?" .; Can you he serious for a few minutes, whilst I give you an honest and straightforward answer? " "Well, I will try- to be, for I am sunk to the ears in curiosity to solve this matter." "And will you promise me to respect my counsel when told, and not 10 lightly make sport of it with those who may not be able to appreciate my scruples, or rise to the seriousness of my convictions? 11 " Whew! that's a hard condition; but if you have no lighter to impose I'll promise, and do my best to keep it." "And will you keep a solemn face whilst I name to you a solemn conviction? Rest assured it is no light thing that cuts me off from the pleasures and advantages of a well-proportioned union." " Agreed! I will." "My strong and solitary reason is this :-1 am what is called an orthodox believer;' that is I believe what our Church has taught for centuries. Amongst those doctrines, however, there is one so terrible to an enlightened reason that, did I live to be as old as Methusaleh, I should not dare to marry." " What on earth is that? I have swallowed the creeds as they stand, and they never made me uncomfortable." "Probably you have never thought deeply ab nut them. The doctrine I refer to is that of the Future Punishment of the Wicked. Now you know that our Church holds (or professes to, for I sometimes doubt the reality of its faith) that all the wicked who have ever lived are now

Zrvz

THE
we are told that the above notice had caused the Bishop "great pain." Our readers will ask why? Because he regretted the action? No I ooly the publicity given to it! Ah, well, we have little to hope for from the Bishops. Manchester and Liverpool, two of the most liberal Bishops on the Bench, have alike set theirfaces against this truth.-Be it so.' Neither Fraser nor Ryle will be able to stay its advance. They may try to arrest it-so did Canute the North Sea, but history does not record the success of his effort. " Let in God's Light," says of man-" Moreover he is an immortal being;" and then adds, " Surely his primary necessity is to be shown how he may' lay hold on eternal life." , Surely tbe author himself needs light, or he would not first affirm that man is immortal, and then, secondly, urge that he should be shown how to become immortal!

BIBLE

STANDARD.

99

who love the Lord's appearing, urging the duty and scripturalness of earnest, united, and persistent prayer for our Lord's Return. It is not possible for us to find space for it, though our own heart is perfectly in sympathy therewith.

is clear that, great as is the might of the British Empire, it is not mighty enough to maintain the Ottoman Empire much longer. The Ottoman Empire is rapidly dying. The SULTANrefuses to carry out any reform, to make even any material change in his system of government; and disorder, anarchy, and disaffection are rife in everyone of his provinces. Armenia is ready to welcome the Russians. Syria is believed to be ripe for revolt. Arabia is known to be intensely hostile." This occurs in an article in the Daily News, and shows how near, in the estimation of the secular Press, is that much-to-be-desired event. It is of interest to us as indicating how rapidly we are approaching that period when" The times of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled." In another column we have called attention to a scheme now in the air for making a ship-canal from the Mediterranean, via the Jordan, Jerusalem, and the Dead-Sea, to the Eastern, arm of the Red Sea. To us the scheme seems eminently practical. Its effect on Palestine, if realized, would be immense, making Jerusalem one of the principal sea-ports of the East,-a depot for goods intended for the whole of Syria, Arabia, &c. Its bearing upon Jewish Restoration can be seen at a glance, A Manchester subscriber writes :-" It was stated some time since that Pope Leo declared the world was going to the devil. If be did so declare, he spoke truly; i.e. should there be no arrest of the world in its down ward course, but, thank God, the world will be arrested, and we hope ere many years from now. The slips I send with this are from the Connecticut Courant, the oldest paper in America, Having lived half my years in the United States, I could tell much, very much of the state of society there, but I desist as the Standard is not large enough to hold all its editor desires." The slips reveal a very painful state of society in the majority of American homes, and also in public life. Such glimpses of modern society confirm the accuracy of the Saviour's foresight in comparing these latter days with those which brought about the waters of the deluge.-And thus again speak His advent near. " The One Hope of the Church and the Country to-day is the Sunday School."-So says the " Systematic Bible Teaching Mission," in an advertisement of its wares. Has this 'Mission' never read Titus ii.13?" Looking for THAT BLESSED HOPE, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." This is our hope for the Church, and for the Count?y. We commend it to the above Mission,-but, probably, that would not sell its wares. We greet, as a significant sign of the times, the appeal sent to British-Chriatiaus from the Melbourne (Victoria, Australia,) Prayer Union to all

"IT

ADVENT NOTES.

judgment, the will, the spirit, temper or disposition, the conscience, the affections, &c. It is here, deep down in the spiritual nature, that sin has worked its direful effect, "The heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked" (Jer. xvii. 9.) "Having the under standing darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, THE NEW CREATION. because of the blindness of their heart" (Eph. iv. 18); and it is here that the seed of the new THE DOCTRINE OF REGENERATION VIEWED FROM birth is first conceived by the Holy Spirit, by THE STANDPOINT OF THE NEW CREATLON. the introduction of the 'Word,' "Being born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible By CHARLES UNDERHILL, J.P. by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth HE doctrine of the new birth or regeneration, for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the has ever been a stumbling-block to the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass natural man, " How can a man be born when he withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: is old? "is the query of astonishment and un- but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. belief. Modern Christianity, by its philosophical And this is the word, which by the Gospel is speculations upon the natural immortality of preached unto you" (1 Peter i. 23-25; also Eph. the soul, has likewise failed to grasp the full iv. 23-24), " And be renewed in the spirit of your significance of this change; blinded to the im- mind; and that ye put on the new man, which portance and absolute necessity of the re- after God is created in righteousness and true demption of the body, it has failed to realize the holiness." This much may suffice to indicate fact that regeneration is both spiritual and the moral or spiritual change of the new birth, physical, and that the spiritual body of the re- which takes place at conversion; we now pass surrection is a part, and a most important part, on to notice its physical aspect. It is a fact of regeneration. To be "begotten" from the that stands out clearly in the Word of God that dead is but the full manifestation or deliver- the resurrection of Christ from the dead is ance, so to speak, of that new man, which was spoken of as a new birth; tbe Saviour, in order previously conceived III the mind, or man's to redeem men, took the nature of the children spiritual nature, by the operation of God's Holy (sin excepted), ," forasmuch then as the children Spirit; and though we have the statement of are partakers ofjlesh and blood, He also Himself the Apostle that, " if any man be in Christ he is likewise took part of the same, that through a new creature (creation), old things are passed death He might destroy him that hath the away; behold all things are become new" power of death, that is the devil; and deliver (2 Cor. v. 17), yet it is evident that the Apostle them who through fear of death were all their is speaking proleptically, and that as a matter lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb. ii. 14, 15.) of fact the consummation is not realized at This fleshly nature became changed in resurrecconversion; nevertheless, a principle has been tion, " It was sown a natural body, it was raised originated which will inevitably develop into the a spiritual body" (1 COl'. xv. 44.) " perfect man, unto the measure of the stature Now the resurrection of Christ is frequently (or age) of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. iv. 13). described as a new birth, see Acts xiii. 3:j, " God Sin in its essence consists in alienation of hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in heart from God, or the spirit of self-will; this that he hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also evil principle prompted the overt act of dis- written in the second Psalm, "Thou art My obedience in the case of our first parents; and Son, this day have I begotten Thee;" also Col. i. theu followed amongst other disabilities the 18, " The first-born. from the dead;" Rev. i. 5, physical consequence of death, i.e., dissolution " The first begotten from the dead; " Rom. viii, or destruction. Thus the first creation with 29, "That He might be the first-born among man its divinely-appomted lord, and the whole many brethren; " if this language is appropriate range of mundane things, became subject to to the resurrection of our adorable Lord, much decay and death, " The heavens shall wax old as more is it appropriate in the case of His memdoth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold bers i-in their case a sinful and corrupt nature them up, and they shall be changed." (Heb. i. is laid aside for one that is pure and holy-the 11, 12) : "The earth also and the works that mortal puts on immortality-the corruptible inare therein shall be burned up" (2 Pet. iii. 10), corruptiou, and then do they bear the image of and man, unregenerate man, shall be destroyed, the heavenly, as before they had borne the for the same fire that consumes the earth is for image of the earthy. Many references are made the wicked, tbe day of judgment and perdition in Holy Scripture to the resurrection of the of ungodly men; (2 Pet. iii. 7,) and thus re- dead as a birth, see Psalm ex. 3, " Thy people lationship with the first Adam only, (however shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the fine a specimen, intellectually and morally, any beauties of holiness from the womb of the mornparticular individual may be) can have but one ing, thou hast the dew of thy youth; " and again, result, and that is death; whereas, to obtain Isaiah lxvi. 8," Who hath heard such a tbing? life, eternal life, there must be union with the who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be second Adsm, the Lord from heaven, Who is a made to bring forth in one day? or shall a life-giving Spirit; and the nature of the man nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion must be changed, that is to say, he "must be travailed she brought forth her children. Shall born again." I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring The illustration of our Lord, JJiatt. ix. 16-17, forth? sai th the Lord; shall I cause to bring is very appropriate here, since the old cannot forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God;" possibly be mended, the only possible solution Rev. xii. 2, "And she being with child, cried of the question is as indicated in verses 16-17travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered" No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an and the dragon stood before the woman, which old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up was ready to be delivered, for to devour her taketh from the garment, and the rent is made child as soon as it was born. And she brought worse. Neither do men put new wine into old forth a man child, who was to rule all nations bottles; else the bottles break, and the wine' with a rod of iron; and her child was caught runneth out, and the bottles perish; but they up unto God and to His throne." put new wine into new bottles, and both are The resurrection of the Church in the image preserved." of its adorable Lord is the consummation and Scripture contains many phrases to define the completion of that regeneration which comintellectual or spiritual nature of man; it is menced by a new heart and a right spiritdesignated the mind, the understanding, the conversion being thelconception of the new man,

100
the resurrection the actual. birth or deliverance. Hence it follows that in the New Creation, or as it is styled by our Lord, the Reqeneratum; when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory (Matt. xix. 28), no son of Adam will ever find a place, unless in the emphatic words of our Lord to Nicodemus, 'he is born again '" that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again." The resurrection of the dead is peculiarly the work of the Holy Spirit; see the following" But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. viii. 11); also verse 23, "And not only they but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." The sons of God are conceived in conversion; at the resurrection they are actually born or manifested; and then do they constitute a glorious part of the New Creation, "Behold, I make all things new." Oxford.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

--------.-------
By
"DEVON."

BIBLE
" Watchman,

LETTERS.
xxi. 11.

What of the night ?"-Isa.

DEAR FRIEND,-Or, as we might greet the reader this month, Dear "Watchman," for we purpose giving this term a personal application, seeing tbat we have, as professing Christians, foes to watch, and interests to guard. The query of the Holy Spirit through His own Word is"WATCHMAN!WHAT OF THE NIGHT?" Night being the time of sleep, when we are most exposed to danger, implies the need of care and watchfulness, for it is as true now as at any period of time->" Men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil." But the application of the word "night" morally and socially considered, to this latter half of the 19th century, is a view of things so different from that universally prevailing amongst men, as to need some justification for its use. According to popular opinion this is the NOON-DAY SPLENDOUR, the very zenith or meridian of human life and history. To doubt this universal dictum-the common currency of the Church as well as of the world-is to call down upon one the scorn of the thoughtful, and the opprobrium of the ignorant. Be it so, for we have Reason and Revelation as our guides, and cannot doubt the latter, however much we might mistrust the former. There is much however to foster the current POPULAR DELUSION. This is the DAY OF INTELLECT,in which the human mind has reached the loftiest altitude of thought hitherto attained. It is the DAY OF S'CIENCE,n wbich Nature has freely yielded up i the secrets of her potent forces, and allowed man to manipulate them. It is the DAY OF EDUCATION, for " the school-master is abroad in the earth," and the ladder of knowledge may be freely climbed by all aspirants. It is the DAYOF CIVILIZATION,and the barbarism of the dark places of our planet is yielding to the renovating forces of Europe and America; whilst the races which have so long held possession of this magniflcent heritage are being thinned and removed. It is tbe DAY OF JUSTICE, for Law is certainly more accessible, and Judges more upright than of old. It is the DAYOFPOWER, the natural result of sharpened human intellect operating upon the immense resources of nature, incalculably

enlarging man's pow.er for good. It is. the DAY were, so shall also the coming of the Son ef man OF WEALTH,and PLEASURE, and ACTIVITY,and be. For as in the days that were before the flood PHILANTHROPY. they were eating and drinking, marrying and Then if we look from the World to the Church giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered we read the same story. It is the DAY OF MIS into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, SIONS,for the earth is girdled by the Missionaries and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Cross. It is the DAY OFECCLESIASTICISM,of the Son of man be." for the older nations swarm with Defenders of the To know God's mind upon those early days, Faith. It is the DAY OF ORGANISATION, every of which these latter are a duplicate, let us refer to for Gen. vi. 5, 11, And God saw that the wickedness possible tenet and practise has its Committees, Officers, and Advocates. And added to the more of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil staid and sober organisations of the Churches, we have the free lances of the" Salvation Army," continually. The earth also was corrupt before the" Hallelujah Army," and the "Gospel Tem- God, and the earth was filled with violence." perance" and "Blue Ribbon" Armies. Never Such is God's estimate of the times we live in.-Night, not Day. Now let us briefly supplesuch activity in the ranks of those professing godliness, never such wealth of resource and ment this testimony by a few effort as to-day. PREGNANT NDPAINFUL A FACTS. Still we do not lower our colours one jot, but Tbis loudly vaunted day of Intellect, of Science, reassert that Reason and Revelation teach us that of Education, of Civilization, of Justice, of this is-morally and socially considered-night, not day. In producing our proof we shall give Power, has dark.sand painful features which overspread its light with lurid gloom. precedence to the major witness Revelation, Take WARI Europe alone contains 2~ millions producing the mino?' or Reason only to substantiate-by an appeal to facts-the teachings of of men trained to war. But this is on a peace footing only, whilst on a war footing the number Revelation. swells to 15 MILLIONS. Think of it I Fifteen What then is the millions of men armed and trained for war-s-and TEACHINGOF GOD this in Christendom, where we might (at least, upon this point? Let us see. But first, let us if nowhere else), expect the practice as well as assume-what is capable of ready and abundant the profession of Brotherly Love. proof, were this the place for its productionTake SOCIALISM!Russia, Germany, France, that the closing days of this 19th century are Spain, Britain are-greater examples of what, though less prominent, prevails everywherealso the Closing Days of Christendom, and that therefore the features foretold of those closing honeycombed with the vermin whose avowed days are features of this period of time. purpose is to subvert all law and order. Whose Paul, the Apostle of us Gentiles says (2 Tint. cure for society's woes is Dynamite! Dynami.te! iii. 1-5), " This know also, that in the last days Only Dynamite! perilous times shall come. For men shall be Take SPIRITUALISM In Britain, on the OonI tinent, and in America it counts its -votaries by lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, un- the million. Its literature is ever teeming from thankful, unholy. Without natural affection, the press. Whilst the highest in social station, true-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, and the most cultured in manner and intellect despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, own and submit to its fascinations, as fully and And higbminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers completely as the poor and the ignorant. of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying what is Spiritualism? Tbe answer is plain. the power thereof: from such turn away." Demonism, or Devilism, or Devil-worship. Year Peter, the Apostle of the Jews, bears kindred by year its advocates grow bolder, and more and testimony, (2 Pet. iii. 3, 4), "Knowing this. first, yet more fully lay aside the mask. What are its that there shall come in the last days scoffers, features? It undermines all that is vital in our common religion. Thus: It denies the Atonewalking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the ment by denying that Christ was" Son of God" fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they in any other sense than His eartbly existencewere from the beginning of the creation." 111 n alone and not "God manifest in flesh." a James, the practical Apostle is likeminded, It denies the force and authority of the Bible, (James v, 1-8), "Go to now, ye rich men, weep teaching that it has been superseded by later and howl for your miseries that shall come upon and truer spirit-revelations. Yea, it has lately you. Your riches are corrupted, and your gar- produced a Spirit-Bible which is to relegate the ments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is Sacred Book to oblivion. It denies tbe sacredcankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness ness of the Marriage Covenant-but we forbear, against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were we have not ink bitter enough n.or language fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the strong enough to depict this Devil-Travesty of last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who the Gospel of the Kingdom. have reaped down your fields, which is of you Take our world-wide vices of DRUNKENNESS, kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them COMMERCIAL FRAUD, SENSUALITY, BRUTALITY, that the very which have reaped are entered into the ears of and SELFISHNESS. Remember attainments of Science are being used to perfect the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished weapons and agencies of destruction, and to put your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have into the hands of the lawless the power to lay condemned and killed the just; and he doth not the world in ashes. That the march of Intellect resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto is being prostituted to deny the Hand that first gave it being, and the Heart that bled to redeem the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, it. That side by side with the spread of Educaand hath long patience for it, until he receive the tion there is growing up the spirit of insubordinaearly and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stab- tion and pride. That our Civilization, whilst it lish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord adds to our comforts and enlarges our rule, dra weth nigh." creates a thousand wants which make it hard to John, the Beloved Apostle, writes the same win an honest crust and rear a family. That warning, (we quote from the Revised Version, 2 the savage with his simple wants and ample John, 7), "For many deceivers are gone forth leisure has a paradise we know not of. That into the world, even they that confess not that luxury on the part of the rich is emasculating Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the the nations, and the poverty of the poor is deceiver and the antichrist." raising up the spirit of the horse-leech which CHRIST,the Creator and Redeemer of man, says, anon will cry in fury" Give, give, give." And (Matt. xxiv. 37-39), "But as the days of Noe that after all, our boasted civilization. is but

1 THE
veneer and French-polish, whilst underneath the polished exterior is the "evil heart of unbelief" and sin. That our Power is not being used for wise and holy and uplifting purposes, but for selfish ends and selfish :interests. ! But enough here. We pass on to consider very briefly the
DARK SIDE OF THE CHUROH

BIBLE

STANDARD.

101
them a city. The pith of the whole passage lies in this, that at the resurrection those who had died in faith receive the reward. There is no mention, 'nor the remotest intimation, of anything between death and the being raised from death; in fact, " they without us should not be made perfect." But some contend that though not perfect, yet " other and earlier honours" accrue to those who having died, are yet not absolutely dead. We humbly submit that the foregoing scriptures dis. prove this. "Other and earlier honoursl"-where do we read of them? Of what nature are they? The supposed analogy of an earthly heir to a crown seems, in our estimation, beside the question, simply because the conditions are not similar. Only while the heir lives can he enjoy any honours, and these are given simply in anticipation. But we, as heirs of God, and jointheirs with Christ, are called upon to suffer if we expect to be glorified. We wait for the Sonship. And these expectations are for the time being suspended in death. It is only as "children of the resurrection" that we shall receive the fruition of our hopes here, and no doubt there will be perfect satisfaction when we awake in Christ's likeness. Besides, does the Psalmist breathe of honours when he cries, (Psalm lxxxviii. 10-12.) "Wilt Thou show wonders to the dead?" " Shall Thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave ?" "Shall Thy righteousness be known in the land of forgetfulness?" And how did Hezekiah regard these supposed honours, when, for joy, that he was restored to life, he sang,(, The grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth" ? Again, in that most beautiful passage of Paul's (1 Cor. xv.) is there the slightest intimation of consciousness in the intermediate state? Is it not rather suffering here and glory hereafter? Are we not sown in corruption, dishonour and weakness, and do we not rise in incorruption, glory and power? What of the intervening time? Paul simply ignores it. It is too black and silent. the enemy is in possessiou, and so with a bound he leaps from the moment of death to the glorious appearing of his Saviour. And if this be truly so, mark the wondrous scheme of salvation, the marvellous arrangement of our Father. Truly His ways are past finding out. The promise of life originally was consequent upon obedience. Man fell. "The wages of sin is death." But Christ, by His death and resurrection, lifts man out of death, promising him the gift of life and immortality. Even in punishment our Father is merciful. His children must die, for He cannot go from His word, but death i. made infinitely short by unconsciousness. We close our eyes in death, and though thousands of years may elapse, they are to the dead one so short that he opens his eyes the moment he closes them. And so all will rise together, none having any foretaste of glory before the others. Was it not in this faith that holy men of old died? Is not this the true, scriptural doctrine of the intermediate state? Romford.

SYMPOSIUM ON THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

[IN accordance with the will of the Committee we open our columns to the above. It must, however, be distinctly understood that neither the Association nor the Editor are to be held res ponsible for, or as endorsing in any way the views expressed herein. These are simply the personal convictions of the several writers, and appear in these colums merely that our readers may have the opportunity of studying the question as it appears to the different believers in the cardinal truth of Conditional Immortality," and then forming their own opinion thereon.-En. B.B.]
H

This boasted day of Missions. What of it? These are based upon a false hope-the conversion of the world by existing agencies. These use some means that cannot plead gospel sanction-the sub-division of towns and villages into small and mutually hostile sections, each condemning and seeking to outrival the other, for example. And these proclaim tenets which are foreign to the Word of God-everlasting torture, immortal sinners, immortal devils, an eternal hell, reward at death, &c. Their anxiety is rather to preach denominationalism than to exalt Christ. To build up a sectarian organization than to build stones into the Living Temple. For Results rather than for Tesflimony. And what are their fruits? What the return for such missionary zeal? such wide-spread efforts? such lavish spending ?'such multiplied agencies? This-that heathenism increases in greater proportion than nominal Christianity. Mark, nominal, for small is the proportion of the wheat to the chaff. What, too, of our Ecclesiasticism? This, that the real form the minority of the "Defenders of the Faith," whilst the professional form the majority. We make bold to say that the chief weakness of the Church lies in the formalism and unreality of the bulk of its teachers and hearers-" having the form of godliness but denying the power thereof." In other words that the charge brought upon religion a few years back by a trenchant and powerful writer is too painfully true-speaking of the major-that "Christianity is but Baptised Heathenism." What of onr Organizations J This, that we are a too-much-organized community, that we too-much mistrust individual effort, and that the result of our army of societies is too painfully "much cry and little wool." Indeed, plain spoken men are disposed to think that amalgamation would increase efficiency, and weed out many organizations whose existence is only a means to a selfish end-to feed the vanity of some and the pockets of others-and whose results are-O! But we wish to make this letter brief, and therefore pass on. Remember however that we do not write to disparage that which is good, or to deny its existence. God forbid! We would rather be silent than guilty of such folly. God has always had His chosen ones. There was one family found righteous amidst the corruptions which produced the Deluge. And also amidst the wickedness which brought swift destruction on Sodom. There were 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal in Elijah's time-though the whole nation [besides had committed that folly. And there was a goodly band of Christians in dead Jerusalem 'when God gave it over to Rome, to be made" an heap." So now, all praise to God, there is many a faithful servant, many a green oasis-" but what are these amongst so many?" We think we have said sufficient to outline our thoughts, and to show that the facts of our social life are found in harmony with the prophetic Scriptures. To those who care to look below the surface of thingsIT IS NIGHT NOT DAY!

ELEVENTH

AR'rICLE.

BY ALFRED M. KING.

The answer to our query-" Watchman, What of the Night I" must stand over as the subjectmatter (D.V.) of our next letter. Yours faithfully, "Devon."

HE failure to grasp, scripturally, the doctrine of the Resurrection seems to be a great stumbling block in the way of God's people. Faith is needed to realize the fact that dead ones, as entire personalities, lie around us as though they were not, and yet that "the voice of the archangel and the trump of God" will from these dead ones raise glorified beings. Like seed sown we bury our beloved dead, and lo! as forms of beauty from dead' seeds spring, so, when the quick, in the twinkling of an eye, shall be changed, glorious creatures will burst from dust. Do we believe this? We sadly answer, No ! for, if we did, difficulties concerning the intermediate state would quickly vanish. It is its non-realization that drives us to the regions of romance, that peoples Hades with impalpable, airy nothings; blinds our eyes to many scriptures, and makes it" a thing incredible that God should raise the dead." The fruition of our glories is sudden. We die, unconsciousness ensues, (for "the dead know not anything;" "his thoughts perish;" "the dead go down into silence;" "I must work ... while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work; ") our sleep is over, and our reward has come. We know that" David is not ascended into the heavens," but he is simply one of many of the cloud of witnesses, not looking upon and watching over us, but lying around us in the grave, waiting for the change. The word translated witnesses never bears the meaning of spectators, but of those who have testified to the truth by their life or by their death. And does not our Lord's argument with the Sadducees at once settle the question of the intermediate state? "Now that the dead are raised," etc.-(L"lce xx. 37,38.) The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, and our Lord endeavours to overthrow their unbelief. We presume He well succeeded, for the Sadducees were put to silence, and the Scribes admired our Lord's reply. In effect is it not this? ' You Sadducees believe not that the dead are raised, but your great prophet, Moses, in whom you pretend to trust, shows that the dead must rise, for at the burning bush God declared that He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You do not dispute that Abraham and the Patriarchs are dead, how then can God be their God except they be raised from the dead ?' And Paul clearly proves this, for he says" If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised, . . : . then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ have perished." (1 Cor. xv. 16-18.) And if it be urged that" all live unto Him," (Luke xx. 38) the answer is " God calleth those things which be not as though they were." (Rom. iv. 17.) Is not the state of the dead summed up in this, that the future life is anticipated in the sight of God, Who speaks of His dead ones as though they were living now? And concerning those who in Heb, xi. 16, desire a better country, surely it must be while they confess that they are strangers and pilgrims, for they that say such tbings declare plainly that they seek a country, and not having received the promises,-die in faith that God has prepared for

TWELFTH ARTICLE.
BY W.

HE word" death" seems in this present time to have lost its original meaning. It is no longer looked upon by popular theologians as the antithesis of "life," but simply a change of habitation. Nearly everyone theoretically believes that the dead are not dead, but that they are either gone to heaven, or passed into an intermediate state; and therefore they will not allow that a dead man is really dead, but that he has simply shifted ont of the body. " A man may go out of the body but he cannot die." This is popular sentiment.-The dictum

WALKER.

102

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

ofthe world's wisdom.-The tenacious belief of defines it as a race, (1 Cor. ix, 2.1" and Heb. xii. " much more, beinq reconciled we are saved" in the religious world. There is an entire absence 1.) and he exhorts us to so run that we may the participation of the risen life of Christ-chap. of testimony from the Bible in favour of these o1;tain the prize. If a person runs in a race and v. 1, 10. Has Baptism anything to do with such views, but a great amount of evidence to the wins, he does not expect to receive anything mysteries as these? Can it add to the value of contrary, viz.: that death is a real thing, which before the,Prize, eve.n if he has to wait a long i the blood of Christ in effecting the reconciliation invades a man's being, and robs him of existence, time for It. So with the Apostle Paul, who of a sinner to God? Can Baptism make that and t.hat therefore in death he is as totally un- likens. it to a race. He did. not expect to receive blood the property of the penitent, who is inconscious as though he had never lived. any~hlllg before th~ appe~rlll~ of our L?rd and capable of applying it to any judicial. purpose Jesus, when speaking plainly unto His disciples Saviour, Jesus Christ, which IS very plain to be whatever? Can an act of immersion on earth with respect to the death of Lazarus, said, se~n from this passage,-" ~enceforth there is convey to the soul of a sinner the fact of God's "Lazarus is dead." (John xi. 14.) The Scrip- laid up for me ~ crown of nghteousn~ss, which having identified him with Christ in the heavens? ture speaks very plainly. Thus, in recording the the Lord, the RIghteous Judge, shall give me at Certainly not. It then fulfils its purpose as a death of Abraham, it simply says,-" Then Abra- t~at day." When? At His appearing, and His symbolic expression on the part of an already ham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old KlOgdom.-(See verse 1). justified believer, of what he, as identified with age, an old man, and full of years; and was Newark. Christ in death has undergone, and of the New gathered to his people." (Gen. xxv. 8.) Such . . ~ .. Creation into which he has passed. And so it also is the description of Isaac's demise,-" And . [We purpose closinq this oympostum In our r:ext has been from the beginning of the Christian era, Isaao gave up the ghost, and died, and was tssue, unl~ss any of our readers have NEW VtewS and will be to the end, for there is with God" no B.S.] variableness nor shadow of turning." gathered unto his people." (Gen. xxxv. 29.) And of the subject to present.-ED. so we shall find the same in the case of Jaeob, It may be as well to mention that in the Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, passage of Johniii. 5, the word" water," as used and all others whose death is recorded in the by the Lord, does not mean baptism, but "the Scriptures. They are always spoken of as dying word of truth." This is very plainly told in 1 in the absolute sense; giving up their life and EDITED BY GEN. H. GOODWYN. Peter, i. 23, where sinners are said to be" born returning to the ground. again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorThe Bible speaks of death as an extinction of QUERY: With reference to certain passages in ruptible, by the word of God." Again, "of life, and never as the commencement of another Scripture concerning Baptism, J. G. D. asks if His own will begat He us with the word of truth." state. Solomon says,-" Whatsoever thy hand we are warranted in believing that any in the (James i. 18.) These passages, with others, tell findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is first century could be in Christ without being us what is confirmed by the Apostle Peter, viz., no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, baptised for the remission of sins: if not, how that Baptism is a " fiqure;" not of salvation by in the grave, whither thou goest." (Eccles. ix.lO). does this agree with the precept and practice of being washed in water-which merely cleanses David also alludes to the state of the dead in the present day? the flesh-but "the answer of a good conthe following impressive words,-" Free among REPLY: Such a subject is foreign to the object science" through the application by the Spirit of the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, of the Bible Standard, which admits of no in- the Word of God concerning" the Resurrection whom Thou rememberest no more; and they are trusion on the practices and creeds of the of Jesus. Christ." The believer expresses in cut off from Thy hand." (Psalm xxxviii, 5, 10, Churches. Having, however, space just now, I baptism that he has passed through judicial 12.) Aud we also find a very short but emphatic subjoin an answer, though it be of favour and waters with Christ. (lPeter iii. 20-21.) statement in Psalm cxv. 17,-" The dead praise not of obligation. In regard to the Lord's words in Mark xvi. not the Lord, neither any that go down into The question seems to be, not as to any par- 14-16, I affirm that the thief who died by the silence." Solomon also says,-" The living know ticular period in which men were conscious of Saviour's side, and was saved through his belief that they shall die; but the DEAD KNOWNOT their salvation, or brought into life-union with in the object of the death of Christ (Luke xxiii, ANYTHING, neither have they any more a reward, Christ, for the principle of salvation has been 39-43), is a proof of the erroneous conclusion for the memory of them is forgotten, also their since the Day of Pentecost, and ever will be the drawn from Mark's record. It is the second love, and their hatred, and their envy are now same, "By GRACETHROUGH FAITH;" but clause of this passage that demonstrates the perished, neither have they any more a portion whether the Romanising doctrines of ceremonial true sense of the first, clearly disclosing that for ever in anything that is done under the observance, such as Baptism or the Lord's Baptism has nothing to do, even as an aid to Supper, are seripturally required to supplement faitb, with salvation. sun."-(Eccles. ix. 5, 6.) I have quoted these few passages out of many the above principle? This is what I have If salvation were refused to. the unbaptised, that might be brougbt forward, as proof of the gathere~ fro~ the query of J. ~. D. The why is it simply said" he that believeth not shall reality of death, and the consequent unconanswer IS plain enough. If salvation be" by be damned?" Condemnation is clearly stated sciousness of those who are engulphed in its grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise, ,NOT TO BE FOR THE UNBAPTISEDbut for THE ' merciless jaws. They are clear, plain, and grace is no more grace: but if it be of works I UNBELIEVING! intelligible. (such as the ceremony of Baptism) then is it no : Finally-the Romanising "precepts and praeIn reading an earlier article in your columns I more grace." ~om. xi. 6. The principle I tice of the present day" give the same place to notice that the writer brings up several passages referred to above IS concurrent throughout the Baptism that the Judaizing teachers of the early as proof of an intermediate state. One of these I New Testament. ". The Gospel is the power of days of Christianity did to Circumcision, and wish to draw your attention to. It is the one in God unto" Saloation, TO EVERY ONE THAT with the same Cain-like idea, vis., that man Exodus iii. 16, God calling Himself the God of BELIEVET~. . . . must present something of the work of his own Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, although they had The object o~ the Divine Author of t~e ordll~- hands to a holy God! "Except ye be cireumbeen dead for El length of time, does not pro se ~nc~s ~f Baptism and the Supper m their cised ye cannot be saved," was the cry of old; that they then existed in some other state, but ms.t1~utIOn, was a TESTIMO~Y throug? the and substituting the word "baptised" for it teaches that He would raise them from the SP11'1~ an assurance of ,faIth m those spiritual for "circumcised," the echo of that cry is heard dead, as may be seen by the manner in which blessings shadowed forth m the ordinances. In now. But what saith the Apostle? "Are ye Jesus taught the resurrection by quoting these the case of the Supper, it is, " Do this in re- so foolish, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now very words,-" I am the God of Abraham, and membra~c~ of Me:" In the case of Baptism, it made perfect IN THE FLESH?" (Gal. iii. 2-3.) the God of Isaac, and tbe God of Jacob; God is, Do this m obedience to M~. We are reminded "Behold! I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be is not the God of the dead, but of the living."m both of the. Redemption of Israel from circumcised," and the same holds good with (Matt. xxii, 32.) Jesus was here speaking to the Egypt, more particularly of the awe inspiring regard to being baptised with a view to salvation, Saddueees, who denied the resurrection, and He words of God "When I see the blood, I will "CHRIST SHALL PROFITYOUNOTHING."(Gal. v.2.) proved, what they denied, by quoting these words. pass over you;" words that convey a sense of P.S. I am not sure that I have read J. G. D.'s It may be asked, How did Jesus deduce the the perfection of the solitary efficacy of the query aright, but it is not very explicit. The resurrection from this formula? By maintaining blo~d to re~der to .God a full ~esponse for every querist has not stated what" precept and practhat God was not the God of those who were .Divine claim against the smner. Was any tice of the present day" is meant. I have theredead, in the sense of their being done with. (See fragment of any created thing, or figment fore supposed the allusion to be to the false Psalm xlix. 19, 20.) From God calling Himself of an act of any created being, needed to be doctrine of baptismal regeneration, and in the the God of three men who were dead, Jesus added to. that blood to render it mOj'e efficacious light of that supposition have construed the argued that God intended to raise them from the to the mind of Him who had appointed it? first clause of the query. If, however, J. G. D. dead for "God calleth those things which be As. expressed iu Rom, iv. 25, Christ was alludes to the present" precept and practice" of not (but are to be) as.though they were."-Rom. " dehver~d" TO.GOD" for our offences," for t.hey the simple act of Baptism, apart from the iv. 17.) The Sadducees saw the point of the were against HIm .. "B?-t He was raised again ," attachment of any saving efficacy to it, and argument, and were put to silence. be.cause of the sat~sfactIOn r~ndered.to God by wishes to know whether that agrees with the Again, the writer of that article, in his review H18 dea.th. The smne.r r~ce1yes ~hIS truth BY supposed impossibility of " being in Christ with2 Tim. iv. 8, seems to think that there is some- FAITH m proof of hIS. justifieation ; so the out being baptised," what I have written will scripture proceeds to say "Being justified BY still supply a ready answer. thing to receive before the Crown, and he alludes with God," and Reading. to princes in this life as proof of it. But Paul FAITH we have reconciliation

NOTES & QUERIES

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

103
is now very flourishing, and three other Colonies have since been formed-one near Jaffa, another at an hour's distance, and the other near the Jaffa gate of Jerusalem. Their united population is equal to 1,000 person" under the oversight of the founder, Mr. Hoffman, formerly a minister of the Lutheran Church. Their presence and example has conferred solid benefits upon the country, and notably the construction of roads and the use of wheeled vehicles, previously unknown. A good hotel has been erected, and an omnibus service, with native drivers, is maintained between Acre and Haifa. In the Lebanon, France is striving to oust the Governor, Rustem Paeha, and to secure the appointment of some one more favourable to the pretensions of the Romish (Maronite) priests, who seek ascendancy; and also, it is thought, to advance her own power and aggrandisement in Syria. The Governor's tenure of office ends April 23rd. During his ten years of power, the Lebanon has been better governed than ever before. It would be a pity for his policy to be reversed in favour of an insolent and grasping priesthood, or of the supposed interests of any European Power. At the present rate of destruction, all the old Family Seats of Britain will have disappeared within a few years. It is significant that so many should have been lost of late by the agency of fire. The last in the list is Wrotham Park, Barnet, the seat of the Earl of Strafford. The Mahdi has met with a check,-and none too early, seeing Obeid and another town had just previously fallen into his hands. One of his lieutenants has been defeated, with heavy loss, by the Egyptian troops. It is certainly in the interests of humanity, that he should fail in his efforts to found a Slave Kingdom in Eq uatorial Egypt. It seems incredible to read that in the KaJadji district of the Bombay Presidency, nine inches of rain fell in a single night of March. 240 houses were destroyed by the terrible downponr, leaving several hundred persons homeless. Madame Gasparin (a talented literary woman) has made a fierce onslaught upon the" Salvation Army," in a pamphlet published in Geneva, which has been through three editions. She compares the "Army" to the Order of the Jesuits, and its" General" to Loyola-absolute obedience being characteristic of both organizations. Doubtless the writer goes too far in her zeal (in that, imitating the system she attacks), but she is well known as a French Protestant of a deep and true piety, and has, in this action, the active sympathy of a number of her religious colleagues. Equatorial Egypt is attracting to itself British capital and energy. Several British officers are serving in the Soudan Army, engaged against the Mahdi, and at Souakin-a Red Sea portactive commercial enterprise has been commenced, and a line of railway is being promoted to link that port with Berber on the Nile. If carried out this will shorten the distance between the two capitals-Cairo and Khartoum-by nine days-a saving of no mean importance. A correspondent writes from Ashton-underLyne, as follows :-" A new and interesting proj ect for a great waterway to the East as an alternative to the Suez Canal, was. mooted today by the London Chamber of Shipping. Mr. Conry, a well-known shipowner of London and Belfast, hinted that a great scheme has recently been under the consideration of practical and en terprising men for a great waterway to be made by flooding the valley of the J ordan, and utilizing the basin of the Dead Sea. The latter lies 700 feet below the ordinary sea level, and the only engineering works required would be a canal 25 miles long at each end, whilst the cost would be vastly less than that of constructing a second canal through the Isthmus of Suez."Manchester Courier, Feb. 15.

FAMILY
EDITED BY

CIRCLE.
J. J.
HOBBS.

" WHAT'S the matter now, dear?" said a mother to her daughter as she came bounding into the garden on a bright May morning ?" "Why, mother dear, I feel like Billy Bray when people were converted, I am so happy I don't know what to do. I am ready to scream for very joy." " I am glad to see you so happy, my child, at the same time I must say your delight seems too demonstrative for a girl of fifteen." "Fifteen or fifty, I must give vent to my feelings for a moment this beantiful morning. I really can't help it. This is the first of May; the poet's month; the month of brightness and beauty. Why I seem full of poetry myself just now, only unfortunately I can't find words to express it." "Don't think, dear, I wish to check your ardour. I don't wonder you feel such an exuberance of life. It is only natural you should. All young life is the same in this respect. After the dreary months of winter we learn to appreciate the spring as it puts in its appearance again. Yes, life is very enjoyable at this season of the year. 'Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses.' Sweet it is most certainly, though the poets as a rule make a mistake in giving us roses in spring. We must have patience to wait for the warm sunshine of June before we see the roses out." " I am so glad, Ma, to say good-bye to old father Winter. I only wish we could have summer all the year round.'The summer, the summer! the exquisite time Of the red rose's blush, and the utghtdngale'a chime; 'I'he chaut of the lark, and the boom of the bee-The season of brightness and beauty and glee!

I don't seem to care for it, either in doors or in the garden. It seems dull enough, however brightly the sun may shine." "You are quite right, my child. The social instincts are more powerful than love of scenery, however fascinating, and our Creator has made us so. Still our surroundings do now, and it seems, ever will, materially contribute to our joy. Yes, and added to the people and the place, will be new experience of the immortal nature. Of this, at present we know but little or nothing. We can but feebly imagine what ecstacy will thrill us through and through, when, conscious of our complete emancipation from the body of this death, and immunity from evil and danger of every kind, we bound into the midst of God's paradise to eat of its fruits, and to drink of its water of life for evermore.I

Oh, how glorious and resplendent Fragile body shalt thou be, Full of vigour, full of pleasure That shall last eternally!'

All this seems a magnificent romance to the unbeliever. May you, darling, and I live in the light of the coming glory. It will brighten our present for certain, and give us the victory over the world." Poole.

COSMORAMA.
[ These Notes we1'e prepared. for AP1'il issue, crouided O1t. ]
b1t

"Gospel is called, is THEbecoming a of Dynamite," asofitwhich, greatis popular gospel, is the company of the preachers. Science contributing to this by its discoveries. The latest addition to the modern list of explosive forces is that of "Panciastite." This is described as a "harmless-looking jelly," but its explosive force puts dynamite into the shade. As it is impossible to prevent the use of such terrible forces for iconoclastic purposes-however careIuuy guarded -here is another weapon forged for the use of those who aim to subvert all law and order. Tbe Spanish authorities are seeking to grapple with the wide-spread evil of secret societies, whose hands are against every man's but their own faction. When we read of Spanish anarchy possessing above 50,000 sworn members (of which 1,200 have been arrested), and assuming such a significant title as the" Black Hand," it reveals an alarmingly-dangerous state of society. Two pages of the monthly chapter of accidents demand our attention, from the magnitude of the loss involved. (1) By the flooding of a prairie-mine in Illinois, V.S.A., caused by tbe heavy rains, 80 lives have been lost. (2) In the recent storms the British steamship No/oarre foundered in the North Sea, taking down with her above 60 persons. The storms of early March have been very destructive and fatal to shipping. The Tra~satlantic steamers have suffered greatly, both in men and property; one, the Glamorgan, had her decks swept of everything by a mountain-wave, which also carried away the captain, second officer, and five of the crew. The vessel had finally to be abandoned. The Winter and Spring has been exceptionally cold in South Russia. At Odessa a large number of steamers were ice-bound for several weeks, at a loss to British owners of 40 per day per vessel. German students seem afflicted with a duelling eraze. At J ena there has been quite all epidemic of this kind, one single day witnessing no less than ~1 duels. Some 40 students are suffering from blood-poisoning, the result of these silly encounters. The German Punch had better kill these barbarous exhibitions with the weapon of -ridicule. German influence is steadily growing in Palestine. The German "Temple Society," first established in 1867, near Haifa, Mount Carmel,

It is here, it is here! It is lighting again with sunbraided smiles the heart of the glen. I have Been the dew tear in the meek daisy'S eye,
I have heard the lark warble his bymn ill the sky. I have scented the breath of the first opened flowers, I have plucked a rich garland from bright hawthorn bowers. And my spirit is blithe as 0. rivulet clear, For the summer, the golden-crowned summer is here.'

There Ma, didn't I tell you you I was full of poetry? How do you like that now? " "Very pretty, dear, indeed. But of course you don't pretend to claim it as your own. Do you know dear what was occupying my thoughts as you came bounding into the garden? Just walk round the lawn with me and I will tell you. I too felt brim full of gratitude and joy as I gazed on the lovely scene before us and thought, life is indeed worth living notwithstanding all that mars it. I was thinking too of the surpassing loveliness of the paradise of God which !s promised us as our future home. 0 darling, if this poor blighted earth is yet so fair and enchanting, what must that paradise be like? Who can tell ?" " Do you think, Ma, that our future home is to be anything like the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived at the beginning ?" " I am afraid, dear, I am not able to give a very definite answer to your question. That there will be a paradise of some sort is certain, but whether it is to be the literal counterpart of the paradise of old I am not quite sure. Nor am I so much concerned to know. Of this I feel satisfied, that it will far surpass our loftiest imagination, and when brought into it our exclamation will be, 'Not half has ever been told.' After all, dear, the place is only of secondary consideration, the great thing for us is the people. Where Christ and the society of the blest are found, there is paradise, there is heaven." " That's just how I feel, Ma, dear, in our own beautiful house and grounds, when we are all at home, all seems pleasant and nice. But when I am alone here, or with nobody but the servants,

104
Our correspondent adds :-" How few of those who have read .the above have realised the fact that the project formed for mercantile purposes by our British Merchants, is the outcome of a prophecy in Ezekiel xlvii., and which Scripture plainly says is to take place before the restoration of Israel and Judah to their own land."

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
dently made a stir, as I ordered two copies (of that publication) last week, and the answer in "The Row" was" out of print."-London, N. W. The latest numbers (Bible Standard) received from you are the best that I have seen.-Washington, U.S.A. I am pleased to tell you that the doctrine of Conditional Immortality is gaining ground here. I am frequently meeting with new cases of persons being brought to see the truth.Dudley, Staff.

"GONE TO THE FRONT By W. G. MONCRIEFF.

l" N the city where these paragraphs are composed, an individual prominent in the community and an energetic member of the Canada Methodist body, was lately removed by death, and a sermon appropriate to the event was delivered in the church he used to attend, on the Sabbath following the interment. During its progress, as partially reported in the local journals, the wonted style of thought on such occasions issued from the pulpit, with the customary misrepresentations and contradictions about death and immortality also, that pain one familiar with the plain teaching of the sacred Word. The text was, "If a man die shall he live again?" (Job xiv. 14.) a question never answered by the preacher, and which must have appeared to him a meaningless one, if, as the discourse boldly asserted, man, for certainty, never dies at all. Job understood what it was to die; it was to lose life-to cease to live-to go where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. The Patriarch does not inquire,-Does a man survive the awful change called death? Verily he had more sense than propound such a question, for when death comes, life, be well understood, necessarily goes. Hence he puts his interrogation like one unsophisticated and well informed,-when a man dies-parts with life-shall it ever be recovered by him? Is the extinguished lamp ever to be kindled again? The preacher insisted that the lamp is never blown out-that life never expires; and as a result Job's demand for information was neither appreciated nor answered, as Paul would have answered it, as Paul, iu fact, has answered it in his epistles :-" If there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; And if Christ be not risen; then is our preaching vain, and your faith (that the dead shall be restored to life) is also vain." 1 Cor. xv. But that order of teaching and argumentation has long since become antiquated and effete. And no wonder, for if in reality men never die, why magnify a resurrection,-an insignificant affair at best, according to the reigning theology,-when the being needed no essential restoration to conscious existence? The word is a sound without import; a promise without value; a myth tbat may be forgotten, like thousands of other fancies that have been consigned to the chasm of forgetfulness. Alas! in these times forgotten it has been so perfectly that in the majority of funeral orations, as in this one, judging by the report, even the word that brought joy to Apostles and their converts finds no room for its admission. According to the synopsis, the speaker said, referring to the deceased, that" he had 'gone to the front '-gone from an active and energetic life." The phrase was unfortunate, for it is a military expression, meaning to go close to the enemy where fighting and its risks must be encountered. But the pastor had a meaning of his own, and we must indulge him in his style, however inappropriate the figure. Had he lived in an earlier period, when the thoughts of the Bible were held in loving esteem, he would have spoken of the deceased as "gathered to his fathers;" he would have said "our friend sleepeth;" but these are the ages of enlightenment, and the precious old Volume is on such matters utterly and shamefully ignored. Heathenism has taken its place, heathenism

with its soul-immortality and passage tl:rrough death to mansions in the skies, or a quarter infinitely less attractive. What a spectacle I That which was intended to antagonise and displace Platonism, in its diverse phases, has succumbed to paganism and imbibed its pernicious dreams and dogmas! Unquestionably he who dies departs from" an active and energetic life." The faithful in that moment "rest from their labours;" but this was not what the preacher meant to convey by the phraseology we have quoted. His friend, assuming him to have been a child of God, was on high, not" in the dust of the earth;" (Dan. xii. 2.); with Christ, not where beatific vision is denied; vastly illumined, far from those who " know not anything"; awake, not in deep unconscious repose; possessing the heavenly heritage, not reclining in hope; already a victor over the last enemy, not awaiting the fulfilment of the promise, which will enable him as a revived being,-one snatched from the ray less chamber of the tomb by a mighty resurrecting fiat-to join in the ecstatic anthem, "0 death, where is thy sting? 0 grave "-Hades-" where is thy victory? " After the address, which was wide apart from Scripture, the "Dead March in Saul" was played on the orgsn, as if, one may view it so, in unintentional irony after a demonstration that the dead are not dead, though observation and Holy Writ affirm again and again that they are dead-imprisoned in the land of forgetfulness, for the time being. London, Ontario.

..

JAPANESE

MISSIONS:

APPEAL.

AN

POSTAL PICKINGS.
LEASE send a lot of leaflets for the instruction of the audiences of Messrs. Moody and Sankey.-Belfast. I have heen intending writing you for some time past to congratulate you on the greatly improved character of the Bible Standard. I think it one of the best and truest pennyworth's in the world.-Bacup. I am much pleased to find that the truth is making its way into India. What a vast field for the labourers in the Gospel !-Toronto, Canada. I am delighted to find that you are able to keep up the interest month after month of Bible Standard. And not less so that the views some of us have so long held are making such strides over the earth.- Reading. The friend who wants these for distribution says, he feels sure some of his orthodox friends are praying for him, that he may have more light, for certainly it is coming abundantly. He finds fresh proof of "Conditional Immortality" continually in tbe Word: their prayers are answered, but just in the opposite direction to what they intended.-Newark, Notts. There is no doubt whatever that the "Glorious Reformation "-a grand work, though lately so much decried-stopped more than half-way, before reaching the goal, and will have to be, and that promptly, supplemented by a Now Protestant Organization, to defeat-with the help of Christ-the sympathy so extensively now shown, with and for Romish Idolatry, Ritualistic absurdity, and Rationalistic puerility, all of which are the promoters of general ignorance, Agnosticism, Infidelity, and Spiritualistic tricks or Infernalism.-Portsea, Hants. I have been in the habit of reading the Bible Standard, as a friend of mine here gets it regularly. It is an excellent little publication, and you make it interesting and highly useful, and infuse into it an excellent spirit. I reckon that such a spirit is of immense value in our reform efforts. Great prosperity be your portion and your joy.-London, Ontario, Canada. I am glad you have reproduced the letter of Mr. Aitken from Word and Work. It has evi-

is made in support of one .of these Missions under peculiar circumstances. The Reverend WALTER DENING has been labouring for the last nine years in Japan as a Missionary of the Church Missionary Society. The Annual Reports ofthe Society testify to his ability and zeal in the Missionary work. His labours have been blessed by the conversion of a considerable number of the natives, by whom he is respected and beloved. He has made himself familiarly acquainted with the language, which he is able to speak with fluency, and has translated important English works into Japanese. A few years ago his attention was directed to a point of doctrine now generally known as the doctrine of Conditional Imrnorta lity," or, as it is otherwise designated, Life in Christ." After careful and prayerful study of the Holy Scriptures, and of the principal books that have been written on all sides of the question, Mr. Dening was led to entertain a strong conviction of the truth of this doctrine. Knowing how much opposed to it were many of those in authority at the Church Missionary Society, Mr. Dening thought it his duty to communicate his change of view to the Secretaries, who laid the matter before the Committee. The final result was that after summoning him home for a conference they disconnected him. Mr. Dening is most anxious to continue his work in Japan, but would be unable to do so without means of support for the mission. In making this Appeal we feelit to be necessary to define our position as accurately as possible, so that our motives may not be misunderstood. . First, we do not as a Committee presume to affirm that the view we have described is necessarily the right one, or contains the whole truth on this mysterious subject, although no doubt it represents the personal convictions of some of our number; nor do we desire that those who support Mr. Dening in his work should regard themselves as committed to this particular theory. But we are satisfied that there is nothing in this view obviously opposed to the teaching of Holy Scripture, or out of harmony with the doctrines of the Church of England. Our Church in her formularies has pointedly abstained from making any definite utterance upon this topic, and we think that the same spirit of tolerant moderation should be shown by her children towards each other. Secondly, we wish it to be clearly understood that we are acting in no spirit of opposition to that great Society whose important work we thankfully rccognize, though we regret the decision at which the Committee have arrived in this instance. We have to do with Mr. Dening and his Mission, and not with the Society with which he has hitherto been connected. We should regard it as a most deplorable event if on account of his maintaining the doetrine referred to an able and energetic Missionary should be prevented from continuing to carry on a work in which he has been so greatly blessed, and for which his long experience ot the people and familiarity with their language so peculiarly fit him. On these grounds we have undertaken to act as members of a small committee for raising subscriptions to enable Mr. Dening to continue his evangelistic labours in Japan, working in harmony with other missionaries, as he has hitherto done. The funds that may be raised will be applied to this object under the superintendence of the committee. We understand that the total annual expense of the mission with which Mr. Demng nas neen connected was about 800. It is expected that a Bishoprick of Japan will shortly be created, and when the Bishop is appointed Mr. Deningwill naturally come under his supervision.
APPEAL
11 H

COMMITTEE.

Professor T. C. AOAMS, M.A., F.R.S., Cambridge. Rev. W. HAY M. H. AITKBN, M.A., Bedford. Rev. Professor T. G. BONNEY,B.D., F.R.S., University College, London. EowARD CLIFFORD, sq., London. E ARCHIBALD GEIKIE,Esq., LL.D., F.R.S., Director General of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom. Very Rev. J. J. STEWART PEROWNE, D.D., Dean 01 Peterborough. ALEXANDER SI~MONDS, H. Esq., Liverpool. Professor G. G. STOKES,M.A., F.R.S., Cambridge. Rev. C. A. SWAINSON,D.D., Master of Christ's College, and Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. Professor P. G. TAlT, M.A., Edinburgh. Professor

J. C. ADAMS,Observatory,
HONORARY

TREASURER.

Cambridge.

SECRETARIES.

EDWARDCLIFFORD, eq., 52, Wigmore Street, London,W. E Professor G. G. STOKES, Lensfield Cottage, Cambridge.

THE
[We have-pleasure in helping a good movement by giving currency to the above, If any of our readers prefer to send their gifts through us they are at liberty to do so: otherwise direct to the Treasurer, or either Secretary or Member of Committee. In so doing kindly state if the amount be intended as Subscription or Donation. The First List of Contributions shows a total of 330. We are glad to note the names of Five Members of the Association in the List. -En. BoS.]
A JAPANESE APPEAL FOR TOLERATION. THE native Christians of Hakodate, Japan, among whom MT. Dening-whose expulsion from the Church Missionary Society on account of his adoption of the doctrine of Life in Christ" will be remembered by our readershas so successfully laboured, have presented to the Committee of the Society a document, of which the following is a translation :-" We, the undersigned, cannot but be concious that it is through the mercy of our glorious Lord that it has been granted to us to find a place on one of the last seats at the great Supper of the Lord. That we have been made partakers of the exceeding great mercy of God is something that no one could possibly dispute. Whilst this is perfectly, true, it must not be forgotten that had not your honourable society taken the greatest pains in sending us a missionary, we never could have rejoiced as we do to-day in the glad tidings of the Gospel. This is a subject that is never out of our thoughts, and calls for our ceaseless praise. We are given to understand that the Rev. Mr. Dening has been lately summoned home by your honourable committee, and that there has been a discussion between you and him on the question of the endless or non-endless existence of the soul. Now on these psychological subjects our opinions coincide with those held by Mr. Dening. It seems to us, after much deliberation on the subject, that it is not for a moment to be supposed that your honourable society would be guilty of any such folly as the removal from your ranks of a missionary so renowned as the Rev. Mr. Dening; but, seeing that there is just a bare possibility of such a thing taking place, we the undersigned wish to state that, should Mr. Dening be disconnected, we the undersigned steadfastly purpose leaving the society with Mr. Dening. We most earnestly and humbly commend these our words to your calm and mature deliberation." The document is signed by thirteen men, of whom one was lately in England, but is now returning to Japan. This gentleman was formerly Second Governor of Hakodate, and is a man of wide influence; another was at one time a Shinto priest, and is said to be a good preacher, and a man of no ordinary ability. Of the others some are Government officials, some University students, and others falmers.-Christian World.
U

BIBLE

STANDARD.

105
cording to the author the courtesy of a notice, we shall use the rights of a reviewer to dissent strongly from some of the sentiments expressed.

REVIEW COLU.MN.

FUTURE Punishment not Everlasting Torment." By the Rev. Robert Irving, M.A. Liverpool: Adam Holden, 48, Church-street. 6d. We gladly welcome the publication of this pamphlet, containing Three Sermons preached in Christ's Church, Linnet-lane, Liverpool, and published by request. The three sermons are on the words (Matt. x. 28), " And fear not them which kill the body, but are 710table to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destrou b.oth soul and body in hell." Distinguishing between lawful and unlawful fear, Mr. Irving says, "And now let us consider what is meant by the awful doom here mentioned, viz.: the destruction of soul and body in hell. It is with trembling awe I venture to attempt an explanation of a subject so solemn and so mysterious, and the more so, because I feel that my explanation will not accord with the opinions held by many of you; still, in a matter like this, which greatly affects our conception of the character of God, I dare not keep silent, and if I were to refrain from proclaiming what seems to. me to be the truth, I should be guilty of the wrong fear, forbidden in the text." T0 quote further, he says, " As far, then, as I can understand, the teaching of the Scripture is to this effect :-The wicked, after the Judgment day, will be cast into hell, not to be tormented everlastingly, but to be destroyed with an everlasting destruction; that is to say, the punishment will not be endless in its process, but irremediable and everlasting in its effects." " Immortality, then, according to his (Paul's) teaching, is not inherent and existent ,ill< man, naturally and uncondition- ,

ally." "The whole tenor of the Bible runs counter to the Platonic doctrine of the soul's immortality, which has leavened the Christian Church more or less from the third century to the present day." "Unquencbable or everlasting fire may denote, not an endless blazing of material fire, but simply some means of punishment which will effect the work of destruction completely and for ever. It is not said in any of these passages that the torment of those cast into the fire will be everlasting, but only that the fire itself will be everlasting and unquenchable. Even when full force is given to the awful imagery drawn from the valley of Hinnom, where the corpses of criminals were cast out in disgrace, and where worms preyed continually upon the offal and carcases of animals, and where the fires burned night and day to purify the noisome valley. it should not be forgotten that the perseus cast in thither did not suffer torment in it, for they had been previously deprived of life, and did not feel the gnawings of tbe worms or the pangs of the fire."-" But I do not think that the fire spoken of * * is to be understood as burning on for ever. The meaning, to my mind. is that it will burn until its work of destruction is completed, and no longer, so that the effect of it will be irremediable and everlasting. Common-sense ought to guide us a Iittle in the interpretation of these and many other expressions of Scripture. For instance, we read this doom pronounced upon Gehazi, , The leprosy therefore of Naaman the Syrian sball cleave unto thee and to thy seed for ever.' Are we to infer from this statement that Gehazi and his seed will continue for ever? Commonsense tells us that the meaning is simply that Gehazi and his descendants shall be tainted with leprosy as long as they live."-" In like manner, by the everlasting fire into wbich the devil and his angels and wicked men are to be cast, we are to understand, not a fire which will go on burning through all eternity, but one which will burn until the wicked are destroyed." After quoting the proof passages of Holy Writ, Mr. Irving says, "Nothing can .be clearer or plainer than the teaching of Scripture, that apart from Christ, men die and perish eternally, and that in Him they have new and eternal life." Dealing with the meaning of "What is meant by death and life! he adds, "It is only by resorting to an undue straining of words, and to strange and roundabout ways of explanation, that we can by any possibility extract the doctrine of endless torments from the Scriptures." Mr. Irving evidently holds the "intermediate state," but dismisses it very briefly, saying, "Of this intermediate state I have said little or nothing in these sermons, for Scripture casts over it a thick veil, which hinders us from seeing clearly whetber souls separated from the body are asleep, or whether they are conscious. My object has been to point out that the punishment of the wicked, after the resurrection and last judgment, will be destruction, and not the agony of never-ending pains."-We desire to thank Mr. Irving for the delivery and publication of these sermons, as distinct and valuable addition to local testimony upon this theme of farreaching and tremendous import. " The Alarm of War; or, The Nations Mustering for the Battle." By J. F. Thomson. Price 4d. Our own Office and Agents. "Our Eternal Home: a Dialogue for Eight Persons," and "The Future of the Church and the World." Both by Thomas V asey. Price 2d. each. Our own Office. We have only space to name these three pamphlets this month, reserving our review for another issue. " A Supplement of Bible Hymns," by Albert Smith, Blackburn. (l~d:) We have handed this to an esteemed Contributor, and a full Review will shortly appear from his pen. Whilst ac-

OLD AND NEW

ORTHODOXY.

IN reply to several recent correspondents, we may remark that the real meaning of Orthodox is " Right Thinking" ; and in this sense every earnest person, who has made up his mind on any religious subject, of course considers himself Orthodox on that matter, whatever it may be; and we do not understand that any man has authority to assert that he is not. In a more general sense, Orthodoxy is understood to mean the curr-ent thinking of the time. As that is constantly changing, the general Orthodoxy must in the same degree vary. Jonathan Edwards was one of the most orthodox preachers and writers of his time, and the following is a specimen of what he taught as Gospel truth ;-" The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; He looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire ..... You are ten thousand times more abominable in His eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of Divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it and burn it asunder. If you cry to God to pity you, He will be so far from pitying you in your doleful case, or showing you the least regard or favour, that instead of that He will only tread you under foot, and though He will know that you cannot bear the weight of Omnipotence treading upon you, He will not regard that; but He will crush you under His feet without mercy; He will crush out your blood and make it fly, and it shall be sprinkled on His garments, so as to stain all His raiment. He will not only hate you, but he will have you in the utmost contempt; no place shall be fit for you but under His feet, to be trodden down as the mire of the streets." It is said that the whole congregation groaned, the women went into wild hysterics, and the men shivered under the fury of the power of the sermon; but now hardly anyone would be moved, except to resentment, at such a representation of the character of God. The passage is quoted in Dr. Nichol's new volume, An Historical Sketch of American Literature."-Christian World.
11

SACRED
EDITED BY THE REV.

SONG.
G. P.
MACKAY.

THE CITIES OF REFUGE l.-Bezer=A Fortress.

(C.lVL)

HOU art my Bezer, Jesus, Lord! A Fortress strong and sure; A Refuge-city to my soul, That ever shall endure. 2.-Ramoth,=High, or Exalted. Ramoth art Thou, 0 Lofty One! A city set on high; Exalted to the hill of God: Upward to Thee I fly. 3.-Golan,=Revolution,
01'

Joy.

My Golan! Revolution! Joy I Old things are passed away. Behold, in Thee, all now is new E'en night is turned to day. 4.-Kedesh,=Holiness, or Holy Place, Kedesh Thou mayest well be called, Who wast from sin so free; Oh, may I in this matter bear A likeness, Lord, to Thee. 5.-Shechem.=An Inheritance. A Shechem, an Inheritance, In Thee, 0 Christ, is found. Since Thou art mine, no want is mine, In all things I abound. 6.-Hebron,=Fellowship. And H ebron. ! Fellowship,-with And with Thyself the Son.! Truly Thou art my All in all Six cities found in One I G.P.M. THE LAMB UPLIFTED. God,

(Ul.)

l.<AI"rOD'SSon was on the altar laid: ~ God's love declared man's ransom paid At God's right hand, upon God's throne His Lamb may sit, His Lamb alone.

106
.His Book! the Book of Life is there, With names of saved ones crimsoned o'er With blood of bulls? Nay! blood divine! And there beneath the blood is mine. Victor o'er death, the Word! the Son! Left earth for heaven, the kingdom won: Whilst waiting at His Fatber's side, God's Holy Spirit seeks His Bride. Great Master come, there's danger near! Self-love and all things vile are here: E'en Christians strive and are not one, The Spirit and the Bride say come. Christian, look up, thy Hope is near: The Bridegroom comes the Bride to cbeer : List for the voices of the blest; Watch for the glory, east and west. Watch for the Lord! Yes, watch each day: And in thy dreams watch night away: Impatient for His nearer care; Assured 'tis mercy holds Him there. H. BURNETT. IT MAY BE SOON. (L.M.)

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

'W'T may be soon, yea, vely soon, :jk It may be 'ere another day, Jesus, our absent Lord, may come, And we from earth be caught away. Away I to meet Him in the air, Our waiting and our watching o'er, " Caught up" our blessed Lord to see, To dwell with Him for evermore. For evermore! how bright the hopes Fix'd on the precious Word Divine, Changed in a moment we shall be, And in His glorious image shine: Shine as the sun in all his strength, Bright as the brightest rays at noon, Radiant with glory and with blissIt may be soon, yea, very soon. From" The Praise Book."

A REPLY AND A PROTEST.

E cull the following extracts from a lengthy letter which appeared in the Record of March 22, from the pen of the Rev. W. Hay M. H. Aitken, in reply to one by Canon Bell, of Cheltenbam. A B C, and d e f, stand for two parties of students, orthodox and heterodox respectively. Mr. Aitken says,-

the orthodox way 01 thinking a letter deploring the certain that He is our Guide and Strong Tower. Our division which the raising of this question is sure to make solicitations for help from our Heavenly Father in the Evangelical camp. I have sat for an hour in earnest conversa.tion on this subject with another loved and have been so answered that callousness on our honoured friend, himself a bishop of our Church, and never part would be unpardonable. shall I forget my own feelings when I saw the tears in his You will have gathered from our Standard eyes, and heard his voice tremble with emotion, as he spoke of the consequence that might ensue to Mission work that this extra mission or caravan and tent work the control of the "New Zealand throughout the land from my conduct in this matter. No is under argument that I have heard used, no censure that he could Evangelistic and Publication Association," of have uttered, would have moved me so much as did those which our brother, Joseph Dixon, is Secretary signs of deep and sorrowful feeling. But if these mournful (formerly one of your own sect, Mr. Editorforebodmgs are realised, with whom will the blame lie? Will it lie with d e f because they being small dare to Bet -United Methodist Free Churches). I can themselves up aga.inst A B C, who are great? Or will it lie assure you our Committee do not look upon this with A B C, who lire so very sure that d e f must be wrong Oh, no 1 Men habituated (because they tbemselves cannot but be right) that they work as a light thing. proceed, on those grounds, to put d e f out of the synagogue to the forms of busiuess must be practical, for exercising those very rights of private judgment in the therefore they have gone about this work in a interpretation of Scripture which Rome denies to us and businesslike manner. Weighing the matter which our fathers died to claim? I object to being ejected, from all sides they came to the conclusion that I claim the right of a Protestant to read my Bible carefully, critically, and prayerfully, without being prejudiced by any Bro, Brown's idea of a "Caravan and Tent" venerable gloss or traditional exposition, and if this is denied me under pain of exclusion from the pulpits of my was the most suitable as well as the cheapest dearest friends, I can only throw myself on my knees and mode they could adopt for the spread of tbe make my tearful appeal to the' God of Peace,' who alone special truths advocated in the columns of our maketh men to be of one mind in a house, and call Him to witness that I have bought His truth, as I believe it to be, Standard, that thus the outlying settlements, and country districts not otherwise at the dearest price that man can be called upon to pay, the villages, price of infringed unity and concord. But is it necessary, get-at-able could be visited with the Bread of Life. is it right, that it should be so? It is evident that d e f can Dec. 29th, 1882. The caravan, with man in no more be expected to alter their conviction with respect charge and one of the committee, started for a to the truo exegesis of Scripture thun AB Q, but they meekly reply, 'We have no wish to emulate the example of place called Pukekohe, some thirty miles from Luther and excommunicate the Pope because the Pope ex- Auckland. On Sunday, the 31st, they halted communicates us. We believe you to be wrong, but the subject is full of mystery, and it becomes us to cultivate a one mile from Papakura, and eleven from their spirit of modesty and humility in dealing with it. Can you intended destination, allowing the horse to graze not extend similar treatment to us? It must at least be untethered. When evening came, to their considered that if there is anything to be said for Hooker's canon we are definitely nearer to the literal than you. We amazement, the animal could nowhere be found, What could have poshonour the voice of Scripture as you do i we are quite pre- he had wandered away. pared to meet each Scriptural obj ection with a reverent, sessed such a quiet quadruped to stray in so honest, and straightforward handling of Holy Scripture. short a time, engaged their wondering minds. What can we do more, dear friends? What do you demand? A search for the missing beast was instituted, Do you insist tbat we shall cease to search the Scri ptures, or must we no longer use OUt'private judgment? Mu,uyof and although the searchers searched all the us have urrived at our conclusions simply and solely by neighbourhood that was searchable, even to the searching HOly Scripture. What do you blame in us? Is it OUrlogical incapacity, is it our moral Obliquity, is it Our borders of the searchless Ti Tru bush, all was Scriptural ignorance? Are these the charucteristics of a in vain, so they decided to borrow another Dale, a Professor Stokes, a White, a Petavel p ' horse on the Monday morn, and take the caravan If this leads to schism the fault must lie with those who on to Papakura. This singular circumstance make it a cause of schism by deuj iug us the rights which We did not inthey exercise themselves, save at cost of the 10S8 of their turned out to be providential. fellowship in labour, tend to have stayed at this settlement; how., For the future, as in the past, I purpose avoidiug con- ever, the tent was fixed, meetings announced, troversyas far as possible, because it interferes with my work. In speaking of the doom of the lost, I shall use and Bro. Geo. Aldridge and myself went to the simply the language of Holy Scripture, which surely can't scene of action. be wrong. 1 shalt mean by those words their first tucenuou. Jan. 3rd. On this day our horse was found My hearers may understand them in their second intention: in Otahuhu pound. Of course he was redeemed, for that I am not responsible, but the teachers who Instruct and brought back to our caravan. them to assign such a meaning to the words." Bedford. The caravan is of very light construction,
Ii

"Canon Bell tells us that tbe words 01 St. Mark ix. 48 speak decisively of an undying suffering and remorse. That is the opinion of A B C, but de f searches the passage in vain for any sign of any such thing. Bear with me if, 8S their representative, I endeavour to explain their incapacity' in this respect, for fear it should be attributed to , judicial blindness.' First, they notice that our Lord is speaking of the body here, nOL the eonl at all. Second, that there is nothiug to show that it is a living, sensitive body at all, the terms of the comparison being the loss of one member no longer living or sensitive, and the loss of the whole body j the argument being, 'Better incur the minor loss than the major,' Third, that the words are distinctly quo ed from Isaiah, and that there it is specuied that it IS the carcases, not the living bodies of his euemies, that are given over te the continuous flames. Fourth, that no idea 01 torture is conveyed by the original passage in Isaiah, and therefore that It seems highly improbable that any such idea should be conveyed in the quotation. Those referred to in IIaiah are the slain of the Lord! Fifth, th!l.t the worm is not an instrument of torture, but of destrucuon ; and that those who speak of the worm of remorse, all unawares convert the harwless worm into a fiery serpent, and that the Significance of the fire must be collected for the use of the other metaphor. It also is an instrument of destruction. :Sixth, that had our Lord intended to convey the idea of eternal torment the whole &1'gument would have been cast otherwise than it is. It would have been, Better suffer the momentary pain of amputauion than the eternal pain 01 being devoured by tormenting worms or the slow torture of never-consuming fire.' Seventh,tthat it is nowhere intended . hroughout Holy t Scripture that the wicked shall be possessed of an Incorruptible body, and that it is contrary to the nature of a. corrupnble body to retain life, sensaucu, and iudestructihility in the midst;of devouring flames. These seven reasons constrain me, as a representative of del, to believe that our Lord here teaches the destruction, not the eternal. preservation, of the human body in Gehenna. " I have already received Irom one dearly-loved friend of
I I I 11

MY NOTE BOOK.
THREE WEEKS LIFE IN A N.EW ZEALAND CARAVAN.

By EDMUND

H. TAYLOR.

OU say in your note concerning my former scribbles, "brief, but gratifying;" excuse me, this time I intend to be more lengthy. In attempting to describe to you our caravan, or, as the comic paper puts it, " Brown's Gospel on Wbeels," I hope I may not be tedious, but trust it may serve as an incentive to the Home Association to prosecute their work with more vigour, for I feel more now than I did at home the necessity for further bold aggression on the enemies' territory. You see we have not only the world, the flesh, and the devil to do battle with, but tbe Church joins this threefold enemy against us; and in this latter sphere we have to grapple with false accounts of our teaching, to remove misconceptions and erroneous ideas-busily circulated by those who ought from their position and training to know better-and when the peoples' minds are mist-encumbered by religious know-ails and Pharasaio ministers it requires some little persistency and constancy iu purpose to persuade folks that pervestigation is a duty: and sometimes a little pertness is req uired with the most obstinate. We have cause for thankfulness in that the Lord has opened our way so well; we would begin this year with a recognition of the fact

yet strong. Between the body and the wheel axles is an iron frame work for packing the short poles and pegs, and on either side are iron brackets for the purpose of carrying the two larger end poles of the tent. The upper part of this travelling mission house, in which we live, is 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 6 feet high, fitted up with all necessary conveniences. The bunks are after ship fashion (bar the rolling and sickness), and are fitted across the back end, with beds and bedding complete-the bottom section being used as a corn bin and carpet bag corner. On the right side is a seat the whole length, with upholstered cushions to lounge on (of course you must not think we ever indulge in such a luxury). Our curiosity being awakened we begin to explore our mission premises, and lifting these said cushions we find beneatb them moveable lids, and under these lids, oh, my! what have we here! a warehouse? a store? a grocer's shop? or a provision merchant's? which? for we find preserved beef and ham sausages, roast beef, boiled mutton, sheep's tongues, hams; currant, blackberry, and damson jams; minced spiced turkey and fowl; tins of biscuits; marmalade, tea, cocoa, and sugar; salt, pepper, and mustard; and many other little things too numerous to mention. Is not this a field of clover? On the left side is a side table, hinged, and supported by a moveable bracket; at the end of this table is a small cupboard, which also forms a seat; we look within, and here is one of Wright and Butler's oil cooking stoves, with saucepan, steamer, and other

THE
utensils complete; add to this the necessary crockeryware, such as plates, dishes, basins, cups and saucers, and you see us fitted up as old bachelors, therefore you may call it " BROWN'S ORIGINAL BACHELOR'S sr.r.I " Above the table, H and on either side, we observe two miniature cupboards; in these we find, systematicallyarranged in properly-made racks, knives, forks, and spoons. Behind the entrance doors, on one side, is a row of shelves filled with literature for sale; on the other rows of hooks for hanging hats, coats, &c. There are a number of other little items I need not mention. This is our Jiving and sleeping accommodation. Small, is it not? Nay! sufficiently large for its purpose, and very comfortable, with perfect ventilation. This van, complete, with internal fittings, cost our brethren about 100. The Auckland Obse1'ver (a .oeakly weekly) saysU

BIBLE

STANDARD.

107
is the Pastor. The Yorkville News gives a verbatim report of a sermon in favour of "Natural Immortality" by Dr. Wild. The interests of Bible Teaching on that subject will not be neglected by our Toronto friends. We thank them for a copy of the sermon, though we have no space to review it. NEW ZEALAND.-The new Association here formed in connection with the Rev. G. A. Brown'~ ~ission: is actively and succ~ssfully prosecuting Its testimony. In another column we give a very interesting sketch of one phase of the work by one taking an active part therein. We ar~ glad also to state that we have just despatched to Auckland a large consignment of literature, to the order of the above. We had intended giving some extracts here from a letter from Mr. Dixon the Secretary, but his letter is at present in other hands.

Let the tents of the hea.then rejoice, Let the wilderness bud as the rose, And welcome the Gospel on wheels Wherever Brown's caravan goes. Let jubilee anthems arise From far 'I'Imbuctoo to Fiji; And ignorance :fly like a cloud At the blaat of the great G. A. B."

I need not describe the tent, it being an ordinary square one, capable of holding 200 people when packed full, and lit with eight hurricane lanterns. (To be Continued.)

OUR TESTIMONY.
MONTHLY HOME CALENDAR. NEWS. MANCHESTER.- Town-hall, Hulme. - Three lectures were given here on April 2, 3, 4 by Rev. B. B. Wale, on behalf of the Association. The average attendance was somewhat over 200, though the building would have held several times that number. Considerable interest was manifested in the lectures by the audience, and questions were so freely asked that the meetings extended from 7.45 to about 10 each evening. It is our first attempt at testimony in Cottonopolis, and though it did not realise our hopes, we have reason to believe good was done and fruit will follow. The following report is by the Local Secretary, Mr. B. Gillott, of Ashton-under-Lyne, to whom we are deeply indebted-as also to his co-workers=-for his kind and valued services:On Monday, April 2, the 'Rev. Thos. Vasey, of Bacup, presided. The meeting opened with the hymn "We offer praise to Thee, 0 God," and prayer by the Chairman. The Chairman spoke at some length, after which Mr. Wale delivered his lecture on "The Revealed Penalty of Sin: What is it?" He showed that God had attached a penalty to sin-tbat the Bible was the only source of knowledge as to its nature-that it declared it to be death, " The Second Death"that the second death was analogous to the firstillustrated by saying "If I said here is a five pound note for you, and if you come next week I will give you a second. If when you came I placed a snake in your hand and said it was a second note, it would be as consistent as for men to say that eternal misery is man's second death" -thus, if the first death is the cessation of life, so must the second be-that God only can tell His will as to the doom of the wicked, and has fully and plainly recorded His will in His Revealed Word-that declares they shall be burnt up, perish in the second death. On Tuesday, April 3, Andrew Ferguson, Esq., of Ohorlton-eum-Medlock, presided. The meeting opened by singing "Life and Immortality only can be found in Him," and prayer by the

Chairman. After a brief address from the chair, the lecturer discoursed on "Immortality: or, Who shall Live for Ever?" He proceeded to show that man at creation was a candidate for immortality, which blessing could be enjoyed only through obedience-disobedience lost it, and excluded him from Eden, lest eating of the prohibited tree he should become immortal in his fallen condition. Step by step through an eloquent address the lecturer led his audience, clearly showing that the boon of Immortality and Eternal Life could only be obtained by "patient continuance in well-doing." On Wednesday, April 4, Henry J. Ward, Esq., of Liverpool, President of the Association, presided. The hymn, " Oh spread the joyful news around" was sung, and the Rev. T. Vaseyoffered prayer, after which the Chairman expressed his hearty sympathy with the before-mentioned themes, but especially with the subject of that evening's lecture. Mr. Wale then proceeded to speak on" ThePre-MillennialAdvent; Its Nature, Necessity, and Nearness." He spoke on the Nature of the Advent-God's gathering out of the nations a people for His Name, and then Christ's Return to Earth to receive His people and to build again the Tabernacle of David, that the residue of men might seek after Him-its necessity to awake those that had fallen asleep in faith, to translate the faithful living, and to rule the world in righteousness-the signs that spoke of its nearness-that during the last fifty years there had been a wonderful accomplishment of these, all indicating the close of the dispensation. He closed with an earnest appeal to all present to embrace and contend for the truth. After the lecture, a cordial and unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer for his able discourses. We may mention that an attempt was made by some Christadelphians to turn the meeting to account to propagate their own peculiar views, but the audience highly applauded the replies made by Mr. Wale. The Rev. Thos. Vasey, president at the opening lecture, thus writes :-" You will have beard from Bro. Wale about our Manchester meetings. The first night was, I think, the best attended. Our dear brother's eloqnence and skill in treating the subject deserved a very much larger audience; but none of us can command success, however much we may, as surely he did, deserve it." BICESTER, Oxon.-A member at Banbury writes :-" As regards Bicester, it was like a place taken by storm. Some months back a few brethren had said, ' Come over and help us,' and the Lord was pleased to direct our steps there. The room where we spoke was full to excess. The word spoken was with power. At this point Mr. S., being a member of the Independent Church, songht to obtain the loan of the chapel for another testimony. The pastor, however, declined. Another chapel, also under his care, was sought and refused. The way was opened however. The pulpit of this chapel is supplied by local preachers, and the kind brother who was appointed, requested me to do the work instead. We thought the exchange was kept quiet, but found news bad gone abroad that the man with new doctrines was coming, and 130 or more assembled together. It was a precious time while the coming kingdom of onr God was proclaimed, and life and immortality in and through union with Christ our Risen Head. This service brought things to a crisis, and being over again last Sunday, to my exceeding joy I found a few in an upper room breaking bread in the Saviour's Name. A good room is being fitted up in the heart of the town, where for the future the truth will be preached."

OFFICE
MONTHLY

NOTES.
STATEMENT.

March 1st to 31st, 1883. New Members received :-Life Branch-, Total 4. Subscriptions, Donations, 1, Annnal 3;

and Collections:
0 0
0

s. d. 8 . J.W., Ayrshire .... 5 0 0 J. W., London, S.W .. 0 5 Ashton - under ~Lyne, L.B., Salisbury 0 5 per Coml., J.B., R.D., Dublin 0 5 10s, 6d.; B.G., 10s.; J.S., Yeovil 0 5 Offerings, 8s.; B.A., C.S., Uxbridqe ..... 0 5 28.6d.; S., 28. 6d... 1 13 6 S., per Trea.surer, Rochdale, per Corn. London, N.W, .. 0 5 Offerings . _.... 01910 B..L., Skipton 050 F.H., Stroud 0 1010 J.M., per L.B., SaltsA.H., Baoup 0 10 0 bury.... ........ 0 3 T.F.H., per Prea., W.C.,Bradford, Yorks. 0 2 Liverpool . . . . .. 0 10 1f.W.S., per Treas.. Total 10r Mar . 12 2 Glasgow 0 10 IIull, Church at Protestant Hall, per J.C.A ........ 0 7 6

0 0 0 6 6 8

With the Secretary's LECTURE

most earnest thanks. FUND.

August 1st, 1882, to March 31st, 1883. Previously acknowledged, 52 3s. lid. Since received :-T. F. H., Liverpool, 5s.; Rochdale per Com., Free-will Offerings, 19s. 1Od.; Ashton: underLyne, per Com., Free-will Offerings, 8s. Donations-J. B., 10s. 6d.; B. G., 10s.; RA., 2s. 6d.; S., 2s. 6d. Total, 55 2s. 3d. Balance in hand-5 6s. 9d. DONATIONS AREEARNESTLY
INVITED.

"PAULINE

THEOLOGY"

FUND.

[For the Free Circulation of that Pamphlet.] Previously acknowledged, 2 14s. 8~d. Since received :-Hull Church, 2s. lid. Total, 2 17s. 2!d. SUBSCRIBINGHURCHES. C We have been favoured this month with two additions to our Church Register :-1. The Gospel Mission, Bacup, Lancashire, originally founded by the late' Rev. Jonas Smith, and now under the pastoral care of the Rev. Thomas Vasey. 2. The Church of. Baptized Believers, meeting in the Lesser Trades Hall, Glassford St., Glasgow. TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We are asked by Gen. Goodwyn to request that Queries may be separately written, on one side only of the sheet. Attention to this simple and general rule will also expedite our own work. When, too, a manuscript has become considerably interlined, in justice to the Editor it should be re-written before despatch. May we also ask COLONrAL NEWS. our numerous friends who send us newspapers CANADA.-Toronto.-" Pulpit Criticism," a (and whose kindness we esteem) to mark in plain spoken local sheet, contains in its issues of pencil the parts intended for our eye. This will save us much needless labour. Also not to write Feb. 24 and March 3, a: full and appreciative upon the margins. notice of the Church of which Mr. W. Brookman

1'08

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.
GLASGOw.-Lesser Trades HalL-This newlyformed Ohurch has sent us its first year's subsciption of one guinea, as a Subscribing Ohurch, in token of its sympathy with the witness of the Association, and pledge of its own hearty desire to do what in it lies to promote the knowledge of the twin-truths of the Life and the Advent in its own neighbourhood. LINCoLN.-Baptist Church, Masonic Hall.On April 12, a very pleasing meeting was held in a room kindly lent by Mr. H. K. White, when a large number of the members assembled to present the Pastor-s-the Rev. W. White-with a very handsome Marble Timepiece, as a token of their esteem and appreciation of his' services. The Ohurch here is in a healthy condition, and anticipates building a Chapel shortly. A Building Fund has been formed, and Mr. Withers, St. Swithin's Square, appointed Treasurer. The Minister's address is, 30, Oarholme Road.

LOCAL AGENTS' FOR" BIBLE STANDARD." GLASGOW: Church of Baptized Believers, Lesser = Also for Rainbow, Messenger, and the Literature Trades Hall, 85, Glassford St. S. Service 11. of the Association. Catalogues and terms on BACUP:-Gospel Mission, Co-operative Hall. application to the undermentioned. Min.: Rev. T. Vasey. S. Services 10-30'&6. ENGJ..AND. Wed. 7-30 at Hempstead. ASHTON-UNDER-LYNli.-B. GiIlott, o3,Boodle St.,TurnerL.. LINCOLN.-Mint Lane ChapeL-The Secretary CARLISLE.-A.Johnson, 23, Mldland Cott., London-road. . "W t'll . CHELTENHAM.-H. parkes, 3, Queen St., Tewkesbury Rd. writes :S e s 1 contm.ue to p~osper as a GRAVESEND.-T. hadick, 48, Wakefield Street. S Church. On Sunday evenmg (April 1) we reHULL.-J. C. Akester, 79, Hessle Road. ceived into Church-fellowship eight friends. The LINCOLN.-E.E. Boughton, 23, P.r~ Street; communion service was the largest we have had " C. Harvey, 19, Ohaplin Hlreet.. . LONDON,E.-E.Hobbs, 23, Monierrd.,Wicklane,Old Ford. smee Mr. Mackay has been with us,-from 160 LOUTH.-C. Donner, 50, Newmarket. to 170 communicants." ROCHDALE-S. dwards & Son, MilnrowRd. E . . SCOTLAND. CARLISLE.-Progress IS being made by the GLASGOW.-T. . Hitchcock, 145, Houston Street. J Church here. Recently some young men have AUSTRALIA. ,been added by immersion. The Bible Standard BUNDABERG, QUEENSLAND.-J. Wright, Bnilder, &0. is being well distributed-above SO copies per NKW ZEALAND. imonth being taken.

AUCKLAND--Evan, & Pub. ABBO.,Lindum House, Vincent St

BRANCH ASSOCIATIONS. LIVERPOOL:-Sec.: Mr. W. H. Miller, 9, Clayton Sqr. LONDON, N.W. :-Sec.: R. J. Hammond, Esq., SO, Edgware Rd., W. BRADFORD, YORKS.:-Sec.: Mr. A. Mitchell, . Druids Buildings, Clayton, near Bradford. CANADA :-Sec.: Mr. G. H. Hills, 17, William St., Yorkville, Ontario. DEDDINGTON, OXON.:-Sec.: Mr. Fred Smith, Walnut Tree Oottage, Bicester.

BRADFORD.- Temperance Hall.-Mr. A. D. Goody, of Harrogate, paid his first visit and conducted the services here morning and evening on AprilSth. There was but one impression, and that was, "Come again, and come soon." BACUP.-Co-operative HalL-The Gospel Mission conducted by Rev. Thomas Vasey, has, by a heartyvote, decided.to join the number of Churches subscribing to the Association. The work here makes steady progress. We are glad to state that 60 copies monthly of the Bible Standard are being circulated.

P ASTOR WANTED,
For a small BAPTIST CHUROH in Wiltshire. An earnest, thoughtful man-holding Conditional Immortality and the Second Advent-will find this a happy and fruitful field of labour. Must be a good visitor, and willing to work up a congregation. Half the Church Income given instead of a stated stipend. This is at present small, but capable of considerable expansion. A good chapel, seated for above 250. Oongregation about SO. A good choir and Sunday school. Address-in the first instanceTHE EDITOR OF THIS PAPER.

KINDRED ASSOCIATIONS. SKIPToN.-Temperance HalL-The Mission NEW ZEALAND EVANGELISTIC AND PUBLICATION here has recently circulated by post,-direct from A~SOCIATION :-Sec.:. Rev. G. A. Brown, our ~~ce--:-a?ove 70 co~ies of "Paul~ne TheoLmdum House, Vmcent St., Auckland'IIOgy, t?MllllstersandLocalPreacherslllthetown Separate Organ, the New Zealand Bible and ne,Ighbour!'I0od. An ex~ellent example of SONGS Standard, post-free direct 3s. 6d. per annum. ~e!l-d?lllg which we heartily commend for SACRED OF THE SOUTHERNINDIA OONDITIONAL IMMORTALITY As- imitation. PRIMITIVE GOSPEL. SOCIATION :-Separate Organ, The Bible IN MEMORIAM. (Containing 197 Hymns and 38 Anthems) In Four Parts, Banner, published in the 'I'amil. tongue. rst, for Meetings for the Preaching of the Gospel. . SALISBURY.-Harcou1t Baptist Church.-This and, for the Communion of Saints grd, for Sunday School use. Ohurch has suffered a great loss by the sudden 4th, Anthems in Scripture words. decease of Mr. W. R. Moore. Our brother had SUBSCRIBING CHURCHES. To be had of the Complier, W. RICHMOND, 5 George for long been in poor health, and, by the sudden Street, Nottingham. . bursting of a bloodvessel, fell on sleep to the Single Copy, 60. post-free; 48. per doz., postage extra. GUIDE AND CHRONICLE. deep and sincere sorrow of a devoted wife and The following Churches make an Annual family, and of all who had enjoyed intercourse Collection, Offertory, or Gran t in aid of the As- with him in the Ohurch, of which he had been 37 MAYFIELD GARDENS, sociation. The same favour is requested from from the first a zealous and laborious member. other Churches in sympathy with its teachings. He was laid to rest in Fisherton Oemetery on NEWINGTON, EDINBURGH. LONDON,N. :-Maberly Chapel (Congregational), March 22nd, being followed by several of his MI~S LEISHMAN and Mrs. FROS' (MemBall's Pood Rd., Kingsland. Min.: Rev. family, church and political friends. Though ber of the Royal Oollege of Preceptors, London,) W. Leask, D.D. S. Services 11 & 6-30. but 4S years of age he had lived a full life. In assisted by Masters of eminence, receive YOUNG LINCOLN:-Mint Lane Chapel (Baptist). Min.: the Ohurch he held the posts of Deacon, SecreLADIES to Board and Educate. Rev. G. P. Mackay. S. Services 1030 & 6. tary, Bible-class Leader, and Ohoir Leader. To A Daily Bible Class for Religious InstrucSKIPTON(Yorks) :-Mission Ohurch, Temperance him too it chiefly looked for its pulpit supply. In Reference permitted to the Editor of this Hall. Supplies. S. Services 10-30 & 6. all these offices he was earnest, devoted, and un- tion. Paper. GLASGOW :-Ohristian Meeting, 13, Kirk St., Gor- failing. In tbe field of Temperance he was also bals. Supplies. S. Services 11 & 3. a foremost and active worker, especially in preBRADFORD(Yorks) :-Mission Ohurch, Temperparing the local contingent for the annual songance Hall, Chapel St., Leeds Rd. Supplies. service at the Crystal Palace, London. In poliS. Services 11 & 6-30. (Bow Bridge) Stratford, London, E. tics he had strong convictions, and acted on them, TORQUAY :-Life and Advent Free Church, Banner being the secretary of the Liberal Olub. At the (Baptised Believers.) Supplies. OrossRoom. Supplies. S. Services 11 & 6-30. recent Oonference of the Association in Salisbury, S. Services-ll a.m. Breaking Bread. LONDON,N.W. :-Ohristian Meeting, St. John's he rendered good service as Local Secretaty; and 6-30 p.m. Gospel Proclamation. Rooms, Grove St., Lisson Grove. Min.: R. from his adoption of the tenets of the Life and J.Hammond, Esq. S. Services 11 & 7. Advent, he had consistently and fearlessly advoE. HOBBS, Secretary. HULL :-Ohristian Meeting, Protestant Hall. cated them. His Funeral and Memorial services All Visitors rri.ad.e wed.corrae. Supplies. S. Services 11 & 6-30. were conducted by Mr. Oyrus E. Brooks, the OHELTENHAM :-Regent St. Ohapel (Baptist). latter being held in Harcourt Ohapel on Sunday Min.: Rev. J. C. Oarlile. S. Services 11 and evening, March 25th, the building being well filled by a sympathetic and thoroughly repre6-30. NEWLAND, LINCOLN. OARLISLE :-Ohristian Meeting. House to House sentative audience. The service was largely Services. Enquiries at 30, Edward St. choral and lasted two hours. The sermon was on SERVICES every LORD'S-DAY at 10-30 and 6-30 GRAVESEND :-Ohristi .n Meeting, Manor Rd. Rev. xiv. 13, " Blessed are the dead which die in SUNDAYSCHOOL,9-30 a.m, and 2-0 p.m. Room. Pres. Min.: Mr. G. Gosden. S. the Lord from henceforth," and was closely folWEEK EVENING MEETING, THURSDAY,at S. Services 11 & 6-30. Thurs. S-30. lowed by all present. The last letter we received SALISBURy:-Harcourt (Baptist) Ohurch. Supfrom our deceased friend was an intimation that ALL VISITORS MADE WELCOME. the Ohurch had decided to seek to secure a pastor, plies. S. Services 10-30 & 6-30. Wed. S. Printed by OHARLES AKRILL, Silver Street. and asking our kindly offices in carrying out that LINCOLN:-Newland (Baptist) Ohurch, Masonic Hall. Min.: Rev. W. White. S. Services Lincoln; and published for the" Oonditionai decision. As regards the bereaved ones, we are Immortality Association," by OYRUS E. glad to hear that a Public Subscription List has 10-30 & 6-30. Thurs. S. BROOKS, MALVERN LINK, WORCESTERBANGALORE, . INDIA :-Ohristian S Meeting, Arcot been opened, headed by the Senior Member for Narrainsawmy Mudliar's School-room. Sup~HIRE. LONDON AGENT: F. SOUTHWELL, the Borough, and to them we offer our hearty 27, Ivy Lane, E.C. sympathy. plies. S. Service 6 p.m.

EDUCATION.

HIGH-ST. CHAPEL,

BAPTIST CHUROH, MASONIO HALL