No. 11.

VOL.

11.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z., NOVEMBEH,

1891.

TWOPENCE.

~~9j~~~~~HE
"'\\A'''~I;'1I

The time when most good could be done in this respect the Evangelical Council has had the is on the eve of a general election, for it is of no use trying matter before it for discussion but it to influence the average 1VLH.R. after he once has the went no further. Politics in New Zeapri vilege of attaching those mystic letters to his name; then, land have reached such It low ebb, and when the whole people are agitated by political partisans, our condition become so serious, that and great and grave questions affecting the social, moral Christians are bestirring themselves to arouse a little and political welfare of the colony are to the fore, and the patriotism among their fellow-rnen ; we are right glad to opposing side are striving might and main, by fair means see this, and would lend our hearty support. If a man's and foul, that they may win-what a great need is there religion is only going to benefit him in the future life, we for the guidance of those whose u tternnces all would respect cannot expect much from him in this; but we don't believe and listen tc. this, we believe that mans du ty to his fellow-man comes next after his duty to God. 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy Geelong has had an exhibition of religious enthusiasm God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself.' Oh, what a glorious state of things would ensue if we could and emotion, somewhat similar to what was witnessed at Port Albert some years ago. l!'rom ad vices to hand we only follow out this commandment hear that, after :t week of ' holiness' meetings by the various What we want is a healthy public opinion upon all matters denominations, a concluding service was held, of political importance, and it seems to us that one of the Protestant termed a missionary rneetiug ; the room was densely surest methods for obtaining it, is for it to be promulgated from the pulpit; the many opportunities our ministers have crowded, and the emotions of the audience worked up to all : pitch; as a climax t.he people present were of doing this, make it only the more ur).(ent they should under- uncontrollable take it, for they have, in the past, left it too severely alone as called upon for offerings 'for the service of the Lord in something not to be thonght of, and the consequence is, foreign mission work,' and in response, a wild scene of prevailed, purses were emptied, jewellery torn that men have filled the positions ministers should occupy excitement whose only thought, aim, and object, has been self- oft; cheques and title deeds of property all helped to fill the aggrandisement. It may be objected that ministers do not coffers until something like a sum of 1,000 was donated, some of a large undergo a course of .special training to fit them for this and promises of annual subscriptions, all this for the benefit of the position, and therefore are not in a position to occupy it; amount, were given--and Why these should so often come true there may be a little danger ill this respect, for we heathen in foreign lands! know some have never got beyond the first principles, and in for consideration while we have around us those in a far worse condition, we could never understand; surely there there are others whose whole sympathies are so wrapped in 11.11 the large centres of Australasia who within one question that they can see nothing beyond it; but are multitudes
I

question of Christianity and Politics has again been to the fore in Auckland,

they are all men of thought and wisdom, and given to study, and as such must, in course of time, if they are cognisant of the progress of things around them, form an intelligent opinion about such questions as may be prominent at the season, and even with the disadvantages we have named, we would say to them, 'Forward, take your places as leaders of public opinion upon social and political, as well as religious matters.'

..

162
could be benefited both thing that an enthusiastic

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

in body and in mind, by convert has to give away. any- !

NOVEMBER.

1891.

I
I

moses IDefen~e~ b\? tbe mummies.

! IT was in the year 1863, that Bishop Col en so startled the The Prince of Wales has found at least one champion in I religious world by stating that after careful and deep study, the person of Mr ,V. T. Stead, who, in his Plea,' issued in : he had come to the conclusion that the Pentateuch is th~ July number of the ~r,evieu;,u~ters an ex~reniely well neither genuine nor true: i.e., it uas not written by Moses written and bold declaration of his firm. belief that the as is generally supposed, not' by any other man who was Prince is more sinned against than sinning. In his opening personally acquainted with the facts he professed to describe. remarks, he enters into a curious calculation as to the And further, the so-called writings of Moses cannot be numbers of prayers, as prescribed by the Church of England recorded all historically true, for such events never occurred. prayer-book, which have been uttered on behalf of the Prince' A clever man, some hundreds of years after the time of of Wales, and his summing up records, 'eight hundred and Moses, collected together It number of traditions or-ancient eighty million s of prayers, and as answer thereto the Baccarat stories that had, for generations, been handed down from Scandal of Tranby Croft!' We have gone on, says ::\>11' father to son, and strung them together in much the same Stead, praying for fifty years, and all this time we have way as the' Arabian Nights' Entertainment' is put together. also been imitating the lazy waggoner of A;sop, who, when Ju~t as the Norwegians have wondrous tales about their his cart stuck in a mud-hole, contented himself with ancestors and the god 'Vodin, just as Homer wrote those bellowing to Hercules, instead of clapping his own shoulder extraordinary poems, 'The Iliad' and' Odyssey,' describing to the wheel; and if the Prince is bad then we have made the siege of Troy, and the valiant deeds of the G reeks and him so, such is the conclusion arrived at. We have, by our Trojans (which nobody takes as literal and historical truth), constitutional arrangements, succeeded in placing the Prince so are the five Books of Moses simply a collection of ancient where he must of necessity be bored inexpressibly, All stories-nearly all fiction-and if in any WiLy they contain day and all year long he is doomed to an endless sentry go truth, Jet it is truth, so distorted and tremendously of monotonous and soul-wearying ceremonial. After dinner exaggerated as hardly to be recognized. he gets a respite, and then his amusements, wit h such re, Bishop Colenso is dead, but the attacks continue with suits as we see. Twenty years ago he had a warning which undiminished fury and strength. The latest work is taught him some lessons he never forgot, but the fatal circle 'The Creed of Christendom' by Mr Greg, which has run in which he was bound, has prevented him from profiting through eight editions, and has, no doubt, unsettled the as much more. minds of many as to the historical accuracy of the Mr Stead offers for the salvation of the Prince a remedy .Bible. Indeed, Mr Greg boasts that by exposing (what he which, it is to be hoped, will be allowed him; work must calls) the inaccuracies of the Hebrew writings, he has helped be found for him to do. He is said to have wanted a seat to destroy the confidence so long placed in Biblical history, upon the Labour Commission, but Cabinet Ministers saw and is glad that many of his readers are now assured that so many urgent reasons against it, that he was not allowed the Scriptures are not to be depended 011. Other attacks this concession, although he served upon the Commission (Ill have been made of late years upon the writings of Moses: the Housing of the Poor with success. 'lVroses unmasked,' '1\1oses' mistakes,' 'Moses defied by There are two fields of acti vity which suggest themsel ves history.' These and like writings have Iieen very successas offering excellent opportunities for employing the Prince ful in tl~eir day, But the game is played out now, and the in a way that would at once be interesting to him, and profit- cleverness of these wise men is proven to be utter folly by able to the nation; one is that of the colonies, the other that of recent discoveries in Egypt, that wonderful land which the amelioration of the social condition of the people. Both possesses the pyramids of Gizeh, and the obelisk of U serten are subjects upon which he is interested, and both stand very; 1., which stood (where they now stand) for hundreds of years urgently in need of careful and systematic handling; both' before A braham was born. ]11 Egypt the pickaxe and shovel these subjects would give him employment for all the spare are doing wonders in daily turning up for us memorials of time he would have, and would cause him to soon regain the past, and conclusively establishing the accuracy of the that position in the hearts of the British public that be once Holy Scriptures. And so it is coming to pass that the ex-

held, Many people talk boldly of the downfall of the Monarchy and setting up of a Republic for Great Britain, and cite the Prince's mistakes as one of the urgent reasons for this step, out such would do well to study the history of Republics that the world of modern times has seen, and then pause ere they would change the noble Oonstitution our forefathers purchased with their life blood.

I yet

plorer's spade is silencing the sceptic's pen. No longer need books be written to prove the accuracy of the Mosaic writings, for an ounce of the fact is worth a ton of theory, and what those of the Colenso school have now to deal with is the fact that the dead Phuroahs of Moses's time are actually lying under glass cases, faces exposed to all visitors, in the Bulak Museum in Egypt. Though dead as stones, those mummies speak, and say, 'Here we are again, and true are we.' And it is marvellous that after witnesses

It is hard to understand how any one can find satisfaction in finery bought with stolen money.

being hidden away for 3,000 years these persons are brought again to the light of day, and we may now gaze upon the

~OVEMBER. 1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

163

very faces that J oseph and Moses looked upon. Thus the historical truth of the writings of the Pentateuch are forever established beyond fear of further challenge or serious doubt. Of each one of these discovered Pharoahs we may say, 'He being dead, yet speaketh.' It was the custom of the Egyptians to embalm their dead. Roughly speaking, the process was the same as trussing a fowl, with the addition that when the intestines (except the heart and kidneys) had been removed, and the cavity filled with aromatic spices, the body was then steeped in natron (subcarbonate of soda) for seventy days. The body thus preserved we call a 'mummy,' and if properly embalmed it will never decay but last to the end of the world. At the Bulak Museum may be seen among many others the mummies of Sekenen-Ra, who li ved in the time of J oseph ; of Seti 1. who ordered the destruction of the Hebrew male children; of Rameses n. who grievously oppressed Israel; and of Pinetem, the father-in-law of Solomon. (All the ancient Egyptian kings bore the official title of ' Pharoah,' as all kings of Russia are called' Czar' ; of Persia, 'Shah '; of Turkey, 'Sultan.') The head of Seti 1. is the most beautiful mummy head ever seen. After 3,200 years the expression of the' face is the same as when his sorrowing relatives took their last long look. And who knows what shall yet be brought to light! Shall the world ever look upon the faces of Abraham and Jacob ? The Turks guard their sleeping place. Shall we ever find the embalmed body of Joseph at Shechem i Will King David one day be dug out of his resting place on Mount Zion? Who can tell? We may now read the Book of Exodus with fresh interest. The mummies have vindicated the truth of Moses' writings. "Ve find ourselves to-day in the actual presence of the aged monarch in whose court Moses lived for forty years. It is too late now for sceptics to object. There, before our eyes, lies the very King who protected Moses, he who was the father of 'Pharoah's daughter.' But the most interesting to us of all the Pharoahs' is that proud Kin~ whose host was drowned in the Red Sea. This man is well-known. His name is Menephtah. He was the thirteenth son of Rameses n., and succeeded to the throne when about sixty years old. It was he who defied J ehovah the God of the Hebrews, and paid penalty for so doing by the death of his D!'3t born and only son SetiMenephtah, This heir to the throne was about thirty years of age when the desbroying angel touched him. Stung to madness by his loss the venerable old king (over eighty years old) led in pel'son the Egyptian army to avenge the disgrace and re-capture Israel. But unlike his deceased son, who was a brave warrior, this cruel old king was an arrant coward, as is proved by certain monumental records. He remained on the shore (as earlier he did on the bank of the Nile while his soldiers fought the invading Lybians) when the venturesome dash into the Red Sea path was taken by the Egyptian cavalry. And the horror-sbricken king beheld the destruction of the chivalry of Egypt as the waters returned and overwhelmed the host. For Pharoah to live and see this awful destruction was a greater punishment than if he himself had been suddenly drowned. That he survived his son for some years we know from three tablets: (1) which represents the king. his wife, and son; (2) where onlv the king and queen are shown, and it s~atf\sthe son is dead; (3) in which the king appears alone, Ius queen and son both deceased. How long the old man survi ved these crushing blows is unknown, but he lived long enough to inscribe upon the monuments of Zoan many mementoes of that 'only son' who was his pride, so suddenly slain by the mysterious God of the Hebrews. When this king died, there was no heir to the throne, several years of confusion ensued, and at last a new dynasty took

possession of the royal honours of Egypt. As a sample of the accuracy of Moses, put side by side the following quotations (tile first by Moses, the second from a tablet erected by this king) :-( 1) the Bible 'The Lord smote the first born of Pharoah that sat on his throne'; (2) the Tablet. ' He who governed Egypt on behalf of his father; Seti-Menephtah is deceased.' The parallel is exact. The first-born was not a. Pharoah, but yet was raised to share the dignity of the throne. The body of this God-defying Pharoah has not yet been found. His magnificent tomb is known-but the mummy has been removed, as indeed had the remains of most of the Kings and Queens of Egypt. They were found in 1881-fifty of them together in an underground sepulchral chamber in the heart of a mountain at Deir-el-Bahari, where, in baste, they had been hidden at some period of revolution and national disaster. Truly marvellous it is that the bodies of veritable men and women, who lived four thousand years ago, are still on earth, unchanged in lineament and feature. And so this old dreamy, dreary land of Egypt comes forth into conspicuousness because of its deadness. ] t is the dead of Egypt who are now speaking. Ages have passed since Moses lived, and his writings have often been pronounced unhistorical. But now is offered to the world a new species of logical argument which confirms the truth of the testimony of Moses, and also presents a fresh kind of evidence of the truth of Christianity, for, said Christ, 'If ye believe Moses, ye will believe Me, for he wrote of 1\1e.' Without any hesitation or misgiving, we may place absolute dependence upon the old Scriptures as being a true, historical record of the past. "Ve are glad that the ancient, dreamy, dreary land of Egypt-the foremost in inspired history-is yielding to us such fresh and wonderful proofs of the truth of God's Word. Timaru. C. C. BROWN.
i

$piriti5m.
W.I<: often heal' a great deal about Spiritualism, as it is called, with its manifestations and revelations, supposed to have been caused by and given' through the medium of the spirits of dead human beings, who, it is said, carry the personality of the deceased ill spirit life. Through the medium of Spiritism (as it should be more properly called) teachings are continually being put forth which contain doctrines opposed to the Scriptures. Though differing in many points, Spiritism unites in teaching that the spirit is the true man, that resurrection of the physical organism will never take place, and that Heaven and Hades are not places, but states of mind. These vagaries would hardly be worth noticing were it not that Spiritism professes to assist mankind by revealing things relating to mundane affairs (and many who profess to have been thus benefited are persons whose veracity we can hardly doubt). In face of this, it behoves Christians to turn to their Bible and see what it teaches concerning the state of the dead, and if it allows of any possible communication between the dead and the living, and also in what light the Spiritists of old were viewed by Scripture writers. If it can be shown-c-as we think it can-that the Bible teaches that the dead are sleeping in the grave, then it follows that Spiritism is false at its foundation; and, if false there, then it follows that it is also false in its superstructure and

164

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

NOVEMBER,

1891.

teachings. ,Ye do not deny that there have been and are superhuman manifestations in connection with Spiritism; but we deny the personalities of the supposed spirits: in other words we utterly deny that the manifestations of Spiritism are produced by the spirits of dead persons, or that the dead have any conscious personality at all. Knowing so little of beings other than human, and so little being revealed in the Scriptures on this subject, we do not feel called upon to state by what or whom the manifestations are produced, but shall content ourselves by showing that it is not produced by human spirits. God's word strictly forbids any attempted communication with the unseen world; hence whatever the immediate cause of the manifestations, the power and operation is evil, and belongs to the seed of the one who gave the lie to God in Eden, by saying to man, 'Ye shall not surely die.' The prophet Isaiah, referring to the Spiritism of his day, asks (chap. viii. 19, 20), 'On behalf of the living, should they seek unto the dead l' and answers, No. 'To the law and to the testimony.' To that, then, we turn, and then find in Moses' law strict enactments against all forms of Spiritism. In Deut. xviii. \:}-19 we find it especially denounced, together with the promise of the advent of the True Prophet, 'Like to Moses,' who has come and brought life and immortality to light, thus leaving us no shadow of excuse for attempting to communicate with spirits of dead men. It may be asked, Why is the command so stringent against the consultation of supposed human spirits 1 This is best answered in the words of the wise man, because 'The dead know not anything,' and those that are dead and know nothing at all cannot possibly give information to the living. .The good and bad are now alike silently sleeping in the grave, and have no part with anything that is done under the sun, till the time comes when death and Hades (the grave) give up their dead at Christ's command. What is the attitude of professing Protestantism towards Spiritualism, and where is it tending to, as indicated by its teaching on the nature of man and the state of the dead 1 We are sorry to say this important question hardly needs to be asked, for we have only to turn to the reports of sermons, funeral addresses, and the hymns, which are supposed to breathe the spirit of the devoutest religious thought of Christendom, to see what is the prevailing sentiment, and where and what it is leading to. Platonic theology and Roman errors are so mixed up with the so-called Christian thought of the people that the real force of the Scriptural teachings concerning man's nature and the doctrine of the resurrection are obscured, if not altogether lost sight of. Speaking on this subject, the late Archbishop ,Vhately is reported to have said, 'Since the Roman doctrine of Purgatory has. been discarded, the state of the dead has remained in a most unsatisfactory condition.' In his valedictory address, delivered in London in July last, at the meeting of the International Congregational Council, Dr. J oseph Parker said he could not believe that

great leaders of the past - men like Horace Bushnell, Henry Ward Beecher, and Dr. Haunay=-were absent, thus clearly showing that he believed the dead to be alive, N or is he singular in these sentiments. Some time since, on the death of the Rev. Mr. Barley, Wesleyan minister at Mahurangi, it was reported that he (Mr. Barley) had been called to do service in the upper sanctuary. Quite recently, a young Spiritist went to hear one of Auckland's popular preachers on the subject of the state of the dead. He came away saying, 'Mr. -believes just the same as I do; he believes the dead are alive and happy.' But it is needless to make snch quotations; the popular theories are too well known. But I cannot close without giving the words of, perhaps, the greatest living leader of religious thought- William Booth, General of the Salvation Army. Speaking of his deceased wife and the assistance she gave him in his life work, he said, 'She never failed me in life, and I know she will not fail me in death.' It is reported .that before her death she promised the General to come in spirit life and assist him in his various projects. It will be seen that modern Christian thought is at variance with the Scriptural teaching. God grant that many may be led to study the Scripture of Truth and accept its teachings and close with its offers of life, and no longer rest their hopes for future life and happiness on Platonic theories, which are only the vain philosophies of men, that so they may be saved from those things that are coming on the world, and be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of Man. The present Spiritistic and Platonic teaching must sooner or later result in bringing in that working of error that God has threatened to send upon the world, 'That they should believe a lie, that they all might be judged who love not the truth.' G. A. G.

\Bob's ~tft5 to men.

PAUL records 11 saying of the Lord's found III no other part of the Scriptures, namely, ,It is more blessed to give than to receive.' Recently, as well as in former years, we have heard this passage fearfully prostituted, and made the basis of begging and drumming money out of folks for all sorts of imaginary religious schemes. While we do not believe in the system of continuously squeezing cash from the people, we believe this system has arisen largely from the people's own fault. Why, if we gave in proportion as the Lord has given to us, there would be no need for preachers making themselves obnoxious as financial agents of the Churches, or being recognised as pious tax-gatherers. We ought to be trained on Scriptural lines to-Give, as the morning that flowsout of heaven, Give, as the waves.when their channel is riven; Give, as the free air and sunshine is given, Lavishly, utterly, joyfully give. Give not the waste drops of thy cup overflowing, Not the faint sparks of thy hearth ever glowing, Not a pale bud from the June roses blowing; Give, as He gave thee, who gave thee to live.

NOVEMBER,

1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

165

Says Dr Morley Punshon : 'As living beings, God has gifted us with all the inno, cent pleasures of sense, gifted us with the capacity of high thoughts and feeling, gifted us with powers of imagination, gifted us with the principles of friendship, gifted us with wit, and the pleasures of hope, drawing comfort from elements of sorrow; gifted us with pleasures of memory, embalming the recollection of the past in an am bel' that never fades away.' We may add that God has gifted Christians in the present with the hallowed feeling of conscious pardon of sins, and the sublime satisfaction of assured faith in His dear Son. Such are some of God's small gifts to the human race. There are larger gifts than these, transcendent in their nature, and elevating in their tendency. We turn to His inspired Word and find that its imprint of authenticity is written in history, which bears testimony to its being a 'Gift of God,' and within its pages we find written in characters unmistakable, many other gifts or promises of gifts from the same Author. How true it is that' Every good and every perfect gift is from above.' Notably we find there the' Gift of prophecy.' This alone should make us stable believers in the divinity' of the Scriptures, for 'Fulfilled prophecy is a sufficient basis for faith.' Then there is that wondrous gift of His dear Son as our Redeemer; this is no meagre gift, accompanied' with hollow show and fading splendour. No, we are born of a mortal race and hastening to destruction-without much ado and stir the Son is begotten here, and makes known to man His Father's bounty, then
Break off your tears, ye saints and tell How high your great Deliverer reigns; Say, 'Live forever, wondrous King! Born to redeem, and strong to save !' Then ask the monster, "Where's thy sting r' And' where's thy victory boasting grave?'

, :JBringing\ tbe 1ktng :maclt'

',"Vhy speak ye not a word of bringing the King back l' (28'\lu. xix., 10.

Then we find mention of an 'Unspeakable gift.' How repeatedly Christ designates eternal life the gift of God. When conversing with the Samaritan woman, He says, 'If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, give me drink, thou would est have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living waters.' 'God so loved the world that ... whosoever believeth in Him should have eternal life.' What an unspeakable gift! now are we through faith made heirs to this gift, but when He shall appear, then we will receive this gift in its fulness as a gift of God. Ought not then our feeling to be akin to that of the Apostle Paul's, expressed in these words, 'And I most gladly will spend, and be utterly spent on behalf of your souls, even if the more abundantly loving you, the less I be loved' (Emphatic Diaglott).; If all who profess the name of Christ, gave in this spirit, and gave as the Lord hath blessed them, what a happy position the Churches would be in! We are inclined to think that a debit balance would be unknown, and pastors, evangelists, elders, and deacons, would be relieved from what seems now almost a necessity, ' Becoming Church beggars for current expenses. E. H.
TAYLOH.

SUCH is the great theme that has been assigned me for a ten minutes' paper. May the spirit of God give the condensing power. To Bible readers the origin of my topic stands revealed, as it occurred in that striking incident in the eventful life of David, whom the Lord had made king over Israel, instead of Saul. Absalom, David's son, had treasonably conspired against his father, and had had himself proclaimed king. The plot was discovered but David had to flee. Yet there soon gathered to him the flower of his army, men of valour and experience. The hand of the Lord was in it, the rebellion was soon put down, with the loss of many lives. In a singular way the traitor, Absalom -while riding on his mule under the boughs of an oak tree, his head was caught in the branches and the mule moved away from under him, leaving him hanging there like an executed criminal. News reached Joab, who, in a most ignominious and unchivalrous manner, slew him while hanging on the tree. They then took him down, cast him into a pit in the wood, and covered him ~ith a heap of stones; the conspirators were scattered, the army withdrawn; the message was sent to David, and the feeling of the bereaved father was stronger than state policy, and he bitterly mourned for his son. Joab expostulated with him, and David came out to the people. But David does not take advantage of the victory of his troops, and resume his position as their king. He waits their invitation-discontent reigns throughont their tribes, they recount the deliverances David had wrought for them in the past. The Pretender is dead-no more hope from that quarter: hence the burning question which they ask of their leading men, is this of our topic. ' Now, therefore, why, etc.' Whatever my own conviction about the tY}Je~ of Scripture, I will not call this one; but a striking illustmtion of what may be turned to account by our own mission, and by the true followers of Christ throughout the world. The great deliverances that the Lord wrought by David, had never been excelled in the history of Israel, and the wealth and influence which, before his death, he handed over to his son, Solomon, with the united kingdom, and the peace and prosperity of Solomon's reign, affords a vivid illustration of what shall obtain when' Great David's greater Son in bliss returns to reign.' My time will not allow me to dwell upon the deplorable condition of the great mass of the human race, that is morally and spiritually without God, and without hope in the world, we neither ignore nor forget the blessings of civilization that are spread and are spreading over the face of the earth. But even the most enthusiastic are forced to admit that this isnot unmixed good-the vices rath er than the virtues of civilization are most readily copied by our less privileged fellow-creatures. The huge armies and navies that are required by the governing nations to keep the con. quered and annexed ones in subjection, or still more, the jealousy and mistrust of one another, goes to clearly show, that amid all the world's boasted progress, there is some-

166

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

NOVEMBER,

1891.

thing of vital importance lacking to give content, peace, God to fail for evermore 7 Are the dead never to live and confidence to the nations of the earth. One great again but death, sin, and Satan hold eternal carnival? empire after another has passed away, and while admitting Perish the thought and perish the system of interpretation that ever made such a thought possible, J ehovah has sworn, material progress, the increase of knowledge, and of the by His own eternity, that the whole earth shall be filled arts and sciences, yet every honest mind must admit that with His glory, and not a jot or tittle of His word shall fail, this groaning earth, has never yet found her true and right- and on that word He has caused His children to hope. ful ruler; has not yet seen fulfilled what her Creator and Who is. to blame then l There can only be one ans,~er, P . t k b D 'd 'Th h 11b 0 and that IS the professed members of the Church of Christ. D rvme ropne or spa . e y avio : ere . s a e ne Th e ancient h ope of C'hrist ,s return an d I'{mg d om stan d s . that ruleth over men righteously, that ruleth m the fear of divinely engraved in the New Testament, charter of all our God, He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rights anti privileges; bears the seal of Christ Himself in riseth, a morning without clouds.' 'In his days shall the latest revelation from heaven, 'Behold I come quickly, ' the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace while the and the inspired,' Amen' of the last apostle-' E~en so, " " . . f come, Lord Jesus. "Thy, then, ye blood-bought saints, do moon endnreth. There IS but One m all the universe 0 ye not speak a word to the jarring world about 'bringing being capable of the high office--that is the despised and the King back 7' rejected Son of God, who gave Himself a ransom for all, Now we have a right to press this question and the who died for the sins of the world and whom the eternal parallel of our text illustrates it. It was the men of Israel God raised from the dead and said' 'Sit thou at my right that ra!sed the cry to bring the King. ba.ck,.and David sent . " . the priests to the elders of J udah, WIth this message, 'Ye ~and until .1 make thy foes thy footstool. He IS 110W are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh , wherefore invested WIth all power - the Regent of heaven and then are ye the last to bring the King back 7 Our Redeemer earth. Oh! why, ye puzzled and perplexed rulers, states- and King demands the answer! Have we preached the men, peoples, why do ye not read and understand the re- Gospel of the KingdoI? for a ':itn~ss to all the world? Or vealed )nrpose of J ehohh and find it the grand panacea for ha.s not t~e Church said, the ~Lme1,S long, I?Y ~ord delaveth I ,. l' . His Coming=-we must be mistaken as to Its interpretation the world SIlls. 'Why do ye not say a word about bring- -the Church is the Kinzdom-c-aud all these material ing the King back r All honour to the world's noble images are the emblems of spiritual blessings? We ask philanthropists in all their various departments of help and from whom has -the Church received this new revelation? blessing; reach your helping hands as far as possible, lighten Where is the 'proof of it~ divine .aut~orit{' 7 . Alas, it. i~ but b d f d th h I th tl k d human expediencs], and-It lacks justification III the spiritual th e crus hi lI1g ur ens, ee e , ungry, c 0 e le na e, st a t e 0f tl 10 Ch urc h es t 0-d ay. Did we fineI more 0f th e . I teach the Ignorant, but, oh, don t forget to speak the word fruits of the Spirit, more personal likeness to Christ, about the King's return. more deaduess to the world, more practical godliness, we might be led to ponder the question but the But perhaps this is more than we can hope from those, outlook is dark. Christ's photograph of the state of who, impressed with the pressing claims of perishing both the Church and the world, is mpidly developing, and humanity, feel their mission ends with the supply of the standing out from the dark background, clearer and clearer, repeat, to all concerned, our present need. Then we ask the solemn question: and we only sorrowfully question, 'Why speal ye not a word about bringing the On whom rests the responsibility 7 We can hardly expect King back?' We believe He is coming whether you invite the monarchs and rulers to be the first to raise the cry of Him or not.- 'I'nos, VA!:iEY, in 'PILeFaith. our text-s-human nature has always been fond of power and authority. Is there really no hope for humanity 7 Have 1l1ncle :!Daniel'e :JBtble ~la5e. all that poets have sung, and prophets foretold, been but happy dreams, and 'Oriental metaphors i' Is there no real help, no solid blessing for a redeemed world 7 Has Jesus 9. -l~EsuRREcTION. gone hack to heaven to remain there for ever? Has God forsaken His own world? 'Vas the inscription on the 'THE subject for our consideration to-day,' said Uncle cross only a Jewish satire 1 'This is the King of the Jews.' Daniel, at the next session of the Bible class, 'is one of When the angels told the disciples' This same Jesus, whom most profound interest, being the climax of the Bible ye have seen ascend into heaven, shall so come-in like teaching on the subject of a future state that we have been manner,' etc., was it only to give them their first lesson considering for several weeks. We have learned from the in spiritualizing the prophecies of God and the solemn Scriptures that man by nature is entirely mortal, that there promise of Christ, 'I will come again,' etc. 1 Was the grand is no Scriptural foundation for the popular teaching that panorama of Patmos only a Christian puzzle, or, to the souls or spirits of men have a separate conscious and amuse historians in finding historical fulfilments and immortal existence, and that the only hope of immortality speculative Christians 'stuff for dreams?' Are we really is based upon a union with God through His Divine Son.. to look to earth or heaven for the coming deliverer; or, 'In the doctrine of Resurrection we learn how this sad alternative, is the seething mass of human misery to immortality is to be manifested. go on till it perishes in the final conflagration 7 Is Israel , Sceptics have attacked the doctrine, claiming that it is for ever to wander without a land or home? .Are the unscientific and an impossibility. It is not our province in groans of a lapsed creation never to cease; the marks of this class to discuss the question from a scientific standthe curse never to be erased, and all the special promises of point, but I would remark that in my opinion the Resur-

NOVEMB~R, 1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

167

rection is quite in harmony with the laws of nature. It is our place to-day to open the Word of God and humbly bow to its teaching. By way of introduction, I will request the class to read the fifteenth chapter or 1st C01'inthians, each reading a verse alternately.' After the reading Uncle Daniel continued, 'You will observe that this is a logical argument, the premise of which is that Resurrection is not a matter of conjecture, but a/act, that fact being that Christ has risen from the dead. To prove the fact Paul refers to over five-hundred witnesses, and then reasons from this Resurrection of the " first-fruits" to that harvest time when "Death is swallowed up in victory." Again you will notice his reasoning in the opposite direction in verses 13-19: "If Christ be not risen, then there is no resurrection, faith is vain, mankind are in their sins, and the dead are perished: " We cannot, therefore, magnify the importance of this Bible doctrine. , There is no need of going beyond this chapter for direct testimony to settle the question,' continued Uncle Daniel, 'but it will be interesting to cumulate evidence from a variety of sources. I will therefore call for passages of Scripture on the subject.' 'In our last lesson we quoted from Job, showing the condition of man by nature,' remarked Robert Passmore, 'The whole question appears to be stated and answered in a nut-shell in chapter xiv., 14th and 15th verses :'" If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed Lime will I wait, till llIy change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer Thee; 'I'hou wil t have a desire to the work of Thine hands." Mrs. Percy called attention to Isa. xxvi, 19, as follows :'Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust , for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.' Reference was made to the hope of the Psalmist as expressed in PSCt. xvii. 15 :, As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.' 'The four-fold promise of our Saviour as recorded in the sixth chapter of John's Gospel has always impressed me greatly,' remarked Mary Douglass. She then read from verses 39 to 59, particularly referring to verses 39, 44, 51 and 54, as follows :, And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up agail\at the la~t day.' ;:_ " 'N 0 man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent ~Ie draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.' * , I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven : If any man eat of this Breaa, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will o _;;_l\Iy flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.' cive is -::.
-l} -;:. _:: .;;.

in white robes, with harps in their hands. Preachers appear to give free rein to fancy at a time when of all others the mind wants a substantial fact to rest upon. I do notfind many funeral addresses recorded in the Bible, but there are some expressions recorded in connection with the dead that are very pertinent, for instance: when Lazarus died, Jesus said, "Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of his sleep;" and later on to Martha, "Thy brother shall rise again;" ., I am the Resurrection and the Life, he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall lie live;" and lastly, "Lazarus, come forth !" , Similar to this were the words of Peter in the presence of the mourners at the bier of Dorcas, "Tctbitha., arise j" and of like import is the consolation offered to all who have loved ones asleep in Jesus, as given in 1 Thess. iv. 13-18:"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him, For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 'Well done, David!' exclaimed Uncle Daniel, 'you have struck the true Gospel keynote, i.e., that there is no promise or hope held out in the Scriptures of any future life except through a resurrection of the dead, or change of the living at the second coming of Christ.' Mark Wilson read from Luke xiv. Ll, the teaching of the Saviour, to those who make sacrifices in this life, as to their time of reward :-, Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the .i u~L.' Mr. Arnold directed attention to Plcil. iii, 8-11, where Paul again reiterates the supreme importance of this event:'Yea, doubtless, I count all things but loss. If lly any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.' Passages were then read from Acts xxiv. 15; Jno. v. 27-29; Rev. xx. 4-6 and 12, 13, after which Uncle Dltniel remarked: 'These last references you will observe open a wide field for investigation, apparently teaching different grades, bands and companies in the Resurrection. vVe will not touch upon that phase of the subject now, but rest the lesson with the very clear demonstration that has been made that the Resurrection of the dead is a Bible doctrine, and in fact the only method of obtaining a life beyond the grave. I cannot leave the subject, however, without directing your attention to the warning of the Apostle Paul as given to Timothy :, "Shun profane and vain babblings, for:they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their words will eat as doth a canker; of whom is Hymeneeus and Philetus , who conceruinq the truth. luurc erred, sct!ling that the resurrection. is past alrcads], and overthrow the faith of some." I have met those in the churches who boldly proclaim that the only resurrection is a "spiritual" one in being raised from the carnal state to that of children of God, and that to e\'ery child of God the reeurrectiou. is past alreads). I can only echo the words of Paul concerning such "Beware !'"

'vVhoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.' 'I have listened to a great many funeral discourses,' said David Gordon, 'and almost invariably the consolation offered the bereaved, has been an effort to impress them with the idea that their loved ones were translated instead of being dead, and that they were looking over the battlements of Heaven, 01' marching through golden streets clad

(1'0 be continued.)

'.
THE BIBLE STANDARD.

168

NbvE:MBlm,

1891.

~ ~Ei~.r--:~
~~'~lble
<, ~\) ~~'

$tan~~
ORGAN ~-:

lll'd. ct1
tf

~
!~~~ t~O\V

MONTHLY
O'-THE

~)~-9+

n
t

~ealand. Evangelistic and rublication

EDITED BY

Association,

GEO. ALDRIDGE.

AS.')ISTlm

BY

SPECIAL

CONTRIBUTORS,

It2ir The Editor wishes it to be understood that, while hc exercises a general supervision over the nrticlcs and correspondence appearing in the Standard, responsibility for sentiments expressed rests upon the individual writer.

It is of great importance to the publieliers of a 1'eligious paper that all Subsc1'iptio'nll be paid PIW:tliPTLY. The price of a single subscription, mr:1",sumbly ?fnimportant in itself, becomes, when multiplied by 500 delinquent eubecribers, quite an important facto)' in the success 01'faiiua-e OJ a paper. Will EVERY SUBSCRIBERAND AGENT see that they send money AT ONCE,to pay f01' the current yea1. A prompt 1'esponse is earnestly urqed upon all. lf you appreciate the pape1', you ought not to twit for a personai letter urging

Y01' to pay.
1 We have to- aclsnoioledqe receipt, with thanks, donation of toioards BIBLE STANDARDFund from. Pastor Abbot, of Adelaide.

Stepney,

Bssociation

1Rotes.

. ,

Hous again! and heartily glad to greet deal' ones in Church and family, and all readers of the BIBLE STANDARD. We have had a long vacation, during which health has steadily improved, and benefit to both mind and body has been received. The work hitherto carried on cannot be undertaken all at once, but we are hopeful that as time passes on it may be gradually resumed. Our gratefnl thanks are due to all the deal' brethren who have so nobly responded to the call to shoulder the work. The response has been hearty, unanimous, and sustained. vVe thank God for the noble-hearted brotherhood with which we are united. Truly 0\11' common faith has generated a fervent love, a love manifested by deeds of service in time of need. This is true not only of Auckland, but of the entire brotherhood throughout New Zealand and Australia. The past three months have garnered many lessons, but none more precious than those impressed by contact with the many loving hearts which own Christ as the Life-giver and the coming Lord. We did not need to be assured of the quality of those who are one with us in- New Zealand, but even these have surprised us by their spontaneous, helpful sympathy; but in Australia we met with many who were complete strangers, unknown even by name, and these have shown the same sympathy, and have encouraged us greatly. Brethren in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide have taken us by the hand, and given a hearty and loving greeting for the truth's sake. This has been largely owing to the STANDARD. We never can know the extent of the influence exerted by this little sheet. 'Ve did not even dream that it was so widely and so favourably known. This trip has been an 'eyeopener' indeed, and has encouraged us more than ever to do the utmost possible to circulate the truths we love by means of the pen and the press.

In Sydney the brethren are holding the fort,and patiently awaiting the opportunity for further usefulness. Some of them are labouring hard, and deserve all commendation for their efforts. We were greatly pleased with our visit to them. It was a pleasure to meet with them and to break bread together. In Melbourne we met many dear friends formerly associated with the New Zealand churches, It was pleasant to renew old friendships, and talk over matters connected with the progress of truth. What seems to be needed here is that there should be some recognised centre of teaching, which would attract the individuals and scattered groups in and about the city. 'Ye met with Bro. Brown, formerly Editor of this Journal, and are hopeful that now he is again resident in Melbourne that he will be able to do something to give prominence to Apostolic truth and practice. In Adelaide it was a delightful thing to meet with brethren, who gave us a hearty welcome. Here two churches were opened to us, and free utterance accorded for exposition of Life teachings. The meetings were enthusiastic, the last especially so, and we are hopeful that as one result there will be an annual conference established, at which those who are identified with the Life movement can exchange thought and give help to each other. The desire for this originated with a venerable minister of the Gospel, and has been echoed by others in the ministry. With these and other dear brethren this should be, if inaugurated, a glorious means of proclaiming the message. In Dunedin we renewed companionship with Bro. Carr and many other tried and valued friends, and spent some enjoyable hours in social con verse and fellowship. More could be written if we dare, but these notes are purposely brief, and are only intended as an acknowledgment to the many dear friends in the places visited, and a brief indication of work being done and yet to do. May God bless the many whole-souled, leal-hearted brethren in Australia who are bound together by faith in Christ as the Live-giver and the coming King. ED.

~be {teacbing of Bnalog\? upon tbe 'Uln:=::

conscious State of tbe IDeat>.

SOMEwriters in contending for Soul Immortality, urge that if the dead, are unconscious until the resurrection then personal identity must be lost. They picture N ero raised as 'an entirely new man, assnming that the suspension of consciousness for a time would preclude memory; their raised Nero pleads' I never knew the Nero who lived.' Those who invent this fiction deserve the same reproof that was given by the Lord to the Sadduceans when they presented their difficult problem. But there are some well attested facts which are analagous to the statements of Holy Writ, It is obvious to all that mind and body are closely interwoven, a wonderful fabric of divine weaving. What injures the warp affects the woof. Say something to a person that gives a shock to the mental faculties-a swoon results, the power of the muscles to uphold ceases for a lime; or you inflict a blow upon the skull-a similar result ensues, mental and physical collap~e with unconsciousne'ss for a time. Sir Astley Cooper records a case in point. For over thirteen months the patient was unconscious of anything around him, until a surgical operation restored normal action; the removal of a piece of bone that was pressing on his brain allowed his mind to act. Memory was restored, but only up to the

NOV1i)l'.1B];R,

1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

be answered by Scriptural author.

169
quotations and notes by the

accident that deprived him of consciousness. There was no trouble about identity-the thirteen months were to him but as a moment gone. Is there not here an analogy with the state of the dead? A heavier shock is given mental or physical, the person dies, a suspension of consciousness results until the operation called resurrection, when memory is restored up to the shock and not past it, with indentity equally certain to the person as in the other case. When we read in Scripture of the silence, the darkness, the decay in Hades, we rejoice that God 111 kindness makes us unconscious, until we awake to life and to the Presencewith memory only up to the point of death-all the between being as if it had not been. It may be said that in the first case the person was always present, a positive proof of identity. True, but he did not know it, and it is the knowledge of one's own identity that is disputed. We are ever present to God everi in the death state. God can see where the eye of man fails. Paul alludes to some in error respecting resurrection, and comforts the believer with this assurance, 'The firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal-the Lord knoweth them that are His.' Whether in life or in death we. are the Lord's, our identity is clear to Him with whom we have to do. God knows, says Paul, and I also know I preach life and incorruption brought to light through the Gospel. 'I know Him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day.' What did Paul commit? His own self-as Peter advises some about to be tried with a fiery trial: 'Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls (selves) in well doing unto a faithful Creator.' We sing, I shall be satisfied when I awake in Thy likeness, in true accord with Scripture. Our aim, as was Paul's, to gain Christ, be found in Him, having righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ to suffering, yea, even to death. If by any means we may attain the goal, the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, the resurrection from the dead, the first resurrection of blessed and holy ones; for such die no more, are in the presence of God, and are like the angels, in company with the redeemed of every nation, kindred, and tribe, who are redeemed from sin, death and the grave. A great multitude, who, with a voice like many thunders, raise the grandest hallelujah chorus ever sung. Human fiction tells us of one by one ascending. The revealed Word gives the idea of a company vast and uncountable, coming together at once, and we ask you, dear reader, to consider, and to determine to proclaim and uphold the truth of God, and to oppose any philosophy, falsely so called,that would set aside the Holy Word. Eo C. We have to acknowledge receipt from Mr Evan Forsyth, of Stanley Brook, of a pamphlet entitled 'Life and Death,' in which the author sums up what he believes to be the substance of revelation regarding man's nature, his lot in this life, and his future existence. The pamphlet is too long for reproduction in our present issue, and we are sorry to say that its teachings are very far from being in accord with holy writ. One truth (1) desired to he brought out is, 'that the acceptance of the Gospel message is not confined to this life only, but that certain souls may accept of it in Hades, and be saved;' again 'Prejudice, I fear, has caused the Romish doctrine of Purgatory to be set aside too hastily, oausing the germ it contained to be ignored too:' This is the central teaching of the pamphlet which is divided into eight propositions, which are supposed to

One of the main propositions reads: 'Man consists of two essential parts, body and soul, the body only dies at the death of man;' and another asks, 'Where will the souls of those go who gain eternal life on or before the death of their bodies l' The answer is, 'to heaven or paradise;' while to the query, 'where do the souls of those go to who do not gain eternal life on or before the death of their bodies l' he replies, 'They go to Hades (the present abode of devils or fallen angels) where the Gospel truths will be thoroughly comprehended by all l' Referring to Rev. xx. 13-14, the author says, 'The sea and the earth gave up the dead bodies, and Hades gave up the souls, the souls and bodies being reunited for judgment.' From t.his it will be seen the author is a strong believer in post-mortem sal vation, a theory which he evidently propounds through ignorance of the Scriptural teaching on Hades, and the nature of man, and we much regret that the author should have been led to accept these theories as the very oracles of God. It is passing strange that a Protestant of the Protestants should be found to propound a species of Purgatory and an Evangel to the dead. The belief that the soul is a distinct personality, separate and distinct from the body, is solely responsible for these ideas being current. One would suppose people never read their Bibles, or if they do they never study them, or they would find that the soul is not confined to man, but is common to animal life as well; all are li ving souls, and remain so while God lends them breath; that the soul is, in fact, the life of the body, lllay be, and is, in many instances, translated life, and thus it gives the correct idea, death is not the separation of soul and body, as popularly understood, but on the decease of the indi vidual, the vitalizing spirit returns to God, and as a result, man ceases to be a living soul, and returns to dust, to the place of the unseen, to Hades, where, says the wise man, 'the dead know not anything,' and where ~here is no work, knowledge or device in (Sheol) Hades whither tliou. goest. Where do dead persons go 1 God says to dust, to Hades, and by a comparison of all the Scriptural references to Hades, we find it is nothing more or less than gmvedom, the gmve, good and bad, rich and poor, saint and sinner, master and servant, all alike go there at death, and there they remain , Unknowing and unkriown ' until the resurrection. The pamphlet throughout refers to the death and resurrection of the body-this the Scripture knows naught of; it teaches the resurrection of man, the personality, from Hades, whether it be in sea or land. Christ taught us to look for His return as the signal of future life, and Paul placed this constantly forward as the Christian's only hope. Death is said, by the pamphleteer, to be the ground-we desire proof; death is not a place, and Hades is not a state, but Hades is a place and death is a state; those who are in this state of death are in Hades. About the only Scriptural teaching in the pamphlet, is that describing the final destruction of the wicked after judgment in the fires of Gehenna .

170

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

XOVEMBER.

1891.

It is a pninfu! task to have to review such a work as this, we would ~that men would read their Bibles and learn from them that they are mortal and perishing, and that death is a season when none can work; and that as death finds us so also will resurrection; and we leave the case of those who may not be privileged to hear the glorious message of the Kingdom to a God who knows all hearts, and gives righteous judgment, 'surely the Judge of all the earth will do right.' G.A. G.

"ijUlill3e5us <tome?
I DO not write on this sacred theme for critics, nor for cavillers, nor yet for the unteachable. Nor do 1 write for advanced prophetic students. My desire is to present to the general reader, clearly, simply, and briefly, an explanation and exposition of the subject, Will Jesus come again 7 The Christian believer cannot admit or allow any human opinion or speculation conccrning the future, Who knoweth of to-morrow 7 Who can determine the events of the next hour 7 There is but one infallible, authoritative source of knowledge regarding the days before us, namely, the sure word of prophecy. Vve may not accurately interpret the prophetic Scriptures, we may not clearly understand them, we may not easily arrive at their exact meaning. But of this we are persuaded that, outside of the Bible, all forecastings are speculations. .Neither from the past history of the world nor from its present developments can anyone form a basis of calculation whereby to determine future events. The question which concerns the true believer, first and last, is, Have we a 'Thus saith the Lord 7' If so, we bow to the verdict of Scripture when it has spoken. Where it is silent we may indulge in harmless guesses, but we must not proclaim them infallible decisions. What know we of future contingencies 7 Just so much as the Antediluvians knew of a coming flood before Noah warned them, and even then they believed him not. No Christian will deny the prophetic features of the Bible. Mucli that is now history was once prophecy, and the literal fulfilment of events as they had been predicted is the magic' Sesame' which opens ,the gates of the future to the devout and inquiring mind. The Spirit shows us things to come because He has already inspired holy men to write of them. Let us now with becoming reverence and gladness of heart approach this most joyous hope which has impressed and influenced the Church in every age. Will the Lord Jesus, the Eternal Word, who appeared once on earth, return again and touch its, soil with His blessed feet 1 Will He who was born of woman, who became the servant of all, come again in sovereign majesty and receive from the world the homage of universal worship and the crown of universal supremacy 7 Let each reader take his Bible and bear in mind that our study is, Will Jesus come again in person to our world?

1. Our first quotation is a statement from His own gracious lips, John xiv, 2, 3, 'I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again.' No one surely will dispute the fact that when Jesus said' I go,' He meant a personal, literal removal of Himself to the Father. The' I' is personal, not a personation; the' go' is literal, not figurative. Thus Jesus in His own person departed out of the world by ascension to the heavens. So, according to the simplest laws of language, the promise, 'I will come again,' must be both personal and literal. The' I come' answers to the' I go.' According to this precious promise of Jesus, is it -not right to expect that some time He will again return to earth 7 Surely 110 past event can be construed into a fulfilment of this promise. N either the coming of the Spirit, the destruction of Jerusalem, the discovery of America, the birth of the Republic, nor the claims of the man Schweinfurth that he is the promised Messiah, nor the article of death, will satisfy the thoughtful mind that in any or all of these occurrences Jesus has come. Oh, my reader, think of the promise, and rejoice. He came and died for us. This is love bleeding for its beloved. He went on high to prepare an abode for us. This is love active for the beloved. This is love satisfying itself: 'That where I am, there ye may be also.' 2. Turn we now to Acts i. 9-11 : 'And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up.' The first part of His own promise was then exactly fulfilled. He was taken up. Had He not said' I go! ' Now hear the white-robed messengers address the disciples (v. 11) : This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.' How did He ascend 7 In His hnman, b alorified _ body. How shall He descend 7 In like manner. Who ascended 7 .Jesus. Who shall descend 7 This same Jesus. How was He accompanied in His ascension 7 With a cloud. How shall He return? ' And then shall thev see the Son of man coming in a .cloud ' (Luke xxi. 27). S~rely this verse teaches on its very surface that Jesus is coming again personally, visibly, gloriously. 3. One verse more -1 Thess. iv. 16: 'For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.' Again we must admit that this passage refers to ou r Lord's personal return. He is now in heaven, where He ascended, and will continue there in His priestly, mediatorial office until the hour arrives when He shall return to claim His own. Then shall the dead in Christ rise first, and the living saints shall join them in their triumphal procession, while they challenge the graves long occupied, but now empty. ' 0 death, where is thy sting 7 0 grave, where is thy victory 7 Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' But keeping to the line of thought before us, we must not overlook the fact that the Lord comes not by deputy, but Himself. This, then, is our assured hope. It is not a, speculation, not a philosophy, not a supposition, not

NOVEMBER, 891. 1

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

171

even a calculation, but an assurance based on the infallible promises of God. Oh, believer, are you tried now 1 Are you affiicted now 1 Are you sorely beset by many ad versaries 7 Is your heart wrung with anguish as you see the wicked prosper, and the ungodly prevail 7 Fear not! Lift up your head, for your redemption draweth nigh. Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus.-G.C.N.
.. ---+-

:f13ible ~rutb WinNcateb.

PROF. SAYeE, of Oxford, England, a most accomplished Oriental archreologist, has a remarkable article in the Sunday School Times on ' Melchizedek of Salem.' Among other things he says, "One by one the narratives of the Old Testament, upon which the ever-subtle analysis of modern criticism had cast suspicion and doubt, are being vindicated by the progress of Oriental research. The cuneiform records of Babylonia testify that the campaign of Chedorlaomer (Gen. xiv.) was a historic fact, and now recently discovered tablets in Egypt verify the meeting of Abram, the Hebrew, and Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God. According to Prof. Sayce, 'the description of Melchizedek, king of Salem, mythical as it has often been alleged to be, turns out to be in strict accordance with fact.' Moreover, the tablets show that , centuries before Solomon, "the peaceful one," had erected there the temple of the God of Israel, a sanctuary had existed on the same spot, dedicated to a god whose name was" Peace," and the fame of whose oracles had extended as far as Egypt. The" Most High God," whose priest was Melchizedek, was no invention of local vanity, no myth inspired by the later history of Jewish Jerusalem. He had been worshipped on Moriah long before Moses had led his brethren out of Egypt, or the armies of Israel had appeared in Canaan. He had been worshipped, moreover, by a cultured and literary people.' These are wonderful revelations, and uproot whole forests of theories of the apostles of Higher Criticism.-Ch1istian Standard.

Time works strange transformations. The desire for display is at the bottom of most of the dishonesty of men. The signs multiplying upon every hand indicate that the advent of our Lord is near at hand. If He fails of appearing according to His promise, then He will prove false to His word, and unworthy of human confidence. But we know that He will" not prove untrue. His word will come true. He will come again. When? We know not the hour. He has told us that no man knows that. But He has told us that we shall see certain signs which shall indicate the near approach of that hour. Those signs we see; therefore we believe Him to be near. (Hence it behoveth us to be watching. He will come suddenly, and let Him not find us sleeping.

WHEN the Lord bids us cast our burdens on Him, the invitation implies that we really have burdens; that there are things which oppress HS, which require the help He can gi ve. But is it r.ot possible that some people have accustomed themselves to talk of burdens, and trials, and tribulations without much real sense 01' meaning ~ They sing of being soldiers of the cross. They talk of enterincb the . kingdom 'through much tribulation,' but if they should leave these glittering generalities and make out 'a bill of particulars,' it is doubtful whether some of them would be able to make a very extensive inventory of conflicts, or troubles and trials. They have food and raiment, therefore they shonld be content, so far as that matter is concerned. They have friends and home; they have many enjoyments which nobody had a few years ago; and what are the troubles and trials in their experience upon which they base their cries for help and their pleas for sympathy 7 They have doubts and fears, but what business Iun:e they to doubt and fear, when God has promised that He will never leave them nor forsake them? The cure for doubts and fears is to read God's Word and believe it. They may have melancholy feelings, but are not these quite likely the results of dyspepsia, which is the consequence of luxury and gluttony 1 A little more control of the appetite, a little plainer food, less tea and coffee, to say nothing of tobacco and strong drink, and many of these troubles would vanish, and leave them in a condition of peace. Is it then worth our while to spend our time in wailing over' temptations and trials severe' if they can be so easilv disposed of ~ Here are men who complain of despondency and depression simply because they have twice as much land as they need, three times as much property as they can take care of, and eat twice as much food as they can diaest , but : b when the Lord says sell and give alms, they hold on with a grip like death, and grumble and complain at the hardness of their lot, and when He counsels them to abstinence and temperance and self control they refuse to obey His voice. It is true that Christian men are in a wicked world, that they are subject to the influence of a carnal mind, that thev are beset by the wiles of a tempting devil, but it is also true that most men and women make the large?'part ot' tlceir own troubles. Here is a woman who complains of feebleness and despondency. She has much sickness, and thinks that Providence has given her a very hard and weary lot, but she probably has not draum. a. naturai breath. 'in ten yeal'S, and cannot until she has changed her style of dressing for one more nearly conformed to health and common sense. But if anyone should propose that she do this, she would say , How should I look l' and so she will continue to lace and

172

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

I never before realised what it Jerusalem.' It is literally going direction it is approached. Going through the plain of Sharon, and mountainous, winding way, going

NOVEMBER,1891.

pucker, and groan and moan over her sickness and feebleness. It is had enough for men and women to be tem pted of the devil. It is worse when they tempt the devil to tempt them. It is sad to have feebleness and infirmity, but it is sadder still to know that such troubles are needless and self-induced by our own dressing and dosing, and eating and drinking. Hence it. is of the utmost importance when we ask help of God, that we also be prepared to help ourselves; and we shall best help ourselves by doing what. the Lord has commanded us, and leaving alone what He has forbidden. How many of our troubles would vanish in it clay if we woulcl really devote oursel ves to the service of the Lord, ancl simply obey the commandswhich He has written ill His 'Word, and which He has incorporated in the human constitution. But when we give way to passion and appe tite, and worldliness and folly, to gluttony, lust, and every desire which ne has forbidden, how can we wonder if troubles come 1 and how can we expect that the Lord will hear us and. help us when we refuse to hp-a?' Him and to be helped by Him 7 We ale told that <lod is faithful and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear, hut will with the tem ptation provide a way of escape that we may be able to bear it; but what if the Lord has provided the way of escape and we refuse to walk in it 1 'What if the path is open, and we prefer to turn' everyone to his own way 7' In such a case IV hy should we turn to the Lord for special help when we have only to do what He has bidden us, and we can help ourselves, and our troubles will be at an end.

meant to 'Go up to from whichever from J affa we passed then came to a very up ann. down the

up

mountains, the general tendency being upward. I came to see more fully, also, the beauty of that expression, 'As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about His people from henceforth even for ever.' In some places the olive is extensively cultivated, and many of the valleys produce grain, but the country as a whole looked God-cursed, and shows the abomination of desolation. Prophecy has been fulfilled, which said, 'Lo I will bring a nation upon you from far ... and they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and daughters should eat.' . The Turkish Government has a system of extortion which keeps the people down and kills all ambition for improvement. Like Egypt, Palestine has become a land of 'backsheesh,' where everybody expects to live on somebody else, begging is a common business, and one never know s when he has paid his bills, for after he has paid the price asked for a chance to live there a few days, he is likely to be hailed in any public place by dragomen, muleteers, stewards, and waiters, for' backsheesh.' Some of these fellows seem to wait around to be looked at, and then cry out' backsheesh.' But there are evidences that a great change is soon to come over that once blessed but now cursed land. The Turks are expecting to lose their supremacy here; the Jews are returning; formerly only the poor and aged came just to die in the sacred city, now the younger and well-to-do come, until there are more Jews than Gentiles in Jerusalem. I would have the country delivered from Turkish rule and Mohammedanism, but I would not have it filled up with the idolatry of the Catholic Church. The Protest.ant religion has only a small constituency in Palestine. The Greek ('")hurch has a strong foothold here, as has also the Latin or Roman Catholic, the deadly enemy to the Greeks. The Marionites united with the Latins in 1180, and now number nearly two hundred thousand in Lebanon. The Copts have a small representation here. The Jews are a mixed multitude, as they have mostly returned from Spain, Portugal, Germany, Poland, Russia, and other countries. It is a. remarkable fact that, in order to communicate with each other, the Hebreio language is being revived,

H. L.

HASTINGS.

B \1)i5tt to 3erU5alem.
n- REV.
T. H.
Sl'ACEY.

Our landing was most difficult and dangerous, as the ship in which we sailed from Alexandria for J affa was wrecked upon the rocks near our destination. I cannot tell you our experience through four hours-from five until nine o'clock -with the ship beating against the rocks and the sea often breaking over us, while during most of this time we did not know how we might be rescued! But God was kind and brought us help in the form of some Arab boatmen, who saved our- lives at the risk of their own. God put a great peace into my heart during these hours, and I could say, , It is wen with my soul.' And when we were taken ashore through the violent sea, and over the rocks, I seemed to be borne in arms invisible. Much of my baggage was ruined, but I thank God for the opportunity to live and work for Him still. Great changes have passed over Jerusalem since Christ walked her streets and taught her people-according to His prophecy-but it was pleasant to look upon the hills, Zion, Moriah, Olivet, Bethany, the valley of the Kidron, and to know that they were the same places that He walked and looked upon.

I MUST write you a little about my visit to Palestine.

promisinq 10 be the written and spoken language of this people again. Mohammedanism is, of course, the prevailing
religion. The Moslems accept the doctrines of the immortality of the soul and future rewards and punishments. They helieve in but one God, and that He sent six great prophets into the world-Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed, and that the last was the greatest.

Society is much at fault in setting so high a value on outward appearance. Be good because it is right and not for fear of hell.

NOVEMBER.

1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

173

~'IDeatb tbe eatee to tbe eraee,'

'I said ill the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave; I am deprived of the residue of my years.'-Isa. xxxviii. 10.

THEN is death a friend or an enemy 1 Is death the gate to endless joy 1 Is death the voice of Jesus 1 Not if an enemy. Let us gO to God's detector, the Bible. Thus saith the Lord, 'Refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.' -Ier. xxxi. 15-17. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. According to Jeremiah and Paul is death an enemy 1 Can death be an enemy and a friend at the same time 1 Can God's word be true and man's word also true when they are opposed to each other 1 As Paul says, 'Let God be true and every man a liar.' Rom. iii. 4. What hath the Lord spoken 1 The prophet that hath a dream let him tell a dream; and he that hath My word let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord. J'er. xxiii. read from verse 17 to 37. Now let us come again to God's detector, the Bible. First let God's Son and the apostles speak, and then compare their talk with the teachings of men. Christ tells us in Matt. xvi. 27, that He is coming with all His holy angels. Then He will reward every man, But the teachings of men tell us we will be rewarded at death. Paul in Rom. v. 12: Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; so we can see had there been no sin there would have been no death. Then how would the sectarian world ever get through the gate to endless joy 1 Paul says, Wait, for His Son from heaven. How would it sound to Paul this way: And to wait for death from heaven, even death which delivered IlS from the wrath to come 1 Every Bible student would say that this is bogus. But that would leave Christ out of our salvation and place the crown on death. Now read Paul: And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. That has the clear ring to it; that takes Christ in as our deliverer. 1 Thess. i. 10. Col. iii. 3, 4: 'For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. And death who is our life shall appear.' No, that is base metal. Let us go to the detector again: For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. That sounds better, that leaves death out and takes in Christ. Titus ii. 13. Looking for that blessed, the glorious appearing of death 1 No, the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

only but to all them also that love His appearing. That takes in Christ arM 'leaves out the enemy death. That gives the honour to Christ again; that is where it belongs. 2 Tim. iv. 8 : For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing 1 Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming 1 The coming of our Lord again. No death there to waft us to glory: 1 Thess. ii. 18: To the end that He may establish our hearts unblamable in holiness before God, even the Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. In this place God and His Son have all the praise and honour. Death is left in the background as the great enemy of mankind. 2 Thess)ii. 13: For theLord Himself (not death himself) shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall arise first; then (not at death) we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together (not one at a time as we die) with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. In this Scripture we can see the dead saints did not go off to be with the Lord at death, but when He comes He finds them asleep in Jesus, and the living saints do not go off before thc dead are raised, but the dead in Christ arise first, then the living are changed.

So in all these Scriptures, never is death named as that which admits us into the paradise of God. Christ in Mark x. 30, told Peter he would get eternal life in the world to come, not in this world. And when death shall appear. What 1 Death 1 Our enemy? Wait for it to come 1 That don't sound like an apostle of Christ. Wait for death 1 when Christ told His apostles in Luke xx. He would reward them at the resurrection. Is the serpent's lie as good as God's truth 'I We will hear Peter. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter v. 4. I'Ve see Peter is in harmony with Christ and Paul. James i. 12 tells us about a crown of life the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. If only people would read what Paul says in Heb. ix. Read the entire chapter concerning our high priest under the type back in the days of Moses and Aaron; while the high priest was in the holy of holies. No man could be in the tabernacle while the high priest was in, until he came out. Lev. xvi. 17. So Christ the antitype has gone into heaven itself there to appear in the presence of God for us. And unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. No man, says Christ, hath ascended into heaven, and Paul says no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen or can see. No That takes in Christ and leaves out the enemy death. man can ever go where our High Priest has gone, but we, No, no, death, you are an enemy, and the last enemy that like the children of Israel, must wait for our High Priest to Christ will destroy. Thank God. Titus ii. 13: Hence- come out. And dear ones, it is very wicked for any man Dear forth there is laid up for me a crown which death will give to teach that men can go into that most holy place. me at the day of my death 1 No, that don't sound clear. Father in heaven may we all be careful what we preach Try again. A crown of righteousness which the Lord the The Judge is at the door. J. S. HATCH. righteous Judge will give me at that day, and not to me

174

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

KOVEMBER.

1891.

~ra\? ano 1bOOR 'J6m en.

HALl' the trouble when fact that oxen refuse to driver, who swears, and hardly draw enough to big loads are' stuck,' arises from the draw. They lose all faith in the raves, and prances around, and will straighten the chain. They know

that he has no sense or judgment, and has loaded them unreasonably and whipped them unmercifully, and they give up in utter discouragement. In such a case a cool head and a steady voice will often work wonders, and a little prayer may help the driver to keep cool, while in answer to it the oxen may he inclined to dra w. We heard of an old man- who when his oxen were' set' with a heavy load, used to go around behind the cart and sing' Old hundredth,' and then come back and start the team again.

and his voice was like the roar of the ocean, as he answered: , My friend, the Master I serve is abundantly able to move this load with a single yoke of oxen-or without any oxen at all; but when in direct answer to prayer He sends me an extra pail' of cattle, I'm going to hook 'em on l' No further objection was raised, and with the aid of reinforcements the loaded cart was easily drawn out of the mud. WOehave faith in prayer. But the Lord does not always answer prayer in just the way we desire or expect. We are to accept the answer He sends. If He sends us strength we are to use it, but if He sends extra oxen we are' to hook 'em on.' We are praying for help day by day, and shall thank God for it, however it may come. H.L.H.
--

Singing and prayer are always good,--but good care and 'INSO~I:\IA,' says the London Lancet, 'is rightly regarded as common sense are also useful, and are not to be neglected. or worried nervous The Leioieton Journal tells a good story of a minister in one of the marks of an overwrought Maine who had faith and common sense well mingled, and system, and conversely, we may take it that sound sleep, from six to nine hours whose' faith wrought with his works, and through works lasting for a reasonable period-say in the case of adults-is a fair test of nervous competence. was his faith made perfect :'ValqOUSaccidental causes may temporarily interfere with , Elder John Stephens held a pastorate in the Free Baptist sleep in the healthy; but still the rule holds good, and a Church at Gardiner, Me , about the middle of the century. Nature had dealt generously with Elder John. His big normal brain reveals its condition by obedience to this daily rhythmic variation. Custom can do much to contract one's heart was encased in an iron frame of mammoth proportions. natural term of sleep, a fact of which we are constantly Remarkable alike for sincere piety and genuine humour, the good man so tempered his teachings as to make them reminded in these days of high pressure; but the process is Laborious days, with acceptable to saint and sinner. Riding one day along the too artificial to be freely employed. road to West Gardiner, he over-took an ox-team that was scan ty intervals of rest, go far to secure all the needfu I In allotting hours of sleep, it is stuck in the mud. The discouraged cattle had refused to pull, conditions of insomnia. The and the driver, who had sworn till the air was blue, was impossible to adopt any maxim or uniform custom. Age, constitution, preparing to reel off another string of oaths, when the parson due allowance varies with the individual. Young stopped his horse and said: 'TI'Y prayer, my friend. Try sex, fatigue, exercise, each has its share of influence. prayer.' persons and hard workers naturally need and should have more sleep than those who neither grow nor labour. Women 'Try it yourself,' retorted the vexed teamster. , I'll do it,' said Elder John, and dropped on his knees in have by common consent been assigned a longer period of the wagon. For awhile he prayed around his subject as rest than men, and this arrangement, in the event of their if afraid to touch it. Gradually, however, his faith doing hard work, is in strict accord with their generally strengthened, and in a voice which bade fair to arouse the lighter physical construction and recurrent infirmities. neighbourhood, he besought the owner of the cattle on a Absolute rule there is none, and it is of little moment to fix thousand hills to move the hearts and legs of those stubborn an exact average allowance, provided the recurrence of sleep oxen. The prayer was unconscionably long, and no sooner be regular, and its amount sufficient for the needs of a given had it ended than the impatient driver prepared to start person, so that fatigue does not result in such nerve his team. prostration and irritability as render healthy rest impossible.' 'Stop,' said Elder .1:ohn, descending from his wagon; 'as If persons will eat moderately, work reasonably, and I have done the praying I feel that I ought to do the retire to rest seasonably, they will usually secure what sleep driving. You hold my horse and give me the goad-stick.' they need. But if they over-work, stimulate, drink wine, The man consented to the arrangement, and with IL grin spirits, and tea and coffee to drire etu'ay sleep and keep them awake when they should be resting, the time may waited to see the parson worsted. At that moment another come when they will seek in vain to bring back the sleep ox-team was seen approaching from another direction. they have banished by their drugs and medicines. , Hello. neighbour!' the practical parson shouted to the Proper food, hard work, and a good conscience help new-comer. " Lend rue your cattle for a moment.' mightily about securing sleep. Workers in the open air, , Hold on!' cried the owner of the mired cart. ' That's especially those whose feet and hands come in contact with not fair. If you can handle this team better by praying the soil and the plants, and who imbibe the oxygen and than I can by swearing, I want to see you do it; but no electricity which are so essential to health, usually have doubling up, mind you; no dcubling up.' little trouble about sleep. 'The sleep of a labouring man is sweet whether he eat little or much.' Elder John's robust figure was drawn to its fullest height,

SIeeple55ne55.

~----

--------!:~---'--

---

NOVEMBER

1891.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

175

No.
I.

6 (Second

Series),

~~~~OMJ;>ETITORS must be under eighteen years of age. It will be understood that the answers sent are the entire work of the children.
HINTS.

ACROSTI,C, Fairer than all the daughters of the earth, Unto her father she in love was given; And yet her beauty boasts a higher birth Who lives a 'Child of God' and heir of heaven, She kissed and wept, for parting gave her pain, And to Idolatry she turned again. Each day may our frail hearts more constant be, Clinging still closer, Saviour dear, to Thee. From thence she came, and He, to try her, said, , I give not unto dogs the children's bread." 'Truth, Lord,' she answered" still for help I call Since even dogs may eat the crumbs that fall.' This woman prayed, and a sweet child was sent, Her gracious gift unto the Lord was lent, Each good that we on earth from Him receive, So may we back into His service give. Modest in character and fair in face, In (he King's presence she' obtained grace.'
Our pure petitions rise on fleeter wings,

2,

Begin with the present set. Do not write the questions, but send the ansioers numbered to correspond with the questions, and state whe1'e you found them. Write in ink See that your note contains name and address, and reaches me not later than the 18th of the month. Competitors in the South must post by the 18th. Do not keep back, tbough you cannot solve every question.

6. THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES.

ELEVENTH SET.

Paul's Second 111issionm'Y J01l1"l1ey.-Acts xvi.

I. Mention two other (See verse 2.) 2.

7
of in Acts. 8.

persons

who

are well reported

'Which of Paul's friends was not circumcised?

(See verse 3.)

3. What are the decrees in verse 4 ? 4. Read verse 7 in the Revised Version, and then find two refe/ences to the same Spirit in some of Paul's Epistles. 5. What is the meaning of assaued. in verse 7 ? 6. Was Paul ever in Troas after this? 7. Find three other Visions in Acts. 8. What and where is Samothracia? 9. Mention some of the most Gospels. Give three names. (See verse S.) (See verse 9.) (See verse women
11.)

And brin! down blessings from the King of Kings. She was his wife, who first on Rabbah's plain, In unfair fight, by treachery was slain; In secret was the wicked order given; But it called down the righteous wrath of heaven. A little child. He stood beside her knee, And learned the truths which set sin's captives free' Oh, happy mother! well thy task was done, And time records the virtues of thy Son, , Awake! awake; utter a song,' she said; 'Praise ye the Lord, for Israel's foes are dead. Hear, oh, ye kings! give ear with one accord, I will sing praises unto Israel's God,' The initials give her name, who, sorrowing, Hid her fair son from Egypt's cruel King; A mightier King, all-powerful to deliver, Watched o'er the infant sleeping on the river, And chose that child, the haughty King to tell, He'd punish sin and rescue Israel. ANSWER TO No,S (Second Series). GENESIS AND NUMBERS. G ideo N Jud, vii. 20. E sa U Gen. xxv. 27. N ahu M ._. Na. i, I. E Iia B I Sarn, xvi. 6, 7. S alom E Mark xvi. I. I zha R Ex. vi. 18. S osthene S Acts xviii. 17.

famous

referred

to in the tu by Paul

10. Mention three other Households or Houses referred in his Epistles. (See verse IS.)

ANSWERS
I.

TO THE

TENTH

SET.

2.

I Cor. ix. 6; Gal. ii. 1-13. Col. iv. ID; 2 Tim, iv. I I. 3. Gal. ii. I I.

4. 2 Pet. iii. 15. 5. Acts. xv. 22. 6. 2 Tim. i. 5.

AUCKLAND.-We praise God and take courage, believing, yea, knowing that still the Gospel-is the power of God unto salvation. We thank Him that the message of love has reached the hearts of eight new converts, who have followed their Lord into the watery grave, Our morning meetings have, indeed, been pleasurable and profitable, there RESUJ.TS.-All correct __Helen Brewster, 'Bible Student,' Margaret being no lack of warmth and real fellowship, which, we trust, are maniGreen, Bertha Aldridge, Louis Falkner. Nine C01Tect__ William festations of the truths we all hold so dear. God, grant that each one of Norris, Eight correct __Sidney[Smith, W. E. Judkins. Seven correct __ us may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Chnst; by these means we may be kept unspotted from the James French. Five correct and part No. 2: Fanny French. that we Though we have given 'Bible Student' a place in the results, he world, doing all things without murmurings and disputings; may be blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the cannot compete, not having complied with the rules. We must have midst of a crooked and perverse generation, holding forth the word of name and age, life. 7. Thessalonica (Thes, iii. I, 2). 8. Yes. (Phil. i. I-an Epistle written in Rome). 9. I Cor. iv. 17; 2 Tim, i. 2; I Tim, i. 2. 10. Yes. (Heb. xiii. 23).


176

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

XOV EMBER,

1891.

'\7e had expected our Brother Aldridge to be with us on Sunday, the 25th, and were disappointed when we received a telegram to say he would not arrive until Monday, but all things work together for good to them that love God, and we trust it may be so in the case of our dear brother. He is much improved in general health. Our Industrial Exhibition was a decided success. Auckland, Thames, Dunedin, and Timaru, were represented. Over 400 exhibits were sent in, embracing a very large variety of articles which would take a couple of columns of our space to enumerate. Suffice it to say that the principal trouble the promoters had was the finding of space for all the articles, and the greatest perplexity prevailed with the visitors who thronged the Foresters' Hall, to choose the most excellent exhihit. The hall was very handsomely decorated with a profusion of evergreens, tree ferns and Rags, the walls b~in/! hung with bannerettes bearing suitable mottos, whilst a fountatn, playing amid the large cabbage trees and nikau palms on the platform, enhanced the beauty of the scene. Musical contributions added to the enjoyment of the proceedings. 'Ne dare not task ourselves with a description of any of the exhibits, nor can we give a detailed list of the names of prize-winners. Altogether, 116 prizes and certificates were awarded, fifty-four first prizes and certificates go to Auckland, eleven to Dunedin, four to Thames, and two to Timaru, the rest of the number being fairly distributed thronghout all the schools. Auckland took the prize for the girls' iJest exhibit, and [Dunedin for the boys. Over 1,000 persons visited the Exhibition <luring the four evenings on which it was open. THAMES.-Since last report we have had mingled with our joy a touch of sorrow. Our Brother and Sister]. T. Banks have again removed from our district, and we miss them much. Our fellowship wu h them has been sweet, and we earnestly pray that they and family may be richly blest with Divine favours and heavenly hlessing. Another sorrow has been the loss by death of our dear Sister J ones, aged 73 years. Although a member of the' Christian Brethren,' she always broke bread with us when she was resident here, and was in full sympathy with our work and teaching, and frequently gave us true words of encouragement. She was a very earnest and true Christian ladv, one whom we esteemed, and felt often as 'ye visited her in her last long illness, that to have such a clear faith and implicit trust in Jesus at three-score years and ten, was an incentive to progress in the Divine life to us. Most patient and trustful, thankful and prayerfulan example long to be remembered. And, oh, hOlv she enjoyed the reading of the word of God' Now she sleeps in Jesus, confessing her assurance frequently that at the sound of the trumpet she and her dear husband (who fell asleep some years since) will again meet, clad in immortality. On August the 12th we laid her in Short land Cemetery, there to await the Lord's summons to life eternal. Several of her surviving daughters are followers of Christ. Some feel that

us to fulfil our duty towards them. 'I'Ve laid him to rest in the Shortland Cemetery on October end. A large number of people-friends and work-Iellows-e-attended the service in our hall, while the Order of Rechabites conducted the grave-side portion of the service. Bro. Norman may now, in the ordinaryacceptation of the term, be called A Sleeping Saint.' How blest the righteous when he dies, When sinks the weary saint to rest: How mildly beams the closing eyes. How gently heaves the faithful breast. But soon shall shine that marble brow, When slumbering saints arise and sing, O. grave. where is thy victory now. And where, 0 death. is IIOW thy sting?' DUl"\ED[!'I.-'vVe are still enjoying our Lord's Day meei inns when we meet for the breaking of bread, for exhortation, and for edification. In the evenings, Hro. Cnrr proclaims the Gospel with much acceptance. During the last month three have obeyed the Lord in baptism and have become united to us in fellowship. On Wednesday mcrning, the 14th inst., Bra. Aldridge arrived from Australia on his way homeward. At our urgent request he consented to stay for one week. The occasion of his visit was taken advantage of to hold the Annual Church Tea; a most enjoyable evening was spent. Last Sunday we had a full meeting, and Bra. Aldridge spoke with great effect. On Tuesday evening, the zoth, a public meeting was held in the Choral Hall. We had hoped to secure the presence of Rev. C. C. Brown, of Tirnaru, but, to his anel our regret, a prior engagement prevented his attendance. Bros. Aldridge and Carr spoke well upon the topic, 'Life only in Christ,' and were listened to very attentively. A t the close of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the Auckland Church, for allowing our brother to stay with us for a week, although we regretted that the stay was necessarily so short.

current

'lRews

ano 1Aotes.

..

What is supposed to be a fair estimate of the world', population is announced as 1,480,000,000. We are extremely pleased to record the recovery of the Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, who is able to go to the seaside for a season. Theosophy has been publicly denounced as a fraud in London by the Rev. C. Voysey, who states th it Mrs. Besant, who would succeed Madame Blavatsk y, is in an hypnotised state. Death has been busy among prominent public men. Since our last issue, Chas. S. Parneli, Mr. W. H. Smith, Sir Jno. Pope Hennessy, and General Boulanger have gone the way of all flesh. The Theosophical constitunon, as revised, amalgamates the American, Home is not home, for mother is not there! Dark is her room. empty her chair, English, and European sections, Lady Caithness, in virtue of her Now will she rest from her labours and care millions as well as her enthusiasm, succeeds Mme. Biavatsk y as High Till that morning so fRir. Priestess. Sleep, mother, sleep, with dear father ill rest, From the Education Report for 1890, just presented to His ExcelYou both will arise with us to be blest; lency. Lord Onslow, we learn that our education system, since its Well have we loved you, but God loves you best; inception in 1877, has developed into great proportions. We now Then rest, mother, rest. possess 1,200 schools, employ 2,978 teachers to teach I 17,912 scholars, Our new Board of Deacons consists of Brothers L. Cubb, G. HenderIn 1877 we started with 55,688 on the rolls, and the additions have son, C. Christie, W. and T. Rohinsou, J. Dare, and J. S. Hart. Our gone on increasing since then at the rate of 4,000 per annum. Sunday services are well attended, and on Wednesday, September 16th, Russian affairs are in a deplorable state. Famine is raging in many The Czar and his Court have we had the pleasure nf assisting two to put on Christ by baptism. At places, and the populace are rioting. our week evening services, Brn. E. I r. Taylor is giving us a series of come to their senses at last, and have abjured all festivities in the mean. A vigorous foreign policy has always been Russia's means of lessons from the Book of J oh, which we a ppreciate much, and pray that time. the study of this wonderful hook Illay have the effect of drawing us drawing attention from her domestic affairs, and she is once more acting this part. nearer to our Lord and Redeemer. Australasian statistics to 1889 have been published. From the HIKUTAIA.-'vVe still get very good audiences here when our Bra. Taylor pays his monthly visit, and prav that some may he led to the present rate of increase, double the population may be expected within Cross of Christ, and ultimately into the Kingdom, through the pro 21 years. Births in 1889 exceeded deaths to the extent of 76,500. New Zealand's death- rote is the lowe~r. The total revenue was 29,216,000, clamation of God's Word. expenditure, 39, 729,00(j; Imports, 67,930,000; and exports, [The above came to hand too late for insertion in last month's issue. 64,664,000. -ED.] 'The Theosophical Society' has held its first Annual European Con. THA:>[ES (October).-'vVe have not much to write of, merely that the vention in London. It was gravely decided that the ashes of Madame ordinary services have heen well sustained and the meetings well Hlavatsky-its most influential leader, lately deceased, and cremated at attended. Bro. Taylor has heen holding forth the Word of Life, and Woking-should ~,~ divided into three portions, to be severally considerable interest awakened in the themes dealt with. \\'e have entrusted to the I heosophical centres III Madras. New York and also to acknowledge very pleasant association for a few weeks with our London.' Such is the g-rave foolillg of a Society which dethrones' God Brother Pallenson and wife, from Timuru, and we trust they will carry and exalts Satan; which professes a mission to convert society to a back to their home pleasant memories of their visit. Death has ag-ain III;;her and purer faith than that 01 the Bible, and yet stoops to do its visited our number. This time we have to record the falling asleep in little hest to deify a morta~ .. Theosophy is' 'lrut . Spi1'-ituulism writ large Jesus of our beloved Brother j arnes N. Norman. For several months and 111 a new hand; and Spiritualism IS Devil and Demon worship pure he has suffered intense pain, but bore it with exceptional patience and and simple.-The Faitk. fortitude. Never a complaint, and always a clear expressed faith in Christ as a present Saviour from sins, and as the future life in the Printed by H. BRETT, Evenmg Star Office, Shortland-stre-r for resurrection of the just. He was of very quiet and even temperament the New Zealand Evangelistic and Publication Association: and at all times, in fact, one among the number who try to live Christ in I published hy J. M. FRENCH, Sussex Street, Surrey Hills, his home and business, He leaves a widow and two little ones, with j Auckland. NOVEMBER, 1891. whom we all sympathise and pray that our Father in Heaven will enable