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TB

Bib.le Standard.
Cbe 11ft of 604 IS ecrul tlft."

"T will (011I1 al

VOL. 26.

No. 4.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z., APRIL,

I906.

TWOPENCE.

Ch~ month.
~~~~~-=~i;HAT we are not yet done with international difficulties, nor past the probability of further fateful wars, is testified to by our daily newspapers, which record the progress of the diplomatic discussion on the Morroecan question, and now and again intimate that other than a peaceful solution may be reached. In the Old Country Earl Roberts .has entered upon a crusade, urging the nation to be prepared for war. His experience in the Boer War taught him that Britain was not so well pre'lAational pared as had been supposed, and '{[(urest. this accounted -Iargcly for the tremendous losses, and the great cost of the war. He is making proposals which arc viewed by many thoughtful people as equivalent to instituting conscription, althouzh he vehemently . declares that his scheme does b not involve the idea. Why this desire for increase? Militarism is a profession, and, apart from other considerations, those who are connected with it naturally view an things in the light of what is likeliest to contribute to its interest. To allow it to sink into insignificance, as would: be the case if universal peace were probable, would bc to the disadvantage of the army, and would not be acceptable to those who are in the profession. On the other hand, tha~ .which will giv.e it. more prominence adds to their POSItIon and standing. Make fue army larger, add to the armaments, blazon abroad the strength of your defence, and you thereby add to the attractiveness of the profession. We are far from saying that these things are ill! the mind of Earl Roberts, but we are sure that he would, as a perfectly natural thing, resent anything which would lessen the importance of the army, ami would as nat~r~l1Y des.ire its importance to be increased. Then, when It IS considered

that advancement in rank is slow, save in war times, you have the desire for war that position may be secured. The theory, that to preserve peace we must be ready for war, is the old time-worn plea which ser:es its purpose at all times, and by its specious claim heavier, and yet heavier, burdens are laid upon the long-suffering people, whose only interest ill' war J ies in supplying the blood that is shed, and to pay the cost of the preparation and the aftermath. A writer in the current number of The Quivl'r insists, with much force, upon the necessity of cultivating Cl spirit of tr'lle patriotism .. He analyses the current conceptions of patriotism, and shows that for the most part they are false or incomplete, because they omit the chief eszrrue sential. Thus :-Trne patriotism JPatriotism. is a complete love of courutry. It takes note of man's entire nature, and seeks its weal. You do not love your country unless, like the centurion of the Gospels, you have a compassion for the lowliest slave of the State, seeking a cure for the sickness that had seized him; and also, like him, you have a respect for the synagogue. A man is no patriot who ignores the religions side of man's life, for he fails to provide for the centre and motor of all moral life. These are plain words, but they need saying. Shouting at public meetings, and exaggerated talk about the supremacy of our own flag, too frequently pass for patriotism. Men need to be taken back to first principles, and taught that patriotism is the love of one's country, and that love is a deep and far-reaching thing, which is rooted in God for its source, and spreads from that root to men. -The Christian. No little excitement has been caused in Protestant circles by the abjuration of thc Protestant faith by the Princess Ena upon her approaching marriage with the Spanish monarch. As one paper remarks, it does seem an outrage on the principles of true religion that a young girl, (ton"ersion of JPrincess JEna. little more than a child, is constrained to repudiate a nominal Protestantism for reasons that have nothing to do with a real and spontaneous change of convic-

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tions. It is said -that the Pope made the change as easy as possible, but the abjuration itself affords an indication of what Rome demands, and the view held regarding all who differ from here claims. 'I'he formula of abjuration thus reads :-"I, the undersigned, having before my eyes the Most Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hands, and knowing that none can be saved without the Faith which the Holy Apostolic and Roman Catholic Church holds, believes, preaches, and teaches, against ,vhi'oh I .regret with pain to have gravely erred, because born without. this Church, I have received or believed doctrines contrary to its teaching, at this hour, enlightened by Divine Grace, I profess to believe that the Holy Apostolic and Roman Catholic Church is the only and veritable Church established by Jesus Christ on this earth, the Church to which I submit myself with all my heart. I believe in all the articles which She proposes for my belief, I reprove and condemn all that She repmves and condemns, and I am ready to observe all that She commands me."

the plan to accomplish the end designed has been opposed by Satanic agency; that in our Saviour's day the keenest contest 5t is was manifest. N ate, too, that, acS~ltanic. cording to the Apostle Paul, "thc Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall depart from the Iaith., givingheed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons," and it will be clear enough why spiritism should lead to a. personal loss of interest in Christianity, nay, why it should lead to its subversion. Bible denunciations of the practice of seeking to spirits that "peep and mutter" are not wanting, and if its teaching on this subject were heeded. and its clear and emphatic declarations on man's nature and state in death were believed rather than the vain imaginings of erring humanity, there would be no place for this fascinating and deadly belief of spiritism.

Thc Auckland Sta for March 14 contained an article headed, "Mental, Moral, and Physical Effects of Spiritism. An Bad." It is a thoughtful and temperate pronouncement on a phase of religious life which is very widely spread, and the indications are that it will be more Sptrttfsm a pervasive. The conclusions of the 1Satl Ubtng. writer of the article are condemnatory first on the sensible ground that there is no proof that "the identity of the communicating intelligence has been established." This, be it observed, admits the reality of the phenomena, but asks proof that the claims made as to persons communicating should be established. Let us here say, such claims cannot be verified because the dead are dead. Spiritism in its modern form builds upon the general belief of man's conscious existence in the death-state, and then professes to offer proof of human immortality. If man is unconscious in the death-state, then he cannot communicate his experiences, or describe his condition, to those who are alive. The recognition of this scientific and Biblical fact would destroy Spiritism, at least in its present form. 'I'he effect of the delusion upon those who practise it is clearly, and with knowledge, stated, and there are those in this colony who have come into close enough contact with this thing to know that the allegations are true. Other features set forth by the writer are, the contradictory character of its revelations, and its tendency to subvert Christianity. "From personal letters which have reached me it is evident that the writer had in each single instance lost his faith iru Christianity."

Certainly, that is the unavoidable end. Consider the fact that the Bible records the history of the story of redemption, and that from the beginning the progress of

The February issue of the Expository Times opens with the staggering question, "Is it a mistake or is it a mercy that church-going people do not read the Bible carefully?" It proceeds to answer that a more careful reading would discover it dis. crepancies, yet, in conclusion, asf1Distalle or serts that the neglect to read is a f1Dercp' ? profound mistake, and much of our ungodliness is due "toit, for "IVere they to read the Bible carefully they would discover its contradictionsand its Christ." On which we remark that this is not quite to our standard of view. A close and careful reading of the Bible would discover something- of the great purpose of God in redemption, and this would open out the position of Christ as Redeemer, and would remove from the way many of the supposed discrepancies, which would be shown not to exist in a true and ordered appreciatioru of Bible dispensational teaching. The point selected for illustration is that concerning the coming- of Elijah. John the Baptist denied to the Pharisees that he was Elijah, but the Lord asserted, "If ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah which is to come." According to the writer reviewed, this is a clear contradiction. By him it is removed by a virtual destruction of the prophecy in Maluchi, which predicted Elijah's advent. He says, "Malachi's promise is not the literal return' of Elijah." Now let us note, whatever the application by OUr Lord of this passage to John, it is certain that He could' not intend that John completely filled this prediction. That the forerunner came in the "spirit and power of Elijah" is asserted, but it is also as definitely declared that "John did no miracle." But the Pharisaic rulers were not "willing to receive" him, and therefore the Lord's careful statement leaves ample room for the literal fulfilment of Malachi's prophecy, which specially associates the advent of Elijah with the "great and terrible day of the Lord." If this is allowed to drop out of sight, then the key of interpretation to the difficulty is lost.

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The subject was Eucharistic vestments. In the future, a,g the The followirug paragraph from a writer on prophecy result of his prayer, the Vicar announced that he would eelemay be in place :-"One feature of the repentance and brate the Euch.arist in a chasuble instead of a surplice, and, conversion of Israel must bc briefly alluded to, viz., the ~1O doubt, .at 'lugh celebrations' he will be assisted by a deacon 1Jl dalrnatic an:d. t.unicle." mission of Elijah to thc Jewish nation. The prediction . , is plainly recorded in ~1al. iv. 5, 6. Such folly has, unfortunately; its serious side, and it The success of his efforts and the lElijab shocks thoughtful minds. It would not be so bad if timc of his coming are clearly Wm come. thereby men were set to ask whether these things had mentioned, and this prediction any connection with the Christianity of Christ and His cannot be regarded as fulfilled (excepting in spirit) in apostle , but men are over prone to extremes, and seeing John the Baptist. ,Elijah is a forerunner of the Second such! trivialities put forward as religion, they close their Ad vent (the open Parousia), just as John was a forehearts altogether to the truth. No, excuse whatever can runner of the First Advent (the public appearance of be found 1'01' 'such .mummeoies on the part of those the Messiah). Now, owing to the exceeding brevity of calling themselves' "Christian teachers," who, indeed, the prophecy, where no details are given, we can onlyseem totally ignorant of the solemn fact that the trulv judging from thc general order and material given in spiritual- worship of God has to do with the inner ma~' other places-hazard an opinion as to the time and alone.-Oo'ntributed. manner of Elijah's work. Down to the siege of J eru- ' salcm by Antichrist (Zech. xiv, 14, etc.), he has not appeared, as is evidenced by the sad fate which has Certain theologians are now exercised over the quesovertaken Judah and his companions, but when the tion, "Having lost tho fear of hell, why have we not city is taken, etc., then he comes to relieve the despair ga incd the hope of Heaven ?" Just so. From one of 'the residue of the people' who have not been driven reason or anothe-r the old conception 'of Hell as a place from the city. Thc words 'of hope imparted by him are of torment has dropped out 0. eagerly cherishcd; the descriptions of a speedy coming the teaching of the churches. In 'lRo 1bope Messiah, David's Son, as a Deliverer, are ardently conthe majority of instances it has of 1bea"en. ternplated; and we may rcasona blv believe that by an gone because sentiment is against appeal to the prophets and the history of J esns, as well it, not because men see there is Bible evidence against as to their own past history as a nation, Elijah will it, but it has gone. Why has orthodoxy not succeeded prove the Mes iahship of Jesus, and thus prepare the in making Heaven more attractive? The answer is not way for the hearty reception of Jesus when He comes far to. seek. The magazine from which we take the to Mount Olivet with His saints. The personal apquestion answers, "We' cannot make heaven attractive pearance 0:8 Jesus will confirm the mission of the cnough. For it needs the use of the imagination, its prophet. Then, again, he may be sent to the wilderness vigorous, daring use," and "we do not know enough to meet the ten tribes as a forerunmer, preparing then) about it." Now, to our thinking, we may shut out the for Him who shall "plead with them face to face." first sta tement from our consideration, as in matters Other missions, for aught we know, may be in store for which make appeal to our hope we require something him in behalf of the nation, However we may locate more than imagination. Sober reality is far more the exact pe-riod of 'his appearing and' work, o~e thing effective. The other statement is true. But we can is certain, that he will- bcan important agent in this caITYit further, and say there is nothing at present for grand work of leading the nation to repentance." us to know. There are heavenly pictures placed in the Bible for our instruction, but as a hope for the future -the Bible puts Earth, not. Heaven, as the Home of the . "The Churches aI'13 a fa~lul'e." 80 says the man in Redeemed, and here its testimony is full, and upon the the street, and, in view of the revelations made in the sure basis of promise and prophecy we can build, and public press every now and then, we are not concerned imagination can lay on its glowing colours without the to deny the plain statement. Enough for us to know fear that it may exceed its theme. When meru, sickened and declare that Ohri~~tia,nity and disgusted with human speculations on the future, never has been, and never will be, shall consent to turn to the purc and unalloyed Word of 'tlUlb}1 cnnrcbes a failure, whatever may be the God, we shall no longer hear the doubtful and unsatisjfatl. condition of "the churches.' A factory utterances about heaven for the redeemed, well-known monthly journal, Broad Vimvs, declares either at death or beyond resurrection, but we shall hear that there shall- be a "New Heaven and a New Earth, that religious teachers are more taken up with wherein dwelleth righteousness." trivialities than with a living faith, and that the creeds of to-day are dead. As one proof of the ~orrectness of his statements, he instances the following :-"The Vicar of St. Colomb's, Notting Hill, infol'lllo~(lh.18con' gn'gation one Sunday morning that he had been engaged in pa-ayer with God on a subject of deep importanee, He suggested that he had Divine guidance in reference t.hereto.

All systems of idolatry and mythology, wherever met with on the earth, socm to have one common origin. 'I'hat origin, misrepresented and distorted by the great

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Adversary, to the destruction of the sons of men, is a primal revelation to man of God's purpose, and of His wavsof carryUbe D:lrilllal ing out that purpose. But when 1Rel'elatiolt. it is asked, what." was this first revelation? the true answer is not always gi ven. It need not be said that there is no written record of it save in the Hebrew Scriptures, and there, only as it touches the chosen nation, for to them were entrusted the oracles of God. The researches of many reverent inquirers, no less than the astronomical records and references which have come down from past ages, point to the probability, a probability so strong as to be almost a certainty, that God's plan of salvation was first "written in the stars," settled, as a silent but significant morntor, in the heavens, that all the nations m igh t be withou t excuse. No sooner was the great chart revealed, than Satan, unable to destroy that record, set to work to so distort its teaching that his dupes were lcd to worship the creature rather than the Creator, wit.h the fearful result described in Rom, i. And in "these last days" he is equally active in striving to pervert the Wlritten Record. His aim ever is to detract from the glory of God, to dishonour the Almighty, and to draw men away from t.hat spiritual worship, with which alone God is well pleased. All this through his instruments, evil angels and men, although on momentous occasions, as wit.h our Lord in the temptation, he may himself be chief actor. Earth is the scene of ceaseless strife between good and evil, between right and wrong, in manifold phases, but behind it. all lies t.he Satanic effort to obscure the glory of God, 1,0 dishonour Him in the eyes of His creatures, The Adversary's ways are subtle and insidious-in past ages pervert.ing the starry record, in our days discrediting the written Word ; and therefore it. is that. we cannot be t.oo careful to walk worthily of our gracious Lord, t.o honour God in all our ways, a.rutieipat.ing, in His strength, and according to our small measure, the Divine purpose, which is, "that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ." (1 Pet.. iv. 11).-

N EFHESI-I comes from a root. which means "to breathe;" and it is the' word which the inspiring Spirit has selected to apply to the life of any creature that. exhibits . that life by breathing, from the creeping animal up to man. It simply denotes animal life, including animal propensities and appetites. It is used many hundreds of times in the Bible, and ill' the RV. it is rendered "creature, soul, person, dead body," and even by the personal pronouns, as Gen. xxxvii. 21, "Let us not. kill him;" literally, "Let. us not .kill his soul.' It. should be by no means confounded with the spirit. of man; for in not a single case throughout Holy Scripture is nepheeh. used instead of nesluimah. or rooach ; alt.hough modern theologians are perpetually using "soul" and "spirit" as interchangeable terms. In no single instance, either, do the sacred oracles rest. the designed immortality of man upon the fact. that he has a soul.. The sacred writers are too sensibly and correctly taught to do this; anc1 the marvel is, that theologians; who profess to believe in the Bible, should on this point teach the very opposite to what their professed rule of faith teaches. If the teaching of Mo cs is true, as undoubtedly it is, then the uephesli or soul is not. the seat either of intellect or of immortality, or of spiritual desire and experience; though.iof course, jf a man were not a nephesh., that if; if he were not a living creature, he could not. exhibit his mental powers and operations, nor could he give outward practical proof of the reality and forcc of his inward spiritual life and experience. It is but. animal life. No doubt, this, as well as all other kinds or exhibitions of life, is begot.ten and sustained by t.he Spirit. of Elohim; but. the nephesb. is not spirit. It is that which the neshamcli, or spirit, produced when it. was breathed into man, but it is not. the spirit itself. The spirit of man and the soul of man are as distinct as cause and effect. Elohim breathed into man's nostrils the neshamah of lives, and then he became a living creature. Man consists of three parts, spirit, and soul, and body; and when the spirit is recalled from the body, then its Iife ends, the body returns to the dust. as it was, and "the spirit returns to God, who gave it." To confound the soul and spirit, as our sermons, hymns, and some prayers do, is not. only illogical, inexact. and contrary to the inspired Word, but it. endangers the true interests of man; for it imparts an erroneous admixture to almost all Christian doctrines, gives a tincture to the clear waters of life, and neutralises their effect. 'I'he current view of pyschology was derived from Alexandrian philosophy; but. it now so completely permeates all our theological literature and phraseology, that perhaps neither it nor iJ:s allied errors will be rooted up till Elohim comes again to overturn all error and wrong. Whatever may be said of the philosophers, it is most grievous that divines will not learn revealed doctrine simply from the Bible, but will mix up with it. the traditions of men.

Contributed.

My Christian friend, you are watched. The world is watching you. Enemies are watching you. Sinners, scoffers, sceptics, and hypocrites are watching you. And if you go wrong, there are those that will rejoice at your failure, and exult over your downfall. It will not harm you to be watched, if you only watch yourself. You are not to be dependent. upon sinners and scoffers to warn you of danger, or persuade you to duty. You are to "watch and pray, .lest you enter into temptation." No person on earth has so great. an interest in your prosperity as yourself. And if you are led astray, or go wrong, others may t.alk about it, but you must feel the pain, and anguish, and sorrow, that comes from wrongdoing. Hence it is your business to watch yourself, to "watch unto prayer," and to maintain a life of constant vigilance in the service of your Divine Master.-Sel .

-From

"Genesis in Advance of Present Science."

APniL,

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'---0-"~"-0-"~"-0-''2Prd

~~~=:~~
REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST.
"Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of David, according to lily Gospel. "-2 Tim. ii. 8. of the seed

lEchoes

from

"ITJ

IN the days when men went abroad with a new message of salvation, and called upon their hearers to accept the Lordship of the risen Jesus, an apostle found it necessary to write to the faithful 'I'imothy to urge upon him to "remember Jesus Christ." In these days, when it seems that the freshness of the message has worn off, and that Christianity palls, it is imperatively necessary that those who believe that its pristine beauty is undimmed should seek to call attention again to its bright, breezy, and invigorating qualities by pointing to its central figure, and putting Him afresh iuto remembrance. I need this exhortation, I know, and I am certain that you also need it. Our fellowship in the Gospel is helpful and vigorous only as we hold Him in memory, and, we may add, our work in the Gospel is only effective as we put Him in the very forefront of our message. Mark the connection of this passage. Paul is in earnest that Timothy should be a strong, valiant, enduring, patient workman, and to this end he needs the strength which only grace in Christ Jesus can supply; but these qualities require to be made useful by a right knowledge of the Gospel which is to be proclaimed, and that message must have certain facts put forward persistently and powerfully. Observe, first of all, the person to be remembered. Turn where you will in the Scriptures, you will find that every promise bearing interest to mankind centres in a pcrson. Centuries and millennia pass by, and the dispensations change. Details are imparted concerning the outworking of the Divine purpose, but as each successive unfoldment is made it must be noted that it is one person, in whom everything centres, who is the hope for man. In this Bible literature differs from all other. Other teaching put" before its learners' and readers principles to be obeyed, and high moral altitudes to be attained, but the Bible stimulates hope and moulds conduct by fixing thought and affection upon a Person; and principles and morals are centred in Him. Again, it must be noted that this personage has a present position-He is "riscn from the dead." When He is called to mind, this must be the fact which will illumine His personality, and supply the light by means of which He is seen, and give certainty to His claims. He is the risen Christ. The angels at the tomb said, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" The fact of the resurrection of Christ is the great message to be delivered by His messengers wherever they go. It is

well that we speaf: of the death of Christ, and point to the great sacrifice effected on Calvary ; but this were no good news for man, if the resurrection from the dead did not give it potency for the salvation of men. Much may be called to remembrance of the life of our Lord upon the earth. He may be followed in thought as He walked through His native land uttering gracious words and putting forth profoundest teaching, or we may watch Him as He stood amidst the sick and helpless and "healed them all." But that teaching and those mighty works needed to be followed by the resurrection from the dead to make the living message for us, and to afford satisfactory pledge of a perfected redemption. It will be generally conceded that this was a highly important thing, and that more insistence should be given to the fact of the Lord's resurrection in all our preaching.

But there is another item in this passage that is important. It comes last in the description, but its i mportance is emphatically' taught by the words which follow, "according to my Gospel." What is this item? It is found in the words which assert that Jesus th Risen One is "of the seed of David." This was part and parcel of the Gospel message which the noble logician-apostle carried to both Jeil' and Gentile. The person Jesus, in whom God Lad placed the forgiveness of sins, and made it certain and available to the sons of men by the resurrection of Him throngh whom it i~ promised, who is the earnest and pledgc of immortality, He-is also of the "seed of David." 1" desire to point out that it is not the mere memorv of a fact which is intended. That would be of litti~ value as a mind-strengthener, or as a heart-stimulus. It is only as a fact is seen in relation to others that it becomes of real value. In proportion to the number and value of the ideas with which it is connected does it come to its own. The statement that Hc is "of the seed of David" is generally passed over as being of little or no importance. It may be useful as showing the genealogy of the Lord, but is not vital to the message of salvation. Yet the Bible student will find that it is a key which opens a vast array of revealed truth of immense value to alL It is a statement which opens out to us the great purpose of God, and indicates the method whereby it shall bring peace' an cl gladness to the world. If Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, is the- sinner's hope, the fact that He is of the seed 'Of Davicl widens that hope until it embraces the world of mankind, and touches and cleanses the social and political order. It is the term which belongs of right to the message of the kingdom of God, and which carries in itself the surety of the good time coming, when the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. In a word, if tI1C fact of the resurrection of the Lord is the heart of the Gospel message, the other phase gives its circumference. It if; the expression which links the Gospel of the present to the Gospel of the past, It connects the exhortations to a personal salvation to the magnificent prophecies which

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COD1DaSS cleansed earth, and a universal, peaceful and a righteous rule. It calls attention to the historic preparation, and to the unfolding of promise and prophecy, and thus has a rightful place here from which it cannot be ousted, save at the cost of robbing the Gospel of its magnificent intent. It is a marvel to us that it should be so generally ignored, and that men are content to preach the death of Christ for sinners without carrying forward thc full virtue of that gift of life to its consummation in the answer to the prayer, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven." All early Gospel preaching made much of this important fact. Peter, in his opening sermon, is careful to insist upon the Davidic descent of Christ, and in his second discourse is as careful to insist that He is to return. Observe it is the Son of David-the Christwho is to return. Indeed, the title given to the Lord, "The Christ," obtains all its signification from the promises in connection with the Davidic covenant, and the prophetic pictures which centre upon "the branch from the roots of the stock of J esse." Why arc not these things spoken of in these days? In 2 Sam xix. there is a story told belonging to the life and times of King David. He had been for some years upon the throne of Israel when his son Absalom, conceiving himself to be badly treated, by craft and guile won the hearts of the men of Israel from their loyalty to his father. Large numbers of the people flocked to the usurper, and David left Jerusalem. ThE! usurper reigned, and the rightful monarch was in exile. Presently a battle took place, the usulper was defeated, and by the hand of Joab was slain. That victory left the people of Israel in confusion. Their king was in exile, and some initiative act was needed by which he could be brought back in dignified fashion to his rightful position. The people say, "Why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?" Eventually he is brought again to the position of kingly honour among 'his people. Why is it that to-day so little is heard of .the return of the Christ? Could it not be said with deep meaning to many a preacher, "Why speak ye not . a word of bringing the King back?" It was but a day . or two ago I was told by a minister that no one knows anything at all about eschatology-the doctrine of the last things-a most peculiar statement to come from a professed Bible student and teacher. This message of the Lord's return, and the kingly rule which awaits Him as David's seed, is an integral part of the Gospel, and if this is not recognised, how can the Gospel in its fulness be rightfully proclaimed? 'I'o omit it in study or in teaching is to manifest a lamentable ignorance of the ends for which redemption is designed. The people of Israel saw that they were mistaken . about Absalom, and now their hearts unite in one purpose. All else was poor and paltry. One thought absorbed their attention. They wanted back their king. , See how united these people were about it. If we could but get the truth into our hearts of the Lord's

true dignity as the Christ of God, and sincerely believed in His return, we should be united in present practical working fashion. The one hope would govern and control all our actions. It is said that the Israelites were all at strife! Of course; how could it b: otherwise? Their King was absent. To-day, in the Church, all is confusion, but the time is not far distant when all this strife and confusion will cease, for He will return. If while He tarries we could but see eye to eye on His position, and the promises which are centred in Him, there would be such a manifestation of unity as would make the Church of God a power in the spread of Divine truth, far greater than she has yet seen. See how practical was the desire of the people of Israel. They went forth to meet him. The hope of the king's return got down into their feet and they moved and acted. If the hope we profess ~s to be ~ vital thing with us, we must give it liberty to act in us. Those who believe in the coming- of the Kinz should be ready to go forth to meet Him. Life must correspond with the hope. In view of the general ignorance which prevails concerning the royal rights of the Lord -Iesue, it is imperativs that those who have recognised them should speak of them, and manifest that their faith is real and practical. Churches have been founded, creeds and confessions have been framed, but the royal dignity of the Lord has had no place in them, or has been assigned all unimportant position. The Gospel is now preached, but it is without reference to His claims and to the covenants of promise. Much is said of the example of the SaVIOur, the purity of His teaching, but little is said of His resurrection, and less of His royal claims. In sermons and tracts, pamphlets and books, purporting to set forth His claims upon the attention of men, these great matters are generally ignored. It is high time that those who love the Word should make it manifest that they do remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead of the seed of David. ' Because of the promises in the Word we must speak. How often is the King that shall reign a theme of divine communication to men? The prophets break forth into transports of joy as they sec the coming of the 1\ ing. "This man," says Micah, "shall be our peace." Says Jeremiah, "In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is the name whereby He shall be called, The Lord Our Righteousness." To Mary the heavenly messenger gave the sure word, "Thou shalt can His name Jesus. He shall be the 80n of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of J acob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end" (Lu. i. 31-33). Promise after promise might be cited, but let these suffice. God has promised the dominion to His Son, and that fact is part of the Gospel now to be believed, to be remembered, and to be heralded. It is true that man is now a sinruer; it is true that Jesus died, and through that sacrifice comes the remis-

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SiOHof sins, but do not dream that this is all the Gospel. Outside man's individual, moral, and physical requirements lie the vast extent of social and political needsa thousand and ono things which lie beyond the sphere of social reform, and governmental legislation. Have we a gospel which meets these things? Yes, we have. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "risen from the dead, of the seed of David." That is the message as furnished in covenant and promise, which must be preached that men may learn how the love of God, working through wisdom, is broad as the needs of rnam, that He has planned a glorious and Gael-like salvation, which will gather together all things in Christ, who shall be "King of kings, and Lord of lords." In view of these things I urge the exhortation, "Remember Him." Remember that He is now the Living One in resurrection life, the pledge and earnest of His ability to give eternal life to as many as receive Him. Remember that He is of the seed of David, through whom all the divine purpose outlined in covenant, in promise and in many a prediction, shall be accomplished. Let that remembrance contribute to make us loyal workers for Him in His absence, and ready for Him when He shall appcar, that 'with our hearts aglow with e11thusiasm, and having put our house in order, we may . stand jn His presence, not ashamed. [An Address by the Editor.]


El ~/)ree""jfolb

JDutl?

"For they themselves show of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to ('rOd from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven."-l Thess. i. 9, 10. "TURN," "serve," "wait" -these words form the Divine trinity of duty that made the Church at Thessalonica the model that it was in all that goes to make a loyal, sturdy, devout Christianity. We shall do well, in this clay especially, to look into their noble example and to follow it. 1. They "turned." Nat like a turn-style that turns with everybody that comes along, as many people do in their notions of things, but they turned with a holy impulse and purpose. Like the needle to the pole, they found the Object of their affections, and they were ever afterward found headed that way. They "turned from idols." They put their backs to them for good and all. They never needed to look at them again, for the thought of them was sickening enough. This is true repentance-a turning to God from that which has taken our affections from Him or absorbed them. Idols are by no means extinct or obsolete, even in Christian countries; they are here. It would be a lengthy list to enumerate them. We need not specialise here, but leave the reader to do his or her own thinking. Culture and craving, art and appetite, have so linked them to humanity that it requires more than human effort to turn

from them; it needs Divine assistance. But the Thessalonians turned. They found a pivot to swing clear on, somehow, and got so into gear that they never vacillated or oscillated between right and wrong or pleasure and duty after that. Any person 'Or thing loved more than God is an idol, whether made and fostered in heathendom or Christendom, whether crude or refined; and the sooner we turn our backs upon them the better it will be for us and the type of Christianity we represent. "Remember Lot's wife," who turned from Sodom and then turned back again. 2. They "served." They "served the living and true God." About all some seem to think of to-clay is'to be ministered unto. If the pastor does not call at their house about 80 often, then they will omit their calls at his church. Unless they are petted and praised to their satisfaction, then they are "not appreciated," and off they go. The benefits of being a church member is their guide or animus, instead of what they should do to benefit the church. Now, 'One who serves God is one who works for and with Him. He is a servant; and a servant is not supposed to pick his work, nor try to please anyone save him whom he is called to serve. And he is not an eye-servant-working when he thinks the overseer is looking, and loafing when he is absent. The true and faithful servant loves to serve his master, whetherprcsent or absent, and will always be found at his post o-f duty when able to be there. If the mass served the living and true God as they-do the god of mammon, how Christianity would abound ! 3. 'I'hey "waited for His 'Son from heaven." They waited because they lookecl for and expected Him. No one waits for another, or for that not looked for or expected. Is this expectation still generally entertained? The Church at 'I'hessalonica waited for the return of the Son of God who went away. Will He find an expectant Church at His return? They waited for Him, but it was not the inertia of a dead halt; they served-they worked-c-as they waited. It was the wait of expectation, but not of idleness or inertia. The best attitude of this Divine expectation is one of service-to occupy till "He comes-working for Him and His glory,' and not for self or for personal gain or aggrandisement. "Unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin [or a sin offering] unto salvation." "Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing." C. E. Copp in Messiah's Advocate.


"Conscience clearly." is like an eye--it needs the light to see "As the sun returns to the East so let our patience be renewed with the dawn," is the counsel of a cheerful writer. Patience with ourselves, with others, with the tangled knots and unsolved problems 'Of life grows sadly worn with many a day's strain upon it, but there is marvellous healing in night and rest. Every healthful soul should find itself braver, kind er, truer, with the coming of each fresh morning, which is a God-given chance to begin again.-Forward.

THE
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49-52 52 53-55 55 56 56 57-59 59-60 60 61-62 63 G3 63 63 GI 64

"SOUf./' ,ECHOES

IN" SCRIPl'UHE ~"H.Ol\l WI<:ST DUTY NOTES

A TJlHEEFOLI) ASSOCIATION A PROLIFIC MISSIONARY Tall THE ROME'S CnURCH

'I"F:XI' ..
THEOLOGY

..
.. .. 0" ..

SEC01<D COMING PRESENT Qpl'OI~';'UNI~:Y QUgs'J' HOME CIRCLE-IN BAND Tlw'J'H

AND MISSION

Nrcws

'CHRISTIAN ~rl[J]; LITTLE

G [RL ~'Nn 'l;~IE M:U{1\f~\LAD~


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .. llroGH.APlIY

TI<":ASUREIt'S IMPARTIAL 'BEI'OND

TDDAY

~ (b~ 6ibl~ Standard.


/
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Lord," and that positive opposing testimonies are to be understood in its light, then will' be time enough for us to give our adhesion to them. Till then, we must follow where God's Worcl, unmistakeable and clear, leads us, and, in that way, we find, no such delusive hopes. The pamphlet is sold from Colston House, Malvern, at one shilling in paper covers, cloth two shillings. The other pamphlet is sold at one penny, and contains a series of questions and answers, in the form of a conversation, on "Non-Eternity, the Devil's Gospel, ancl the Plague." Much that is said is excellent, but the fly in the ointment is the belief of the author in "a soul which survives the death of the body." The author is emancipated from the old beliefs of natural immortality and eternal misery, but there is another step ere he can be said to be out of the mire of tradition.

MONTHTLY
OF THE

ORGAN

1f)rolific '{te~t.

Dew Zealanll E\langelistit a!lll "publication Jhsotiatloa.


EDITED ASSISTED BY GEORGE BY SPECIAL ALDRIDGE, CONTRnHJTroN~.

,"." The 11~tlitorwh;.1Ie3 it to be understood that, while he exercises a :";llllcrnl ~11f'P,T''~~.10n over t11~ut-tieles nnd Correspondence nppcn r ing ill the STAKD.UW, rcspunaibl lity for aentrmenta expressed rests upon the individual writer.

BaaociatiolllHotea.
J Telegram~ t.o the Editor should be addressed to Rocky Nook, as this JS the nearest office to his residence. The West Street Sunday School had a Missionarv Sunclay on Sunday, March 25, and conbcibuted tile SU~l of 3 10s. to the Edgehill Fund, Two sisters have rell;itted to t~e fl~nd the sum of 5s. and 1 respectively. 'lhese contributions are gratefully acknowledged by the Editor. .

Two numbers of the Paith J,ibl'a1'I/ arc to hand from the Faith Press Co.: neither of which, we regret to say, w!; can commend with any heartiness. The first is by Pastor Brookman, of Toronto, on "The Future of the N on-Elect Dead," in which he advocates grounds for the belie~ th~t in a resurrection-state the vast majority of n~ankmd m all ages will have ani opportunity of hearing under better conditions- than now obtain the Gospel of salvation. A reading of this book has left in mind a stronger impression of the author's failure to substantiate his views than was made in a short comversation with him, in which this matter was introdu~~. Th~ book. is lacking in the supply of any positive Scripture III favour of the view taught ; it does not take into sufficient account the fact of present responsibility; nor does it give any reason, and certainly no Scripture, to show why man's present state does not . afford him a sufficient probation for the possession of eternal life. In common with Millennial Dawn theories, it appeals largely to sentiment, and seeks to force a few passages to express what they do not actually say. Wheru for these theories there is a "Thus saith. the

WI-nm D. L. Moody was in Great Britain, he met a green-looking fellow who wanted to return with him to America "to preach." Henry Moorhouse looked as though that ought' to be his last thought. At all events, Mr. Moody did not care to take any risk, and slipped away without letting the young man know of his departure. It was not long, however, before Moorhouse landed in New York. He sent a letter to Moody, saying that he wanted to come to Chicago and preach for him. Mr. Moody answered him coldly; but as the yOUllg foreigner insisted on coming, an appointment was reluctantly made for two evenings. Young Moorhouse took for his text John iii. 16: "Goel so loved the world," etc. He preached a wonderful sermon. The next ~ight he took the same text. He went from Genesis to Revelation, and showed the amazing love of God for this lost world. By that time there was such melting power that everybody wanted to hear him. On Sunday night he took the same text and swayed the multitudes. _ ight after night the crowds increased, and he continued to stri kc higher, richer chords, until he had preached seven sermons from that inexhaustible text. It was a revelation to Mr. Moody. He saw God in a new light, and preached a different gospel from that time. In closing the seventh sermon, -Mr. Moorhouse said: "For seven nights 1 have been trying to tell you how much God loved you, but this stammering tongue of mine will not let me. If I could ascend Jacob's ladder and ask Gabriel, 'who stands in the presence of the Almighty, to tell me, how much love God the Father has for this poor lost world, all that Gabrial could say would bc, 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only b(~gotten SOIl, that whosoever bclieveth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' "-Bel,

Anxiety is the stuff from which some people make their crosses, but they are not crucified to the world who carry them.

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these heathen 'only as souls' . When death comes we leave our bodies and go somewhere else. . . . 'I'he body is the sheath of the soul. I think of that empty sheath I saw, and wonder where the soul has flown. It has gone, but where? . . . Pray for them as souls who must live eternally somewhere. . Soul after soul passes out alone into eternity. Our aim is great; it is India for Christ. Our prayers are for the evangelisation of the world. o for the fire to set the whole alight, and melt us all into one mighty Holy Ghost. . I shivered as if standing in the neighbourhood of hell, for she is tied indeed, tied with ropes Satan twisted in his cruellest hour in hell. And she asked, 'Do they never have holidays in hell ?' " These are sentences taken from a recently-published book, entitled "Things As They Are," written by Amy Wilson-Carmichael, an Indian missionary. The published price of the book is only eighteenpence, and it is worthy of perusal by all who would have an adequate conception of one of the dark sides of Heathendom and the true nature of idolatry. During the perusal of thc thirty-two chapters ~the teaching of which is driven home by thirty-three most striking photo. illustrations), there has been ringing in our ears those staggcring words of Paul, written nineteen centuries ago, which are recorded in Romans i. 24-32, and which may be summed up in that line from the epistle to the Ephesians, "The things which are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of." We cannot too strongly recommend Miss Carmichael's book, as she writes from the point of an eye-witness. The writer of this artiele can bear his testimony that there is no exaggeration in what is here testified, having himself and wife resided in India as missionaries, and personally seen that which is as bad, if not worse, than is here depicted, and which cannot be conveyed in print to a gencral public. But, having said thus much, we must take serious exception to the missionary theology as set forth in the above sentences, which are fairly representative of the mind of the so-called "orthodox" missionary. Five great errors underlie missionary theology: (1) That man is, "or has, an immortal soul; (2) that the person-or soul-of an unrepentant heathen passes alive to "somewhere else" after the body is dead; (3) that eternal torments is the fate of heathcndom ; (4) thc present existence of a locality called "hell," which is the dwelling-place, and where is the throne, of Satan; (5) that the result of the labours of Christian missionaries is to be the conversion of the world and a millennial age of peace and prosperity. It is marvellous that with such a fivefold burden to carry the missionaries have gained any footing at all in heathen lands. The apostles of old went forth to their labours with no such incubus on their shoulders. 'The message of those inspired men to the heathen was, "You are perishing 'mortals ; at death
"REGARD

you return to the dust; but there will be a resurrection of the dead, to be followed by judgment, and-after few or many stripes-a second death. In the name of J esus Christ, the Son of God, we offer you forgiveness of all. your sins, an escape from 'the wrath to come,' a part in a first or special resurrection, and a glorious immortality." It is noteworthy that in his epistles the great apostle to the Gentiles never once uses the word "hell," or any equivalent for the word, as the name of a fiery abode where now Satan dwells, and in which now multitudes of the lost are' suffering pain. (The hell-fire of which our Lord so solemnly speaks is connected with the [uiure, and will not exist till the "latter days.") And he forewarned that the heathen world will abso- . lutely reject Christ and His offer. India and China will belong to the mighty Devil to the end of this age, until the Almighty Son of God shall return, and by His wondrous power subjugate all things to Himself. Till then, the one and only mission of the missionaries is to be the means of gathering out of He-athendom such as in God's inscrutable wisdom shall be saved. 'I'he preaching of the Gospel is no failure because it has not yet evangelised and converted a world. The purposes of God are being accomplished. 'I'he working of the Holy Spirit has accompanied the preaching, and "a great multitude whom no man can number" have repented and been converted. Let us never forget this is God's world, and age follows age according to the Divine arrangement. You and I arc not responsible for the present unhappy state of things. And, moreover, we have enough burdens of our own to bear without gratuitously adding that of the duty to rid the world of sin and $atan anti. the curse which afflicts it. In God's time. mankind will be saved, but we must wait God's time. And the Holy Spirit expressly tells us that God will not pour forth a universal blessing upon the world during the absence of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, whom mankind, as a race, have rejected. True, I am my brother's keeper, and it is my bounden duty to do all I can to bless him-the inhabitants of the world being the extent of my brotherhood, But the Divine revelation warns me beforehand that the majority of my fallen brethren do not wish to be raised up, that they will resent my interference, and that in the long run they will prevail against me. Africa is not stretching out hands towards God, and China and India are not saying, "Coma over and help us." On the contrary, Japan, for instance, as a nation, deliberately rejects Christianity. Christ's religion, as set forth by the apostle Paul, the he-athen world is ignorant of; the travesty of the modern missionary is the only presentation of it they have received. Christianity, split into a hundred sects, each jealous of and anathematising the others, they regard as a playedout religion, whose only hope is that by a happy evolution it may be resolved into some other and more acceptable form. Did not a puzzled Japanese a short while

ago suggest that the missionaries should return to their


own countries and settle their doctrinal differences, and afterwards, as one Church, and with one voice, deliver

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their message to the outside world? Even Miss Carmichael, in her book, speaks of the Anglican ritualistic missionary in India with his cross cs and candles and incense, and complains that the Hiridoo pleads as an excuse for his idolatrous ceremonies the example and sanction of these High Church missionaries! It will require the personal presence of Jesus Christ and the strength of His Almighty power to take prisoner and shut up in prison the "god of this world, the mighty prince of the power of the air," who, with "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places," stands behind and backs up the heathen world against the efforts of Christian missionaries. Till Satan is chained (Rev. xx. L) there will be no wide-world outpouring 'Of the Holy Spirit or yielding of a world's homage to the Son of God. It is in "the last days" of this dispensation, synchronous with most startling events, that the words of the prophet J oel shall be fulfilled, of which a foretaste was experienced on the day of Pentecost (Acts ii. 17), and the demonstration of the Spirit's power be manifested. Missionary societies must not claim to do a work to which they are not appointed. I read in the British Week'Zy, received by the last mail, that "the great subject of prayer (for the week of prayer commencing J'anuary 9, arranged by the American Evangelical Alliance) is the speedy conversion of the world to Christ." Nothing but deferred hope which maketh the heart sick, and causes deep disappointment, can be the result. Why does not the Christian Church as a whole send up a mighty cry to God for the return of the Lord Jesus Ohrist ? Because the Church has no such desire. Not long since an eminent Wesleyan minister, before a London audience, declared that it would be a public calamity if Christ were to reappear at Jerusalem, for then He would be only a local Christ, whereas now He belongs to all Christendom. 'I'he words of the Laodicean Church (Rev. iii. 17) come to mind, "I am rich, and have need of nothing"-no, not even need for the return of the Saviour of the world, for, given "more men and more money," missionary effort shall yet save the world. But, as matter of fact, missionary enterprise is notoriously so unsuccessful in its efforts to capture a heathen world, and is therefore the cause of much scepticism among professedly Christian folk, who ask, "When shall you attain the goal of your oft-repeated hopes? Two thousand years have elapsed since your Great Master died on Calvary ; what progress have you made with your task ?" In China and India alone there are ab-out 700,000,000 of human beings. And after two thousand years since the Lord's commission to preach was given there are thirty-one modern missionary societies in the field to-day, and in those two Empires probably 100,000 professed converts, and, maybe, a surrounding Christianised population of, say, 250,000. At this rate of progress, when will those two nations be evangelised? For such results as these we bless God, for every conversion is attributable to the direct influencing of the Holy Spirit. But surely there is some apparent deficiency in the power of modern Christianity. Where is

the arm that smote Rahab? Where is the power of truth and grace that smote the philosophies and idolatries of the Medi terranean countries in the apostolic age, and shook the whole of Europe and Asia in a single generation? Is not one reason for this apparent failure that a wrong ideal has been set up, that an end never contemplated by Divine wisdom has been sought, and that doetrincs repugnant to common sense and contrary to the teaching of the \Nord of God are preached to the people? There is no doubt that there exists much scepticism within the Christian Church as to the theory on which Christian missions are established. The men who founded the Baptist, the Independent, and the Episcopal missions at the close of the eighteenth century were men of devoted piety and heroic faith, but who accepted without doubt the doctrine of Protestantism as fixed in the sixteenth century Reformation. And the underlying foundation 'Of Protestant theology is a belief in the natural immortality of the soul, and the consequent destiny of mankind either to eternal misery or eternal joy. All early missionaries believed with Carey, who wrote that "all the unsaved of the heathen are destined to eternal misery." And this is still the understood creed of all missionary societies. It must not be denied in missionary speech or sermon. The missionary students are supposed to believe it. The directors of the societies are supposed to believe it. The missionaries are supposed to believe it. No young man, however distinguished his capabilities, who openly assailed this doctrine, would be sent forth by any society. Any missionary publicly denying it would be instantly recalled. But there has been an immense revolution in opinion as to the probable destiny of the ignorant, idolatrous nations of the earth, and it is doubtful how many of the secretaries, directors, and 'Officials of missionary societies, or tutors of mission colleges, would to-day give unfeigned assent and consent to the opinion on this question of the founders of our missionary societies. If pressed for a direct statement of personal opinion, it is questionable as to how many direct; answers would be given. Men nowadays have their doubts, their special theories of relief, their larger hopes, their schemes for universal restoration. Some hold that Scripture gives room for several opposite theories, some trust in future purgatories, or they wholly repudiate and openly denounce and assail the old missionary doctrine, and believe with us that they who have "sinned without law" and lead impenitent lives under heathen darkness shall "perish without law" (Rem. ii. 12), dying a second death after "few stripes," while "in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is acceptable to Him" (Acts x. 35). But whatever the view held, all who dissent from the orthodox missionmy theology do so because it cannot possibly be true that the God of Infinite Justice, Boundless Wisdom, Irresistible Power, and Eternal Love will consign to eternal torment the countless multitudes of the heathen, who have been born in error, bred up in superstition, and died in total ignorance of the true Gospel, or in rejection or a Gospel which did not "commend itself to their con-

.-~

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science" (2 Cor. iv. 2; v. 11), or was very imperfectly understood. It. may be noted as 11 symptom of the disorder cornplained of, that the annual reports (some of which nQW lie before me) of the Missionary Societies c10'not conta in clear and definite speech concerning future retribution. The work of missions might almost be taken to refer to Rome movement for man's temporal salvation. Surely if everlasting suffering is the destiny of heathendom, this distressful truth should be kept well to the front in order to stimulate the Christian Church t : "rescue the never-dying.' Let the Gospel bc preached in India and China as the message of life to the dead, as the promise of immortality in body and soul. Let it be preached that "the times of ignorance a gracious God overlooked, but now He commandeth men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a clay im which He will judge the world by the man whom He hath ordained" Let the absolute necessity of the resurrection of the dead in order to future life be clearly set forth, and the certainty and absolute justice of future retribution. Let the promised return of tlle Christ, who is the appointed Saviour of the world, have great prominence in the teaching, as f11RO the glorious truths concerning His millennial reign, and there is more likelihood of the stit-rnecked pagans of Asia and Africa being converted to the si de of the truth. 'I'his is a gospel that will commend itself to the reason and conscience of men-the love of Goc1so real as to win all hearts capable of love, while the terror of a future punishment so real and understandable and not contrarv to common sense, will alarm, even if cloes not vanqui~h the resistance of the heathen. We need to get back again to the belief of the Apostles and their followers in the first years o~ tl:e Christian revelation, which was that an eternal life ]S not the naturalmhcritance of all men. but the free gift of God through Christ, and that "turning from idols to serve a living and true God," we must also "wait for His Son from Heaven" (1 Thess. i. 9-10), even Jesus, who, at the time of His glorious advent, shall call us from our graves and apportion to each a place in His Kingdom (Matt. xix. 23-29). But even this teaching will nut convert the heathen world. To the end of this age the experience of Paul will be that of every Christian tea eher, "some believed the things which were spoken, and some believec1 not" (Acts xxviii. 24). Rotorua. C. C. BROWN.

"Bohold t He cometh wi Lh clouds , and every eye sha ll see Hi 111, and they also which pierced Him; and all k indrcds of till' earth shall wail because of Him. Even so, Amen."-Rev. i. 7.

/t


If we have no interest in individuals, says an exchange, we have no interest in Christ, and he who waits till he can save many souls will never save one sou1.Ram's u-. Prayer is the key of the day and the lock of the night.

vVe should every clay begin and end, bid ourselves good
morning and good night, with prayer. This will make our labour prosperous and our rest sweet.-Berkeley.

1. May the Holy Spirit help us while we remember that OLlT Lord Jesus 'CIJrist comes! The announcement is thought worthy of a note of admiration. As the .Latins would say, there is all "Ecce" placed here-"Behold! He c0111etl1." As in the old books printers put hands in the margin, pointing to special passages, such is this "Behold!" It is a N ot Bene calling upon us to note well what wc are reading. Here is something which we arc to hold and behold. We now hear a voice crying, "Come and sec!" That same Jesus who went up from Olivet into heaven is coming again to earLhin like manner as His disciples saw lIim go up into heaven. Comb and behold this great sight .. 11 Cl-Cl' there was a thing ill the world worth looking at, it is this. Hearken to the midnight cry, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh !" It has practically to do with you. "Go ye forth to meet Him." 'I'his coming is to be zealously proclaimed, for .Iohn does not merely say, "He corncth," but he vigorously cries, "Behold! He cometh." Just as the herald of a king prefaces his message by a trumpet blast that calls attention, so John cries, "Behold!". He throws his heart into the announcement. He proclaims it loudly, he proclaims it solemnly, and he proclaims it with authority: "Behold! He cometh." And next, it is to be unquestionably asserted. "Behold! He cometh." It is not "Perhaps He will come," nor, "Peradventure He may yet appear." "Beholcl! He corneth" should be dogmatically asserted as an absolute certainty, which has been realised by the -heart of the man who proclaims it. "Behold! He cometh." All the prophets sa}' that He will come. From Enoch down to the last that spoke by inspiration, they declare, "The Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints." All the promises are travailing with this prognostication, "BpI101d! He cometh." We have His own Word for it, and this makes assurance doubly sure. He has told us that He will come again. He has .often assured His disciples that if He went away from them He would come again to them; and He left us the Lord's Supper as a parting token, to 'be observed until He comes. As 'Often as we break bread, we are minded of the fact that, though it is a blessed ordinance, yet it is a temporary one, and will cease to be celebrated when our absent Lord is once again present with us. His saints shall be caught up together with Him in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; but to those who' sha 11 remain on earth the clouds shall turn their blackncss and horror of darkness. Then shall the impenitent behold this dread vision-the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven. 2. Our second head is: Our Lord's coming will he seen of all.

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"Behold! He cometh with clouds, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him." I gather from this expression, first, that it will be a literal appearing, and an actual sight. If the second advent was to be a spiritual manifestation, to be perceived by the mind of men, the phraseology would be, "Every mind shall perceive Him." But it is not so; we read, "Every eye shall sce Him." Now, the mind can behold the spiritual, but the eye can only see that which is distinctly material and visible. The Lord Jesus Christ will not come spiritually, for in that sense He is always here; but He \vill come really and substantially, for every eye shall see Him, even those unspiritual eyes which gazed on Him with hatc and pierced Him. The Lord Jesus shall come to the earth a second time, as literally as He has come a first time. The same Christ. who ate a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb, after He had risen from the dead, the same who said, "Handle Me, and see, for [} spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have"-this same Jesus, with a material body, is to come in the clouds of heaven. In the same manner as He went up, He shall come clown. He shall be literally seen. The words cannot be honestly read in any other way. Note well that He is to be seen W all kinds of living men; every eye shall i>ec Him; the king and the peasant, the most learned, and the most ignorant. Those that were blind before shall sce when appears. 3. My third head is a painful onc: His coming will cause great sorrow. What does the text say about His coming? "All kindrcds of the earth shall wail because of Him." "All kindreds of the earth." Then this sorrow will be very general. You thought, perhaps, that when Christ came, He would come to a glad world, welcoming Him with .son and music. You thought that there might be a few ung~dly persons who would be destroyed with the breath of His mouth, but that the bulk of mankind would receive Him with delight. See how different"all kindreds of the earth," that is, all sorts of men, men out of all nations and kindreds and tongues shall weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth at His coming. Ob, sirs, this is a sad outlook! We have no smooth things to prophesy. What think you of this? . . . . Will your voice De heard in that wailing? Will your heart be breaking in that general dismay? How will you escape? If you are one of the kindrcds of the earth, and remain impenitent, you will wail with the rest of them. . Then it'is quite clear that men will not be universally converted when Christ comes; because, if they were so, they would not wail. If you joy in Him now, you shall much more rejoice in Him in that day; but if you will have cause to wail at His coming, it will be well to wail at once. It is quite certain that when Jesus comes in those latter clays, men will not be expecting great things of Him. You know the talk they have nowadays, "a larger hope." To-day they deceive the people with the idle dream of repentance and restoration after death, a

fiction unsupported by the least tittle of Scripture. If these kindreds of the earth expected that when Christ would come they would all die out and cease to be, they would rejoice that thereby they escaped the wrath of God. Oh, no! It is because His coming to the impenitent is black with blank despair that they will wail because of Him. "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His' wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed arc all they that put their trust in Him."-REv. C. H. SPURGEON,in Kingdom Tidings.

@pportunit}?

"/Rome's U)resent

He

IT is not an accident that Romc is busy just now. Rome knows how to take a' chance. After the Reformation it seemed as if Home's day was past. And yet she still is here. How did that happen? Mixed up with the Reformation there was unhappily much that was worldly and time-serving. And when once the first fine glow of spiritual enthusiasm was over, those whose interests were simply worldly lapsed into indifference, and the religious men gave themselves over to theological wrangling. Rome saw her chance, braced herself for the struggle, and recovered much lost ground. In the present day there has been a great deal of mental quickening showing itself in science, discovery, criticism, commerce, culture. But to some extent reaction has set in. There arc symptoms that look like exhaustion. Men ure tempted to rest on their oars. Here is Home's chance. She cuts in to lull them to sleep, and then, Jike a Delilah, shears them of the locks of their strength. In the protest against mere intellectualism in religion, she poses as the representative of Faith; and men, mistaking for faith a mere helpless 'surrender of the intellect to an imperious dictator, vield to her seduct i've pretensions and airs. It is always in a time of mental and spiritual decay that Rome makes progress. She is content to accept the form for the reality, and, in her formalities, to provide a passable substitute for the exercises of spiritual religion. When once men discover that, they see more clearly than ever that the best antidote to Romanism is no aping of her ways, no borrowing of her weapons, but zealous effort to revive and foster the spirit of true religion. Men in whom is the true spirit of faith will never be tempted to accept Rome's hollow counterfeit for it. Men who know that God is a Spirit know aJso that they who worship must worship in spirit and in truth, Men who know that pure and undcfile.I religion before God, even the Father, is to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep themselves un spotted from the world, will never be imposed on by Rome's divorce between the religious life and the sacred discharge of our daily c1uties, "in the world, yet not of it." And in proportion as they cultivate personal relation with Jesus Christ, the risen' Saviour, as their Redeemer, Master, and Friend, they will resent and refuse all claims or pretensions of priest or Pope to come between themselves and Him.-By Rev. R. J. Drumrnorul, D.D., Edinburgh.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.


!

.APRIl" 1906.
t

third class, who may nor ungodly,' etc. be neither

6r
'godly

* ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(b~

xxrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrxr
4
4

fiom~ Irdt
CHAPTER H.

511 G2,llest of 'U:rutb.


In the conversation with his uncle, Philip Bayreuth had indicated that Millennial Dawn teaching was likely to cause trouble in the little church at Brenton, as one brother, having become enamoured of the views, had determined to introduce them to the meeting. This brothel', John Baker by name, was a man of fair education, and had occupied positions of trust in the church. Coming into the fellowship from one of th orthodox churches, he had accepted the teaching of Life in Ohrist with cnthusiasm, and had pressed his new beliefs with more fervour of'terrti mes than knowledge. - No one could question hi, sincerity, although sometimes his brethren wished he were not so ready to adopt the new things he heard. Hitherto, however, he had worked amicably with all, as a large amount of liberty was granted on matters that did not atfect the essentials of unity. The colporteur for the new literature had called at the residence of 1\1r. Baker one evening when the good man was at home, and had won an acceptance for his books by showing that Life only in Ohrist was ta.ught in them. Not sup posing it possible that any volumes teaching this could set forth ILny serious error, the entire set had been read, and their contents accepted as a whole. Occasion had been taken 'to become intimate with the colporteur, with the result that IL regular meeting for the study or the "Dawn" views was now held at the residence of Mr. Baker. Some of the members of the little church had been persuaded to attend, with one or two others belonging to other communions, and these were being duly instructed in the salient featur-es of the new teaching. It was about two days after the visit of Philip to his Uncle Keith, that on his way to business he was joined by Mr. Baker, also on his way to his daily duties in town. With the eagerness of a new convert, Baker at once commenced to speak of the fresh light he had received, and stated that if when he saw the truth of Life only in Ohrist he had received great help, the new teaching had brought him much more. He had now, not a few scattered rays of light, but the whole field was covered with sunshine. Philip heard him quietly, and, thinking an impression had been made, Baker invited him to attend at his house that evening to hear one who knew a great deal more than any teacher in the Brenton church. This was the first intimation that had reached Philip of this class, and he at first felt that he could not attend a meeting held by members to advocate views opposed to the belief of the church, when, according to the Confession of that body, opportunity was afforded for the presen

tat ion and testing of all professed trutbs at the regular meetings of the Bible Class. However, he told Baker that he would think about it, and in the course of the day determined that he would attend and, in all fairness, listen to what might be advanced, for, if he was in error, and truth was obtainable, he argued that, though the method was unsatisfactory, yet he ought to seize the opportunity presented to obtain it. At the appointed hour he presented himself at Mr. Baker's residence, and, on entering, found that seven persons were aitt.inz at the table, the colporteur occupying s the position of teacher. A Bible specially got up with marginal references to "Dawn" volumes and other publications, was before him, and the six volumes were piled up close to hand. The thesis of the colporteur that night was, "God's plan of salvation for the race of Adam is to extend to each member of it, during the millennium, the offer' of eternal life upon the t r111S of the new covenant scaled for all with the precious blood of the Lamb_' Phi lip listened attentively to all that was advanced, but noted that the t9acher very slavishly copicd what was sa id by Russell, even citing texts of Scripture in the same peculiar manner, torn fromthe context, and with bracketed remarks which changed considerably the exact reading of some of th c pa<lsagC's. .At the close Philip said: "I have followed you very closely, sir, in your remarks; but I have failed to hear one direct passage in favour of your. view. Is there such a statement?' "No," replied the colporteur; "I cannot give you a direct assertion from the Bible, but there are many texts from which the only conclusion to be drawn is favourable to the position." "But that," said Philip, "is building on inference, a very doubtful thing to do; for those who advocate another view may claim the inference in their favour, whereas a direct statement is an end of controversy. No theologian of repute should build his teachings upon inferences. Dr. Angus, in his Bible Handbook, has remarked, 'Deductions drawn by reason from propositions founded on the statements of Scripture are not to be deemed inspired unless those deductions are themselves revealed.' And another writer says, 'Inferences from Scripture that appear to be strictly legitimate must be received with the greatest caution, or, rat her, decidedly rejected, except as they are supported by explicit Scripture declarations.' Failure to produce a positive text is failure to supply a 'reason for the hope that is in you.' Your view teaches a future probation, on the around that all men have not now a probation for life. I should like, with your permission, to make a statement or two, and will ask for your consideration of them: "( 1) Scripture knows of but two cla-sses of men according to a-moral standard. These are variously named 'godly and ungodly,' 'righteous and wicked,' 'sinners and saints.' This implies a standard of reference, and finds no room for :1

"(2) To men, wherever found, whenever any message from God reaches them, the demand is made, 'Repent,' a demand ihat is in agreement with the classifieat.cn thus given. The 'righteous' are those who conform to a divine standard, the 'wicked' are those who do not so conform, and the two terms cover the race. "( 3) Inconformity with these findings, the message in each dispensation carries with it the alternative of 'life' or 'death.' "The classification shows present character, in reference to a divine standard; this means present responsibility; pre sent responsibility implies future judgment, and the various messages sent to the s.ms of men teach that the issues of the coming judgment on mankind are life or dea.th." "But;' objected the colporteur, "you have alrea-dy asserted the futility of inf'ercnce, and now you are putting forth purely inferential statements." "T beg your pa-rdon," said Philip; "1 have not cited passages, as I should have . to put in the whole Bible as my proof. You know perfectly well that what 1 have said is true, and there is no need for me to give the numerous texts which so classify men, nor is there any need to show that on the forefront of every message of grace to men Gocl ]illaces the cal l 'Repent,' nor is there need that I should cite the texts which put as results 'life' or 'death.' .A theory which sets these matters aside can hardly claim accept nee, and if it fails to consider them it does not show worthiness for consideration. But, let me further add: " (4) Your theory affirms that this future probation for every son of Adam takes place during the millennium. Do you know of a single passage of Scripture which asserts the resurrection of the race before the millennium?" "No," replied the colporteur, "there is no such definite passage." "Well is there one which asserts such resurrection during its progress?" "N 0, there is not." "Well, then, you assume one of these two things, and that the assumption is worthless is evident from the fact that Scripture emphatically affirms that the race is not raised until the close of the millennium-'The rest of the dead lived not until the thousand years should be finished.' Mr. Russell says, 'One statement of God is as true and as firm a. foundation for faith ILSa hundred.' There is the sta-tement! Now, tell me, if the 'rest of the dead' are not raised until the close of the millennial period, how can 'each member of the race of Adam, during the m illen niu III , hav~ tl!~, offer of eternal life ~xtended to him t "Ah," said the colporteur, "that is a very strong conclusion if it were built upon Scripture, but you ought to know that that verse is spurious, and you have built upon a fraud!" "Spurious!" cried Philip, utterly astonishcd ; "but it 'is here," and he held up his copy of the Revised Bible.

THE
"Yes, I admit that is there, but the best scholarship agrees that the verso is spurious, and ought not to be in Script uro. But I understood from some of your remarks that you had read these volumes. You have not read very carefully, or you would have noticed the clinching evidence of its falsity," and he handed oyer Volume 1. and pointed to the note at the foot of page 288. "I remember now," answered Philip, feeling that. he was trapped, "but I failed to attach the importance to the note that evidently belongs to it, for if that is true, then, of course, my argument founded llpon it is useless. But this is a matter I must further examine." With a smile of confidence the eolpor. teur closed the discussion, and Phi lip left the meeting feeling very much confused at the turn events had taken. Fortunately, he knew that ho had opporlunity to test this matter, and the next morning he sent a note to an old friend, a sk ing if 11.1:' would allow him to mal: a c,d I that even i ng on matter of importn ncc. The person written to had been formerly the principal of a large college, but was now retired f rorn active duty by reason of age. He was, perhaps, the best-informed man in Brcnton 011 matters of classical and literary importance, and was no weakling in legitimate Biblical clticism. On more than one occasion he had been helpful to Phi lip, and his assistance was the more heartily rendered because of the personal interest he took in a young man so eager for knowledg-e. The old professor received Philip with a genial g'reeting, and invited him into his study, where Philip soon .put the matter in question before him. He had brought with him che volume with the note, and the professor asked him to read it. So he read, "In this verse the words 'But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished,' are spurious. They are not found in the oldest and most reliahle Greek MSS., the Si na itic. Vatican Nos, 1200 and llGO, nor the Syriae MS. The words indicated probably crept into the text by accident in the fifth century, for no MS. of earlier date (eit-her Greek or Syriae) contains this clause." As he read the countenance of his aged friend changed considerably, and he said, sternly, "Either Mr. Russell is ignorant, and makes serious statements without due invest.igat.ion, or he knows the truth, and, feeling the passage in his way, hopes to secure support by trading on the ignorance of his followers." "But," said Philip, "can you give me the evidence that this statement is inaccurate 1" "Certainly I can. Here," said he, pointing to a row of volumes occupying one of the shelves of his extensive library, "are several critical editions of the Greek Testament-Griesbach, Scholz. Wcvmout.li'a 'Resultant,' Westcott and lfo~t, and the very latest by Dr. Nestle, of DIm, a volume adopted by the British and Foreign Bible Society. All these insert the passage, as you may see by a

BIBLE

STANDARD.

APRIL, 1906.

personal investigation," and the old gentleman lifted down the volumes as he spoke and placed them on the table. ,.Hrre they are, representing the best modern scholarship, and they all accept this passage, and give no hint that there is a shade of doubt about it." "That is very strong evidence," said Philip, "but still there is the statement made by Mr. Russell, and repeated to me last night by his agent, regarding the manuscripts." "Here," said the professor, "are Scriveners 'Introduction' and Dr. Mitchells 'Critical Handbook,' both recognised authorities on the manuscripts, and from these I will answer the statement made. Please follow my statement closely, and you may verify it from these hooks . "( 1) It is quite true that it is omitted from the Sinaitic MS., but Dr. 'I'ischendorf, the discoverer of that MS., ftt.tached no importance to the omission, and Westcott and Hort say of the ~IS., 'The singular readings arc very nu merous, especially in the Apocalypse, and scarcely ever commend Lherusclves on interna] grounds.' "(2) That the Vatican MS., o. 1200, does nut contain it is also true, but whe-n 1 tell you that the oiiginul lVrp" ends at Hebrews ix. 4 you will not be surprised at the omission. " (3) And the ancient Syriac does not contain the Book of Revelation. If, as is probable, Mr. Russell refers to the Codex Ephraemi, then its transcription of the Apocalypse ends with chapter xix. 5." . "Now, let me ask you, how was it possiblc for the text in question to appear in either of the 1\'1"8. ci ted ?" "There is one other MB. mentioned bv Mr. Russcl l, Va,t. No. 1160_ What ~f that?" "Well. that is excluded from the 'ancient' list insisted on by hi m, because it is a cursive MS. belonging to the l:3th century, and I am not able to say jnore n haul it. But there is one th ing to add, and that is that the Alexandrian MS., of equal value to the Sinaitic and the Vatican, does contain the verse. This MS. is assigned to the beginning or middle of the fifth century, but Scrivener &ayR, 'It may be referred even to the end ot the fourth century, and is certa.inlv not much later.' Here, then, is the evicl-nee on which you may judge the value of the sta ternent made as to the spurious character of the verse. That it is a genuine passage is established beyond all reasonable cavil, and the evidence given will show you on which side is the scholarship." "Thanks very much," said Philip. "'There is just one other matter which occurs to me. When this matter was introduced by our friend the colporteur he assured me that Dr. 'I'ischendorf had cal lcd this verse 'a mere error,' and he referred me to the 'I'auchni tz edition of the English New Testament." "A mere error?" said the professor. "An error of what? Of omission or of insertion ?" "An error of insertion, of course," said l'llilip.

"Indeed, then I fear he had not read h is authority very closely. Let me read you what the Doctor says," and, taking th,' book from its place on the shelf, he read, "Many obvious blunders which arc found in the MSS. arc passed over in silence. But others, evidently wrong, a re so denoted by the words, 'an error' or 'a mere error.'" "Now, let us turn to the passage and note the footnote in which he savs 'S om. a mere error.' So that it is its omission in the Sinaitie ~\IR. which is the error. Your friend does not read very critically, I fear." "1 quite agree with you," said Phi lip. "I am vpry much obliged to you for the trouble you have taken, and for the satisfactory evidence you have supplied." "You are quite welcome," -said the aged scholar; "but may I add for your further help that lhr passage does not sta nd alone. It is the only one which gives Lhe measure of time ela.psing between the two resurrections, but it is not the only one which teaches such a period. If you will carefully read 1 Cor. xv, 22-24 you will see that there is 'order' in resurrection. Christ the firstfruits, then they that arc Christ's at Ilis corni ng, then the end. Thus thrre arc three successive ranks in rnsu rreet.io n, and the period between the second and third is marked off for us by this passage in the Revelation as a thousand years." The interesting conversation closed then, and Philip left his venerable friend with much gratitude for the kindness which had helped him at a point where he was personally helpless. Short ly after this Ph il ip again visited 1\1r. Baker's house, and laid before the attendants at the class the evidence he had procured from the professor. It made no impression on Mr. Baker, who, indeed, seemed quite incapable of appreciating the evidence given, and looked to the colporteur, who remarked to Phil ip : "Then you still bold that the passage is ge]] Llne ?" i "Certainly," he replied. "\Vhat other call 1 do? 1 cannot set my opinion in a matter of this kind against ascertained knowledge." . "Oh, it does not matter, because we have an exposi Lion of this verse which quite puts it, on our side." "Yes, so I see," said Ph ilip, "but it Dlay not he out of place to remark that this is a matter you ought to be sure about. If Lhe verse is spurious, as Mr. Russell affirms several times in his volumes, it does not require an exposition. On the other hand, if it requires a special exposition, then it is genuine. 1 think you ought to choose what course you will adopt. You cannot hold both positions. Choose one and let us deal with it. If you admit its genuineness, then I will say that for your special exposition you have not the slightest warrant in Scripture." But the colporteur would not take a definite position, and when the meeting closed Phi lip felt that in this matter the advocates of Millenn ia l Dawn had a very weak case indeed.

APRIl" 1906.

THE

BIBLE

STAN DARD

Aucrn.AxD.-The series of addresses on the "Millennium According to Scripture" was brought to a close on Sunday evening, March 11. Larg s congregations have been in attendaanee to hear this entra ncing theme, the lecturer sparing 110 pains to make the matter clear, and so present ing it that the interest of the hearers was aroused. We trust that tbe good seed sown will bring forth full frui tage. Sunday, February 25: We had with us this morning Bro. Phipps, his wife. and two daughters, from Adelaide. These were received into fellowship on the following Sunday; so also was Bro. Nei lson, of Dunedin. On the above evening, 25th February, the subject was "The Dispensation of the Fulness of the Times." March 4: "When God Shall be All in All." March 11: "Church Union in the Light of the Glorious Future." Sunday, March 18: We had with us this morning Bro. and Sister Battson, of the Thames. In the evening Bro. Alrlridge commenced a series of addresses on "Tho Science of Salvation." The speaker disclaimed any intention of using this os a fancy title, but desired to show that ascertoined facts constituted true science, and tha t in this "Salvation" was barmonious, This being the opening address, several portions of Scripture wen read to show that the word "power" is intended to convey the idea of force, quoting Paul, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God unto salvation." Notwithstanding other attractions, there was a goodly number present, and, let us hope, all were bene fited. The Bible Class, for some reason, is not well attended. This is very discouraging to the' Class generally, and to OUr 131'0.Aldridge in particular. A good deal of time must be taken up preparing the lesson. The series of expositions of "Paul's Letter to the Hebrews" was brought to a close on Wednesday evening, March 14. During the coarse the great necessity of rightly dividing the word of truth was pointed out. It was insisted tha t special care should be taken to distinguish between the di ff'erent dispensations and those to whom the letters were addressed. The topics were as IolIows i-e-Wednesday evening, February 2R, "The New Covenant," "Without the Camp," "Our Place in the Covenant;" on Wednesday evening, March 21, a course of lectures was commenced on "The Sermon on the Mount." W.G. TIIAMEs.-On March 4th we had Sis. Rogers with us in fellowship. We are always pleased to have any of our brethren and sisters in Christ join with us. We would be further pleased if we could have these visits more frequently.

March 5th we had our annual Sunday School treat, and a most enjoyable day was spent with the united Sunday Schools of the Thames. We went by train to Omahau, and both children and parents thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It is the intention of the. officers of the Church to proceed with the work of recovering the Pollen Street Lecture Hall, though they have only half the amount of money in hand required. It is proposed to spend the amount in hand, and complete the work as the funds come in. DUNEDIN.-Our Sunday services are always well attended, although we do not get many strangers, being conducted, as usual, by the brethren. Since our last report we have had the pleasure of having several of our friends from other parts with us. On Sunday, January 21st, we had Pastor and Sister Lees, of Adelaide. Bro. Lees gave an address at the morning service, which was much appre elated. We were very sorry arrangements could not be made in time for our Bro. and Sister to have stayed longer with us. Although the time was so short, we felt we were parting with old friends when we wished them "Good-bye." We also had Bros. Grigg and C. Aldridge with us during the month. Visits such as these from those who are one with us in the faith seem to keep us in touch and draw us closer to each other, although we arc separated by miles of land and water. We are sorry to say we had to say "goodbye" to one of our esteemed members, 131'0. Neilson, who has left our city to reside with his daughter in Auckland. Although we miss him, we know he will have a warm welcome from the West Street people, and will feel quite at home with them. Greetings to all the brethren. S.L.
I

AUCKLA:I'D.-The subject of "The Second Coming" was spoken of 011 the 26th of February at an open-air meeting by our Bros. Page, Firth, and G. Aldridge. We were pleased that the attendance at this meeting was better tban at the preceding open-air. On Monday, March 5th, a paper, entitled "Wonders of the Deep." was written and read by Bro. H. Aldridge. There was a fair gathering, and the paper seemed appreciated by those present, as it opened out some of the ways of God little considered by UR. Monday, March 12th, another open-air meeting was held the attendance at which was very good. The subject of the addresses was "Immortality," and the theme WHShandled by Bros. White, Garrr-tt, and L. Falkner. The speakers seemed to have a lot to say about their subject, as the meeting was a very lengthy one. We hope that at all these meetings some good seed may fall and in due time spring up in harvest to the glory of God. R.A.

ij;rea5I1rer'l3
TO

'ElcIt 1I0\\?[e~o men ts,


16, IDOG.

MARCH

t!be

':!Little l5irl

ano

tbe !l~/lrl1l/lla()e.

A little maid, of mien sedate, One morn with salt her porridge ate, Which such a thirst provoked that she Drank deep of her well-sugared tea; Then, nodding of her curly head, "My ten's so nioe nnd sweet," she said. Mamma, who heard, no comment made, But spread some toast with marmalade, And gave it to her pet to eat Just as a very special treat. Missie devoured, with eager HiI', The luscious and unwonted fare, And when, right soon, she'd ate it up, Tasted once more her sugared cup. But now, behold! The tot is seen \Yith strangely wry and altered mien, And, as her mouth's small corners lower, She cries, "Jly tea's so d1'effu~ SOU1'." Ma stooped and kissed the curly head, Then, to improve th' oceasion. said, "Those who would have their tea taste sweet Unsweetened food before must eat, Nor their cloyed palates spoil and jade With luscious stuff like marmalade." MORAL. Hard work's the one true preparation That lends enjoyment to vacation. To those whose lives are always play A holiday's no holiday.

Staudord Subs.: Xlcssrs. D. Mitchell, Henry \\'anl, H. \Yagslaff, J. P. Mayr, L. n. \\'yaLt, s. Applelon, W. Slllith, l\lark Hallard, Frank Ba lla rd, A. W. 'I'houip on, J. H. Parke, J. Scott, L. BRtting, .T. Osborne, B. Lund, Geo. J. Menzies, J. Muir, Geo. Dawson, G20. Ogston, Greaves, W. A. Smith, M. Robertson, Geo. Duthie, M. J. Rogers, W. 13IRkey, T. N. Ba ker, E. ~1cDell, W. H. \Vainhouse, Wi ll iams, Ashley, Armstrong, H. Ed wards, W. Gibson, Harper, Ol iver Veaic, Christy, ,1. Pa rnell , F. B. Hughcs, W. S. Hughes, R. Wright, W. G. Rothe, C. W. Cropp, J. Dixon, Otto WaIter, S. JUcld, A. Harrow, J. \Valker, H. lIewin, Andrcw Ling, John Cavil!, Eo Le Roy, Tonki nson, D. Sornervi lle, Geo. Aldriclge, Battson, J. Day, R. Flanagan, J. \~Joodward, E. Cooke, H. Coop, J. R. Wheeler, Lush, Pyno, C. Ludwig, J. Salt, A. Lang, Eel\\'. Best ie, \V111. Hales, C. Neilsen, J. Moorc, W. Hood, D. Donaldson, Duncdi n Church, Mesdames Coleman, \V. Stoupes, J. Carr, G. Parker, Waterhouse, Martin, Beccrof t, C. G. Bormann, Robt. Cl ay. G. B. Touchett, R. Noble, K J. Cropp, Barker, Green, H. M. Trace, Nowell, Hutt.on, J no. Playford . 11 ssooiation. Sube.: Iesda mes Dickson, lIeron, E. J. Cropp, Green, :Miss A. Green, Messrs. Perey King. \Y. J. Wild, G. A. Green, W. E. Mason, R. Logan, J. Oaradus, Alex. Page, \1'. E. Gibson, sen., \V. Gibson, jun., Heron, E. H. Falkncr, C. C. Brown, L. \Vilcock, D. Donu.ldson, A. Skea.tes, T. P. Judkins, A. Thomson, H. Aldridge, VI. Buchanan, S. H. Grecn, Church of Christ, West Street, Church of Christ, New Plymouth, Church of Christ, Thames, Church of Christ, Wa ib i, ALEX. PAGE, 'I'reasurcr.

THE Jmparttal 1Btograpb}?

BIBLE

STANDPtRD.

.APRIL, 1906.

~be

:fl3ible Stanbarb.
the Publishe Auckland;

"Can we help observing how impartial the biographies are in the Sacred Writings? The Bible represents human nature just as it is, and the actions of men just as they were. It shews that even the best of them were but partially holy, and very imperfect, and that their religious maturity was gained but slowly, But then it is for such persons that salvation was provided. 'They that be whole need not a physician, but they that arc sick;' and though God-fearing men and women may be often contracting pollution, they may as often wash and be clean. What a contrast to all this are the biographies written by uninspired men! The subjects of them are represented as without fault-so holy, so spiri tual, so humble, so placid, so heavenly, so zealous, so full of faith, and love, and hope, and joy, and prayer, and praise! 1\1'e they fancy pictures? Had these holy 011C" no human nature?-no side of fallen flesh, and of the body of ill is death? Were they as faultless as c1cscri hE'd? If so, how different were they from the ancien t sain ts ! And how ealculated are their liiogrnpllics to cast clown the trulv humble, who know the' plague 0 E their own hearts, and arc sometimes overtaken witl. a fault, and perhaps entrapped by an easy-besetting sin! 'There is, however, this peculiarity in Bible biograiJhics, that while the}' tell of the defects and sins of God's people, they givc no encouragement to sin, bu; stimulate to improvement and amendment, to penitence and Godly sorrow, to growth in grace and hclincss.t'<From "Genesis in Advance of Present Science."

The Bible Standard can be ordered direct from W[LLIAM A. SMITH, Selwyn Road, Mount Albert, obtained from any of the Agents.

s. d. Price per annum, POB;t free 2 6 Sing-le copies 0 2 BOOK STF.W ARO-K H. FALKNEIt. Queen Street. AGENTS 'rHIC BIRLlf) S1'.dNIJA1UJ: NEW ZIALAKD. Auckland-Mr. Hancock, Bookseller, Queen Street. Wellington-H. J. Barraolough, Myrtle Crescent. Christchurch-T. P. .Iud k ins, 80, Brougham Street, Sydenham. Dunedin-Mr. Lawrence, Great King Street. Kaiapoi-Mr. James Holland. nangiora-Mr. Wm. Smith, South Brook. New Plymouth-Mr. Fred Goodacre, Courtney Road. East Uxford-Mr. A. England. Thames-Mr. C. Sanders. Macky Street. 'I'imaru--Mr. H. 1-1. King. Stafford Street. 'I'in wuld, Ashburton-Mr. Shearer. Waihi-Mr. .Ioseph Foster. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Ad cluido-c Mr. C. Gamble, Mag ill Road, Stepney , Phtpps & Hall. Printers. Pirie Street.

rou

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CHURCH
80ld

OF CHRIST
Meelln~

Services as nnder: AUCKLAND-West Street. Sunday, at 11 o'clock 11.m.. Fellowship 6.45 p m., Preaching Service. Sunday Scbool at 2.45.


we could see beyond As God can see;' If all the clouds should The shadows flee-O'er

If

to-day,

1'011 away,

HALT,. Su nd s y at 11 a.m .. F llowship Meeting. Sunday School at 3 p.m. 6.45 p.m .. Preaching Service . Wednesday even lng , Bible Class at 7.45. Evangelist'. address-Geo. Aldridge, Brentwood Avenue Mount l~den. Secretary-c-W. GibBon. Ponsonby Road. OUNEDIN-Oddfellows' Hall. Stunrt Street. Sunday at. II a.m .. Fellowship and Meeting. F.venhig Preaching Service, 6.30. Secretary's AdnressS. A. Lawrence. Great Ki ng Street. CHR [STCHURCH-Colombo Hall. Svd euham. Sundav at 1\ a.m .. Fellowship Meeting. ... 6.30 p.m .. Gospel Address. Sunday School at 2.30 p m. Wednesday a t 7.30 p.m .. Bible Study. Icvangelist-ltrnrsL Tuck. 30, H:lgin Street, Syde nharn. Secretary-To P. J'udk ins. 80. Broug hrun Street. Sydenham. 8 ELIDNSVILLE]-Foresters' Hall. Sunday Morning. F'el lo wsh lp Meettng, Sunday Afternoon. Sunday School. Sunday IDvE'nlng. Prenchl nz. Church Secretary. R. M. Cameron. 'l'HAMIDS-Pollpn Street Lecture Hall. Sunday at 11 a.m., I1'ellowshlp Meeting. Evening S('rvlce at 6.30. Sundny School at 2.30. Bible Clas3 every Wednesoay evening at 7.110 F.van~elist-E. H. Tavlor. I:lowen Street. Parawai. Secretary-C. Sanders. Ma.eky Street. W AI HI-The Miners' Union Hltll. Sunday 1\ a.m. Fellowship Meeting; ,. 2.30 p.m. Sunday School. Sunday Evening. at 7. A Public Bible Address. Ch urch Secretary-D. Donaldson. Evangelist-Joseph Foster, Waihi. TIMARU-Sopbla Street Hall. Snnday, at 11 a.m .. Fellowship Meeting. Secrntarv's Aildress-H. H. Klnl':. Stafl'ord Strr-et. Tlmarn NEW PLYMOUTH -At Mr. Green's resirl'ence, "Te Parenga, South Roa.d. Sunday, Itt 11a.m.c-F'cllowshlp. ADli]LAIDE. S.A.-Druids' Hltl!. Beulah Hoan. Norwood. Sc('retary's Aoilres~-F. R. Hlll':hes. Wooilvlllp. Printed bv THE BRF.T1' PRI""TNG ANT>PURLTSTTTNGCOMPANY. ShorLlanil Str~et, for the New ?:ert'and li:vRngAlistic and Puhlir-n.tion Assoctntlon. and nnblishod by W. A. SMITH. Selwyn Road, Mt. Albert, APRIL. 1906.

[WSKILL

griefs we would not fret, Each sorrow we would soon forget. For many joys arc waiting yet For you and me. know beyond to-day, As God doth know; Why dearest treasure. pass away And tears must f101l'And why the darkness leads to light, Why dreary paths wi l 1 soon grow brightSome clay life's wrongs will be made right; Faith tells us so.

prosant

If we could

If w; COUJf' sec! Wc often sa,}';


But God

it ,

we

could

know!

in love a veil doth throw our way; \Vc cannot see what lies before, A nd so we cling to Him the more. He leads us til I this life is o'er, Trust and obey.

Acros

-Ohristian

W01lc.

is true service while it Iasts ; Of friends, however humble, scorn not one ; The daisy, by the shadow that it casts, Protects the lingering dew-drop from the sun.
(

Srna ll service

- W ordsuort h.

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