The Watchtower, December 1, 1888

VOL. X. ALLEGHENY, PA., DECEMBER, 1888. NO. 3.

Zion's Watch Tower

AND

HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE.

PUBLISHED MONTHLY.

TOWER PUBLISHING COMPANY.

BUSINESS OFFICE: No. 151 Robinson St., Allegheny, Pa. C. T. RUSSELL, EDITOR.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

DOMESTIC,--Fifty cents a year, in advance, by Draft, P.O. Money Order, or Registered Letter.

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TO POOR SAINTS.

This paper will be sent free to the interested of the Lord's poor, who will send a card yearly requesting it. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat--yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." And you who have it-- "Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently--and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." --`ISAIAH 55:1,2`.

Entered as SECOND CLASS MAIL MATTER, at the P.O., Allegheny, Pa.

GREETINGS FOR 1889.

With the present year almost gone and the new one at the door, we tender humble thanks to God and congratulate our readers, that we are still earnestly and lovingly and deeply interested, in the study of our Father's Word. Thank God, the truth still shines, brighter and brighter, more and more. Let us thank him warmly for the blessings past, as we earnestly implore others for the year at hand--

"More and more, more and more,

Always more to follow.

Oh, the matchless, boundless love!

Still there's more to follow."

May the coming year be as this one, and much more abundant, in grace and love and knowledge of our Father's character and plan, is our prayer.

Those of the Lord's poor who by reason of any circumstances are unable to pay for the TOWER the coming year, but who want it, should remember the offer at the head of this column,--to supply such free--and should accept it as from the Lord; as one of his numberless gifts. Such should not hesitate nor delay to write now for 1889, if they would have their papers continued.

To all in Christ Jesus we send hearty greetings and best wishes for the year 1889.

MILLENNIAL DAWN. VOL. II. "THE TIME IS AT HAND." NOW READY.

We have pleasure in announcing this book now ready. The present edition is in cloth binding, embossed, price one dollar. It contains 368 pages on fine paper. Orders will be filled in rotation as received, as fast as the books come from the bindery.

While one dollar is but a moderate price for the book, we propose to give Watch Tower subscribers a special price upon this, as upon Vol. I. and other books. Therefore, we give notice that for $1.25 we will mail a copy of Vol. II., "The Time is at Hand," postage prepaid by us, and the TOWER during the year 1889.

We suggested in our last, that this volume would specially interest TOWER readers only, and that these would all want it in cloth binding for preservation and reference. Many have murmured against this, and urged that they had friends to whom they had sold and loaned Vol. I. who, they believed, would be interested enough to read Vol. II., if obtainable in a cheaper edition in paper-binding, --say at 35 cents.

We doubt the practicability of this; we fear that not enough would be wanted to justify an edition of ten thousand; and only by getting out such editions could the price be gotten so low as 35 cents including postage. However, to test the matter, we will agree to get out a 10,000 edition at 35 cents each, or 3 for $1.00, as soon as one half that quantity is ordered. So then, let those who favor the cheap edition, write as soon as possible, mentioning how many they can use. If this edition is issued, The Tract Fund will probably make an allowance to the Colporteurs (for expenses) on it as on Vol. I.

TOWER PUBLISHING CO.

VIEW FROM THE TOWER.

"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come."--`Matt. 24:14`.

Notwithstanding the fact that sectarianism has blinded the hearts of the vast majority of those who own Christ's name, so that they cannot appreciate the real good tidings of the coming Kingdom of God and the blessed work it is to accomplish, yet God has so arranged that the gospel itself is being preached (declared), as a "witness," for use in the coming age; even though the traditions of men, which tend to make it void and meaningless, are permitted to accompany it. God's purposes will all be accomplished, even by some who forward them with their hands, while they oppose them with their lips. For instance, note the great work which has been and is being done by Bible Societies. They are incessantly spreading the "good tidings of great joy, which shall be unto all people," before all nations, and in all languages, even though as we know, very few of those engaged in the work see with any degree of clearness, either the harmony or the beauty of the plan of God for the establishment of his kingdom and the blessing of all people.

And this work continues notwithstanding the fact that so-called "rationalism," and Elsmere-ism, are convincing thousands that the Bible is, at best, but a conglomeration of well-meant, but utterly untrustworthy traditions, colored by oriental habit and language out of all resemblance to the real truths and facts. Still the work of publishing the Bible progresses, and even its opposers assist often in its spread. An instance of this sort was witnessed in this country a few years ago, when the Revised Version of the New Testament was first published. Unbelievers took hold of it, advertised it and circulated it by the million. To satisfy curiosity and make money, they published it in the daily papers, and even in Novelette form. Now--within the past

month--the daily press makes mention of the fact that in Italy and in Spain, where Bible Societies have long been trying to get a foothold and to introduce the Scriptures, with but slight success, because of the predominance of papal influence over the consciences of the people--even there the Scriptures are now being read by thousands. The item runs as follows:--

"A Milan (Italy) newspaper Il. Secola, is issuing in daily installments a new translation of the Bible. The enterprise is extraordinarily popular, and the circulation of the paper has reached 50,000. This success has provoked emulation, and a secular paper in Barcelona, Spain [where only recently Bibles were publicly burned], has arranged to publish a translation in Spanish. Both these undertakings are purely journalistic, and entirely unconnected with missionary societies."

Thus, despite every obstacle, both of friends and foes, the gospel is being preached for a witness to all nations.

Some good is being accomplished too, and some appreciation of God's character is reaching the heathen, notwithstanding the fact that those who carry the Bible, in great measure offset it with their traditions and make merchandise of the people through their creeds and sects. An illustration of this is furnished in the article subjoined, which we clip from an exchange. It is as follows:--

IN JESUS' NAME.

When the Japanese Empire was thrown open to American commerce, the American churches were zealous to proselyte that country to their several Confessions. The missionaries sent out found that their division would be an effectual barrier to success, and agreed to conceal their differences and work together for souls alone --simply presenting one God and Christ crucified for sinners, until they should obtain a foothold.

The dissimulation succeeded so well that in 1873 in respect to the clamor for sectarian harvests, on the part of home Boards it was agreed that the converts were sufficiently numerous to warrant a division of the spoil.

But when the deceit was carefully exposed to the converts from heathenism an unexpected difficulty arose. These poor natives assembled and drew up a petition, setting forth the joy and peace and righteousness they had found in Christ Jesus, objecting to be divided contrary to the Word and the Spirit of God, and urging the missionaries, since they had confessed such a deplorable state of things in their own country, to return to America and leave the further evangelization of Japan to them.

Copies of this petition were forwarded to the various Boards by which the missionaries were supported and controlled, and agents were sent out to investigate and report.

One of these agents, whose letter was published in the Independent, says that to these minds, just brought from the darkness of heathenism, "the simple joys of salvation overshadow all other considerations," and "it will be many years before they can be indoctrinated into the nice distinctions which divide Christendom."

Nevertheless, these whose "other considerations" overshadowed the "joys of salvation" and shut out the love of God, persevered in their work of dividing.

The Spirit prompted these honest souls to meet in the name of Jesus only, as it always does. The most difficult thing in the work of the sectarian missionary is to "indoctrinate the convert into the nice distinctions which divide Christendom." Very few of the adherents of any sect in America are so indoctrinated. They are prejudiced and overcome by other considerations than real convictions. A very small per cent have anything like intelligent consciences about professions of faith and the distinction by which they are separated from other sects.--The Testimony.

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?

Eighteen centuries of effort are in the past. What prospect is there that the claims of sectarianism will be fulfilled? What prospect is there of a Millennium of peace on earth being brought about by present missionary efforts? What are the evidences to support the claim that soon, or ever, the world shall willingly submit to the gospel, and voluntarily become God's Kingdom--in which his will shall be done as [perfectly as] in heaven?

This inquiry is now coming up from every direction. The nominal churches read it, and attempt to answer for themselves, to render up the best accounts they can in figures, while the world looking on draws its own conclusions. Why, we might inquire, is there so much reckoning, and figuring, and apologizing for meagre missionary results now?--a thing apparently not thought of in former times. We answer, it is because we are living in the "harvest," or reckoning time (`Matt. 25:19`; `7:20-23,26,27`), and the Lord of the harvest, earth's new King, who is about to establish his kingdom in a totally different manner, permits those who have chosen a different plan from his, and who have boasted of what they could do by

their own efforts in his absence, to see and to confess to each other and to the world their failures. All systems, both religious and political, claiming the name of Christ (Christendom) and to be engaged in his service, must give an account. All are on trial, and all are being proved incompetent--incapable of bringing about the desired and promised results--everlasting righteousness, God's will on earth as done in heaven. Each system must render up its own account, and some of these are now being heard by an astonished world.

Below we quote briefly from Canon Taylor, of the English Church, discussing the question:--

ARE CHRISTIAN MISSIONS A FAILURE?

A little more than a year ago Mr. Taylor read a telling paper before the English Church Congress, in which he took the ground that the Mohammedan religion is not only equal to Christianity in some respects, but is far better suited to the needs and capacities of many peoples in Asia and Africa. (In our issue of May '87 we quoted Canon Farrar and Mr. Thompson, the missionary, on this subject, under the caption "Christianizing the World."-- Therein we showed the folly of comparing nominal Christianity with genuine Mohammedanism.) Mr. Taylor's article, entitled "The Great Missionary Failure," in The Fortnightly Review, is likely to attract even more attention than his paper of last year.

The most important point which he makes is, that at its present rate of progress, Christianity can never hope to overtake heathenism. Estimating the excess of births over deaths in Asia and Africa as 11,000,000 a year, and the annual increase of Christians as 60,000, it would take the missionary societies 183 years to overtake one year's increase in the heathen population. He says:--

"Dr. Bruce has complained that we do not succeed because the sums spent on missions are insufficient. It would rather seem that the floods of money which are poured out are the cause of much of the weakness of the missions. It is curious to note that the most costly missions are frequently the least successful....It is plain that the failure does not arise from a niggardly expenditure. But there can be no doubt that the vast sums of money, and the still more precious lives of hosts of devoted laborers, are thrown away in the prosecution of hopeless enterprises. In the missions to Egypt, Persia, Palestine, and Arabia, where there are no heathen,* the Church Missionary Society employs 119 agents, and has spent L.23,545, 4s. 7d. in the last two years. The net results are nil.

"To extort from Sunday School children their hoarded pence, for the ostensible object of converting 'the poor heathen,' and to spend nearly L.12,000 a year in fruitless missions to lands where there are no heathen,* seems to me to be almost a crime; the crime of obtaining money under false pretenses."

According to official reports cited, the 424 agents of the Church Missionary Society in Ceylon spent a little more than $55,000 last year in making 190 converts out of a population of nearly three millions. And as there were 330 relapses from Christianity the same year, this great expenditure counted for less than nothing. The same thing was true in a measure of China, Egypt, Arabia and Palestine. Moreover, the converts which are made in these countries at a cost of from $300 to $500 each, in many cases reflect no credit upon the religion whose claims they acknowledge. As an illustration of this he says:--

"Three years ago in a nominally Christian village [in Africa] a quarrel broke out, and not a few were killed. The victors cooked and ate the bodies of the slain. As a punishment the native pastor announced that they were suspended from Church privileges."

Of the native pastors engaged in the mission work, the Canon has evidently a poor opinion. He quotes Mr. Johnson as saying:--

"With a few very rare exceptions, those native African pastors, teachers, and catechists whom I have met, have been all, more or less, bad men. They attempted to veil an unbridled immorality with an unblushing hypocrisy, and a profane display of 'mouth' religion, which to an honest mind seemed even more disgusting than the immorality itself."

*[The Canon's ideas of Christianity are, like those of most people now, that it is merely morality; and the Mohammedans being a temperate and moral people, he classes them not as heathens, but as good as Christians; hence this remark.]

Commenting still upon the general character of the few converts made, Mr. Taylor continues thus:--

"In Egypt, last year, there were two 'inquirers,' one a negro, and the other an Egyptian, but the inquiries did not lead to any further results. In Arabia a sick robber who was doctored by a missionary, promised to abstain from robbing for ten days. In Palestine, the one Moslem Convert of last year, a weakminded orphan girl, who required constant guidance, and for whom the prayers of all English Christians were evoked, has gone over to Rome, and is now in a nunnery. In Persia we are told that a 'great and wondrous door has been opened for the Gospel,' but no converts are mentioned, and the door seems to consist of a Persian who reads the Bible, which is one of his own sacred books. I have several correspondents among the Persian Moslems, and they constantly quote the Bible, with which they seem to be almost as familiar as with the Koran. It is plain that these futile missions should be given up. A few Eastern Christians may be perverted, but the missionaries make no way among the Mahommedans."

In giving his opinion of the cause of missionary failures: that it is Sectarianism, together with lack of full consecration on the part of the missionaries, who endeavor to live as princes surrounded by more than European luxuries, instead of consecrating time and all to the work of evangelization, Mr. Taylor refers to "Dr. Legge, a missionary of 34 years standing," saying:--

"He thinks that we shall fail to make converts so long as Christianity presents itself infected with the bitter internal animosities of Christian sects, and associated in the minds of the natives with the drunkenness, the profligacy, and the gigantic social evil conspicuous among Christian nations. Bishop Steere thought that the two greatest hindrances to success were the squabbles among the missionaries themselves, and the rivalry of the societies."

Thus the results of eighteen centuries look very meagre from the standpoint of nominal Christianity; and notes of their apologies and perplexity are constantly appearing through the secular and religious press. They do not see, as we do, that the object of preaching the gospel in all the world now, is, to witness to the world, and to select a "little flock" of saints, to whom with Christ their Lord, it is the Father's good pleasure to give the Millennial Kingdom,--which shall bless the world, by both ruling and instructing it in righteousness.--`Luke 12:32`.

For some years the facts have been known to the officials, who, hoping for some miraculous change, have presented the brightest possible view of matters and urged larger and larger contributions. But finally, the facts are coming to the ear of the public, producing general consternation. It can no longer be boastfully and falsely claimed, that a few more millions and a few more years will see the world converted by present missionary arrangements. On the contrary, it must be admitted that according to statistics, at home as well as in foreign lands, Protestantism not only is not making headway at converting the world, but is actually going backward, not anything like keeping pace with the natural increase of population. Only this last month a general meeting of Protestants was held to account, if possible, for the great falling away in its influence and numbers in New York, the principle city of this land.

What a commentary upon the failure of man's plans are these reports and confessions! And when it is remembered that it was to carry out these plans, and insure their success, that 1500 years ago and since, the eternal torment doctrine and others, blasphemous and dishonoring to God, were invented, and all the creed- bondages of to-day manufactured, how great is the failure. How, with shame and confusion of face should Christian people acknowledge their failure, and their own utter inability to conquer evil, and look to God for help. In his plan, recorded in the Bible, they would find it speedily. But no, they are not ready for this yet; they must try their own way further.

What shall we do about it? they inquire one of another; and church Congresses meet in various parts, to help fix up an answer. Let us ignore all differences in our various creeds, say many voices, and band ourselves together as one, for mutual assistance, and that will make a larger showing. Count in all the nominal as well as the real Christians, say another set. And count the baptized children too, say others. And count in all the big sects that can be induced to associate themselves. And don't forget "that great Christian Camp, the Holy Catholic Church of Rome!" calls out a Methodist bishop; and amen! amen! chime in his many retainers. And many in other sects re-echo the sentiment, saying, with a Presbyterian Minister of this city: We must not longer reject the "holy mother, from whom we received every doctrine that we hold dear."

But hold! says Mother Rome, I make no compromise! I am infallible! I will gladly receive you to my arms, but only on condition of submission to my authority. Here all pause and hold their breath in fear, as visions of her past authority and power flit before the mind. But what is to be done? they cry, hard pressed on every side. A Presbyterian minister replies, "We must make repeated advances until we gain her support."

Together they will attempt to show that all the civilization and progress of the world is due to sectarian efforts, and will entirely ignore the influence of the great truths of God's Word, which, notwithstanding misrepresentations both by friends and foes, has really been both the light and salt of the earth. Lowering the standard, and ignoring faith in the doctrines of Christ and the Apostles, morality and civilization will be the new standard or platform. It will be broad enough to include all grades of outwardly moral people--the various grades and shades of Protestants, including Unitarians, Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics, Jews, Brahmins, and Mohammedans. Under this new standard the world will be re-examined and found almost converted--almost up to the standard. But, what a standard!

However, even this seeming successful union will be of short duration, for it is written: "Associate [unite] yourselves, O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces;...take counsel together and it shall come to naught." And again, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh, the Lord shall have them [their futile schemes] in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure"--declaring, Nevertheless I have appointed to set my King upon Zion, my holy mount or kingdom. `Isa. 8:9,10`; `Psa. 2:4-6`; `Prov. 1:24-33`.

But the appointed work of the Gospel age, as shown in the Scriptures, has been going on and is almost accomplished, just as intended and foretold. The Word has gone forth as a witness to all nations; and the end, the "harvest" is here. As foretold, the Lord's word has not gone forth in vain; it has accomplished that which he pleased; it has prospered in the thing whereto he sent it (`Isa. 55:11`); the "little flock" is almost complete, and should now lift up their heads and rejoice, knowing that their redemption draweth nigh, and that their prayer--"Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven"--is about to be fully answered.

BROTHER ADAMSON STILL LABORING.

It is some time since we made any mention of the work being done by Brother Adamson. He is not idle, however, but fully in the harness is spending himself daily in the Master's service, Sister A. sharing his encouragements and discouragements, also, as a true helpmate.

Bro. A.'s preaching or "gospelling" as he calls it, is chiefly by the sale of DAWN VOL. I. His plan is to make some town or city his headquarters, from which he makes trips to surrounding smaller towns and villages, selling DAWNS. Thus he makes thorough work, changing his base of operations about every four months. Toward the close of his stay in a place, he makes the acquaintance of some of the truth-hungry and holds some meetings, which serve to further establish, and to introduce to each other, those of like precious faith, who frequently meet regularly after he has gone further--without any covenant or bondage other than that of love, which fealty to the Lord and the truth produces. May He who has said that he "abhorreth the proud, but giveth grace (favors) to the humble, continue to greatly bless and own our Brother's efforts in the present "harvest" work. We give below one of his recent letters.

Indianapolis, Ind.

DEAR BROTHER RUSSELL:--Yours of 24th received to-day. I see you and Bro. Ball are doing all you can to get the DAWNS to me and save unnecessary trouble on my part. Sold 50 copies on Saturday-- a good day again.

I will mention that the main avenues of Indianapolis radiate from the centre like spokes in a wheel. This centre was a park 150 feet in diameter with some seats and most of the space made into broad, gravelled walks. Here I preached while here four years ago, spending most of my Sundays there.

After I left, the Bible Christians held meetings in this Circle Park, but were soon restrained by the Mayor and Council on the ground that they are not a religious denomination. Now the Park space is being filled with monuments of "great" men, such as Senators Morton and Hendricks, which with their broad bases occupy about all the space, leaving no room for either seats for the weary passers to and fro, nor for the preaching of an unsectarian gospel.

Here is where some (an Episcopalian minister specially) told me, I had not the proper anointing to preach--meaning that I had no bishop's hands laid on my head.

I am glad to hear you are all so heartily in the Master's service, and appreciate so much my own weak efforts to serve Him.

With much love, joined by Mrs. A., to you all. In Gospel bonds, J. B. A.

PERFECT LOVE.

O God! this is my plea,

What'er the process be,

This love to know.

And if the prize to gain,

Through sorrow, toil and pain

I go, e'er self be slain,

Amen! I go.

Rooted and grounded! yes,

For this I plead, O! bless

My waiting soul.

Will not this proud heart melt

Unless the rod be felt?

In mercy be it dealt,

And make me whole.

To Thee I humbly bow

And pray Thou wilt e'en now

The work begin.

'Tis all that I desire

This fulness to acquire;

This one great purifier

Dwelling within. E. M.

THE SPIRIT OF A SOUND MIND.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."-- `2 Tim. 1:7`.

The word spirit is here used in the sense of mental disposition. Thus we sometimes speak of a bad spirit, meaning an evil disposition; or of a good, true spirit, meaning a pure, noble and amiable disposition. So the Apostle here refers to the disposition of a sound mind.

A sound mind, is a mind in a sound healthy condition, and in full possession of all its faculties. Its perceptive faculties gather up various data and store them away in memory's garner; and its reasoning faculties arrange and compare them, and thus arrive at conclusions that otherwise could not be gained. However, if the mind is not in a sound, healthy condition, reason will not act properly. It will receive memory's store of facts, and by misapplying and misappropriating them, arrive at erroneous conclusions. If the mind is disturbed by undue fear and dread, or by superstition or prejudice, or hate, or revenge, or undue ambition, or pride, or self-conceit, or avarice, or any

depraved passion, reason will be so influenced by such dispositions as to render its conclusions, or judgement, untrustworthy. The mind is only sound when in the full possession of all its faculties, and when it is entirely free in the use of those faculties--free from prejudice to bias it in any direction. Those among men who are freest from prejudice in the use of reason, we sometimes, and very properly, speak of as cool-headed, while those of the opposite disposition are called hot-headed.

Strictly speaking, there is not a perfectly sound mind in the world. The mind could not be perfectly sound unless the body were so. Both mind and body are sadly bruised by the fall; and in the fallen race we see all shades and grades of mental as well as physical derangement. Mark the varieties of physical derangement: Here is one with a deranged stomach--a dyspeptic; and that derangement affects the whole body to a greater or less extent. Another is afflicted with an improper action of the heart: and the whole body is therefore in trouble. The same is true if the lungs will not fill their appointed office, or if the liver will not do its duty, or if the nervous system be unstrung. In such cases the mind is always more or less unfavorably affected. If the body is burning with fever, or racked with pain, or agitated by an excited nervous system, or oppressed by the distresses of a dyspeptic stomach, or excited by a palpitating heart, or enfeebled by inactive and diseased lungs, the mind is correspondingly weak and diseased; it is unsound, fettered in the use of its powers, and unable to fully govern and rightly use them.

The curse of sin and its penalty has laid its heavy hand on the entire man--mind and body. If one member of the body suffer, the whole body, and no less the mind, suffers with it. And in addition to those sufferings of the mind which come directly from physical disabilities, are many others which come from its own derangement, from the undue cultivation of its inferior instincts and the dwarfing of its nobler faculties through sin and the necessities of painful toil--the labor and sweat of face which are parts of its penalty. Truly, as the prophet expresses it, There is none perfect (sound, either in mind or body), no, not one. (`Psa. 14:3`.) All are covered with wounds and bruises and putrefying sores--both mentally and physically, though there are various degrees of unsoundness.

O, says one, I do not see that the world in general is so much out of gear mentally. Men are considerably out of order physically, greatly out of order morally, but it seems to me that mentally they are pretty straight. What evidence is there of such general mental derangement?

Well, let us see. If we go into an insane asylum we find people who are so far unbalanced mentally as to be incapable of managing their own affairs, and often in danger of damaging the interests of others as well, because unable to exercise even moderate judgement. But we all know that we have neighbors on every hand whose judgements, as well as our own, are very imperfect. And not infrequently many give evidence of inability to manage their own affairs creditably, who are a great annoyance in attempting to manage the affairs of others. Through self-conceit they are gossips and busy-bodies in other men's matters though incapable of managing their own. This is one evidence of an unsound mind--a measure of insanity.

What business man will not admit that, over and over again, when he has used his very best judgement, he has actually done the wrong thing when he should have known better? The large number of failures in business, and ill-successes generally, attest that the majority of people are very unsound in judgement. And likewise the numbers of badly raised families, of mismatches in matrimony, of ungoverned tempers, and of miserly, or extravagant, or foolish habits, etc., etc., all bear witness to the same fact. The great trouble in every case is an unsound mind. And no one knows better than the man who has precipitated financial disaster, or who has made a bad mistake in choosing a wife, or the woman who accepted a worthless man for a husband, that bad judgement, unsoundness of mind, was the cause of the trouble. And so avarice, selfishness, and other bad habits are evidences of mental as well as of moral and physical unbalance. Sometimes a man has average soundness of mind on most subjects, but is greatly astray on some one. He can reason intelligently on other subjects, but on this one he cannot; he reasons absurdly and draws false conclusions. There are some subjects on which so many are astray that mankind in general do not regard the wrong course as wrong, and are ready to pronounce those unbalanced who do not run with them to the same excesses.

Suppose a man down on the river bank with a long rake, raking up old corks, and sticks, and rubbish out of the water, and having them at considerable expense carted off and stored in a barn somewhere. You see him day after day toiling away to no reasonable purpose and you say, the man is insane. Why do you think so? Because he is spending his time and effort at that which, when looked at from a reasonable standpoint, is unreasonable. Now while all are not as bad as the illustration there is a disposition of the same kind running through the whole race with reference to some subjects: For instance, that of accumulating money. That is an evidence of an unsound mind, but the popular opinion does not so regard it. There are thousands of men who have plenty of money, more than they know what to do with. It gives them great care and anxiety to take care of it, and great labor and weariness in one way or another to accumulate it. And yet, notwithstanding their superabundance, they will lie, and cheat, and steal, and defraud their best friends to get more; only to add greater burdens to their already heavy load, and to heap upon themselves the calumnies and hatred of those whom they have unjustly defrauded. What is the natural inference? The man who acts so, has an unsound mind. But it is on a popular subject; and others of similar disposition, though not always so successful, say, That is a great man; his aim is the grand acme of life; go on, become a ten times ten-millionaire (unless I should succeed in outwitting you).

How should a really sound mind regard such proceedings? How does God view it as he looks down upon men cheating and fighting and stealing from one another to get money, or wheat, or corn into a "corner" from other men, then guarding it, and keeping it, and fighting for it, as if it were very life itself.

He sees it as the result of an unsound mind, as the mental and moral unbalance brought about through sin. If the mind were well balanced its energies would be divided between accumulating and using; and good and noble uses would be thought out whereby he and his fellow-men might receive some real advantage. But the common practice of all the world is to lay it up for posterity, and posterity receives it with mean ingratitude and generally uses it to its own injury.-- `Psa. 49:10,13`.

Another subject upon which the masses of men are of unsound mind, but which is not popularly so regarded, is the reckless propagation of the race without due regard to means of support, or health, or the Lord's special service to which some have consecrated their all, and often regardless of the barest necessities of life, overburdening wives whom they profess to love and covenanted to support and defend, with weights of care which they are mentally and physically unable to endure, and from which they often gladly find refuge in the silent tomb; while the mentally and physically diseased offspring, which she was thus unfitted to rear, and which the father is incapable of supporting, are left to add their burden of misery, and mental and moral and physical depravity to the world's long moan of distress and sorrow.

True the command was given, increase and multiply and fill the earth, but human fatherhood should be after the likeness of the divine fatherhood, which provides for every son--"If a son, then an heir." If a sound mind were in control, a man would not incur the responsibilities of husband, or of fatherhood a numerous family, with known inability to produce a healthy offspring, or to provide for them the necessities of life until able to do for themselves. The unsoundness of mind thus displayed has raised the wail of distress from thousands of homes, and nipped in the bud the tender plants of love and peace; and the struggle for bare existence has driven out every element of harmony and right-mindedness.

If the spirit of a sound mind were in control here, love and harmony would prevail to a vastly greater extent, and a healthy, happy, and welcomed offspring would rise up to bless a mother's training hand of care, to honor a father's kindly providence, and to walk in their honorable footprints.

Is it not true too, that such as have consecrated all to the Lord's service have little enough to give at best without tying their hands with more than indispensable earthly burdens and cares? Is it not, rather, the mission and privilege of such, to feed and clothe, spiritually, God's little ones?

But there are many other evidences of unsoundness of mind not so general among men, and yet very numerous in one form or another. For instance one is a miser: he clutches a penny with almost a death grip; he would bargain and contend with a poorer man to induce him to undersell his little stock of goods on which he depends for the support of his family; he would deprive his own family of the necessary comforts of life, which he and they know he is able to supply, but will not, and thus introduce an element of discord into what might be a happy and prosperous home. Hugging his hoarded dollars he goes to his grave, and his children gather them to quarrel over them and to hate his very memory. O, what a mistake!

Another man is a spendthrift; self-gratification he will have, in every possible

direction, regardless of consequences for the future. This is better than the miserly extreme, yet it is founded in the same mean principle of selfishness, regardless of the interests of others, and even of self-interest beyond the present moment. Neither of these extremes of unsoundness is realized by those so afflicted: The miser congratulates himself that he is not a spendthrift, and the spendthrift that he is not a miser, and neither ever dreams that he has gone to the opposite extreme.

O, that all the world might be blessed with a sound mind! What a renovation it would make! What a transformation of all things! This is just what men will have when the great restitution work is all complete.

But, notice that the Apostle in the above text speaks of the saints as now having the spirit of a sound mind. They are not actually sound, either in mind or body; they have mental and physical and moral weaknesses like other men, but they have received from God the spirit, the disposition of a sound mind, which, under God's direction, is able to a very great extent to correct, control, and direct the whole man. To have a sound mind, then, is the thing to be desired above all others, and all who realize their unsound condition should apply at once to the great Physician, who says, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." And those who have come to this great Physician can testify to his healing power; for lo, under the magic of his healing touch, old things-- the old dispositions of fear and superstition, and evil inclinations, and weakness, and imbecility, have passed away, and all things have become new. The spirit of love and of a sound mind has taken its place, giving increasing power to govern the whole being as we grow up toward the stature of men in Christ Jesus.

In coming to our Lord, his first requirement is, that we submit our minds entirely to his control, setting aside our

ideas and plans entirely, to henceforth be guided by his sound mind. And only those thus consecrated to the doing of his will, have the spirit or disposition of a sound mind.

As soon as this spirit of a sound mind comes in, it begins at once under the divine guidance to set the whole man in order. And it begins in the right place: It commands the will to assert its power and hold its commanding place over body and mind; it puts reason at the helm with the divine Word as its guide book; it searches the heart with the lamp of divine truth lighted by the holy spirit, to see what form the malady of sin has taken; and then looking to the divine healer by faith and the energy of resistance, the transforming work begins and progresses, bringing the mind into a more and more sound and healthy condition, notwithstanding the infirmities of the body may tend in an opposite direction. Thus the children of God are "transformed, by the renewing of their minds."

Sometimes the children of God get cold and listless and almost cease to aspire to and seek this soundness of mind, but let such remember that this is the lukewarm condition of which the Master declares his abhorrence. (`Rev. 3:16`.) Let the consecrated ones who look for the reward of our high calling remember that ceaseless vigilance and earnest striving against the dispositions of the old unsound mind, and a constant submission to the divine will in the smallest affairs of every-day life, are the most thorough proof of our faithfulness to God. It is all-important that while we endeavor to faithfully serve the Lord by bearing the good tidings of his truth to others, we should not fail in this most important work of self-discipline and self-culture under the divine direction. The every-day life of faithful saints will preach a sermon to all who know them, which their lips could never speak. And if it does not do so-- if avarice, or penuriousness, or pride, or selfishness, or bad tempers, or slovenly habits in conversation still continue, our lips had best keep silence, regarding godly matters except before God in our closets. There we may speak freely, and ask largely for fresh supplies of grace to help us overcome the dispositions of the old unsound mind, that our daily life may speak a volume to our Redeemer's praise. Our children, our neighbors, our friends, and all who know us as exponents of divine truth, are looking for its fruits in our daily life, and judging of it accordingly, whether they tell us so or not. Let us endeavor to let our light shine in this way. We should never be too busy to let those about us see that our mind is under control of the divine mind--to let them see what carefulness the spirit of a sound mind hath wrought in us.

As the divine mind takes the control of our minds, it cultivates the nobler qualities; it nourishes them with divine truth and bids them expand and take possession of the man; it subdues the lower propensities and appoints their definite and proper place in the service of the new higher nature. It also lifts the mind out of the narrow sphere of self, and sets the man to work in the Lord's benevolent service of blessing others; it shows him the divine plan and tells him he may have a share in it--not only in its benefits, but also in its great work as a co-laborer together with God. Thus the saint approaches the divine likeness and enjoys communion and fellowship with God.

Well, says one, while we criticise some who spend their lives in gathering dollars, and others who spend it otherwise, they also criticise us, and say that we are unsound in mind, "peculiar," because our view of life is turned so much from the ordinary. What shall we say of this?

We cannot help that--we once thought much as they do, but now have received the mind of Christ. We cannot expect any but those governed by the same heaven-directed view of matters, to agree with us, or to commend our mind and course. The only way we could please all the insane people in an asylum would be to agree with their ideas and do as they do. And just so, the only way we can please the unsound world is to agree with their erroneous ideas and do as they do; but when we receive our ideas from God's Word, and recognize the world's ideas as contrary to that Word, then we know on God's authority that we have the spirit, the disposition of a sound mind, though we are constantly reminded of the unsoundness of our natural mind by the effort which it costs us to keep it in subjection to the divine ruling. Naturally, the children of God are no better than average men of the world, and often worse. Among them, as natural men and women, there are all sorts of mean dispositions, but when the spirit of a sound mind, under God's direction, takes hold, it transforms and beautifies them in deed and in truth. And, dearly beloved, if this transforming work is not going on within us, we are either dead or dying, branches that must sooner or later be severed from the vine. "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit [fruit of the spirit] he taketh away."--`John 15:2`.

We must then let the transforming work go on within our own hearts, while we do all in our power to inspire and cultivate the same spirit in others. God hath not given to us the spirit of fear and superstitious dread of him, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. And when we have discarded our own unsound mind, and taken God's mind as expressed in his Word, we know that we have the disposition of a sound mind, no matter how other men regard it.

BONDAGE OF THE CREATURE.

There is an aspect of redemption which many Christians overlook, and which is important to a right understanding of the Gospel of the resurrection. That gospel is the glad tidings to the human race that the life of man, which in this world has been so weighted with evil as to sink into the mire of sin and death, is to be delivered from this bondage to corruption, through resurrection. There are numerous passages of Scripture in which this present world or cosmos is viewed as a hostile kingdom, which is to be reckoned with for this long and degrading captivity of its highest creature--man. It harbors those hostile forces which Scripture designates by such titles as "Prince of the Power of the Air," "Rulers of the World-Darkness," "The Enemy," which have power over the bodies and souls of men, and to whose malign energy not only diseased cravings of the mind but diseases of the body are due. The power of death is ascribed to the arch adversary, the devil. In an important sense, therefore, these enemies share in the responsibility for human wickedness. And they have been radically dealt with in the redemption of the race effected by the Son of Man. He was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, and "him that hath the power of death."--`Heb. 2:14`.

The redemption of the human race would be therefore incomplete were not all mankind to be rescued from the evil conditions under which they have been brought in the present system of the world. They are by nature children of wrath (`Eph. 2:3`). It is often affirmed that this downward drag is effectually resisted in the case of every man by the Spirit of God striving in all, and that on the platform of this present world all have a fair chance for eternal life. But the facts do not bear out the assertion. How many of the vast and varied multitudes of the race succeed in this conflict, and by patient

continuance in well-doing win life eternal? What sort of a chance is that in which almost everybody fails? And Scripture teaches that but few enter along this way into life. "There is none righteous, no, not one." Indeed, if eternal life consists, as Jesus declares (`John 17:3`), in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ whom He has sent, then how can there be a trial for eternal life where Christ is not known? Therefore He gave Himself a ransom for all, in order that, set free from the evil conditions of their life in this present world, men may have the opportunity to know Him in the world to come.

This is not their second probation. They never had a first.

[It is the second probation for the race as a whole, though not as individuals. In the first trial or probation the entire race was represented by one man--father Adam. In that trial or probation all failed, and all was lost. It was to secure a second probation to all (this time an individual trial) that Christ died. By paying our death-penalty, he settled for all the disastrous consequences of failure in the first trial. Thus a second trial (to prove worthiness or unworthiness of everlasting life) is assured to all--to each. And as knowledge and freedom of will are essential to trial, it is written concerning the Millennial age, that then "the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the whole earth," and then, "whosoever will may take of the water of life freely." Then the ransom and its value will be testified to all, with full opportunity for each to avail himself of its benefits, and by hearty obedience to make them everlasting blessings.--EDITOR.]

They were born into this world under condemnation. Only those who are here tested under the gospel of Christ may be said to be now under probation for eternal life. The emancipation then of the human race from under the yoke of this system is to be through death and resurrection. And this deliverance is connected with that of the system itself (`Romans 8:19-23`). The enemies who have defiled this heritage of creation, and debased its appointed heir, must be dealt with and cast out. "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the prince of this world be cast out." (`John 12:31`). We see thus why Jesus immediately adds, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."

The casting out of the prince of this world would be the deliverance of those held captive by him. The prison doors of death were to be opened for all. Their resurrection will be their emancipation not only from bondage in death, but from the yoke of Satan. On the platform of the life to come they will be free to serve God and to choose life. The freedom of the will, about which men now harp so much, will only then be fully realized. Most men are not now free to choose the right. They are born slaves--slaves to natural appetites and natural laws, which drag them all the other way. This reckoning by God with man's natural enemies would fall short of its object unless man himself were lifted on to this high vantage ground above them. An incomplete and unworthy result would be this redemption of creation from the bondage of corruption, with the vast mass of men-- God's highest creatures--left crushed in the mire. Therefore He has provided to deliver them by raising them from the dead. Indeed, the redemption of the creature is in order to provide them a proper platform on which to work out their destiny. If they fail under these, their failure must be final.

But salvation attained now, when such a battle is required and such yielding up of self on God's altar, will be a far grander thing than salvation in the world to come. The church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven--these are to be God's kings and priests through all the ages. Courage, then, Christian, for this wrestling with principalities and powers! We are passing through the very forms of trial which shall fit us to reign with Christ. In some form, we too must bear the burden of the world's evil, and feel the stress of conflict with the power of darkness; in order that through victory over the world we may take part with Christ in the world's deliverance. This discipline of life through which we are daily passing has a wondrous meaning for us if our eyes were only opened to perceive it. Under this our Father's training, we should learn to rejoice in the Lord always, and in everything to give thanks, casting all our care upon Him, for He careth for us.--L. C. Baker.

THE COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM.

BY J. G. FELL, PRESIDENT OF BEREA COLLEGE.

Inasmuch as there was a council at Jerusalem (which council was temporary, for a specific object, and under the declared guidance of the Holy Ghost), many Christians now assume divine warrant for other councils, associations, conferences and assemblies, whose organization shall be self-perpetuating, with supervision and control over a number of churches, and whose decision shall be final.

Let us look at this original council, and see if there is anything in its organization, duration and authority which warrants such assumptions. The church at Jerusalem was the first local New Testament church. At the persecution of Stephen, members of this church were "scattered abroad." "Some traveled to Antioch, preaching the Lord Jesus. Many believed and turned to the Lord. When tidings of these things came to the ears of the church which was at Jerusalem, they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch; who, when he came, exhorted them all that with full purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord. And much people were added unto the Lord." (`Acts 11:22,23`). After the departure of Barnabas and Paul from Antioch, "certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren 'except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved.'" (`Acts 15:1`). This the church at Antioch regarded as contrary to the teachings of Barnabas and Paul, and as an infringement upon their Christian liberty. Also, the requirement to be "circumcised," appears to have been conveyed as a command from the church at Jerusalem; for reply was, "we gave no such commandment." We now note--

1. The question to be settled was not the propriety or duty of circumcision, any where and every where, but whether any command of its observance was from

the mother church at Jerusalem to the church at Antioch.

Circumcision was one of those Jewish practices that did not subvert morality or true piety, and was left in observance in the churches gathered among the Jews.

Now whilst this council did not pretend to settle the propriety or impropriety of circumcision for all people, it did decide concerning those who "went out from us troubling you"--the church at Antioch-- "saying you must be circumcised,"--"to such we gave no such commandment." See `Acts 15:24`.

The one local church, guided by the Holy Spirit, as we shall see, took the occasion to decide also, "that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned unto God."

2. This convention was not composed of ministers and delegates alone, nor of ministers and "elders" alone, nor of bishops and presiding elders and deacons alone, but of the one local church at Jerusalem. Note the language--"When they," (the messengers from Antioch), "were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and the apostles and elders." `v. 4`. Again: "Then pleased it the Apostles and elders with the whole church." `v. 22`. The apostles and elders were members of the church, just as "men and brethren" were members of the church. The men were not a separate class from the brethren. The address to the "angel"--minister--of the church at Ephesus was an address to the church at Ephesus, as the context shows. See `Rev. 2:1`. So here. Hence when Peter and James, (the latter was pastor of the church), arose to speak, they addressed "all the multitude, men and brethren."

3. The decision was not the mere judgment of men; whether clergy or laity or both, but the decision of the Holy Ghost --for "it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us." `v. 29`.

4. Lest these converts from the Gentiles might infer that because they were not under obligations to observe one of the laws of Moses, they were alike exempt from all others, even such as were necessary to morality and true piety, and the canon of Scripture being not yet fully established, the church at Jerusalem, guided by the Holy Ghost, directed in reference to non-observance of heathen vices around this church and said "abstain from pollution of idols and fornication and from things strangled and from blood." Let the reader now fix in his memory the fact that the council at Jerusalem was not a body of clergymen, with delegates gathered from different provinces or districts, to decide whether a church should be formed or not, and how it should be formed; nor was it a body of clergymen and delegates met to declare that the acting pastor of a local church, within the boundary of an "association" was heterodox, and not a suitable person to be installed over another church, but it was simply one local mother church having the mind of the Holy Ghost, answering a pertinent inquiry from a child, another local church; and then, the canon of Scripture not fully complete, and the church at Jerusalem being guided by the Holy Ghost, gave instructions in reference to certain vices, which if practiced would have been subversive of true piety. This was the work and the manner of it.

Now, until these modern "councils, associations, conferences and assemblies" can show that they are, in their organization and duration, like the precedent in Jerusalem, and having also the voice of the "Holy Ghost" in the formation of their creeds, regulations and edicts, we shall challenge their assumptions, and maintain for ourselves the strict independency of the local church, guided by the now complete and inspired word.

THE LIBERTY OF ROMANISM.

In the city of Boston Roman Catholics predominate and fill the principal city offices, having a majority on the school Board, City Council, etc. Not a great while ago we noted the fact that several Protestant ministers were arrested and fined for attempting to preach to the people on Boston Common--one of them, the widely known H. L. Hastings, being imprisoned because he did not pay the fine. More recently Swinton's History has been rejected from being a school text-book. It tells some truths about the past, which Romanists would fain cover up rather than repent of.

The objectionable passage in Swinton's history runs as follows:

"When Leo X. came to the Papal chair he found the treasury of the church exhausted by the ambitious projects of his predecessors. He therefore had recourse to every means which ingenuity could devise for recruiting his exhausted finances, and among these he adopted an extensive sale of indulgences, which in former ages had been a source of large profit to the church. The Dominican friars, having obtained a monopoly of the sale in Germany, employed as their agent Tetzel, one of their order, who carried on the traffic in a manner that was very offensive, and especially so to the Augustinian friars. The indulgences were in the early ages of the church remissions of the penances imposed upon persons whose sins had brought scandal on the community. But in process of time they were represented as actual pardons of guilt, and the purchaser of an indulgence was said to be delivered from all sins."

Victor Durney, the renowned Frenchman and historian, himself a Roman Catholic, in his history (Historic des Temps Modernee, page 128), says on this same subject, what confirms the above, as follows:--

"The wars of Julius II. had exhausted the pontifical treasury. Afterwards came the magnificence of Leo. X., who dispensed 100,000 ducats at his coronation, and gave 500 for a sonnet. He was likewise compelled, in order to live, to pledge the jewels of St. Peter and to sell some charges, which increased by 40,000 ducats the annual expenses of the government. The splendid temple commenced by Julius II. on a plan which should make it the grandest basilic of Christendom, St. Peters of Rome, threatened to remain uncompleted. Leo. X. accorded indulgences to all those who contributed of their money for its completion. The archbishop of Mayence charged with the publishing of these indulgences in Germany, caused them to be preached in Saxony by the Dominican Tetzel.

"There were great abuses committed, both in the exaggerated promises made to the faithful who purchased these promises of salvation, and in the employment that was made, even under their eyes, of a part of their money. The Augustines, heretofore charged with the sale of indulgences, were irritated to see that lucrative mission pass into the hands of the Dominicans. Spite uncovered to them abuses, and these abuses were strongly attacked by their most eminent doctor, Martin Luther, whose theological studies led him to take a view entirely opposed. He had, in effect, already arrived at the principle which remained the foundation of the Protestant churches,--justification by faith alone,--whereas the doctrine of indulgences supposes also justification by deeds. Such was the beginning of reform."

The above mentioned treatment of the ministers, and also that of Swinton's History, serve to show what toleration means, to Roman Catholics. They appreciate tolerance when it is extended to them, but then only. When President Cleveland's gift, of a copy of the Constitution of the United States, was presented to the Pope, he expressed great admiration for the religious tolerances of this land, no doubt longing for the power to crush it under the heel of Roman intolerance and bigotry. We do not forget that while the pope was a temporal sovereign, no protestant congregation was permitted to worship within the city of Rome. The pope would tolerate none now, if it were in his power to prevent it. The power alone is lacking--not the will.

Archbishop Ryan, of Buffalo, who was one of the committee to present President Cleveland's gift to the Pope, made a statement in Philadelphia not long since which, as reported in the public press, is as honest an admission of Romish intolerance and its cause, as could be asked. We quote as follows, from the columns of the Methodist Advocate:--

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