..

T H
"1. 111",_ lite.:'

Bible Standard.
.. tbe 11ft 01 604 I. acrul tlft."

",. WIll t

...,...

VOL.

28.

No.

1.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z., JANUARY,

1907.

TWOPENCE.

kindred lovers of the "'IV ord, seeking to become deeper rooted in the things which concern the Lord-Ire give our hearty well wishes for this year also. Should this he the year which shall close the tarrying time, may it find writers and readers amongst those who are "ready."

- -----:~ ,y the favour of God we are allowed to enter : I upon another year of service. 'I'rue to its .1 original intent, the STANDAHD still upholds the Word of God as the source of its teachings, and as the touchstone of the views it examines. For more than a quarter of a century it has done these things, and now declares with unswerving only safe lines to follow. conviction that these are the docIt advocates unpopular

trines, and will still continue to set them forth. If men will hear them-well; if not, we shall still sound out the message of met Bnotber Life only in Christ, and declare meal'. that the only hope for humanity is in the return of the Lord. The passage of the years, with their garnered experience and added stores of knowledge, have but deepened the convictions cherished on these important truths, and we have met with nothing which can dim their lustre or lessen their worth. In these paragraphs, month by month, wc endeavour to give our readers some idea of the tendencies at work in the Church and the world, which show that man is ever making efforts to improve his position, individually, socially, and politically, and we have unsparingly pointed out the causes of his failure, and the only sure hope of perfect success. It may be that our words are thrown away, unread for the most part, and unheeded where read, save by the loyal few who love the Lord and His truth. But this failure to seeure a large and appreciative audience does not dishearten us. As in the vears past, so in this, we aspire to be true to our trust. and as opportunity serves to utter with no uncertain sound the things taught in the Word of Truth. To our reader -

The year 1906 has been a record ycar for evils of disastrous magnitude. The early months of the ycar were darkened by the deadly struggle between Russia and Japan, and later by the "pogroms," massacres, and repressive acts of the Power beaten in the earlier struggle. Then there B lRecol't) were the volcanic outbreaks in meal', various lands, and thc earthq uake experiences of San Francisco and South America, which showed with startling distinctness the utter helplessness of man to aid himself in the presence of such calamities. These are the things which, in the passage of the years, stamp indelibly thc mark of man's inability to secure his own betterment. That list of evils can be extended by an appeal to the recollection of our reader, of the thousand and one events of the past year all poi uting to the same fact. We look to the year that is dawning, and utter our hopes for felicity, not knowing what in its course it may bring. The record of the past teaches us that there is nothing to hope for which can' assure us of freedom from wars and rumours of wars, or that can avert the sudden calamity which works death and disaster. ']'he year now closed has marked its passage in war, eruption, earthquake, shipwreck, and mine disaster. What of the coming year? We have no guarantee that it will be better. But wc have the assurance that some time, and it may be soon, these things shall cease, and that the cessation shall be coincident with the termination of human sin and disobedience. Man shuts his eves now to the closc links between these dire misfortu~es and personal sin, but the day if; coming in which the power of God. in the abolition of both, shall make the matter clear in fact, as it is in His Word.

The war madness revived by the Boer war still continues to work in the minds of the British people. Spite .of the fact that the burdens on the British taxpayer have

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1907.

..

become intolerable, the cry goes up for still greater expenditure and further war efficiency. Here in this colony is formed ttbe mobern a National League, which urges 3-naantt)2. universal defensive training of all boys and young men, and preference in State employment and licensed occupations to British citizens who fulfil special training conditions. Its journal regrets that New Zealand decreased its defence vote by 10,000, and urges upon Government to spend money to provide rifles and ammunition that shooting may become a "great national pastime." In an alarmist article, it sets forth that "in Pekin, in Tokio, in St. Petersburg, they have marked New Zealand-quite defenceless!" It is declared that "In Europe and in Asia both, great militant States are steadily increasing their armaments. . They are arming for attack-on somebody." New Zealanders are called upon to arm for "defence." That is, it is quite certain if another nation arms, it is for "attack," whereas, if we arm, it is for "defence!" How does it come to pass that men can so blind themselves? With equal self-complacency the German, or other, says: "We must arm for defence; Britain arms for attack." So the game goes on, and it is played mainly to satisfy those who have selfish interests to further, and 'tis the people who toil, and suffer, and are called upon to fight, who pay in the fruits of their labour, and with their lives. We have erected our troopers' memorials in various parts of the colony to the memory of those who gave themselves needlessly for the Empire. Let it not be forgotten that a calm judgment of that war in which they lost their lives is in harmony with the opinion of those who, when it was in progress, earned for themselves the name of "Pro-Boer," and who were the objects of scoffing and suspicion. We are not of those who believe with Roosevelt that "the best aid to peace is to be able to shoot straight," his own country being the witness to the folly of his remark in the numberless murders which are committed by those who carry out the doctrine to individual application. As an indication that the teachings of Conditional Immortality are still doctrines to be reckoned with, we may call attention to the fact that a book has recently been published, entitled "A Biblical Concordance on the Soul, the Intermediate State, and the Resurrection," by the Rev. G. Bn 3-mportant WaIler, M.A. This is named by the 'Wlorh. Jewish World "a book for the curious." It adds: "It contains all the passages in which the Hebrew words N ephesh. and Sheol occur, as well as those passages which speak of death, as, for example, (to sleep with one's fathers,' or (not to be.' Likewise all New Testament passages which contain the Greek words psyche and hades. We have checked the author's compilation here and there, and have found no errors. The burden of his message is that Sheol means nothing more and nothing less than the grave; that when {to ma,v.,q.ies

he remains there in an (intermediate' stage of unconsciousness and rest until the great day of judgment: The author's summing up on the great question concerning man's state in death is emphatic, and we should like to place this Bible help in the hands of every Bible reader, and ask him to carefully examine the passages, with their usages of the words, and then see if they can object to the author's own statement, which is, "What, then, can Sheol (Gk. Hades) be, as described in the Old Testament Scriptures, but the grave, or sepulchre, or place of the dead, to which man is said to go in body and soul after death, in a dead state. There being no mention in the Old Testament of any existence of man, or of any part of man, in Sheol (Hades), or elsewhere, independent of a living organism or body, consequently there can be no consciousness, and therefore no happiness or suffering of man after death, except in a resurrection body, at the day of judgment." He further states: "Resurrection, therefore, was the great central hope of the Old Testament Church, an existence after death (independent of the body) being derived from heathenism and heathen philosophy." Dr. Fitchett, of Melbourne, is a prolific writer, and one of his recent books has come in for a large share of rasping criticism. With the object of showing the superiority of Christianity over Rationalism, he wrote a novel, entitled "Ithuriel's Spear." As. a story, it contains its measure of IDr. jfttcbett sensational incident, with the incrtttctset evitable love thread running through it. The criticisms are not directed so much to these things as to the motives which are supposed to underlie the actions of the different characters. 'Ye' are not prepared to follow the author, either in his presentation of Christianity or altogether in the presentation of Freethought, although it must be conceded he makes some most effective points. But our intentiou is to call attention to the manner in which the book is viewed by those who look upon so-called Freethought as the very highest intellectual position to be attained. A correspondent in the British. Wee7cly, condemniug the book, says: "It is well-nigh impossible for a young man of particular views and progressive ideas to remain in the Church. Because his mental horizon is greater, and his logic more sound, he may not be able to see eye to eye with those who claim to be orthodox and the sole possessors of truth. It carries no weight that such a man is a genuine seeker after truth, and a reverent worshipper of the Most High: and of all that is good and true. . . . He may be doing some useful social work, and trying to live up to the highest that is within him, and thus gradually be working out his own salvation, but if he is unable to subscrihe to the current orthodox creed he is denied the title of Christian and refused a place in the Church." All this is a testimony to human conceit difficult to match for its ignorance of the Church, the standing of

,
JaNUARY,

1907.

THE;' BIBLE

STANDARD.

thc Christian, and the ground of his service. It is a common thing for men of Freethought tendencies to boast of their intellectual eminence. But the claim is not necessarily 1Stg wttb conceded. It may be .that some at concert. least of the community have pro- gressed in matters of thought far beyond the conceited youth who prides himself upon his progressive thonght, and have reached reasonable conclusions which, if somewhat humbling to human pride, do yet exalt the truth of God. The point is, whether or not this supposed intellectual giant has a right to a place in the Church, whilst he rejects the foundation doctrines on which the Church rests? Inside the Church is not the place for those who are seeking after the knowlcdge of such primal matters as their own state before God, the fact of the Atonement, and the doctrine of sins forgiven upon faith in Christ. Only those who have "found" certainty on these matters have a right inside, and it looks much like a desire to share in privileges which are not legitimately obtained if a man wants to be inside a church without acceptance of the basic things which can alone explain the 'existence of the Church. He may do some userhl social work, but this is his duty, irrespective of Christianity, and he may be doing his best morally. This, too, he ought to do for his own sake, and in relation to society, but neither of these things are any warrant by which he should be admitted to the Church. There is but one door, and that is very low, through which only the humble, penitent sinner can enter. If a man objects to that entrance, it cannot be altered -to suit him. Man did not constitute the Church, and the terms are not to be altered to suit his notions of what ought to be. "The hypothesis of a lost and ruined race, on which so much of the Church's teaching is founded, and which, indeed, is needed to justify some of it, is felt by an increasing number of persons to be obsolete." So says a writer in the Ht'bbert Journal. The whole article is intended to show 3-9 tbe mace that the Church is now being mlltne~ ? shaped by surrounding influences, so that the old conception as to its nature and character is giving place to juster and more acceptable ideas. We may say right at once, that if the race is not lost and ruined, then there is no need for the Church, nor, indeed, is there any need for a message of salvation at all. The idea that some individuals only may sink so low that they may be spoken of in some figurative fashion as "lost" may be very gratifying to men in the mass, hut it is an idea which will not harmonise with facts. 'I'hese modern writers will persistently keep their attention upon the idea that it is within man's power to become mentally capable and morally better. But mental power wanes, and man is never as good as he ought to be. There are such things to observe, too, as man's 'physical state, the prevalence of disease, and the ravages of death; such items. too, as man's proved incapacity to govern fOT the

advantage of the "greatest number." These things are explainable on the view that the race is lost and ruined, and needs external power and grace if ever it is to be lifted from that state; but if the Bible view is not the true one, then the present state is a hopeless puzzle, and certainly there is nothing put forward by these writers which will help us to arrive at any reason why things should be as they are, or, being so, can indicate how there can be improvement. The old "hypothesis," socalled, is "truth." It satisfactorily supplies a reason for the present state, and it points with steady finger to the remedy. It shows the manner in which the "race," lost and undone, can become a race saved and perfected in Christ the Second Man, To reject the fact and the remedy is simply, ostrich-like, to hide one's head in the sand, and then affirm that there is no danger because we do not see it. The idea of "Reunion" is taking deeper root in the larger denominations, and the practical examples of its utility are assisting to further it. There are some Christians who urge it upon the ground that believers ought to be one in matters of faith, but it seems clear that this is not the cburcb meunton. governing idea in every case. A writer in the Hibberi Journal gives some reasons for such reunion. His reasons are: "( 1) That it would be an act of obedience to the declared desire of the Lord of the Church, and as such would bring all the Churches into nearer union with His will. (2) It would apply a counter weight to the movement towards reunion with Rome, and make it clear that for a Protestant Church the only possible centre for a reunion movement is Christ. (3) It would supply an organ for the Christian conscience on impor-tant questions of public policy. Since the Reformation the Christian Church, as such, has had no distinct voice in the counsels of the nation." Other reasons are given, but these are the most important. We note that nothing is said about a common agreement to accept Bible language in its plain and unmistakable speech as a basis of union. This seems to us to be the necessary prelude to everything else. But let us candidly say, it is the third reason that we fear. The desire of the Church for the attainment of power, and her entry into the counsels of the nations, are by no means attractive things to view. Nowhere in the New Testament is provision made for such a position, and the desire of the Church for reunion, in order to obtain it, bodes anything but good for the Church, or for the general cause of Christianity. History tells of a united Church-the Church of Rome-and her history ought to be a warning as to the dangers awaiting ecclesiastical interference in the counsels of the nations. The Anglican Church, in the past, had great powers, and even now acts generally ac1versely to the betterment of the people, putting its own interests first, even though this may mean oppression for the people. Ten thousand times better is it for the many conflicting sects to be in existence, strug-

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

11)07.

gling for truth, than for a great Church to replace them, uni ted upon the least minimum of doctrine, and seeking to forward its own interests, whatever they may be, it Illay be to the disaster of the State. A new corumandment has been formulated by a professor in the University of St. Petersburg. He calls it "The twelfth commandment," and gives it thus: "Tho'11 shalt not write about anything that thou dost not understand." Being Professor of PhyCl nwelftb sics, he submits the writings of C:OI1lI1Hlnlll1lent, Haeckel, the Evolutionist, to the test, and concludes from his examination that "everything that Haeckel, in his treatment of physics, declares and maintains is false, testifying to a scarcely credible ignorance of the most elementary knowledge." This is not thc utterance of a theologian, but of a man who ranks high as' a scientist. The name of Haeckel is supposed by Rationalists to be a name to be conjured with when matters of evolutionary science are mooted, and the Rationalist party has put his works into circulation, and seems to consider that by his investigations the Bible doctrine of creation is entirely set aside, and the clear proof is afforded that man has come to his present position in the ranks of being through a long series of innumerable a.nd infinitesimal changes. His work has received some rough handling from fellow scientists, and this last onslaught is a severe blow delivered against his somewhatinfiated writings. On this point we cannot judge, but it is certain that Haeckel knows nothing about the teaching of the Bible, and this twelfth commandment aptly applies in that reference. That in the chosen domain of science he should be assailed, and virtually told that he is an ignoramus, is a matter that the defender of the Bible will remember when Haeckel's name is cited in future as an authority before whom he should bow in reverence. What is the Gospel? and Where is it to be found? are questions of import at the present time, in view of the numerous presentations of it which are persistently drilled into our ears. A book has been written, bearing the title of "The Gospel in the Gospels," and it suggests the questions. '{tbe (i3ospelAs a rule, those who present the Wlbat? Gospel usually select some particular portion of Bible teaching, and arbitrarily assert it to be the Gospel. Onedeclares that the death of Christ for sin is the Gospel; another asks that you should .accept his presentation of the Law of Moses as the guide to eternal life; yet another will demand that you should agree to his creed, or standard, or declaration of faith, as the gospel whereby alone you can be saved. The teaching of Christ, as set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, is supposed by several sects to embody what there is in Gospel message to men of the present. How few seem to understand that the Gospel message God has sent to men lies in His covenants and promises, ant! that the

offer of these has been made in differing dispensations on terms which, suited to the dispensation, made that presentation the Gospel to the men to whom it was given; and tha t the same good news comes to us, and is made available upon terms which are peculiar to the present dispensation-tcrms which are clearly stated in the record whence we obtain the good news. Whatever may be the "Gospel in the Gospels," it is as certain as anything can well be that the Gospel message to men in the present is to be found in the Epistle to the Romans, and that it is not to be confused with the messagc as it was prcsented by the Lord to His own people, the Jews. The Gospel in the gospels was a local message, presenting to the faithful Jew the hope of the near approach of the Kingdom, with an assurance of entry upon it if the Christ was accepted in the way laid down in the conditions, but certainly that is not the exact message for to-day, nor are the terms of its acceptance identical with those set forth in the present message.

:fBrief l6~po9itioIlS.
"B e that is not aga'inst us is for US."-LUKE ix. 50; MARK ix. 40. "He that is not with Me is against Me."-MATT. xii. 30; LUKE xi. 23.
ONLY the most superficial reader can mistake these two sayings for contradictory versions of one and the same statement. Apart from the fact that Luke records them both, a very slight glance at the context of each will at once show them to be spoken at different times and for different purposes. Both sayings are in that proverbial form which our Lord often used to convey His most important teaching; maxims conveying much in few words, easily remembered, and searching out "the thoughts and intents of the heart." The first quoted (probably second in time of utterance) was spoken to His disciples in rebuke of their mistaken zeal in the case of a man, not of their own number, whom they saw casting out demons in the name of their Master. "We forbad him, because he followed not with us." Instead of meeting with our Lord's approval, they were rebuked, and told they had mistaken a friend for a foe, in their narrow way of judging of things. This man, whom they interdicted, was an ally, not an enemy. That he did not habitually follow in their little company did not warrant them in condemning his action. He showed, by his doing a good work in the Dame of the Lord Jesus, thar he, too, was a disciple, and his work was "for," not against, the Master's cause. It is a lesson for Christ's disciples in all ages, to be very careful how they judge the work done by others professedly in His name. It shows that, in the eye of the righteous Judge, there may be true discipleship and service outside our ideas. We should therefore learn to be modest in our estimate of our own service, and tolerant in our judgment of otheriS who "follow not with us," yet claim to

JA'NUARY,

1907.

THE

BIBLE STANDARD.

serve the same Lord and Master. The day which shall reveal the secrets of all hearts may show that He approves what we were inclined to forbid (1 Cor. iv. ?,:i5~. There may be many varieties in method and outward manifestation of discipleship. Let us be careful not to treat as enemies those who, after all, may be, in the Master's judgment, on our side in the great fight against thc evil that is in the world. The second saying is of a different sort, ana of much more solemn personal import. "He that is not with Me is against Me." The personal pronoun is here changed, and there is a world of difference in the thought conveyed. It is no longer a question of identifying one's self with some particular company of professed disciples. It goes to the very root of the matter, personal allegiance to the Lord Himself. "He that is not with ME," is an enemy. There is no place here even for neutrality. We must be either "with," or we are reckoned "against," in this warfare. The words were called forth by one of the most bitter exhibitions, on the part of the men of His time, of personal hostility to the Lord. Even when thev could not deny the actuality of His works of power and .mercy, they still could sneeringly pretend to believe that He was in league with the prince of evil, whose strongholds He was' taking by force. And Jesus, in rebuking this foolish and hostile spirit, laid down for all time the broad line of demarcation between His kingdom and the kingdom of darkness (Luke xi. 13-22). Anyone who is not prepared to welcome and obey Him must be classed among the followers and helpers of the evil one. There is here no half-way house, no via media. Either we must acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Master, or we are against Him. If this be the meaning of the two sayings under consideration, they are clearly independent of each other, yet each true in its separate sphere of application. Their purpose and teaching are different, but it js useful to put them the one over against the other, for their very contrasts serve to emphasise the lessons they respectively teach. The one has to do with a disciple's connection with some particular company of the Lord's followers, and there the call is to humility of mind in O\n judgment of others who profess the name of Christ. The other has to do with the disciple's relation to the Lord Himself, and there the demand is strict and without compromise; there must be sincere loyalty to Him who bought us, and who asks the undivided allegiance of every heart.

M. W.
Bearsden, Glasgow.

STRA

G.

I
WAS

\tbe jflollrisbing of tbe Rlmon() \tree,

lately asked to explain the reference to the "fl our-

ishing of the almond tree," which occurs in Ecclesiastes xii. 5, in the description of the symptoms of the advance of old age and senile decay.

This one feature seems decidedly out of harmony with the rest of the passage, which so graphically depicts thc failure of every natural force and desire. When we read "the almond tree shall flourish," we are reminded of the joyous flush of the spring-time, rather than of the retreating sap of winter; of the vigorous opening of life, rather than of its waning close; of the budding of a new life's hopes rather than of a time when "desire shall fail." Feeling this, expositors have generaUy explained the words as referring to the "hoary head" of age, symbolized by "the white blossom of the almond tree." Yet this explanation has failed to satisfy some students familiar with the appearance of the almond tree in bloom in Palestine. The Rev, Jas. Neil, in his "Palestine Explored," has the following interesting remarks on the subject:"A striking winter feature of Bethany, the modern El Aearieh, is a number of almond trees, which cluster round the poor, ruined vi ilage, leafless as yet, butieginning to put forth, early in February, an' abundance of whitish blossoms la.1'gely tinged with pink. I have often admired this little grove, and whilst doing so have felt that, in the solemn and affecting description of the closing scene of life, given us in the last chapter of Ecclesiastes, this tree cannot have been introduced to picture the whiteness of an old head, This light, cheerful rosecolour displays far more the bloom of youth than the snows of age." Mr. N eil goes on to maintain that the usual rendering of the words is a mistake. He says:"It is diffieul t to understand why our translators here render na-aiz by the word 'flourish,' seeing that this Hebrew term means, in every other place, 'to provoke,' 'abhor,' or 'despise.' It is here in the hiphel mood, the mood which implies 'causing;' and the right rendering would naturally seem to be 'the almond' (that is, its nul, which is throughout the Holy Land a very favourite and constant article of food) causes loathing, and the locust (which others can eat), 'is a burden' to the aged, toothless, old man." I In support of this suggestion, it may be stated that the verb na-aiz occurs twenty-five times in the Old Testamen t. Of these occurrences, twenty-four bear the sense of "provoke, abhor, etc.," as above stated. It is hard to see, therefore, how the word came to be rendered "flourish" in the isolated twenty-fifth passage. That rendering, or some equivalent, appears in most versions, including the revised version of 1885. But Mr. Neil's suggestion is supported by some eminent authorities, For example, Bagster's "Analytical Hebrew Lexicon" gives the meaning in Eccles. xii, 5 as "to be despised." Parkhnrst, in his Hebrew Lexicon, says) that the translation "shall flourish or blossom" does not present us with "a natural. and unforced sense of the word," which "never has anything like this meaning elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible." He suggests, therefore, that the passage should be rendered "sheds its bloom," that is, casts it off. Finally, Gesenius, in his standard Hebrew Lexicon, explains the passage as meaning "spernitur, fastidi-

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1907.

tur," that is to say, in English, "is spurned, is loathed," and expressly condemns the translation "shall flourish" as contrary to the context. . I~ only remains to add that 1\1r. Neil is also perfectly justified III understanding the "almond" in the passage referred to, not of the tree, but of its fruit. 'I'he Hebrew word may mean either. In Gen. xliii. 11 and Num. xvii. 8, 23, for example, it is clearly used o'f the nut. M. W. STRANG. Bearsden, Glasgow.

.--0-.. 0-- .. -0- .. 0-- .. -0-. -

lEchoes

from

'UUlest Street.
.---%--..-0-- ..--%--..-0--..--%--. tl lAew ll'enr'~ !I1)C'tto.
"Looking for the blessed hope."-Trrus ii. 13. IN the good providence of God, we are privileged to enter upon another year, and, as in former years, so now, we are able to join in worship, and in the usual acts which go to make up the total of our evening service. I presume that as in former years, so now, the new year resolutions have been made, and we have determined that this year shall see us free from the follies of former years, and that in uprightness and strong endeavour we will pass through the period now opening upon us. 1 trust that behind such resolutions there is the strength that comes from reliance upon the grace and power of God, for, if made in our own strength, then are they valueless. Only as the ultimate foundation is in God can there be safety and security. I desire to-night to give a motto for the year, a motto easy to remember, and yet one that shall be full and suggestive, and, if adopted as our motto, will set us before the eyes of the Church and the world as a dist.nct and peculiar people, having a definite object of hope, a controlling force in our lives, a motive and st.mulu: to service, and an inward source of happiness not to be destroyed by any untoward event which the year in its passage may bring upon us. Here is the motto: "Looking for the blessed hope." This passage has been often dwelt upon in our exhortations, but we have never pretended that it has been exhausted either in public speech or in private study. Let us now adopt it as our motto for this year, and, as we do so, seek to view some of the things which necessarily lie within it. (1) It puts before us the word ''hope.'' That has a cheery, optimistic sound. It is usually supposed that we are a pessimistic folk, always viewing the dark side, but never was there a greater mistake. We are the true optimists. There is a sunshine in our sky never seen in the skies of the worldling, or, indeed, of the orthodox Church member. These follow delusive lights which gleam weirdly and then vanish in the gloom of night. But there is a true hope which abides-the root of Chris-

tian happiness. Christianity is essentially a religion of hope, for it is founded on a living hope. 'I'he eye of faith looks for glorious things in the future, and this because God, who cannot fail, whose word has been verified in its progress, bids us to hope. He does not require that His children should live lives of doubt and fearfulness, but that they should look with bright certainty for something good to come. The hope looks for something good, and because it is distant and future and good, hope includes the desire to attain it. Someone has said of hope that "this wonderful engine moves the world and keeps all men busy; everyone soon finds his present state not perfectly good, and hopes some way to make it better." It is this faculty of our being to which the Bible ministers, and encourages us to fix attention upon some specific object that it may be fed and strengthened. In the epistle to the Ephesians, Paul presents the "one hope," and I gather, by a comparison of Scripture with Scripture, that that blessed hope is one with that which actuated the ancient worthies, the pious Jews at the first Advent, the disciples, apostles and early believers, and many a humble follower down to the present day. Vve are falling into line with them if we adopt this motto. Abraham believed "in hope," and so did his seed-the hope expressed in the covenants, reiterated by the prophets, and preached by the apostles; a hope centred in God, renewed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, preached by the apostles, and wrought 9Y the Spirit. (2) It is a distinct hope. There are many hopes before men to-day; even the Church has varying hopes before it. It has been said that "an evangelical ministry, a sanctified press, an active Church, is the hope of the world." One teacher puts death, another the first Advent; one has the law, another the Gospel; one has education, another humanity; one has science, another' philosophy; one has spiritism, another the Church and its sacraments. So there are numerous hopes, but this motto puts but one hope, and it names it so that there can be no mistake, characterising it as "blessed." What is this hope? The context will tell. It is the Second Advent of the Lord. That is the distinct hope of the Church. (3) It is a comprehensive hope. In view of former statements as to the Dispensational hopes of the past, we can say our hope is the "hope of Israel" (Acts xxviii. 20). The mighty agent through whom our blessed expectations shall be realised is "our hope" (Col. i. 27). Som.etImes we are gravely informed that the hope we cherish was well enough for the age which first entertained it, but that the men of the past viewed these matters from a carnal standpoint, and we to-dav, with clearer spiritual enlightenment, must modify their view. cll, c~rtainly the present modification has so changed it that It bears no resemblance whatever to the orisrina 1 ''hope of the Gospel." We protest that our hope ~hall not be s~ mani'pul~ted. It has been confirmed to us by an oath III which It was impossible for God to lip. and we dare not reject it or substitute it for another. Good men have actually put death in its place, and have given

:v

JANUARY,

1907.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

the position of honour to Captain Sepulchre and Standard-Bearer Corruption. We cannot consent to this, for Christ is our Hope, and He covers all our desires. (4) It is a prominent hope. It is prominent in the New Testament. One writer says, "The Second Advent is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament, or, if the whole book is divided into verses, it occupies one of twenty-five verses from the first of Matthew to the last of Revelation." Let it be just as prominent in our faith, and in our speech, and as an influence in our lives. Let it be in us so that "the God of hope fill you all with joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in the power of the Holy Spirit." Yes, that hope is prominent, and it is to be held and cherished during the absence of the Redeemer. Having told us "I come again," we believe Him, and, loving Him, we are waiting for the return of "Christ our Hope." (5) Its characteristic--it is a blessed hope. That is its nature. It is a hope to bring gladness. Long ago Justin Martyr said, "You see all sorts of men big with the hopes of His second coming in glory." We should rejoice -in it because it is a desirable hope, the most desirable that can be realised. "It is an event desired by Christ Himself, for then He obtains His inheritance , His glory will be revealed, and 'He shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.' It is desirable to the Father, for then His oath-bound covenants will be verified, and His praise will be promoted through the Son of His love; desirable to the angels, for then the things in which they are so deeply interested will be disclosed in the glory that follows; desirable to saints, because they will attain to the glory, kingship and rulership to which they are called; desirable to the Jewish nation, because then shall this Mighty Monarch who is coming interpose on their behalf; and desirable to the race, as such, because then shall be introduced the series of acts which shall result in lifting the race out of its present condition into the enjoyment of millennial blessedness ; desirable to the earth, for then shall it be ~lothed with abiding beauty, and bring forth its fruits III gladness." Yes, this is our hope, our blessed hope, ~ h.ope that is shared by all who earnestly and sincerely believe the Word-the hope of His return to raise the dead and take His ransomed to Himself. It is the brightest and most cheerful prospect that dawns on man, and we should be ready whenever it occurs to hail Him as our glorious Redeemer, our returning Lord, and earth's greatest benefactor. That blessed hope will yield untold blessings to 'earth and its inhabitants, as well as to the Church, and will fully satisfy all the best and deepest yearnings of men for abiding betterment to humanity. There is not a true aspiration for the weal of the race, whether individual, social, or political, but shall then be realised to the full, for the Word of God has promised it. This, then, is the blessed hope which I would urze upon you to cherish with greater ardour during this year ---the hope of the coming of the Lord, for it is the next

great event to happen. The Old Testament saints looked, forward to the first advent. It was their polar star. After weary ages faith was turned into sight. Men saw Him; Simeon took Him in his arms; Mary sat adoring at His feet; Peter pressed close to His side; John rested on His bosom; Paul saw Him, and the sight was His salvation. Jews and Gentiles saw Him and put Him to death upon the Cross. But He rose, and was received on high, leaving behind Him the cheering message, "I will return." And since that day those who are taught to believe His Word have looked for His second coming. This is their polar star. Again the ages have been long and weary, but the end cometh. The world may scoff, and the Church may let go this blessed hope, but at the appointed time the Lord will come, and in power. Men shall see Him, and shall behold the saints sitting with Him in power, and in the exercise of righteous judgment. This is the great truth which pervades and inflames the Scriptures. It is a Divine certainty. The Word makes it a ground of argument, a powerful motive, a source of strength to faith, a hope that encourages, a promoter of humility, a fortifier of patience. It mitigates sorrow, incites watchfulness, impels obedience, inspires prayer, increases holiness, and awakens joy. By it Christ's people are made _strong for the battle of life, that they may win the conqueror's crown. What wonder that Paul should call it "the blessed hope." Is it so to us? If in any degree we have learned to wait for the Lord from heaven, may it be that through this year also that hope shall be our great attraction, drawing us ever onward to more exalted heights of faith and service. There are some before me to whom this hope presents no aspects of blessedness. Whatever associations of jOJ may be onnected with it, these are wholly hidden from their gaze, because they are not linked by faith to the Coming One. Indeed, in their present .condition it is certain that the mere prospect of His Advent is terrifying. Dear friends, may I urge upon you now, as this New Year opens, that you shall change your service, and become a free man in Christ? Have you not long enough served Satan, with no prospect ahead of any permanent blessing? Remember the "end of these things is death." Here, as this New Year dawns upon you, is an opportunity to exchange these present unsatisfactory hopes for the only permanent and joy-giving hope. It means to you a present forgiveness of sins. I t means the introduction to the household of God. It means, too, the certainty of eternal life, and a joyful participation in all the joys of the future which the Advent of the Lord in power shall bring to this sad earth. Joy unspeakable and full of glory from the happy God who wills that "all families of the earth shall be blessed." The grace of God now brings salvation nigh. When salvation is realised it will mean joyous participation in the glory. This offer is made to you, and to all who will receive it. Recei~ it now by faith, and stand with us, as we enter this year, beneath the banner which records that we are "looking for the blessed hope." New Year's address by the Editor.

8
TABLE
THE HRIE~' MONTH "'ltO.\l ..
::)'I'R}O-:RT

=====~==========================~--OF CONTENTS.
PAGE 1-4 EXPOSITIONS. \V 1':8T NOTES.. OF' GRACE A '"IV LEAF
E'I'IO{NAL Llt<'I~..

'rdE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY.

190i.

~he :JBe6etting Sin.

4-6 6-7
. 8 8 9-10 10-11 11

BACH

l::!-:CHOES THE THE THR T'HE

ASSOCIATlO" YEAR BURIED

BESF:'r'J'ING SIN U"ER

TURNING

TALE"T 13

HOME CIltCL}i.. -TALKS ON. > CllURCH AND MISSlON ,N.,wE> CUHIS'I'JAN Bxx n
CORHI!:SPONUlNCI'; MISCELLANEOUS .. IS lIE DEAD 1

12-13
14

U-.
11 15 .. 16

I.' A MAN lJIE,

~ (b~' Bibl~ Standard. ~

/ ~}.Y

MONTHTL

Y ORGAN

0" THI

ntw' ZtaJand oangtllstlc and Publication Jlssoclatlon.

EDITED BY GEOROE ALDRIDGE.

ASSISTED BY SPECIAL CO:-lTRIBUTIONfl.

The Editor wishes it to be understood that, while he exercises n general supervision over the articles and Correspondence appearing in the STj.ND.l..RD, reapou sibility for sentiments expressed rests upon the individual writer.

Beeociation 1Rotes.
A Happy New Year to all our readers. With favourable weather, the Conference Picnic at Pine Island should be a great success. Hitherto these annual outings have been opportunities ternal intercourse, the old-time pleasure. Let all who can attend the Conference do so, to take part in the discussions on the themes to be introduced by the essayists. By the collision of opinion light is elicited. Every delegate should be in place and on time, that no part of the business may be missed. On his way home from the South, the Editor called in at 'I'imaru for a few hours, and had a pleasant chat with Bros. King and Pearson. At Christchurch, opportunity was taken to see some of the brethren, and to talk over their state. Since the sale of their hall, and Bro. Tuck's departure for Melbourne, there has been no meeting of the church. This is a state of things to be deplored. At New Plymouth, a short chat with Bro. Mason revealed how much he regretted the loss of Bro, 'Green's companionship. For the present, Bro. Mason gives his 'assistance to the Primitive Methodist Church, but is by no means neglectful of his duty to spread the message of Life, only in Christ. for pleasant fraand we hope this occasion will have

person is more or less subject to the influence of certain easily-besetting sins. His nature, his constitution, his past history, his surroundings. and his special temptations, have rendered him pecul iarlv vulnerable in certain specific points. In other respects he mav Le strong; in thesc hc may still be very weak. 'One man is tempted to anger. He is easily irritated, and on 'LIlO slightest provocation does and savs things which he can only remember with rezrct. Another porion seems ;'0 have no temptation in this direction. l Ic is calm, cool, collected, and solf-contnincd ; but porha ps Ill' wi11 misrepresent, deceive, and even lie, and th ink he does God service by so doing. Another man is tempted to dishonesty; while his neighbour has not the slighLest inclination to steal, but perhaps never pan; his debts, and so robs his best friends of a thousand ti mes as much as anyone has ever stolen from them. One man would scorn to lie and misrepresent, but he would curse, and swear, and blaspheme 'both God and man. 'rhus each person has certain sins which coincide with his natural inclinations, and he sometimes expends tho f'ury of his virtuous indignation upon sins which he is not j nclined to commit, and at the same timc follows his 0\\'11 chosen wrong course, and runs 'grcedily in the ways of unrighteousness. 'I'here are two things which impede 11S ill the Christian race. First, the weights, or bu rdens, whatever they are, which we have taken npon ourselves. 'I'hey may be the burdens of care, of labour, of wealth, of office, of business, or of friendship. But whatever things there are which hinder us from making swift progress in the heavenly course, are to be set aside. 'With them we are also to lay aside thc sin that does so easily beset us. That one special failing, of which, if we will be honest, we must be conscious-that onc sin which besets, which surrounds, which lies in ambush for us, and which leads us astray again and again-we are to put entirely awo!). Other sins are less 'dangerous than that; and whatever may be its actual enormity, as compared with other sins of other men, it is the sin which is most dangerous and ruinous to us,' hcnce it is the sin which must be sternly set aside. Wherefore, "leL us lay aside eve?'!) weight. and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let LIS ruu wi th patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. xii. 1).H. L. Hastings.

When the heart reasons love is its logic. Condolence is the nursing bottle of misery. King Commerce has no use for the moral law. Flattery acts on pride like yeast in bread-causes it to rise. The proverbial wisdom of the world has been born among the common people. Some church members are like lemons-they have to be squeezed to get out what is good. .

JANUARY,

1907.

THE

BIBLE STANDARD.

~be

)l)eat of <Brace,

1907.

SIX years have come and gone since the commencement of the new century. And now we begin the sevenththe year 1907-of the twentieth century. More than nineteen hundred years have elapsed since the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem; but, being despised and rej ected of men, He went back to the heavens' from whence He came. Ere He departed to "the far country" (Luke xix. 12) He promised that "after a long time" (Matt. xxv. 19) He would return. We wonder whether or no the year 1907 will witness the first steps of that return, by His gathering to Himself through resurrection and ascension the completed, glorified Church, who \V i11 meet Him "in the clouds" (1 Thess. iv. 17). If this thrice happy event-the marriage of Christ and His Church (2 Cor. xi. 2)-shall take place this year, then shall be started on earth that series of events outlined in the Book of Revelation which will succeed each other with furious haste, and culminate ~vithin a very few years (not exceeding seven-Rev. xiii. 5; compare Dan. x. 27) in the descent of the Son of David to this earth, and the Usurper Satan being shut up in prison (Rev. xx. 1-3). God's appointed King shall gather into His own hands the reins of the government of an emancipated world. It is quite possible that the year 1907 may be the elect year-would God that it may be so-but to say that it will be so, would be to give the lie to t.he declaration of Jesus Christ, who said, "Of that day and hour knowoth no one." But, outside the purposes and hidden counsel of God, there is no reason why 1907 should not prove to be the set time for the commencement of those brief but wondrous operations by which the kingdoms of this world shall become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. . But no one has any right to say more than, "I hope it may be so." The study of prophecy has received most rude blows at the hands of would-be modern prophets, who have time after time fixed dates--even the month and the week-as to when our Lord should return. N apoleonL, and afterwards Napoleon Ill., was declared to be the coming Antichrist, thus presaging the nearness of the Second Advent. Nothing came of the predictions, and so prophecy becomes the laughing stock of the irreverent, arid a stumbling-block is cast in the way of devout souls who otherwise might become prophetic students. We cannot lay any stress upon the arithmetic of prophecy, because the starting-point, as well as many of the integers; of the calculations lack in certainty. When the new-tne twentieth-century began, what beautiful things were said' about the "good times" upon which the world was entering. The crime of war was not to be repeated, for the nations had learned wisdom, and a peaceful arbitration would settle any unhappy disputes. The universality of education was to remove much ignorance, and, in consequence, various vices would disappear. Perfected sanitary arrangements would

eradicate sickness and disease. Scientific discoveries would revolutionise antiquated ideas and make "all things new." But how soon the bubble burst! The Russo-J apanese war was the most fierce and deadly of modern times. The nations to-day confront each other "armed to the teeth." Religious questions are more unsettled than ever. A general complaint of the irreligion of the rising generation is heard on every hand in every land. And social problems seem more complex and difficult than ever. The fact is, that any man accustomed to moral reflection cannot fail to see that there are signs of an impending change of unprecedented thoroughness. The scenes that are shifting on the broad theatre of the world at the present time are of such gigantic proportions and of such profound significance in relation to each other and the immediate future, that he who does not see in them a lesson of deep meaning can hardly be commended for his tha,nghtfulness. In his recent Presidential address at the Autumn Assembly of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Rev. F. B. Meyer said: "There is no need to argue that human society is passing through one of the greatest -revolutions of history. Probably it is no hyperbole to say that our day is historic with the greatest destinies of any since the Cross of the Son of Man: It is not only that the last remains of the feudal system are breaking up and passing away, but that a new order of society is slowly emerging. We hail a long step in advance toward the Parliarnent of the world, the Magna Charta of Universal Peace and the Federation of Man in a common Brotherhood. A new world is coming into being, in which there will be no extravagant, self-indulgent Smart Set on the one hand, or Tramp Class at the other." And he goes on to say: "There is no fear that the new order of society will be ushered in with the wild fury of anarchy like that which accompanied the French Revolution. Society is working out its own salvation under the prompting of the Divine Spirit. Men are becoming imbued with the idea of racial unity. The Labour party denounce war because, in their view, man is brother to man the world over." But now comes an utterance that, while approved of by many, will be repudiated by a few as unscriptural and utterly misleading. "The Free Baptist Church is fitted to give direction and tone to the New Age which is at hand. Our Churches are well fitted to be the instructors of this virile period of the world's mature age. We must enthrone Christ in the national life-we must bring about a better understanding between Capital and Labour, and secure a national standard of righteousness which shall make impossible past corruptions. This is the position which was assigned to us in the eternal purposes of God. We must bear much fruit in the redemption of a lost race. This is the hour of matchless opportunity. A brotherhood of righteousness, a kingdom of' . social justice, shall be established by the Church of the future. That Church shall be exalted to the top of the mountains, and all nations shall flow unto her. We must

10

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1907.

take part in the social reconstruction of our time. The great battle of the twentieth century will be the final struggle between the Jesuits and the individual human conscience. Let us fight out the fight to its. issue now and here, and get a settlement that will not need to be disturbed." 'I'he eloquent address of the respected President deserves a ~W(;lfulperusal, for wise words are spoken concerning topics' of' high importance. But, according to our reading of the Scriptures, there is absolutely no foundation for the mission he assigns to the Free Churches, or, indeed, to any churches. On the contrary, the Spirit "saith expressly" that at the end of this age "grievous times shall come" (1 Tim. iv.; 2 Tim. iii.). We need not labour this point. To regenerate the world is no part of the task committed to the Christian Church. It will be no more successful toward this end in 1907 than in 1906, or in 2907, than in the Apostolic age. When will our Church leaders bow to the truth, that they and the Churches are absolutely powerless, so far as gaining a universal victory over the world, flesh and devil is concerned, that they will never be able to curb the trinity of evil? Why this persistent ignoring of the one and only hope for Church and world, i.e., the return of the Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven? We know exactly where we are in the world's 'history. The prophet Daniel is our instructor. We are not living under the head of gold, but in the times when "the clay" is about to rule. And there is nothing to intervene between the clay-rule and the "setting up the kingdom which shall never be destroyed" (Dan. ii. 44). The only question which no man can answer is, "For how long has God decreed that this form of government which He calls 'clay' is to continue?" Mr. Meyer rightly says: "The Labour party has come to stay. It is evident that the balance of power, which, in the eighteenth century, was in the hands of the aristocracy, and in the nineteenth in those of the manufacturing and middle classes, is rapidly passing to the democracy. The revolution in Russia is symptomatic of a world-wide movement, which is destined to have a profound effect. Things which call be shaken are being removed." Whenever our Lord may come, the distance between that period and the present is lessened by a twelvemonth's journey. The duties and burdens, the trials and troubles, of 1906 are passed for ever. It may be that our Lord's return may be still further delayed,and we journey through the three hundred and sixty-five days of 1907. If so, let us try and make the year very fruitful in testimony for our Lord and Master, and the years thus employed will becoine consecrated milestones on the road to, immortality. And as we pass them one by one, we are assured that soon the last milestone of all will be reached and then "the mystery of God shall be finished" (Rev. x.

days will fail of his blessing. And equally sure of God's special blessing shall be he who through a long course of years-without weariness or fainting-shall patiently wait for the Son of God from heaven (1 Thess. i. 10). Let us be among that waiting band, and who knows but perhaps during the course of this year of grace 1907 we may hear the welcome cry, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him." Rotorua. C. CRISP BROWN.

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." -J OHN iii. 7. THIS new birth business puzzled Dr. Nicodemus of old; it also seems enigmatical and unnecessary, if not impossible, by some of his class to-day, though it does not trouble the common people who are deep-dyed in sin, and discouraged by oft-broken resolutions and repeated efforts to be good, with no better' results; they at last see no other way out of their lost condition, and gladly embrace it as their last chance, and, of course, come out into the Gospel's clear light, having given up all for Christ, and they find peace and pardon. "Old things have passed away, and all things have become new" to them; and even neighbours and friends note a marked change in their lives. Now, as much as the self-righteous, would-be moral'ist may scout the idea of "a change of heart" and "experiencing religion," this is the old-fashioned way to "turn over a new leaf," and the only way to be really "religious;" in short, just such a Christian as they like other folks to be-and which they would like to be themselves, if they would own up and pay the price. You can scratch on the end of a log with a pin and hear it at the other end, by placing your ear there; this is an example in acoustics, or the transmission of sound, and is wonderful; but it is nothing more--'-it does not straighten a crooked log, nor take off any knots and gnarls. If you want to make anything of that log, you must get at it and into it with the broad-axe, and hew to the line and JIJ:akethe chips fly. ' About in this way some have become interested in religion; they have had the pin-scratch, and that is about all. They have begun to try to lop off this bad habit and that, but they do not lop off worth a' cent; they come back again and reassert themselves over and over again in a tantalizing way. Now, the best way to lop off these things is to lay "the axe at the root of the tree ;'" and this is just what John the Baptist said should be done by the Gospel; they had had lopping off and grafting 'in enough under the law to make something out of the old tree; now was the time to rub out and begin over again, And there is no other way to make fit disciples of Christ but thisradicaLchange in the moral and spiritual nature' 0' every man and woman, good or bad by nature""::"'and .they are all bad enough; this will fit them for the eternal kingdom, if they press on in well-doing, for they a~e by

7).

.'

"Blessed ishethat waiteth,and cometh to the thousand three hundred arid five and thirty days", (Dan. xii. 12). Whenever that period shall be, no waiting one of those

JANUr4-BY,

1907.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

11

this means sons of God now by adoption-children by faith-and the redemption of the body will come in due time. If the reader began to "turn over a new leaf" in any other way .Ianuary 1st, 1906, he is about as far along by this time as he has been in years before, and the sooner he gets down to business by beginning a new life in the Gospel way the better it will be for him. Then January 1st will be the same to him as all other days, except that he may feel more gratitude that day because God has kept him from evil and prolonged his life another year. This is the way to taper off sins-by cutting them off short-or pulling them up by the roots. It is the only sure cure for bad habits.-O. E. Corr, in World's Orisis.

"[be :fl3urieb "[alent.

church in these modern days is a cemetery of buried talents. In no department of life are so many, precious "gifts allowed to go to waste as in religion. There are men gifted with natural eloquence who sit dumb in assemblies of Christians week after week, year after year, and never utter a word for the Christ whom they profess to love. 'I'here are strongly attractive men, men of influence and winning power, who draw young men to themselves in politics, and business and letters, like strong magnets; and yet in the church they are cold, unresponsive and inactive, unwilling, it would seem, to devote a tithe of their God-given power to the interest of the Master whose vows they have taken upon themselves. And-saddest of all-there are women possessed of all the sweetness of womanhood,' the graces of loveliness, the charms of culture and good breeding, who call themselves Christ's, and yet spend all their talents in the service of the world, begrudging, perhaps, even the brief hours of Sabbath morning and evening, when they feel bound to gather with the people of God in His sanctuary. Young girls look up to such women, as young men look up to the brilliant, successful men of the community in which they live; and in either case, as the example is, so the influence will be. For every man's or woman's talent cast into the world's treasury youth will fli.ng in its two-score mites. Such is the problem which confronts the minister of the Gospel to-day, in nine out of ten churches throughout our broad land-the problem of the buried or misdevoted talent. Why will not Christians nse their gifts in the service of Christ? Why should they turn to inert blocks and stones the moment religion makes its gentle and reasonable demand upon them? There seems to be a strange and wholly unaccountable perversity about the gifted and the notably efficient people who come into the Church of Christ. They stand back from the work, as . a rule. If you will take a census of the active forces in our churches, you will find that the humbler, and less ably equipped, and often, too, the younger members perform most of the Master's service. If there are in the Church great scholars; or eminent thinkers, or noted
EVERY

men of affairs, or men of great wealth, or influence, or social position, you seldom find them leading in Church work. So far as Christ's service is concerned, their talents are folded away in elegant and aristocratic napkins. They have a great place in the world, but a small place in the kingdom. They patronise the church, but they inwardly feel that it is their prerogative to be served rather than to serve. Every community is more or less cursed by men of negative Christian influence. They assent, rather than consent, to religious doctrine and religious observances. They conform, rather than reform. They seem to accept Christianity, with its privileges and obligations, rather because they must than because they desire to. There is hardly a church but has a sprinkling of these sullen captives of reason and hostages of conscience; and, as a rnle, these men are men of ability and influence, but they lack the esprit de corps. They are not wholesouled, enthusiastic Christians. Somehow they do not seem to belong to the church, and yet they do not feel safe and at peace without it. They come in halfheartedly, and join half-earnestly in the ordinances of the church. 'l'hey pay their dues, and walk circumspectly, and exercise a certain broad and indefinite benevolence. They join formally in the church services, and if they doze in sermon time it is to be understood that they nod approvingly. But, alas! how can the church afford to be the receptacle for so many buried talents? How can it afford to have its life sapped by fruitless branches? For can it be denied that dead church members do subtract vitality and influence from the church? It must, it ought to do 'something-either to make active, earnest Christians of all its members, or else to rid itself of the incubus of fruitlessness. It is wrong, it is disastrous, that so much of the capital of the church to-day should consist of buried talents. No worldly institution could prosper if it harboured such a mass of idle capital. Can we not somehow get these napkin talents into circulation? Can we not wake up the latent energy of the church ?-SeZ.

TH'/<~ HOl'l OF THE COMING OF THE LORD. A lamp in the night, a song in time of sorrow; A great glad hope which fa ith can ever borrow '1'0 gild the passing day with the glory of the morrow, Is the hope of the coming of the Lord. A star in the sky, a beacon bright to guide us; An anchor sure to hold when storms betide us; A refuge for the soul, where in quiet we may hide us, Is the hope of the coming of the Lord. A call of command, like trumpet 'clearly sounding, To make us bold when evil is surrounding; To stir the sluggish heart, and to keep in good abounding, Is the hope of the coming of the Lord. A word from the One to all 0Ui!" hearts the dearest. A parting word to make him aye the nearest; Of all his precious words, the sweetest, brightest, clearest, Is the hope of the, coming of the Lord.

-Selected.

12
t

THE
t
1

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1~07.

TTTTTTTTTTTT~TTTTT~TTTTTTT

Cbt fiomt irdt.

r
e
4

The Years are SHooing Away.

They are slipping away, these sweet, swift years, Like a leaf on the current cast; With never a break in the rapid flow, V,Tewatch them as one by one they go Into the beautiful past.

As silent and swift as a weaver's thread, Or an arrow's flying gleam; As soft as the languorous breezes hid, That lift the willow's long golden lid, So tender and sweet they seem. One after anotber we see them pass Down the dim lighted stair, We hear the sound of their steady tread In the steps of the centuries long since dead, As beautiful and as fair. There are only a few years left to love; Shall we waste them in id le strife? Shall we trample them under our ruthless feet, Those beautiful blossoms. rare and sweet, Bv the dusty ways of life? There are only a few swift years-e-ah, let No envious taunts be heard; Make life's fair pattern of rare design, And fill up the measure with love's sweet wine ; And never an angry word. Sel.

Talks on Eternal Life.

As believers in Life only in Christ, is it not true that many of us reached our' conviction of its truth in days of controversy, and that we now hold them by a consideration mainly of a negative position? That is so. The frightful doctrine of eternal misery, which but a short time ago had such currency, drove us to an examination of the Bible to see if it were true, and, to our great relief, we found that it not only had no authority in the Word, but that it positively denied th, express language of Scripture. Well, we need occasionally to review our position, even on matters concerning which we have no doubt. It will do us no harm to examine afresh the foundations, and see whether from the positive side the Conditional Immor.tality views are not much stronger, and more effective, than from that negative position. Yes, I think it will be helpful, and I join you with pleasure in the search, being sure that such investigation will be both instructive and helpful. What line shall we take? Well, we might examine anew the line of evidence on the nature of man. but I think we are both well furnished as regards that. We might, of course, spend time profitably in tracing the usages of the words "soul" and "spirit," but I think there is something more practical

for us in the present, and that is, that we should look into the nature of the aift which God holds out to perishing me~. Nothing could be more suitable. It is agreed b+ all Christians that God proffers to man a gift designed to meet his deepest needs, as set forth in the verse usually called "the epitome of the Gospel": "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but" have ETEHNAL LIFE." And. as Paul puts it in Romans, "For the waces of sin is death, but the free gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. vi. 23). These passages emphasise the fact that this is a GIFT OF GOD, and is therefore not to be bought or earned. . That fact will serve as an introduction to our examination, for it sets before us in concrete form what is so clearly traceable in the pages of the Old and New Testaments. There, the words "life" and "death" figure prominently. They are found in the prologue and the epilogue of lh~ Pentateuch, in the first pages of GeneSIS, and in the closing chapters of the Revelation-the two poles of the Biblical sphere. St range, is it not. that even Christians should commonly suppose that on this t?pic the Old Testament is pract.ica.lly silent? It is, indeed; but that is because a . false view as to the nature of man has actually driven from their minds the power of perceiving the exact meaning of ~he plain ~voI:ds of Scripture. Nothing IS more bhndmg than an error strongly held. It is certain to colour, if not to radically change, the terms of Scripture. W'e, at least, shall agree as to the starting-point. Our authority on this matter is the Word of God. Nothing exterior to that shall influence our reading of its statements. Creeds and Confessions and Standards of Faith have usurped the place of authority which the Scriptures. alone ought to occupy, and where these do not rule it not seldom happens that similar authority is accorded to men; and so it has come to pass that, as generally tauzht. so it is believed, that the words "ete;:;lal life" signify "eternal happiness." An American divine has said that the term means "true functional prosperity," whatever that may signify. Either rendering of the term is at best but a partial idea, for it leaves out of account the essential idea of "life." It should be noticed, too, that the Bible distinguishes between life and happiness thus: "Ye shall walk in all the way which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may LIVE, and that it may be WELL with you" (Deut. v. 33). "See, I have set before thee. this day LIFE and GOOD,and death and evil" (Deut. xxx. 15). In these texts, life and happiness fire two distinct things. That certainly is true so fa I' as rega rds the present life, for misery is oft the accompaniment of the life that now is. The experience of Job, of Elijah, and others will illustrate it- from Scripture. What, then, shall we say is the meaning of the Scripture term?

Is it . not easily determined by its earliest use? The story of the fall of man tells us that when man had sinned there was Divine haste to expel him from the garden. In hurried, broken language, it is said, "Now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, aud eat, and I.IVE FOR EVER." Surely, it is certain as .language can make it, that the monstrosity of orthodoxy, an immortal sinner, was prevented by this timely and gracious intervention. It is certain, too, that God did not mean to say, "And now therefore lest he become happy!" We may add another text to that. Prophetically it refers tothe Second Man. as th~ one you cited belongs to the flrst man : "He asked LIFE of Thee; Thou gavest - him, EVEN LENGTH OF DAYS FOR EVERAND EYER" (Ps. xxi. 4). Yes, that is Bible interpreting Bible. A separate examination of the word "life" will lead to the same result. In the New Testament the Greek word Zoe (life) occurs ninety-one times, and in every instance but one it is trnnsl.i ted "life." OUI' translators were very fond of giving as many renderings of a word as possible, but in relation to this word they have not dared to give more than one rendering. The exception agrees with thi-s statement, for there they give it "lifetime." Here is an extract from an acute New Testament scholar bearing on the point: "Zoe is life in all its manifestations, from the life of God down to the life of the lowest vegetable. It is necessarily active; it cannot be inert. In its essence or nature it is ever the same, and differ'ent only in its developments or manifestations. Each living person or thing has that portion of it which is needful for his or its designed position or purpose. Its one, only source is God, who is the 'Living One.' We live only in and by His life. He originates and sustains life in all by giving it out of Himself. 'In Him we live and move and have our being.' "-(Bullinger, "Crit. Lex. and Concordance." ) I observe that "eternal life" is never promised to the impenitent. Indeed, it is one of the accusations brought against the false prophets of a bygone day that they "strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return. from his wicked way, by PROMISING HIM LIFE" (Ezek. xiii. 22; R.V. marg.). But it is applied always to the condition ,,( those, and those only, who shall believe, shall be approved as "faithful," "good servants," who "enter into the joy of their Lord." Have you ever met with the objection to this view based upon the verse, "He tha t obeyeth not the Son shall not see life" (}John iii. 36), where it is supposed that the use of the word "see" cannot be in any sense applied to this idea of the term "life?" Such an objection can only arise from lack of patient and thoughtful reading of the Scripture. "The word 'see' is used of the most noble of the five senses, and serves to designate the whole of them," and is closely equivalent to our word "experience." Of the Lord it was said that He should not "see corruption."

JA'NUARY, 1907. Here are s0111etexts to examine: "Wha t man is he that shall live and not sell death 1" (Ps. lxxxix. 48); "And it had been revealed unto him that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke ii. 26). I think. too, it may be said that the exact signification of the term "eternu I life" may be easily seen from the texts in which it is put in antithesis with "death," "perish inv." and "destruction." It is a very easy matter to say that "life" means "happiness," but in view of these evidences we at least must be faithful to Scripture language, and declare tha t when God bestows His "GIFT" of "ETER NAL LIFE" those who receive it will therefore live for ever and ever, and that not having this, the impenitent will not

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

13
the Scripture, and have been followed witb close attention. The closing series for the week evenings was upon the Millenn ium and related topics, and these addresses proved to be attractive to some who attended the course. A few ques tions were put, but the thoughts introduced were for the most part new, and required thinking over. On the last Sunday of the Mission a meeting was held in the Albany Street Hall, at which four persons were immersed upon their Confession. Of these, one was a Mr. Burns, Presbyterian, who has attended the meetings all the time of the Mission, and has exhibited great interest in the truths taught. Others are Mr. and Mrs. Robertson, who have accepted the truth concerning man's nature and destiny, and who have been led to openly avow the Lord in the waters of baptism. The fourth is the youngest daughter of Sister Carnie. She in her youth has resolved to follow the Lord. It was a great joy to those of the Church who attended to witness this grand confession. The Angle- Israel discussion did not end very satisfactorily. About a dozen of our folk attended the reply given by Mr. Adams, expecting to hear a reasoned answer to the objections advanced! But. in the main, the address was composed of sneers and attempted smartness. Attempts were made to question upon eel" . tain statements made in the course of the address, but the way was blocked on each trial, and we were compelled to leave without satisfaction being reached. We think that the method we follow in our public advocacy has the merit of being more satisfactory than the repressive one adopted by the Angle-Israel Society of Dunedin. The Fountain, in Princes Street, is a centre at which gather on Sunday evenings all sorts of men-a crowd having a fair intermixture of faith and unfaith. One evening recently there were a Sabbath advocate, a Spiritualist, a Rationalist, and a Conditionalist speaking. The issue of such a composite pre sentation must be a very doubtful quan tity. Twice, on the way home from our Sunday evening meeting, opportunity has been given to deliver a talk to the crowd, and on both occasions it was to defend the Bible from the attacks of iznorant scepticism. Occasion was taken to give certain well-known facts regarding the Bible and its object, and also to put be fore the people the true grounds of human responsibility. Quiet prevailed dur ing the addresses, and close attention was paid to the speaker. The attempts of the Freethinkcr to defend his position were very weak. Towards the close of the first meeting he declared that he could find evidence in the Bible to prove that it taught soul immortality, and would pro duce it on the following Sunday evening. We were in attendance to hear the evidence, and when onnor tunity occurred our friend was called upon to produce the evidence promised, but he had disappeared, evidently not caring to face the people to confess that he was wrong. The last public address in our hall was given on Sunday evening, December 16th. There was a good attendance, and close interest was given to the address upon

"live."
May we not add to that some equivalent terms which convey the same idea' For instance, it is said by the Lord concerning those who are "worthy to attain to that age, and the resurrection from the dead," "NEITHER CANTHEY DIEANYMORE" (Luke xx. 36); "This mortal shall PUT ON IMMORTALITY" (I Cor. xv. 53), and the apostle's great desire was "that what is mortal may be swallowed up of LIFE" (2 Cor. v. 4). I feel strengthened by this talk, and as there is yet more to be considered on this important topic, if you are agreeable, we will renew our fellowship at an early date. and resume the subject. With all my heart; such conversation, though informal, must be profitable.

Pain, who have just returned from a trip to the . Homeland. In the evening Bro Laurie \Vilcock; subject, "When it IV,U. Dark," being a review of a late publication. December 23: Bro. King presided. Bro \"ilcoc).;: spoke from Luke ii., touching upon Christmastide. We had the joy thi morning of wituessing a Bro. Redfern put on Christ in the water of baptism. In the evening an appropriate address" "God's Christmas Gift," by our 131'0. Aldridge, who returned from the South only a few hours before occupying the rostrum. The Bible Class is keeping up good attendances. The subjects were as Iollows :-November 28, Bro. Dixon, "Tmmortality;" December 12, Bro. White's paper, "The Resurrection;'" December 1D Bro. Ca radus, "A Lesson from the COrn field." On December 5th the annual Church Meeting was held. There was a good gathering, and a large amount of business was gone through. The following brethren were elected for the ensuing year:-Deacons, ~ros. Phipps, Philip, Caradus, Westwater, and Heron; Treasurer, Bro. Bunker; Secretary, Bro. Gibson; Auditors, Bros. C. Garratt and A. Skeats. 'V.G. WAIHI.-Our little meeting for the breaking of bread is still attended by a few every Sunday morning, much to their spiritual advantage. The evening meeting for the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and Life in Christ has also been better . attended of late. Our Bro, Foster has recently commenced a series of addresses illustrated by chart, and we are 'hoping that they will provoke considerable interest. Last Fr idav night we were called upon to perform a most pleasing function, when our Bro. and Sister Hood put on Christ in His own appointed way. At the fellowship meeting on Sunday we were delighted to extend the right hand of fellowship to them, and receive them into our little gathering. We are hoping now the good example of our Brother and Sister may be followed by one or two others who attend our meeting. Our Bro. Foster, who has worked for many months, often amidst discouraging surroundings, must be much cheered and encouraged by seeing some fruit from his labours. and we rejoice with him that some blessing has fallen upon the work in Waihi. D.D. WAIKINO continues still to have the monthly visits from Bro. Foster, of Waihi, and generally he is met by a fair gathering who assemble for the evening meeting. I might mention also .there is a large and flourishing unsectarian Sunday School, of which Bro, Geo. Yearbury is Superintendent. Needless to say, our Brother is doing good and lasting work there. D.D. DUNEIHN.-The work for the past month has shown an increase of interest in the meetings. The addresses have related to some of the important themes of

,.....
GbDr~b and IIlsslon News.

,...
AUCKLAND.-During the last month the weather has been almost perfection; good congregations have been the result. Sunday, November 25: Bro. Page gave an address this morning on "True Fellowship" (I Cor. xii.). In the evening Bro. E. Aldridge gave a good discourse on "Wanted, Men." Sunday, December 2: Br9. Taylor, of the Thames, presided at the morning and evening services. In the morning I Tim vi. 12, "Fight the good fight of faith." Distinguish between profession and confession. Note-Publican and sinner; the publican professed, the sinner confessed. After an absence of six months, Sister Bishop was in fellowship with us this morning. Bra. Taylor, in the evening, gave a grand address on "Has the In mortality of the Soul been Generally Be lieved ?" December 9: Bro. Dixon showed in his discourse this morning the importance of growing in grace. In the evening Bro. White; subject, "God's Remedy for Sin." December 16: Bro, L. Falkner spoke from Hebrews xi. True faith needs evidence to support it; not like blind belief. . which is credulity. We were pleased to have with -\IS again :Br9. Logan andSis.

14
"The Science of Salvation." At the close of the meeting there were many l'egretful expressions concerning the close of the Mission, and many thanks for the good things taught. To-night there is to be a meet insr held in the house of Bro. Lawrence, to bid the preacher ~arewell. Since writing the foregomg, the farewell meeting was held, and Bro. Laurence's sitting-room was taxed to hold the company that assembled. Bro. Geo. Laurence conducted the meeting, and after hymn and prayer, gave. a short address, in which he expressed hIS thanks to the Auckland Church for the help afforded in making the mission possible. He also tcstified to the great help he had personally received in the setting forth of great Bible truths by the fn:eacher. He was glad, too, that some v is ible results of faithful labour were prescnt at that meetinz in the persons of those who had followed the Lord in Baptism. The meetina was thrown open, and Bros. Sin cock and Carnie bore testimony to the zood received. Bro. Aldridge was then "called upon to give a few words of counsel. He addressed himself mainly to the young people, >:nd to the newlybaptized, showing the Importance of the truths they had accepted, and the necessity laid upon all be!ievers t~ bear a full witness to them. The meetmg took up at a late hour, closing by the fa~l1ilia r "Blest Be the Tie." In the mormng at ~i,ght o'Clock the larger part of the Church fellowship was present at the station to say farewell and to express tlu hope that it would not be long before ~he enjoyable fellowship in mutu~l service should be renewed by another VISIt. Thus closed the three months' labour. How thankful tbey and we should be if it were possible that the w?rk could be carried forward by some fa.ithful servant of 'the Lord, apt to- teach, and an effective preacher of the Word.

THE

BIBLE

S-TANDARD.

JANUARY, 1907.

the Church is desired in this work, in order that the speakers may be encouraged, and the public offered greater in ducement to listen to the proclamation of the message of Life. THAMEs.-We have held our usual weekly meetings, and, amongst other interesting subjects, our absent Sister Campbell sent us a very excellent paper on "Prayer." I am sure that all who were present must have enjoyed and benefited by it. Our Bro. Taylor has taken the meetings several times, and his subjects have been very instructive and interesting, and we will do well to remember them and profit by them. I am sorry to say our meetings have not been as well attended as we would wish. It seems so hard to get any new members to join us, but we can only do our part am' leave the rest to Him. The Band has decided to discontinue holding any more meetings, until February, on account of the holidays, when I trust we may see many more added to our number. M.S.

In regard, to the subject in question, however; it. would not be unreasonable to argue that' e.very instance of personal domination, whether- of a good or evil character, over the voluntary actions of another creature, is of itself a species of nossession, the reality of which, howeve familiar to us, is yet not much more sus ceptible of explanation. Taking the present instance. then, in its proper signification, it would seem to be-the personal agency of the chief of fallen spir its neting through a fit instrument for his purpose.-Fro1n "The Physiology of Humo Nature," by Dr. Robert Cross.

cocreeponeence.
SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION EFFORT~ COUNTRY

--------The Temptation.
There is yet another feature to be noticed besides the object of temptation and the subject tempted. There was a tempter. Whether, if this rencontre had not occurred, man would have retained his primitive purity, is a' problem that curcumstances permit not to be solved. That the tempter was encountered, and triumphed, was the fact. True to his character as a deceiver, and lest the greatness of even his erratic nature might have awed humanity into cautious reserve, he disguised himself under cover of a lowly reptile form, subtle of movement, and probably too familiar to excite alarm, yet when thus exhibited ar the novel exponent of the voice of temptation. well calculated to arrest attention and interest the feelings. The nature of Satanic possession, here and elsewhere: recorded in Holy Writ, undoubtedly ap peals rather to an unhesitating confidence in the truth of the sacred narrative, than to anything analogous in human experience. But the fact, as it here presents itself, is not to be evaded because it may be unacceptable to prejudices, which object to everything that does not adapt itself to their particular code of probabilities or manner of viewing them. H much of that so-called philosophy, whence these prejudices spring-characterised ~ it is by an unwillingness to take aught upon trust, except its own dogmas-were to be put upon trial. and made to explain the nature of every article of its own creed, it might be fairly humbled at a' exhibition of the very scanty portion that could withstand such a test. Professing to believe nothing it cannot understand, it frequently understands little or nothing of what it professes, and, as an easy way out of the difficulty, takes refuge in the laws of nature. Now, the Christian philosopher, in dealing with such difficulties, goes one step further back, and that is a mighty one: he refers them to the lawgi1,1l<', nature's God.

('1'0 the Editor.) Dear Sir,-Knowing the interest that is taken by many of your readers in 81;n day School work in the hack-blocks, ~ enclose a brief account of what the COIllmittee of the Auckland Sunday School Union intend doing to meet the needs of the children, who, growing up in the iso la ted homes of our country settlers, are deprived, in many cases, of religious in-struct.ion, owing to the absence of Sunday Schools. Trusting that J'ou may be able to find space in your useful and valuable paper' for the enclosed paragraph, and thanking vou in advance for your kind ness in inserting it,-Yours very truly, H. J. LE BAILLY. Secretary. December 10, 1906. HOW TO REACH THE CHILDREN THE BACK-BLOCKS, IN

~.
'~~~

CHRISTIAN BAND. ~

AUCKLAND.-The half-yearly meeting was heid on November 26th. The attendance did not indicate that there was a whole-sou led desire on the part of many to further the business arrangements or to undertake work for the coming ses si on. The various reports were sub mitted and adopted. The officers for the following six months were elected a: follows :-President, 131'0. C. Garratt; Vice-Presidents, Bros. G. A. Green and A. Skeates; Secretary, Bro. J. Woodward; Treasurer, Sister E_ Phi pps ; Re porter, Bro. C. Cates ; Cor respondin, ~ecretary, Sister M. Green (B.N.Z. Build. ings, Queen Street, Auckland) _ Commit tees were appointed as usual, viz.: Meetings Committee. Look-out Committee Bible Standard Publishing Committee and Sunshine Executive. It has been decided to again undertake the weekly open air meetings at the corner of West Street, commencing on January 14th with a r open-air Lantern Address. The full sup port' of the members of the Band and of

The Committee of the Auckland S.S. Union is endeavouring to solve this problem, and a Sub-Committee has the matter now in hand. They recommend tllat a trial district be selected in which there are few, if any, Sunday Scl;ools, and that a salary be provided for the p"rpose of placing a suitable man in charge of it who will visit the homes of the settlers and organise Sunday Schools. The main difficulty that confronts the Union is the choice of a man. Love for the children, devotion, tact, and plenty of grit are needed, and it is not easy to find aJJ these qualities combined in one individual. Here is a good opportunity for some young, energetic Christian to show his love for .Iesus and the children by volunteering. I knew a dear sister in the Lord who was inclined to be rather narrow in her views. One of her chief quotations from Scripture was, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be:" "Now, brother," she would say, "in the days of Noah there were only eight souls saved; and it really seems, as if we see the wickedness and unbelief all around us, and there will be only eight souls saved when the Lord comes." (Seven besides herself.) I a.n glad to add that the sister has since attained a more exalted idea of the work of redemption.-Thc Bible SeOffcMight.

JANUARY,

1907.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

Answered by a Girl.
A ROllli~h priest accosted the daughter of a fumily who had turned from the .errors of Rome, and asked her why she did not come to her catechism class. She told him that her father had forbidden her to come. The priest then tried to instill disobedience into her young mind by saying tha t the au thority of the priest was higher than that of a parent, and she ought to obey him and not her father. But the girl had listened attentively to the Bible, now read in that home, and she replied to the priest very modestly, "The Bible says, sir, 'Children, obey your parents.''' "You have no bus iness to read the Bihle." said the priest. "Hilt, sir, our Saviour tells us to search the Scriptures." "That was only to the Jews," said the priest, "a nd not to children; you do not u nde rsta nd the Scripture." But the little girl knew the Bible better than the priest, and told him what Saint Paul wrote to Timothy, that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures, able to make him wise unto salvation. "Oh," said his reverence, "Timothy was then being trained up to be a bishop, and was taught by the authorities of the church.' But the girl was still ready for his false logic and perversions of truth and replied that St. Paul said it was Timo. thy's grandmother and mother who had tallght him the right way. Then the priest turned away, saying there was "no hopes for the likes of her" that she "knew enough Bible to poison 'a whole parish."-Selected.

"What

Then?"

Unto the End.

When the year draws near to its close, And its vantage none may extend, When the days, with their joys and their woes, In bitter-sweet memories blend; When the work and the warfare must cease, What thought brings assurance and peace? He loveth unto the end! hopes that the springtide had known Are wrecked, where naught may amend. And the heart must sorrow alone, Put far from lover and friend; Most surely, with solace and cheer, The Master Himself shall be near, He loveth unto the end! the struggle seems futile and VH in, labour for nothing we spend; the anguish of bodily pain fa.ith from its stronghold would rend, One intimate balm shall availHis tenderness never can fail, He loveth unto the end! When the night falls, sombre and chill, In the valley all must descend, And the nearest and dearest still No'r succour nor aid can lend; No shadow of doubt shall aff'right, So close to the infinite LightHe loveth unto the end!
MARY ROWLES JARVIS.

Wlu n Ph.ilip De Neri, who, in the sixteenth century, renounced the hereditary honours of Florentine nobility for the service of the living God, was living in an Italian University, a young man ran to him with a face full of delight, and told him he had come to the law-school of that place on account of its great fame, and that he intended to ~pare no pa-ins 01' labour to get through his studies as soon as possible. Ph il ip waited for his conclusion with great patience, and then said:"Wcl l, and when you are through your course of studies, what do you mean to do ?" "Then I shall take my Doctor's degree." "And then?" asked Philip wgain. "And then," continued the youth, "I shall have a number of difTicult questions to manage, shall catch people's notice by my eloquence, my zeal, my Icarning, and my acuteness, and shall gain a great reputation." "And then?" repeated the holy man. "And then." replied the youth, "why, there can't be a question I shall be promoted to some high office or other. Besides, I shall make money and grow rich." , "And then?" repeated Philip. "And then," said the young man, "then I shall be comfortably and honourably si tua ted in wealth and dignity." "And then?" asked the holy man. "And then, and then-then-then I shall die." Here Philip raised his voice:
"AND

When

When And When Our

WHAT THEN?"

Giving.
We often hear people say, "I give onetenth of my income," as if they thought that was just the square thing. We always feel like saying to such: "If that is all you are giving, you are robbing God." They did better than that under the law. The tenth was God's any way, and they could not give that. It belonged to God, and .after taking out God's tenth they could give of their income freewi ll 'offeringa. . It sounds small to hear people say, "I give a tenth," under the light of this dispensation, when God gave us the best that heaven afforded. We don't believe people lose anything by being generous with God. "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty" (Prov. xi. 24). Many are thus robbing themselves by withholding from God, Then there are those who say, "I don't believe in tithing. I believe in giving all. I am God's steward and hold all r have for Him." And somehow they always hold it, ~nd God never gets it. So they make. this an excuse for doing but little for God's work. '''hat we save we shall lose when Jesus comes. but what we give we keep, because it is laid lip in heaven. May the Lord ~elp us to see things. in judgment day hglit.-The Lamp of Ltfe. .

Whereupon the young man made no answer, but cast down his 'head and went away, The last "And then" had, like lightning, pierced his soul, and he could not get rid of it. Soon after he forsook the law. and gave himself to the ministry of Christ, and spent the remainder of his days in godly words and works.H. t.. Hastinqs.

THE

OWNERS

OF

THE

UNIVERSE.

Hiding God's Word.

Once a Bible was baked in a loaf of bread. That was in far-away Austria. Some wicked men came into the housc t, find the Bible and burn it, but the woman who owned it was just going 1. bake bread; so she rolled up her Bible in a big loaf, and put it in thc oven. When the men went away, she took ant th. loaf', and the Bible was not hurt a. bit That was a good place to hide a Bible wa snt it? But I'll tell you a still bet, ter. David knew of the place when hr said. "Thy Word have 1 hid in mine h ea rt."-Selected. "Love is a proof of life." "Don't nurse opportunity take it into active partnersh too longip at once."

"Bv friendship you mean the greatest love. the greatest usefulness, and tho most open communicntion. the noblest sufferings, and the severest truth, the heartiest council, and the greatest union of minds of-which brave men and women a:'fecapable."~Jeremy Taylor.

Let us corner up the sunbeams Lying all around our path; Get a trust on wheat and roses, Give the ')001' the thorns and chaff'. Let us find our chiefest pleasure Hoarding bounties of to-day, So the poor shall have scant measure And two prices have to pay. Yes, we'll reservoir the rivers, And we'Il levy on the lakes, And we'll lay a trifling toll-tax On each poor man who partakes; 'Ve will brand his number on him That he'll carry th rough his life; We'll apprentice all his children, Get a mortgage on his wife; We will capture e'en the wind-god, And confine him in a cave; And then, through our patent process, VVe the atmosphere will save; Thus we'll squeeze our little brother When he tries his lungs to fill, Put a meter on his wind-pipe, And present our little bill. \Ve will svnd iea te the starlight. And monopolise the moon; CIa im a royalty on rest-days, A proprietary 1100n; For right of way through ocean's spray We']) pay just what it's worth; 'Ve'lI drive ou r stakes around the lakesIn fact, we'Il own the earth. .f.K.K. in Pliiladel phia pcper. "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fa 11."

-Confttcius.

16

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1907.

\tbe :n3tble Stanl)arl'l.

IN any realm of intelligence excepting the theological this question would be answered in the affirmative without hesitation. Yes, when a man dies he is dead, at; death is the cessation of life. But in theology, contrary to all appearances of nature and statements of revelation, man in death is said to be alive, or, at most, only partially dead. There are several grades of these theological birds. The full-fledged one caws for no death at all in this very natural process of shedding the shuck. The li We fledgling chirps for some death and a little. life at the same time. When this bird is first hatched his observations generally discover the germ theory; this discovery soon develops the unrewarded conscious condition, but later he clearly sees and boldly screams for the no-death theory, despite all facts of nature and statements of divine revelation. But the question is still up, "If a man die, is he dead?" From the natural viewpoint, the man in death is supposed to be dead. No dead man has ever explained to the contrary, and the question of the living used to bc, "If a man die, shall he live again?" It has not been demonstrated by any scientific experiments that we have heard of, that any part of the man escapes the general appearance of the reality of death. People of all kinds of opinions of death have buried their friends, and death has seemed too real to be a comfort to them, and it seemed to be mockery to even the most poetical to be told that "there is no death," and "there are no dead," etc. But Mr. Littlefaith, while not believing the ultra claims of deathlessness, has by some means learned that man in death is not in mortal danger of being lost; for the spirit of man, like a package, is labelled .Tohn J ones, and is laid up for that individual at the resurrection day, hence God is not in the danger of losing him that He would otherwise be. This helps quite a little. "The Jews have an opinion that the oscozendicis (the lower joint of the backbone) survives the corruption of the body, and that it is out of this bone that the resurrection body is formed." (See Vater on 1 Cor. xv. 44.) This seems to some to be a little easier for the Lord, if He has a little something to commence with. But what has the Lord said about it?-G. H. W ALLACE in World's Crisis.
1'1. R""'e !'ita'I,lard can be nrd ered d ir.-cr from WI!,I,IA:vI A. SMI I'H. oelwyn Road, Mount Albert. obta.iued from an~' of the Agents. the Publjsher Auckland;

Price per n.nuum. po-t free .. Si ngl(> cmies .. BOOK ;';TI.;WAltD-K H. FALKNER. Queen Street. AG~;:,\'1'8 ~'Olt TH~; BIFLE I:i1'ANUARD:

s. d. 2 6 0 2

NEW ZEALAND. Auck land=-Mr. Hancock. Bookseller, Queen street. Welllllgt n-I(. .l , Har rncloug h. My tie CI'C8cent. Ch r-i-fcb u-ch-c T. P. .lu-lk ins. 80. IlI'lI",ham Street, Syrlenham. Du nedtn-c-Mr. Lawrence. Great King Street. Kaiapoi-Mr. James Holland. l{.lqk!'ionl.~:;\1:I. \\1111. Smith. SouLh Brook. New Plym"llt,h- ~1r. Fm,1 Goodacre. Courtney Road. East'lxford-Mr. A. England. 'I'ha.mes=-Mr. U. Sander's. Macky Street. 'I'Imat-u v-Mr. H H. Ki"g. Stafford Street, 'I'In w.rld. Ashhlll't-lo-MI', .shearer. Waihi-Mr. .Ioseph Foster. Adelaide-Mr. Sydney-Mr. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. C. Gamble. :vIagill Road, Stepney , NEW SOUTH WALF.S. H. CI'OPP. Mitchell Street. Kogarah. addressed: GF.O. ALllRJOGE T'eleg raphic Address. "Hocky and orders for Bibl~ Stnnd(t1"<! T'reasnrvr MR. A Ll<,X. PAGl< ..

Gornmu nicat.ions 1.0 the Editor to be Brent.wood Avenue. Mount Eden. Nook.'o All oornrnu nica.ttons to the Association to be addressed to the Secr"t",ry and Murdoch Road. Grey Lyrm. Auckland.

CHURCH
Huld I:lervlces aB uuder:

OF CHRIST

A IWKT,AND-West Street. Sunday. at 1] o'clo('k .m . Fellowship Meetloll HA5 p m .. Preaohtng ~P.rvice. Snuday School at 2.41i. Wednpsday pvenlnK. Btble rift"" At 7.411 F.,'angp,list'. addresa=-Geo. Aldridge, Brentwood Avenue Mount. Rden. Secretary-Wo Gibson, Ponsonhy Road. ROSKILT, HALLSunday .. at 11 a.m .. F"llowAhlp Meeting,

OUNl<~D1N-Oddfellows' Hall. Stnar.t ;,;treet. . Sunday at. 11 a.m .. Fellowship anil Meeting. I!Jvprilug PreachIng Servlcp, 6.30. Secretary's AddressS. A. Lawrence, Great King Street. CHRISTCHURCH-30. EIKin St.reet, Syden~am. ..' Sundav at 11 a.m .. Fellowshin Meeting. ... 6.30 p.m .. Gospel Aildres s, l<~vangeliot-ltrn."I, Tuck. 30. W,lgm Sr.reet, Syilenham. Secretary-To P. Jmlkins. 80. Brollgham Street.l'yilenhR1, HFJ[,FlNSVILLE-Foresters'. Sunday Sunday Suuday Church Secretary. THAMES-Pollen Hall. , MornlnK. FellowshIp MpetlnK. Afternoon, Sun-day' School. EvenIng, Preachlng. R. M. Cameron ...

Father 'I'aylor, well remembered in Boston, once said of a certain sermon to which he had listened: "That sermon was open to criticism. It would take as many such to convert a soul as snowballs to heat an oven." Those who approach the Scriptures with a mere desire to find texts which will support their side of a case,' are not as likely to arrive at truth as those who humbly and earnestly desire to know what the Bible does teach, irrespective of any opinions they may have formed.--':'

Street Lecture Hall. Sundav at 11 a.m . Fellowship Meeting. Evenhig ServIce at 6.:>. . . Sunday School at 2.30. Rlhlp C'lase everv 'Wednesday evenIng at l<:vangelist-K H. T'avlor. Howen Street. Parawa i. Secretar.r-C. Sanders: Macky Street. , Miners' Union Ha.lI. Sunday 11 a.m, Fe llo wehiu Meet inu ; ,. 2,30Il.m. Sunday School, Sunday Rvenin!,:. at 7. A Public lIiblE' A iIiIre". Church "'ecret.ar~-n. Donaln.on. ~:va.ngelist-.To<epli Foster. Wai hi.

1.110

W A IHI-The

TIMARU-Sophlo secretarv's

Street Hall. Sunday, at 11 a.m .. F'ellowsblp Meetln,g. Addrpss-H. H. KIng. Statforn Street. Tlmaro Hall. Beulah Roan. Norwood, F. R. Hughes. Woodvllle.

ADF.LAIDE. S. A.-Druids' 8,,('rptary's Address-

Selected.

Printed bv THE RR'~'r1' PRINTI'IG ANn PnRLISHING COMP. NY. Shnrl. land Stroet .. for the New Zealand Rvangelistic and Pubhcnt+on Associatton. nd nublished by W. A. SMITH, Selw,n Road, Mt.

Albert, JANUAHY.

1907.

. ,