VOL. 14.

No. 1.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z., JANUARY,

1894.

TWUPENC".

Where shall we spend our holidays 1 is a thought which often precedes and sometimes obliterates the question, , How shall we spend them r At this season of the year great pleasure is expected, and all kinds of engagements are made with a view to secure the \the 1boU\)a}?s. greatest enjoyment. With all this we do not quarrel, if only an earnest attempt is made to see that the' How' is not exhausted by selfish and merely carnal pleasure. Christmas time is viewed as a joyous occasion. It is a time to be merry. Picnics are arranged, and Mr. Blank must be invited [;l~rot(~ ITH this number THE STANDARDenters upon because he is such good company. He is so witty that he the fourteenth year of its existence. During keeps all in good spirits. He can sing so many songs, and ~ its thirteen years of circulation it has been he knows so many games, Joviality is to be the order of true to the objects for which it was begun. the day. Well, but will the readers of the STANDARDfind . ~~ It has rung the changes with persistency on the their highest satisfaction in these things 7 Get out by all doctrines of man's mortality, and Christ's offer means into the fresh air, but do not let the things which of Eternal Life. The paper has made its way into are the stock sources of pleasure for the worldly satisfy us. . hundreds of homes, and has If we have deep sources of perennial joy, let them be \$)ur ;fourteentb l)1ear. been a welcome visitor. It manifest in our holiday pleasures, that there may be no has carried unspeakable com- after regrets. fort to some who sorrowed under the burden of a frightful Bless then all our days of leisure; doctrine, and has cheered others with the hope of the Help us selfish loves to flee, Sanctify our every pleasure; Lord's return, and with its pronounced advocacy of the Pure and harmless may we be. Bible doctrine of the kingdom. And now, once more it May our gladness comes to you to declare with such added light as may be Draw us evermore to thee. vouchsafed, the same doctrines with as much vigour as aforetime, and with the intensified conviction which further As the year closes we may ask, "Nhat are the promiknowledge and experience, on the part of the writers, can nent features of the times, and what is their testimony 1. give. It is a link which binds many in glad fellowship, and we feel that by it we can express to all, with the Are they such as betoken the progress of the much vaunted assurance that the wish is reciprocated, our heartiest. desire betterment of the world r We of course will be branded with the name 'pessimists' if we that the year now breaking upon us may be happy, fruitful in service, and filled with the joy of communion with our \tbe $igns of tbe fail to see any real advance towards \times. general betterment, but all the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Will all our same, whether nicknamed or not, readers who welcome this printed messenger strive to make its future also a prosperous one by introducing it to others, we affirm that there are tokens of unrest, appearing in the and by making more widely known, by all means, the forms of strikes, labour riots, increase of the unemployed, and Anarchic operations which more than counterbalance truths it has to deliver as a faithful witness.

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THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1894.

any much puffed advance in general knowledge. Within recent years the growth of disaffection has been rapid. Formerly men spoke of Nihilism and Socialism as dangerous, but far off things never likely to invade the European progressive comrnunitie-, but such day dreams are past, facts show an increase of similar things under the general title of Anarchism, and every civilised nation has within it some persons who believe that there is no hope for the race until all human government is overthrown. In some centres these views are expressed in action, and dynamite and other powerful explosives are employed to enforce the ideas. Witness the recent diabolical outrage ill the French Cham ber of Deputies, and the discoveries made in Vienna and Prague, by means of which a most formidable plot has been unearthed by the police The increase of knowledge has ministered to the malcontents by putting them in possession of a ready and powerful means of destructiou. Again we say in view of such things this is a sign which points to a state the very opposite of betterment. Yet once again we refer to the great Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in the month of September, that we may emphasize one point. The delegates were from all parts of the earth, and represented the many religions which are received by men. R .oot,Iture of jfattbJ. Gathered on the platform were the sages of Buddha and Brahma. Parsees and Presbyterians, Methodists and Moslems, Baptists and Buddhists, sat side by side with the olden fire-worshippers and the followers of Confucianism, and greeted one another as brotbers in the world's first council of the faiths. They differed in their views of God as much as they differed in nationality. Some believed in one God, others in a muh iplicity of gods. They differed much in their religious rites and ceremonies, but on one point this vast assembly was a unit. On one point all were of one faith, which faith was originally preached by the serpent in the Garden of Eden, when he said, 'Thou shalt not surely die.' This is significanc, not only as showing the point of unanimity, but also as showing how assiduously that Satanic lie has been spread amongst humanity. It is the root of all the many forms of religion, and without which not one could exist, saving always the Bible faith, which from first to last is at war with that notion, and which flourishes best when the truths of man's mortality and his dependence on Christ fur the boon of Immortality, are clearly shown.

yet during the whole of that period did not explore the island sufficiently to ascertain that there were sheep and cattle on it, and also a shelter supplied hy our Government with provisions for the benefit of castaways. When the fact is contemplated that the storehouse was purposely placed in a conspicuous position, it seems almost incredible that men who were able to exist for 80 days without fire, or shelter, and only such food as they could gather near the beach, did not wander far enough from the spot they landed on to discover what to them would have been an inestimable boon. Poor fellows! there is something very sad in the thought that, while they were suffering such hardships for so long a period, food, shelter, and-most valuable perhaps of all-the means to obtain fire, were close at hand. It reminds me of the tale of a vessel off the coast of America, that had been blown out of its course by a hurricane. There was plenty to eat, but the supply of water had given out. Just when things were getting desperate, the captain and crew were rejoiced to see another vessel approaching. Sig/lals were shown asking for a little water. The answer received was, 'Drop your bucket overboard and get what you want; you're in the mouth of the Amazon.' The castaways on the Antipodes Islands can, no doubt, now sympathise with the feelings of that captain and his crew. At all events, this sad affair shows the forethought of the New Zealand Government in storing goods and erecting a shelter on these islands, and also the necessity for regular trips of inspection by the Hinemoa.-Sta1, December 9, 1893.

We have long thought that if any subject has been clearly revealed to man in the pages of the New Testament it is that which relates to the Second Coming of ChristThe passages are so many, the language so explicit, and the theme placed before us so im:t\ JSltn~ :JLea~er. portant, that it would seem an utter impossibility to mistake it, and yet as a matter of fact the proportion of Christians who understand the matter, and who have any real affection for the topic is but small. Many of the ablest teachers in the Church seem to be altogether astray upon it. In a book recently issued, written by the Rev .Tohn Paisley, there occurs in an appendix the witness to the truth of our remarks. The Expository Times thus summarises Mr. Paisley's view of the Second Coming :-' There are two comings of our Lord spoken of in the New Testament. The one is that which is so frequently referred to as His Coming in His Kingdom; and it is simply the passing away of the Jewish That truth is stranger than fiction is often shown by the dispensation, and the incoming of the Christian; or in actual occurrences of daily life. The most recent evidence other words the spread of the Gospel. The other coming of the correctness of that proverb is the case of the sea- is spoken of in the last discourse in the upper room, "I men who were cast 011 the Antipodes Islands. Even Clark will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you." That Russell in his wildest flights coming takes place, says Mr. Paisley, at the believer's R Strange eccurreuce. of fancy would hesitate death. So it is rather a going than a coming, the Christian We are to insert in one of his books departure to be with Christ, which is far better.' such a statement that a number of men lived for eighty of opinion that readers of the New Testament are likely to days on an island not more than 3,000 acres in extent, and derive more light from its direct language on this grand

JANUARY,

1894.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

We stimulate them; that is worse. We poke fun, spin theories, run syllogisms, stir up feelings. Vve are hot or cold; dry or moist; cry or laugh. These do not edify, they may take the starch and ice out of us, but edification means to put adamant in the foundation,-iron in the blood and steel in the nerves. It means to use the best material and the best workman and make a job that will stand the cyclone, the fire, and the earthquake-to make a character that will defy the world, the flesh and the devil, and that will be good enough stuff out of which to make archangels. We are living in an age of adulteration, and the pulpit has EDIFY means to build up. Edification is the building of caught the cue and is putting in, under a fine thin veneerChristian character, the laying a solid foundation and the ing, much bad material, and turns out many bad jobs which building an enduring edifice on it. This building is a slow, look well and fresh in their tawdry dress, but there is no laborious process. But it means permanence, stability, beauty, no strength inside. We need spiritual character solidity. The absence of this edifying process is one of the builders in the pulpit; men who can dig deep and lay the alarming defects in modern Christian character. It re- foundation strong, and build a temple buttressed with God's sembles the Arabian tent, rather than the temple; the omnipotence, all ablaze with God's jewels and all radiant flower rather than the oak. The material out of which the with his glory. character is made is too light and flippant; gravity and , Let all things be done unto edifying' is Paul's comprestrength are discarded; granite has no place in the building. hensive direction about this matter. All things to build It is a very active life because very light; very full of work, up- nothing for anything else; even adornment and symbut the work is on the surface. metry are lost sight of. The pulpit has no right to assert It is of such frequent occurrence that it scarcely amounts its rights to do anything else but edify. 'All things, ' says to a snrprise, to learn that the last defaulter was a leading Paul, 'are lawful for me, but all things edify not.' , We church man; that the last suicide was a prominent worker do all things, dearly beloved, for your edijying;' this is in the young people's church societies. Were they gross the self-denying and laborious ordinance Paul obeyed. hypocrites 1 We do not believe so. They sized religion The whole purpose of God in the varied spiritual funcand got it according to the popular idea of what it is. It tions of the pastorate was to the end of edification. did not mean much to them, and it was not much to them; , And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and but about as much to them as to many others around, either in pulpit or pew. It was a feeble adherence to a some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the feeble system; a busy doing of many churchly and official perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for things. It was simply doing their part to make the church the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the attractive to the world, breezy, social, enjoyable. The unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, keeping up of its finances, and keeping it en rapport with unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the t he world, Nothing further from their thoughts than holi- fulness of Christ; that we henceforth be no more children, ness and heaven. No stranger things, nor stranger words tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of to them than cross-bearing, self-denial, humility-the whole doctrine by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, category of spiritual graces and forces were as foreign to whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth them as to the Hottentot. Not a splinter from the real in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the cross, not a semblance of New Testament faith or piety. head, even Christ; from whom the whole body fitly joined They make a clean miss of the whole thing; not because of together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, their duplicity, but because of their simplicity, they could according to the effectual working in the measure of every see nothing else, there was nothing else around them but this part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself caricature of religion, this shadow without the substance, in love. ' The whole force of the church worship must be directed this form without the power. They sang much; but they sang out of the' supplement '-made up mostly of woman's to this end and stimulated by this object; the showy, sensahymns. As far as regards the ten commandments or the tional, marvellous, must give way to that which edifies. sermon on the mount, they had never heard there were Prophecy, though more homely and without the brilliancy and sensation of speaking in unknown tongues, is to be any commandments or any sermon on the mount. The pulpit is the chief sinner in these cases. It is preferred, because it edifies: , He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, mostly, if not wholly to blame for this state of things With them the humorous, the showy, the sensational, the and exhort.ation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an emotional, or the tasteful and proper have taken the place of unknown tongue edifieth himself, but he that prophesieth the more homely and scriptural function-that of edifying. edifieth the Church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, Our pulpits need to be soaked in a few of Paul's precepts but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that proabout edifying. We please our people; that won't do. phesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he

theme than from the utterly false exposition of this writer. In our judgment he is a blind leader who, if followed, will inevitably lead along the path of ignorance into the ditch of error. Without the second coming of Christ there is no hope for the believer, and none for the world. In view of the needs of both He will come, really, visibly and with perfect redemption.

:JE~tffcation.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1894.

interpret, that the Church may receive edifyi'YIg. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are z-al of spiritual gifrs, seek that us ye may excel to the edifying of the Church. ; Not only are the Church, pulpit and the worship charged with this important function of edifying, but individual effort was to be directed to the same divine end. 'Wherefore comfort yourselves together, -and edify one another, even as also ye do. ' Paul's authority as well as Paul's preaching was to subserve the end of edifying. 'For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hat h given us lO1' edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. ' Edification is the process of growing by building. Edification is the instrument of growth. The pulpit is the great edifier. It is when this end of preaching is met that God's people will not be like the Arabian tent, light in hody and material, erected without much skill or lab or, frail and insnbst .ntial, but Temples, rock-founded and rock-built fOl med of the material out of which eternity is made: not fragile flowers, the creature and glory of a day, but oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord's hand that he might be glorified.

singing, and fiddling parsons, &c.; &c., all of which will end, according to God's word, in judgment. It speaks of men having the form of godliness. but denying the power of it2 Tim. iii. 5. It speaks of men making a trade of religion -2 Pet. ii. 1 to 3. It tells us that in the last days, perilous times will come-2 Tim. iii. 1 to 7.; and gives 19 marks by which the times may be known. A comparison of those marks with what is passing around should convince the most prejudiced that that time is upon us; they are as follows: -' Lovers of their own selves.' - The rich rolling in wealth, and the poor, out of whose sweat it comes, clothed in rags. 'Covetousness,'-one of the most glaring sins of the age. 'Boasters.' 'PrOlid,'-provcd by the proceedings that daily take place in the bankruptcy courts. 'BlasI phemers,' -Newton, Darwin, Tindall, and all such who set aside the revealed Word of God, and substitute their own theories as of more value. 'Disobedient to Parents.'this is patent to all, 'U nthankful.' ' Unholy.' - These need no comment. 'Without Natural Affection.'- The divorce courts, kept mistresses, and the hundreds living in open adultery, many of them members of religious bodies, confirm this. 'Truce Breakers.' 'False Accusers.' 'Incontinent '-(not having power over one's self). 'Fierce.' 'Despisers of those that are good.' 'Traitors.' 'Heady.' 'High-minded.'-Europe at present is a hot-bed of such ')LooRing jforwarb. men, but in connection with our own country, the lawlessness of the masses, is a striking proof of its truth. 'Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.'- This is not only A WORD OF WARNING true of the world, but of Christians also, for not a week CONCERNING THINGS WHICH noruST SHORTLY COME passes without the walls of our town being placarded with TO PASS. intimations either of pleasure trips, or evening amusements, of such a questionable character that they may be ranked FOR many years past, in spite of the warnings contained in side by side with what obtains at Music Halls and similar the Word of God, false teachers have deluded the people places. with preaching, that there was a good time coming, that Christ wept over Jerusalem and said, 'If thou hadst very soon their efforts would be crowned with success, and known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which the Millennium would burst upon the world in all its belong unto thy peace!' and surely it would be more beauty. Churches and chapels (so-called) have been built by seemly of Ohristians to be imitating their Master, and warnhundreds, movements have been inaugnrated to reach the ing the world of the coming judgments. The Word of masses, and each has been proclaimed as the ono thing God abounds with statements, that war, not peace, shall needful to accomplish the work (no doubt thousands have usher in the Lord's return; that destruction of evil men found blessing by these means, and God may be thanked and things, not restoration, shall precede that kingdom of for it), but the masses are further off than ever. The God, which under the beneficent sway of the Lord Jesus, churches and chapels are, comparatively speaking, empty; shall cover the earth with righteousness as the waters cover conversion has come to be the exception, not the rule; the sea. The following passages of Scripture tells us what money is ceasing to flow into the exchequer, and men have things may shortly be expected, and I earnestly entreat become so utterly unconcerned, that it is only by the most everyone who may read this paper to be wise in time, for, extraordinary means-brass bands led by dancing, back- 'when once the good man of the house has risen up to shut ward walking leaders; life-size posters, couched in sensa- the doors' it will be too late then to seek salvation. The tional1anguage, bordering on blasphemy-that their atten- Lord God shut the door of the Ark, and only those inside tion can be arrested at all. Those churches and chapels were saved, and there is a day coming in which only those that can boast of even a fair attendance, do not owe it to in Ohrist, who have found peace through believing into His the music of the name of Jesus, but to the dulcet tones of name, will be taken away from the evil to come. The men and women singers, chests of whistles, or the oratorical formalist and hypocrite will find it will be more tolerable powers of the ministers, combined with a decent admixture for even the wicked than for themselves in that day. of worldly amusements, bazaars, religious theatricals, nigger Matt. xxiv., after enumerating many things that are being minstrels, Saturday nights' entertainments, oratorios, comic fulfilled in these days, says, 'And then shall appear the

JANUARY.

1894. '

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

sign of the Son of man in the heavens: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man,. coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory' -(verse 30). Again, in Luke xvii., 'And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They did eat, they drank,' they married wives, they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the Ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. In like manner also, as it was in the days of Lot, they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all, Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed' (verses 27-30). Peter, in his second epistle, 3rd chapter, sa.ys, 'There shall come scoffers in the last days, saying, "Where is the promise of His coming 7'" (another sign of the times, for these abound in this day.) He also says, 'But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men' (verses 3, 7). Ag,tin,' But the day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass :"way with a rushing noise, and the heavenly bodies shall be scorched up and dissolved, the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up' (verse 10). St Paul gives similar testimony, in 1 'I'hess. v. he says, 'For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them' (verses 2, 3). J ude says, 'Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment upon them all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him' (verses 14, 15). This judgment will not be partial, as it too often is here, for in Rev. vi. we read, 'And the kings of the earth, great men, and the chief captains, and the rich. men, and the mighty men, and every bond man, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains: and said to the mountains and to the rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand l' (verses 15, 16, 17.) James also speaks of the judgment of rich men in Ohap. 5.: 'Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you, Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver is rusted through; and the rust of them shall be for a testimony to you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye laid up treasures in the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who mowed your fields, which is held back (and this is equally true of all labour in these days), crieth out against you; and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth (verses 1, 2, 3, 4). Many more passages could be quoted from both

the Old and the New Testament in confirmation of the above statements, but I will only add, in conclusion, that the time is short, and the door is still open, the message :still is, 'He that believeth on the Son luith. everlasting life, ;and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from 'death unto Iife.-John vi. 47. But believing about a person is not believing in him; -thousands believe in Ohrist, who have never been baptised -into Him. The children of Israel believed in Moses, and 'were baptised into him in the cloud, and in the sea (1 Oor. x. l , 2). Jesus believed in John, and was baptised into the doctrine he preached (Matt. iii, 13-17). Paul says, in iRom. vi. 3, 4, 'Or are you ignorant that all we who were baptised into Jesus Ohrist were baptised into His death. 'We were buried therefore with Him, through baptism into -death , that like as Ohrist was raised from the dead through : the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life' (Gal. iii. 27). ' For as many of you as were bap'tised into Christ did put on Ohrist.' Reader, have you put Him on 1 Are you a Christian 1 Then let your walk make it 'manifest whose you are, and whom you serve, for it is the .walk, not the talk, that tells. Are you yet unsaved 1 You are still on salvation ground, God is still beseeching you to ;be reconciled He is reconciled to you through the death of His Son. He beseeches, and I too beseech Y'lU, on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 001'. iv 20). For 'He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness in the man whom He ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He 'raised Him from the dead' (Acts xvii. 31). Ten years have rolled away since this tract was first published, years which have only emphasised the truths set forth in it. Ten years is a fail' length of time to test the success of my expel iment. I would ask, has the evangelisation of the world advanced one single step 1 What is the state of our own land, slowly but surely advancing to a crisis 1 So, over all Europe, Australia, America (North and South), national bankruptcy stares us in the face, capital hasting to be richer, labour led by unprincipled men who have nothing to lose, and no fear of God before their eyes, preparing for a struggle that must end adversely to both. The Ohurches (so called) are year by year getting more worldly, the voice of prayer supplanted by the sensational song; the Holy Spirit grievt'd, God's glad message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, replaced by sensational subjects, the subject matter of which is hardly mentioned in the discourse, (singing and fiddling filling up most of the time). All show the need of an almighty power to bring men to their senses, and pe;lce to the earth. That power will be Christ coming in glory, according to His own words: 'Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according as his work is.' -Rev. xxii., j 2. J.O.A.

Begin the Christian race from the cross, and whenever you faint or grow weary, look back to it.

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]papers on miracles.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY, 1894.

tially miraculous. Its founder is 'the miracle of miracles.' His teaching is a supernatural revelation, in other words is tbe a miracle. The enemies of religion concede this position ... ~ ~>-*~~+t0-.. .. when they assert that, 'All religions, however diverse their creeds, have the miraculous element in common with each No. 1. other.' 'Of course,' we reply. 'The denial of miracle is a denial of all religion whatsoever. All religions are based THE BIBLE MIRACLES. upon the idea that some supreme powers extend their influence into the sphere of life, so that deny miracle =;'tlN series of papers, closed in the last number of is to deny religion itself; ourand nothing tobut blankest the ~ ~ the STANDARD, n the Kingdom of God, the great o atheism is the alternative.' "'-~ theme of God's purpose has been expounded in It is not the intention of the writer to state the ~ humble reliance on the Word and the testimony. In the course of the exposition much has been objections against the Bible miracles and attempt the asserted, based on a literal reading of the Bible, of a very refutation seriatim, but the object in view will be to indioverlooked by theologians startling character, concerning which it may be said that it cate a line of argument generally, and conveniently ignored by the sceptic. It is is utterly impossible to expect that it will ever be accom, plished without miraculous agency. It will demand that not intended to put this forward as a side issue, but as the divine power shall be specially exercised to accomplish it. essential Bible argument for miracles.

This feature is looked upon in these days as a stumbling block in the way of accepting the teachings of the Bible, rather than a help Indeed to the whole idea of miracle, there is a growing scepticism, even amongst Christians. Men of all shades of thought, outside the Christian camp, however much they may oppose each other in their schemes for the world's betterment do, in the main, agree in the statement that 'miracles are absolutely impossible.' Says a prominent sceptical writer: 'The discoveries of science have so far established the universality of law as to make it impossible for sincere men to retain the faith of their ancestors in dogmas and miracles.' It is declared that a miracle must be a 'violation of nature;' that it is outside , the range of experience' and therefore incredible. It is one of the most saddening features of the modern profession of Christianity that believers are so ready to yield the whole ground to the unbeliever. We do not wish it here to be inferred that there are no defenders of the Bible doctrine. There are such, and some of the ablest works on this branch of Christian apologetics have appeared in recent years, but the tendency of the higher critical school is to concede the ground to the sceptical objector. Of late years the attacking party has concentrated its onslaught here, .for it is, now more clearly seen that Christianity itself must stand or fall with the Bible miracle. Take the supernatural from the Scriptures, and nothing is left but the covers. It is a hopeless attempt, though some are foolish enough to imagine it can be done, to sever the moral teaching of the Bible from the miracles. In the work already quoted there is a chapter entitled 'Christianity without Miracles,' and the writer argues that all that is moral m Christianity can be retained, whilst the miracles can be set aside as a tissue of fables. The morals would be of little value if this were done, for all their vitality must be derived from the supernatural workings which shall secure to the believer and doer the eternal fruit of his well doing. Christianity, it must be noted, is a series of facts, not a definite quantity of moral truths or teachings; it is essen-

I believe that some apology even is due to the objectors, because the argument from miracle has been put forward as only indispensable to prove the divine mission of J esus, They are His credentials and serve no other purpose save the illustrative aspect, which indicates that as He wrough t miracles in nature so He can work miracles of grace. Or they are viewed singly, as incidental evidences of His power, and there is no attempt to show, that which must be the Bible argument, their reference to the plan as a whole and as inherent ill the warp and woof of God's purposes. Again, let it be said, there is no desire to lessen the value of the works on the miracles which ably defend the Christian view against the attacks of sceptics, but it cannot be overlooked that the very mode of defence has strengthened the position of the attacking body. I desire to present an argument which shall be intelligible to the humblest believer, and which shall show the 'miracles, wonders, and signs' of Scripture in the place which they occupy in the outworking of the_plan of the ages. To do this aright, a preliminary word is necessary. 'The glorious Gospel of the blessed God' is not understood by many, and therefore the full purport of the miracles is not seen. What is the Gospel 1 The former series of papers has attempted the answer to this question, and has shown that it is God's design to set up a kingdom on this earth, wherein His will shall be done as it is done in Heaven. To bring this about He has inaugurated a scheme of vast proportions, every step of which has been made known. That scheme promises some glorious things, of which the present bestowments are the earnests. It speaks of a time of freedom from sin, disease, pain and death for men. It tells of a cleansed earth, and a social and political state which no mere human agency can inaugurate, and which can only be introduced by miraculous agency, and it declares that by such agency these things shall be intro duced. It is now time to make some affirmations which each reader must test. \

JANUARY,

1894.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

Prayer, like Jonathan's vow, returns not empty. Never -was a faithful prayer lost at sea. No merchant trades with such certainty as the praying saint. Some prnyers, 'Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy indeed, have a longer voyage than others, but then, they hands; return with a richer lading at last. Thou hast put all things under His feet. '

(I.) If ever the promises which God has made in His Word are fulfilled it must be by miracle. There is no scheme which even approaches the Bible plan of redemption for zrandeur and of portraiture of what " needs, andfor exactitude in which the needs can the , world the manner be met. No book pictures human needs so clearly as the Bible, and it pictures the only mode of meeting them as miraculous. Progression cannot accomplish it, and Evolution has no prophecy of perfection There must be, will be, the eradication of some things which human power cannot cope with, and the introduction of some things which are entirely foreign to the things which are, for the promises to be realised, (2.) These miracles must be just such miracles as are recorded in the Bible as having occurred. A moment's thought will convince of this. They must evince power over nature, which oft-times acts disastrously against mankind. They must show a power of supplying all human needs; feeding, healing and blessing. Let the reader ponder the story contained in Matthew xiv, 14-33. No famine could distress where Christ's miraculous power is always available. No disaster at sea, when by a word the raging sea can be hushed into calm. N::> human infirmity when the duru b speak, the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, the maimed are made whole, and the palsied are vitalized. No disease when by a word the epileptics are cured, the demons are driven out, the fevered are cooled. No death when by a word of power the dead are raised. There can be no perfect state for man except these evils be conquered. The kingdom promises redemption from them, and by miracle-just such miracles as have been wrought by the Christ at His first advent when He preached the Kingdom, and sealed the message by His deeds. (3.) The miracles already wrought are 'earnests' if that coming Kingdom. This fact lifts the arguments for miracles out of the common rut. We are under no compulsion to treat them as credentials, simply avouching the claims of Christ; they .are such, "but they are infinitely more than that. The miracles wrought by Christ are so varied and significant in the light of the kingdom truth, that it can readily be perceived how they give us the needed confidence in its requirement and aspects. The resurrection of the dead is a dootriue connected with the Kingdom, the miracles of Christ add to the testimony that the keys of Hades and death hang at His girdle. Sickness and death shall be banished from the inheritors of the Kinedom and the miracles of Christ attest the existence of the ~owe; that can perform it. Hunger, thirst, and famine give place to plenty, the miracle of feeding the thousands proves the power of the Messiah to accomplish it. The natural world is to be under the complete control of Christ. The miracle of the draught of fishes, the walking on the sea, the fish bringing the tribute money, the destructio~ of the barren fig-tree, indicate that He who sets up the Kingdom has all necessary control in it.

In view of what is necessary, it is reasonable to expect, as a part of the plan itself that when Christ came, through whom God intended to gather all things together in one,' there should be such manifestation of power over man and nature as would prove His claims and evidence the nature of blessings of that kingdom. Such was evidenced, and we may say that the miracles wrought by Him were the 'powers of the age to come.' When therefore He returns a second time He will accomplish in fullest extent that of which the miracles of the past were the pledges.
ALPHA.

3a 1bell in U)araNae?
THE Bible tells us about a present hell for dead men irrespective of character (or at least our translators make it say hell), as well as about a future hell of punishment for the ungodly after the arrival of the great day of judgment; and to that hell of dead men (but not to the hell of punishment) Christ is represented as having gone after His death upon the cross: 'My flesh also shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheul-a realm of unconsciousness, "for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in sheol"]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption' Ps. xvi, 9, 10. ' For David speaketh concerning him [Christ], Moreover, also, my flesh shall rest in hope; because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [sheol is here rendered hades-the same realm of unconsciousness]. neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. He seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell [hadesJ neither his flesh did see corruption.' Acts ii. 26, 27, 31. There is no escape from the conclusion that Christ's , soul' went to the hell of the dead-sheol, or hades , but is this hell in Paradise 1 If modern theologians rightly interpret Christ's promise to the expiring penitent upon the cross, this conclusion would follow, for they insist that Christ meant that the thief's soul should that very day be with his own soul in Paradise; while David and Peter affirm that Christ's soul went to the hell of the dead; and if it really was in this hell for three days, and also in Paradise at the same time, either hell must be in Paradise, or else Paradise must be in hell. We prefer to think that Christ's promise to the thief has been misunderstood, and that it will be verified when Christ comes into His kingdom, where Paradise shall bloom again. There will be no hell for the dead in that Paradise, for previous to that scene hades will have delivered up its dead to be judged, and both death and hades will be destroyed in the lake of ~ W&

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY. 189

~ ~'fh~ibl
/'t
~G) MONTHLY

Standard ~ ~
ORGAN
OF THE

'1\
~

N em Zealilnl! lEbatlgclistit anl! liJttblitation ~sllodation.

EDITED BY GEORGE ALDRIDGE. ASSISTED BY SPJ,;CIAL CONTRIBUTIONS. The Editor wishes it to be understood that, while he exercises a general supervision over the articles and correspondence appearing in the STANDARD, responsibility for sentiments expressed rests upon the individual writer.

aeeoctancn

1f.\otes.

day School of 16 scholars; and one in Milan numbering 6 members. On 15th August, as early as seven o'clock in the morning the brethren began to gather under the cool shade of the chestnuts. Sixty-five were present in the morning and eighty-five in the afternoon. The themes for consideration were, in the morning, 'Immortality the gift of God in Christ;' and in the afternoon, 'The Return of the Lord in Salvation.' Bro. Oscar Cocorda is the life of this movement; and we are pleased to find that our Scotch and English brethren are helping to sustain him in a work which, from surrounding circumstances, must be a very difficult one.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our faithful subscribers, and to all our new readers. May the number of the former not be lessened, and may the army of the latter be greatly increased. Now is the time to send in your subscriptions for the year, Do it just now, and that will save us the expense of notifying you later on, and will free you from the worry you would otherwise feel.

cbrtetmae.

WHETHEH it is owing to the intense pressure of the time we live in-the hurry and bustle and din; whether the rapidity of thought and change that makes one's brain worry and flurry and spin; it is seriously true that the glamour and halo that formerly used to surround the closing of the year, and the joyful celebration of Christmastide, are Read this number and pass it on to a friend, and try to not in evidence now. Who now will heed the solemn strain 1persuade him to become a subscriber. We are very anxious to have the paper more widely circulated, and we must , Oh, hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing." have your help. We believe the truths it proclaims are importami ; more so now than ever before, because 'the Perchance the remoteness of the event we celebrate concoming of the Lord draweth nigh.' Help the paper, and tributes somewhat to indifference, especially to those who by that means we are sure yOll will help the truth. Think have no personal interest in the advent of the Son of God, what you can do to circulate it, and waste no time but put the Life-giver and Redeemer. your thoughts at once into action. . 'We hoped it was He who should redeem Israel,' may Elder Miles Grant has left the States, and is on his way be the unexpressed thought lurking in the breast ot many a to India, but before leaving he held a debate with Mr. J. humble follower of the Lord, when oppressed by the world's Spencer Ellis of Toronto, Canada, in the Emerald-street heavy burden: the care, the sorrow, the unrest; and Church, Boston. The question debated was, 'Resolved worse than all, the increasing unfaithfulness to Him whom that there is a living God as revealed in the Bible and the they delight to serve and long to see. b'ook of nature who created man.' This is the identical Ah, long to see! there is the heart's burden laid bare. question which was debated with Mr. Symes of Melbourne. If the fi Ist advent is a long way off that one wearies to The Crisi shows that the debate was a splendid indication contemplate the centuries past, shall we not, may we not of the affirmation' That there is a living God,' etc. This confidently hope the second advent is nea?'; is well-nigh at was Bro. Grant's one hundred and second discussion, and the door ? vVhen He shall come for Whom ,Cne whole was conducted by him with vigour although he is nearing creation groaneth and travaileth in pain.' When,his seventy-fifth year. , At the name of J esus every knee shall bowEvery tongue confess Him King of Glory now.' Our brethren, the members of the Melbourne Christian Mission are determined to make every endeavour to spread Yes; this must be our Christmas song of hope in this the good news. They have commenced the issue of a penny eighteen ninety-three; it is to this our eyes and ears monthly called The WOl'd of Life and Prophetic 'Pimes, must be bent, to catch the first angelic strain, not now devoted to the advocacy of the Bible truths so long upheld announcing the birth of the' Man of Sorrows and by the STANDARD. It is made up chiefly of extracts fro III acquainted with grief,' but in trumpet tones heralding the works of able writers. These are selected with care by the majesty of the King of Kings; when' the kingdoms of the editor, Bro. E. 1. Holder. We wish the little messen- this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of ger abundant success as a lightbearer in the Australian His Christ: and He shall reign for ever and ever.' colonies. , When peace shall over all the earth From far-off priest-ridden Italy comes the news that the Its undimmed splendonr fiing, And the whole world send back the song little band of Life Believers held their annual gathering in Which now the angels sing.' August last. The report states that there are two churches, -E.1.H. in The Wont of'Life. one in Torre Pellice, numbering 24 members, with a Sun-

JANUARY, 1894.

THE BIBLE STANDARD. B ']Look Broun~.

IN one of his most interesting books Emile Souvestre makes one of his characters utter a very sententious remark. He is a young soldier, having obtained his final dismissal from the army, and is on his way homewards. His friends have been expecting him from the morning, but he walks very slowly, not because of fatigue, but because recollections of the past come crowding upon him as every tree and slanting roof is recognised. '1nd he says: 'When the last stage is 'reached, is the time for reflection and for looking around one.' If that is so on a journey to the well-remembered home of boyhood, how much more when "f on life's journey we near the end of eac h year as It SWIt IY draws upon us, marking the fast-approaching last stage of the journey which is sure to come to all 1 'It is time to look around one.' As we write, the year 1893 is swiftly nearing its close. Month by month it has been our pleasure to hold converse with our readers, and to supply such teachings as we believed would be helpful and beneficial. Much has been written on the topics of man's nature and his future, and now as we leave this year and enter upon another in the grace of God, we look around and ask, Has the need lessened for such advocacy? Looking at the widespread prevailing ignorance on these topics, we sorrowfully testify that the need is still great, and we cannot let our hands fall slack in the fight. We must keep to our task, and though it be met with open opposition or with callous indifference, we must proclaim it, and in degree this same duty falls upon every reader of this paper and every lover of the truth. Look around; are there not many about you who are still in ignorance as to these matters 1 Then, yours is the duty, nay, the glorious privilege, to tell them of the Life, the light of men. The duty becomes more imperative, for surely the Advent draweth nigh. Look around again. Do not , The signs that mark His coming Yet upon our pathway dawn?' Not only are we on the verge of the New Year, but also assuredly fast approaching to the time when in fulfilment of His promise He 'will come again.' That Advent will have a relation to our present- duty as to the bestowal of Immortality. Ofttimes we fear this great fact is lost sight of by believers. But' we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.' In view of that great future fact, more important to us than the advent of a new year, ought we not to look around and reflect 1 Fellow believers, this truth is recorded in the '" ord to stimulate us to present service and to assure us of future reward for well-doing, but it also assures that carelessness and indifference will not be overlooked. Again, then, may we not ask, 'Are we doing all we can to make known the truths which have found us, and are we living to show forth the praise of Him who redeemed us 7' Let each one of us, at this season, 'reflect and look around,' lest neglected duty and halfhe.arted ~el:vic~ should make us 'ashamed before Him at His appearmg. EDITOR.

---------------

'How do you like Mr. PheJan, Alfred 'The man or the sermon, Ella r ' The sermon of course, I mean.'

'To confess, then, I regretted the time mis spent in listening; after our conversation yesterday can you think that I could like it r ' I do not know. When he described so eloquently the power, majesty, giory, and attributes of the immortal soul, I did most certainly wonder how you could remain so unmoved, and how you could overcome such splendid demonstrations' 'I heard much oratorical flourish, but no "demonstrations." It may bean apparent loss of pleasure, but I am apt to try all I hear in the crucible of truth, and I have found that the most sparkling ore usually contains the least portion of good metal. Beware, Ella, of buying quartz for diamonds.' 'And so you account the sermon this morning as so much dross l' ' With few exceptions, sister.' ' And which are they l' ' Simply those Scriptural statements which negatived all his high-flown hypotheses.' 'And do you mean to say, Alfred, that he failed to prove the immortality of the soul r 'Certainly. He told how great the powers of the soul are: how it can measure the earth, map out the starry universe, ascend into the heavens, approach, by affinity, to God. But he failed to prove the first essential of his argument, i.e., the existence of such a separate soul. This being wanting, how can he know it to be a part of God, or in affinity to Him 7' From the Bible. God said, "let us make man in our image," and" He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." Besides which, Solomon says, "the spirit returns to God who gave it." , ' And so, Ella, you have nothing better in prospect than the old Pagan notion that the immortal spark, after flickering in the body, returns into the divine element from which it sprung.' 'I do not believe any such thing, Alfred, for I expect tolive a distinct entity through all eternity.' 'Do not think I wish to vex you, EIla dear. I am only showing you the absurdity to which such reasonings reduce I themselves. For if, when God breathed into Adam the J br~ath of life,. He gave him an i~mortal spirit as n.r~e~all ation from HImself, then, accordmg to your other citation,

10

THE BIBLE STA-NDARD.

JANUARY,

1894.

when man expires this spirit. must return to ~od. The argument, I am aware, is used III the sense that If man has a particle from God in him, he must be immortal, because God is so; but by the same logic men have omniscience, omnipotence, and all the other attributes of Deity. Do not use this argument again, sister, as there is a spice of blas. phemy in it.' , I did not intend any when I used it. But there still remains the question of the attributes of the soul. As Mr. Ph elan said, "the mind which can press the lightning into its service and make steam its artificer, which can build a Menai bridge or bore a Thames tunnel, which manifests its powers in a Bacon, a Newton, a Milton, a Herschell, must be immortal." , , Why must it? Is a machine enduring according to its power? Mental power is simply a quality of matter, and, compared with other organised beings, a matter of degree: monkeys make a live suspension bridge, engineers iron ones; a beaver builds its pier, a Stephenson h.s railway.' 'Yes, but it is only instinct in the animal-none of them plan or vary.' 'Variableness is imperfection. A nd what, Ella, is the difference between instinct and reason? where do you draw the boundary line? I am sure I have seen many animals more intelligent than their masters; witness the cartman to-day who was beating his horse for his own mistake, thereby confessing that he considered it to have the most sense of the two. A Fiji islander is a human being (and so must have a soul to go to heaven, as well as the kin he masticates); but I had a thousand fold rather have a Newfoundland dog as companion. What use is immortality to such a savage? The fact is, man has a higher cerebral development than the brutes, because made in the image of God, but his powers are only displayed, like a plant's, according to the culture-as the pU1'ity and weight of the brain so is the intellectual flowering.' 'I also would prefer a faithful dog, like Fido; but you know the savages are degraded beings.' , Their brains are corrupt, or undeveloped. So much so, indeed, that there is a greater difference between a savage and a Bacon than between a domestic animal and a man. But you have not yet drawn the line betwixt instinct and reason.' 'I do not see that I can, for I am not aware of the limits of each.' , Would it not be best to take them to be one in kind, two in degree? For there appears to be as much reason shown in the act of the elephant lifting the cannon wheel lest it crush the prostrate soldier, as in th(waggoner stopping his horses because a child was in the way. What can you call our Fido's act when he rushed into the water to rescue Annie l' , It seems like a rational deduction from cause to effect, that if not brought out he would lose her.' , Certainly: and it would not. be necessary to constitute him minor-rational that he be able to understand the physiology of drowning. I think you will perceive the

I source and

cause of thought to be in ~he br~in, and I hard~y need adduce as argument the manifestations of the dISordered brain in idiotcy, its sluggish action in imbeciles, and its over-tension in maniacs.' , I see that I cannot from reason prove the immortality of the soul, but the universal prevalence of the belief in a future state, or spirit land, ought to weigh much in the scale of the argument I wish Mr. Ph elan had quoted entire those lines from Cato's Soliloquy on the immortality of the soul.' 'He quoted sufficient for his purpose and mine. Addison does well to ascribe the idea to Plato, where it would be best to leave it; for what can be more illogical nonsense than the sentiment of the lines Mr. Phelan quoted. I am hungry, ergo, I have eaten my dinner, is a perfecely collateral syllogism. -I pity those who use such arguments, and am only pleased when they abide by Plato; but to have them foisted upon Scripture arouses my indignation. And so, sister mine, you thought. that the universality of the belief was evidence of its truth! Did it never occur to you that sin is the most universal power, and therefore, that the general belief might be an offspring of sinthought l' 'But all men believe there is a God. Is that" a sinthought" as you call it r ' Men know there is a Supreme Power, but in the exercise of their sin-deteriorated brains, they make to themselves gods of metal, wood, and stone. Idolatry is universal, and immortal-soulism is a child of it, being originally hero-worship. Your preacher made a false statement in saying that it was the" universal belief through all ages," for the source of his ideas, even Plato himself, says, "the soul does not die-as most men believe." , 'But the Jews believed in the immortality of the soul.' , From when l' 'From Moses I suppose.' ' Who was Jesus speaking to when he said, "Ye have made void the word of God, by your vain traditions re'

ceived from. yoU?'fathers!"

'To the Pharisees.' 'And whence had their fathers obtained these traditions!' ' I cannot say.' 'The Talmud, or oral law, commenced from the Babylonish captivity. But the Pharisees were only a small portion of the Jewish people, who, I hesitate not to affirm, did not believe the doctrine.' ' Were they without hope of a future state, then l' 'By no means-they had the Covenants of Promise made to the fathers. Martha's confession, "I know that he shall rise again at the last day," is an instance of the popular faith. The Sadducees, an opposing sect. did not believe in resurrection, angel, or spirit, but neither were they the representatives of the people's creed. If Jesus taught the orthodox dogma do you not suppose they would have tried to overthrow him by founding their puzzle about the women with the seven husbands, upon the disembodied state, instead of passing to the far-off period,. and inquiring,

JANUARY,

1894.

TilE B1BLE STANDARD.

il

" in the resurrection whose wife is she I" No, neither Jesus nor his Apostles ever taught this doctrine.' , Oh, Alfred! be careful what you say. Did 'not J'esus say, "Fear him who can destroy both body and soul in hell ~" and" what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul ~", 'Those do not oppose my argument. Will you open this Concordance and find me the passages which declare that man has an immortal soul r 'I cannot find it under" immortal": stay, here is "immortality "-Rom. ii. 7. That is not it. 1 Tim vi. 16. Nor is that; where shall 1 look l' 'You will have to search outside the cover, not inside, for it never once occurs. Rom. ii. 7, you might well say was not it, as it teaches immortality as a condition to be sought for' : , " To them who by patient continuance in well-doing SEEK for glory and honour and immortalitv, God will render eternal life." And in the other reference it is declared that God only hath it : '" Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting." If, therefore, the expression is not to be found in the Book, how do you know the idea is there l' 'But, Alfred, may it not be implied if not affirmed r 'Ella, God has stated in plain unmistakeable terms all the cardinal points of His truth. Implication is dangerous; but where is it even implied l' , Look at Matt. xvi. 26.' , Here it is; but we will read the 25th verse also. , "For whoso will save his life shall lose it, but whoso will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own life? or what shall a man give in exchange fur his own life?" What use are riches in death ~-of what value was all the subjugated world to Alexander the night he lay dead in Babylon 7' 'But.it is " soul," not" life," in the 26th verse. I notice, Alfred, that you don't always quote passages as they are in my Bible.' 'True, Ella. The reason is that I have so accustomed myself to improved versions that I often quote some one of them unconsciously. But you must excuse this, and let us turn to our passage, where, however, I made the change wittingly. The words are the same in the Greek, but if you prefer the word" soul" to " life" put it in the 25th verse, as you in honesty should do.' , Oh, dreadful !' , Certainly so, attaching your present idea, but read the whole paragraph, and YOIl will see that my rendering is requi red to make it harmonious. Turn to the same words of Jesus in Luke xii, 4-;) : ," I say to you my friends, Be not afraid of them who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; Fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him." Here you find the evangelist understood "soul" in the

sense of a whole living man, "himself," and its loss to be "cast out" of the Kingdom. I think I know all the passages you can bring in support of your opinions, having frequently rebutted them, as well as urged them formerly. Matt. x. 28, is proof sufficient of the mortality of the soul, seeing it can be destroued. The rich man and Lazarus you must see is a parable, and as such must have a parabolic interpretation. You remember what Dr. Trench says, "The parables cannot be made first sources of doctrine." The dying thief prayed for an entrance into the Kingdom when Christ comes, which I showed yesterday is yet future; and the answer was to that request, not a promise of something totally different. The words of that reply, "To-day," may be either taken in the Greek sense of "that day" "this day" (of his advent), or the natural sense by altering the punctuation to what it is in most and the best MSS., "I say to thee to-day." This is required by facts, for it is doubtful if the thief died that day, he being alive at "even" (John xix. 31-33; Mark xv. 42-44). Certainly J esus did not go to the heavenly paradise that day, or he could not three days after have said to Mary, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father." Besides it I'S a most gratuitous assumption that" Paradise " I'S the d'IS, embodied heaven. The other instances where the word occurs, 2 Cor. xii. 4; Rev. ii. 7 ; are associated with the third or new heavens, i.e., Eden restored. This not having yet come to pass shows that we must understand the Paradise of this promise to be as much in the future as the kingdom mentioned in the malefactor's prayer.' 'It never occurred to me to doubt that Paradise meant heaven, but I see that there is some difference.' ' I hope YOIl will see more when we come to speak of the new heavens and new earth. But let us keep to our present subject. 2 Cor. v. 1-8 is the farthest remove from your side, being the apostle's longing for the resurrected state (1 Cor. xv. 43, 44), not the disembodied. The preacher, in stereotyped style, spoke of the soul being imprisoned in this earthly tabernacle, clogged with the body, uttering impassioned longings for its release and body less condition, in utter contrast to Paul's calm, earnest desire" to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven (not in us), if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked (as would be the case in his disembodied soul-state). For we who are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened (but better the flesh than nothing, for), not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon (why 1) that mortality may be swallowed up of life We are willing to be absent from the body (at the resurrection, but we must retain it till then), and to be present with the Lord" (at His coming).' (To be continued.)

If Christians must contend, let it be like the olive and the vine, which shall bear most and best fruit; not like aspen and the elm, which shall make the most noise in the wind.-Jeremy Taylm.

12
~

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

0

JANUARY, 1894.

i #o~~.~iX'GZS...t
.~s

ti 'lRew ]pear'a Song.

Now dawns again the glad New Year, The golden bells are ringing; While high above, sound pure and clear, Angelic voices singing: The dying year has bowed its head, In Winter's midnight hoary; But New Year's light shall overspread The world with floods of glory. Thanks be to God whose hand divine Through all the desert leads us ; Who makes our path with light to shine, In pastures green who feeds us : Goodness and mercy follow on Our footsteps kindly guiding, Till we shall dwell where Christ has gone, With Him in peace abiding. Die with the Old Year, vice and sin, Darkness and dire oppression ; And with the New Year enter in All good, to take possession: Come love and blessing, joy and peace : Come righteousness eternal, Come the glad hour when sin shall cease In blessedness supernal. Thanks be to God this blessed day, For mercies new each morning; For comforts given, tears wiped away, And hopes of glories dawning. And so our New Year's song we sing, And tell our thankful story, Till God's great New Year shall begin In everlasting glory.

roll of the ocean. Hardly had he touched the water when that life-belt became like a girdle of lead and, within a very arm's length of the long boat, pulled him down to his death, head foremost! What was the matter 1 1t was saw dust! Do you see 7 It became soaked and heavy and leaden, and it pulled him to his death.' That was indeed a perilous trust. This sailor had trusted in the word of a man and a stranger, too. If it had not been a matter of so vital. a concern, such trusting would have been only a temporary disappointment and of but little loss; but it was far otherWIse.

It was something which involved his physical life and possibly his spiritual welfare also. Certainly, they who trust in human works for salvation, howevever excellent. they may be, exercise a most perilous trust. There are religious life-belts which are just as deceptive and destructive as was that life-belt which that sailor trusted in. They may look just like a genuine cork belt, and for this very reason they are all the more dangerous, Our only safety lies in trusting implicitly, tenaciously and daily in God and his Word. All true life is in him In him alone is eternal life and eternal safety.

tin 3nff~el'a 'tlmager.

A YOUNGman named Thorpe, who afterwards became an effective minister of that gospel which at first he ridiculed, was one of Mr. Whitefield's most insulting opposers ; and possessing an unusual talent for mimicry, he not only interrupted his sermons in public, but ridiculed them in private in convivial theatrical circles. On one occasion, at such a gathering for revelry and wit, he and three of his companions laid a waver for the most effective imitation and ridicule of Whitefield's preaching. Each was to open the Bible at random, and deliver an extempore harangue from the first verse- that presented itself, and the audience, after the profane exhibition, were to adjudge the prize. Thorpe's three competitors each went through the game with impious buffoonery, an I then it came to his turn. They had the table for their rostrum; and as he was about to step upon it, confident of his superior ability, Thorpe exclaimed, 'I shall beat you all' They handed him the Bible, and when he opened it the invisible providence of God directed his eye at the first glance to Luke xiii : 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewi-e perish. ' He read the words, but the moment he had uttered them he began to see and to feel their full import. The sword of the Spirit in that passage went through his soul as a flash of lightning. An instantaneous conviction of his own guilt as a sinner before God seized hold UpOllhim; and his conscience was fearfully aroused. The retribution in the passage he felt was for himself, its terrors glared upon him; and out of that rapid and overwhelming conviction he preached. His fervor and fire increased as he went on, the sympathetic gloom of his audience deepened conviction in his own soul, and the sentences fell from his lips with such intense and burning imagery, and with such point and power

-H.L.H.

ti ~eriIoUa ttruat.
REV.

DR. JOHN ROBERTSONof Scotland tells the following significant story; 'It was in Plymouth and the sailor thought, because he had that eerie feeling that forbodes woe, that he would this time speculate in a life-belt. Passing down one of the streets there he saw, in the window, the very thing he wanted-s-a splendid, glaring, yellow life, belt, and on it were the words, "Warranted cork." The very thing! He went in and bought it and paid for it, which is Hot so common, and he stowed it away in his bunk The ship lifted her anchor and set sail and put her bosom on the heaving deep, and the clouds became scuds before the storm and the waves put on their white caps of wrath and jumped, the one on the other, to see what the vessel was made of. A leak started, and the vessel shuddered and shivered in the storm; but Jack said, "What a fortunate man I am to have the life-belt!" He got it up and, refusing to take his piace in the long boat, in which all the other sailors had placed themselves, he fastened around him the man-warranted life-belt and committed himself to the

JANUARY,

1894.

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

13

of language, that, as he afterward stated, it seemed to him as if his own hair would stand erect with terror at their awfulness. Yet no man interrupted him, for all felt and saw, from the solemnity of his manner, what an overwhelming impression there was upon him; and though their astonishment gradually deepened into anger, yet they sat spell-bound, listening and gazing at him. And when he had finished a profound silence reigned in the whole circle, and not one word concerning the wager was uttered. Thorpe instantly withdrew from the company, without speaking a word, and never returned to that society; but after a season of the deepest distress and conflict, passed into the full light of the gospel, and at length became a most successful preacher of its grace.--Dr. Cheeuer, ~n Sabbath Reading.

~be Gree~~ :fl3ottle.

A POOR undersized boy named Tim, sitting by a bottle, and looking in, said, 'I wonder if there can be a pair of shoes in it.' He wanted to go to a Sunday-school picnic, but he had no shoes. His mother had mended his clothes, but said his shoes were so bad he must go barefoot. Then he took a brick and broke the bottle, but there were no shoes in it, and he was frightened, for it was his father's bottle. Tim sat down again, and sobbed so hard that he did not hear a step beside him, until a voice said: , Well! what's all this l' He sprang up in great alarm; it was his father. , Who broke my bottle r he asked. 'I did,' said Tim, catching his breath, half in terror, and half between his sobs. , Why did you l' Tim looked up. The voice did not sound so terrible as he had expected. The truth was, his father had been touched at the sight of the forlorn figure, so very small and so sorrowful, which had bent over the broken bottle. 'Why,' he said, 'I was looking for a pair of new shoes; I want a pair of shoes awful bad to wear to the picnic-s-all the other chaps wear shoes.' , How came you to think you'd find shoes in a bottle 7' the father asked. , "Vhy, mother said so; I asked her for some new shoes, and she said they had gone into the black bottle, and that lots of other things had gone into it, too-coats and hats, and bread and meat and things; and I thought if I broke it I'd find em all, and there ain't a thing in it!' And Tim sat down again and cried harder than ever. His father seated himself on a box in the disorderly yard, and remained quiet for so long a time, that Tim at last looked cautiously up. , I'm real sorry I broke your bottle, father ; I'll never do it again.' , No I guess you won't,' he said, laying a hand on the rough little head as he went away, leaving Tim overcome with astonishment that father had not been angry with him. Two days after, on the very evening before the pie. nic, he handed Tim a parcel, telling him to open it. I ,New shoes! New shoes!' he shouted. '0 father, did you get a new bottle 1 And were they in it l' 'No, my boy, there isn't going to be a new bottle. Your mother was right-the things all went into the bottle, but you see getting them out is no easy matter; so, God helping me, I am going to keep them out after this.'

B )patbetic Ipra~er.
THE fishermen of Brittany, so the story goes, are wont to utter this simple prayer when they launch their boats upon the deep: 'Keep me, my God; my boat is small and the ocean is wide.' How touchingly beautiful the words and the thought! Might not the same petition be uttered with as much directness every morning and evening of our daily life: , Keep me, my God; for my boat is so small and the ocean is wide!' Keep me, my God, keep me from the perils and temptations that throng around me as I go about my daily duties. 'My boat is small '--I am so weak, so helpless, so prone to wander, so forgetful of Thy loving kindness! I am tossed to and fro at the mercy of the world; I am buffeted about by sharp adversity and driven before the storms of grief and sorrow. Except Thou dost keep me I must perish. Keep me my God, for 'Thy ocean is so wide ,the journey is so long, and the days and years are many_ 'In thee, 0 Lord, do I put my trust. Deliver me in thy righteousness.'--Recorde1".

~be ~(o;ing }t)ear.

MASTER,the shadows fall ! The weary year is hastening to its close; Soon toil must end, and I must seek repose, But is this all That I can do for Thee, before I stand, And render my account into Thine hand! Master, the shadows fall ! The hand grows weak, the weary year is dying; So in the dust Thy servant now is lying: List to his call : 'Unprofitable, helpless, at Thy feet Let Thy sweet mercy all my weakness meet.' Master, the year is past! Thou with <omniscientand unslumbering eye Hast marked its good and evil passing by, And now at last Thy servant looks confidingly to Thee, And pray, 'In mercy Lord, remember me." -H.L.H.

lbot 'UUleatber.
YES, quite hot. Going to the prayer meeting this evening 1 No, I gness not ; it is too hot. Well, yes, I know the prayer meeting is a hot place for some people. Strange isn't it ~ Terrible hot in summer and terrible cold in winter. How it does affect some church members. Not too hot to I work. Oh, no, I have to do that. Not too hot t:> go out on

14

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1894.

the street. Oh, well, I had au errand. Not too hot to take n pleasure trip. Well, I must have a little chance to get out once in a while. Yes, I know, everything is of more importance than going to prayer meeting. How will it be one of these days, when Jesus makes his return to earth 1 Will everything then be of more importance than prayer meeting 1 J esus will take his bride. It will be a grand meeting. Would you prefer to stay at home or go 1 It might be some hot day in summer perhaps. Jesus told a woman one time that He would give her water, which would be in her a well of water springing up into everlasting life. I don't think that kind dries up in hot weather. There is a big difference between a mud puddle and a Iivicg .spring. It's all right if you don't want to go. If you haven't interest enough in the cause to go to meeting you can stay at home. But I hope Jesus will be interested enough in you to give you eternal life, when he comes, for I don't want anyone shut out of the kingdom because of hot weather.

another flourish of the hatchet, and he was left to his fate. In a few minutes the ship was engulfed in the waves. We count such a man a madman, but he has too many imitators. Many men seem determined to die rich at all hazards. Least of all risks do they count the chance of losing the soul in the struggle. And yet the only riches we can clasp to our bosom with joy in our dying hour are the riches of grace through faith in our only Saviour, Jesns Christ. Let us make these riches ours before the dark hour comes. They will continue and will afford joy and comfort when, earthly riches are useless.-Sel.

IF the weather proves favourable, we hope to hold our Annual Conference at Northcote, on January 2nd. A tent will be erected in which the business meetings of the Association will be conducted. Last year similar arrangements were made, but the excessive rain prevented us from carrying them out. Should the weather be unfavourable we shall hold the meetings as usual in the Foresters' Hall. Tickets will be issued in a day or two to cover cost of boat and refreshments, and we trust that all members and friends of the Association will be present with us. The business of the Association will be reception of reports, discussion on proposed amendment of constitution, consideration of mission work, election of officers. Business session to commence at eleven o'clock.

THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES. ANSWERS TO TENTH SET. 1. Six or seven years (Bible Dictionary). 2. Acts xxv. 8. 3. Acts xxvi. 22 . 4. Matt. vii. 12. 5. Luke xxiv, 44. 6. Daniel xii. 2. 7. Macedonia and Achaia (2 Cor. ix. 1, 2). 8. Rom. xv. 25, 26. 9. 1 Cor: xvi. 1. 10. 2 Cor. viii. 4. THIRD SERIES.-NINTH SET. Sarah Lawrence. THIRD SERIES.-TENTH SET. Margaret Green, W. E. J udkins, Ernest Aldridge, Smith, G. T. Maunder. EXTRA QUESTION. Margaret Green.

Sidney

H.

As intimated in the December number, we now close the questions, as we consider that the young people have not shown enough interest in them to induce us to continue to print them. The result of the year's work will appear in February number. If any friends would like to help, by donations, in the purchase of books for those who have successfully answered the largest number of question, we shall be pleased to receive such as early as possible.

l!Rich nn Qhtdh, but

~CggllXi

in <!rtcrnit)l.
To THE EDITOR OF THE BIBLE STANDARD. SIR,-I cannot let pass without notice an address upon amusements in. the November number of the STANDARD. It appears to tench that the main part of religion consists in worldly pleasures; one has only to join a church, call himself by a Christian name, yet still hold to all former worldliness so long as you do not join in these amusements with wicked persons. Now, we all know that there are many persons who cannot be called wicked, whose character is without blame, yet, if we are to believe the truth, we cannot associate with any persons and not get good or evil from them. How, then, shall we judge whether to give np the company of such or not? Certainly, if I only live for amusement, and that to be such as worldlings delight in, then religion is all a farce. Where is there any denying oneself and taking up my Cross to follow Jesus? None, whatever, taking it for granted there is no

A SHIP was sinking. On board were a number of casks containing Spanish gold coins, a rich cargo. A desperate attempt was made to save the gold, but the ship was going to pieces so rapidly that the crew had to take to the lifeboats and abandon the treasure. At the last moment one of the ruen went back to the ship to see if all had escaped, awl this sight met his eyes: A man with a hatchet in his hand breaking open the casks and heaping up their contents around him. , What are you doing r shouted he. 'Escape for your life! Don't you know that the ship is fast going to pieces r . 'The ship may,' said the man, 'I have lived a poor wretch all my life, and I am determined to die rich.' The midshipman's remonstrances were answered only by

JANUARY,

1894.
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THE BIBLE STANDARD.

15

harm in these amusements, yet, if I as a Christian, or the Church as a body, uphold these things, which have destroyed and are destroying many for time and eternity, am I not giving my sanction and example to these weak ones who are more than ever led on to destruction. Shall we be so selfish as to say' it is no matter of mine: am I my brother's keeper?' Then we are to see that we do not become' lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.' This is certainly useless advice, for if we get or have never given up the love for worldly pleasures then the love of God has never superseded the love of the world. Christians in these days are changed. When I was young it was pointed out to me that there were pleasures to be found in the service of God, which superseded worldly enjoyment, more satisfying and lasting than this world can give; and I bless God I found it to be true. I could then, and now, repeat as my own the wordsLet worldly minds the world pursue, , It has no ~har~s fo: me, OnBcetI dmlfhed ltSttrltlefs too, a u grace as se me ree, , . .. . . . . 1 here IS nothing III the address about crucifying the world WIth Its affections, etc. What d~d Paul say: 'If to eat flesh maketh my brother to stumble I WIll e~t .no flesh for ever;nore, t1~at I m~ke not my brother to stumble. In the address It mentions being ready. for ou.r Saviour's coming ". What pleasure can. that person have m.look.mg forward to, that time. Let u,s see to It we ~o not meet HIm WIth the words, I never knew you. Surely He wIIl.have cause to say to such: 'BeC1.use thon wert lukewarm, aud neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.' Is it not His own words, 'Love not the world, neither the things of the world.' This means pleasure as well as other things. The above text with others has been misquoted in the address. D.G.

I carina
I

be. However, I haerny ain thochts, an' will the noo jist dae ma best tae help a' the movement that ye hae been considerin' o'er. The only thing is this, that I trust ye winna be compelled tae consider o'er't too lang. Many thanks tae yersel an' a' the guid folks wham ye represent for voicin' it abroad. Noo, tae be candid, I should like tae hear that it was yersel that was winning, for a guid man can do a power 0' guid. Noo, in regard tae haudin' cottage rneetins, tae smooth the breese as it were, is a gran' thing, an' I hae nae doot but that 'll be done, an' is done, an' tel't Dunedin brithers for 'instance; bit out ae the kin try where there's ane like masel, gin I open my moo' anent sic things, the bodies wha profess muckle pits me doon for a heretic, an' saes it's the warks 0' the deil, an' sae they ne'er heard 0' the like, but some wha is mair enlightened, by travellin' I mean, say, maybe ye're Christadelphian ; there somehoo ouer coy by hearin' like. Saes 1, Na, they begin to winner syne. I tell 'em tae read their Bible mair carefu'. Sae it wad be a great blessin' tae hae a missionary staying in a certain locality, say twa weeks at a time, teachin' an' preach" . , h G 1 .. III t e ospe as It IS foun' therein. Ithers dae it, an' why not we? We a' hae our fauts an' failins, an' ilka ane 0' the brithers 'll hae their ain opinions in regard tae this matter, but I wad ask each an' a' tae fall in, tae come thegither an' be 0' ane mind an' dae accord in' tae oor means tae sen roun' a man tae preach the Gospel 0' the Kingdom. Come ane an' a', join hand in hand tae further the guid cause wi' a loving desire e'en as Jesus Christ loves us. Wi'this I'll stap wi' 'Wishin' ye, sir, yer Iriens', an' a' the readers 0' the BIBLE STANDARD a Merry Christmas an' a Happ New Year.' A FRIEN'. Y

To THE EDITOR OF THE BIBLE STANDARD. SIR,-I hae he en gettin' the STANDARD noo for nearly these last twa year, an' I maun say that I like the readin' that's in't vena weal; sae thinks I tae masel' after read in' the Association Notes whilk I aye dae the first tae see what way the win' blaws aft ae your direction, an a' 001' the war!. I may say that is in church matters syne. I thocht I wad sen' ye a bit line or twa, altho', as ye'lI see, ['m a puir han' at it, so for this I hae na dout but ye'll e'en excuse me an' correct a' the mistakes ye fin'. First 0' a' I read that some ministers in the auld countrie had failed wi' their Lantern Mission, whilk was na surprise tae me, at a', altho' it seemed sae tae you, sir. They are just pnir mortals like ony ither body, gin they only kent it. Whin they are what they noo claim tae be they wad be mair successfu' ae ony mission jogging on. I sa' that ye hae been fairly successfu' ae the same enterprise; aye may ye be ; an' sae on was verra thankfu' readin', indeed, but the neist that cam fall'ly dumfounded me tae be sae sune deprived 0' ma STANDARD. True, its no muckle money, bnt that's yer ain faut; the buik is differen'. Say sax months frae noo, who'll that dae; gin then maybe the guid folks wha gets the STANDARD '11 ha' paid ye a'. Man, it's so cheap that I couldna make" oot until ye said sae hoo ye could sell it for twa bawbees apiece. J wis thinkin' gin it wad be feasable tae bind twa or three mair leaves tae it wi' ane 0' your ain discourses noo an' again, an' charge saxpence for't, and I warren the dose because wha does na toe the mark the noo tll either dae't or stap't. Ye canna expect a body tae work for naethin.' I winna say ony mail' aboot it the noo, bit I hope ye'Il consider on't. Weel, before ye stap't, anither thing that caught ma ee was that you an' yer friens' in Auckland hae been considerin: aboot sendin' a missionar roun', doubtless tae try an' waken up a wheen mair fellow mortals tae be on the alert for fear they may lose the blessin' that awaits them at the coming 0' the King Jesus Christ-an' min' you, that may be verra sune noo. Hoo ea~ ye account for't that there is sae little said aboot sican a gran' promise by ony 0' oor Divines wha is sa learned, while ane's tempted tae think they're wrang? But I doot again, sir, that that

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AUCKLAND.- We have to report some exceptionally good attendances at the evening services latterly. 0 wing to the many persons now visiting the meetings to whom the life truths are new, a course of addresses is being given on the foundation teachings on Man's Nature and Destiny. It is a long time since this was done, and the opportunity is now afforded to tell out the truths which have brought joy to us, and which we trust will relieve and gladden many others. Our Young People's Christian Band has commenced a short prayer service, which is conducted at the close of the Sunday evening meeting. Much good is expected from this. We are hopeful that it may be the means of helping some now undecided to take their stand for the Lord who claims their obedience. The annual Sunday School picnic is to be held on Boxiug Day at Henderson. The members of the Christian Band intend bo conduct a meeting on the grounds on that occasion, probably in the afternoon.

current 'tRews anb 1Aotes.

SALVATION-WHAT IT MEANS.-It means the opening of the coffin lid, it means restoring to life that body whose limbs are stiff and cold, whose eyes are glazed and sightless, whose thoughts have perished. It means bringing back from the dust the forms that have mouldered away in the ages that have passed. And not only this. 1t is not merely the restoration of life, but the salvation of the Bihle means the bestowal of endless and glorious life, it means the conferring upon those who are the subject of it an incorruptible nature, a nature incapable of decay, a nature that can die no more. Life, life, that is what we want-endless, painless, joyful life, and that is promised, that i~ what the salvation of God consists in.

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THE BIBLE STANDARD.

JANUARY,

1894.

Hepparchion, ~OOyears B. C., 'counted 1012 stars with the naked eye, and Holemaus 1022. The telescope now counts 100,000,000., The earlier books of the Bible mention chariots of iron as pos ; The BIBLE STANDARD can be ordered direct from the Publisher, sessed by the old Canaanites : and we are told of one time when' E. H. FALKNER, Karangahape Road, Auckland, or obtained the Israelites were not allowed by the Phillistines who oppressed from any of the Agents. them to sharpen their agricultural implements at forges. A PRICE per annum, post free ..; ... ." .,. 2s. 6d. curious discovery is reported by Mr. F. J. Bliss at Tel-el-Hesy, " beyond New Zealand, per annum, post free 38. Od. who has found in this old mound near ancient Lachish a blast furnace, for smelting iron, which may be dated as far back as the AGENTS FOR THE BIBLE STANDARD fourteenth century, H.C. Mr. Bliss has made no such remarkable NEW ZEALAND. discovery as was made the year before of a cruciform tablet; and Auckland-Mr. C. Mackay, Bookseller, Grey-street. the other objects have been of a minor character, such as in" Mr. Hancock, Bookseller, Karangahape Road. scribed pottery, lamps, weapons, etc. Christchurch-Mr. Hewitt, Mayfair Street, Addington. As setting forth one form of missionary activity, which has Drury-Mr. Joseph Dixon. Dunedin=-Mr. Lawrence, Great King Street. received a most wondrous development during this century, these Gisborne-Mr. A. Slack. figures are instructive and exhilarating. It is estimated that Hamilton-Mr. John Steadman, between the Christian era and the Protestant Reformation, a Invercargill-N eil's Botanic Dispensary. period of 1,500 years, the Scriptures were translated into only 23 Kamo-Mr. J. Heape. Kaie poi=-Mr. James Holland. languages, of which 13 ere long died out. This was at the rate of Milton-Mr. Gregg. only one version to over 66 years. Between the Reformation and New Plymouth-Mr. Fred. Goodacre, Courtney Road. 1804, when the British and Foreign Bible Society was formed, Timaru--Mr. David Ferrier, Arcade. 300 years, 34 translations were made, an average of one to about Thames-Mr. W. H. Cropp. ' Tinwald, Ashburton-Mr. Shearer. about 9 years. Between 1804 and 1890 the Word of God was Wangaloa-Mr. Taylor. published wholly or in part in 342 languages, or about 4 each year. Wellington-Mr. Slinn, Brougham Street. In the decade 1881-91 the above-named society alone undertook SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 50 translations, or 5 a year; and last year work was begun on Adelaide-Mr. C Gamble, Life and Advent Book Room, King no less than 9 new languages. William-street, City. It is a failure. So some people say about prohibition. But Adelaide-Mr. C. Gamble, Magill Road, Stepney. actual facts declare the statement false. Take, for instance, the NEW SOUTH WALES. following figures from Lawrence, which represents parts ot two Sydney-Mr. W. H. Can, Kose Street, Woollahra. years, one under license, and the other no license. License reigned in that city in 1892, but this year it is under the rule of Communications to the Editor to be addressed:-GEO. ALDRIDGE, no-license. The number of arrests for five months during these Boston Road, Auckland. years were as follows :All Communications to the Association to be addressed to the Secretary, WM. RATTRAY, Victoria Avenue, off Eden Terrace, May, 1892 159men 33 women 'I'otal, 192 Auckland. ---65 1893 57 " 8 180 June, 1892 140 " 40 CHURCH OF CHRIST 90 1893 81 " 9 Hold services as under :265 July, 1892 186 " 79 110 1893 99 " 11 AUCKLAND-Foresters' Hall, Karangahape Road. Aug., 1892 149 . 35 184 Sunday, at II o'clock a.m., Fellowship Meeting. 36 6.45 p.m., Lecture on some important Bible Theme. 1893 19 " 17 Sept., 1892 164 ,. 27 Sunday School at 3. 191 1893 44 . 7 Wednesday evening, Bible Class at 7.30. 51 Evangelist's address-e-Geo. Aldridge, Boston Road. The totals for the two periods are as follows :GISBORNE-Adclress-Mr. A Slack. North Gisborne, Total, 1012 License, 798men 214 women DUNEDIN -Oddfellows' Hall, Stuart-street. 352 No-license,300 " 52 Sunday, at II a.m., Fellowship Meeting. Lecture at 6.45. Difference, 498 162 660 Sunday School at 2.45. And yet people tell us that no-license is a failure. Certainly, Prayer Meeting and Bible Class every Friday evening at 7.30. figures show that such is not the case. Secretary's Address-Francis Battson, Stafford Street, South Dunedin. THAMES - Pollen Street Lecture Hall. CHURCH OF CHRIST, Sunday, at 11 a.m., Fellowship Meeting. MELBOURNEEvening Service at 6.30. City.-Monday, 7.30, Bible School at late Y.M.C.A., RussellSunday School at 2.30. street. Bible Class every Wednesday evening at 7.30. South. Yarra.-Sunday, at 11 a.m., Breaking of Bread. WedEvangelist's Address-E. H. Taylor, Thames. nesday, 7.30, Bible School. ADELAIDE, S.\.Williamstown.-Sunday, at 3 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., Meetings at Inquiry and Discussion Class, Blackeby's Boot Shop, Mechanics' Hall. Friday, 7.30, Bible School at W.C. T. 226, Rundle Street, every Thursday, at 7.45 p. m. Rooms. Secretary's Address-F. B. Hughes, 96, North Terrace. Newport.-Wednesday, at 7.30, Bible School, Jubilee Hall. SVDNEY- Temperance Hall, College Street, Camperdown. Hawthorn.-Thnrsday, at 7.30, Bible School, W.C. T. Rooms, Morning meeting at II. Burwood Road. Bible Class Wednesday at 7.45. Secretary's Address-W. Warner, r6 Pitt-street, Redfern. Collingwood.-Monday, at 7.30, Bible School, Wellington-street. ROCKDALE.-At residence of Mr. H. Cropp, Curbs Street, Rock Abbotsford (Melbourne).-Bloomsburg Street Churchdale Park. (W. BROAD BENT, Evangelist.) Sunday-Morning, Fellowship Meeting at 11. Printed by H. BRETT, Evemng Star Office, Shortland-street, for Afternoon, Sunday School, 3. the New Zealand Evangelistic and Publication Association, and Evening, Gospel Service, 7. published by E. H. FALKNER, Karangahape Road, Auckland. Wednesday Evening-Prayer and Exhortation Meeting, 8. JANUARY, r894.

~be lBtble Stant)arb.