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GOLD FROM OPHIR

A NEW BOOK OF BIBLE READINGS,

ORIGINAL AND SELECTED.

J. E. WOLFE,

EVANGELIST,

WITH INTRODUCTION BY DR. JAMES H. BROOKES.

ARCHER G. WATSON, Managei.,

TORONTO WILLARD TRACT DEPOSITORY,

Cor. Yonge and Temperance Sts., Toronto, Canada.

Entered according to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and
eight-nine, by Archer Green Watson, Manager, Toronto Willard I ract Depository (Ltd.). in the
office of the Minister of Agriculture at Ottawa.

1 ames murray* co.,
Printers and bookbinders,

atStxB Front St. West,
TORONTO.

INTRODUCTION.

GOD'S patent of nobility is a disposition to search the sacred Scriptures. It is written of
the Bereans: " These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things
were so," Acts 17: ii. They did not merely read the Old Testament occasionally, but
they searched it, or as the word means, they examined it closely, they sifted it, they scruti-
nized it, they scanned it, remembering the promise tc every one who desires heavenly wis-
dom : " If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding ; if thou
seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures ; then shalt thou understand
the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God," Prov. 2 : 3-5. The honor thus
attained outlasts all earthly distinctions, marking the high character and immortal dignity

of God's noblemen,

" When gems, and monuments, and crowns.
Are mouldered down to dust.

It is a pleasure, therefore, to call the attention of believers to this book ^f Evangelist Wolfe,
as " a work of faith, and labor of love," undertaken to exalt " the Word of God, whidi liveth
and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of
grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away ; but the Word of the Lord
endureth for ever," i Pet. i : 23-25. It is a book that must be most helpful to all who would
become better acquainted with " the first principles of the oracles of God," for it sets forth
in Scriptural and simple language the great facts of Ruin, Redemption, Regeneration and
Resurrection, together with kindred truths that canno': fail to be stimulating and suggestive
to souls subject to the authority of the Holy Spirit. Hence it should be hailed with joy
among similar books, appearing in these last and evil days, and prepared with the same pur-
pose, to glorify our risen and coming Lord.

The title, " Gold from Ophir," reminds us of the different words that are translated
gold in the Bible. The first is bctscr, and it signifies " to cut off," then " inaccessible, forti-
fied, strong." " Receive, I pray thee, the law fron' his mouth, and lay up his words in thine
heart .... Then shalt thou lay up gold, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence," Job 22 : 22-25. Here the word gold in verse 24 is
precisely the same that is rendered defence in verse 25 ; and so, if a man gets the gold of
God's word not only in his mind, but in his heart, he is defended against dangers.

IV.

INTRODUCTION.

Second, zahab, " brightness, shining." ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simj le; the statutes of the Lord
are right, rejoicing the heart ; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever ; the judgments of the Lord are true and
righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold," Ps. 19 : 7-10. Here the word
means " to shine," and he who makes the Word of God the man of his counsel, will find his
way to be like the path of the just, "that shineth more and more unto the perfect day,"
Prov. 4 : 18.

Third, charuts, " to be active, quick, sharp, decided, determined, decreed." In the day
of Christ's return and Israel's restoration it is said, " the Lord gave the word; great was the
company of those that published U;" or, as Dr. J. Addison Alexander renders it, "The
women publishing It are a great host ; " or, as Dr. DeWitt renders it, " The women herald-
ing gladness arc a great host ; " or, as the Revised Version has it, " The women that publish
the tidings are a great host." His promise is : " Also upon the servants and upon the hand-
maids in those days will I pour out my Spirit," Joel 2 : 27-29; and then He will say to His
people so long oppressed : " Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the
wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold," Ps. 68: n-13.
"Wiicn the Lord gives the word, and the word is received, believers become not only active,
but decided and determined, as the word for gold here means, not " carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness," Eph. 4 : 14.

Fourth, kethem, " to shut up, to hide." " V/here shall wisdom be found ? and where is
the place of understanding ? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the

land of the living It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir," Job 28 : 12-16. " Upon

thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir," Ps. 45 : 9. " My beloved is white and
ruddy ; the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the mos/ fine gold," Song 5 : 10, 11.
In these passages the word for gold means " to hide," reminding us of the confession of the
Psalmist, " Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee," Ps. 119: 11.
This is the best thing, hid in the best place, and he who has the Word of God in his heart
has laid up for himself " treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal," Matt. 6 : 20.

Fifth, :egor, " to shut up, to enclose," hence " precious gold, that is, pure, unadulter-
ated." Of the wisdom of the Old Testament, which is the Christ of the New, it is said, " It
cannot be gotten for gold," Job. 28 : 15. But wisdoili is revealed in the Word, and of this it
is written, " Every word of God is pure ; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in
Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar," Prov,
30 : 5, 6. This is the kind of gold with which we approach God, having " our. bodies washed
with pure water," Heb. 10 : 22 ; or as it is written in another place, " Christ also loved the
Church, and gave himself for her, that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing
of water by the Word," Eph. 5 ; 25, 26. The Word is p.ie and unadulterated, the truth ot
God without the admixture of the least error.

INTRODUCTION.

■'.^

Sixth, paz, " refined." Concerning the knowledge of Christ, " the gold and the crystal
cannot equal it ; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold," Job 28 . 17.
" Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head," Ps. 21 : 3. " Therefore I love thy com-
mandments abo'-e gold, yea, above fine gold," Ps. 119 : 127. " His legs as pillars of marble
set upon sockets of fine gold," Song 5:15. So this paz gold is the appropriate symbol of the
divine nature and perfect humanity of Him concerning whom the Holy Ghost testifies : " In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," John
I : I ; " Who knew no sin," 2 Cor. 5:21; " Without sin," Heb. 4:15; " Who did no sin,"
I Pet. 2 : 22 ; " and in Him is no sin," i Jno. 3 : 5.

Seventh, chrusios or ckrttsion, used by the poets, according to Liddell and Scott, "to
denote anything dear or precious." " Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones he shall receive a reward," i Cor. 3 : 11-14. The foundation is Christ, the super-
structure must be reared in the love of Christ, and for the glory of Christ, and this alone is
precious to God. All that is of self and the world shall be burned in the day of our Lord's
coming, and hence we are not surprised to hear Him saying to the Laodicean Church, that
fitly represents the present condition of the professing Christian body, " I counsel thee to
buy of me gold tried in the fire," Rev. 3 : 8. Everywhere we see the failure of man, and the
ruin of all that he touches ; but for this very reason our hearts respond the more eagerly to
the Spirit's voice, " Unto you therefore which believe he is precious," i Pet. 2:7. ,

May He abundantly own the pages that follow for the comfort of saints and the salva-
tion of sinners, leading the reader to see (i) that " all Scripture is given by mspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine," 2 Tim. 3 : 16 ; and (2) that all Scripture, both Old and
New Testament, sets forth the person and work of Christ, Jno. 5 : 39 ; and (3) that " Whatso-
ever things were written aforetime were written for our learning," Rom. 15 :4 ; and (4) that
the Word is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path, Ps. 119 : 105 ; and (5) that we
are made clean through the Word, Jno. 15:3; and (6) that the Word is able to build us up,
and to give us an inheritance among all them that are sanctified, Acts 20 : 32 ; and (7) that
we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony, facing the
devil with the blood, and the world with the word, Rev. 12 : 11. To the Lamb that was slain
be the glory unto the ages of ages I

JAMES H. BROOKES.

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PREFACE.

THE title of this new book of Bible Readings, Gold from Ophir, is, as the reader
will observe, a Scriptural one. It struck me as being the most appropriate and
suggestive one that came to my mind. Ophir, it is said, was a region from which the
Hebrews in the time of Solomon obtained Gold. The gold was proverbial for its
fineness, so that "gold of Ophir " is several times mentioned as fine goldy Fs. 45 : 10 :
Job 28 : 16 ; Isa. 13:12; I Chron. 29 : 4.

What a golden mine of truth is the precious Word of God 1 What inexhaustible
stores of wealth lie enfolded within its bosom 1 Blessed thought, too, that it contains
no dross, quartz, or earth, from which it must needs be separated. The Book
from the beginning to the ending is composed of multitudinous nuggets of the purest
gold. And yet it requires patient, prayerful digging in ord'^r to obtain the treasure.
For near a score of years I have been digging in this mine, and have found it a most
pleasurable and profitable task.

While engaged in evangelistic work it occurred to me that a book of Bible Read-
ings could be arranged on a more practical basis than any I had yet seen, with due
regard to " the right dividing of the word of truth." How far I have succeeded, the
reader must judge. Moreover, in this busy age, when there is such a " running to
and fro," and so little time to spend in laborious searching of the Scriptures, I felt
assured it would be a good and helpful thing to put in proper order the four funda-
mental and leading facts of the Bible, viz. : Ruin, Redetnption, Regeneration and
Resurrection, hoping that this etfort for God's glory might be permitted to be a help to
all those who feel called to labor for the salvation of the lost. Yet, let every one who
scans its pages remember that *' truth second-hand " is of no real value unless it be
first wrought into the soul by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost.

Many of the " nuggets of gold " found in this volume have been gathered by other
hands than mine. Due credit is therefore given.

The " Suggestive Thoughts and Unfoldings " have been gleaned and culled from
the writings of the clearest and purest authors of Gospel literature. They are given
merely to serve as a stimulus to thought.

vm.

PREFACE.

The various papers and articles found scattered throughout the book are from the
pens of skilled students and teachers of the Word. The article by I) r. West on
"The Resurrection of the Body," was written exclusively for Gold from Optiir.
Professor Morehead, Dr. Jas. H. Brookes, Messrs. Geo. C. Needham, E. P. Marvm,
C Russel Hurditch, John Currie.and ahost of others, have contributed to make the book
what it is. From the pages of The London Christian, Footsteps of Truth, Word and
Work The Faithful Witness, Notes for Bible Study, and other periodicals, I have
collected much valuable matter. And right here let me tender my hearty thanks to
those who have so kindly contributed the excellent readings, articles, and papers that
adorn the pages of the book.

The Miscellaneous Department, made up of readmgs and articles of the
most vital and practical character, I trust may be much used of the Lord in furnishing
the winner of souls with weapons whereby he shall be enabled to " pull down the

strongholds of the mighty." , , , . ,.• , r

May the Spirit of the living God be upon all those who look into this volume for
help in Christian work, and again let me repeat, may the worker in the Lords vine-
yard never cease to remember that truth, unbaptized with the Holy Ghost, can never
accomplish fermanent good. ^ WOLFE

ViNiTA, IND. Tto., May 7, i88g.

r !

GOLD.

GOLD Takes a Prominent Place in Scripture.— It is mentioned in the
second and last chapters of both Old and New Testaments. It is figurative of
the child of God, Lam. 4:2; Job 23 : 10 ; of his works, i Cor. 3 : 12 ; and of "the
trial of his faith," I Peter I : 7. Our study now only refers to the believer.

I. Gold is Fonnd in the Earth.—" Out of it wast thou taken,'^ Gen. 3:19.
It is found in darkness. We are " called out of darkness," i Peter 2:9. It is found
in a state of filth : *' Filthy is man," Job 15 : 16 ; Ps. 14 : 3. It is dug out of the earth :
"Look unto . . . the hole of the pit whence ye are digged," Isa. 51 : i. After being
taken out of the earth it is washed : " Ye are washed," i Cor. 6:11. It is then crushed :
God says to man, " My thoughts are not as your thoughts," Isa. 55:8; man's thoughts
are vain, i Cor. 3 : 20 ; and are crushed in the presence of God, who begs him to " forsake
his thoughts," Isa. 55 17. It is now fit for the fire ; and if gold is to be refined, it must
pass thrc'igh the fire : " Beloved, think it not strange concerning the flery trial which
is to try you," i Peter 4:12. "Yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto,"
I Thess. 3 : 3. "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold," Job 23 : 10.
"The furnace is for gold; but the Lord trieth the he\rts," Prov. 17 : 3. The fire
purifies it : " He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them ^ gold," etc., '4al. 3 : 3^

n. Gold Stands the Fire. — " Blessed is the man that iureth temptation,'*
James 1:12. The refiner is at the expense of the fire : God had . 'hastise his people
for their sin, yet, " His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel," JuJges 10 : 16. The
fire never injures it : "When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned," Isa.
43 : 2. Its value is estimated by weight : " Thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of
the just," Isa. 26 : 7. When ref ned, it is bright : " A man's wisdom maketh His face to
shine," Eccles. 8:1. " Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works," Matt. 5 : 16.

III. -Gold is Preoions. — "The precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold,**
Lam. 4:12. Pliable : Paul could say, " I know both how to be abased, and I know how
to abound ; everywhere, and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry,
both to abound and to suffer need," Phil. 4:12. It attracts attention : " Ye are the light
of the world ; a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid," Matt. 5 : 14. Beating does not
break it, but causes it to expand: "The more they afflicted them, the more they
multiplied and grew," Exodus 1:12. "I would ye should understand, brethren, that

H WIrtl t'Jigy.iwtg

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Gold from Ophir.

the things which have happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance
of the gospel ; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and to all
others," Phil, i : 12, ij (margin)

IV. Gold is Liable to Grow Dim.— How is the gold (Israel) become dim ?''
Lam. 4:1. A gold ring constantly worn never becomes dim ; because it is continually
rubbing against the flesh, and daily comes under the action of water : " Christ loved the
Church and gave Himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing
of water by the Word," Eph. 5 : 26. " Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way ?
By taking heed thei according to Thy Word," Ps. 119 : 9. A gold chain becomes
dim because it lacks the daily washing : " He that received seed among the thorns is
he that heareth the Word ; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of liches
choke the Word, and it becometh um'ruitful," Matt. 13 : 22.

V. Brass Resemblos Goldc— "Satan himself is transform'^d into an ang;l of
light," 2 Gor. IT : 14. It only becomes hard by being mixed with baser metals : "A
little leaven leavfc»ieth the whole lump," i Cor. 5:6.

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RUIN.

THE FIRST SIN.

Ly James Inglis,

TKE historical and moral truthfulness of the Bible narrative of man's fall has been
questioned, on the ground that the o.Tence was so insignificant — it was only the
eating of an apple ! But this is quite an inaccurate and unfair representation.
When a man puts another's name to a bill, we do not aescribe it as only writing two
words, and for these two words being tried and condemned. We call it by its right
name — forgery. Our first parents disbelieved and disobeyed God ; this was their sin,
and for this they died. And the first sin of the world has been so fruitful in evil
because it contained the seeds of all sin. It was ingratitude to the God who had
crowned our first parents with loving-kindness and tender mercies ; it was mistrust of
His goodness, unbelief of His word, rnd disobedience of an express command.
There was an unhallowed gratification of appetite in sating forbidden fruit, and a
determination to obtain knowledge, though at the cost of departing from God. There
was blind faith in a false guide, whilst God was forsaken ; and there was the essence
of idolatry, and all the corruptions of religion, in the belief that the doing of an out-
] ward thing could impart spiritual grace. There was the communication of sin from
pthe one to the other, and the preference of the creature to the Creator. It is with the
I greatest inconsideration that a sin like this could be spoken of lightly. Unbelief — the
world's ruin — is the root of it all, as faith in God is the world's salvation.

" The story of the Fall," as Delitzsch says, " like that of the creation, has wandered
over the world. Heathen nations have transplanted and mixed it up with their
geography, their history, their mythology, although it has never so completely changed
form, and color, and spirit, that you cannot recognize it. Here, however, in the law
(of which the Book of Genesis is a part; it preserves the character of a universal,
human, world-wide fact ; and the groans of creation, the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, and the heart of every man, conspire in their testimony to the most literal truth
of the whole narrative."

There is the well-known Greek myth of Pandora : — " The first men passed sunny
days in undisturbed happiness. No labor, no care weighed upon them ; their welfare
was not interrupted by weakness or disease. But they could not longer remain in a
state of inactivity. They felt an internal impulse to search for occupation. Then
Prometheus (one of these men) shaped a human form out of clay ; in order to animate
it, he stole the fire from heaven. This audacity excited the severe anger of Jupiter.
He wished to punish him, and ordered Vulcan to make the first woman out of earth,
who should, by her charms, as well as by her faults, inflict wretchedness upon man.
Thus Pandora was produced. All the gods and goddesses adorned her with fatal
gifts to ensnare the hearts of men. She received a box containing all imaginable
evils. She presented it to Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus, who opened the
box and the evils were scattered all over the earth."

In the British Museum there is a seal, broughi from Babylon, which has
two figures sitting, one on each side of a tree, with their hands stretched out towards
it, while at the back of one there is a serpent.

In engravings, from gems and other ancient remains of Western art, are similar
representations. A fruit-laden tree, a serpent, a man and woman, a destroyer of the
serpent, are the principal portions of the various pictures.

The Persir.n tradition is, that the parents of the human racciwere at first innocent,
but they allowed themselves to be seduced by the spirits of Ahriman (the evil). They
had been destined to happiness, on condition of their co'ntinuing humble, obedient
and pure ; but Ahriman deceived them, and drew them away from Ormuzd (the good).
Afterwards, Ahriman gave them fruit, of which they ate ; and in consequence they
lost a hundred blessings, save one. Thereafter, they obtained fire, partook of flesh,
and presented offerings ; they made themselves clothes of skin, and built houses.

Gold from Ophir.

THE FALL OF MAN.

•I t

I. The fall of man was consequent upon
the disobedience of Adam, Gen. 3:6, 11,
12. The Holy Spirit who spake through
Moses, in Genesis, uttered the same testi-
mony through Paul in Rom. 5 ; 12, 15, 19.
It is well to remember this, in these days
of apostacy, when infidels inside and outside
of religious circles are using all their in-
tellectual gifts in the endeavor to over-
throw the truth of the verbal and plenary
inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.

II. The devil was the cause of man's
fall. Gen. 3 : 1-5. For corroborative testi-
mony, see 2 Cor. 11 : 3; i Tim. 2 : 14.

III. Man was first made in the image of
God, Gen. i : 26 ; but forfeited that God-
likeness by sinning, Gen. 5 : 3, compared
with I Cor. 15 : 48, 49.

IV. We have further testimony in the
Word of God as to the totally depraved

condition of man, Job. 15 : 14; 25 : 4:
Psa. 51 : 5; Isa. 48 : 8; John 3 : 6.

V. Man, by nature, is a child of the
Devil.— Matt. 13 : 38 ; John 8 : 44 ; i John 3 :
8, 10. This testimony is totally at variance
with the sentimental and unscriptural doc-
trine of the so-called " Fatherhood of God
and Brotherhood of Man" theories as taught
from many pulpits and advocated by many
religious writers.

VI. The natural man is also termed in the
Scriptures a " child of wrath." — Eph. 2 : 3.

VII. Not only is he outwardly a rebel
against God, but he is inwardly corrupt.
See Gen. 6 : 5, where the marginal reading
emphasizes the fact of his total inward de-
pravity. The c sclaration is, that not only
" the imagination, but also the purposes and
desires" are corrupt. See, for proof, Jer.
16:12; Matt. 15 : 19. J. E. W.

his
the
isei

S I
■y was

II
was

III

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE first chapter of Genesis shows us God "in the beginning " creating; and in
thelastof Exodus we behold Him dwelling in "glory" in the midst of His people.
Between these we see man, who was made " upright," " in the image of God," falling
from his high estate, and sinking to the depths of degradation and iniquity.

Fearful were the results of the fall ! The man, woman, serpent, earth — all came
under the wrath of the offended Creator. Labor and sorrow .came to be the portion
of both man and woman ; though one to rule, the other to serve ; and from this
sentence there is no escape till dust returns to dust. Thus it has been ever since and
will be "until the Lord come" and "restore" all things, and finally bruise Satan
under His feet, by consigning him to the lake of fire (Acts 3:21; Rom. 8 : 20-23 :
I Cor. 4:5; Rev. 20 : 10).

"In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen. 2 : 17).
Such were God's words, and see how they have been fulfilled. Life forfeited means
death, unless respited by grace. "By one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin" (Rom. 5 : 12).

Sin has been well described as the determination of the will to other than God.
Thus it was with Eve ; she doubted, mistrusted God, and believed Satan. She
first lusted after, then ate, what God had forbidden, as did Adam likewise, and that
was sin ; and the result of sin was death (Jas. 1:15).

III.

•H

Ruin.

WHAT IS THE CHARACT'iR OF MAN.

25 • 4*.

of the
Johns*,
variance
iral doc-
L of God
IS taught
by many

led in the
iph. 2 : 3.
^ a rebel
corrupt,
il reading
iward de-
t not only
■poses and
jroof, Jer.
. E. W.

; and in

people.

1," falling

-all came
le portion
[from this
I since and
lise Satan
|8 : 20-23 ;

2 : 17)-
1 means
irorld, and

than God.
She

tan

What is the character of man as seen from
is earliest history :• God tested him, and
le very first thing recorded under each test

I evil : —

I. As tried in innocence, his independence
, seen, — that is, sin as to the will.

II. As tried by conscience, his corruption
is seen, — that is, sin as to the heart.

III. As tried by law, his transgression

was seen, — that is, sin as to the command'
ment.

IV. As tried by Christ, his enmity was
seen, — that is, sin as to the Person.

The complete character of the poison is
no\, seen — the "flesh" wou»ikill God if it
could. Man in the flesh slaughtered the
God-man. Every unsaved sinner has that
infernal essence of Satan in his bosom.

CERTAIN BILLS OF INDICTMENT AGAINST MAN.

I. God declares man to be "blinded in
eart," Eph. 4 : 18. This is why the

tural man cannot see God. " Blessed are
he pure in heart, for they shall see God,"

att. 5 : 8. When the new heart is
eceived then " the eyes of the understand-
ing are opened" to see God in nature, in
Providence, and in His word.

II. As a natural result of his heart blind-
"ness, it follows that he cannot but be per.

erse and corrupt in his ways. Gen. 6:12;
sa. 1:5; Rom. 3 : 12-16.

III. Ht is intellectually depraved.

corrupt in mind, Psa. 14 : 2, 3 ; Rom. 3:11;
1:31-

IV. Pride of intellect leads man to reject
the things of God, i Cor. 2 : 14 ; Matt.
13:11, 12.

V. He comes short of the glory of God,
Rom. 3 : 23.

VI. His conscience is defiled, Titus
1 : 15: Ileb. 10:22.

VII. He is utterly intractable, or obsti-
nate, and is compared to a wild ass's colt,
Job. 11:12. J. E. W.

and that

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

WHAT is death? Death is separation — separation of soul from God, separation of
soul from body. Man before the fall was in union with God, and thus ever
di"awing from Him the needed power to sustain the spiritual life imparted ; but once
the determination of the will was to other than God — as was the case when Adam and
'Eve yielded to the tempter — that day death ensued ; for sin separated them from
jGod.

I Death is the inevitable result of sin, so equally is death eternal ; not God's
jiirbitrary will, but the inevitable consequence of dying in unpardoned sin. Unless
||n this life "made nigh Vy the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2 : 13), eternal separation from
.JSod must ensue ; and eternal separation from God is hell.

7 Man, by nature, -s ruined and guilty. We have left the fountain of living waters
_|^d hewed Dut for ov.rselves "broken cisterns, that can hold no water." We have
^ffended ; and he v, ho offendeth " in one point is guilty of all."

The holy lav/, as an impartial jury, has brought in the verdict of "guilty." And
lus we are lost io him who created us. We have brought ourselves under the curse
his holy law.

^M..lAj l!la■.,^■-^||)lm | ^^

III

Gold from Ophir.

MARKS OF MAN'S ALIENATION FROM GOD.

I. Man's fear of God thr' first manifested
proof of his estrangement from Him, Gen.
3:8.

II. He goes astray from his birth, Psa.
58 : 3 ; Eph. 4:18; Col. i : 21. There is no
such thing as an " innocent " little babe.
Every mother is witness to the fact of inher-
en'. depravity, in the manifested ugliness, or
anger, of the babe, long before it becomes a
responsible agent, or can understand the
difference between right and wrong. David's
testimony is true: "I was shapen in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me,"
Psa. 51 : 5.

III. He is a slave to sin. Rom. 6 : 10,
16; 7:5, 23, 24; Gal. 5 : x'/ ; "serving
divers lusts and pleasures," Titus 3 : 3.

IV. The natural man's conduct is always
at variance with God's will, and therefore
grievous to Him, Psa. 10:5; 2 Peter
2 : 14.

V. Fallen man is also conscious of his
guilt, Gen. 3 : 7, 8, 10. But, refusing to
acknowledge the necessity of being clothed
in Christ's righteousness, he seeks to cover
his nakedness with the few fig-leaves of his
own self-righteousness.

VI. This, by the word of the Lord, leads
us to see, very clearly, the fallen sinner's
character in God's sight, Eccles. 7 : 20;
Rom. 3 : 10.

VII. He is so abominable that God de-
scribes him as one that "drinks in iniquity
like water," Job 15 : 16. All men, without
regard to culture, without regard to their
station in society, whether educated or
uneducated, rich or poor, are "stinking"
(marg.) in God's estimation. See Psa. 14 : 3.
Surely this is sufficient to mark man
out as utterly fallen, and lost io God, and
that his only hope of salvation must come
through Jesus Christ, the Sa\^iour of the
lost, Luke 19 : 10. ' J. E. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

\17^HAT incalculable ruin came as a result of man's sin? (i) Death spiritual ;

VV separation of soul from God, is equally the lot of all, for all are " sinners " by
• nature, born in sin, and then sinning in thought and deed (Ps. 515; Rom. 3 : 10-12, 23);
separated from God by sin (Isa. 59 : 2), they are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1)
till "quickened" by the grace of God, "born again," made new creatures "in Christ"
(John 3 : 3 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 17). (2) Death temporal; separation of soul and body,
which we see around us daily, when the spirit returns "unto .God who gave it" and
the dust "to the earth as it was" (Eccles. 12 : 7). This has been the lot of all since
Adam sinned (Rom. 5 ; 12) ; two only excepted — Enoch and Elijah. "In Adam all
die" (i Cor. 15 : 22) as result of sin. "Death passed upon all men, for that all have;
sinned" (Rom. 5 : 12) ; and thus it will be with all — even the Lord's people — "till He I
come," and finally destroy "the last enemy," even "death > (i Cor. 15 : 20). (3) Death 1
eternal; "everlasting" separation, or "destruction from the presence of the Lord"!
(2 Thess. I : 9), which is " the second death" (Rev. 20 : 12-15;, and most terrible of|
all ; reserved for those whose names are " not written in the book of life."

Both by nature and practice man is of no use to God. He has become utterly j
" unprofitable ; " the fine gold has become dim.

We have not only been guilty of specific breakings of God's holy law, by which j
we are seen to be transgressors, our natures are fallen, we are depraved and corrupt, j
the imagination of the thoughts of the heait only evil continually. Self-will, self-
seeking, and self-pleasing have taken the place of God's will, God-seeking, and God-
pleasing ; and thus while self is gratified we are lost to God.

that
else

in th

alas

papel

Ruin.

THE CONDITION OF LOST MAN.

lus of his
•efusing to
ng clothed
IS to cover
aves of his

Lord, leads
len sinner's
■s. 7 : 20;

at God de-
in iniquity
en, without
ard to their
;duca+ed or

"stinking"
;e Psa. 14 : 3-

niark man
tO God, and

must come
■iour of the

J. E. W.

spiritual ;

sinners" by
. 10-12,23);
s(Eph.2 : i)
"in Christ"
and body,
ave it" and
; of all since
n Adam all
i.it all have
)le— " till He i
(3) Death j
)f the Lord"
it terrible of j

come utterly

,w, by which!
and corrupt,
elf-will, self-
ig, and God- 1

I. He is dead in sin, Eph. 2:1 A Sal-
vation Army officer once made the quaint
remark that " Not only had the sheep fallen
into the pit, but they had also lost their
bleat ;" in other words they had lost the life
of God out of their souls.

IL Hi3 depravity is total, Gen. 6:5:
Rom. 7 : 18.

IIL He is devoid of the fear of God.
In this he resembles the natural brute beast,
Rom. 3 : 18.

IV. He is wilful and stubborn.. Although

the Creator has, in His word, made the
way plain, man obstinately chooses " his own
way," Isa. 53:6.

V. He loves darkness; prefers U to light,
John, 3 : 19.

VI. He is corrupt in speech, Matt. 15:
18,19; Rom. 3:13,- 14. His heart is a
fountain of iniquity, pouring forth only vile-
ness.

VII. He is a destuoyer of souls, Rom.
3 : 15, 16. His influence tends to lead souls
to hell instead of heaven. J. E. W.

WHAT SIN HAS ENTAIi^ED.

I. Man's fall thrust him out of Paradise,
Gen. 3 : 24.

II. His sin doomed him to labor and
sorrow, Gen. 3 : 16, 19; Job. 5 : 6, 7.

III. Temporal death was another result
of his transgression, Gen. 3 : 19 ; Rom. 5:12;
I Cor. 15 : 22.

IV. To all this was added the awful
doom of eternal death, Job. 21:30; Rom.
5: 18, 21; 6: 23.

V. Man cannot remedy his lost condi-
tion, Prov. 20:9; Jer. 2:22; 13:23.

VI. The only r/smedy has been provided
by God, Gen. 3 : 15; John 3 : 14-18; 2 Cor.
5: 14-21, etc.

VII. Temporal and eternal death at hand
for the sinner. Therefore the necessity for
immediate application of God's remedy.
Josh. 24 : 15 ; 2 Cor. 6 : 2.

J. E. W

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE unsaved sinner should write " Lost" on the palms of his hands, on the soles of
his feet ; in all he does and wherever he goes he is lost. " Lost " should be
engraved on his intellect, his will, his affections ; at all times, under all circumstances,
and in all his faculties,' he can but say " Lost."

How true that the holy, just, and good law of God came demanding of us love to
God, and proved that what God justly demands from man He has not got, and cannot
get, so i:hat, without exception, it may be said of all men who ought to have sought
after God, "There is none that seeketh after God."

Ouii part is to take the place of a sinner and nothing else. Most people believe
that the>' are sinners, but comparatively few believe that they are sinners and nothing
else but Binners.

Christ appeared to " put away sin ;" but it does not mean that, as to its presence
in this world, sin has been put away. S. i indeed has been the ruin wrought, for,
alas ! no one can look to our streets, our jails, cur asylums, our infirmaries, our news-
papers, and dream of such a thought.

Iijhi^^^r

II!

! :|

Gold from Ophir.

GOD NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS; OR, "THERE IS

NO DIFFERENCE."

An Address by W. P. Mackay.

TURN now to Romans, the 3rd chapter and 22nd verse, and at the last clause we
read, " For there is no difference ; for all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God." This is what God has said.

And now voir who are happy and amiable, this is the one thing I wish to tell you
from God, "There is no difference." This is what you never could and never can
feel; it is a thing for which you must believe God. As it is God with whom you have
to do, I beseech you not to listen one moment to any that would take you from His
truth. He says, "There is no difference." He has proved that the lawless Gentile
or heathen and the law-breaking Jew or religious person are equally guilty, and that
not one among either the outwardly profane or the outwardly decent is found righteous
or good before Him. Of course there are differences in heinousness or degradation of
sins. I need not stop to speak of this ; we all know it. I wish to tell you what you
and I do not by nature know, namely, that there is no difference as to where we stand
before God. The one question is, guilty or not guilty? There are no degrees as
to the fact of guilt, "He that offends in one point is guilty of all," and nothing less.
He that offends in all points is guilty of all, and nothing more. Therefore, while there
are differences among offences, there is no difference as to guilt. Therefore, all men
in the world (and you included) have been brought in guilty before God.

Look at the story of the Prodigal Son in the 15th of Luke. The moment he
crossed his father's threshold with his pockets full of money and a respectable dress
on, he was as really guilty, as really a sinner, as when he was among the swine in his
rags. He was more degraded when keeping swine, but not more guilty. In fact, his
degradation and husks were his greatest mercies, for these led him to see his guilt. A
full pocket and a respectable appearance are the worst things a guilty sinner can
have, as these lead him to think that he is rich and increased with goods, and has
need of nothing, when in God's sight he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and
blind, and naked. I do not ask you, Are you a sinner in the common use of that
word? because you for whom I write are not. You mean by sinner, one who is very
wild, profane, disobedient and lawless. This is as men speak of sinners. God, how-
ever, says that there is no difference. The only thing I ask you is this, Have you
offended in one point — not one point of open sin, but one point in thought or word ?
You confess at least one point. God asks no more. If you have offended in one
point you are guilty of all. Man would never think this nor say it. But God
says it. Suppose that your life were like a book that you have written, and there was
only one small blot just like a pin's point in it, whilst all the other leaves were per-
fectly clean, and you came and presented it before God ; He would put it beside all
the blackest lives that ever lived, the blackest histories of the vilest murderers, and
thieves, and harlots, and over all this collection would be written these words, " There
is no difference."

You have offe.ided in one point. It is not a question of being a great sinner — it is
this question. Are you as perfect as the Christ of^God, the perfect man ? If you had
lived for fifty years without committing one sin, or haying one wrong wish or thought,
and just then you had an evil thought, and afterwards lived another fifty years and
died, aged 100, with only this one evil thought (not even a word or an action), when
you came to stand before God in judgment, He would put you beside all the offscour-
ings of the earth, men who for a hundred years never had a good thought, and He
would say, " There is no difference."

Ruin.

Of course you think this is very harr, but it is true. God will never ask your
opinion whether it ought to be so or not. He has in grace told us already what He
will do. You and I, not knowing absolu'.e holiness, cannot understand or appreciate
such a judgment. We could never feel that eveiy one is the sauu; in God's sight as
regards guilt. But God says it, and the'e the matter ends. If you wish to go on,
risking your chance of escaping hell on the possibility that God has told lies, and that
these words are not perhaps quite true, that " there is no difference," then the judg-
ment day will declare it to you. I would rather advise you to believe God, against
your own ideas and opinions, and simply because He has said it, to proceed as if in
His sight, " there is no difference" between those we call great and little sinners.

" I cannot believe that all are so bad," said one, alter I had been saying, " there is
no difference."

" But," I added, "the Bible says, ' there is no difference.' "

" But there must bt jreater sinners than others."

'.* Oh, yes, Most certainly, (ireater offenders are recognized in the Bible ; he that
owed fifty and he that owed five hundred pence ; but as to guilt, God says, ' there is no
difference.' "

" Well, I cannot see it," still continued my friend.

" But it is in God's word, whether you see it or not ; " and it is sufficient that God
has said it, for His Word is truth. Let me give an illustration. Let us supjjose that
a bill had been stuck up in this town saying that recruits were wanted for Her
Majesty's Life Guards, and that none would be enlisted but those who were tall and
measured not under six feet in height. Let us suppose that many of the young men
in the town were anxious to serve in this regiment, and John meets James and says
to him, " Well, I've more chance than you, for I am taller than you ;" and they put
back to back and measured themselves with one another, and indeed John is taller than
James. And there continues to be much measuring in the town before the day that
the recruiting-sergeant come..

They measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among them-
selves, but they forget one thing — that not only t^-ll men, but men not under six feet
are wanted. One man at last says, " Well, I've measured myself with every man in
the town, and I'm the tallest man in it," and it might be quite true. But will even he
be qualified ?

The trial day comes. Each is measured, from the man five feet six inches, to the
very tallest. Supposing he is five feet, eleven inches and three-quarters. The sergeant
cannot let him pass. He is short. He must take his place among the very shortest
as to getting into the Life Guards. He is the tallest man in the town, but he is short
of the stanHard, and "there is no diffc-ence " from the very shortest as to his exclusion
from the Life Guards. There is a difft rence in height, but not in qualification.

Thus it is with every sinner. He may be good, or bad, in the sight of men, but
"there is no difference, for all have smned and come short of the glory of God." If
any man could say, I have come up to God's standard, and this is true, then there
would be a difference ; but " come short " is written on every man's brow, therefore
there is no difference.

Whether was Adam or Eve the more to blame ? This might afford material for a
long discussion, and at the end, the heinousness of their crime would be to us a
matter of opinion. I have no doubt there might be some shade of degree as to hein-
ousness ; but one thing is sure — if their offences were not equally heinous, they were
equally driven out. The cherubim that turned every way with the flaming sword,
separated both equally from the tree of life ; there was no difference.

When the rain began to fall and the waters to rise, after Noah had entered the

ark, the people who had their houses high up might have been pitying the poor

{people who built low down in the valley, as they heard the screams of the drowning.

|By and by the water sweeps above the little hills, and then those on the high hills, in

Itum, congratulate themselves upon their high-built villas. But the water still rises ; it

Gold from Ophir.

! ■ : !

enters theireround floors ; they rush out of their grand mansions or hovels — for there
was no difference — and flee to the tops of the very highest mountains ; but only
find respite for a few moments, for "all the high hills under the whole heaven were
covered, and all flesh died that moved upon the earth .... and every man ; all in
whose nostrils was the breath of life of all that was in the dry land, died, ana every
living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground." Under that
judgment-flood there was no difference. Look across the wide, level sea, and consider
the thousands of caves and stupendous mountain chiins that it hides, the plains and
valleys, the dens of seaweed and the fortresses of rjck ; and the level sea rolls
equally over all, and there is no difference. Drunkard and respectable lady, the
hoary-haired sinner and the infant at the mother's breast — all were under that fearful
flood, for there was no difference. If you had been there, do you think you would
have been made an exception of? You may be able just now to get anything that
money can buy. Could money have saved you then ? Prince and beggar, strong men
and weak, bad and good, were all equally swept away. There was no difference. It
has happened already you see, and it will happen again — not with water, but with fire.

When Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from
Jehovah out of heaven, there was no difference. All were equally destroyed : very
bad and very good shared the same fate. This fearful, unprecedented shower falling
out of heaven — brimstone and fire — took everyone by surprise, and destroyed every
dweller there. " He overthrew those cities and all the plain, and all the inhabitants
rf the cities." There was no difference.

When Israel was sheltered in the house of bondage from the destroying anj^el's
'land, " It came to pass that at midnight Jehovah smote all the first-born in'tue land
of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on the throne, unto the first-born of
the captive that was in the dungeon." Judge and prisoner alike found themselves
face to face with death. In the palace and in the hovel the voice of mourning vas
heard ; not one of the doomed first-born escaped. These fi'"3t-born r\ight have L *en
beautiful, amiable, educated, and accomplished, or they might have been \ le,
degraded, ignorant, and hardened ; .but there was no difference. It is with this
God you and I have to do.

When Jericho's walls fell flat before the appointment, the ordinance of God, in
righteous judgment " they (the Israelites) utterly destroyed aJl that was in the city,
both men and women, young and old." The strong man and the feeble woman, the
active young man and decrepit old man, were equally slain by the edge of the
sword. There was no difference.

The flaming sword of the cherubim, the flood of waters, the deluge of fire, the
angel of death, and Joshua's sword, all preach to you and me with calm decided voice,
" There is no difference." These things were written for us, that we might know what
we may expect so that we might not leap into the dark. Nothing will happen that has
not been told us.

A brother in the Lord could never get a young lady to think about eternity until
he quoted this text, *' The wicked shall be turned into he'I, and all the nations that
forget God." That word "forget" seemed to haunt her. May it haunt you, dear
friend 1 You do not require to deny God's existence, to mock at Him, to despise
Him, to reject Him, to neglect Him ; all you have to do is to forget God. Do you
know the God who says, " There is no difference ?" Have you forgotten that He
identifies you with all descended from Adam .'' Have you forgotten the God driving
our parents out of Eden, and placing a sword crying for blood? Our brother Cain
soon forgot ; our brother Abel remembered. Have you forgotten the God who swept
away all in the days of Noah ? Have )'ou forgotten that He is the Judge of the quick
and the dead, and as there was no difference, so there is a day coming when there
will be no difference. In the judgment of the quick, all the " goats " are equally on
the left hand — there is no difference. In the judgment of the dead, "the dead, small
and great, stand before God " — small and great sinners, young and old, king and

Ruin.

there
t only
\ were

all in

every
;r that
)nsider
ns and
a rolls
dy, the
: fearful
\ would
ng that
mg men
nee. It
vith fire,
ire from
d : very
;r falling
;d every
\abitants

^ angel's
tlie land
it-born of
lemselves
ning was
lave been
,een \ de,
with this

:if God, in
1 the city,
)man, the
[ge of the

fire, the
led voice,
now what
n that has

rnity until
itions that

; you.

dear

to despise
Do you
en that He
od driving
5ther Cain
who swept
f the quick
when there
equally on
>ad, small
i, king and

serf, peer and peasant — "and whosoever was not found written in the book of life
was cast into the lake of fire," for there was no difierence. Yourname may have been
written on the communion roll of any or all of the churches, or it may have been
written in the sheets of the Newgate conviction-book for murderers, but there is no
difference. The lake of fire levels all distinctions. There may be, there are, many
and few stripes ; there may be, th-re are, great and small cups full of wrath, but
every cup, be it great or small, is ftill. The lake of fire — fearful thought — roils its
hideous sea of wrath and torment in one surg'ng wave over all that have not been
enrolled in the one book of life. In hell, and perhaps only there, for the first time,
you will believe that there is no diCerenoe. Every one believes it there.

Let me ask you to look at another picture. Three men are hung on three crosses.
If you look at them, you will see that there is no difference. Ifyju listen to what they
are saying, you will hear one at the one side mocking Him in the centre , and the one
at the other side saying, " Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same
condemnation ? And we indeed justly, but thf«s man hath done nothing amiss."
The one in the centre is saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do." Those suffering "justly," and He that had done "nothing amiss," equally
suffer, for there is no difference. Those needing forgiveness, and He praying for
their forgiveness, are under the same doom, for there is no difference. Who are they ?
Those on either hand are two malefactors, or thieves, who die by the condemnation of
their law. He in the centre was proved innocent, and He is the Judge of quick and
dead. He has taken of His own free-will the load of sin upon Him, and, under sin.
He cannot be cleared. Spotless, pure, holy though He was. He cannot escape. God
can by no means clear the guilty. " He hath made Him sin for us, who knew no sin."
He is under our guilt, and "there is no difference" between Him and the thief— He
must suffer. Dear friend, does not this explain all difficulty about an innocent,
amable, virtuous, accomplished lady being on the same level before God as a
drunkard or murderer? Here is God's perfect Son — yea, tTielvery God-man — on the
same level with malefactors, not for Himself, but for us. God became man, and gave
Himself for our sins. This satisfaction that the innocent made for the guilty is
offered to you, and you may freely have it, for " there is no difference."

If ihe eye of the vilest sinner in this world should perchance rest on this — an
outcast from all society, one who has lost all friends and all self-respect, the tottering
drunkard coming out of his delirium tremens— I tell you as from God, this Christ is
offered to you as God's love-gift. You niay reckon Him yours, and proceed upon it as
if He were yours as truly as I or any other person in this world do so. You have as
much right to claim Him as we, for "there is no difference" in God's sight —

" His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood avails for me."

Thus, my friend, for whom especially I write this, you have to take the lost sinner's
place, for God says, "there is no difference." As I have said before, I could know
this only from God's Word. You have been as happy as a bird all your life, but you
forget to find out what God thinks about you. I have tried to show you this from the
Bible. I do not ask you if you feel it, for I am sure you never could, neither could
any one feel all the catalogue of sins in Romans first and second chapters true against
hirn individually ; but God knows us better than we know ourselves, and this is His
estimate of us.

Gold from Ophir.

•\i\\\

ALL HAVE SINNED.

I. All have sinned, Rom. 3 : 23.

II. Ye have sinned against the Lord,
Num. 32 : 23.

III. Thou hast sinned against thy

soul, Hab. 2: 10.

IV. If we say we have not sinned, we
make Him a liar, i John 1 : 10.

V. And David said unto Nathan. I have
sinned against the Lord, 2 Sam. 12 : 13.

VI. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sin-
ned, Psa. 51:4; Luke 15 : 18.

VII. Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners, i Tim. i : 15.

THREE STEPS IN THE BIBLE INTERPRETATION OF SIN.

I. The transgression of the law — lawless-
ness, 1 Jno. 3 : 4.

II. The thought of foolishness is sin.

See Prov. 24 : 9, and kindred passages.

III. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom.
14 123.

■

i< '

SIN.

I. Entrance of sin into the world, Gen.
3 • i-io; Rom. 5:12. ,

II. Its immediate consequences, Gen. 3 :
14-19:4:11, 12; Num. 32:23; Job 14:1;
Ezek. 18 : 4, 20 ; Jno. 3 : 19 : Rom. 6 : 23 ;
I Cor. 15:56; Gal. 5:19-21; Jas. 1:15;
Rev. 19 : 12-14; 22: 15.

-III. All men are born in sin and commit
sin, Gen. 5:3; 7. Kings 8 : 46 ; Job. 15:14;

25:4; Psa. 51:5; 52:2, a; 130:3; John
8:7; Gal. 3 : 22; I Jno. i :8.

IV. Sin described, Gen. 6:5; Deut. 9:7;
Isa. 1 : 18 ; Matt. 15 : 19 ; Jno. 15 : 22 ;
Rom. 3:20; 4:15; 14:23: I Jno. 3:4;
5:17-

V. The only remedy for sin, Luke 22:
20 ; Jno. 1 : 29 ; Rom. 3 : 25, 26 , Eph. 1:7;
Heb. 9 : 12-14, 22 ; i Pet. 2 : 24 ; i Jno. i : 7.

!■'

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

SO lost to G<5d was man that there never could have been any communication between
the living God and dead sinners unless Jesus Christ, who was the life, had
come into the place of death, and had been raised by the glory of the Father ;
whereby dead ones are raised or quickened into life.

Pride is one of the most prominent pillars in the midst of the ruins of man's
fallen condition. Its presence is one of the strongest evidences of his fall.

There \l no difference. This truth lies at the root of all revelation from God
to sinful men. There is no difference. St. Paul uses this expression twice : the first
time in the third chapter of Romans, " There is no difference, for all have sinned and
come short of the glory of God." Man does not like this truth when it is preached ;
it is often denounced as absurd and heretical, but it has stood since Paul's day. Culti-
vated men do not like to be brought down to the level of the mu.>^erer and drunkard ;
and without doubt there is a difference in degree, but not in the guilt of moral delin-
quency. There is a difference as to the depth which men are down in the mud, but all
are together in the horrible pit and miry clay.

Ruin.

A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE NATURAL MAN,

I have

e I sin-
world to

F SIN.

ges.

sin, Rom.

3; John

Deut.g: 7-
). 15:22;

no. 3 ■. 4 ■>

Luke 22:

Eph. 1 : 7 ■

Jno. I •.7-

)n between
life, had
e Father ;

s of man's

from God
e : the first
sinned and

preached ;

ay. Culti-

drunkard ;
noral delin-
nud, but all

I. " No good thing," Rom. 7 : 18.

II. At "enmity against God," Rom. 8:7.

III. " Cannot please God," Rom. 8 : 8.

IV. Going 1' ck to the first verdict pro-
nounced as t( nan's natural state, and what
do we find ? Gen. 6 : 5.

V. Man is evil from childhood. Gen. 8:21.

VI. The heart is deceitful "above all
things," Jer. 17:9; also incurably wicked
(R. V).

VII. The only remedy is a "new heart,"
Ezek. 36:26. J. E. W.

WHAT SIN CAN DO FOR A MAN.

I. Sin robs a man of peace. Trouble was
unknown to our first parents until sin came
in to destroy their peace. Men living in sin
have no peace, Rom. 3 ; 17.

II. Sin shuts man out from God. He was
cut off from fellowship with the Creator
when he first sinn'd in Eden, Gen. 3 : 6, 7.

III. Sin makes a coward of a man.
Hence we read that " The wicked flee when
no man pursueth," Prov. 28 : i.

IV. Sin makes man a tool for Satan to lead

others to destruction. Many Bible instances
of this.

V. li makes him a transgressor of the
law; for "sin i; lawlessness," i Jno. 3:4
(R.V).

VI. He is helpless to deliver himself from
the bondage of sin. " When we were yet
without strength," Rom. 5 . 6.

VII. The wriges, or fruitage of sin, is
death. The only wages the devil pays the
sinner is DEATH. Sea Rom. 6 : 23.

J. E. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE righteousness which is of faith is contrasted with the righteousness which is of
the law. It is utterly useless for any one of us to attempt to secure righteous-
ness on the ground of law-keeping, for if from this moment until we are a hundred
years old we never committed one sin, it would be all up with us ; we have sinned in
the past, the line of continuity is broken, and we must get upon another line altogether;
the righteousness which is of faith comes in when the righteousness which is of the
law is broken.

One has well said : "People waste their time in mud-measuring. One says :
' My foot is only covered with mud, but look at that fellow, he is ankle-deep in it ;' the
one who is ankle-deep in mud says, 'Look at that man, he is up to the knees in mud ;'
while he, in his turn, says, 'I am not so bad as that man, he is up to the neck in the
mud.' It is of no use to talk like that ; here is a rope-ladder to help you all up from
the pit. 'Oh,' says one, 'I am as good as my neighbor, and better than many.' Very
true, perhaps, but that is only the difference between being up to the knees in mud or
up to the neck ; if you are in the pit, you need a rope-ladder that you may get out and
place your feet upon a rock, for there is no difference. One man with decent boots on,
and only one foot a little muddy, says, 'I do not believe there is no difference. Do
you mean to say I am no better than that fellow there up to his neck in the mud?'
No, my friend ; and very likely the man up to his neck will get hold of the ladder first,
for he is so shocked at the mud that he is glad to get out of it ; while the respectable
man spends his time arguing about the depth of mud he is in. It is not mud-
rneasuring, but salvation, we have to do with, for ' there is no difference, for all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God.' "

Mlft >erin f.r ■ >-i k^t -■«-".«' i* :

Gold from Ophir.

FIVE THINGS ABOUT MAN'S PRESENT FALLEN STATE.

The Scriptures cleariy state the following
five things as attending man's present fallen
statu :

I. Great darkness of understanding.

We know nothing as we ought to know.
Carnal men are blind, and cannot see afar
off. To them the doctrines of the Gospel,
and even the terms in which they are taught,
seem strange. In their sight the most
glorious objects possess no lustre. Kven
Jesus Christ is to them \/ithout form and
comeliness. In Him they see no beauty,
that they should desire Him. In heaven,
and among the righteous, He is the centre
of attraction. To the unrenewed. He is as
a root out of a dry ground, i Cor. 2:14;
Eph. 4 : 18.

II. Man in his ^illen state is guilty and
condemned.

See Rom. 5 : 12-ig ; Rom. 3 : 19.

III. Man is vile, depraved

Job. 40:4; Gen. 6:5: Matt. 15:19:
Mark 7: 21, 22.

IV. In his fallen state man is miserable.

Rom. 3 : 16, 17. His misery is so great
that the whole creation groaneth. The sighs
and groans and screams of earth are inferior
only to those of the pit of woe. Men con-
tinually gather vanity.

V. Man is helpless.

Ko is without strength, Rom. 5:6. He
has no might, Isa. 40 : 25 He cannot
come to Christ, except the Father draw him,
J no. 6 : 44. He is as weak as water.

To such the Gospel ought to be good news.
As we come into the world we are dead in
trespasses and in sins. Yes, by sin we dxe
dead. But in the Scriptures Christ is repre-
sented as " Our Life." This life is the
light of men. The believing sinner is made

lliiiiii

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

N the Epistle to the Romans, it is not until all men in the world— good, bad, and
indifferent — have been brought in guilty before God, that Cod opens up His secret.

The criminal has been found guilty at the bar, the judge has pronounced the
sentence, the convict now awaits execution ; his prayers, his tears cannot save him ; he
is condemned. It is in vain that he loudly calls for mercy, and promises amendment
for the future ; the sentence has been passed ; the law is inflexible and his blood is
demanded.

By the tall is declared the fact that we are no princes, but slaves to those horrible
despots, sin and corruption ; our beauty is faulty and evanescent ; our wisdom
is foolishness ; our purposes are continually broken off t our bodies date their tenden-
cies to dissolution from the day of our birth.

The plan of Satan showed that God had not yet deprived him of his wisdom ;
though, alas 1 it had been changed from the noble power of a prir-'i of the Most
High to the cunning of a deceitful intriguer ! He would not make his assault with
power and terror ; for that would drive the assailed into the arms of their p.otector
mstead of drawing them away from Him, and their earnest cries for help would
(juickly call down hot lightnings upon their daring foe. But he would present himself
in the form of an inferior and subject animal, from which they would never suspect
harm. For, like all his children of this world, Satan, though proud even to destruction,
can yet degrade himself to the very dust in order to carry out his purposes.

Ruin.

liserable.

so great
The sighs
ra inferior
Men con-

5:6. He
He cannot
draw him,
er.

good news,
ire dead in
sin we are
■ist is repre-
life is the
ler is made

, bad, and
His secret.

Dunced the
ve him ; he
imendment
lis blood is

l)se horrible
ur wisdom
eir tenden-

is wisdom ;
f the Most
jssault with
tir piotector
[help would
sent himself
»ver suspect
[destruction,

a partaker of Christ's merits,' and of His
Spirit. By His Spirit, we are created anew
in Christ Jesus unto go^d works. His
righteousness justifies us ; His Spirit sancti-
fies us : and by His righteousness, s'n is par-
doned ; by His Spirit sin is expelled. By
His merits we become righteous in law ; by
His Spirit we become upright in heart. By
His righteousness imputed, we are accepted ;
by His Spirit imparted, we are purified.
His righteousness lOToves condemnation ;
His Spirit takes away depravity.

Christ's righteousness is put upon us ; His
pirit is put within us. His righteousness
s reckoned to cur account ; His Spirit is
poured upon us. His righteousness was
wrought out foi" us ; His Spirit works in us.
By His life of obedience and suffering,
Christ brought in everlasting righteousness ;

by His amazing energies, the Spirit becomes
the author of our pe -sonal holiness. Christ's
righteousness gives us a title to heaven;
His Spirit gives us a fitness for heaven^
His righteousness gives us authority to be-
come the sons of God ; His Spirit gives us
meetness for beholding the face of our
Father who is in Heaven. The one answers
all demands of the penalty of the law ; the
other secures conformity to the precepts of
the law. Christ's blood washes away our
guilt ; His Spirit washes away our defile-
ment. The former delivers us from the
curse of the law; the latter removes the
stain from our soul. The one purges our
consciences, the other our hearts. Without
the former, we are accursed; without the
latter, we are polluted.

W. S. PLUMER, D.D.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

Ej* VE believed the devil ; believed this beast of the field, as she supposed him to be,
J rather than the great Creator of all things. Earth, laden with her countless tombs.
Is ever sighing for the credulity ; Ocean, as his chasing waves roll over the bones o
lultitudes lying amid their unheeded treasures, moans in response ; and Hades, while
kis vast realms are being daily peopled by fresh colonies of unclothed spirits, solemnly
proclaims that God is true.

As a proof of man's ruin do we not continually perciive, both in ourselves and
Jthers, the workings of that feeling upon which Satan played in the case of our first
irents ? Does it not appear in self-will, which is the determination to be obeyed as
lod instead of obeying? Is it not evident in pride and conceit, whether arising from
irth, ability, beauty, wealth, or any other source ? May it not be traced in that bound-
fess self-confidence which puts forth its own wisdom and opinions as alone worthy of
j^otice, and expects them to be received with gratitude and deferred to by all ?

In the fall of our first parents the prince of this world prevailed. The new crea-
lon had been seduced to rebellion ; there was no longer any bar to the resumption of
[is dominion. Forth from the ground he rose triumphant, and expanding his shadowy
ings over the recovered territory, impeding the pure rays of God's sun, and dropping
jck the poisonous promises of sin, under which earth's flowers faded, her fruits
ithered, her plenty was restrained, and she brought forth evil as well as good.

When they fell the guilty pair became suddenly conscious of the vileness of that
lesh which had been the medium of their transgression ; they were bewildered with
le painful sense of a fall from the eminence on which God had placed them, of their
^semblance to the brutes around the n— 'nay, even of their unfitness to be seen.

The Saviour showed Nicodemus that even if he could enter his mother's womb a
Scond time, or a hundred times, or a thousand times, and be born, it could do him no
Hood, for he would come forth with the same sinful nature, received from all his sinful
lothers back to the days of sinning Eve ; and hence Jesus said : "Verily, verily, I
ky unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can not enter into
le kingdom of God."

Gold from Ophir.

SIN AND SINNERSHIP.

An Address by Pastor F. B. Meyer, B.A.

WE are going to talk about sin and our sinnership. There is nothing more needful
just now than true proportional views regarding th'^se. Sin and the cross are
intimately joined. To make little of sin is to make little of God's masterpiece, the plan
of salvation, of Jesus as Redeemer, of the terrors of hell and the inexpressible glory of
heaven. In dealing with anxious ones I would not advise your appealing to them to
trust to Christ ; that may be done simply to please you, and such -ust may cor ^ to a
speedy end. Direct the mind of your friend to sin, its enormity, ii heinous character.
When the spirit of God applies this your friend will be very glaa to run to the Lord
Jesus for salvation. Now let us try to understand for ourselves what sin is. Turn to
Romans, to that grand argument of the apostle PauL See how in the first chapter he
establishes the sinnership of the Gentile race ; in the second he deals still further with
it, but more especially with regard to the Jews ; in the third he proves tiiat none are
righteous, and he goes through a catalogue of our poor human nature, with a terrible
anatomical power. The throat, an open sepulchre ; the tongue, an instrument of
deceit ; and the lips of poison ; the mouth full of cursing and bitterness ; the feet, the
willing servants of sin hurrying on their way to the shedding of blood ; the eyes too,
the whole man, infected, contaminated with sin. See how the subject is elaborated.
Our sinnership is established in three distinct ways : ist. That we are all members of
a sinful race; 2nd, that all have a tendency to sin ; 3rd, that day by day, consciously
or unconsciously, we are constantly yielding to sin.

Let us consider these and see if we do not agree with the apostle, Rom. 3 : 19,
"that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."
We shall not stay long over the first of these. Turn to 1 Cor. 15:22. "In Adam all
die." Death is the proof of universal sin — that we are a doomed race. This is further
carried out in Rom. 5 • I4- There we see that the penalty of death came upon all,
showing that all are the children of Adam, identified -Vvith the sinful head of the race.
The whole of the human family is one tree, the same in nature from the root to the
extreme tips of the branches. And so also are all under God's divine purpose of grace.
The ownership of sin and shame lies at every door. So it becomes us al! when we
approach the throne of grace to bemoan before God not only individual sin, but the sin
of the race. And never forget this great fact that if the stock of the first Adam is all
wrong the stock of the second Adam is all re-created. The first birth brings doom, the
second salvation. I charge you, oh men, who are under the doom of old Adam and his
race, not to close yourjeyes till by the second birth you pass from death to life. Now note j
our second point — our original nature. In the Bible it is called the ** Flesh." Spell it
any way you please, it is the same forward or backward. But if you do it backward
you will have to drop the " h," and Englishmen can easily do that, and then you will j
have self. Self is flesh, flesh is self. It is the I, that which says " I will," " I wont," |
"me, me, me ; my, my my," always. • 1 hat's the old nature, there is no mistake about it
Some people say that they have got rid of it, but I'm not so sure about it. We may
lame old Adam, but he's not so easily killed as some people think. This selfish life
came by birth, see Gen. 5 : 3. Adam begat a, son "in his own likeness." See how this
compares with Gen. i : 26. When men speak to me about our descent from inferior j
animals I turn up this text, "And God said, let us make man in our image after our J
likeness." Man was made on the outlines of the character of God — love, truth, purity, j
and other cognate qualities, but Gen. viii. 21 tells a different story : "The imagination!
of man's heart is evil from his youth." Our Lord brings this out still more clearly in
John 3 : 6, "born of the flesh." To all of us here this applies ; we all come from this)
low evil origin ; in all of us this tendency reveals itself. Read Eph. 2 : 3, and you willj

Ruin.

Mjnderstand it better — that everybody without exception lives ir ihe lusts of the flesh.

jBut to some of you this may apply, Eph. 4 : 22, "Ye have put off the old man." Now,

Ihave I made it plain ? That Lhere are two centres or pivots of life — and around one or

[the other all lives revolve. The one is love of self, the flesh, self-seeking ; the other

[is the love of God, love to man. It is the manifestation of the selfish life in so many

jrms that constitutes our sinnership. When you are on your knees confess that you are

member of a sinful race, as well as your personal transgression. Now this selfish life

lows itself in bias and brings us to the second point. You have watched the bowl

jlling on the green. It has been turned in the latlie and one side made heavier than

le other. See how it gets out of the straight line and bends to the bias. That is the

vay with us. Just as the young tiger shows its natute by licking up blood, so does our

svil nature assert itself, and it remains in us right away when we are converted and we

lav? consecrated our lives to God. Still the tendency is there ready to assert itself

' temptation come, it is to it the temptation appeals. You are insulted. " Oh, I will

ive him blow for h]pw ! I won't stand it I I'll give him six for his half-dozen ! " That's

le w;iy we go on, the selfish life demanding satisfaction, and we fume and fret till

irther orders. Now, look at this : there is a clear distinction in the Word of God

Bgarding these two positions ; being in the flesh and tl. » flesh being in us. The first

idicates our state by nature ; the second the state of being saved. The first is

Ipoken in Rom. 8:8, " they that are in the flesh cannot please God." The second

spoken in the second verse of the same chapter, " The law of the Spirit of life in

as Christ hath made me free from the law of sin and death." This is perhaps

;tter brought out in Gal. 5 : 16, 17. This was written to Christian people, mind you,

id the apostle must have known what he was writing about. " The flesh lusteth

kgainst the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh." You see the word spirit is printed

irith a capital S. Now you may understand from this that the flesh-life is yours so

long as you live here, until you enter life beyond the pearly gates. And if you are

jiving according to the flesh, the " I " life, then I fear you will never know the salvation

M Jesus ; but directly you are born again, new principles take up their abode in your

breast, Christ's life lives in you. The Holy Spirit will take up his abode in your breast

jind when temptation comes cry to Him, and He will give you the victory. It is as if

le Holy Spirit took possession of my house and thrust old Adam down to the cellar.

)ften he will try to come up, but a stronger power casts him down, and I hear him go

lud, thud, thud, down stairs again to his own place, glorj' be to God ! Ah, young men,

irou can go through the streets of the city unscathed with the Holy Spirit in your

ieart. The devil might as well try to set the ocean on fire with sparks as to catch

irou unawares.

Well, I'll tell you what passed through my ;, .ind the other day. I wanted to find
Jut how I could increase and quicken my spir.tual life. I said to myself, "Now,
i)ught I to atten J a few more conferences ? read a few more books ? or apply to some
Ipiritual tea> her to assist me ? " The question was how to get the life of God into my
)ul. Now, I will tell you my discovery. I turned to Romans 8 : 13, and there I
sad, " If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live." Ah,
lere is no book like the Bible to help us on our way. Ask me about inspiration ! If
find there germs of holy living that will fructify in my heart, that is inspiration
Enough for me. JJow, see what I had to do : " mortify the deeds of the body." Look
Ifter this mortification ; that was my part of it. The other part, the life, the livmg,
lod had to see to that. There was His promise : "Ye shall live." I have to watch
lat self-love is cast out ; the Holy Spirit looks after all the rest. — Christian Leader.

%^-i

Gold from Ophir.

lilBLl-: ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE DEFILEMENT OF SIN.

Dogs — Generally wild in the East, prow-
ling about the streets, savage, and feeding on
garbage, Psa. 59 : 6 ; Matt. 7:6; 2 Pet.
2: 22.

Swine — Delighting in filthiness and dirt,
2 Pet. 2 : 22.

A cage of unclean birds, Jer. 5 : 27 ;
Rev. 18 : 2.

Defiled garments, Isa. 64 : 6 ; Rev. 3 :
4 ; Jude 23 ; like Joshua's, Zech. 3 : 3.

Spots and blemishes — Spots " that God
hates and man hides," 2 Pet. 2 : 13.

Sepulchres — " Full of dead men's bones,
and of all uncleanness." Matt. 23 : 27.

Under the Mosaic ritual, the defiling
character of sin was brought out very
prominently, as in —

The leprosy — The special type of sin,
Lev. 13th and 14th chapters; the melancholy
picture of corruption, loathsomeness, and
decay ; affecting persons, garments, houses,
beginning insidiously, and spreading with a
relentless progress, until complete destruction
left nothing more to do ; and besides, in-
curable.

The rites enjoined In the casi of the leper
all denoted, in the most humoling manner, j
the mournful effects of sin ; iee Lev. 13 : 45,
46 ; the rent clothes, bare head, covered lip,
and the leper's pitiable cry, if any one came
near, " Unclean, unclean!" and the separa-
tion from society, without the camp. Some
of these signs are same as those appointed
in mourning for the dead.

Regulations about social life.— Child-
bearing, Lev. 12: 2-8 ; food. Lev. nth chap ;
disease, Lev. 15th chap. ; contact with un-
cleanness. Lev. 5 : 2, 3 ; II : 24, 25 ; 22 ; 5, 6

Regulations about death —Touching a
dead body, or carcase of a beast, or a gra\ e.
Num. 19 : 11-22; Lev. 17 : 15, 16; 5 : 2-1 j,
even entering the tent where the dead lay J
Num. 19: 14; the priests mourning for thel
dead, Lev. 21 : 1-3.

Regulations about sacred duties. — E\ o:

taking part in th-^se, in some cases, mad:
men liable to ceremonial uncleannt-
Burning the sin offeri-ig, e. g., on the day o..^^
atonement. Lev. 16 : 28 : leading the scape!
goat into the wilderness. Lev. 16 : 26, etc.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

JESUS declared : "Ye will not come to me, hat ye might have life" (John 5 : 40)
but the words would have no meaning, if we have life, whether we do or do noj
comt to Christ.

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith he loved us, eveij
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace are y:,
saved)," Eph. 2 : 4, 5. The Holy Spirit doc j not say that sin had introduced soiii|
disorder into the moral faculties of the soul. He does not say that they retained i
divine spark in the breast which, with the kindly influences of a proper culture, couli
be kindled into a flame. He does not say that they possessed a germ which, with thj
applianc ^s of religious teaching and church nurture and good example, could
developed into salvation. He does not say that they had been injured by the fall, aiiil
were like a man with a broken limb who needs a surgeon, or like a sick man needinj
a physician; but they were dead, and therefore needed God. If the i spired apostlj
used language with even an ordinary degree of intelligence and meaning, he plainlj
teaches that those to whom he wrote had once been dead, actually dead, m sins ; ani
death implies three things : first, absence of life ; second, insensibility ; and thirf
helplessness.

|llicat(
iinly,
'Unti

M.
irnin
It of
itt.

RUIH

F SIN.

of the leper
ing manner,

Lev. 13 : 45,
, covered lip,
iny one came
i the separa-
camp. Some
ise appointed

life. -Child-
!v. iith chap ;
:act with un-
h 25; 22: 5,6

. — Touching 2
1st, or a grave,
;, 16; 5:2-13;
the dead lay,
urning for thel

duties.— Eveii|
le cases, madel
uncleannessB

on the day oil
ing the scapej

16 : 26, etc.

The red heifer was a striking illustration
, >f the imputation of defilement. Num.
19 : i-io. (i). The heifer itself, as bearing
the uncleanness of the people, was to be
carried without the camp. (2). Eleazer was
to offer it, not Aaron, that the high priest
might not be defiled. (3). Eleazer, the
priest, the man who burnt the heifer,
and even the "clean man" that gathered
the ashes, were all rendered ceremonially
imclean by the performances of theseduties.

^ Even the sanctuary itself might bedefiled,

%^v. 20 : 3; Ezek. 5:11; 2 Chron. 36 :

';jk ; Ex. 20 : 25 ; Psa. 74 : 7 ; 79 : i.

Mi The moral leprosy. — It would be difficult

t describe to the full the awful extent of
e spreading taint of sin. Trace in Con-
Drdance under the head of defiledi and see
low sin is inscribed on man's mind and con-
sience — body — hands — feet — flesh — gar-
ments — house — land, etc.; under filthy —
[filthiness of the flesh and spirit " — " filthy
snimunicatious " — " filthy lucre " — (five
les) — " all filthiness and superfluity of
lughtiness" — "even our righteousnesses

are as filthy rags," and man is " abominable
and filthy "— " altogether filthy."

Zech. 3-d chap.— The high priest Zech-
ariah represented Israel appearing before
the Lord— first, clothed with filthy garments;
then clothed with change of raiment, adorned
and crowned with personal and ofi&cial
dignity.

Haggai 2 : 11-13.

How much more easily is uncleanness
communicated than purity ! One drop of
ink will stain a glass of water, but one drop
of water cannot purify a glassful of ink.

Isa. 52 : II. — "Touch no unclean thing."
One of the greatest lessons the Lord would
tuiich His Church. It was the ch-rge given
to Israel on their entering Canaan — " Defile
not yourselves," sre Concordance ; on their
leaving Babylon, Isa. 52 : 11; applied to the
Church of Christ in her separation from the
world, 2 Cor. 6:14. Isa. 35:8; 52:1;
Ezsk. .\4 : g; Zech. 14 : 21 ; Rev. 21 : 27.
The entire absence of all defilement in the
Church's future glory.

G. S. BOWES.

(John 5 : 40)
e do or do no|

oved us, evei
)y grace are y.
itroduced soiiif
they retained

culture, couli
,'hich, with tlii
nple, could
by the fall, ani^
: man needmjr'

spired apost|^
ing, he plainl^,
J, m sins; ar^
l:ty ; and tuU'

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

*HRIST spoke of the unconverted as dead, when He said to the man who would
bury his father before following the Lord, "Let the dead bury their dead''
-uke 9 : 60) ; and when he represented the prodigal's father giving warm welcome to
ie wanderer in the joyful cry, "This my son was dead, and is ^live again"'
-uke 1 5 : 24).

The whole current of Scripture in its bearing upon His redeemed people, who
ive slipped down into the world, is an earnest exhortation to arise from among

ke dead, because it is a most unseemly thing for those who have life to be seen
rovelling amid the associations of the charnal house. "Wherefore he saith, awake

kou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light" (Eph.

1: 14) ; 01 as Rotherham translates it, " Up ! thou sleeping one, and rise from among

le dead, and the Christ v/ill shine upon thee."

Of all the children of AdRm, male and female, old and young, rich and poor,
Iu( .ited and uneducated, moral and immoral, religious and irreligious, it is thus
fainly, positively, and repeatedly affirmed in the word of God, that apart from Christ,
until Christ is received, they have no life. What evidence of utter ruin !

^ Many a father, yea, many a Christian father, looking with unutterable pride and
''arning upon the young girl who is the joy of his home, if he couk. sr ^ her in the

ht of God's word, would exclaim in deep distress, "My daughter is even now dead"

'att. 9-18).

Gold from Ophir.

TYPES AND FIGURES OF SIN.

I : 6; 30 : 26;

13 ; Jas. 3 : 8.
15:5: 20.

Leprosy, Lev. 13th and 14th chapters. —
Loathsome — defiling — separating — spread-
ing — incurable.

Physical disease. — The blind — lanie —
deaf — dumb — palsied — withered — bowed
down; doubtless our Lord's miracles of
healing such, were spiritual parables of the
cure of sinners.

Wounds— bruises, Isa.

Luke 4:18.

. Poison — venom, Rom. 3

Death, Eph. 2:1; Jas. i

Burden, grievous and intolerable, Matt.
11:28.

Slavery, as to the worst of masters, Jno.
8 : 34 ; Rom. 6 : 20 ; 7 : 14 ; the drudgery,
worse still, of many lusts and pleasures, Tit.
3 13; I Kings 21 : 20-25.

Captivity, such as in ancient times was
marked by cruelty and hardship, when cap-
tives were bound and often blinded, Isa.
61 : I. — See Concordance on Bondage.

Leaven, corrupting — spreading. Matt. 13 :
33 ; 16:6; I Cor. 5 : 6-8 ; Gal. 5 : 9.

Debt, even to the utmost and most hope-
less extent — the bankrupt's debt of ten
thousand talents, Matt. 18 : 23-25.

Spots and stains — crimson and scarlet
dyed, Isa. 1:18; double dyed (as the
Hebrew word for scarlet implies), Deut. 32 :
5 ; 2 Pet. 2 : 12 ; Jude 12-23.

Fountain of Impurity, Jer. 6 : 7.
Floods, Psa. 18:4; Rev. 12 : 16.
Crooked — Perverse, Deut. 32 : 5; Psa.
"5 : 5-
Cage, full of unclean birds, Jer. 5 : 27.
Girdle, cleaving to a man, Jer. 13 ; 10, 11.

Vine of Sodom, and grapes of Gomorrah,
Deut. 32 : 32.

The old man; not called "old" for
weakness and decay (though Heb. 8 : 18 is
true of the believer) ; but rather from anti-
quity, because inherited from Adam, and
also because pervading the whole of man's
fallen nature.

The body of sin, Rom. 6:6; ("body,"
as consisting of many members, and all " in-
struments of unrighteousness.") — See the
catalogue : hands — lips — tongue — throat —
feet, &c., Isa. 59 : 3-7 ; Rom. 3 : 13-17.

The law of sin, Rom. 7 : 25 — the antago-
nistic principle to the ruling power of grace ;
the deliberate, organized rule and system of
evil, Psa. 94 : 10.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE late Sir James Simpson, of Edinburgh, who was not less eminent as a Chris-
tian than he was as a physician, tells in one of his excellent tracts of a man who I
was fatally wounded in the last duel fought near that city. A bullet struck the spine of |
the challenger, and when asked some hours afterwards how he felt — " I feel," he replied,
"exactly what I am — a man with a living head and a dead body mysteriously joined I
together." This is precisely what every man is by nature, except that he has a living!
body and a dead spirit mysteriously joined together; so that it may be said of the j
whole world, " alienated from the life of God."

How appalling the results of the spiritual death of our first parents ! The cursej
that followed blighted the fair face of creation, culminated in the expulsion of the!
sinner from Eden, in the shocking murder by his first-born son of a younger brother.f
in the banishment of Cain from the presence of the Lord, in the thorough worldlinessj
of his posterity, in the speedy corruption of the righteous seed, until, "God saw thati
th 2 wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of thej
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually " (Gen. 6 ; 5).

Ruin.

The reign of sin, Rom. 5:21.

The wages of sin^ Rom. 6 : 23.

Vrords expressive of sin. — It has been
smarked how rich the Hebrew language is
!juch synonyms; may not the same be
lid of most languages, our own not the
least? The ordinary Hebrew and Greek
words include the ideas of missing the mark
— crookedness — deviating from the pre-
a.-ibed oath — lawlessness — rebellion, etc.
the derivations similarly of our English
is : amiss — abomination — err — fault —
llty — evil or vile — ill — iniquity — trans-
Ission — ungodliness — wickedness — mis-
|ef — haughtiness — corrupt — forward, etc.

The infatuated passion* of sinners after

is similarly painted in the darkest dolors :

[where we read of them " drinking iniquity

water," Job 15: 16; drawing sin "as it

re with a ca^-t rope," Isa. 5 : 18; running

swift haste after evil, Prov. i : 16 ; 6 :

revelling in lust, from which they

inot cease," 2 Pet. 2 : 74 ; unable to sleep

Ihout doing mischief, Prov. 4 : 16 ; doing

" day and night," Micah 2:1; " with

hands earnestly," Micah 7:3; to the

iiost limit of their power, Jer. 3 : 5.

The dark groups of many sins included
in one sad list present a painful picture,
which is often drawn. See Matt. 15:19;
I Cor. 6:9; Gal. 5 : 19-21 ; 2 Tim. 3:2-5;
Titus 3:3; Rev. 21 : 8,

Every sinner is a moral suicide. See
Num. 16 ; 38 ; Prov. 8 : 36 ; 20 : 2 ; Jer.
42 : 20 (marg.) ; Hab. 2 : 10; Hosea 13 : 9.

Gal. 3 : 22. — '-The Scripture hath con-
cluded (shut up) all undersin." The Greek,
"all things" — not only all men, but all
things in all men. as John 3 : 6, is not "he,"
but "that which is bom of the flesh is
fir h."

I John 5 : 19. — " The whole world lieth in
wickedness" — lulled in the fatal sleep with-
out alarm.

I John 3 : 4 may be translated — ' ' Whoso-
ever is a doer of sin is a doer of lawlessness,
for sin is lawlessness."

Ezek. 8 : 7-18. — The unfolding of what sin
is, when clearly seen in its real deformity.

Judges 2 : 11. — "The children of Israel
did evil in the sight of the Lord " — an ex"-
pression which occurs about fifty times as a
terrible aggravation of the evil and danger
of sin.

Pastck G. S. BOWES.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

JHE moment sin entered Adam's soul he was " alienated from the life of God ;" and
the death of his body centuries later was but the comparatively trifling accident
iccompaniment of the spiritual death that came upon him the very day he ate the
lidden fruit.

When Adam was created God said : " Let us make man in our image, after

likeness" (Gen. i •26), But in Gen. 5 : 3, we read that "Adam lived an hundred
: thirty years, and be^at a son in his own likeness, after his image." The likeness
jod did not consist m any physical resemblance, biit it was wholly spiritu?', and
■ spiritual resemblance having been lost, Adam begat a soi in his own likeness.
It is to say, he transmitted his sinful nature to his posterity, according to a law
Btrated in all departments of vegetable and animal life, and recognized even by
lei science, that " like produces like." The nature thus transmitted from fallen

to fallen son is often in the sacred Scriptures significantly called "the flesh," as in
1. 6 : 12, after the time when "God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was

ipt ; for all flesh had corrupted His way upon the earth." So in Rom. 8 : 6, 7, R.V.

The Holy Ghost declares that the nature inherited from the first man is death, is
lity against God, and as John Newton has well said, "an enemy may be reconciled^
[enmity is enmity still."

Gold from Ophir.

■•I ,

" III

THE USE OF THE MORAL LAW IN CONVINCING
THE SINNER OF HIS SIN.

jHy Dr. Wm. S. Plumnter.

ttT^HE law entered that the offence might abound," Romi 5 :2o; that is, that it

i. might be seen by us all how many and Ill-deserving our sins were. Conviction

of sin is not confined to unregenerate men, nor to sinners in the earlier stages of

religious impressions when a law-work is wrought on the heart. Important as this is,

the law is not then laid aside as a means of conviction. To the close of life it continues

to be of use to this end. It teaches us that we are not worthy to be called God's

servants ; it shows that our strength to do that which is right is nothing. Colquhoun :

"The children of fallen Adam are so bent upon working for life, that they will on no

account ceaee from it till the Holy Spirit so convince them of their sin and misery, as

to show them that Mount Sinai is wholly on fi e around them, and that they cannot

with safety remain a moment longer within the limits of it." "What things soever the

law saith, it saith it to them who are under the law ; that evei^ mouth may be stopped.

and all the world become guilty before God," Rom. 3 : 19. By our early convictidii

of sin, we obtain some faint impression of the necessity of salvation by grace. By our

subsequent convictions, we are led more and more to renounce all confidence in our

selves for righteousness ; and to see more and more our need of the perfect righteousnc^-

of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no greater mistake respecting experimental';

religion than that which regards the work of cpnviction entirely done when conversion ^

takes place. It is true that sometimes there are certain horrors of conscience, certainf

pangs of remorse, certain guilty fears and awful apprehensions of the wrath to coniej

which in an equal degree do but seldom afflict the soul after conversion. But theseS

' horrors and fears are nonecesaary elements of conviction. He is truly convicted who!

has a true sense that he is a sinner against a just and holy God ; and that he deserve |

ill and only ill at the hands of the Judge of all. He may not expect to be punished!

David was an experienced child of God when he said of the commandments, " B) j

them is thy servant warned ; " and '' who can understand his errors ? cleanse thoiil

me from secret faults," Psa. 19 : n, 12.

* One may have set his h()pe in God through Jesus Christ ; indeed, the morel
effectually he has despaired of helping himself, and the more completely he has casii
himself on God in humble hope, the more proper and deep are his convictions. Thiil
use of the law is much insisted on in the Scripture. Paul says, "By the law is thel
knowledge of sin," Rom. 3 : 20. And whon in the same epistle, he had proven thel
utter impossibility of salvation by the deeds of the law. he adds, "What shall we saij
then ? Is the law sin ? God forbid," Rom. 7 : 7. He then goes on to say how useful
had been to him. The spirit of his declaration is, that he never would have known whai
a poor, lost, undone, helpless creature he was, and that he never would have felt hrl
need of a Saviour, and never would have fled to Him for refuge, but for the law. HiJ
words are, " I had not known sin but by the law ; for I had not known lust, excepi
the law had said, Thou shalt not covet," Rom. 7 : 7

In ancient times, schools had teachers to superintend their instructions. BesideJ
these, there were pedagogues employed to go around and gather the children a;il
conduct them to the school. It is probably to this latter office that Paul refers, whtij
he says, "The law was our schoolmaster" (literally our pedagogue) "to bring us tl
Christ," Gal. 3 :24. And as the pedagogue of old brought the child to school not onll
one day, but every day in the term, so the law brings us to Christ, not only when wJ
accept Him, but as often as we renew our hold on Him. " The law is a star to leal
one to Christ,"' said T. Watson. The law shuts us up to the faith of Christ, it make]
Christ precious to the soul. No man can esteem the redemption that is in Christ ram

HUIN.

Conviction
;r stages of
It as this is,
it continues
;alled God's.
Colquhoun
y will on no
d miser/, as
they cannot
Ts soever the
y be stopped
[y conviction
ace. By our
ience in our-
righteousness
experimental
en conversion
ience, certain
^•rath to come,
1. But these
onvicted who
t he deserve

)e punished.

ments, " By
cleanse thou

ed, the more

he has c;^

ctions. Thi:l

.c law is tlitl

cl pro\"en tlitj

shall we sa\|

low useful

e known wha j

have felt hi

the law. Hkl

•n lust, excepj

>ons. Besidtj

children anJ

j1 refers, whtij

to bring us i1

chool not oni

only when v|

; a star to leal

rist. It maker

in Christ men

highly than his sense of his own lost and ruined estate as a sinner shall rise. Tell me
what a man thinks of himself, and I will tell what he thinks of the Redeemer. Tell me
■what he thinks of the Redeemer, and I will tell you what he thinks of himself. Every
believer is ready to say, " I was alive without the law once ; but when the command-
ment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment which was ordained to
life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment,
deceived me, and by it slew me," Rom. 7:9-11. So that " what the law could not do
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and for sin, condemned (or punished) sin in the flesh ; that the righteousness of
e law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,"
Rom. 8 : 3, 4.

Why do the great mass of men feel so little interest in conversation, books and

^sermons which explain the way of salvation ? Obviously, the reason is, they have no

'* ", Just view and sense of their deplorable condition. God's Spirit is indeed the Author

-►^f all true conviction of sin ; but in producing it. He leads the minds of men to under-

f i$tand the nature of the law under which they live ; and to see that their lives, words,

md hearts are wholly destitute of conformity to its requirements. If men saw these

lings as the truth demands, and as they will one day see them, the preaching ot the

iospel would be listened to in a manner far different, and with success far greater than

'e have ever witnessed in the world. Then salvation by grace through a Redeemer

'ould be glad tidings of gfeat joy to all people. Listlessness would take her flight from

'orshipping assemblies. Eagerness would mould the features of every hearer ; and

le swelling solicitude of each bosom would catch every whisper of mercy from the

'ord of God as it was pronounced by the living minister. Let then all men study the

Let them study it carefully, candidly, solemnly. There is a great Physician, but

tinners will never go to Him unless they find out that they are sick. Let regenerate

len also study the law. The more they know it, the closer will they cleave to Christ ;

tnd the more profound will be their humility ; and the better will they understand their

indebtedness to Christ for fulfilling its precepts and enduring its curse in their stead,

md for their salvation. If a man loves God he will also love His law ; and what one

loves he will desire and labor to know. "Christ's promise of ease and refreshment

lounds sweet after the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai," wrote Augustine.

' The law gives commands, in order that, endeavouring to perform them, being wearied

trough our infirmity under the kw, we may learn to pray for the assistance of grace.

. . . The utility of the law is to convince man of his own infirmity, and to compel

lim to pray for the gracious remedy provided in Christ God commands what

cannot perform, that we may know for what blessings we ought to supplicate

im The law was given to convict you ; that being convicted you might fear,

lat fearing you might pray f<"r pardon, and not presume on your own streagtb."

1HJ

Jili

Gold from Ophir.

TWO SOLEMN FACTS ABOUT SIN.

I. The Deceivableness and Unprofit-
ableness of Sin.:

Like the vine of Sodom, Deut. 32 : 32,
33 — fair in appearance, but bitter as gall ;
deadly " as the poison of dragons and ctael
venom of asps."

Like a sweet morsel, Job 20 : 12-14,
14, which a man rolls under his tongue, and
holds in his mouth to enjoy its sweet flavor,
till it presently turns to the bitterness of
gall, and he sucks the poison of asps.

Like honeyed words of lust, that end in
bitter wormwood, Prov. 5 : 3, 4.

Like stolen waters, that It ad to death,
Prov. 9 : 17.

Like bread of deceit, that fills the mouth
with gravel, Prov. 20 : 17.

Like the vain toil of one who labors hard
to earn wages, and puts it into a bag with
holes, Haggai i : 6.

Like the wild delirium of strong drink,
that bites like a serpent and stings like an
adder, Prov. 20 : i ; 23 : 32.

Prov. 14:12, 16, 25. — "There is a way,"
etc.

How true the following extract : " Holi-
ness is sweet in the way and in the end too ;
wickedness is sometimes sweet in the way,
but always bitter in the end."

Prov. 12:26. — "The way of the wicked
seduceth them."

The mirage of life. — The delusive appear-
ance that cheats the fainting traveller with
bright hopes of fountains and shady trees, and
vanishes whilst he is still wasting his strength
in the weary chase. Ill-gotten gains seldom
last. Remember Achan and his wedge of
gold. What profit was there in Naboth's
vineyard to wretched Ahab? in the thirty
pieces of silver to miserable Judas? in
Gehazi's talents ? in the rich fool's barns
and the rich man's purple ? The gilded bait
of sin cannot long .hide the hook, Prov. 21 :
6 : 2 Pet. 2 : 3.

Eph. 4:22, "lusts of deceit;" 2 Thess.
2: 10, "all deceivableness of unrighteous-
ness;" Heb. 3:13, "hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin," 2 Tim. 3:3; Titus 3:3,
"deceiving and being deceived."

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

PAUL declares in Rom. 7 : 18, "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth
no good thing." He does not say that there was some little good about him,
a divine spark, a germ of holiness, but he declares that in the nature received f -om
fallen Adam there dwelleth no good thing.

The Holy Ghost asserts (Rom. 8 : 8) that " they that are in the flesh cannot
please God." This declaration is sufficient to show man's complete alienation from
God. It shows that tHey may run the round of the sciences, they may explore the |
depths of philosophy, they may become familiar with the fine arts, they may be j
baptized in any or all of the modes ever practised, and by any or all of the ecclesiastical I
dignitaries on the face of the earth, but if they are in the flesh, if they have only the I
nature inherited from man, if they are not bom again, if they are not made spiritually j
alive, they cannot please God, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him"'
(Heb. II :6).

It is not enough to say that all men are doomed to death, but as the result!
of sin, and the sin of one man, death has already passed upon all men. They are not
dead to their earthly interests and obligations and relations, but to God.

Ruin.

;t; "Holi-
B end too *,
L the way,

he wicked

iive appear-
.veller with
[y trees, and
his strength
rains seldom
is wedge of .
in Naboth's
a the thirty
Judas? in
fool's bams ■
le gilded bait ^
jk, Prov. 21 :

2 Thess.
unrighteous-
through the
3; Titus 3 -.3.

II. The Progressive Character of Sin:

!• like the leprosy, whether in a man's

body or in a house, characterized by a small

beginning (Lev^ 12 : 36), a steady growth and

fearful end.

Is like a canker or gangrene, 2 Tim. 2 :
17, a mortification in the flesh, spreading
over the adjacent parts, till death ensues,
unless stopped by a timely cure.

Is like a serpent's bite, a little puncture,
dly visible, but large enough to admit the
piatal poison.

Isa. 5:18.

It is a common saying among the rabbins,
y Sin is, at first, like a fine silken thread,
pcarcely felt; but the temptation strengthens
%y habit ; the fine thread grows to the thick-
,|iess of a cable or cart-rope, which binds the
unhappy victim with relentless power."

Jer. 9:3. — "They proceed from evil to

ivil."

Hosea 13 : 2. — " Now they sin more and
ore."

2 Tim. 2 : 16. — " They v^rill increase unto
ore ungodliness "

Isaiah i : 5. — "Ye will revolt more and
more."

2 Tim. 3:13. — "They wax worse and
worse."

Num. 32:14. — "An increase of sinful
men."

Psa. I : I.

The book of Psalms, at the beginning, sets
forth the downward steps of sin. The un-
godly (men regardless of God) soon become
sinners (the conscious and deliberate trans-
gressors of God's law), and end in being
scorners (the defiers and scoffers of all re-
ligion) ; thus, led by the siren lure of temp-
tation, they first walk, then stand, then sit,
without alarm, in the road to death.

Isa. 57 : 8. — " Thou hast enlarged thy bed."

Matt. 5 : 22. — Observe the growth of unre-
strained anger. First felt, but silent ; then
venting itself in abuse, "Raca;" then in
contempt, "thou fool."

2 Cor. 12 : 20. — Observe the growth of
strife from half-smothered debates and secret
envyings to open tumults and unchecked
quarrels.

:sh) dwelleth
about him,
eceivedlom

flesh cannot
ienation from
y explore the !
they may be
ecclesiastical
have only the
ide spiritualm
please Him '

as the result I
They are not

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDIFGS.

LL that proceeds from the old sinful nature must of necessity partakt; of its charac-
teristics, for like produces like, and the stream cannot rise higher than its
ource ; and hence the absolute necessity of the " new birth," of a new nature from

iibove.

Truly the flesh is a dangerous and deceitful monster, neither to be trifled with
|or trusted.

From the fall God has classed unre^enerate man with unclean beasts. See Ex.

|3 * 13 ; "Every firs ding of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb ; and if thou wilt not
adeem it, then thou shalt break his neck : and all the first-born of man among thy
"lildren shalt thou redeem." A broken-necked ass, then, is the Bible symbol of the
Ssh, or of human nature, of whose dignity and grandeur we hear and read so much.

D.WID declared ; " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
jnceive me" (Psa. 51 : 5). This is not the extravagant statement t)f a gloomy fanatic

K misanthrope, but the deliberate testimony of a man who spake as he was moved by

be Holy Ghost, showing that iniquity and sin are inwoven in the very warp and woof

p our being.

Before any open act of iniquity was committed, before any knowledge of good
id evil dawned upou or.r infant minds, before any idea respecting God was formed,
tfore any word was uttered, before any conscious thought was cherished, sin had a
igment in thesouL

Gold from Ophir.

1 Tim. 5 ; 13. — " Not only idle, but tattlers,
also busybodies."

2 Pet. 2:20. — "The latter end is worse
with them than the beginning."

Apostacy, afterpartial illumination, brings
the deepest darkness; as the eye is most
dazzled in leaving a well-lighted room. See
Matt. 12 : 45.

Jude II. — Observe the reckless course of
sin — "gone" — "ran greedily" — "peiizhed."

Jude 16. — " Murraurers " (as it were, whis-
perers of discontent in private) ; then"com-
plainers," openly expressing dissatisfaction;
^' speaking great swelling words of vanity."

Matt. 24 : 12 ; Luke 18 • 8. — As the wicked-
•uess of the world grew from the creation to
the flood, till the whole earth was filled with
•violence and guilt, Gen. 6:5, 11, 12, 13, so
shall it be at the end, before the second
coming of the Lord.

V Examples :

Our first parents, Gen. 3rd chap.— The
first sin was a true foreshadowing of the fatal
progress of temptation, — Hstenin— looking
— taking — tasting — eating — giving — excusing
and defending.

Babel-builders, Gen. 11:6—" This they
begin to do; and now nothing will be re-
strained from them."

Lot. — A striking instance. He first chose
the neighborhood of Sodom from selfish
motives. Gen. 13: 10, 11, and pitched his
tent towards it ; then he soon came to dwell
in Sodom, 14 : 12 ; then, worse still, after
having been driven out, and losing all he
had, he returned to dwell in it again ; and
this second time he seems to have settled
there, and become still more intimately
connected with the placo, even catching
some of its evil spirit in acting unjustifiably
toward his own daughters, Gen. 19 : 7, 8, 14.

Joseph's brethren. — Envying a brother,
planning to kill him, covering their guilt by
deceiving their father,

Israel in the Wilderness. See Murmur-
ing.

David, in his great fall, a Sam. iitli
chapter, sloth — lust — deceit — adultery —
murder — cruelty.

Peter's three -li\d denial, each more vio-
lent and terrible than the former.

Selected.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

SO deep seated and irremediable is the corruption of our nature, that even a quick-
ened or regenerated man, looking to his own strivings for deliverance, is forced
to exclaim, "Th- good that I would, I do not ; but the evil which I would not, that I

do I finr then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me,

For I delight in ihe law of God after the inward man ; but I see another law in my
members, warring^ against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the
law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am 1 who shall deliver me
from the body of this death ?" (Rom. 7 : 19-24).

The tiger bom to-day is like the tiger that was bom outside of Eden, and the
man who is bom to-day is like the man who was born outside of Eden, in his relations
to God If a tiger is caught and caged it does not cease to be a tiger, and although
man may be conquered and curbed by law and education, his natuire remains the same
under all circumstances and in all generations.

''The old man is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." The mischief is
within ; and so the faithful witness has said : "Ye must be bom again."

The ruin is so great that you cannot improve the *'old Adam" nature, viz., tliCj
carnal mind or heart. It is so perverse and bad that it can neither be eliminated
nor improved.

ihow

^ Ulli.il

Ruin.

SIN IN GOD'S SIGHT.

le Murmur-

I. "Thou hast set our iniquities before
Thee, our secret sins In the light of Thy
countenance," I'sa. 90 : 8. The topic is
found in the text : Sin in the light of God's
judgment.

II. Man judges by what ho feels; God
LJudges by what he sees, Gen. 6:5. It is
|in the " light " that the heinous character of

tin is manifested. The word is the medium
^that God uses with 'vhich to "convince of
•in." See Psa. 119: 130. Jno. 3:19, 21.

III. On the great Day of Atonement the
ligh-priest had to go into the "light" in
the Most Holy Place. There, in the awful

Ipresence of God, in the light that shone
ibeteewn the cherubim and mercy-seat, he
[could, in a measure, see what a dreadful
Ithing sin was in God's sight, and also con-

I trast with it the unspeakable preciousness of
the blood.

IV. In the light sin is judged, and in the
light sin is put away, i Jno. i : 7 Christ the

• " light of the world," " bore our sins in His
own body on the tree." There the accursed
hindrpnce to man's getting back to God was
removed out of the way. "Beh'-" the
Lamb of God that taketh away tht ?i ■>(
the world," Jno. i : 29.

V. Light preced'js life. By the light we
discover that we "are dead in trespasses
and sins," and then we get life by receiving
Christ. "He that hath the son, hath life;
and he that hath not the Son of God.
hath not life," i Jno. 5 : 12. No life out of
Christ. J. F. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

DO we teach fables when we assert man's ruin and wretchedness? Let sin give the
answer to that question — sin in all its shades of blackness, sin in its universality.
[Let sin frv'-m the very commencement to the present day, give the answer, with all its
[tears and groans ; let sickness^ and sorrow, and death give their evidence as regards
lan's ruin. Every hospital, and prison, and grave-yard, and every coffin, and every
shroud, tell us that this being, created in the image of God, is feeble, and fallen,
(degraded, and condemned, and therefore needs a Saviour.

" For the love of Christ constraineth us : because we thus jud^e, that if one died

for all, then were all dead " (2 Cor. 5:14) Here again is proof positive of man's total

overthrow by sin. The very fact of Christ's death on the cross brings out the

^certainty of man's complete alienation from his Maker. If man had not been utterly

[dead toward God. Christ would not have died.

Don't ignore God's verdict r it is, *' All have sinned and come short of the glory
jf God" (Rom. 3 : 23) ; and again, **By one man sin entered into the world, and death
>y sin " (Rom. 5 : 12). Man says he cannot understand this ; but his own experience
proves it to be true.

Don't think that^all little babes are "little innocents." They are not. They
ihow " old Adam " before they have done with the cradle.

How complete was the fall and separation from God ! God had fully blessed ;
5atan suggests that God keeps back the best gift out of envy, lest man should be like
iHim. Man trusts Satan for kindness rather than God, whom He judges according to
Satan's lie. He believes Satan instead of God, when he tells him he should net die,
ts God said he should, and casts off the God who had blessed him, to gratify his lusts,
'lot trusting God, he uses his own will to seek happiness by, as a surer way, as men
10 now.

IH I '13)1111!:

M
!1h!

Gold from Ophir.

Ml'i! I

THE MYSTERY OF DRESS.

By A. A. Rees.

"Ani^. they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." —
Genesis 2 : 25.

" AND were not ashamed." Wherefore this qualification? It is to imply that
■tV. nakedness and shame were not originally linked together — that is, that God
did not constitute their union ; and even reason tells us that artificial clothing was an
after-thought, for if God made man perfect, as He did all the other creatures, why
should he, unlike them, need any supplement to his skin ? No, he was not ashamed,
because he was not self-conscious ; like the herds and the flocks, he knew not that he
was naked, and so was no more ashamed of being as God made him thr.n they were.
In a word, he knew neither good nor evil within or without, and therefore could not
make any distinction between being naked and being clothed. But sin " opened his
eyes" — that is, it created self-consciousness — and he knew what he did not know
before, " that he was naked" — naked in body and in soul. But why should he be
ashamed of this twofold nakedness? As to his body, it was unchanged ; but his soul
being now possessed by self-consciousness, and sin being the object of that conscious-
ness, he had a bad and guilty self-consciousness or conscience, which passed from his
soul to his body, made him ashamed of the nakedness of both, prompted him to hide
his bodily shame by wearing manufactured clothing, and the shame of his soul by
runn'.ng from the presence of God among t? 2 trees of the garden. But neither of
these rudimentary coverings were sufficient. An apron of fig-leaves could not ccver
the naked body, nor could a screen oftrees cover the naked souL God's voicespeedily
tore off these flimsy pretexts, and, after conviction and sentence. He supplied " coats of
skin " for their bodies, and a promise of redemption for their souls — the former being a
type of the latter. Moreover, alas 1 all Adam's sons and daughters came into the world
with the same conscious twofold nakedness and shame, which they endeavor to hide
by artificial clothing for the body and self-righteousness for the soul — that is, humanly-
invented religion under one form or another. And until God's voice pursues and
arrests them they are complacent with their double invention, whether their clothing
be the aprons of savages or the manufacture of Parisian milliners and tailors, and
whether their religion be the fetishism of Africa or the pseudo-Christianity of Eui .pe.
When, ho'.vever, the questions reach the covered and sleepy conscience, "Adam,
where art thou?" "Who told thee that thou wast viaked?" the self-righteous covering
is torn and scattered to the winds, and the soul stands out in conscious nakedness and
shame, while fashion is contemptuously discredited as the shameful development of
primeval fig-leaves. \Vhat now can cover the soul's nakedness, not only from the eye
of the conscience, but also from the e>e of God? The answer is. Nothing but Christ.
When the conscience sees Him as the perfect response to every Divine claim, all guilt
and shame disappear, and God can be confronted not only without alarm but with
full assurance.

Man is not now, however, as he was in Paradise — innocent/!' norant, naked and
shameless — but "knowing good and evil," self-conscious, sinful, and yet not ashamed,
if a Christian, because Christ is the all-sufficient answer in the conscience to confessed
and repented sin. Furthermore, in proportion as conscience is cultivated and
developed, so is the sense of moral guilt and bodily shame ; hence, children and
savages, with a rudimentary conscience, are but little sensible of the difference between
right and wrong, and of the difference between being naked and being clothed.
Behold, then, the vile origin of dress, and consider the monstrous preposterousness of
being proud of it As well might a convict be vain of his glittering and clanking

'm%

Ruin.

hamed."-

t?i;/;il?if ^i.^^'^^u °/:^»s crime and punishment, as men and women be vain of
their clothes, which besides bemg the badge of their infamy, is the plundered skin
hair, wool, and feathers of innocent creatures, and a necessa^ evil in L unrXmed
sefe^ ^ • "'^"^ sanctdied soul, and a deranged atmosphere. Oh, happy day 1 when
:ewraTn\^"S^Vi^±^L*t!^^ of^£U w^: the

mply that

that God
ng was an
tures, why

ashamed,
lot that he
they were.

could not
pened his
not know
uld he be
ut his ;jou1
conscious-
d from his
im to hide
is soul by
neither of

not ccver
:e speedily
[ " coats of
ler being a
3 the world
tor to hide
, humanly-
Lirsues and
:ir clothing
ailors, and
of Eui .pe.
;, "Adam,
IS covering
sdness and
lopment of
)m the eye
but Christ,
m, all guilt
(1 but with

naked and
t ashamed,
) confessed
vated and
jildren and
ice between
ig clothed,
rousness of
,d clanking

• \

Gold from Ophir.

CAIN.

C Coveted the favor that his brother's offering got.

A Angry because his brother is accepted, and he rejected.

I Inherited this evil from his parents.

^ Neglected the sin ofifering that was crouching at the door.

This was the sin of sins — that he would
not accept or bring the offering" that God
required (see Gen. 4 : 7, margin, Newberry's

Bible), "If thou doest well, shalt thou not
be accepted ? and if not, a sin offering
croucheth at the door." F. E. M.

MAN'S RUINED CONDITION DESCRIBED BY GOD.

XI. Guilty before God, Rom. 3 : 19.

I. Every imagination of the thoughts of
his heart was only evil continually, Gen.
6:5.

II. Abominable, Job. 15 : 16.

III. All gone aside, they are altogether
become filthy : there is none that doeth
good, no, not one, Psa. 14 : 3.

IV. Corrupt, Psa. 53 : i.

V. Full of evil, and madness in their
heart, Eccles. 9:3.

VI. From the sole of the foot even unto
the head no soundness in it, but wounds,
and bruises, and putrifying sores, Isa. i : 6.

VII. The heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked, Jer. 17 : 9.

VIII. Lost, Luke 19 : 10.

IX. W^ithout excuse, Rom. i : 20.

X. None that seeketh after God, Rom.
3:11.

XII. All have sinned, and come short of
t'le glory of God, Rom. 3 : 23.

XIII. U^.g'vo!.- Mthout- strength, Rom.
5:6.

XIV. Dead in trespasses and sin, Eph.

2 : I.

XV. Children of disobedience, Eph. 2 : 2.

XVI. Children of wrath, Eph. 2 : 3.

XVII. Without Christ, having no hope,
and without God in the world, Eph. 2 : 12.

XVIII. Destitute of the truth, i Tim.
6:5.

XIX. Having not the Spirit, Jude ig.

XX. Wretched, and m'^'e.able, and poor,
and blind, and naked, P ^ : ^7-

J. M. S.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

MAN must have life before he can obey, even to the slightest extent, any one of the
precepts of the Lord. God gives not His law to dead men, or rather, if He does,
it is to show that they are legally, morally, and spiritually dead, and are utterly unable
to keep those commandments which the fact of their death proves them to have
broken.

Adam, who had covered his nakedness, speaks of it when God is there as much
ag if he had done nothing to cover it. And so it is with all our efforts to make out
what shall hide our sin, or make out righteousness. Moreover man flies from God

before ever God drives him in righteousness from His presence and blessing

As representing the race, Adam had no promise ; there is none to the first Adam ; all
is in the second, the woman's seed.

Ruin.

MAN.

God's own description of him and his
[ members.

I. The Heart — From -within, out of the
^ heart proceed : —

I. Evil thoughts.
II. Adulteries.

III. Fornications,

IV. Murders.
V. Thefts.

VI. Covetousness.
VII. Wickedness,
nil. Deceit.
IX, Lasciviousness.

X. An evil eye.
XI. Blasphemy.
XII. Pride.
[XIII. Foolishness.
All these evil things come from within and
ile the man, Mark 7 : 20-23.

Man's heart is—

I. Deceitful above all things. 2. Desper-
Itely wicked, Jeremiah 17 : 9. 3. Foolish.

Darkened, Rom. i : 21. 5. Blind, Eph.
: 18. Exercised with covetous practices,
I Peter 2 : 14.

II. The Mind — Reprobate, Rom. i : 28.
defiled, Titus i : 15,

III. The Thoughts — Of iniquity, Isaiah
7-

IV. Conscience — Seared with a hot iron
I Tim. 4 : 2. Defiled, Titus i : 15.

V. Feeling— Being past feeling, Eph. 4 :
19.

VI. Understanding— Darkened, Eph. 4
18,

VII. Eyes— Full of adultery that cannot
cease from sin, 2 Peter 2:14; see Job 24 : 15

VIII. Hands— Full of blood, Isa i 15.
The act of violence is in them, Isa. 59 : 6.

IX. Feet — Run, make haste to evil, Isa.
57 : 7. " Swift," make haste, etc., Rom.
3:15-

X. Lips — Adders' poison, Psa. 140 : 3.
Poison of asps, Rom. 3 : 13. Unclean, Isa.

XI. Throat — An open sepulchre, Rom.

3: 13-

XII. Mouth — Cursing and bitterness,
Rom. 3 : 14.

XIII. Tongue — Deadly poison, deceit,
James 3:8; Rom. 3 : 13.

XIV. Bones — Full of the sins of youth.
Job 20 : 1 1

The whole head is sick and the whole
heart faint. From the sole of the foot even
unto the head there is no soundness in it,

Isaiah i : 5, 6.

S. TINSLEY.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

[N the third chapter of Genesis we find — what, alas 1 has always happened, and hap-
pened immediately when God has set anything up in the hands of responsible
Han — disobedience and failure. The subtlety of the hidden enemy of our souls is now
work. The first effect is the distrust of God which he inspires ; then lust and
isobedience ; utter dishonor done to God, whether as regards His thith or His love ;
^e power of natural affections over man ; the consciousness of being naked and
jwerless ; effort to hide from oneself; terror of God — seeking to hide from Him ;
f-justification, which seeks to cast upon another, and even upon God, that of which
"^e have been guilty.

There is no difficulty in understanding what is meant when it is said that a lion
by nature ferocious and blood-thirsty ; and in precisely the same sense it is affirmed
n the testimony of God Himself th. ^ by nature we are sinful, for by nature we
e the objects of His just displeasure.

Gold from Ophir.

ILLUSTRATIONS FROM BOSTON'S "FOURFOLD STATE.

Sin is the natural man's element ; he is as
loth to part with it as the fishes are to come
out of the water on to dry Ir.nd.

Though a stone thrown up into the air
may abide there a little while, yet its natural
heaviness will bring it down to the earth
again ; and so do unrenewed men return to
the wallowing in the mire, because they
Avere not changed.

There was not one wrong pin in the
tabernacle of human nature when God set
it up, however shattered it is now.

A disposition to establish our own right-
eousness is a weed that naturally grows
in every man's heart, but few sweat at the
plucking of it up — it lurks undiscovered. •

The sin of our nature is the cause of all
particular lusts aftd actual sins, in our hearts
and lives ; it is the spawn which the great
leviathan has left in the souls of men, from

whence comes all the fry of actual sins and
abominations.

The corrupt heart is like an ant's nest, on
which, while the stone lieth, none of them
appear ; but take off the stone and stir them
up but with the point of a straw, you will
see what a swarm is there and how lively
they be.

The natural man is always as a workman
left without light — either trifling or doing
mischief. Try to catch thy heart at any
time thou wilt, and thou sh?lt find either
weaving the spider's web, or hatching cocka-
trice-eggs, Isa. 59 : 5.

•' By one man sin entered into the world,
and death by sin." Behold the door by
which death came in 1 Satan wrought with
his lies till he got it open, and so death
entered.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

IN the second chapter of Genesis we have man in the order of created blessing, the
state in which he is ; in the third, man's fall from God, by which his intercourse
with God on this ground is foreclosed ; in the fourth, his wickedness in connection with
grace in the evil state resulting from his fall ; what the world thereupon became, man
being driven out from the presence of God.

After man's fall we find he grew worse and worse, and God's creation was
utterly defiled and filled with violence, the two universal characters of active will out
of God. As regards man, it was now brought out, when he was left to himself (for
before the flood, save gracious testimony, he was so left), that every thought of hi-
heart was only evil continually.

Sins like deadly fruits abound on every hand ; but they are the visible outgrowth
ofthe sin that like a poisonous root is implanted in every human breast. Currents!
and streams of ^ns that are impure in their lightest spray are flowing everywhere overj
the earth ; but they all spring from the sin that like a corrupt fountain has its sourcej
beyond the control of men.

Of such a heinous character is the evil nature within us that if we had been born!
blind and deaf and dumb, if we had been shut up in a dungeon at our first breath and!
cut off all our lifetime from any possible contact with the world, sin would still havej
reigned with imperious sway over every faculty of our being, and aroused evenl
impulse of the heart in determined opposition to the will of God, whether prcclaimed'
amid the thunders of Sinai, or pleading in the tender accents of Calvary.

Ruin.

al sins and

t's nest, on
ne of them
id stir them
V, you will
how lively

a workman
ng or doing
eart at any
t find either
tching cocka-

:o the world,
the door by

wrought with
ind so death |

•

The Lord put all maakind's stock (as it
®%rere) in one ship, and, as we ourselves
•would have done, He made one common
lather (Adam) the pilot

As the circumcised parent begets an
imcircumcised child, and after the purest
in is sown we reap com with the ch^,

the holiest parents beget unholy children,

id cannot communicate their grace to them,
A* they do their nature.

If one lamb skip into a water, the rest
-ttuit are near will suddenly follow ; it may
Also be observed in the disposition of the

blessing, the
intercourse I
nnection with
Decame, man |

creation wasj
ictive will out!
himself (for'
lought of hi

jle outgrowths
.St. Currentsl
rywhereo\erl
has its soiuoe

lad been boi
:st breath and
»uld still have
.roused even'
er proclaimed

children of men, to whom it is very natural
to embrace an evil way.

We have fallen into the hands of our
grand adversary, as Samson into the hands
of the Philistines, and are deprived of our
two eyes. "There is none that vmder-
standeth."

The unregenerate part of mankind are
rambling through the world like so many
blind men, who will neither take a g:uide
nor can guide themselves, and are there-
fore falling over this and the other preci-
pice into Atsknxdion.— Footsteps of Truth.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

WE find the sweet Psalmist of Israel saying, not in the hyperbole of poetry, nor in
the extravagant confession of a morbid conscience, but in the inspired utterance
^ a truth that applies to every child of Adam, " Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and
in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psa. 51 : 5).

The words of Genesis 6:5," every," " only," " evil," and " continually," tell the
Appalling story of the world's utter ruin by sin without going further.

The story of man's ruin is told out more powerfully and affectingly at the cross
<rf Christ, for there alone has the full enormity of sin been exhibited to the gaze of the
Itetonished heavens. " God spared not His own Son," because all our iniquities were
laid upon Him, although the inconceivable agony of the sinless sufferer must have
Appealed with inconceivable urgency to the Father's sympathies.

He who is engaged in preaching the " gospel oF manhood," or the "gospel of

tience," or any other gospel than the good news ot salvation for ruined man
lely through faith in Christ, though he were an angel from heaven, let him be
liccursed. " As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other
)spel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1 : 9).

Surely it is a solemn and suggestive fact that three times God deliberately
jissifies man with unclean beasts. This significant fact is in marked contrast with
foolish, because false and fatal, exaltation of man, to which . many of our most
Ipular pulpits are now rendering their powerful support. These orators delight to
ifcll upon the dignity and nobility of man, but according to God's estimate of his
MIK)ral condition by nature, his appropriate type is a broken-necked and worthless ass.

The very fact that the word of God imperatively demands that the sinner

te born again," furnishes proof positive that He has condemned the old nature as
plessly and hopelessly bad, and has executed upon it the sentence of His righteous
pleasure

A FAMOU.s English physician, a Christian, remarks : " There are many figures

similes employed by God in the Holy Scriptures to represent to us our lost

ition as sinners, such as rebels, slaves, blinded, deaf, etc. ; but to my medical

d there is none more solemn than that which occurs twice in the second chapter of

hesians, viz : " Dead in trespasses and sins." The unregenerate, unbelieving soul

ompared here by God to a corpse — a lifeless carcase ; it is " dea^ in sins." •

h\i

Gold from Ophir.

THE ROOT OF THE TREE.

By H. F. Witherhy.

THE latter part of the fifth chapter of Romans treats of our nature, and from it we
take five divine proofs of man's condition, opposite to which we place five views
of divine grace abounding towards man in his lost condition, " for where sin abounded
grace did much more abound" (v. 20.)

RUIN.
I. (v. 12).
Sin, and death by sin, brought into the
world :

By one man — Adam.

II. (v. 15).
Many being; dead ; or having; died :

Through the offence of one man — Adam.

SINFULNESS.

III. (v. 18).

The old judicial standing before God —
to condemnation :

By the one oflfence of — Adam.

IV. (v. 19).
Many made sinners :

By one man's — Adam's — disobedience.

DEATH.

V. (v. 21).
The reign of sin unto death :

Brought in through one man — Adam.

GRACE.
I. (end of V. 15).
The grace of God brought to man :

By one Man — Christ.

II. (v. 15).

The free gift by grace abounding unto '
many:

3y one M.a.n— Jesus Christ.

RIGHTEOUSNESS.

III. (v. 18).

The new judicial standing before God-
justification of life :

By the one righteousness of Christ.

IV. (v. 19).
Many made righteous :

By one Man's — Christ's — obedience.

LIFE.
V. (v. 21).
The reign of grace unto eternal life :
Brought in through one Man — Christ Jesm.

We arrange these five views of God's grace in the three divisions of Graa|
Righteousness, and Life, opposite to man's Ruin, Sinfulness, and Death.

First, then, there is the ruin. The ruin of God's work when He made m;
upright.

I. Sin is brought into the world :

" By one man sin entered into the world." Innocence existed in one man-
Adam. God made Adam free from evil ; without the knowledge of sin. This wi
the starting point of man's existence upon the earth — a life in its moral characteristic
totally distmct from our present life. But Adam preferring disobedience to obedieno
and exercising his will, his nature became evil, and thereupon the character of thj
fountain of human life became changed. Innocence disappeared from the earth, am
sin entered the world. This is the origin of our sinful nature which we receiv
through our parents, and with which ^^ e were born. We trace the river from tlii^
present day to the past generation — we follow it further and flirther till we reach ii|
source — and we find that every age has produced a nature which is sinful.

The nature of man is, moreover, actively evil, and the activities of our nature art
our individual responsibilities. If a wicked father beget a wicked son, the wickedner
of the son is his own wickedness and his own responsibility, and not that of his parecj

Ruin.

i from it we
e five views
in abounded M

i*t:

to man:

ounding unto'

Virist.
SS.

; before God-'^

I of Christ.

-obedience.

sternal life ;
— Christ Jesui.

ions of Grao

He made

he law of the land would not excuse a thief because his father and grandfather had
1 thieves before him, and neither does the divine law excuse us individually
cause of the sinful nature of the parent of our race.

Had any man been born innocent, and retained his innocency, from him a fresh
^"^tream of life should have flowed ; but, "all have sinned." This is the plain fact. It
is unalterable. Neither does God Himself elect to change it ; but in contrast to the
dark reality of sin's entrance into the world there is grace.

I. The grace of God is brought to man.
% One Man — Adam — by wilful transgression of God's command introduced sin and
iieath into the world ; by one Man — Jesus Christ — willingly, ^d in obedience to
God's word, doing God's will, grace came to man.

Man failed in his state of innocence, and brought ruin upon the whole human
tace ; thereupon God promised One by whom man should b« blessed, and Jesus, dying
for sinners in the activity of divine love, brought grace to the ruined race, and brought
it by accomplishing redemption. God's justifying ,, race flows to man from Christ, who
died for the ungodly.

God does not repair the ruin, or rebuild what man has overthrown, but God brings
jfrace to man in the ruin, and grace meets us just as we are, and just where we are. The

Sace of God brought to man in his present state by the one Man, Jesus Christ, is as
stinct a reality as the ruin and the sin brought into the world in its first state by the
c«ie man — Adam. Sin entered the scene of innocence. Grace has entered the scene of
ruin.

Not oniy has sin been brought into the world, but death also by sin, and thus :

II. To man, as the of&tpring of Adam, is attached the penalty of
4eath.

"Through the offence of one many be dead," or have died (5 : 15). As a king,
upon surrendering to the enemy, involves his kingdom by his act, and as, in his fall,
his kingdom also falls, so the race of man suffers the penalty of its head — the many,
tiue multitude of mankind has fallen with Adam under death's power.

" The wages of sin is death," which solemn sentence Adam and myriads of men
Ijave proved in their own bodies. Death is the wages of sin, but not the debt of
liature. God did not make in order to die, but by sin man forfeited his life, and now
h*th " death passed upon all men for that all have sinned," and he who dies in his sins
■fnll '^e eternally banished from the presence of the Holy God.

Thus, we have by Adam's act, innocence gone, continuous life upon this earth
lost, and man sinning a few short years in a scene of suffering, and then leaving this
mxth. altogether. No power in man to recover what is lost, no strength to lift himself
^0«t of his natural condition — Paradise behind, death before, and after death judgment.

1 one man

sin. This w
characteristii
•e to obedienci
haracter of tl
the earth, ani
ph we receive
river from tl^,
;ill we reach if

ful. L

our nature ar,
the wickednfc^

atofhispareiii

3«

Gold from Ophir.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ON THE SUBJECT OF RUIN.

ALL unbelievers are, in the strong language of Scripture, dead. They are dead in
the eye of Divine Justice ; for as the condemned criminal i= bpoken of "as a dead
man," when his crimes have brought on him the legal doom of death, so the unconverted
man is likewise "dead," because "he that believeth i it is condemned already." Further
he is. also spiritually dead on account of being cut off by his sins from communion with
the living God. For as a corpse moves not, stirs not, feels not, and cannot be roused,
so is he dead to all ^ve of God, and everything pertaining to the wondrous gospel of
Jesus Christ.

The unbelieving are carrying about, in connection with their living bodies, dead
souls. They remind us of the fearful punishment described by Virgil, as inflicted by
the mythical Mezentious, King of the Tyrrhenians, when he bound dead corpses to
living men ; and the living moved about with the dead, decomposing bodies tied to them,
face to face and hands to hands ! Many, very many, of those who walk our streets,
and some who frequent our churches, are just like Mezentious's victims : only the dead,
corrupt, and putrefying thing is within.

The unregenerate are stalking charnel-houses, walking " whited sepulchres,"
which outwardly " appear beautiful," but within are full of " rottenness " and " unclean-
ness." I !i God's holy sight the soul of even/ unbelieving man — however moral, and
good, and virtuous, and excellent, and exemplary (in the estimation of the world) that
man may be — is dead — dead in trespasses and sins. For " all have sinned ; " '* there
is none righteous ; no, not one." And the dreadful eternal fate of every such unbeliever
is this : " He that believeth not the Son shall not see Life, but the wrath of God
abideth on him." What a terrific doom !

At the present day many persons have photographs of their faces taken, which
they present to their friends. But if it were possible to have an album of photographs
taken of our sinful souls, revealing and blazoning forth all the evil deeds they had each
done, all the evil words they had ever spoken, and all the evil thoughts they had ever
thought, how hideous and horrible would such a picture be ! Would any man dare to
give his true soul-photograph to any brother-man ?

The soul of the sinner is dead. And now co.nes the momentous question,
How may it be rendered spiritually alive ? How " bom again " into new life ? How
recovered and restored from a state of death in sin, to a state of life in righteousness;
By nature and practice we are all sinners, — all " dead in trespasses and sins," — all
rebels against God. And the doom for every single sin of every sinner is eternal
death — eternal separation and banishment from the holy presence of God.

Sin is the blast which withers all the flowers of life.

Oh, the depravity of our nature ! Some doubt whether it is total depravity. Iti
deserves a worse adjective than that.

Men is helpless to vary the law under which he finds himself. Just as the fish,!
which, at the approach of danger, fly above the waves, man may make efforts to bel
free from sin, but his very efforts only demonstrate his inability to deliver himseltj
The short flights of the fish do not change them into birds, or deliver from the law ol
their existence, and they soon drop again into their native element ; and man cannotP
elevate himself out of himself. Nor does he, by efforts to rise above himself, escape
from the law under which he is bom.

Condemnation is attached to this governing principle of sin and death. Manl
gravitates to destruction, as the apple falls to the earth. Man does not rise tol
glory as the flame ascends upwards. It is not in man's being to direct his course to^
God and to heaven ; alas ! it is his nature to get as far away from God as possible, and
to tread the broad road.

Ruin.

IN.

re dead in
"as a dead
iconverted
.» Further
union with
be roused,
IS gospel of

idies, dead
inflicted by
corpses to
ied to them,
our streets,
ily the dead,

sepulchres,"
d " unclear.-
r moral, and
: world) that
;d;" "there
■h unbeliever ^
wrath of God i

taken, which]
photographb _
ley had each \
hey had ever I
man dare to!

)us question.!

life? Howl
Ighteousness .
'^- sins,"-all

ler is eternal

lepravity. itj

Lst as the fish,!
k efforts to bel
Miver himseKl
fom the law oil
Id man cannoll
Jmself, escapej

[ death. Man!

bs not rise tol

his course tol

i possible, andi

The extent of the terrible law of sin and death is as wide as the circle where the
law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus is not found. Everywhere outside of Christ man
lis under its power, and wherever he may be, in heathendom, circles moral and
[religious, or in those debased and profane, it matters not.

In the Book of Leviticus we are told that no leaven or honey shall be in the meat
(or, as in the Revised Version, " meal ") offering presented to God. Leaven is the
symbol of sin, and no offering must have sin with it. Is not honey the type of that
sweetness, " godliness," of human nature, which, when it comes into collision with
God's Word, when it runs counter to God's righteousness and holiness, is nothing
l)etter than corruption ? We must set aside all our natural feelings, and ask what God has
written. When we find a warning concerning what is called in the Book of Revelation
^e second death, we ou^ht to bow and receive the statements, because God has so
written them. Adam bemg the head of mankind, al' ot us sinned in him, so that the
consequence, death, has come unto all. We are all oom in a state of spiritual death.
God said to Adam, " In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Adam did
not die, as to the body, until a thousand years after his sin ; but spiritual death took
place on the very day he sinned. Spiritual death is our heritage, then, and we are
pom in a state which the Bible describes as "dead in trespasses and sins." Misery,
iborruption, sorrows, and tears, are part and parcel of this spiritual death in which we
are all involved. Scripture goes on, however, to speak of something worse — namely,
the second death. That cannot be annihilation, but must be a state for which there
tt need of solemn warning. This punishment is identified with the lake of fire, into
which we read, "whosoever was not found written in the Book of life" was cast. It
best for us to leave these solemn statements of God's Word, in their simplicity, to
f»eak for themselves.

We do not have in any part of the Bible a clearer statement of the Gospel than in
the Epistle to the Romans, which was written to set forth Christian doctnne. That
book begins with a dark revelation of sin. In chaps, i ; d 2, and in the first half of
'le third chapter, you have the subject of sin explained nd opened up. Why? In
rder to prepare you for the Gospel which is afterwards to be announced. And when
)u have all the world brought in guilty before God, then comes the revelation of the
jhteousness which God has provided " by faith of Jesus Christ unto and upon all
iem that believe." It is for this reason that the Scripture doctrine of sin is a very
fccessary one to set forth as a fundamental truth. However repugnant, however
kpulsive in some phases, and however unattractive it is, the truth concerning sin is a
try necessary one to set forth, especially in these times. Amidst the many elements
.departure from the truth, there is none more potent than ignorance on this subject,
is because of this ignorance that there is so much ignorance as to the remedy
lich God has provided for sin.

Man, as a child of Adam, is not at the centre of the immense system of God's

lys. Out of Christ and without Christ, he does not know the centre ; he speculates,

Jthout foundation and without end, only to lose himself more and more. His

iowledge of good and evil, and the energy of his moral faculties, do but lead him

Itray the more, because he employs them on higher questions than those which simply

Tlate to physical things ; and they produce in him the need of reconciling apparently

consistent principles, which cannot be reconciled without Christ. Moreover the

idency of man is always to make of himself, as he is, the centre of everything ; and

renders everything false.

You may galvanise a dead body and give it the semblance of life, or richly adorn
and give it the semblance of beauty, but do what you like, it remains a corpse still.
i^s i" a true illustration of what the world is morally before God, for notwithstanding
galvanized religious life and outward adorning, it is a con^pt and worthless thing—

iritual corpse, and only fit for burial.

a nl

Gold from Ophir.

*' ml

HOLINKSS implies a full knowledge of what sin is, and a complete hatred of
sin. God only knows what sin is, and what it is to hate sin with determined,
unchanged, and unchangeable detestation.

Righteousness is a perfect conformity to the law ; if it be tried by the balance
01 the sanctuary, it is full weight ; if by the standard, it is full measure ; if judgment
be laid to the line and righteousness to the plummet, it is quite upright. There is no
defect in it of any kind. This is the righteousness of the law — it must be perfect and
continual, failing in no one point : for the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God. And it is an adjudged case that there is none righteous, no, not one. It is left
upon record that all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God ; therefore, by
the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight.

In one of Spurgeon's sermons the following quaint but scriptural sentiments fell
from his lips : " I believe in the fall. I am quite sure I itiust have fallen some time
or other for I know I am not as good as God would have made me, and as I shall be
one day. But as I found myself in my natural estate when the Spirit of God woke
me up to examine myself, I did not find myself to be the perfect creation of God. I
found myself a fallen being while I was yet a boy. With godly parents and a holy
training, yet I had abundant evidence that somewhere or other I had had an awful fall.
Some people think that in the fall Adam broke his little finger ; he met with much more
serious mischief than that. There was an awful fall for the whole race in that day
when our great representative wilfully broke the law of his God. The Scripture tells
us that the human heart is deceitful above all thingfs, and desperately wicked. Perhaps
you do not believe it ; but I know it was true of me, and I believe it may be true with
the rest of us. When man once begins to see himself he begins to hate hinxself, and is
ready to condemn himself outright. According to Scripture, there are tendencies in
us towards evil. Do you find no such tendencies in you towards evil ? Do you have to
try and force yourself to think a wrong thought ? Do you ever have to sit down and
try to think of something evil ? Evil thoughts come quickly enough of themselves, like
ill weeds that grow apace. But when you wish to do right, and to study it, and to
bring yourself into an elevated frame of mind, is there not effort wanted, because
of the old nature which points downwards and towards evil wUhin, ao Scripture tell us
it does ?

The course of man commenced with disobedience, it developed with human
progress ; till, by reason of human iniqui^j^ combined with satanic energy, God sent
the flood, and swept the face of the earth of its sciences and its cities, of its arts and
its wickedness.

After the flood, the re-peopled earth became, morally, like the side of the moon
lying in the shroud of its own shadow ; even then darkness covered th? earth and
gross darkness the people. The world worshipped demons, and even Israel redeemed
from idolatrous Egypt, carried images of demons in their camp. The licentious acting
of the human will led the haathen into every form of horrible self-indulgence (Rom.

1 : 23-31), till man became what beasts can never be — lower than himself. The Jews
transgressed the law Jehovah gave them, and by transgression became more culpable
than the Gentiles, who had but their consciences to accuse or to excuse them (Rom.

2 : 15), and who, not having the restraint of divine authority, sinned with uncurbed
■wills.

" Dead in trespa5ses and sins," " Sons of disobedience," " Children of wrath,"
such is the solemn record of God concerning man !

The heart of man i« the filthiest place, excepting hell, that can be.

There are depths in the mystery of sin which it is as impossible for us to fathom
as it is foi us to sound the depths of the mystery of godliness. Speculation is worse
than useless.

S; ' I

Ruin.

History and experience tell us that sin is not a mere passing defect which time
removes. It is true that there are certain sins which disappear in certain places
as the ages roll on ; but while certain sins vanish, sin always abides. The fountain of
evil never runs dry, though the streams that proceed from it vary in their appearance and
their character. The sins of childhood, its peevishness, and changefulness, and disobedi-
ence disappear as youth opens before us ; but youth biings with it a pride, a vanity, a
recklessness of its own. As a youth passes through the golden gate of manhood, a
sobering influence passes over him ; but strong passions, a longing to be rich at any
cost, the love of pleasure, a determination to crush others down, and mount the ladder
of life over their heads — such foes as these lie in wait for him ; how few fully escape
from their hands ! And when old age comes upon a man, the shadows close around
him, and the fountain of many pleasures once delighted in dries up ; then avarice often
lays hold upon him, hardening, petrifying every tender thought and feeling, and withering
the whole nature up. Sickness is found often to make men selfish, and prosperity to
produce pride, riches to foster selfishness and luxurious living, poverty to produce
discontent. Each event that happens to a man seems to have some sin corresponding
to it, which it is apt to awaken it^his heart. Evidently the tree is corrupt in all
positions and at all seasons, and it brings forth corrupt fruife

What is sin ? In i John 3, )ve read that " sin is the transgression of the law,"
or, as I think it may be more correctly defined, " Sin is nonconformity to law." If we
ask what that law is, we find that it is not the law of society, not the law of public
opinion, but the law of God which is expressed either in the two great commandments
given by Christ, or in the Ten Commandments contained in the law of Moses. These
set forth God's claims upon us as his creatures. If we take the law positively, as in
the two commandments, it is perfect love — to "love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart," and to " love thy neighbour as thyself." These things none of us do. We
transgress the law, we do not conform to the law, we are sinners. What we need is to
give up this shallow view which we naturally have of sin, when we account sin as
merely a breaking forth of corruption in this or that direction ; and we need to embrace
God's definition as something more searching, more real, and more comprehensive.
And I ask, which one of us (at all acciuainted with his own heart) does not feel that
we are rightly brought in sinners before God ? After all that we can say in presenting
Scripture truth concerning the nature of sin, I believe that we need a teacher more
than man to bring it home co our hearts. While the Word of God sets before us a
very clear definition of what sin is, namely, nonconfomiity to law, and that " by the
law is the knowledge of sin," yet we need the Spirit of God who wrote that Word to
impress it upon our hearts, and I believe that the Spirit does come and convince of
sin. Then, and not till then, do we really understand what this fearful evil is.

Sin is the grand cause of the misery and sorrow in the world at this very day,
pain, disease, and death ; strifes, quarrels, and divisions ; wars, battles, and fightings ;
envy, jealousy, and malice ; deceit, fraud, and cheating ; violence, oppression, and
robbery ; selfishness, unkindness, and ingratitude — all these are the fruits of sin. Sin
is the parent of them all. Sin it is that has so marred and spoiled the face of God's
creation. More than all, sin crucified the Son of God.

We shall know more deeply in eternity the 1 meaning of sin, and the evil of the
natural heart. How are we to know it now more deeply ? By looking to Jesus ; by
reading such passages as Romans 3 ; and by looking at the cross of Christ. By
reading of " feet swift to shed blood," and marking the feet of Jesus nailed to the
cross. " The throat an open sepulchre," and the cry of the Son of God, " I thirst."
The hands ready for iniquity, and the hands of Jesus fastened in judgment to the tree.
By counting what evil members one must have, by what Christ suffered on the tree ;
what a cursed head mine must be, since the Son of God was crowned w ith thorns.
This is learning holiness^ first in learning to hate what we see God judging in His Son ;
it is learning to shrink from thac which made God's Son say, "Why hast Thou
forsaken Me?"

' I' I

■i !>'!

Gold from Ophir.

Sin is at once a state, a )?uilt and a pollution. By reason of our sin we have
become alienated and separated from all personal fellowship with God. No man who
does not know Jesus Christ can have any peaceable relations with God. Nor does he
care for them. He lives and walks with his back turned upon his Creator. He is
living in God's world without God. God is not his Father, nor does he call upon Him
as such, nor ever pray to Him with any assurance of being heard. He is a self-
orphaned outcast. This is the state or condition in which sin leaves every man.
Besides this, sin is a guilt. Every man by reason of his sin has rendered himself
justly obnoxious to the sentence of the divine law. For sin is not an iiccident or
merely a misfortune in which man without his consent or agency has become involved.
It is a voluntary state ; and a transgression against the righteousness and holiness of
God, for which he is brought under the just judgment and sentence of the divine law.
Again, sin is a pollution. It has defiled man's spiritual nature, corrupted his
affections, thrown his whole moral nature out of harmony with God and filled him
with all uncleanness, so that his heart becomes the fountain and source of all the evil
with which the world is corru»ai^l?Of 'aCiuriSS this destroys in man all fitness for
fellowship with God or those wTOare iri^oiy^<^ship vsdith Him, and also unfits him
for all happy service for Him. But ii* addition to all this, sin has brought us under
the malign influence of Satan, and put u^ ■^mpletely in his power that, as is written,
we "being dead in trespasses and sins, walk according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience."

There is a striking change in the grand panorama of Genesis from the first two
to the third chapters. Where There was rest and beauty but yesterday is chaos and
confusion to-day. First, we see formation ; then, deformation ; and third, re-formation.
In human history man was made in the likeness cf God ;
by his own wilful act sinned against God and fell into mor
tion. God appears to man with a promise of salvation throi
and there begins out of Eden the work of man's re-formation
seen in the history of the Church and of the Jewish race.

is is formation. Man

aos ; this is deforma-

-; seed of the woman,

1 hese same steps are

The sin of Adam was not merely an inconsiderate act without a moral reaction
upon his own nature, but a corroding poison penetrating the whole person, the injurious
operations of which are transmitted upon all the descendants of the ancestor. The
fall of man became an established condition in consequence of which we are ushered
into existence as enemies of God and His law, infected with a perverted nature.
" That which is born of the flesh is flesh," John 3:6. "The carnal mind ., enmity
against God, for it is not subject to the law of -God, neither indeed can be. So then
they that are in the flesh cannot please God," Rom. 8 : 7-8. O how is the glorious
image of God marred, how is the original temple of the Holy Ghost ruined ! " From
the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it, but wounds, and
bruises, and putrifying sores ; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither
mollified with ointment," Is. 1:6. It is the nature of sin in the repetition of transgres-
sion to extend in growth and increase in force until it asserts a predominating position,
bringing the subject into captivity to the law of sin, Rom. 7 : 23. The sinner then, by
reason of the carnal-mindedness of his will, is delivered up to sin, sold under sin, verse 14.
"To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are," Rom. 6: 16.
Behold the drunkard, the angry, the voluptuous, the proud — how they "sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron," Ps. 107 : 11. Once
they could sin, now they musi, for sin has become unto them a despotic law.

Cain had no bad companions to teach him sin ; he had no evil example to
follow, for he was the first man that was born on the earth ; but the evil came from
himself, from his own debased heart, and he was ready, as soon as an opportunity
offered, to murder his brother. How long it takes us to learn the lesson that man
cannot be improved, he " must be bom again."

Ruin.

;action
urious
The
ihered
lature.
enmity
then
orious
From
is, and
neither
nsgres-
osition,
hen, by
ersei4-
.6:16.
irkness
Once

mple to
\e from
jrtunity
lat man

The curse that from the first has followed sin, and above all the cross whereon
sin was condemned and punished, show that words cannot tell nor mind conceive
what sin is, and what is the wrath of the Holy One against it. There lies the need for
propitiation. There is Divine wrath to be turned away. Whilst that wrath remains,
(jod cannot receive man, and man cannot approach God. If we ask how God's wr.;vn
utters itself, we may venture to reply : In separation from the sinner. Can anythi.ig
be worse than that? Can outer darkness, or any other terrible figure depict what it is
for a soul to be left with its sins, cut off from God ?

It is among the most potent of the energies of sin that it leads astray by blinding,
and blinds by leading astray : that the soul, like the strong champion of Israel, must
have its eyes put out when it would be " bound with fetters of brass," and condemned
to "grind in the prison-house."

Appalling as sin may appear to us, when viewed in the light of God's Word, our
estimate of it falls far short of what it is in the sjght of a holy God. God is love —
love which passeth knowledge, love which only finds outward expression in the cross
of His dear Son. And yet we read: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ;'" the " wrath of God cometh on the
children of disobedience ;' "he that believeth not the Son .... the wrath of Godabideth
on him ;" "to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever;" "where their
worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched ;" " treasure up unto themselves wrath
against the day of wrath;" " in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not
the Gospel ;" " the wine press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God." These
are not merely isolated passages, but such as occur throughout the Scriptures. It .is
not Divine sorrow of which they speak, nor even Divine displeasure, but Divine
wrath, and when we put thei together we have an indescribable revelation of the
sinfulness of sin. Many of tli a no doubt are figurative, but God's figures are figures
of the truth, and their truth ib sustained by history.

As a result of the fall man's crown is rolled in the dust, his honor tarnished and
stained. His sovereignty is strongly disputed by the lower orders of creation. If
trees nourish him, it is after strenuous care, and they often disappoint. If the earth
supplies him with food, it is in tardy response to exhausting toil. If the beasts serve
him, it is because they have been laboriously tamed and trained, whilst vast numbers
r )am the forest glades, setting him at defiance. If he catch the fish of the sea, or the
bird of the air, he must wait long in cunning concealment.

So degraded has man become that he has bowed before the objects that he was
to command, and has prostrated his royal form in shrines dedicated to birds, and four-
footed beasts, and creeping things. It is the fashion now-a-days to extol heathen
philosophy, but how can we compare it for a moment with the religion of the Bible,
when its pyramids are filled with mummies of deified animals, and its temples with
the sacred bull ?

Where is the supremacy of man ? Not in the savage cowering before the beasts
i of the forest ; nor in the civilized races that are the slaves of lust, and sensuality, and
', swinish indulgence ; nor in those who, refusing to recognize the authority of God, fail
,to exercise any authority themselves. Sin reigns, as the Apostle says most truly.
I And all who bow their necks beneath its yoke are slaves, and menials, and c jwering
jabjects, in comparison with what God made and meant them to be.

Sin defiles, debases, disfigures, and blasts all it touches. And we ma/ shudder
f to think that its virus is working in our fame, as we discover the results of its ravages
I upon myriads around.

Man's state by nature is that of spiritual death ; he has " no life " in him (Jno.
[6:53), he is "alienated from the life of God" (Eph. 4 : 18). There is no pulsation
sin human nature which beats Godward, no craving within for God, no thirst after
jGod— the source of life and light and love ; no seeking for rest in Him, who alone can
[satisfy the soul.

1 1
• in

aiij

i^Ww

Gold from O'^hir.

When Adam fell from his innocency, not only did he become a sinner, but the
primary instincts of his fallen nature led him to shun God, and to hide himseif from
His presence. Centuries have rolled on since that dark day, and men still are far
from God — not indeed farther from God, as to their nature, than Adam, their pro-
genitor, for that would be impossible; bt'.t, as regards the great mass of humanity,
terribly farther off as to the knowledge of God, indeed utterly ignorant of Him, and
living m the darkness of moral estrangement from Him.

The fine and noble qualities existent in man arp the remains of the beauty and
perfection of the divinely-made creature before the fall. They may be likened to
fragments of sculpture and broken pieces of exquisite ornament which are dug out of
ruined temples, and treasured in museums pertaining to civilized countries ; civiliza-
tion admires the conceptions of ancient days, marvels at the skill that no longer
■exists, and seeks to im' ate the fragmentary marbles it has dug out of their hiding-
places ; but at the same time lacks the mind and the hand which conceived and
executed the works of its admiration.

Man has lost spiritual perception of God, and, as those creatures which, by
reason of their dwelling in the darkness of the waters of subterranean caverns, havo
lost the organ as well as the sense of sight, he lives and moves in the darkness of his
nature's distance from God, in a world, v/hich, alas ! has cast, off God ; and he is
ignorant of the gloom in which he dwells.

In the second chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, two intensely solemn
statements are made respecting man's state by nature. Men are there described as
being dead in sins, and also as being the children of wrath : — "You .... were dead in
trespasses and sins . . . we . . . were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
(Eph. 2 : 2, 3). The Apostle was writing to Gentiles, to people who had been
"worshippers of the great goddess, Diana," and of the image which, poor idolaters as
they once were, they fancied had fallen " down from Jupiter." These Gentiles are the
'' you," and himself and other Hebrews the " we " of the solen^i statement. But
whether Gentiles or Hebrews, " there is no difference, for all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God."

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REDEMPTION.

By Dr. Jas. H. Brookes.

IT is interesting to notice the different words employed by the Koly Ghost in
the Bible to express the thought of our deliverance from an estate of sin and
misery, and our introduction into an estate of salvation by a Redeemer. All intelligent
Christians know that the words of Scripture are inspired, and therefore they are
worthy of devout and careful study. Never does the Spirit of God use a word with-
out a special reason for its selection ; and it may comfort our hearts to trace the
meaning of the various terms in which He tells us of our Saviour's glorious
redemption.

This is the
. but with
that He

us,

The first is lutroo^ "to loose by a price, to release by a ransom."
word where it is written, " Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, .
the precious blood of Christ," i Pet. i:i8, 19; "who gave himself for
might redeem us from all iniquity," Tit. 2 :i4. In the form of a noun it is the same
word, when we read, "having obtained eternal redemption," Heb, 9:12; and the
same noun, with the prefixed preposition froin^ is found in the following passages :
"Your redemption draweth nigh," Luke 21 :28 ; "through the redemption that is in
Christ Jesus," Rom. 3 : 24 ; "the redemption of our body," Rom. 8 123 ; "who of God
is made u.ito us . . . redemption," i Cor. I : 30 ; "in whom we have redemption,"
Eph. 1:7; "until the redemption of the purchased possession," Eph. 1:14; "unto the
day of redemption," Eph. 4 :30 ; "in whom we have redemption," Col. I : 14. Here
the idea is release from bondage or captivity by the payment of a ransom, the ransom
being the precious blood of Christ.

The second word is exagorazo, *'■ to purchase out, to buy uponi of the possession
or power of any one," as Dr. Young renders it, " to acquire out of the forum.^* This
word is found in the texts, " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law," Gal.
3:13; " God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem
them that were under the law," Gal. 4:4, 5. The mention of the law shows that a
forum, or court of justice, is in view ; and Christ, having paid the fine demanded by
the law, having met the penalty of the law in behalf of His people, buys them out from
all further claims upon them, and leads them forth into liberty.

The third word is foui 1 in the Old Testament. It is pah-dah, meaning " to s^t
free, let go," but nearly always translated redeem. It is so rendered about fifty times,
and occi'.s in such passages as these: "Israel, whom thou hast redeemed," Deut.
21:8; "the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity," 2 Sam.
4:9; "What one nation in the earth is like Thy people Israel, whom God went to
redeem?" i Chron. 17:21 ; "the Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants," Ps.34 : 22 ;
" Zion shall be redeemed with judgment," Isa. i : 27 ; "I will redeem them out of the
hand of the terrible," Jer. 15:21; "though I have redeemed them, yet they have
spoken lies against me," Hos. 7 : 13. He set His people free by the substitution of a
spotless lamb, to bear the merited stroke of death m their room and stead.

The fourth word \spah-rak, "to break off, to tear away, rescue, deliver." In the
sense of redeeming it occurs but once, and that place shows Christ reigning in power
and mercy over Israel at His second advent, while the triumphant song ascends. He
"hath redeemed us from our enemies," Ps. 136 : 24. Dr. J. A. Alexander renders it,
"snatched us from our enemies," and adds that the "verb always denotes violent
action." This is m precise accord with everything that is elsewhere written in the
prophets, concerning the way Israel shall be redeemed the second, and last, time from
all her foes It will be by the coming of the now rejected Messiah, appearing for the
destruction of the nations gathered against Jerusalem to battle.

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The fifth word is fdooth, rendered a division in Ex. 8 : 23 ; "I will put a division
between my people and thy people." Hut it will be observed from the marginal
reading that God said to Pharaoh, " I will put a redemption between my people and
thy people." It was indeed a division, made by the sprinkled blood of the spotless
lamb, but it was first a redemption. The same word occurs in the following passages :
" He sent redemption unto his people," Ps. 1 1 1 : 9 ; " with him is plenteous redemp-
tion," Ps. 130 : 7 ; "Is my hand shortened at all, that it can not redeem ?" Isa. 50 : 2.
God wants a division put between His redeemed people and the unbelieving world;
and it must be so, if they have really felt the touch of the blood.

The sixth word is also Hebrew, gah-al, meaning, not only " to redeem, ransom,
recover," but "to avenge." It brings to view the office of one, who at once was
kinsman, deliverer, redeemer, husband, and avenger. It is found in Jacob's dying
blessing, "the Angel which redeemed me from all evil," Gen. 48 : 16 ; in God's promise
to Israel, "I will redeem you with a stretched out arm," Ex. 6:6; in Job's noble
confession, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," Job. 19 :25 ; in the Psalmist's song,
"who redeemeth thy life from destruction," Ps. 103:4; in Isaiah's prophecy, "the
Redeemer shall come to Zion," Isa. 59 : 20 ; in Jehovah's word of cheer through Hosea,
" I will redeem them from death," Hos. 13 : 14. Blessed be His name, He will avenge
the wrongs His people have suffered for nearly six thousand years at the hands of the
foul monster that has lorded it over our earth.

The seventh word takes us again into the New Testament, and into heaven itself.
It is agorazo, " to buy, to purchase," or as it is in Young's Analytical Concordance,
"to acquire at the forum." It occurs but three times in the Bible in the sense of
redeeming, and these three are in the book of Revelation. "Thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood," Rev. 5:9; "redeemed from earth;"
" redeemed from among men," Rev. 14 : 3, 4. Here the Lord Jesus is with His saints
in the high court of heaven, and He takes possession of them as His own bought
ones, in the presence and amid the glory of God. Thus all the way along, from the
lowest degradation to the loftiest summit of bliss, He is our Redeemer, to whom be
praise now and ever.

Redemption.

GOD'S COVENANTS FOUNDED ON THE BLOOD

OF A VICTIM.

By J. N. Darby.

The necessity of the covenant being
founded on the blood of a victim wds not
forgotten in the case ox the first covenant.
Everything was sprinkled with blood. The
types always spoke of the necessity of death
intervening before men could be in relation-
ship with God. Sin had brought in death
and judgment. We must either undergo the
judgment ourselves, or see our sins blotted
out through its having been undergone by
another for us.

Three applications of the blood are pre-
sented in Heb. 9:12-22. The covenant is
founded on the blood. Defilement is washed
away by its means. Guilt is removed by the
remission obtained through the blood that
has been shed.

These are, in fact, the three things
necessary :

I. The ways of God in bestowing blessing
according to His promises are connected
with His righteousness, the sins of those
blessed being atoned for, the requisite
foundation of the covenant, Christ having
withal glorified God i.i respect of sin, when
made sin. on the cross.

II. The purification of the sins by which

we were defiled (by which all things, that
could not be guilty, were nevertheless
defiled) 'is accomplished. Here there are cases
in which water was typically used ; this is
moral and practical cleansing. It flows from
death: the water that purifies proceeded
from the side of the holy victim already
dead. It is the application of the word —
which judges all evil and reveals ali good —
to the conscience and the heart. •

III. Now as regards remission. In no
one case can this be obtained without the
shedding of blood. Observe that it does not
heresay "application." It is the accomplish-
ment of the work of true propitiation wliich
is here spoken of. Without shedding of
blood there is no remission. All-important
truth I For a work of remission, death and
blood-shedding must take place.

Two consequences flow from these views
of atonement and reconciliation to God.

It wiS necessary that there should be a
bettc sacrifice, a more excellent victim, than
thcie which were offered under the old
covenant ; because it was the heavenly things
themselves, and not their figures, that were

SUG<}ESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE cross of Christ is the divine necessity of divine light and love. Jesus crucified
will ever attiact to God ; so long as the world endures will this marvel stand, that
tlie story of the sufferings and death of Jesus shall draw men from the glory and the
glitter of the world, from its fame and its shame, even to God Himself. By Christ's
death we understand that God is love.

(i) The slaying of Abel by Cain is typical of the slaying of Christ by the wicked
world. (2) The blood of Abel that called out for vengeance upon Cain is set in contrast
to the blood of Christ, " which speaketh better things," and which cries out for the
mercy of God upon the sinner. (3) Abel is a type of the believer who accepts life
through faith in the offering appointed by God ; while Cain is a type of the unbeliever
who rejects that offering, and presumes to come before God with his own offering and
righteousness.

Gold from Ophir.

to be purified. For it is into the presence of
God in heaven itself that Christ has entered.

In the second place, Christ was not to offer
Himself often, as the high -priest went 'in
every year with the blood of others. For
He offered up Himself. Hence, if all that
was available in the sacrifice was not brought
to perfection by a single offering once made.
He must have suffered often since the
foundation of the world. (And He must
have repeatedly suffered, for there must be
reality in putting away sin). This remark
leads to the clear and simple declaration of
the ways of God on thiS point — a declaration
of priceless value. God allowed ages to pass
(the different distinct periods in which man
has in divers ways been put to the test, and
in which he has had time to show what he
is) without yet accomplishing His work of
grace. This trial of man has served to show
that he is bad in nature and in will. The
multiplication of means only made it more
evident that he was essentially bad at heart,
for he availed himself of none of them to
■draw near to God. On the contrary, his
enmity against God was fully manifested.

"VShen God had made this plan, before the

law, under the law, by promises, by the
coming and presence of His Son, then the
work of God takes the place, for our
salvation and God's glory, of man's responsi-
bility, on the ground of which faith knows
man is entirely lost. This explains the
expression (ve;se 26) " in the consummation
of the ages."

Now this work is perfect, and perfectly
accomplished. Sin has dishonored God, and
separated man from Him. All that God had
doxie to give him the means of return only
ended in affording him opportunity to fill up
the measure of his sin by the rejection of
Jesus. J But in this the eternal counsels of
God were fulfilled, at least the moral basis
and that in infinite perfection, for their
actual accomplishments in their results. All
now in fact, as in purpose always, rested on
the second Adam, and on what God had
done, not on man's responsibility, while that
was fully met for God's glory. (Compare
2 Tim. 1:9, 10 : Titus 1 : i, 2.) The Christ
whom man rejected had appeared in order
to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Thus it was morally the consummation of
the ages.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

JESUS crucified — the sacrifice for sin, the friend of sinners — is the mighty magnet by
which God draws us to His heart of love ; Christ crucified is the irresistible force
which no power of Satan nor of the world can withstand. And by that cross God is
glorified beyond all human thought and utterance, even to the utmost of the infinite
extent of His own nature.

Note the titles of the Lord in the Gospels : Son of Man ; Son of God. Son of
Man given for man, and, on man's account, bearing the shame and the spitting, endur-
ing death and being forsaken on the cross. Son of God given from God's heart for a
perishing world. The light required that the Son of Man should be lifted up ; tne love
gave the Son of God for man.

God as light is seen in the cross of the Son of Me.n. The Lord having in grace
become a man, having taken the place of Son of Man before God, must needs go
through to the end with the work undertaken. That work was redemption, in order to
effect which the sacrifice of Himself was required ; therefore the necessity imposed

upon Him, as Son of Man, to die in order that we might live God as love

is seen in the gift of the Son of Gkxi. From the depths of His own heart, because He
is love, God g?.ve His eternal Son for a perishing world, g^ave Him to become a man,
that, being a man. He might die in order that we might live.

Redemption.

BROUGHT BY GOD; OR, THE GLORIES OF CHRIST
IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

In thia we find an interesting parallel to
the history of Abraham. In Gen. 13 he is
spoken of as "Abram the Hebrew." The
word signifies "one that passes over, a
passenger, or from the other side," and is
probably derived from Eber, his ancestor,
Gen. 11:16, 24, 26. It also refers to the
fact of Abram's having been taken by God
from the other side of the River Euphrates,
and as such is a be3''*:ful picture of the
"illuminated" ones to whom this letter is
written, Hebrews 10 : 32, who have been
brought to God —

I. Out of darkness, Ps. 107:14; into His
marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2 ; 9 ", 2 Cor. 4 : 6.

II. From the horrible pit into His
banquetting house. Cant. 2:4; Ps. 11:2.

III. From the depths of the sea to the
desired haven, Ps. 68 : 22 ; 107 : 30.

IV. Out of the iron furnace, Deut. 4 : 20 ;
to the King's chambers. Cant. 1 : 4.

V. From being bound with chains, Ps.
68 : 6 ; to the glorious liberty of Gkxi's children ,
Rom. 8:21.

VI. Brought up from the grave or hell,
P.B.V., Ps. 30:3; near unto Himself, Ex.
19:4 ; Num. 16 :g.

On the other hand, the word may be
connected with Hebron, Gen. 13 : 18,
Abram's new home, or rather place of
sojourning, Gen. 35 : 27 ; for he was con-
fessedly but a "stranger and a sojourner"
even in the land, because he " looked for a
city" of God's building. Gen. 23:4: Heb.
11:9. If so, this suggests a beautiful train
of thought when we recollect that " Ur of the
Chaldees," where he formerly dwelt, signifies
fire, demons, or robbers ; and Haran, where
he tarried half-way to Canaan, and where
Terah his father died, means wrath, surely
teaching that destruction is as inevitable for
one who tarries on the threshold of heaven,
outside the ark, as for those who are thousands
of miles away. There is no intermediate place
of safety. Lost or saved ; dead or alive.
In Christ, not condemned ; but out of Him
the wrath of God, the wrath of the Lamb,
the wrath of the Holy Ghost, abideth on the
unbeliever even now, and hereafter the
vengeance of eternal fire, " for our God is a
consuming fire," John 3 : 36 ; Rev. 6 : 16;
Heb. 3:7, 11; 12:29; Jude, 7." "The fire
is not quenched," for fire bums on and on
until there is nothing left to feed it, Isa.
1:31; Mai. 3:2,3; 4:1; Nahum i : 2, 8.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE all-availing efficacy of our Lord's sacrifice is the truth, which, if truly and
fully recognized, enables us to rejoice in the forgiveness of sins. !«• removes our
questionings and our doubts, and opens the way for us to delight in Christ as our life.

Like Israel in the wilderness, transgressing and sinning, and fallen under the
power of the fiery serpents, we lay perishing beneath the judgment our sins had brought
upon us. The remedy for their ruin was the death their sin had brought upon them,
set forth before their eyes in divine judgment — the serpent of brass set upon a pole.
Our hope, in our more hopeless death, is Him "made sin for us who knew no sin,"
2 Cor. 5:21;" " Sin condemned in the flesh," Rom. 8:3; Christ crucified.

All true religion has a d'stinct beginning, and that beginning dates from the time
when a sinner stands at Calvary, conscious of his utterly ruined condition, and realizes
the truth that Jesus so completely satisfied God for sin, that He could say, before He
gave up the ghost, "// is finished j;''^ and that "we have redemption through His
BLOOD, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace.

u rs!

Gold from Opiiir.

CHRIST IN OLD TESTAMENT TYPE x\ND SIMILITUDE.

I. Christ in His divine person and work
is the great and constant theme of the Old
Testament.

John 5:39, 46; Luke 24 : 27, 44 ; i Pet.
1 : 10-12 ; Acts 26 : 22, 23 ; John 16 : 14, 15 ;
John 15 : 26 ; Rev. 19 : 10.

IL Important to understand types and
simiHtudes of Christ which "illuminate " the
Scriptures.

Be cautious, but not too cautious, i Cor.
10 : 1 ; Gal. 4 : 24, 25 ; i Cor. 9:9. To the
natural man, what " wild typology." Much
of the O. T. is almost meaningless without a
knowledge of typology.

IIL Christ and His work is foreshadowed
in many persons, actions, places, things,
divinely ordered aid recorded.

Adam, the fig leaves. Eve, Abel, Enoch

and Noah, Rom. 5:14; i Cor. 15:45-49:
Heb. 12 : 24 : Jude 14, 15 ; i Pet. 3 : 20, 21 ;
2 Pet. 2:5-9; Matt. 24 : 37-39.

Isaac, Joseph and David in about a score
of important particulars each.

The whole history of Israel from Egypt
to Canaan, is typical, i Cor. 10 :u. The
Tabernacle in its various parts — ^furniture,
offerings— presents a complete set of types
of Christ and Redemption. These linea-
ments of the Redeemer and traces of
Redemption may seem dim at first, but in
the progress of revelation and interpretation,
they become more and more clear and
luminous until —

" Earth's sad story
Em'.s in glory.
On yon shore."

E.P.M.

H : ; il

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

LET the sinner look straight away to Jesus on the cross. The light of divine
righteousness requiring death frpm the transgressor by the wounds and woe of the
spotless Saviour, reveals how vile we are — what a state is by nature ours. All the
suffering and sorrow, all that being forsaken of His God, were necessary — our sins
called for every grief and every pain borne by the Lord ; our sins called for every drop
of woe wherewith His bitter cup was filled.

Let us understand that God is not said to be angry with the world, but to love it,
in that He gave His Son for it. God is merciful to us and loveth us, and of very love
gave His Son unto us, that we should not perish but have everlasting life. And, as
God giveth by love and mercy, so do we take and receive by faith and not otherwise.
Faith only — that is, trust in the mercy and ^'.ace of God — is the very hand by which
we take this gift. This gift is given to make us safe from death and sin. And it is
bestowed upon the world ; and the world signifies all mankind.

*'I MUST say," wrote Dr. Chalmers in a letter to a friend, "that I never had so
close and satisfactory a view of the Gospel salvation, as when I have been led to con-
template it in the light of a simple olTer on the one side, and a simple acceptance on the
other. It is just saying to one and all of us, There is forgiveness through the blood of
my Son." It is not in any shape the reward of our own services ; .... it is the gift
of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is not given because you are worthy to
receive it, but because it is a gift worthy of our kind and reconciled Father to bestow.

The Holy Ghost did not make peace ; but Christ did : the Holy Ghost is not said
to be our peace ; but Chist is. God did not send, "preaching peace" by the Holy
Ghost, but "by Jesus Clwist." Comp. Acts 10 :36 ; Eph. 2 : 14, 17 ; CoL i : 20.

Redemption.

THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.

By Dr. Edersheivi.

IN briefly reviewing the Divine ordinances about this day, Lev. 1 6th Chapter ; Num.
29 : II (and according to the Jewish view, it was also the day on which Adam
had sinned and repented ; that on which Abraham was circumcised ; and that on which
Moses returned from the mount and made atonement for the sin of the golden calf,)
we find that only on that one day in every year the high-priest was allowed to go into the
Most Holy Place, and then arrayed in a peculiar white dress, which differed from that
of the ordinary priests in that its girdle also was white, and not of the Temple colors,
while " the bonnet" was of the same shape, though not the same :^ iterial as "the mitre,'
which the high-priest ordinarily wore. The simple white of his array, in distinction to
the "golden garments" which he otherwise wore, pointed to the fact that on that day
the high-priest appeared, not as " the bridegroom of Jehovah," but as bearing in his
official capacity the emblem of that perfect purity which was sought by the expiations
of that day. Thus in the prophecies of Zechariah the removal of Joshua's " filthy
garments" and the clothing him with "change of raiment," symbolically denoted —
" I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee," Zech. 3 : 3, 4. Similarly those who
stand nearest to God are always described as arrayed "in white," Ezek. 9:2 ; Dan.
10 : 5 ; 12:6. And because these were emphatically "the holy garments," " therefore"
the high-priest had to " wash his flesh in water, and so put them on," Lev. 16 :4, that
is, he was not merely to wash his hands and feet, as before ordinary ministrations,
but to bathe his whole body.

From Numbers 29 : 7-11, it appears that the offerings on the Day of Atonement
'.vere really of a three-fold kind — "the continual burnt-offering," that is, the daily
morning and evening sacrifices, with their meat and drink-offerings ; the festive
sacrifices of the day, consisting for the high-priest and the priesthood, of "a ram for
a burnt-offering," Lev. 16:3; and for the people of one young bullock, one ram, and
seven lambs of the first year with their meat-offerings for a burnt sacrifice, and one
kid of the goats for a sin offering ; and, thirdly, and chiefly, the peculiar expiatory
sacrifices of the day, which were a young bullock as a sin-offering for the high-priest,
his house, and the sons of Aaron, and another sin-offering for the people, consisting
of two goats, one of which was to be killed and its blood sprinkled, as directed, while
the other was to be sent away into the wilderness, bearing " all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins" which had been
confessed "over him," and laid upon him by the high-priest. Before proceeding
further, we note the following as the order of these sacrifices — first, the ordinary
morning sacrifice ; next the expiatory sacrifices for the high-priest, the priesthood,
and the people (of one bullock, and one of the two goats, the other being the so-called
scape-goat) ; then the festive burnt-offerings of the priests and the people, Num.
29:7-11, and with them another sin offering; and, lastly, the ordinary evening
sacrifice, being, as Maimonides observes, in all fifteen sacrificial animals. According
to Jewish tradition, the whole of the services of that da" were performed by the high-
priest himself, of course, with the assistance of others, for which purpose more than
fi\ e hundred priests were said to have been employed. Of course, if the Day of
Atonement fell on a Sabbath, besides all these, the ordinary Sabbath sacrifices were
also offered. On a principle previously explained, the high-priest purchased from his
own funds the sacrifices brought for himself and his house, the priesthood, however,
contributing, in order to make them sharers in the offering, while the public sacrifices for
the whole people were paid for from the Temple treasury. Only while officiating in the
distinctly expiatory services of the day did the high-priest wear his "linen garments
in all the others he was arrayed in his '' " ' "

frequent change of dress, and before each

golden vestments." This necessitated a
10 bathed his whole body. All this will be

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Gold from Ophir.

beit unaerstood by a more detailed account of the order of service, as given in the
Scriptures and by tradition.

Seven days before the Day of Atonement the high-priest left his own house in
Jerusalem, and took up his abode in his chambers in the Temple. A sul)stitute was
appointed for him, in case he should die or become Levitically unfit for his duties.
Rabbinical punctiliousness went so far as to have him twice sprinkled with the ashes
of the red heifer — on the third and the seventh day of his week of separation — in case
he had, unwittingly to himself, been defiled by a dead body. During the whole of that
week, also, he had to practise the various priestly rites, such as sprinkling the blood,
burning the incense, lighting the lamp, offering the daily sacrifice, etc. For, as
already stated, every part or that day's services devolved on the high-priest, and he
must not commit any mistake. Some of the elders of the Sanhedrin were appointed ta
see to it that the high-priest fully understood, and knew the meaning of the service,
otherwise they were to instruct him in it. On the eve of the Day of Atonement the
various sacrifices were brought before him, that there iv' ht be nothing strange about
the services of the morrow. Finally, they bound hin lath not to change

anything in the rites of the day. This was chiefly for Icar ui ui Sadducean notion,
that the incense should be lighted before the high-priest actually entered the Most
Holy Place ; while the Pharisees held that this was to be done only within the Most
Holy Place itself. The evening meal of the high-priest before the great day was to be
scanty. All night long he was to be hearing and expounding the Holy Scriptures, or
otherwise kept employed, so that he might not fall asleep. (This for special Levitical
reasons.) At midnight the lot was cast for removing the ashes and preparing the altar ;
and to distinguish the Day of Atonement from all others, four, mstead of the usual
three, fires were arranged on ths great altar of burnt-offering.

The services of the day began with the first streak of morning light. Already
the people had been admitted into the sanctuary. So jealous were they of any
innovation or alteration, that only a linen cloth excluded the high-priest from public
view, when, each time before changing garments, he bathed — not in the ordinary
jlace of the priests — but in one specially set apart for his use. Altogether he changed
lis raiments and washed his whole body five times on that day, and his hands and feet
;en times. When the first dawn of morning was announced in the usual manner, the
ligh-priest put off his ordinary (layman's) dress, bathed, put on his golden vestments,
washed his hands and feet, and proceeded to perform all the principal parts of the
ordinary morning service. Tradition has it that immediately after that, he offered
certain parts of the burnt-sacrifices for the day, viz., the bullock and the seven lambs,
reserving his own ram and that of the people, as well as the sin-offering of a kid of the
goats, Numb. 29:8-11, till after the special expiatory sacrifices of the day had been
brought. But the text of Lev. 16 : 24 is entirely against this view, and shows that the
whole of the burnt-offerings and the festive sin-offering were brought after the
expiatory services. Considering the relation between these services and sacrifices,
this might, at any rate, have been expected, since a burnt-offering could only be
acceptable after, not before, expiation

The morning service finished, the high-priest washed his hands and feet, put off
his golden vestments, bathed, put on his " linen garments," again washed his hands
and feet, and proceeded to the peculiar part of the day's services. The bullock of the
sin-offering stood between the Temple-porch and the altar. It was placed towards the
south, but the high-priest, who stood facing the east (that is, the worshippers), turned
the head of the sacrifice towards the west (that is, to face the sanctuary). He
then laid both his hands upon the head of the bullock, and confessed as follows : —
" Ah, Jehovah ! I have committed iniquity ; I have transgressed ; I have sinned — I
and my house. Oh, then, Jehovah, I entreat Thee, cover over (atone for, let there
be atonement for) the iniquities, the transgressions, and the sins which I have
committed, transgressed, and sinned before Thee, I and my house— even as it is
written in the law of Moses, Thy servant : * For on that day will He cover over

Redemption.

(atone) for you to make you clean ; from all your transgressions before Jehovah ye
shall be cleansed.'" It will be noticed that in this solemn confession the name
Jehovah occurred three times. Other three times was it pronounced in the con-
fession which the high-priest made over the same bullock for the priesthood ; a seventh
tirne was it uttered when he cast lots as to which of the two goats was to be "for
Jehovah ; " and once again he spoke it three times in the confession over the so-
called "scape-goat" which bore the sins of the people. All these ten times the high-
priest pronounced the name of Jehovah, and, as .o spoke it, those who stood near
cast themselves with their faces on the ground, while the multitude responded :
"Blessed be the Name ; the glory of His kingdom is for ever and ever." (In support
of this benediction, reference is made to Deut. 32 : 3.)

The first part of the expiatory service — that for the priesthood — had taken place
close to the Holy Place, between the porch and the altar. The next was performed
close to the worshipping people. In the eastern part of the Court of Priests, that is,
close to the worshippers, and on the north side of it, stood an urn, called Calpi, in
which were two lots of the same shape, size and material ; in the second Temple they
were of gold — the one bearing the inscription " la-Jehovah," for Jehovah, the other
"la-Azazel," for Azazel, leaving the expression, Lev. 16 :8, 10, 26, (rendered "scape-
goat" in the Authorised Version) for the present untranslated. These two goats had
been placed with their backs to the people and their faces towards the sanctuary
(westwards). The high-priest now faced the people, as standing between his sub-
stitute (at his right hand) and the head of the course on ministry (on his left hand), he
shook the urn, thrust his two hands into it, and at the same time drew the two lots,
laying one on the head of each goat. Popularly it was deemed of good augury if the
right-hand lot had fallen "for Jehovah." The two goats, however, must be altogether
alike in look, size, and value ; mdeed, so earnestly was it sought to carry out the idea
that these two formed parts of one and the same sacrifice, that it was arranged they
should, if possible, even be purchased at the same time. The importance of this view
will afterwards be explained. The lot having designated each of the two goats, the high-
priest tied a tongue-shaped piece of scarlet cloth to the horn of the goat for Azazel —
the so-called " scape-goat " — and another round the throat of the goat for Jehovah,
which was to be slain. The goat that was to be sent forth was now turned round
towards the people, and stood facing them, waiting, as it were, till their sins should be
laid on him, and he would carry them forth into " a land not inhabited." Assuredly a
more marked type of Christ could not be conceived, as He was brought forth by
Pilate and stood before the people, just as He was about to be led forth, bearing the
iniquity of the people. And, as if to add to the significance of the rite, tradition has
it that when the sacrifice was fully accepted the scarlet mark which the scape-goat had
borne became white, to symbolize the precious promise in Isa. i : 18 ; but it adds that
this miracle did not take place for forty years before the destruction of the Temple.

With this presentation of the scape-goat before the people c()mmenced the third
and most solemn part of the expiatory services of the day. The high-priest now once
more returned towards the sanctuary, and a second time laid his two hands on the
bullock, which still stood between the porch and the altar, to confess over him, not
only as before, 1 ' own and his household's sins, but also those of the priesthood. The
formula used w.i^ precisely the same as before, with the addition of the \\ords, "the
seed of Aaron, Thy h'ly people," both in the confession and in the petition for atone-
ment. Then the high-priest killed the bullock, caught up his blood in a vessel, and
gave it to an attendant to keep it stirring, lest it should roagulate. Advancing to the
altar of bumt-ofTering, he next filled the censer with burning coals, and then ranged
a handful of frankincense in the dish destined to hold it. Ordinarily, everything
brought in actual ministry unto God must be carried in the right hand— hence the
incense in the right and the censer in the left. But on this occasion, as the censer for
the Day of Atonement was larger and heavier than usual, the high-priest w^ allowed
to reverse the common order. Every eye was strained toward the sanctuary as slowly

Gold from Ophir.

li!

lit'

ill

i:iil

1
I'

bearing,' the censer and tiie incense, the figuie of the white-robed high-priest was seen
to disappear within the Holy Place. After that nothing further could be seen of his
movements. Tlie curtain of the most Holy Place was folded back, and the high-priest
stood a! )ne and separate (mm the people m the awful gloom of Holiest of All, only
lit u;) by the red glow of the coals in the high-priest's censer. In the first Temple the
ark of God has stood there with the "mercy-seat" overshadowing' it; above it, the
visible presence of Jehovah in the cloud of the Shechinah, and on either side the out-
spread wings of the cherubim ; and the high-priest had placed the censer between the
staves of the ark. Hut in the temple of Herod there was neither Shechinah nor ark -
all was empty ; and the high-priest rested his censer on a large stone, called the
"foundation-stone." He now most carefully eaiptied the incense into his hand, and
threw it on the co.dsof the censer, as far from himself as possible, and so waited till
the smoke had filled the Most Holy Place. Then, retreating backwards, he prayed
outside the veil The high-priest was not to prolong this prayer, lest his pro-
tracted absence might fill the people with fears for his safety. Whde the incense was
offering in the Most Holy Place the people withdrew from proximity to it, and
worshipped in silence. At last the people saw the high-priest emerging from the
sanctuary, and they knew that the service had been accepted. Rapidly he took from
the attendant, who had kept it stirring, the blood of the bullock. Once more he
entered into the Most Holy Place, and sprinkled with his finger once upwards, towards
where the mere y-seat had been, and seven times downwards, counting as he did so :
."Once" (upwards), "once and once" (downwards), "once and twice," and so on to
" oncar and seven times," always repeating the word " once," which referred to tlie
upwards sprinkling, so as to prevent any mistake. Coming out from the Most Holy
Place, the high-priest now deposited the bowl with the blood before the veil. Then
he killed the goat set apart for Jehovah, and, entering the Most Holy Place a third
time, sprinkled as before, once upwards and seven times downwards, and again
deposited * he bowl with the blood of the goat on a second golden stand before the
veil. Taking up the bowl with the bullock's blood, he next sprinkled once upwards
and seven times downwards towards the veil, outside the Most Holy Place, and then
did the same with the blood of the goat. Finally, pouring the blood of the bullock, so
as thoroughly to commingle the two, he sprinkled each of the hornsof altar of incense,
and then, making a clear place on the altar, seven times the top of the altar of incense.
Thus he had sprinkled forty-three times with the expiatory blood, taking care that
his own dress should never be spotted with the sin-laden blood. What was left of the
blood the high-priest poure' )ut on the west side of the base of t'le altar of burnt-
offering.

By these expiatory sprinklings the high-priest had cleansed the sanctuary in all
its parts from the defilement of the priesthood and the worshippers. The Most Holy
Place, the veil, the Holy Place, the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt-ofTerini,'
were now clean alike, so far as the priesthood and the people were concerned ; and
in their relationship to the sanctuary both priests and worshippers were atoned for.
So far as the law could give it, there was now again free access for all ; or, to put it
otherwise, the continuance of typical sacrificial communion with God was once more
restored and secured. Had it not been for these services, it would have become
impossible for priests and people to offer sacrifices, and so to obtain the forgiveness of
sins, or to have fellowship with God. But the consciences were not yet free from a
sense of personal guilt and sin. That remained to be done through the " scape-goat."
All this seems clearly implied in the distinctions made in Lev. l6 :33 : "And he shill
make an atcmement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the
tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make ari atonement for
the priests, and for all the people of the congregation."

Most solemn as the services had hitherto been, the worshippers would chiefly
think with awe of the high-priest going into the immediate presence of God, coming
out thence alive, and securmg for them by the blood the continuance of the Old

Rf.dkmptidn."

Testament privile^'es of sacrilices and of access unto God throuj,'I» iheni. What now
took place concerned them, if possible, more nearly. Their own personal guilt and
sins were now to be removed from them, and that in a symbolical rite, at one and the
same time the most mysterious and the most significant of all. Ail this while the
"s( ape-goat," with the "scarlet-tongue," telling of the guilt it was to bear, had stood
looking eastwards, confronting the people, and waiting f(/r the terrible load which it
was to carry away "unto a land not inhabiti,d." Laying both his hands on the head
of this goat, the high-priest now confessed and pleaded ; "Ah, Jehovah I they have
committed iniquity; they have transgressed; they have sinned— Thy people, the
house of Israel. Oh, then, Jehovah! cover over (atone for), I entreat Thee, upon
tlicir iniquities, their transgressions, and their sins, which they have wickedly com-
mitted, transgressed, and sinned before Thee— Thy people, the house of Israel. As it
is written in the law of Moses, Thy servant, saying : ' For on that day shall it b,e
covered over (atoneil) for you, to make you clean from all your sins before Jehovah
ye shall be cleansed.'" And while the prostrate multitude worshipped at the name of
Jeho\ ah, the high-priest turned his face towards them as he uttered the last words,
"Ye shall be cleansed !" as if to declare to them the absolution and remission of
their sins.

Then a strange scene could be witnessed. The priests led the sin-burdened goat
out through "Solomon's Porch," and, as tradition has it, through the eastern gate,
which opened upon the Mount of Olives. Here an arched bridge spanned the
intervening valley, and over it they brought the gnat to the Mount of Olives, where
one, specially appointed for the purpose, took him in charge. Tradition enjoins that
he should be a stranger, a non-Israelite, as if to make still more striking the type of Him
who was delivered over by Israel unto the Cicntiles. Scripture tells us no more of the
destiny of the goat that bore upon him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, than
that they shall "send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness," and
that "he shall let go the goat in the wilderness," Lev. 16:22. But tradition supple-
ments this information. The distance between Jerusalem and the beginning of "the
wilderness" is computed at ninety stadia, making precisely ten intervals, each half a
S:il)bath-day's journey from the other. At the end of each of these intervals there
was a station, occupied by one or more persons, detailed for the purpose, who offered
refreshment to the man leading the goat, and then accompanied him to the next
station. By this arrangement two results were secured ; some trusted persons
accompanied the goat all along his journey, and yet none of them walked more than
a Sabbath-day's journey — that is, half a journey going and the other half returning.
At last they reached the edge of the wilderness. Here they halted, viewing afar off,
while the man led forward the goat, tore off half the "scarlet tongue," and struck it on
a projecting cliff; then, leading the animal backwards, he pushed it over the projecting
ledge of rock. There was a moment's pause, and the man, now defiled by contact
with the sin-bearer, retraced his steps to the last of the ten stations, where he spent
the rest of the day and the night. But the arri\ al of the goat in the wilderness was
immediately telegraphed, by the waving of flags, from station to station, till, a few
minutes after its occurrence, it was known in the Temple, and whispered from car to
ear, that "the goat l:r.d borne upon him all their iniquities into a land not inhabited."

What then was the meaning of a rite on which such momentous issue depended ?
Everything about it seems strange and mysterious — the lot that designated it. and
that "to Azazel ;" the fact that though the highest of all sin-offerings, it was neither
sacrificed nor its blood sprinkled in the Temple ; and the circumstance that it really
was only part of a sacrifice— the two goats together forming one sacrifice, one of
them being killed, and the other " let go," there being no other analogous case of the
kind except at the purification of a leper, when one bird was killed and the other
dipped in its blood, and let go free. Thus these two sacrifices — one in the remo\al of
what symbolically represented indwelling sin, the other contracted guilt — agreed in
requiring two animals, of whom one was killed, the other " let go." This is not the

;;:

•m

-r4

■ '1

Gold from Ophir.

place to discuss the various views entertained of the import of the scape-goat. But it
IS destructive of one and all of the received interpretations, that the sins of the people
were confessed not on the goat which was killed, but on that which was "let go in the
wilderness." and that it was this goat — not the other — which " bore upon him all the
iniquities" of the people, i-o far as the conscience was concerned this goat was the
real and the only sin-ofifering "for all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all
their transgressions in all their sins," for upon it the high-priest laid the sins of the
people, after he had by the blood of the bullock and of the other goat "made an end
of reconciling the Holy Place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, '
Lev. i6 : 20. The blood sprinkled had effected this ; but it had do\ie no more, and it
could do no more, for it " could not make nim that did the service perfect, as pertaining
to the conscience," Heb. 9 : 9. The symbolical representation of this perfecting was
by the hv3 goat, which, laden with the confessed sins of the people, carried them av.ay
into "the wilderness" to" aland not inhabited." The only meaning of which this
seems really capable, is that though confessed guilt was removed from the people to the
head of the goat, as the symbolical substitute, yet as the goat was not killed, only seni
far away, into " a land not inhabited," so, under the Old Covenant, sin was not really
blotted out, only put away from the people, and put aside till Christ came, not only to
take upon Himself the burden of transgression, but to blot it out and to purge it
away. (May theie be here also a reference to the doctrine of Christ's descent i' o
Hades? ) Thuc viewed, not only the text of Leviticus, l6th chapter, but the languages
of the 9th and loth chapters of Hebrews, which chiefly refer to the l3ay of Atonement,
becomes plain. The "blood," both of the bullock and of the goat which the high-
priest carried *' o-^ce a year" within "the sacred veil," was "offered for himself
(including the priesthood) and for the errors (or rather ignorances) of the people." In
the language of Lev. 16 : 20, it reconciled "the Holy Place, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the altar," tiiat is, as already explained, it rendered on the pa"*: of
priests and people the continuance of sacrificial worship possible. But this live scape-
goat "let go" in the wilderness, over which, in the exhaustive language of Lev. 16:21,
the high-priest had confessed and on which he had laid "all the iniquities of the
children of Israel, andall their transgressions in all their sins," meant something quite
difierent. It meant the inherent "weakness and unprofitableness of the command-
ment;" it meant, that "the law made nothing perfect, but v, as the bringing in of a
better hope ;" that in the covenant mercy of God guilt and sin were indeed removed
from th people, that they were " covered up," and in that sense atoned for, or rather
that they were both "co\cred up" and removed, but that they were not really taken
away and destroyed till Christ came ; that they were only taken info a land not
inhabited, till He should blot it out by His own blood ; that the provision which the Old
Testament rr.ade was only preparatory and temporary, until "the time of the reform. t-
tion;" and that hence real and true forgiveness of sins, and with it the spirit of
adoption, could only be finally obtained after the death and resurrection of "the Lamb
of Gpd which taketh away the sin of the world." Thus in the fullest sense it was true

•."*■ the "fathers/" these all received not the promise ; GoJ having provided

some belter thing for us, th it they without us should not be made perfect." For " the
law having a shadow of the good things to come ," could not " make the comers
thereunto perfect;" nor yet was it possible "that the blood of bulls and of g(^ats
should take away sins." The live goat "let go" was every year a remover of sins
which yet were never really removed in the sense of being blotted out — only deposited,
as it were, and reserved t'll He came " whoin God hath set forth as a propitiation

because of the passing over of the former sins, in the forbearance of God,"

Rom. 3:23 (Alford's Version). "And for this cause He is the mediator of a new-
covenant, in order that, death having taken place for the propitiation of the transgres-
sions under the first covenant, they which have been called may receive the promise of
the eternal inheritance," Heb. 9:15.

Redemption.

ATONEMENT AS DEFINED BY IHE BIBLE.

In taking up "Atonement" as a topic,
the inclination of the Christian worker is
frequently to see first what his favorite
and learned commentator has to say with
reference to the subject. But the best way
is to go to the Bible first. It is remarkable
how clear and simple the v/hole subject
of atonement is opened up in the Hoiy
Scriptures.

I. Atonement is explained in Rom. 5:8-11;
2 Cor, 5 : 14-21 ; Gal. 1:4; i Jno. 2:2; 4 • 10.

II. It was foreordainer' (see margin), Rom.
3:25; I Pet. I : II, 20; Rev. x^.S.

HI. It was prophesied, Isa. 53:^-6, 8-12;
Dan. 9:24-27; Zee. 13 ; i, 7 ; Jno. 11 : 50, 51,

IV. It was accomplished alone by the
.L,ord Jesus Christ, Jno. i : 29, 36 ; Acts
4:10, 12; I Thess, 1:10; I Tim. 2:5,6;
Hftb, 2:9; I Pet. 2 : 21.

V. It was voluntary, Psa. 40:6-8, with
Heb. 10:5-9; J°0- -o: it, as, 17, 18.

VI. The atonement exhibits the grace,
mercy, and love of Goc the ' afld of
His Son JesusChrist. Rom. 8 -,z , i h. 2 : 4,
5, 7; I Tim. 2:4; Heb. 2: • Ko' i. 5:8;
r Jno 4:9, 10; Jno. 15:13; uai. 2:ao;
Eph /;, 25 : Rev. 1 : 5.

\/.I. The justice and mercy of God were
reconc'ied in the atoning work of Jesus
Christ on the cross, Isa, 45 : 21 ; Rom. 3 : 25,
26. J. E. W,

SEVEN PRECIOUS FACTS CONCERNING ATONEMENT.

I . The Scriptures declare the necessity of
an r.onement, Isa. 59 : 16 ; Luke 19: xo ; Heb
9:22.

II. Christ's atonement the end of Old
T"/tament sacrifices, Heb. 7:27; 9:24-28;
10 : 10, 12, 14; I Pet. 3: 18.

III. It was perfectly satisfactory to God,
Eph. 5:2; Heb, i : 1-3.

IV. Reconciliation, perfect and complete,
effected by the atonement, Rom. 5 : 10 ; 2 Cor.

5 : 18-20 ; Eph, 2 : 13- -fi; Col. t : 20-22 ; Fleb.
2:17; I Peter 3 : 18.

V. The only access .'lo God was by afone-
n\ent, Hob. ro ; 19, 20.

VI. Remission of sins by way of the
atonement, Jno. 1:29; Rom. 2:25; Eph.
1:7; J Jno. I : "^ ; Rev. i : 5.

VII. Eternal justification for the believing
sinner through the blood of ato.nenient, Rom,
5 ; 9; 2 Cor. 5:21. J. E. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

WE are said to be sa%'ed by the knowledge of God or of Christ ; thiit is, by simply
knowingGi.id as He has made Himself known to us, Isa. 5 ".3, r / ; i Tim, 2:4;
2 Pet. 2 : 20 ; for " this is life eternal, that tliey might kmnv thee, the only true God, and
Jesus Christ, whom thou hast pent," John 1:7 : 2. And, as if to make simplicity more
simple, the Apostle, in speaking of the facts of Christ's death and burial and resurrec-
tion, says, " By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you,"
iCor. 15:1, 2,

Gold from Ophir.

USES AND APPLICATIONS OF THE BLOOD (i).

If the believer will note the contexts of the
references connected with the following
quotations, it will be discovered as to the
blood of Jesus Christ, that, —

I. It connects the believer with a covenant ,
Matt. 26 : 28, etc.

II. The knowledge of it is eternal life,
Jno. 6 : 32-39.

III. It is the proof of the death of Jesus,
Jno. 19 : 33.

IV. It is the purchase-moriey lif the flock,
Acts 20 : 28. «

V. It is the propitiation provided by God.

Rom. 3:^5.

VI. It tells of the finished j.istilication,
Rom. 5 : (J.

VII. The centre of union among the saints
on earth, i ("or. 10: iG.

Ar. byj. E.W.

THE BLOOD (2).

The blood of Jesus Christ is the means
God has used to procure —

I. Freedom from guilt, Eph. i : 7.

II. It is the medium that procured our
nighness — to God as sons ; to Christ as
bride; to the Holy Ghost as temple, Eph.
2 : 13.

III. Through it we have redemption, the
forgiveness of sins. Col. i : 14.

IV. It is the power of deliverance from
Satan's kingdom i ito Christ's, Col. i : 20.

V. It has secured to the sinner an approach
into the holiest, where God dwells, and
Christ, who gives good things to come, Heb.
9:7-12.

VI. It is to be known as such, Heb. 9 : 12-28.

VII. Both the place to which this leads,
and the blessings of the place (as well as the
people for wkora they are), are connected
with it, Heb. 9: 18-28.

Ar. by J. E.W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

IT is our belief of God's testimony, concerning His own grace and Christ's work, that
brings us into possession of the blessings concerning which that testimony speaks.
Our reception of God's testimony is confidence in God Himself, and in Christ Jesus
His Son ; for, where the testimony comes from a person, or regards a person, belief of
the testimony and confidence in the person arc things inseparable* Hence it is that
Scripture sometimes speaking of confidence, or trust, as saving us ; see the Psalms
everywhere, such as 13 : 5 ; 52 : 8 ; also i Tim. 4 : 10; Eph. 1:12; asif it would say to
the sinner, "Such is the graciou.; character of God that you have only to put your
case into His hands, however bad it be — only to trust Him for eternal life— and He
will assuredly not put you to shame."

"The gift of God is eternallife through Jesus Christ our Lord." "For God so
foved ihe world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life." " Here," says one of the English
Reformers^ "God, who is infinite and unspeakable, gives after such a manner as passeth
all things. For that which He gives He gives not as the wages of desert, but of mere
love. This sort of giving, which has its spring in love, makes this gift more excellent
and precious. And the words of Christ are plain, that God loveth us. And as God,
the giver, is exceedingly great, so is the gift that He giveth, which is His only Son."

Redemption.

THE BLOOD (3).

I. By the blood we see the taking away of
sin, the setting apart of the saints of God,
and that by which they are already perfected,
Heb. lo: 11-14.

II. Through it comes the power for
heavenly filial service, Heb. 10 : ig.

III. It is the sanctification of those that
know it, Heb. 10 : 27-31 ; 13 : 12.

IV. It is the measure of our obedience to
God, Heb. 12 : 1-4.

V. It is the testimony of good things to
us, but judgment on the world, Heb. 12 : 24.

VI. It is the sanctification of an eternal
covenant, Heb. 13; 12, 20, 21.

VII. The knowledge of it is proof of
election, i Pet. i : 2. Ar. by J. E. W.

} ..

: i|

THE BLOOD ^4).

I. The blood is the saint's ransom, i Pet.
i:i8.

II. It is the saint's daily resource, by the
word, for cleansing, i Jno. i : 7.

III. It is for the cleansing of our persons —
so sung of on ea' *h, Rev. i : 5.

I V . Our redemption — so sung of in heaven,
Rev. 5 : 9.

V. The cleansing of our robes, Rev. 7 : 14.

VI. God's witness here on earth, i Jno. 5:8.

VII. It is the victory over Satan, Rev.
12: II. Ar. by J. E.W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE Bible does not say, " Being satisfied about our faith we have peace with God ;"
it simply says, " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God." Not satisfaction
with your own faith, but satisfaction with Jesus and His work — that is what God presses
on you. You say, " I am satisfied with Christ." Are you ? What more, then, do you
wish "^^ Is not satisfaction with Christ enough for you, or for any sinner? Nay, and is
not tuis the truest kind of faith? To be satisfied with Christ, that is faith in Christ.
To be satisfied \\ '1 His blood, that is faith in His blood. Wliat more could you have ?
Can your faith ^ ^ you something which Christ cannot ? or will Christ give you
1' thing till you can produce faith of a certain kind and quality, whose excellences will
tnt 'e you to blessing? Do not bewilder yourself. Do not suppose that your faith is
a pi , or a bribe, or a merit. Is not the very essence of real faith just your being
satib 1 with Christ ?

Ti ; offering and the sacrifice presented on the cross, God has accepted as a
sweet smelling savour, and the proof of its acceptance is furnished to angels, men, and
devils, in the fact that God has laised Him from the dead. Nothing can be added to
the efficacy of that atoning sacrifice nothing can be added to the completeness of
that finished work ; nothing can be added to the value of that precious blood. \ny
attempt to add something of our own, in the way of feelings , repentance, good resolu-
tions, charitable deeds, or ecclesiastical ordinances, that salvation may be rendered
more certain and secure, is an insult to God, a dishonor to the Lord Jesus Christ, and
a grief t«^ ihe Holy Spirit.

Gold from Ophir.

JUSTIFICATION

(Rom. 5.)

[The Scripture references are arranged to furnish a brief Bible reading for every day of the week.]

I. What it means.

The first place the word "justify " occurs
in the Scripture renders it ' ' How sAail we
clear ourselves;" and it stands constantly
opposed to " condemn," Gen. 44 : 16; Deut.
25:1; I Kings 8: 32; Job 9: 20; 13:18;
Prov. 17 : 15 ; Isa. 50 : 8, 9 ; Rom. 8 : 33, 34.

il. Grace is its source.

" Being justified freely by His grace,
through [the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus," Rom. 3 : 24 ; Tit. 3 ; 5, 7 ; Isa. 45: 22,
25; Acts 15: II ; Rom. 5:15-21; 11:6; i Cor.
15:10; Eph. 1:6; 2:4-8; 2 Tim. 1:9;
I Peter 5 : 10.

III. The blood of Christ is the price paid

for it, and its procuring cause.

"Being i.cw justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through Him,
Rom. 5:9; Lev. 17:11; Col. i : 20 ; Eph.
1:7; 2:13; Heb. 9:12-14; I Peter 1 : 18,
19; I John 1:7; Rev. 1:5; 5:9; 12:11.

IV. Faith receives it and is thus its instru-
mental cause.

"Therefore being justified by faith we
have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ," and peace is not a feeling, but
a permanent state or condition into which

the believer is brought towards God, Rom.
5:1; 3 : 25, 26, 28, 30 : Gal. 2:16; 3 : 8, 24 ;
Acts 13 : 39: Rom. 4 : 3, 5, 16; Phil. 3:6-9;
Heb. 11:6; John 6 : 29.

V. The risen Christ is the proof that His
work has been accepted in behalf of the
believing sinner; and hence that our justifi-
cation stands while He continues to live.

" Who was delivered for our offences, and
was raised again for our justification," Rom.
4 : 25 ; 6:6-9; 7:4; I Cor. 15:17; i Peter
1 : 20, 21 ; Jno. 14 : 19 ; i John 4 : 17.

VI. Good works are the fruit of it, Paul
and James standing back to back, viewing
the same subject and bearing the same testi-
mony from different points of observation.

"Ye see then, how by works a man is
justified, and not by faith only," James
2:24; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 2:9, 10; Tit. 2 : 14;
3 : 1, 8, 14 ; I Thess. i : 2, 5 ; i Cor. 15 : 58.

VII. God is the Supreme Judge who pro-
nounces the sentence of justification, and as
this is the court of last resort there is no
appeal from His decision.

"It is God that justifieth," Rom. 8:33;
Gen. 18 : 25 ; Deut. 32 : 4 ; Job. 9 : 20 ; 13 : 18;
Luke 18: 13, 14.

Dr. J. H. BROOKES.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE cross is a wonderful place. Here opposites meet — the deepest sorrow and
the deepest joy.

" Can you tell me," said an unhappy sceptic to a happy old saint, "just what is
the gospel you believe, and how you beheve it .'"' She quietly replied, " God is satisfied
with the work of His Son — this is the gospel I believe ; and I am satisfied with it —
this is how I believe it." Said another lady to another unhappy man, "There isa
great difference between your religion and mine ; your's consists of two letters — D-0,
and mine consists of four, D-O-N-E."

Ill

Redemption.

■ m

REDEMPTION xVS TAUGHT AND ILLUSTRATED

IN Thii BIBLE.

FIGURES : The CAerudt'm in Eden and in the Tabernacle (or the mercy-seat, veil,
and curtains) many take as being emblems of the red^eemed.

Deliverance from Egypt, by price, Isa. 43 : 3 ; Ex. 15 ■!! 13, 16 ; and by power, Ex.
6:7 ; Neh. i : 10.

Deliverance from Z'abylon, Psa. 74 : 2 ; Isa. 52 : 3, etc.

Shadows under the Law : The redemption of ^& first-bom of man and of
unclean beasts, Ex. 13 : 12, 13 ; Num. 18 : 15-17 ; 3 : 45-51.

The mercy-seat, or propitiatory, upon the ark, of pure gold, the appointed meeting-
place of God with His people, Ex. 25 : 17, 20, 22.

The half-shekel atonement money, appointed equally for the souls of all, Ex.
30: 10-16.

The redemption of property from servitude, etc., Lev. 35th chapter.

The ^^^/ or near kinsman. This Jewish ordinance involved the three essential
points, — nearness of kin, ability to redeem, and willingness to redeem ; and all these
met in Christ, the Divine Redeemer. The instituLion was illustrated in Boaz, the
redeemer of Ruth, Ruth 4 : I4(marg.)

Typical persons : Moses, the redeemer or deliverer of Israel Acts 7 :35.

Boaz, the redeemer of Ruth, (marg.) Ruth 4 : 14.

Hebrew names : Pedaiah means redeemer of the Lord. Igal, God will
redeem. Elkanah, God hath purchased or redeemed.

The first person so called was the son of Korah, of the same generation as
Aaron's children, born about the time of Israel's redemption from Egypt. This was
probably given in thankful acknowledgment of that exodus. The elder brother of
Elkanah was called Assir, which means captive or bondman, and was probably given
while they were groaning under Egyptian bondage. The same name (Elkanah)
would appear to have been given to other persons, in token of some deliverance.

Two things are to be noted in connection with redemption :

1. The words redeem and redemption almost always, except in a few instances,
bear the meaning of recover^', deliverance.

2. The word is seldom used in the Old Testament in connection with spiritual
deliverances, whilst it is hardly ever used otherwise in the New Testament.

Ex. 12 : 2. — The change redemption makes :

From the time of the exodus, their great deliverance, Israel was to count a new
kind of year, which was called the sacred year ; thus redemption is, as it were, a fresh
starting point.

Ex. 10 :26 ; II : 7:

These texts show the completeness of redemption. " Not a hoof" of Israel's
cattle was to be left behind ; not a dog to move his tongue, though they left Egypt at
midnight, when dogs were wont to bark at the least sound.

Isa. 34 :8 ; 61 : 2 ; 63 ;4.

It is worthy of note how three times Isaiah contrasts the day of God's vengeance
with theyear of redemption. Mercy rejoices over judgment.

John 18 : 39. — Releasing one at the passover.

It is uncertain when this custom was introduced ; whether by the Jews themselves
before their subjugation by the Romans, or by the Romans to show favor to their Jewish
subjects. The first seems more likely ; and the custom was designed to be a memorial
oftheir great deliverance from Egyptian bondage. If so, it is a pleasing recognition
of a grateful spirit.

Col. I : 13.--" Who hath delivered us."

Literallv, snatched away forcibly, as David rescued the lamb from the lion's paw.

G. S. BOWES.

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III

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Gold from Ophir.

REDIlMPTION.

(Eph. I : 7.)

I. Its necessity seen :

I. In Man's Guilt, Gen. 6 : j^I'sa. 14 : 1-3;
Isa. 1 : 5, C ; Rom, 3 : y, ly ; Eph. 4 : 17, 19.

t. In Man's Helplessness, Jer. 12 : 23 ;
17:9; Micah6:5, 6; Phil. 3:3-11; Rom.
7:24.

With sin came a promise of redemption,
Gen. 3 : 15.

Again and again reiterated, Deut. 18: 15;
Psa. 132 : n ; Isa. 9:6; Jer. 33 : 14, 15 ;
Ezek. 34 : 23 ; Dan. 2 : 44 ; Hosea 13:14;
Mai. 3:1. Which fact was kept before God's
ancient people almost constantly by the offer-
ings, sacrifices and worship of the Tabernacle
and the Temple, especially. And, also, by
the organic law by which they were governed,
as indicated in the redemption of servants,
Lev. 25 : 49, 54 ; lands, Lev. 25 : 27 ; name,
Deut. 25 : 5, 9 ; beasts, Ex, 12 : 13, etc., etc.

II. The Redeemer.

Matt. 20 : 28 ; Rom. 3 : 24 ; i Cor. i : 30 ;
2 Cor. 5:18, 19 ; Gal. 3 : 13 ; Phil. 4 : ly ;
Col. I : 30 ; I l^m. 2:6; Titus 3:5,, Heb-
9 : 24-26 ; I Peter i : 18, 19.

III. The Method.

Death is the result of sjn. Gen. 2
Ezek. 18 : 4, 20 ; Rom. 5:12; 6 : 23.

The life is in the blood. Christ shed His
blood, gave His life a ransom for the sinner,
Lev. 17': II ; Heb. 9 : -22 ; Matt. 26 : 28;
Rom. 3:25 ; 5:9; I Cor. 10:16 ; Eph. 2:13.
Col. 1:19,20; Heb. 9:12-14; 10:19; 13:12'.
I Peter i : 2, 18, 19 ; i Jno. 1:7; Rev. 1:5;
5:9; 12: II.

Of redemption it may be said :

1. It is finished, Heb. 11 : 24-28.

2. It is perfect, Heb. 11 : 7-14.

3. It is universal, Heb. 3 : 9.

4. It is personal, Jno. 3 : 16.

5. It is satisfactory, Rom. 10 : 4.

6. It was timely. Gal. 4 : 4.

7. In its ultimate reach it is eternal,
Eph. 4 : 30 ; 1:14; Rom. 8 : 23 ; Heb. 11:12.

It is, with all its fullness and preciousness,
for all who will receive it, 2 Cor, 5 : 14, 15;
Jno. 3 : 16.

I Jno. 2:2; I Tim. 2 : 3, 4 ; 2 Peter 3 : y.

Hebrews 13 : 20, 21.

Dr. L..W. MUNHALL.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE work in virtue of which all sin is finally put away out of God's sight — abolished
— is accomplished, the question of good and evil is come to a final issue on
the cross, and Cjod perfectly glorified when sin was before Him ; the result will not be
finally accomplished till the new heavens and the new earth. But our sins having
'been borne by Christ on the cross, He rises, atonement being made, an eternal
testimony that they are gone forever, so that by faith we are now justified and have
peace. We must not confound these two things, our sins being put away, and the
perfectly glorifying God in respect of sin, when Christ was made sin, the results of
which are not yet accomplished. As regards the sinful nature, it is still in us ; but
Christ having died, its condemnation took place then, but, that being in death, we
reckon ourselves dead to it, and no condemnation for us.

What a marvellous deliverance ! What a work for the glory of God ! The moral
import of the cross for the glory of God is a subject which, as we study it, becomes
ever more and more magnificent — a never-ending study. It is, b>' its moral perfec-
tion, a motive for the love of the Father Himself with regard to Jesus. " Therefore
doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again."

Redemption.

THE PRFXIOUS Bl.OOD OF JESUS.

I. The heavenly vision of the blood,
Rev. 7.

II. The blood of deliverance from sin,
Eph. I : 7.

III. The place of nearness by blood, Eph.
2: 13.

How near ? On His arm. Cant. 6 : —
Love.
On His shoulder, Deut 33 : 12 — Strength.

On His hand, Isa. 49 : 16 — Security.

IV. The peace-speaking pov^r of the
blood, Col. I : 20. .

V. The great value of the blood, i Pet.
I : 18, 19.

VI. The protection of the blood (the Lamb,
type of Christ), Ex. 12 ; 13. .

VII. The victory cf the blood. Rev. 5:1).

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

JESUS is the only and the all-sufficient, as He 's ihc <iu//iorizcf/, Taker-away of sin,
for the world at large. The whole world is uiought in guilty before (iod, "for all
have sinned;" and the true Gospel of God is, that when any one belonging to that
sinful world feels his sin to be oppressive, and comes straight to " the Lamb of God "
with it, and frankly acknowledges it, and tells out his anxiety regarding it, and his
desire to get rid of it, he will find that Jesus has both the power and the will to take it
away ; and on seeing it removed from him by " the blood of His cross," "as far as the
east is from the west," he will be enabled to sing with a grateful heart and "joyful lips :"

" I lay my sins on Jesus,

The spotless Lamb of God ;
He bears them all, and frees us
From the accursed load."

"God has so loved us, as to give His only-begotten Son to die for sinners ; and '
He assures me that, if 1, a perishing smner, believe in Him, I shall not perish, but
have everlasting life ; I believe His Word, and reckon that if He gave His Son to die
for us when we were yet sinners. He will with Him, also, O'eely give all such things
as pardon and purity,, grace and glory ; and if, in accordance with His own gracious
invitation, 1 rest my soul upon His manifested love in Christ Jesus, I believe that it
will be as impossible for me to perish as for God to change His nature, or cancel the
word of grace and truth that the 'blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from
all sin.'*'

The Son of God — sent of God in love — has come, and not only has He borne our
sins, but (He having offered Himself up freely to accomplish Hs will, whose will He
was come to do, a spotless victim) God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.
He has placed Himself, ever without sin (in Him it was grace and obedience), in the
place in which our failure in our responsibility here below had set men, and, made in
the likeness of men, died to glorify God in respect of sin, so that we are discharged by
the cross from the burden on the conscience of the sin that dwells in us. He takes on
Himself before God the whole charge of sin (but according to the power of eternal life
and the Holy Ghost that was in Him) — offers Himself as a vicf-.m forit. Thus placed,
He is made sin ; and in His death, which He undergoes in grace, sin in the tlesh is
totally condemned by the just judgment of God, and the condemnation itself is the
abolition of that sin by His actof sacrifice— an act which is valid for every one that
believes in Jesus who accomplished it.

Thk Gospel is the report of a peace purchased by the blood of Christ for poor
si^.t is, and offered to thorn.

(5)

'31

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Ill

til

III

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Gold from Ophir.

HOW TO PRESENT THE ATONEMENT TO INQUIRERS.

Pas/or A. J. Gordon.

First, we must believe in it ourselves. I do
not say we must understand all about it, but
we must believe in it. I shall not attempt to
give an exposition of the doctrine of the
atonement ; but I want to give you a single
passage that will, I think, present the best
idea of the kind of atonement we must offer
to the inquirer. Now, if you wish to find a
truth stated strongly and emphatically, go to
one who has once diibelieved it, and has
afterwards accepted it. I do not wish to
speak irreverently, but, if you will study his
life, I think you will find that Peter in his
earlier days was not a believer in the atone-
ment. You remember that, when our Lord
said that He was to go to Jerusalem and
suffer there, and be crucified and arise the
third day, Peter rebuked Him, and said : " Be
it far from Thee, Lord ; this shall not be unto
Thee." He was perfectly scandalized, you
see, at the idea that Christ should die. But
we find that, later, a great change has come
over him; for in his first epistle he gives a
wonderful statement of the doctrine of the
atonement : " Who His own self bare our
sins in His own body on' the tree, that we,
being dead to sins, should live unto righteous-
ness: by whose stripes ye were healed."
I think that that passage analyzed will
be likely to answer almost any case that
you may meet with. One says, "I do not

believe that another person can bear my
sins — sin is such a personal and radical
thing. I have no doubt that Christ, by
His death, draws men away from their sins,
but I cauiiot believe he can bear sin for
another." But mark the expression, " Who
His own self bare our sins." Talk about
emphasizing Bagster Bibles ! I believe God
has done this Himself; as though foreseeing
that men would put secondary meanings on
His Word, such as, e. g., that the coming of
Jesus Christ is at death, and all that sort of
thing. We have it written,. "The Lord
Himself shall descend from heaven:" and
so we have in this passage : " Who His own
self bare our sins." "Well," says one, "I
believe that in His spirit and in His moral
sympathies, he took my sins on Him, so to
speak. " That was not all. Mark the words,
" Who His own self bare our sins in His own
body." " Oh," says one, " it is written also
that He bare our sicknesses. And I have no
doubt that in both body and soul he sympa-
tti.-'ed with us." Go one step further
" Barv'^ our sins in His own body on the tree."
Thus we are brought to the very cross ot
Christ and to His sufferings then endured for
our salvation. Some persons say to us that
Jesus Christ was not punished for our sins,
and make a distinction between chastisement
and punishment ; well, I don't know but

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

AS touching sacrifices, read Leviticus ist to 7th chapter? entire, also the i6th chapter ;
Numbers 19th chapter In the sacrifices of the Bible there are three parties ;
priqst, ofTerer, viclim. Christ is all that, Heb. 9:11-15. There are also three
principal elements or parts ; substitution, imputation, death ; and Christ was all thai
for His people, Matt. 20 : 28 ; Rom. 6:8; note the force of the little word 'for,''
2 Cor. 5:21; I Tim. 2:6; Tit. 2:14; i Pet. 2 : 24 ; Jno. I : 29 ; Pet. 3 : 18.

There is no atonement without blood. There is no standing before God without
blood. Cain was the great father of Socinianism. He invented a way to God without
blood, and stamped the way with his own name. " Woe unto them I they have gone
in the way of Cain ! "

Redemption,

<57

there is a-uch a difference, but here we read,
" By whose stripes ye were healed. "

Turn again to Isa. 53 : 5, and we read
there, " But He was wounded for our trans-
gressions. He was bruised for our iniquities ;
the chastisement of our peace was upon Him;
and with his stripes we are healed." It is
the atonement— that is what we want to
bring to a person under conviction. And
then we want him by a personal faith to
consent to that atonement. Faith is the
consent of a sinner to Christ. Jesus Christ
says, I consent to save you because I have
borne your sins ; all you have to do is to
consent to be saved on these terms. A
friend of mine who is very successful in lead-
ing men to the Saviour, said he met a man
who said he had been seeking Christ for four-
teen years. He made him read this passage
in this way, reducing it from the general to
the personal form: " Surely He hath borne
my griefs." " Do you believe that ? " He
said, "Yes." "And carried my sorrows." "Do
you believe that ? " He thought a moment
and answered that he did. "The chastise-
ment of my peace was upon Him." " Do
you believe that ? " The man was in tears
at the third passage, and actually leaped for
joy as he read: "By His stripes I am
healed." Fourteen yep.rs he had been seek-
ing Christ, but when he came to the point of

appropriating Christ's finished work, he was
healed instantly. Let us uige men not to
look at their faith, but at Jesus Christ ; and
not to believe that they believe, but believe
that Christ has borne their sins. If a man
has a telescope, and his attention is all taken
up with the barrel, and not at all with the
heavens, he will not see the stars. So it is
with a man who looks at his faith instead of
looking to Christ. Then remember to tell
men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
not tell them to pray or read their Bibles for
salvation. When I was in Providence, a
man was convicted of sin, in the chapel of
the jail; he went to the chaplain and said,
" What shall I do ? I have been a very bad
man; I shall be lost. What shall! do ? " "Go
back to your cell," said the chaplain, " and
shut yourself in, and say : ' God be merciful
to me a sinner.'" The man told the story
the next Sunday in the chapel. " I did so,
he said, " but felt no better. Every prayer
I uttered, it seemed as a mockery to God,
and I felt as though the ground would open
and drop me into hell. Then I remembered
the minister said, ' The blood of Jesus saves
us from all sin.' I believed it, and then I
knew I was saved." That is the foundation :
simply to believe it on the grounds that
Christ presents it to us.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

IT is of the last importance to be clear as lu the fact that it is the work of Christ
wit/wut,Q.xid not the work of the Spirit luithin, that must form the sole ground of the
sinner's deliverance from guilt, and of peace with God. He must beware of resting
for peace on his feelings, convictions, tears, prayers, or resolutions. He must begin
with receiving Christ ; and not make that the termination of a course of fancied pre-
paration. Christ must be the Alpha and Omega. He must be everything in our
salvation, or He will be nothing.

There is no such thing as being partly saved and paitly lost There are but
two states, and we must be in either the one or the other. The Israelite in Egypt was
not partly sheltered by the blood, and partly exposed to the sword of the destroyer.
He knew he was safe. He did not hope so. He was not praying to be so. He was
perfecily safe. And why ? Because God hath said, "When \ see the blood I will pass
oyer you." He simply rested upon God's testimony about the shed blood. He set to
his seal that God was true. He believed that God meant what He said, and that gave
him peace. He was able to take his place at the paschal-feast inconfidence andassurance.

GOIJ) FROM OlMIIR.

THE SeAPE(;()AT AND TIII^ LIVE GOAT.

Leviticus xvi.

WE) find in this chapter, as well as in otlicr parts, two animals offered, .'th typifying
the o/te offerin)^ of Christ, but in ^different aspects. For example, see the di/rn/
offering and si'/r offering; —two, yet one, each a type of Christ, but each in a different
view. The burnt offering speaks to us of Jesus offering Himself to God in His own
intrinsic merit, the sin offering as the sacrifice for our sins— He " offered Himself
without spot /() God" and He "hath given Himsolf/(V us an offering," etc. Again, in
the directions concerning the cleansing of the leper, two birds were to be taken. One
of these was to be killed — a type of the death of Chri t , the living bird was to be
dipped in tiie blood of the bird that was killed, and then let go free — a type of the
liberty obtained in consequence of Christ's death, resurrection, life.

In the chapter now before us, two goats we^re commanded to be brought, one for
the Lord, the other for the scapegoat. It is a common thing with people only to think
of sin as it concerns them; they wish to be saved in order to escape hell, and they do
not think of God\\\ the matter at all. Now we know that God needs to be satisfied on
account of sin before He can save a sinner; sin reached to the throne of (jod, and
blood must bo sprinkled there. Christ could enit r into the holiest ;ind I ke Kis seat
at God's right hand in His own merit ; but when He went in on 'mr beh df, He must
take blood with Him. Thus the goat that was for the Lord ;lj offered for a sin
Offering, and its blood was to be brought witliin the veil, and sprinkled upon the mercy
seat ; the other goat was to be presented ali\ e before the Lord, and after Aaron had
confessed over him all the iniqui*'- s of the children of Israel, he was to be sent away
into the wilderness, and bare u him all their iniquities unto a 'and not inhabited,
i.e.^ where no one would ever sl or know anything more about liim — he would be
forgotten. This shows how ( ntircly sin is removed from us by the blood of Christ.
The slain goat typified the atonement for sin before God; this goat typ lied the perfect
removal of sin from us — the one offering. " As far as the east is from the west, lo far
hath He removed our transgressions from us."

J. M. CODE.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS

THE great propitiation is suflficient for the sin of the world. The Father's co-equal
Son stooped for the moment to sin's penalty, and there is now an open way to
God, whose face, once averted from the sinner, is now towards him. The lo\e once
pent within Him is now set free, and with outstretched arms He entreats the Son to
come and welcome. Christ has taken awa)- wrath by taking it upon Himself Prayer
does not secure it, good works do not, repentance does not, failh does not ; but Christ
secured *it. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." If Christ has
turned away wrath, can any sinner be lost? For an answer to this we Iiave but to
remember what salvation is. Salvation is not represented by penalt\ cancelled.
That is but an open way to it. Salvation is fellowship with < od. "This is eternal
life, to know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent."
Propitiation does not save ; it makes salvation possible, it clears the way for us to God,
and enables Cod to throv/ the door wide open, to " receive us graciously, and love us
freely." "Tii'>u wast angry with me, but thine anger is turned away, and Thou
comfortest me. "

In Scripture the "blood of Christ" implies for man as a sinner all the Divii ■
value of it to God, and made over to us, and the abidii •^ and eternal excellency «>
Christ's finished \\ ork. God only can and does fully estimate its preciousness.

REDF-MPTION.

REDEMPTION.

T The Redeemer. •• Holy Oneof Icrael "
Isa. 43: 14.

II. How He Redeems.

1. By the !)l(jocl of Christ, i Pet. i : 18, ly.

2. Clean taking unclean one's place, E.\.

13' la-
in. V at He Redeems from.

1. Guilt of sin, Eph. 1 : 7.

2. From the law. Gal. 4 ;6.

3. From the hand of the mighty (Satan),
Job 6 . 23. f ■;* ; 'yr\f

4. From destruction, Psa. loj : 4.

5 From all iniquity, Titus 2 : 14.

6. From d^ athand the ^: ive,Hosea 13 ; 14,

IV. Employment of the Redeemed.

1. Speaking of the int-rcy of (iod, Psa.
107 : 2.

2. Walk in the higUway of holiness, Isa.

35:9

3. Sint(ing to the Lord, Isa. 51 ; 11.

4. Making most of every moment, Eph.
5 : 16.

5. Praising the Lamb throughout eternity,
l<«v. 5:y

JliSUS-OIIR KINSMAN" ANT* ri:i)I'I:mi:i<.

Job 19:25-27; Lev. 25:25, 47-49; Kuth
2 : 20 ; 4 : 14 ; Jer. 32 : 7, .S. i. We are in the
position of the brothe.r who is wa.Ken poor,
and has sold both himself and his inherit-
ance. Rom. 3:9-24; 6:16; 7:14; I Kings
21 : 20, 25 ; 2 Kings 17:17; Isa. 52 : 3.
Man cannot redeem himself or his brothi-r
Job 36 : 18, 19 ; Psa. 49 : 7, 8 ; Mark 16 : 20 ;
Mark 10 : 26, 27. 3. The Redeemer must be
near of kin to have the right to redet :i,

Lev. 25 ; 4«, .jy ; Ruth 2 : 20. (Margin) This,
Jesus is, Heb. 2 : 9-18. 4. As otu-», near cf
kin, Jesus has the ri^At to redeem ; as OoJ,
He has the power, Is. 47 : 4 • Ps. 7S ; 35 ; Isa.
44 : G ; Luke i : 68 ; Job 3 j : 23. 24 ; Isa. 49 : 24,
25 ; Isa. 63 : 1 ; Ps. 68 : 18 ; Eph. i : 14 , Acts
2c : 28 ; I Cor. 6 : 19, 20 ; i Pet. i : 3-6 ; John
H • 36 ; Heb. 2:14; i Pet. 2 : 9.
Blessed Redeemer!

Miss E, HOWARD.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

"1 IF I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me," John 12 : 32. Jesus
1 , Christ was lifted up on the earth ; and the cross will be the centre of attraction
for sinners down to the end of time. From Calvary comes the voice of Mercy ; and
the guilty sons of men arc drawn by the charmin^f sound. The cross draws men away
from sin and wickednes.s ; and draws them to pardon, holiness, life and heaven. At
the cross broken hearts find healing, mourner find consolation, and the weary find
rest. Beneath the shadow of the cross the love of sin dies ; the disheartened feel the
impulse of a new life ; and under the impetus it gives, they go forth to do, to dare, and
to die. Heri' at Thy dear cross, O wondrous Christ, we find a halm for every wound !
Here, beneath Life's healing tree, we find our bliss, our heaven, our all. " I sat down
under His shadow with great delight.'' Joy unspeakable fills my heart, and my cup
runs over. Jesus was lifted up out of earth. A dead Christ woulrl be powei less to
draw. The cross is a mighty power, for Jesus lives again. Ho was slain to receive
the power to draw all His people to Himself. Jesus put the sin that was upon Him away
by dying ; His death destroyed death ; and rising from the dead His perfect accepted
atonement becomes the heart's true attraction. The redeemed will be saved; dl
those for whom Jesus died will be drawn to Him for life. His death will never lose its
power, for He lives for evermore.

Gold from Ophir.

!i iin

[} ■*, 3^1 •:

A NEW TRANSLATION OF ISAIAH 53;

TOGETHER WITH ITS INTRODUCTION IN ISA. 52:13-15.
Jijf Eph. M. Epstein, M.D.

»3

52
Behold my servant shall be wise,
Lifted up, exalt«d very high.
As many were astonished at thee,
(For thus his looks were marred as no

man's,
And his features as no sonb of Adam).
So too will he stir up many nations •
Kings will open wide their mouthsat him ;
For that which was not related to them,

they saw,
And that, which they have not heard,

they now understood.

53-
Who believed our report ?
And the arm of Jehovah, upon whom
was it revealed ? [him.

For a suckling he would come up before

And as a root from a land of desolation,

No form is his.

And no beauty, that we should see him.

And no appearance, that we should
desire him.

Despised is he, and avoided of men ;

A man of pains, anc acquainted with
sickness;

Aiid as one from whom the face is hid,

Thus despised is he and we regarded
him not.

But verily, oui sicknesses he bore,

And our pains — he suffered them ;

Yet we, we regarded him as plagued,

Smitten and afflicted of God,

But he was wounded by our transgres-
sions.

Bruised by our sins ;

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

SOME Hindoos were on a journey in India. The road was rough and long, and
the sun burned hotly in the skies. Slowly they passed on the way, and as one day
avter another came to an end, many of the party grew faint and weary. There was
one poor man who seemed a stranger to the rest ; he was old and feeble and ready to
sink from the heat and labor of the way. At last he fell and could not rise again.
The Hindoos looked upon him, and finding that he was likely to die, they left him to
perish without pity or help, for these he hen are unkind to the sick arfd dying. But
there was among those travelers a missionary, on his way to a distant place to preach
the Gospel ; he saw the old man fall and ran to aid him, while the rest passed alonjf.
Yet all his help could not now save his life. He knelt by the poor man's side and
softly said in his ear, '' Brother, what is your hope ?" The dying traveler raised him-
self to reply, and, with a great effort said ; '' The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from
all sin," and then laid down his head again and died. The missionary was greatly
astonished at the answer ; and, from the calm and thoughtful manner in which the
words were spoken, he could not but feel that the man had died safe in Christ. " How
or where," thought he, " could this Hindoo have got his hope r " And, as he looked at
the dead body, he saw a piece of paper grasped tightly m one of his hands. He care-
fully took it out, and what was his surprise and delight when he saw it was a single leaf
of the Bible, on which was the first chapter of the first Epistle of John, where these
words are found. On that page a hdathen man had met with the Gospel.

The death of Christ is the only ground on which God could in faithfulness and
justice forgive sins ; and we know He must either do it in faithfulness and justice or
not at all.

Redemption.

ss and
lice or

The removal of our peace was laid upon

him,
And by his wound there was healing for

us.

6. Wo all like sheep have wanderetl astray,
Each one his own way we turned,

But Jehovah met in him, the sin of all
of us.

7. He is brought nigh.
And he is tormented,

And ha opened not his mouth ;
Like a l.imb to slaughter led,
Like a sheep before it.i shearers.
Dumb. — and he opened not his mouth.

8. Away from prison and court he h taken,
Anu among his generation, who ever

thought
That lie was cut off from the land of the

• living,
That the plague to him from my people's

transgression came ?

9. And among the wicked his grave was

appointed,

But a ric'.i man'i among his dead ones.

For no robbery did he,

And no deceit with his mouth.

10. But Jehovah thus desired :

" If his soul shall make a sin-sacrifice,
He shall see posterity.
He shall prolong his days,"
And Jehovah's desire shall by him suc-
ceed.

11. Of the toil of his soul he shall see and

be satiated ;
Of his own mind shall my righteoua

servant make many righteous,
And their sins he shall suffer.

iz. Therefore among the great will I give

him a portion.
And with the mighty shall he divida

spoils,
Because he exposed his soul to deatn,
And with transgressors was he num.

bered,
Yet the sins of many he bore,
And for transgressors he would intercede.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS

THE Israelites, who were not a whit better than tlie Egyptians lying under sentence
of death, were commanded to take a Ijunch of hyssop, and, having dipped it
in the blood of the slain lamb, to strike that blood on the two side posts, and on the upper
door post of their houses, not beneath, to be trampled under foot, but protecting them
on either side, and overhead. Then God said, " the Ijlood shall be to you for a token
upon the houses where ye are : and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the
plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when 1 smite the land of Egj'pt." Hut if
the blood had not been sprinkled as commanded, the destroyer would most certainly
have entered the houses, and the stroke of death would have been inflicted. It was
not enough that the lamb was slain ; the blood must be sprinkled. It is not enough
fhat Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed, but He must be personally received.
His death in itself considered will not save a single accountable soul, apart from faith
in Himself. It is absolutely essential, therefore, at the outset to ask ourselves whether
we are trusting in the blood alone, or partly at least in our faith, our feelings, our
repentance, our resolutions, our baptism, our union with the church, our goods works.
God did not say, when I see these things, but when I see i/ie blood. Nor did He say,
when you see the blood, but when / see it. He was satisfied with the blood outside,
and we must be satisfied with His word inside. The blood alone makes us safe ; the
word alone makes us sure. There was no doubt great variety in the age, moral'
character, past history, and degree of confidence on the part of the hundreds of
thousands within those blood sprinkled houses ; but they were equally safe, for the
Lord saw the blood and passed over the door, and stood beside it to bar it, as if with
the stability of His throne, as if with the length of eternity, against the entrance of
the destroyer. Until He dies, not one sheltered beneath the blood can perish.

Gold from Ophir.

WHERE GOD PUTS SIN.

1. Thou hast covered all their sin, I's.
85:2.

2. As far as the east is from the west, so
far hath He removed our transgressions, Ps.
ioj:i2.

3. Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy
sin purged, Isa. 6 : 7.

4.. Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy
back, Isa. 38 : 17.

5. Will not remember thy sins, Isa. 43 : 25.

6. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy
transgressions, Isa. 44 : 22. -

7. The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity
of us all, Isa. 53 ; 6.

8. He shall bear their iniquities, Isa. 53: 11.

9. The iniquity of Israel shall be sought
for . . . and they shall not bo found, Jer.
1 : 20.

10. None of his sins that he hath committed
shall be mentioned unto him, Ezek. 33 : 16.

11. Wilt cast all their sins into the depths
of the sea, Micah 7 : 19.

12. Hath He . . . put away sin by the sac-
rifice of Himself, Heb. 9 : 2G. J. M. S.

' . SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS ANl) UNFOLDINGS.

ASKING how Christ's death could turn away the wrath of God, we are told plainly
— it was by substitution. It is sometimes said that that word is not in the Bible ;
but the thing is there. "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." " He haili
redeemed us from he curse of the law, being made a curse for us." "He made Him
to be sin for us vvh > knew no sin." lie was " once offered to bear the sins of many.''
He " suffered for sins, the just for the unjust," He " bore our sins in his own body on
the tree." It is said, however, that this is impossible, as sins cannot be transferred.
Of course, this is so, but though sin cannot be transferred, the penalty can. The holy
Son of God could not become a sinner, but He could take the sinner's place, and bear
the pinner's doom. That is what the Scriptures teach really took place. On Calvaiy
He asserted his sinlessness in the cry, "My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?''
The doom of sin was there. For a moment Christ was forsaken by the Father,
Then He knew the Divine wrath, and what it was to be cut off from God. And what
was that awful darkness, but to descend into hell.'' There the P-vine wrath uttered
itself, and its threatenings were fulfilled. Sin was gathered upoa owj sacred head,
and judged and punished there. -

Among other good things therein is an altar, which is the cross of Calvary, on
which there was offered one offering for ever — an altar the efficacy of whose sacrifice
avails ior Jew and Gentile, for the past, the present, and the future ; an altar from
which there is a new and perfect highway into the holy place, for we read in tli(~
Epistle to the Hebrews, that Christ, our High Priest, has "passed through the heavens.'
As the priest of old passed from the altar of sacrifice right through the veil into tlic
very presence of God, so our High Priest passed from the cross of Calvary up to the
throne of God. We have a new and perfect altar, a new and perfect highw a\-, a
new veil — "that is to say, His flesh," which was rent on the cross. We have also in
this tabernacle a new mercy-seat, which is sprinkled with the blood of atonement ;
and we have a new shrine, a new Shckinah presence, which is that of God Himself.
This is the more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, and which can never pass
away. Besides that, we have in Christ Himself a more perfect tabernacle. He was
personally the temple of God. His perfect sinlessness was the altar on which His
blood was offered. He was the sacrifice Himself, the Priest who offered the sacritlcc
the mercy-seat, the Shekinah presence of God — " the brightness of the Father '^
glory."

liBii,_iii»fw>

wu rm w i

Redemption.

.?"

[y, on
Iritice
] from
In tlic
[ens. '
lo the
\o tlio
a
Iso in
nent ;
tnsclf.
pass
; was
His
hrUici:,
tthci';"

SEVEN THINGS INSEPARABLY CONNECTED V/ITII THE

BLOOD.

Collated and arranged by J. K. I V.

I. Atonement or Reconciliation: See Lev. 17 : 11 ; Rom. 5 : 10. Man
being a sinner against God, needs to be reconciled ; and the blood is the means which
God has provided. He gave Jesus, His well-beloved Son, to pay the atonement price
by dying in the stead of guilty rebels. His blood fully and forever satisfied the claims
of Divine Holiness. Meaning of word Atonement : Our fathers used to pronounce it
•' At-onc-ment." It refers to the grea^ Day of Atonement, spoken of in the 16th
chapter of Leviticus, in which the high-priest passed into the Most Holy Place with
the blood of sacrifice, in order to reconcile the guilty sinner to God ; to make "at-one"
again the Holy God and the sin-stained worshipper. Reconciliation has been made
by perfect righteousness. That which blood of bulls and goats could never do, save
only in measure as they pointed to Christ, has been doije by Him eternally, and on the
ground of the merits of His death God now beseeches sinners to be reconciled to Him.

Another idea conveyed by atonement is that of covning over. The blood covers
over the page of our sins, and hides them from the eye of God. This aspect of the
blood was thoroughly realized and beautifully expressed by a half-witted lad, of whom a
little account was once published under the title of "Happy Mute." He said that "Jesus
Christ had passed His red hand over the page of sin in the book of God's remembrance,
and iiad left nothing visible there but the blood which had flowed from His palm when
pierced by the nails of Calvary."

The crimson stain of our iniquities is hidden in the deeper dye of the atoning blood
of the lamb. Just as when we gaze at a red object through glass of the same color, it
appears white, so does God behold the scarlet sinner when covered with the blood )f
His Son as " whiter than snow."

II Redemption : In l Peter i : 19 we read, " Redeemed with the precious blood
of Chris*," The simple meaning of redemption is a buying back, a re-purchase. Man
by sin sold himself to the devil, and thus became his lawful prey and captive ; became
subject to Satan, and came under his condemnatit i Hut grace devised a way of
buying him back. It is by way of "the blood of the Lamb."

Just as of old, Israel was delivered from Egypt by virtue of the sprinkled blood, so
now are sinners brought out of captivity and bondage o^ Satan by blood— the blood of
Jesus. Then all were safe who took shelter beneath the blood-sprinkled lintel. It was
no cjuestion of goodness or moral fitness, but simply one of obedience to a plain
command, —

" Now get thy house within,
Slay, eat, anoint thy door;
The ciread avenger comes not in
To smite, but passeth o'er."

So now, all who come beneath the refuge God has provided, are eternally secure from
ihc stroke of iht^ Angel of Judgment : our moral condition, our state in the eyes of men,
has nothing to do with salvation. All depends on the application of the blood. If a
soul pleads this before (]od as an atonement, he is at once redeemed out of the bondage
of sin and Satan, and he becomes the property of God, bought with a price so precious,
so priceless, that no mortal tongue ran tell out its value. "He redeemed me," " I
belong to Him," should henceforth be the language of all those thus ransomed by the
blood of CLirist.

III. Deliverance from the Pit : " By the blood of Thy covenant I have sent
forth Thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water," Zech. 9:11. By nature all
are prisoners in a. pit, and unable to get out by any effort of ourselves. The character

Gold from Ophir.

of this pit is here described as " without water." In Isa. 38 : 17, Hezekiah speaks of it
as a ''pit of corruption ;" in Psa. 40 :2, David says it is "a horrible pit, or a pit of
noise ; " and in Job 33 : 30, it is alluded to as a pit of darkness. What a graphic picture
is this, drawn by the Spirit of God, of that pit in which all mankind are caged and held
captive ! — a place lacking water — the emblem of life— a place of death, corruption,
horror, and darkness. Such is the condition of all sinners who are still outside the
shelter of the blood. It is a picture of the pit of hell.

IV. Forgiveness of Sins: " In whom we have redemption, through His blood,
the forgiveness of sins," Eph. 1:7. In many places in the Word of God is forgiveness
coupled with the blood, since it is the only ground on which pardon may be proclaimed.

The very first blessing we are called upon believing in Jesus, is to ^now that we
are saved, pardoned, forgiven. Not to think, not to hope, but to know as an accompUshed
fact that ail >;ur iniquities are blotted out as a thick cloud.

Codforrives on the ground of sin having been righteously put away by the blood.
Satisfaction having been fully made to the demands of His holiness, He can now freely
pardon all ^v'ho come to Him by Jesus. Salvation is a blessing to be known and enjoyed
now, a present possession to make glad the heart, and give strength and power to live
a godly life.

V. Justification: "Justified by His blood," Rom. 5 rg. Not only forgiven, but
justified by the blood. Justification is something far beyond forgiveness. Salvation
from heli is one thing ; but meetness for the presence of God — the inheritance of the
saints in light — is quite another.

VI. Peace with God: " Having made peace by the blood of His cross," Col.
I : 20. The conscience that is set at rest about sin has peace ; the one who believes that
Christ has made peace by His blood enjoys peace. Peace never comes from feelings,
or anything we do or think. Ourestimateof the value of the blood does not give peace,
but the blood itself Our estimate is but faulty at the best ; our appreciation of the
value of Jesus very defective ; and if our peace rested upon this, it would be shallow
and ever liable to change. How blessed it is to know that Christ Himself is our peace ;
that His blood on the mercy-seat ever speaks to God on our behalf.

" We thank Thee for the blood,

The blood of Christ Thy Son ;
The blood by which our peace is made,

Our victory is won ;
Great victory o'er hell, and sin, and woe,
That needs no second fight, and leaves no second foe."

:I-<1

VII. Nearness to God : " Made nigh by the blood of Christ," Eph. 2
are in Christ. We are His children, heirs, etc. All by virtue of the blood.

•3-

m; i|

Redemption.

JUSTIFICATION.

The law is a looking-glass, in the which
man may see himself, of what sort he is.

The first office of the law — to make sin
known, Rom. 8 ry.

Second office — to increase sin. We were
so far gone from God, that the command of
God not to do increases our desire to do for-
bidden things, James 4 : 17.

Third office — to show God's wrath and
judgment, Deut. 27 : 26. St. Paul : The law
is a ministry of death, 2 Cor. 3 : 7, and
worketh wrath, Rom. 4: 15.

Fourth office — fear, Rom. 8:7.

Fifth office — constraining man to go to
Jesus as our mediator, Deut. 18 : 18.

Man's inability to keep the law, Psa.
143:2.

In Christ's name, Acts 4 : 12.

By believing in Him, Acts 13: 39; Gal.
2 : 16, and 3: 11.

Not justified by good works, Hcb. 7 : 27;
John 12:31, 32.

Man delivered from the law and sin, John
I : 29 (for) Gal. 3: 13.

N. B. FRITTS.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

HOW is atonement to be made ? Who is able to take upon himself the sin of the world,
and to make perfect satisfaction to God's holy law ? First, He must be a willing
victim, laying down His life of himself freely, for if the punishment of the smallest sin
were inflicted on Him without or against His will the justice of heaven would be
infringed. Second, He must be a spotless victim, for one taint or spot would do away
with the efficacy of the sacrifice. The sinless alone can atone for the sinful. Third,
He must be capable of offering satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and no man
can do this. Fourth, the victim must have the power of God, to take upon Himself all
human needs, and weaknesses, and sorrows, and sufferings, and sins, but if He is to
suffer for sin, if He is ''> stand in the place of man, and to write with His own hand the
lesson that sin shoula not go unpunished, He must also be man, to suffer as one of us,
and for us. This is the sacrifice which has been transacted. The Son of God has
taken our place, and has done for us that which we could not do ourselves.

" Thou hast cast all our sins into the depth of the sea" — this was understood
when the cable was laid. The ocean is miles deep, the bottom covered with thick red
sand, where the cable lies softly and secure. The water at the bottom is almost solid
from the great pressure of the body of the ocean. This portion of the compressed
water is called the cushion of the sea, and it is in repose, where is no such agitation as
ve see on the surface, where the wind acts and where tempests rage. The density of
the water renders it impossible for anything ever to rise again that may have sunk
there by its own weight. Into such depths God has cast our sins, when " He was made
sin for us," 2 Cor. 5:21.

If the Holy Ghost be awakening the sinner to a true apprehensioq of his danger,
as a rebel against God's authority, a guilty, polluted, hell-deserving sinner, he must be
in a deeply anxious state of mind, and such questions as these must be ever present
with him : " What must I do to be saved ? What is the true ground of a sinner's
peace with God ? What am I to believe in order to be saved.?" Well, in so far as
laying the foundation of your reconciliation is concerned, you have nothing to do; for
the Surety of sinners said on Calvary, "// is finis hciV Jesus has done all that the
Holy Jehovah deemed necessary to be done to insure complete pardon, and salvation
to all who believe in His name. If the sinner take Jesus as his Saviour, he will build
securely for eternity. " For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which
is Jesus Christ."

mSH

Gai4i FROM Oiniiu.

mfMn i L

THE ALTAR.

By Ho7-atius Bonar.

The cross is our altar. There the great
burnt-offering was laid and burnt and ac-
cepted for us. Ey the altar we stand, find-
ing in it everything that suits the sinner's
case and meets the sinner's fears.

I. There I see God in Christ reconciling
the world unto Himself. The "altar" was
the place of reconciliation for Israel ; the
cross is the place of reconciliation for us.
There we see everything that prevented re-
conciliation removed, and everything needed
for accomplishment there finished and ex-
hibited. "Reco)Rciliation" is the inscription
on the cross.

II. There I see God meeting man in love.
At the cross Heaven touches earth, and

('dd \H\l ot Heaven embraces mAW Tneve
is but one meeting place (ov thu siuuer. Man
thinks there are many such ; God t«lU him
there is but one. Man's Vtllied systems of
religion, his self-devised \ites, his w«U-pre
pared forms of religion, mo his meeting
places — substitutes for the God-appointed
meeting place. But ?11 in vain. " Meet me
at the cross" is God's mess,) ge of lov«. No-
where else is there grace or peace

III. There I see the forgiveness of sins
for the guiltiest. The inscription on our
altar maybe said to be, " Forgiving iniquity,
transgression and sin." No amount of sin,
and no kind of sin, is excluded from this
mighty pardon. It is a pardon worthy of

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDTNGS.

GOD hath written a law and a Gospel ; the law to humble us, and the Gospel to
comfort us ; the law to cast us down, and the Gospel to raise us up : the law to
convince us of our misery, and the Gospel to convince us of His mercy ; the law to
discover sin, and the Gospel to discover grace and Christ, pointing, as it ever does, to
the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross.

The testimony of the late Henry Reed, of England, is very precious. He was a
wealthy, but devoted Christian, who had spent a long life in making known the Gospel,
and in work of practical benevolence and charity. Finding that he was about to pass
away, and wishing to leave on permanent record a farewell message to his friends and
the world, before his mind began to wander amid the shadows of death, he called for
pen, ink, and paper, and calmly and deliberately inscribed the following statement of
his experience and full conviction : — "After all I have said, preached, and written for
upwards of forty-five years, I wish it to be distinctly understood that the ground of the
hope that is within me (which hope is full of immortality and eternal glory) is not
' repentance toward God,' although it is written, ' Except ye repent, ye shall all like-
wise peri.sh.' I*ior is it faith, although it is written, ' withouth faith it is impossibK' to
please God.' Nor is it in becoming a new creature, although it is written 'Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.' Nor is it in holiness,
although it is written, 'Without holiness no man shall seethe Lord.' They are, indeed,
great and glorious gifts, all purchased by blood Divine, for which I adore and praise a
triune God. Still none of them atoned for my sins. Repentance did not die for me ;
faith did not die for me ; the new creature did not die for me ; holiness did not die for
me. My confidence is not in the gifts, but in the Giver — the Eternal Son of God,
who took my nature, and in that nature, as my substitute, atoned for my sins. On His
finished work alone does my soul rely for pardon, hr^ne-" p.nd heaven ; and He only
is made unto me wisdom, rightcnusness, and san'^.'ficutj!*?,. , „ iemption."

Redemption.

the altar; worthy of Him who has set up
the altar, worthy of the divine sacrifice
that has been presented there " once for all."
\V. There I see the only place of safety
for the sinner Wrath is everywhere else ;
perfect security is there. The "consuming
fire" descends on the altar, and is there
consumed — there expended and exhausted ;
so that all who stand around that altar are
absolutely and forever safe. "Salvation to
the uttermost " is the world-wide proclama-
tion issuing from the four horns of that altar.

V. There I see the divine welcome for the
sinner. It comes from God Himself, audit
is given with His whole heart and whole
soul. It i"? no half-way welcome, but earnest
uil true. Sons of men, God bids you wel-

! f Te h;)". no pleasure in your banish-
ment or coiiiliimrmtion. "Draw near" is His
gracious mesao^n ) >vf i ^ stand aloof ?

VI. There I see life in de.ith, It is death

that the altar represents, but life also, for the
cross is the death of the substitute; and
therefore the meaning of the altar is life ;
life out of death, life through Him who
"Douredout His soul unto death," because
He was bearing the sins of many, and thus
making everlasting life a free, a sure, a
righteous gift to the guiltiest of Adam's race.
VII. There I see all things ready for the
sinner's acceptance. The ransom is there,
the purchase-money is there, the thinga
needed by a sinner are all there ; and God
says "Take." They are all to be had for the
taking. No merit, no money, no work, all is
free. He that believeth enters on the pos-
session of all. To believe is to take. " He
that believeth hath everlasting life." Simple
believing puts me in immediate possession
of all the fullness of the Christ of God. My
acceptance of God's provision for the guilty
n-akes me an accepted man.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE date of the feast of the r.issover is of special significance. It was observed in
the month in which God brought His people out of Egypt. Again and again does
God remind Israel of their delivernn' e from Pharaoh's bondage, and so does the Spirit
of God, through r.'iul, bid the Ephc h ' H lints remember the bondage of sin

.iikI of the world, out of which all who bcUcv... ..,. ' '■ - --"rF by iUk ip a\h and resurrec-
tion of the i.oi(l Jesus. Redemption's feast begins on the grou//d of which
the soul can sing, " Uulo Jlim tliat loveth us, and washed ua \imn onr sins in if is own
blood."

I BESRECH you to settle it in your mind ^^'•♦ " f'lrfrintftr.it it/ <>»■■•" lies .it the very
threshold </f the Christian life. It is a ble.'^zj 'ied ana lA, - ntnv. You

must have forgiveness, or perish forever ; you must nave it finw. or j .t have

peace. It is surely a most dalivliiri/J thougnt, that you can gtt mftu , lott«d

out at once and forever I Gocf pa/do; s freely and at once. M* fl' < ulcate

any preparation in u\i\i-r to pardon. One, wlio knev/ the blessedness ui tujoying His
pardoning mercy, testifies thus /oncerning it : " If we con^ciso our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive our «ins, and to cleanse us from ,il unrighuonsness ;" and this
testimony was given, on th a ground of what he b.td affirn "d in the same letter, that
"the blood of Jesus Christ fJi'j Hon cleaf""'*'^ us from all sin. ITe does nf)t say. After
you have lepented more thoroughly, after yrm have spent days and weeks in agonizing
prayer, after you become more thoroug'ily instrii'-ted in divine things, and after you
pass through years of "trouble and sorrow," f/tc/t yuu m. /\. , n;re to hope for forgive-
ness; but you are warranted, on simply confessing your - ■■ .% through
the all-perfect merits of Ch rist, you are pardoned that verj rr justifietk
the ungodly** and Christ " r^r«w/A s/nners," ain) says 1 7 ever/ ^tt* </ them, In the
very act of receiving them, "lie of good checK ; thy sin" tie forgiven thtiP

1 n

GOI.D P'ROM OpHIR.

JESUS AS. REDEEMER AND DELI FRER FROM SIN.

I. But Thou hast in love to my soul de- I
livered it from the pit of corruption, Isa.
38 : 17.

II. I will ransom them from the power of
the grave ; I will redeem them from death,
Hos. 13: 14.

III. Who gave Himself for our sins, that
He might deliver us from this present evil
world, Gal. i : 4.

IV. Who loved me, and gave Himself for
me. Gal. 2:20.

V. Christ redeemed us from the curse of
the law, Gal. 3 : 13.

VI. Might redeem us from all iniquity,
Titus 2 : 14.

VII. Redeemed with the precious blood,
I Pet. 1 : 18, 19.

VIII. Who His own self bare our sins in
His own body, i Pet. 2 : 24.

IX. Unto Him who loved us, and loosed
(R.V.) us from our sins, Rev. i : 5.

J. M. S.

THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST.

I. It was eifected by Christ alone. See III. The effect of the knowledge of that

John 1 : 29, 36; Acts 4:10, 12; i ' 'hess,
1 : 10 ; I Tim. 2 : 5, 6 ; Heb. 2:9; i Pet.
2 : 21.

II. It was voluntary. See Psa. 40:6-8,
with Heb. 10 : 5-9 : John 10:11, 15, 17, 18.

finished work on the heart and life of
the believer. See Rom. 12:1,2; 2 Cor.
6 : 14-18; 2 Cor, 7:1; Jas. 2 : 14-26; i Pet.
2 : 24.

JEW.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

I DO not know a more striking illustration of salvation by the blood of Christ alone
than that which is furnished by the sprinkling- of the blood of the passover lamb on
the homes of the Israelites, on the eve of their redemption from the bondage of Egypt.
'■'• The blood on the lintel secured IsraePs ;peaceP There was nothing more required in
order to enjoy settled peace, in reference to the destroying angel, than the application
of the blood of sprinkhng. God did not add anything to the blood, because nothing
more was necessary to obtain salvation from the sword of judgment. He did not say,
" When I see the blood and the unleavened bread or bitter herbs, I will pass over." By
no means. These things had their proper place, and their proper value ; but they
never could be regarded as the ground of peace in the presence of God.

"When we speak of " vicarious atonement," what do we mean by it ? " Vicarious "
means something that is done on behalf of another, because he is unable to do it him-
self. You have an obligation to fulfil, and you are unable to fulfil it, and another fulfils
it on your behalf. "Your obligation is this : You ought to obey the law of God perfectly,
but you do not and cannot. You have every one of you broken the law, and you have
done wrong against God, for every sin is a wrong against God. You owe, therefore,
reparation to God. You deserve punishment, for your sin is a breach of the law, the
eternal and immutable law of God which cannot be broken with impunity ; and that
the majesty of law may be held and God's justice satisfied you must bear the penally of
transgression. And then, further, yoii need have the enmity done away with which
exist* bf tween you and f Jod. You need a n'?w heart of reconciliation which shall
bring you into fellowship and pearo with God.

Rkdemption.

THE GOEL-REDEEMER.

By Prof. G. W. Morehcad.

READ Lev, 25 125, etc. A redeemer must first of all have this qualification, he must
be near of kin to the rnan on whose behalf He intervenes. It was .igain and
again insisted on that Christ had partaken of flesh and blood, hence He claimed kin-
ship even with then. Then this kinsman-Redeemer had a three-fold function to
perform, first, He had to redeem the person of him who had been sold into slavery ;
second, his property ; third, if he had suffered wrong He must avenge him of the
wrong. The New Testament doctrine of the redemption of Christ was in germ form
in that action of the Redeemer. See Eph. i :7 ; i Cor. 6:19, 20. And then He had
secured for them the inheritance. The wiiole doctrine of their inheritance in the New
Testament was bound up with the action of this kinsman-redeemer in Lev. 25. Peter
said in the opening of his first letter that we had beenquickened together with Christ from
the dead unto an inheritance. Poor Eve lost not only herself, but the great estate
to which she was an heir with her husband, and the two were expelled from Paradise.
The saddest history of the entire race began at that point, and ran on to this day.
They were an expelled family, they were outside their proper inheritance, and the
miserable business of patching up a lost character, and striving to restore unto them-
selves their lost inheritance, began in that day of shame, and had gone on down to the
present time. They were engaged in the herculean, impossible task of making them-
selves presentable unto the Lord God, whereas He had given them the Goal-Redeemer,
the descendant of Eve, of the stock of Abraham, of tlie tribe of Judah, the great King,
the Angel Jehovah Himself, who not only redeemed thorn, but restored to them their
inheritance, and by and by will be the avenger of all tlieir wrongs, 2 Thess. I : 7. Their
bodies were not yet redeemed, but were breaking down, and, unless tlie Lord should
come, every one now living would be sleeping under the sod by and by. but the great
Avenger was coming, and at His appearing, at His shout from above, all them that
sleep in Him would be awakened, and they who were alive and remained would be
changed, and together with them caught up to meet the Lord in the air.

i I I

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

TF an Israelite had been asked as to his enjoyment of peace, would he have
1 said, ' I know there is no other way of escape but by the blood of the lamb ; and I
know that that is a divinely perfect way ; and, moreover, I know that that blood has
been shed and sprinkled on my door-post ; but, somehow, I do not feel quite comfort-
able. I am not quite sure if I am safe. I fear I do not value the blood as I ought,
nor love the God of my fathers as I ought.' Would such have been his answer?
Assuredly not. And yet hundreds of professing Christians speak thus, when asked jf
they have peace. They put their thoughts about the blood in place of the blood itself;
and thus, in result, make salvation as much dependent upon themselves as if they werfe
to be saved by works."

" tr/ w your heart to Christ^^ is, essentially, law not Gospel. It is mtis(pf6'Mf
that it should be done, for God Himself demands it ; but it is not evangelical to urge me
doing of it as if// were the Gospel. The true Gospel is, Accept the free gift of salva-
tion from wrath and sin, by receiving Jesus Hiiubclf, and all the benefits He purchased
with " His own hi.ood," and your he/»H will be His in a rnornf /;/ given Him, not a«
a matter of law, but o( lorv ; for. if you hfi f the love of /fis heart pmiiei] into yours
by His Blessed Spirit, you will feel youi>^( If under the constraining influence of a
spontaneous spiritual impulse to give Him your heart, and all you have, in return. It
is right to give Him your heart, but unless you first receive His, you wi'l ^yf r give
Him yours.

! Ill

Gold from Ophir.

BLOTTIiNG OUT.

I. Repentance in order that sins may be
blotted out, Acts 3 : ig.

II. God only can blot out sins, Isa.
43 25.

III. God has blotted out, Isa. 44 : 22.

IV. The blotting out of sins and iniquities
Psa. 51 : I. 9.

V. God will not blot the name of the
rignteous out of His book, Rev. 3 : 5.

J. F..W.

THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

I. It was voluntary, Luke 12:50; John
10: II, 18; Heb. 10: 7, 9.

II. It was substitutionary, Isa. 53; Dan.
9:27; Matt. 20:28; I Cor. 5:7; i Tim.
2:6; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9 : 26-28 ; i Peter
1 : 18, ig; Rev. i : 5.

III. It was painful, Matt. 27:29-50; Heb.
2 : 9, 10 ; I I'eter i : 11.

IV. It was ignominious, Heb. 12:2, 3.

V. It was accursed, Deut. 21:23; Gal.

3: 13-

J.E. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE blood of Jesus has opened a new and living way into heaven for a poor sinner.
It has raised a ladder from earth to heaven. The cross of C'luiHt was set in the earth,
and thero His blood was shed ; thp iiinn y-Htat of God is set in heaven, nnd there Jlis
blood is sprinkled. By Hi* own blood He entered inlo llii! holy pia. c, liavinH obtuined
eternal redemption ftu >m | and boldness is given to (is to enter into tlio holiest by the
same precious blood. Then, poor sinner, will you stay juviiyvvlicn (lodaays •'((iino?"
Will you go to the world for happiness, when God has given His own dear Son to make
you happy, and to save you from everlasting misery ? Will you say, " i am tuo gicat
^ sinner," when God says that the blood of Jesus Chi hi His Son cleanseth us from all
sin r Will you say, " I w ill wall a lilllo longer," whe; God says, " Now is the accepted
timRj now la the day of mdvution?"

Man needs a Alend to deliver him from the curaOjfroin death, from judgment, from
\\\6 wrath to Cimie. Can he h('l|> himself? Can his fellow-men hell* hi\n? If tlicy
could, theywouldnot. They would not die in his jihun, lUld II Uu) did it would be of no
use. Will angels help him? If they would. lhei| \m\\ m\\\\\\ not avail ; for sin, being nil
infinite evil, requires iulinileatonemeiil. IliltJeHiis Christ t's infinite iufinitn in Imli
ness, infinite in goodness, infinite In power and h)ve ; and Hit* lialug punished Avould
atone for the infinite evil of sin. He steps forward. " Jesus,"said Paul, "was niadea
little lower than the angels, f(»r the suflferuig of death, crowned with glory and linnm,
that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man." He Is tim i'lieud ol
sinners, a Krienti in need. By nature we are naked; we wander about in the ediil
Jesus Christ sees us needy — steps as it were from heaven to earth — takes off His nuii
raiment and wraps it about us, But we are not t>uly naked ; we are hungry and
thirsty. My friends, do we feel our souls hungering and thirsting after righteousness.^
Do we ft^d that the things of earth are unsatisfying, vairt, em|)t)', vile ? Do we icci
that they will not do for our souls ? and are you hungering and thirsting after something;
that will satisfy — something that is far better ? Christ sees our need. He steps from
heaven ; He pours out His own blood. His life, for us to drink. He makes us what we
once were, restoring us to our first condition, raising us from the dunghill — from the
depths (»f degradation — to the throne, the heights of glory.

Redemption.

THE BLOOD OF CIIRIST-A BIBLE READING.

"Tho life of the flesh is in the blood;
and I have given it to you upon the altar, to
make an atonement for your soitla ; for it is
the blood that maketh an atonemtnt for the
soul," Lev. 17:11. Hence, in Christ we
have, through faith —

I. Redemption.

" In whom we have redemption through
His blood, even forgiveness of sins," Col.
1:14.

"Feed the Church of God, which He
hath purchased with His own blood," Acts
20 : 28.

," Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us
to God by Thy blood out of every kindred,
ar.d tongue, and people, and nation," Rev.
5:9.

" Ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things, as silver and gold, from j our vain con-
versation received by tradition from your
fathers; but with the precious blood of

Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot," I Peter i : 18, 19.

II. Forgiveness of sins.

"In whom we have redemption through
Hisblood, theforgivenes;jof sins," Eph. i :7.

"This is My blood of the New Testament
which is shed for many for the remission of
sins," Mat. 26:28.

" Whom God .hath set forth to be a pro-
pitiation through faith in His blood, to declare
His righteousness for the remission of sins
that are past," Rom. 3 : 25.

"Without shedding of blood is no re-
missif ," Heb. g: 22.

III. Justification.

"Being now justified by His blood, we
shall be saved from wrath through Him,"
Rom. 5 : g.

IV. Cleansing from sin, both as to the
person and the conscience.

"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin," i John i : 7.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AHD UWFOLDINGS.

IN llfhri'i'ltfiif we have many glories of the Lutd Jesus Christ, and we ask wnywas
this Wftmlerful and glorious Being, in whom all things are summed up, and who is
before ml |lilnuij, the Father's delight and the Fathers glory — why has this infinite
lijjlit, iliis infinllH bower, this infinite majesty come down to our poor earth ? For what
' ^ ' ' ' - => Jo show forth the splendor of His majesty? To teach

it llllfl )iy His just an! hoWmiglv ' No. Hersme A' A>^>-^^ our

iiiii I I P

In ,i. I iiK ui.-,iliiiii I*

siih/ Wimthci

! Infinite is His n and

e to us. What a gloi nms J.ord,

lillie?

hut height of tjini y j wlmt Septh of abasement
inrmitn U \\\n Hflf huinilii'tion and tlio (jcplh of His love

ami what nil awlul BiKiilica of iiii.4|ir hIuiIiIr love "/o purge our sins by Hiiitml//"
Sin h;is brought Him down from heaven I Our tlofilement has drawn Him froni 1Ij«
heij>lit of Hi^gloiy I Oh, what an expression I — what a climax ! Ho was the only one
who toiild properly undeislaiid tiia true nature, depth, Miuj guilt of sin. God of Ciotl.
Sou of Hio Father, He perfectly sympathised with the Father in His loathing ann
itilioirence ofsin ; but, being willing to befriend us and having become one with u,-j,
he could not bear the fac'. of our heing lost. So lliis lofithsnmeness of our iniquity, as
idallisoiiie to Jesus as to the Father, He willingly takes upon liiiiiself. Jesus- oerfcc i
In lli» love to the holy and righteous Father, perfect ip IJis love tolho BJnful ana guilty
people whoii He came to Save, witli infinite liallfiil i/f BJn pnrl with Infinite love to the
sinner — enters, alone and unassisted, into jliat awful wllderhesg where, fis our substitute
and sin-bearer, He feels the Father's face as turned Hwiiyfrotn Him | and ns the
expression of His agony, In wliii |i faith and love endured a|l things and triiminiM »l 1 1'-
utters the cry, " My fiod, My (Joo, why hast Thou forsaken Me ?" Then Jesus, t/ie
Son of God, purged by Himsolf our sins.

if!i

Gold from Oi'iiiu.

"JESUS OUR sacrifick;

i .

\*i hd

ii ;

Laying aside all /theories and traditions of
men, let us try to leain just what the Bible
itself teaches concerning the sacrificial death
of Jesus.

L Jesus is a Sacrificial Lamb : John i :
29; Acts 8 : 32, 35 ; i Peter i : 19; Rev. 5 :
6, 9; 7:14. The persons using the fore-
going language were all Jews. They were
accustomed to the sacrificial ideas of the Old
Testament, and the sacrificial scenes of the
Temple, and to none other. They, there-
fore, must have meant that Jesu^ was, as it
were, p. lamb to be slain for the sins of men.

II. Jesus is a sin offering : 2 Cor. 5 : 21.
In the Greek translation of the Hebn w
Scriptureb, the " Septaagint," LXX., theori-
ijinal word for "sin offering is rendered by
the single word "sin," it is "the sin." From
the Septuagint the word passed into the New
Testament, and in this sense is used in th«.
foregoing text. See Ex. 29 : 14, Revision,
Margin, and Lev. 6 : 25, and like places in
the LXX. See also Rom. 8:3;! Cor. 15:3;
I Peter 2 : 24; 3 : 18.

He is also the si . offering for the great
atonement: Heb. 9: 12, 25, 26, 28; 13: 11,
12 ; (compare Lev. 16 : 1, 28).

He is likewise our Passover offering : i

Cor. 5:7; John 19 : 3G ; (Ex. 12 : 4O; Numb.

9: 12).

And He is finally our peace offering : Lph
2:13, 14; Col. 1:20, 22; Rom. 5:1, 11.
All the foregoing texts contain a distinct
reference to the sacrifices under the law and
their fulfilment in Jesus.

III. His blood makes atonement : Matt.
20 : 28, to be compared with Lev. 17 : 11, 14,
especially the last verse, "the life (margin,
' soul •) of all flesh is the blood thereof" (R. V.),
and this life or soul is " given upon the altar
to make an atonement for your souls " (v. 1 1).
The Hebrew word for " ransom " in Ex, 21 :
30 ; 30 : 1 2 , is rendered by the same Greek word
in the Septuagint that our Lord applies to
Himself; and the Hebrew word thus tran.s-
lated is precisely the same word that in Lov.
17:11 and elsewhere is rendered "atone-
ment." The plain meaning of our Lord is,
that He came to give His life in the place of
the lives of many as an atonement for then
sins. See also i Tim. 2:6; Tit. 2 : 14 ; Heb.
9:12; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1 : 14 ; Gal. 3 : 13.

To the same effect is Matt. 26 : 28. Com-
pare this with Heb. 9 : 15-23 ; lEx. 24 : 8 ; Heb.
13 : 20 ; ' John 1:7; Rev. i : 5.

His blood thus shed is a propitiation for

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

WE should think much of the blood; it is our way','*"^r'pproach to God ; a way is now
open every moment into the Holiest of all. The guilty heart can'not approach
God, it willingly sets up a fence. What removes it ? The blood. Look at all the
expenditure of His grace from first to last to bring us nigh. When the blood is rightly
used and applied, what is the result? Nearness to God. Are you living in this near-
ness to God? If there be a question concerning guilt, there is a remedy — the blood;
thus the heart gets confidence, and fear and disinclination are removed. I'cople t.iik
of knowing its power, but no man knows it aright who docs not feel in the embrace
of God. Whose biood is it ? The blood of the Lord Jesus. lie presents His own
blood ; he takes, as it were, the death which is past, and holds it up before God. He
is the living Mediator, presenting the blood which He shed to redeem us to God. He
knows our hearts, our sins, our weakness, ourfearfulness, and He presents the blood to
give UP confidence and assurance. ''The blood of Jesus Christ His Son clcanseth 11.;
from all sin," i John 1:7.

Redemption.

Bin : Rom. 3 : 25 ; i John 2:2; 4:10. This
word " prupitiatiun " is properly the name uf
Ihf; cover of the ai ^ of the covenant above
the idw, the mercy S(;at (Heb.tjts; Ex.
25 : 17, LXX). Upon this cover the blood of
atonement was sprinkled by the High I'riest
en the day of the great atonement (Lev. 16 ;
14, LXX.) ; and finally, from being the name
uf that upon which the atoning blti«id was
offered, it came to designate the sacrificial
blood itself. See also Heb. 12:24; ^ Peter
I 2.

It should be observed in this connecf'on
that the Old Testament word variously trans-
lated " atone," " atonement," and " ransom,"
literally means ' cover." The penalty paid
in money for an offence against the law
"covered" the liability of the offender and
set him free (E.\. 21 : 20). The blood cTered
in sacrifice "covered " the guilt of the sin-
ner, and so saved him from the penalty of
his sins, death (Lev 1-4, 5, etc.). Hence
Rom. 4:7; Ps. 32 : i ; Ps. 85 : 2, the Scrip-
tural meaning of the word "atonement " is
not primarily reconciliation, peace, and fel-
lows .ip with God; but it is the "covering"
of the guilt of the sinner by the blood of the

sacrifice, from the sight of offended Jehov ah ;
and this in order to his subsequent restora-
tion to the Divine favor.

I \' Jesus is the priest. As such, He offers
the sacrifice and mediates between God and
men: John 10:18; Heb. 4:1.^ 7 24, 27;
10:12, and nj-22; I Tim. 2:5, Revision; i
John 2:1.

From all the foregoinp:, the only legiti-
mate con( lusion must be that Jesus i.j a
sujrifice li the sins of men in the .same
s^nse as the sacrifices offered under the law;
the only difference bei'\g that He has ful-
filled once for all, in His own sacrifice, the
meaiL.ig and purpose of all the sacrifices
that were ever o.TereJ under the Old Testa-
ment. The \\ ': of sacrifice He perfected
forever v Vipn He was "lifted up from th(
earth" UjK>n the Cross of Calvary. F05
tliis, the l.iw prepared the way ; Jesus finished
the work. Frf)m the Old Testament wc
learn the elementary principles of .salvation ;
in Jesus we obtain the completed truth of
redemption. He " is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sane tification and
redemption." •

H. W. CONGDON.

11:

^ SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

LO, I come to do Thy will, O God liy the which will we are sanctified,
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all," Heb. 10:9,10. As
Isaac was willing at the bidding of his father to be otifered up, even so was Christ as
the sacrifice for sin. We behold Him as the sacriyice, hearing the righteous wrath of
God. We behold Him as the sacnyicrr, offering Himself. As Aaron, on the day of
atonement, went into the holiest of all, and sprinkled the blood on and before the mercy
neat, even so did Christ meet the claims of God by His death bringing glory to (iod
and blessing to the belie\er. , We behold Him as the sen>nnt wholly devoted to do
the will of God. We behold Him as the sulnhicr, conquering e% ery foe.

It was not exciting words, it was not eloquence, that Paul had. Why, he said his
speech was contemptible 1 He did not profess to be an orator, but he preached Christ,
the power of Gol and the wisdom of God — Christ, and Him crucified. And this is
what the whole world wants — Christ, and Him crucified. And the world will perish
for want of Christ. Let every man and woman that loves the Lord Tesus begin to
publish the tidings of salvation. Talk to your neighbors and friends. Run and speak
to that young man ! Talk to him of heaven and of the love of Christ ; tell him diat you
want to see him saved ; and bear in mind this, that God is far more willing to bless
us than we are to have Him. Let us, then, keep close to Christ.

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Gold from Ophir.

"THE BLOOD."

By Dr. Anrlcrson.

»* TN whom we have redemption through His blood." Redeemed with "the precious
1 blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemibh and without spot." The allusion
to the Passover is clear. Israel was redeemed by blood. There was a redemption by
power, too. With a strong ha id and an out-stretched arm God brought His people out
of Egypt. But this followed on redemption by the blood. •

And this is a truth which every sinner who seeks pardon and life must learn. The
heart craves some proofs of redemption, some sense of deliverance, before believing in
the blood. But God will gi\e none. It was as slaves, still groaning under Egypt's
bondage, that the Israelites sprinkled the paschal blood. Some, doubtless, could have
shown the livid weals of the ganger's lash even as they feasted on the lamb within
their blood-stained doors. They were still in the house of bondage, and the power of
Egypt was unbroken. As judged by unbelief in the light of reason, and of plain, hard
facts, their faith was fanaticism, and their conduct was folly. They had nothing to
rest upon, nothing to appeal to, but the bare word of Jehovah.

And so is it with the Gospel. It reaches th6 sinner in his sins, as he is and where
he is, and tells him of life and peace. It comes as the word of God, and claims to be
received as such. The message to Israel was, " I will bring you out from under the
burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of t^eir bondage, and I will redeem
you with a stretched-out arm." But before they could be redeemed from Egypt's
bondage, they must needs-be delivered from Egypt's doom. The judgment was n;)t
upon the Egyptians, but upon Egvpt ; and none were excepted. The destroying an,^ el
had no commission to inquire as to race, or creed or character. The death-sentence
had fallen upon the first born, and it was for him to e:;ecute that judgment, save where
the blood-stain testified that it was already past. They "kept the sprinkling of the
blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch tnem." Through the blood
the Israelite had redemption.

There are tv/o words for redeem in the New Testament. The one signifies to buy,
as in a market ; the other, to effect deliverance by the payment of ransom and tiie
exertion of power. The latter is the fuller word, and this it is which is commonly used
in th*^ Septuagint, notably in connection with the deliverance from Egypt. Here the
thought of purchase is utterly inadequate, save as it is included in the ransom. Satan,
after all, is but a brigand. Pharaoh had no rightful claim upon the people whom he
held in servitude, and Israel's deliverance was his destruction.

And yet redemption by blood goes deeper than this. It was by the decree of God
Himself that the death-sentence passed "pon the first-born. It was God who ordained
the deliverance from that doom. And, mark, it was not by the death of the pascli;.!
lamb, but by the sprinkling of its blood, that Israel was saved. Here the doctrine of
the blood comes in. Siibstitution is the leading truth in our theology respecting t!;e
Atonement, but in Scripture it is but part of a fuller ar^(l a wider truth. In the lin-
offering Israel was identified with the victim before its death, by the laying on of hands;
and the victim died as a substitute. But the sin-offering was for a people already
redeemed. In the Passover, on the other hand, the death of the lamb, though the basis
of the blessing, in itself brought no deli trance. That depended on the sprinkled
blood, whereby the Israelite became identified with a death already accomplished. ,

And the Passover reveals to us the sacrifice of Christ in its aspect towards the
sinner lying under judgment. That sacrifice is God's provision for his deliverance,
but it can bring no blessing, it can bring nothing but a deeper doom for him who
rejects- it or rieglects it, unless and until he becomes identified therewith.

'f v/ords are to be used with scriptural accuracy, redemption is not through the
•death of Christ, but through His blood. (See Eph. 1:7; I Peter i : l8, 19. The blood

buy,

[ t'lie
used
e tlv>

3111 ll'C.

;ieMn-
ands;

llrcady
; ba^is

Redemption.

includes the death, but it brings in the thought of the sinner's identification therewith.
The blood is a figurative expression, and the figure is derived from the types.) Or, to
drop the figure, the sinner must become identified with that death by faith. To use
the good old term of the divines, the blood represents death "appropriated" by the
sinner who believes. If this doctrine of the blood be lost sight of, we'shall inevitably
lose ourselves in the trackless waste of universalism, or else be driven to take refuge in
the narrow rut of ultra-Calvinism. The one ever ignores the righteousness of (ioct, the
other denies His grace. In contrast with both, the Gospel of the blood reveals how
grace can reign thiough righteousness unto eternal life.

And here we must remember that the two distinctive truths of the Gospel,
righteousness and grace, belong, not to the age of " darkness." but to that of " the true
light," which shone in Christ. That faith is counted for righteousness is a truth as old
as the covenant with Abraham. But how God could be righteous in thus justifying the
believing sinner — this is a truth which was veiled until the new covenant revealed it.
The righteousness of God was witnessed by the law — by these very types of the Mosaic
ritual — but it was manifested and declared in the Gospel, apart from law altogether ;
and until that revelation was made it was a hidden truth, Rom. 3 : 21-26.

And so aiso with grace. The Israelite's redemption depended not on any merits
of his own, but only upon the blood. jJutyet the blood was only for the Israelite. The
ground of redemption was r>uch that the Egyptian might have shared it just as freely :
but in fact he was excluded. No message of mercy reached him. But now the Gospel
is preached to every creature under the heaven. "There is no difference, for all have
sinned." " There is no difference, for the same Lord ever all is rich unto all that call
upon Him." ''Sin reigned once — God was dd-aling with men on the ground of their
being what they ought to be, while by their very nature they were what they ought not
to be. God's attitude towards the sinner therefore wns adverse. There vvas a covenant
truly, but that only served to make the doom of the world more definite. God was
imputing sin, and the normal and legitimate result to men was death. But now sin is
dethroned and grace is reigning. God is no longer imputing sin, but preaching peace.
He to whom all judgment is committed is now seated on a throne of grace. It is not
that He has grace for the elect, and judgment for all besides, but that grace is the great
characteristic Oi'His reign. He is a Saviour and not a judge. He shall yet come to
judge : but now the amnesty has been proclaimed, and judgment waits. It is not, as
in a bygone dispensation, that there is mercy for a favored class, but that there is mercy,
and nothing else, for all without distinction. The day is coming when judgment will
be as unmixed as grace is now. but during all this ' acceptable year of the Lord,' His
throne is a throne of grace, and tk-; guiltiest sinner upon earth will there find only
nicrcy."

kled

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the
blood

Gold from Ophik.

< 9

WITNESS TO THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST

"A Witness to the sufferings of Christ, " i
Peter 5. i.

A witness may be (a) an eypwitnsss, or
(''>) ono who bears testimony. In b"th these
senses Peter was a witness to the suflferings
cf Christ. He beheld the cruelty to which
hi^ Master was subjscted, and bore him
company in the seasons of watching and
weeping through which He passed. But
then there was much in relation to the suf-
ferings of Christ of which no man could
speak from personal observation. There was,
for instance, the object of those sufiferings
and the blending of a Divine and human
nature by which tliey were made possible
and by which they were made effective. If
Peter knew anything of these solemn truths,
it was not flesh and blood that had revealed
them unto him: the revelation mu ' have
come to him from God. He therefore speaks
of events which came under his own notice,
and declares truths which were revealed to

him by the Holy Ghost. He is a witness to
the sufferings of Christ as i. ';

I. The Subject of Prophecy.

See I Peter i : 1 1 ,." Testified beforehand."
Rev. 19: io...."TheSpiritofprophecy "
Acts 10: 43. ..."All the Prophets wit-
ness."
I'rophets who witness to the sufferings of
Christ-
Isaiah Com. Isaiah 53:7; with Acts

8:34-

David Com. Ps. 22 : i ; with Matt. 27:46.

Zachariah . . Zech. 13 : 7.

II. Vicarious.

I Peter 2: 21.. "For us." 7

I Peter3: i8.."Forsins." "For the unjust."

Here it is clearly taught that Jesus suf-
fered for others, and for the sins of others,

Peter is supported by the testimony of

lis. 53:5, "For our trans-

The Prophets

gressions."

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

THE Son of God's taking on Hinn man's nature, and oflfering it in sacrifice, was the
strict condition of all the glory and reward promised to Christ and His seed, Isa.
53 : 10, II, vvherein all things are freely promised, and that faith that is required for
sealing a man's interest in the covenant is promised in it, and wrought by the grace of
it, Eph, 2 : 8. That faith at first is wrought by, and acts upon, a full and absolute
offer of Christ, and of all His fulness ; an offer that hath no condition in it, but that
naiive one to all offers, acceptance ; end in the very act of this acceptance, the accepter
(loth expressly disclaim all things in himself, but sinfulness and misery. That faith in
Jesus Christ doth justify (although, by the way, it 's to ne noted that it is never written
in the Word that faith justifieth actively, but always passively ; that a man is justified
by faith, and that God justifieth men by ard through faith ; yet admitting the phrase)
only as a mere instrument, receiving that imputed righteousness of Christ for which we
are justified ; and that this faith, in the office of justification, is neither condition nor
qualification, nor our Gospel righteousness, but in its very cut a renouncing of all such
'Pretences. We proclaim the market of grace to be free, Isa. 55 : 1-3. It is Christ's
last ofifer r, :d lowest. Rev. 22 : 17. If there be any price or money spoken of, il is ;w
price, no money.

" ' He His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.' It is not said
that our duties, or our prayers, or our fastings, or our convictions of sin, or our repent-
ance, or our honest life, or our alms-deeds, or our faith, or our grace — it is not said
that those bore our sins ; it was Jesus, Jesus Himself, Jesus alone, Jesus, and none
hut Jesus, * bore our sins in His own body on the tree." Rest, then, in nothing short
of peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

■^«

said

jpent-

said

none

short

Redemption.

/John, I Jno. 2:2, "For our
The Apostles 1 sins."

ipaul, Rom. 5:8," For us."
Matt. 20:28. "Formany."
OurLord....jJ°h'^<^ = 5r. "For the life of
the world."
John 10 : II. For His sheep."

" He suffered for us " — " for sins." .

Did Peter remember his own sins ? See
the list : —

Luke 5 : 8. ' A sinful man."

Matt. 14:31. "Litfle faith."
Matt. 26 : 33. " Presumption."
Matt. 26:58. "Afar off."
Matt. 26:72. "I know not the man."
Mark 14: 71 •' Began to curse."

These words have an application to our-
selves, *' He suffered foi* our sins."

III. Sufficient.

I Peter 3 : 18.
Romans 6:10.
Hebrews 9 : 26.

Hebrews g : 28.

"Once suffered."

" Died unto sin once."

"Once in the end of the

world."
"Once offered."
Hebrews 10 : 14. " One offering."
Hebrews 10 : 12. " One sacrifice."

See the significance of this repeated truth
—Why one offering ? Because one was
sufficient. The Jewish sacrifices offered

daily ; but no need for such a repetition of
the sacrifice of Christ (see Heb. 7 : 27).

IV. A Revelation of the Character of

Chris;.

I Peter 2:23 — "When He suffered He
threatened not." See contrast between the
conduct of the Master and that of His dis-
ciples.
James and John. Luke / Peter. Matt. 26 : 51,

9:55- ' 52-

Christ's patience our f p^^^^ ^ . ^ ^
pattern. (

V. A Ground c2 Consolation ti His

Suffering^ Followers.

The Epistle written to sufferers .(see i
Peter i : i.). Consolation to be derived
from the following considerations concerning
Christ's sufferings : —

The price of redemption i Peter i : 18.

Guarantee of His sympathy. . . .Heb. 4:15.

Christ suffered on account of sin. Be-
lievers suffer for " righteousness."
They may rejoice because —

Ch. 2 : 21. " Called to suffer "
Ch. 4 : 13. " Made partakers of Christ's
sufferings."
"God is glorified."
" Suffering is acceptable."
" Only for a while."

HENRY THORN E.

Ch. 4 : 14.
Ch. 2 : 20.
Ch. 5 : TO.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDING S.

'aiTHAT avails the blood of Christ?"

VV prayer, what streams of tears of penitence could never avail.

"It avails what good works, what incense of

'The blood of
Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin.'" ''Helps to cleanse ourselves,
perhaps ?" " No, cleanseth us." " Does it not furnish the motive and the obligation for
us to cleanse ourselves ?" " No, it cleanseth us." "Is it 'cle?nseth us from the desire
to sin'?" " No, cleanseth us from sin." "Cleanseth us fro. a some of our sins ?" "No,
from all sin." " But did you say the blood does this?" "Yes, the blood of Christ
shed on Calvar)^" "The life and the holy teaching of Christ, you must mean?"
"No, His blood." "His example, is it not?" "No, His blood, His precious blood."
Oh, what hostility the world still befays toward this essential element of Christianity 1
Can anything be stated more plainly ? Can a truth of eternal importance be declared
more simply than this, that our redemption from sin is by the blood of Christ ? And
yet what strenuous efforts are constantly made to set aside this plain, essential,
wonderful, and most glorious truth, that the blood of Jesvis Christ cleanseth us from
all sin. " Without the sh'.-dding of blood h no remission."

m'^^i

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i, ra.

Gold from Ophir.

"THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST."

I. The ground of our acceptance. "It

is the blood that maketh an atonement for
*hd soul," Lev. 17:11. "When I see ihe
blood I •will pass over you," Ex. 12:13.
" Having made peace through the blood of
His CI OSS, by Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself," Col. 1:20. "Justified by
His blood," Rom. 5:9. " The blood is the
life," Deut. 12:23. "The good hepherd
giveth his life for the sheep," John 10: ii.
" He laid down His life for us," i John 3 : 16.
n. The channel of forgiveness. "In
whom we have redemption through His
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of His grace," Eph. 1:7. God
for Christ's sake hath forgiven you," Eph.
4:32. "You hath He quickened together
with Him, having forgivjn you all trespasses,"
Col. 2 : 13.

III. The means of cleansing. "The
blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth ns
from all sin," i John i : 7. For if the blood
of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an
heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to
the purifying of the flesh : how much more
shall the blood of Christ . . . purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the
living God?" Heb. 9:13, 14. "Washed
. . . from our sins in His own blood,"
Rev. 1:5. " These are tliey which . . .
have washed their robes, and made them
white in the blood of the Lamb," Rev. y : 14.

IV. The separating power. " Pass the
time of your sojourning here in fear : Foras-
much as ye know that ye were not redeemed
with corruptible things . . . from your

vain conversation . . . but with the pre-
cious blood of Christ," i Pet. i : 17-19.
"Jesus, that He might sanctify the people
with His own blood, suffered without ihe
gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him
without the camp, bearing His reproach,"
Heb. 13: 12, 13.

V. The secret of overcoming. "They
overcame . . . by the blood of the Lamb,"
Rev. 12 : II. " Always bearing about in the
body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our
body," 2 Cor. 4:10. "God forbid that I
should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world," Gal. 6 : 14.

VI The pledge of blessing. "This cup
is the new testament in my blood," Luke 22:
20. " He is the mediator of the new testa-
ment, that by means of death, for the
redemption of the trantjgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are
called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance," He' .9:15. " He that spared
not His ovm Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also
freely give us all things ? " Rom. 8 : 32

VII. Apprehension needful to spiritual
life. " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in
you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh
my blood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise
him up at the last day. For my flesh is
meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, "
John 6 : 53-55.

JANET CLARK.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

BEHOLD, then, O Spirit-convinced soul, the Lamb of God that taketh away the
sin of the world I In His death upon the cross, behold the Lamb of God that
taketh away the sin of the world I In His death upon the cross, behold the mighty
sacrifice, the ransom for the sins of many I See there the sum of all His obedience
and sufferings 1 Behold the j^m's/ieti work ! — a work of stupendous magnitr.de, which
He alone could have undertaken and accomplished ? Behold our sacrifice, our finished
sacrifice, our perfected redemption, the sole foundation of our peace, and hope, and joy.

Redemption.

SUB:5riTUTI0N-A WORD FOR EVERYBODY.

He died for the ungodly,

r.y Join Wood.

DON'T despair, for Christ has died.
Don't presume, for Christ willjudyc.

Don't think He died for the good — there are none.
Rom. 5 :6.

Don't fail to notice the importance of two nordi in John 3: 16 — ^^ Whosoever
believcthP There is no declaration of universal salvation on the one hand, nor of
salvation offered to a favored few on the other. The promise of eternal life is to " all
who look," John 3:14.

Don't let the crucified Saviour be foolishness to you. He knows nothing of spiritual
life who cannot say, with the apostle Paul, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ," Gai. 6 : 14.

Don't attach any importance to a cross. There is no virtue in cross or crucifix.
It is "the precious blood of Christ" which God values, and the saved sinner too.
Probably the Lord Jesus died on a tre\

Don't grasp the shadow and miss the substance, as, alas, many do. What do you
know of atonement, reconciliation, peace, victory?

Don't think (as many do) of God the Father as separate in heart or thoi^ht from
r-od the Son — they are equally concerned foi your salvation. As Abram ani Isaac
■ ent to Moriah, "both of them together," Gen. 22:8, so Father and Son went to
Calvary. The type wonderful — the contrast too.

Don't try to add to Christ's finished work, it you are a seeking soul, because you
cannot ; God is satisfied with it and with every sinner who trusts it.

Don't trample "the Blood of the Covenant' under foot. To do so is to be
eternally lost.

Don't be too proud to be saved in God's way. What has a poor sinner to be proud
of? — Footsteps cf Truth.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

tfJ^HE Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost," Luke 19 : 10.
J Lost sinners were God's property, but they had been decoyed away by Satan, the
enemy of God and man, and their life of sin was the result of their being lost. But
God had sent His Son to seek and save them, and when He came to this world He
found them under the power of sin and Satan. They had sold themselves to do evil,
and consequently they were a prey to the Evil One, who held them in bonda^j^e, while
their transgressions of the holy law of God kept them from heaven ; yet Jesus, to save
then», suffered the punishment their sins had deserved, while at the same time His
blood redeemed them from the power of Satan. So now, because of what Jesus had
done by His death on the cross, full satisfaction had been made for the violated law of
God, and sin removed ; so that God can now save the guilty, whoever they be, who by
faith receive the Saviour as God's gift to them.

" For God so loved the worM, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whoso-
ever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3 : 16. God
could not receive us with our sin. Christ, as ovtr propitiation,hdiS fully met the claims
of God for us. Christ, as our substitute, has borne the wrath of God ins'.ead of us.
There are three expressions that we are apt to think synonymous, namely • The cross
of Christ, the blood of Christ, and the death of Christ. Now, the cross of Christ
reminds us what He endured, that is, the pain, persecution, and shame. The blood of
Christ is the ransom-price He paid to procure the blessings of the Gospel, while the
death of Christ tells what He suffered instead of us, and our identification with Him.

Ill

Gold from Ophir.

HIS BLOOD CLEANSES FROM ALL SIN.

» - By C. If. Spurgcon, '

" They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,"
Rev. 12:11.

THESE victors all fought with the same weapons. They had two weapons, and
these two were one— the blood and the Word. The blood of the lamb : IT
WAS THEIRS. The blood of the Lamb will not help us until it becomes our own.
They went to Jesus by faith and received the attonement ; the cleansing blood was
sprinkled on them, it spoke peace to their consciences, and it took away their sins;
they were washed in it; they were made white as the driven snow. "The blood of
Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." They were afar off, and "They were
made nigh by the blood of Christ." This blood continued to give them access to God,
for it gave them boldness to draw near the throne of grace. In fact this blood waj so
theirs, that it was the life of their spirit ; it was a generous wine for them, and
became the highest joy of their souls. If you and I are ever to be amongst these
victors, the blood must be our own, appropriated by faith. How is it with you ? Has
the blood cleansed thee, my brother? Does the blood dwell in thee as thy life ? Has
the blood of the Lamb given thee fellowship with God and brought thee near ? If so,
thou art on the way to overcoming by the blood.

The blood of the Lamb, according to the verse which precedes the text, had given
them all they needed, for i*^ gave them salvation. They were saved, completely
saved. Jesus Christ, when thoy laid hold upon Him and felt the power of His blood,
redeemed them from all iniquity, and translated them from the kingdom of Satan.
Then they received strength: note that word. They had been dead, but they
obtained life ; they had been weak, and they were made strong in the Lord, for he who
knows the power of the blood of Jesus is made strong to do great exploits. Then they
obtained the kingdom, for the kingdom comes to us by the way of the conquering
blood of Jesus, and He hath made us kings and pnests unto God because He was
slain. We are told, also, that they had power, or authority. Our Lord, who has
risen from the dead, clothed all His disciples with authority when He said, "all power
is given unto Me in heaven and in earth ; go ye, therefore, and teach all nations."
Beloved, if we have participated in the blood of Jesus Christ, 1 hope we feel it to be
all these four things to us, — salvation from sin, strength out of weakness, a kingdom in
fellowship with Christ, and authority to speak in His name. It is the blood of the
covenant, and it secures all the covenant gifts of God to us. It is the life of our life,
the all in all of all that we possess. So, then, they had the blood of the Lamb, aiiJ
they possessed the privileges which the blood brings with it.

When God shall rise up amongst us men and women who live only to prove the
power of the blood of Jesus Christ, and live for nothing else ; who tell out the Saviour's
name, tnd sho^v in their lives what that blood has done for them, and are ready to die
to glorify their Lord, then will come the times in which the song of victory shall be
heard, then shall the travailing woman have her reward, and then shall the dragon bt
covered with everl.stii g shame ! May God bless you by giving you to know the power
of the blood, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Redemption.

THE FOUR-FOLD REDEMPTION.

THE religious machinery of the times is, to all intents and purposes, bont upon
redeeming men from their vices and sins without a new birth. Vicious persons,
while in a fit of conviction or sorrow, have resolved to reform their ways. Some have
purchased a Bible, others have taken pledges, and have made a start to do better, only
m a short time to cast aside their resolve and their home-spun religion, and like the
"sow that was washed," to wallow in the filth and mire of sm. Converts of this kind
have been made by the thousand. They joined the ''church" and intended to live
and do great things, but only to fail. How could it be otherwise? See Jer. 13: 2^.
It is beyond man's capacity to save himself, beyond his desire or will, but "Christ is
able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him," Heb. 7 : 25. See I Jno.
3:8; Luke 19 : JO. If you are not already in Christ you are lost. The reason, as one
has said, is not that God ha? put anythincr in vov:r '.vav as a barrier, but you are so
fearfully wrecked and ruined and perverted, that He alone who made you once already,
can re-make you.

Now then Christ redeems people perfectly, and absolutely, and el^mally : —

I. By His own precious blood : The blood of the paschal lamb insured
Israel's safety, and gave them peace.

"The wages of sin is death.'' Jesus took our sin and its wagesj death. Sin is not
coveredover to be faced again as in the types, but ^^putaway" Heb.9:26. "Yewerenot
redeemed Wwh corruptible things, as silver and gold .... but with the precious blood
of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot," i Peter i : 18, 19. The
precious blood of Christ " cleanseth from all sin." The basis of reconciliation between
God and men is this same "blood of the cross." " Christ died for our sins, according
to the Scriptures ; and He was buried, and rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures," i Cor. 15 : 3, 4.

II. By His Almighty Power* Not only by His own blood, but by His out-
stretched arm, the arm of His Almighty strength.

Redemption by blood, however, is not enough. Though Israel had ab;:olute
security and some peace under the blood, their own unwillingness to leave Egypt and
the opposition of Pharaoh, its monarch, were to be surmounted. The Almighty
Jehovah easily overcame both difficulties. He allowed the Egyptians to harass and
task the Hebrews with grinding bondage till they were very glad to make their escape,
and He overcame Piiaraoh's opposition by the ten plagues which he inflicted on the
Egyptians, till at last he himself thrust them forth, glad to get rid of them.
* Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost, and the condition in which
* He found man was under the power, and willingly in the service, of the god of this
world, viz., the devil. As the Hebrews in Egypt required the blood to shield them
from the destrc/ying angel, they were equally necessitous of the power to subdue both
themselves and the mighty hosts of Pharaoh, so Jesus Christ is the "stronger than
the strong man armed," /. e., the devil. But bad as he is, he cannot keep his ^"-ds in
peace: Christ, the stronger than he, by His word and Spirit, makes the sinner willing
to escape, as well as compel the devil to let him go. By the price of His own blood
He delivers the guilty one from righteous judgment ; and that power that commanded
the light to shine out of darkness is sufficient to dispel the sinner's darkness ; the
power that commanded the waves and winds into stillness, the devils into obedience,
and the blindinto the light of day, is enough for me, for you, and for all else.

III. Christ redeems from all la^wlessness : See Titus 2 : 14. "Who gave
Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself
apeculiar people, zealous of good work." This for those already saved by price and
power. Cnrist redeems from all lawlessness (Titus 2:14) those already
saved by price and by power.

V. p

"t.s^^i'^^jr?

r\,:d

tma

Gold from Opjiik.

There is deep darkness to be dispelled, old habits to be broken off, and the word
of (jod is to be taken as guide for all things, pride and self have to be subdued, and
subjection to Christ as Lord must be the rule ; one's own helplessness, untrustworthiness,
antl ungodliness have to be learned, in order to hide only in Christ and appreciate
Ilim. It has to be known and really believed that a Christian's only safety, prosperity
and security is to go by God's written word. Thus we are redeemed out of all lawless-
ness into subjection to the Lord Jesus.

IV. Our bodies have to be redeemed. Our bodiesarenowbodiesof humilia-
tion. They have many things in commor. with the beasts that perish, but they are the
human bodies ; much time is now necessarily spent on them and for them, as had been
said. In hea; they are a buraen, and in cold they are suffering, and in old age they
are stiff and w6rn uo, etc. They require feeding and cleaning and care. They are
liable to all sorts 0/ pain and suffering, and trouble ; meanwhile they, however frail
and feeble, are fitted io our present mode of living, but unfit for the glory that awaits
us. Therefore He will redeem our bodies. See Rom. 8:22, 23. The work of Jesus
Christ is perfect. They then shall be incorruptible, immortal and spiritual.— 6V/f»./«.</.

Keuemition.

THE LAMB FOR Till- HURXT orFCRIXG. ^

' /'y T!to;iiits .\c7i>uerry.

AT one of tlic Advent Conferences, Mildmay, Kn^Mand, iiayj tlic Jjutdon Cftri fian,
the greatei't interest was awakened Ijy the exhibition of Mr. Thomas Newberry's
beautiful model of Solomon's Temple, with his suggestive and ilecply instructive ex-
planations. He said :

I feel I cannot get away from tlic contemplation of the wondrous and glorious
scene — the sacrifice on Calvary. I do not thmk it will be unprofitable if we should
linger a little around the Cross, I feel like the s.icrifice — bound with cords to the
altar, so that I cannot get away from it just at present. Suppose, then, wc look at the
altar of burnt offering. (This altar, as represented in the model, occupies a prominent
place in the centre of the court.) This altar is the shadow of the Cross. The Cross
of Calvary threw its shadow back through the long agcb We may trace it in the
Garden of Eden. See that innocent victim whose skin h rmcd a covering for the
nakedness of our first parents. It was one skin — for the woi-d is in the singular — with
which our first parents were arrayed by the hand of Cod in substitution for the fig-leaf
covering which they had themselves devised. I see in that victim the first shadow of
the Cross. The firstling of the flock that was Abel's oftcring was another part of the
same shadow of Calvary's Cross. The altar erected by tlie Patriarchs formed part of
that shadow.

The altar erected by Abraham on Mount Moriah, one of the mountains which
Cod told him of, is a wondrous shadow of the Cross of Calvary, if wc wanted a
proof of the inspiration of Scripture, that twenty-second chapter of Genesis would
furnish it. We see there an unmistakable shadow of the Cross, clear in all its outlines,
sharply cut, accurate and true in every detail. Let us connect this altar in the centre
of Solomon'3 court, with that erected, as pointed out by the finger of God, on Mount
Moriah. It may be that Solomon's altar stood on the very self-same spot of earth once
covered by the altar that Abraham erected on Mount Moriah. At the present day,
on the cre::t of that mountain, the.e is a remarkable projection of limestone half a foot
above the surface of the surrounding platform of marble, on which the Dome of the
Rock now stands. That irregular limeslone projection is regarded by the Mohamme
dans to the present duy as the sacred spot where their father Abraham built an altar on
which to offer up his son Isaac. The l)ome of the Rock is, so to speak, a monument
erected over that sacred spot.

What a wondrous shadow of the Cross of Calvary is this twenty-second chapter
of Genesis, which describes the sacrifice that Abraham offered. We are told that God
did tempi Abraham — that is, put him to the test. Satan's temptations arc actions
upon the evil of our nature to bring out the evil. God's testings are rather the actions
of His own grace to bring out that grace to the full. God tried Abraham in the most
severe manner. He put the gold into a crucible at white heat. He tried him at the
tenderest point. How it reminds us of that wondrous fact: "God so loved the v/orld,
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not
;perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

J Abraham takes the wood and lays it on his son Isaac. How that brings Isa. 53
|to our remembrance — another wondrous shadow of Calvar)''s Cross. "The Lord
hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all." .'vbraham and Isaac, we read, "went both of
them together." How instructive and how full of deep meaning is this expression. It was
the grace of God that caused Him to give His only begotten Son ; it was the grace
of the Son that led Him to give Himself to the fulfilment of the Father's will — ''they
went both of them together." Isaac said, " Behold the fire and the wood, but where is
the lamb for a burnt offering?" "God will provide Himselfalambforaburnt offering."
How pathetic was Abraham's reply. Did Isaac understand it ? Perhaps he did. If

«*

f ■

[

Gold from Ophir.

I ii

■there was the spirit of the father's surrender in Abraham, there was also the spirit of
the son's surrender to the father's; will in Isaac. " So they went both of them together."

Let us transfer the question of Isaac to the altar of burnt offering. In the centre
of Israel's camp in the wilderness was this altar of burnt offering — nine cubits square
and three cubits high. At the dedication of the Tabernacle, the fire of God descended
and consumed upon the altar the sacrifice. The command of God was that the fire
should ever be burning upon the altar ; it should never go out. And so, when
Solomon's Temple was dedicated, the fire again descended and consumed the sacrifice
upon the altar, that a standing ordinance might be again asserted — The fire is ever to
be burning on my altar ; it shall never go out ; it shall never be put out

What is the fire that came from C>od that consumed the victim, and caused it to
ascend as a sweet savour — that fire which, when the rebels presented strange fire,
came forth and consumed them. What is that fire? " Behold the fire." Itwasthe
very centre of Israel's encampment ; there was the smoke ever ascending, the fire ever
burning. What was it the emblem of? "Our God is a consuming fire." The fire is
the emblem of God's righteousness and holiness. It was never to be put out. God
never ceases to be the righteous and holy (iod, of purer eyes than to behold iniquity,
and who cannot look upon sin. Ne^er for one single moment or twinkling of an eye,
in time, or for one sin^^Ic moment throughout eternity, will that fire cease to burn. It
shall never go out. In the glory above, (iod will b:: ever righteous and holy ; and in
the bottomless pit, the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, that holiness shall con-
tinue. That fire shall never cease to burn ; it shall never go out. There the fire is
unquenched, and there the worm dieth not. "For Tophet is ordained of old ; yea, for
the King it is prepared ; He hath made it deep and large : the pile thereof is fire and
much wood ; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it," Isa.
30 : 33. All the sin of a guilty world, when the lake of fire is open to receive the
damned, will be cast ir.to it as fuel for the everlasting burnings. It shall never go out.
" Behold the fire."

" Behold the wood.' It was the occupation of the Gibeonites to be hewers of wood
for (iod's altar. Daily the priests were to lay the wood upon the fire. What is the
wood? The wood is the emblem of sin. "Thou Last set our iniquities before Thee ;
our secret sins in the light of thy countenance." The wood was daily set in order upon
the fire. God is righteous : behold the fire, Man is a sinner : behold the wood.
Lood round upon the world. Behold the wood. Oh ! what heavy fagots will be
carried down to the everlasting burnings. Their sins >vi]l follow them ; every sin that
a man has committed, and that goes unconfessed and unpardoned, unwashed in
Emanuel's blood, will be a fagot for the burning. Behold the holiness and righteous-
ness of God, who is a consuming fire.

" But where is the lamb for the burnt offering ? " " Behold the wood ! " From
all parts of the world the echo comes back : Behold the wood 1 From heathendom,
Popecfom, Christendom, comes the echo : Behold the wood ! " But where is the
lamb for the burnt offering ?" Let us send up the challenge to the heavens above ;
"Where is the Lamb?" .\ngels, where is the Lamb? Gabriel, will you step for-
ward? The echo. conies back: Where is the Lamb? Where? Where? Ah!
beloved friends, that was the cry for ages and ages, till one day John the Baptist
pointed with his finger to a man walking alone, and said : " Behold the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world. ' " My son, God will prepare Himself a lamb
for the burnt offering. ' That is He. [As Mr. Newberry came to this part of his
deeply solemn subject, his face, worn and wrinkled with the furrows of age, was lit up
with a glow of rare animation ; his eyes sparkled as with the veiy light. of heaven ; his
hand was raised in dramatic and triumphant gesture. The whole scene, with the
wonderful surroundings, was one never to be forgotten.] See tlie carpenter's Son,
despised and rejected of men, led as a lamb to the slaughter, and dumb before its
shearers — behold the Lamb that God has provided. " None other can by any means
redeem his brother, nor give to (}od a ransom for him," Ps. 49 : 7. God could ?ee

RiiDKMrnoN.

none amongst the ranks of the angcis mighty enough, and worthy enough, to be laid
on His ahar — wood of (lod's fire. I)ut (iod has Himself prov'<lcd a Lamb. He looked
round upon the world ; Cod is holy : behold the fire. The wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men : behold the wood.
Oh, blessed thought : " Hehold the I^mb of God, which taketh away the sin of the
world 1" The fire ever burning ; the wood ever consuming ; the sweet savour of the
Lamb, ever ascending, tlod always holy; man ever a transgressor; but the sweet
savour of the Lamb of God ever ascending from God's altar.

I look down now to the cave below, and 1 see in Tophet the fire and the wood.
I'oople want to know what the brimstone is ; that is it — the wrath of God, the breath
of Jehovah is a stream of brimstone, the fierceness of which adds intensity to the
flames. I look down, and I say : liehold the fire, and behold the wood, but where is
the lamb? And these caves of darkness utter back the sorrowful echo: Where?
IVhcref Where? IJehold, the fire ; it shall never go out. iJehold the wood ; but no
lamb for a burnt offering there.

I look up to the regions of light above, and I say. Behold the fire. Yes, He who
sits upon the throne of the universe — (lod the Jud^e of all— is a God of infinite justice,
infinite holiness, infinite purity : behold the fire. Where is the lamb? Behold in the
midst of the throne, "a Lamb as it had been slain." But where is the wood? From
those regions of light and from the midst of the throne there comes the echo back.
Where? IVJicref Where? There is no evil there, no wood there, no sin there.

The lamb on the altar was God's centre for Israel's camp ; the lamb on the altar
was God's centre of Israel's kingdom under Solomon ; the lamb on the altar — not the
evcnin;,' lamb, but the morning lamb — will be God's centre for Israel and for the earth
in the millennial period. But God's centre for heaven, for the universe and for eternity,
will be "the Lamb as it had been slain," in the midst of ilie throne of God— no longer
led U3 a lamb to the slaughter, but reitrning for ever and ever.

I i

"mfm

G«..:.^ FROM Opiiir.

■ ' ^M

v:W:.

CLOSING THOUGHTS OX Till- SUBJFXT OF
, REDEMPTION.

C\NE evening two soldiers were placed as sentries at tlie opposite ends of a sallyport,
f or long passage, leading from the Rock of Gibraltar to the Spanish territory.
One of them, from the reading of the sacred Scriptures, was rejoicing in God his
Saviour ; while the other, from the same cause, was in a state of deep mental anxiety,
being under strong conviction of sin and earnestly seeking deliverance from the load
of guilt ihat was pressing upon his conscience. 0:i the evening alluded to, one of the
officers who had been out dining was returning to the garrison at a late hour, and
coming to the sentry on lue outside of the sal' rt — who was the soldier recently
converted — he asked as usual for the watchword. The man, absorbed in meditation
on the glorious things that had recenfly been unfolded to him, and filled with devout
gratitude and love, on being roused from his midnight reverie, -eplied to the officers
challenge with the words, " T/ie precious blood of Christ" He soon, however,
recovered his self-possession, and gave the correct watchword. But his comrade, who
was anxiously seeking the Lord, and who was stationed at the other or inner end of
the sallyport, a passage especially adapted for tlie conveyance of sound, heard the
words "the precious blood of Christ" mysteriously borne upon the breeze at that
solemn hour of midnight. The woids came home to his heart as avoicefrom Heaven ;
the load of guilt was removed ; and Jhe precious blood of Christ spoke peace to the
soul of the sin-burdened soldier.

By " the blood of the Lamb" we understand our Lord's death as a substitutionary
sacrifice. Let us be very clear here. It is not said ihat they overcame the arch-enemy
by the blood of Jesus, or the blood of Christ, but by the blood of the Lamb ; and tlie
words are expressly chosen because, unaer the figure of a lamb, we have set before
us a sacrifice. The blood of Jesus Christ, shed because of His courage for the truth,
or out of pure philanthropy, or out of self-denial, conveys no special Gospel to men,
and has no peculiar power about it. Truly it is an example w^orthy to beget martyrs,
but it is not the way of salvation for guilty men. if you proclaim the death of the
Son of God, but do :-iot show that He died the just for the unjust to bring us to God,
you have not preached the blbcid of the Lamb. You must make it known that "the
chastisement of our peace was upon Him," and that *'the Lord hath laid on Him the
iniquity of us a'l," or you have not declared the meaning of the blood of the Lamb.
There is no overcoming sin without a substitutionary sacrifice. The lamb under the
old law was brought by the offender to make atonement for his offence, and in his
place it was slain. This was the type of Christ taking the sinner's place, bearing \.\\z
sinner's sin, and suffering in the sinner's stead, and thus vindicating the justice of God,
and making it possible for Him to be just and the justifier of him that believeth. 1
understnndthis is to be the conquering weapon — the death of the Son of God setfortli
as the propitiation for sin. Sin must be punished ; it is punished in Christ's death-
Here is the hope of men.

TilKRE was the Sin-offering, the Burnt-offering, and the Thank-offering. "Thus,
if the order was inverted or altered, it would indicate the attitude which the worshipper
took toward God. If he came with a sm-offering or with a thank-offering only, lie
declared himself a sinner or not a sinner by that act. Such, apparently, was the
difference between the offerings of Cain and Abel ; and by their offerings they became
respectively the types of the various ways in which ever since men have viewed the
Atonement.

The atonement of Christ was not designed to make God merciful, but to make
ivay for the exercise of His mercy, without prejudice »o the rights of His justice, and the
demands of His law.

Redemption.

" He hath redeeir ed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us." Yonder lies a poor man in Raymond street jail. He has been sentenced
to imprisonment for life at hard labor. This is the curse of th^ law of man upon the
murderer. Who can tell what the despair of that man was, when in the youth of his
manhood he contemplated that doom to be v/orked out through many years ? He could
not bear it. And so not l\aving the fear of God before his eyes, but driven by the
thought of escaping the doctm of the human law, he murdered himself Alas, he fled
from the curse of man's law to endure for ever the curse of God's law. Who may tell
what the terrors of that soul are now? He cannot flee from the wrath of God's law
by dying. For that death is one that never dies. The man who murders his fellow,
shall under human law die the death, but the soul that sinneth shall die the second
death, unless redeemed by the death of Christ. The death sentence upon sin is an
everlasting death. But, blessed be God, Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the
law. Death and imprisonment shall never be the portion of the believer.

" Free from the law ; oh, happy condition ,
Jesus has died, mid there is remission."

Nothing can be laid for a foundation of pardon but Christ alone. His blood and
righteousness.

" The grace of God which bringeth salvation," is not only not apart from Christ and
through Christ — it is "/« Christ. Grace is a gift, but not a ^'ift "'h:ch may be
accepted without the Giver. For this reason Christ transcends all Kis gifts in the
mind and heart of the Christian. Forgiveness is most preciors ; so is justification and
regeneration, and the hope ot glory ; but these are never dwelt upon by the true
Christian except as his heart is knit to Jesus, in whom we have the "redemption
through His blood."

When we die, we die for ourselves, and the crisis is alleviatod by all beneficent
ministri^'s. Bathings for the hands, bathings for the head, bathings for the feet ; the
light turned down low, or set in just the right place ; all the oifices of affection about
us when we come to die. But not so with Jesus. He died not for Himself, but Ke died
in torment, and He died for others. He died in torture ; tht good for the bad ; the
kind for the cruel ; the wise for the ignorant ; the divine for the human. Oh, how
tenderly we feel towards anyone who has done a great kindness and perhaps at the
irnperihng ot his own life ! How we ought to feel towards Christ, the Captain of Salva-
tion, on the white horse riding down our foes ; but in the moment He made the
victorious charge, the lances of death struck Him !

" Was it for crimes that I had done,
He groaned upon the tree ?
Amazing pity, grace unknown.
And love beyond degrte."

The more the searching eye of God rests on me, trusting to the perfect work of
Christ, the more, as it were, does He discover the perfect value of the blood of Christ.
The clearer the light, the more is it to show that not a spot cr stain is on me. What
does He see ? The efficacy of the blood of His own provided Lamb — that which has
put away my sin. The same light that detects the sin manifests its being utterly and
for ever put away ; yea, has burst forth and shone in the putting it away.

GoLr'G own holiness has now come completely out. Since the death and resurrec-
tion of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is no longer a question of coming up step by step to
God. If man stands ' e God at all, he must stand in contact with the full light of
His holiness. How dii. inat light burst forth .^ In the absolute putting away of the
sin of every believer, and that by the worst act of man's sin. The very sin that was
detected by the light, thr.t would have hindered the soul's approach, was put away
throug.i the blow that brought Jesus to the death ; and now the believer stands in the
absolute and full enjoyment of God's love. Such is His o;oodness !

1 'I fi

G(JLD FROM OpHIK.

The power of the prince of this world was never more dearly revealed than at the
cross. He who entered into Judas on the night of the betrayal, raised the storm of
prejudice and passion which spent its waves on Calvary. Wicked men led captive by
the devil at his will, hurried the patient Sufferer to sacrifice ; nevertheless, the hour of
the adversary's triumph was the hour of his defeat. The cross which judges man, in
judging sin also judges the tempter by whom sin was brought in. The head of the
enemy is bruisea even when he bruises the heel of the victor. The first man suc-
cumbed to the tempter, and since then men have been enslaved ; the second Man
could say, "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me ;" and on the
cross, " Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly,
triumphing over them m it,'' Col. 2: 15. If by man came slavery, by man also
freedom has come. The world's prince has lost his cause and forfeited his claim.
He is cast out, for sentence hath gone forth against him. Now he whom the Son
ma'"cs free is free indeed. He knows the truth, and the truth makes him free.

In the Epiftle to the Hebrews we read of a " perfect sacrifice." " Neither by the
blcod of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy
place." VVhere was the superiority of the sacrifice of Christ over the old sacri rices?
First of all, it consisted in this, that it was final. The old sacrifices had to be ofTercd
morning by morning, evening by evening, year by year. But thi 5 one is offered "once
for all." This is the sacrifice towards which all other sacrifices pointed, and through
which they had their efificacy. Sinless and infinite, this sacrifice was also a person.
The animals were unconsenting victims, but Christ was a consenting offering. " No
man taketh my life from nie, I lay it down of myself." This is the offering of the \ery
essence of God Himself on our behalf, as a substitute for us and for our sins. And,
besides that, there is this superiority : under the old law there had to be various
offerings. If there was one offering whose blood was shed, there was another, the
scapegoat, for instance, upon the head of which the hands of the priest must be laid,
and the sins of the people confessed ; the blood of the one animal was shed, but the
other animal was sent alive into the wilderness. Now. these two goats represented what
our blessed Lord had in Himself — perfect unity. Not only was our Lord the offering;
whose blood was shed ; but, as the scapegoat, He carried our sins into forgetfulness,
and as our fore-runner He entered the holy place, the very presence of God. Besides
all this, there is a Divinity, a Deity, in our sacrifice. The sacrifice of Jesus was tiie
sacrifice of God Himself. "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself."
It was the Father who in Jesus was thus offering Himself; it was the Son as the
^ubjtitute for us who offered Himself also to the Father. He Himself expresses it
thus, " Lc I come, to do thy will, O God." There is a perfect obediei.ce, a perfect
sinlessness, a perfect offering, a perfect shedding of blo(id. We also read of Christ
having "obtanied eternal redemption for us." Not only have we a more perfect
tabernacle, and a more perfect sacrifice, but there is finality of redemptioji. It is a
redemption for ever, offered once for all ; it is for past and future, as well as present,
for Jcv and Gentile alike. Further, it redeems us wholly — body, soul, and spirit. We
are wholly redeemed unto the Lord, and He is wholly given to each one of His
redeemed ones. It is likewise eternal, because it has neither beginning nor ending-
He is " the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,"

It is God's estimate of the blood of Christ that is the measure of my acceptance
with Himself. It gives me peace. I have been reconciled to God in the consciousress
of the perfect love that p^ave Christ ; but besides that i am brought into perfect favor
with God — the favor which rest on Christ. It is not merely that old things are gone,
and my sins washed away in tl blood of Christ, but the perfect love of God is revealed
in doing it. I came back to C 1 in unbounded confidence and infinite love. This is
the place of the Christian. Christ being in us. teaches us, and conducts down into
our souls this love of God ; and the heart is thus reconciled in blessed peace and
righteousness, resting in the consciousness of His perfect grace toward us.

R".DEMI'TI(3N.

An English traveller in Africa relates that during his journey he found a wretclicd
captive, who had been taken in war by a savage tribe and was condemned to a bar-
barous death. The traveller was filled with pity for the nan, who had more iniclli-
gence than rncst of his countrymen, and he offered many bribes for his redemption.
"Man of the pale face," said Libe, the chief of ihe tribe, in his native tongue, " Libe
has ivory and gold, and oxen and slaves ; and when he wants mo.e he calls out his
warriors, and rushes on the neighboring tribes, as the river horse crashes through the
reeds, and bears off all that he will. Libe needs not thy spoils, G white face ; Libe
seeks not gold, but blood 1 " and at a sign from the chief, one of his followers flung
another dart at the wretched Garra. The traveller saw the sign, and by an mstinctive
impulse threw himself forward with uplifted arm, as if to stay that murderous weapon.
It struck that uplifted arm, pierced through the young man's sleeve, and hung quiver-
ing in his flesh! An exclamation burst from the lips of Libe when he saw that the
Enjdishman was struck. Not only had he in his dealings with thi natives won, by his
conduct, their esteem, but there was a wholesome fear among the coast-tribes of the
power of England. Libe, wlio would have thought little of sweeping hundreds of his
dark fellow-countrymen from the face of the earth, feared the vengeance of the pale
faces. The traveller read dismay on the countenance of the savage, and instantly
followed up his advantage. "Thou dost not seek gold, but blood," he cried; "see,
here it flows before thee, and for it account must be given I" He drew out the dart
from his arm, and large drops fell on the ground. " Oh, son of the ocean, Libe meant
it not ; Libe's heart is heavy," began the chief. "Have I not bought the slave?" the
Enj^lishman exclaimed, pointing to poor Garra with his bleeding arm ; "his life shall
be thy fine ; give him up, and there shall yet be peace between the white men and
their dark brothers." " l>e it so," answered Libe, glad to escape so easily from tlie
consequences which he dreaded ; "thou hast bought him, he is thine : and Libe will
send for the great medicine-man to see to the white man's hurt." It was some little
time before Libe and his wild train could be induced to depart. When at length Libe
and his party dashed down the bank, and began passing the river on their homeward
way, the redeemed slave uttered a wild cry of joy, and crawling up to his deliverer,
embraced his knees, and covered his feet with kisses I "Garra, the slave of the son
of pity, the blood-bought, always a faithful slave!" murmured the grateful savage.
Happily the Englishman was able to tell the poor creature of Him whose blood was
shed for the redemption of the world, and to lead him to the Saviour.

It is of the utmost importance to distinguish between the Spirit's work in us,
and Christ's work for w^. Where they are confounded, one rarely finds settled peace
as ^) the question of sin. The type of the pas^,over illustrates the distinciiou vciy
simply. The Israelite's peace was not founded upon the unleavened bread or the
bitter herbs, but upon the blood. Nor was it, by any means, a question of what he
thought about the blood, but what God thought about it. This gives immense relief
and comfort to the heart. ( jod has found a ransom, and He reveals that ransom to us
sinners, in order that we might rest therein, on the authority of His w ord, and by tlie
grace of His Spirit. And albeit our thoughts and feelings must ever fall far short of
the infinite preciousness of that ransom, yet, inasmuch as God tells us that He is
perfectly satisfied about our sins, we may be .satisfied also.

Thk Israelite was saved by the blood alotu\vi\\di not by his thoughts about it.
His thoughts might be deep or they might be shallow ; but, deep or shallow, they had
nothing to do with his safety. He was i-ot saved by his thoughts or feelings, but by
the blood. God did not $ay, " When you see the blood, I will pass over you." No :
hut " when / see." What gave an Israelite peace was the ♦act that Jehovah's eye rested
on the blood. This tranquilized his heart. The blood was outside, and the Israelite
inside, so that he could not possibly see it ; but God saw it, and that was quite
enough.

; I

lOO

Gold from Ophir.

Abel knew grace in righteousness through precious blood ; and, therefore,
brought a irue gift-offering. Cain, on the other hand, inipiously brought his gift-
offering as a reason why (lod should receive ///;//,• and it was rejected. In dealing
with him, God ignores the offering, and speaks of /us person: " If thou doest well,
shalt thou not be accepted 1 and if not, behold ! a sin-offering is crouching at the
door," Gen. 4 : 7. Poor Cain I like many others in our day, he would rot believe God
as to his sinfulness ; would not believe Him as to need of a sin-offering ; would not
believe that he himself was all wrong ; and, presuming to draw near with his gift-
offerings — the fruits of a cursed earth, and the labors of a sinful man — was utterly
rejected.

" Until I saw the blood, 'twas hell my soul was fearing ;
And dark and dreary in my eyes the future was appearing ;
While conscience told its tale of sin,
And caused a weight of .i^oe within.

But, when I saw the blood, and looked at Him who shed it,
My right to peace was seen at once, and I with transport read it ;
I I found myself to God b-oaght nigh.

And " Victory ! " became my cry.

My joy was in the blood, the news of which had told ir.e,
\, That spotless, as the Lamb of God, my Father could behold me ;

And all my boast was in His name.
Through whom this great salvation came.

And when, with golden harps, the throne of God surrounding.

The white-robed saints around the throne their songs of joy are sounding.

With them I'll praise that precious blood,

Which has redeemed our souls to God. '

Death eternal is the ultimate satisfaction which the law demands of the sinner.
It can be readily seen that the ransom which our Lord paid was in itself a sufficient
equivalent and even more than an equivalent. For what could magnify the law of
(iod more, and what could sound tlie depths of sin more than that the Eternal Son of
Ciod should, in the likeness of sinful flesh, be made sin for us and die in our stead ?
Let it be remembered, then, that this great ransom was made to God as the M' ai
Governor of the universe, not as a benefit or bounty to Him, but as a satisfaction
demanded by the law of righteousness for sin. We always read of the blood which is
the ransom being offered to God. In Egypt the lamb was slain and the blood sprinkled
on the door posts and lintels of the Hebrew cottages, so that it might be under the eye
of Jehovah. Hence we read "When I see the blood I will pass over you," or come
between you and the death angel.

1 tliHi/.i
->1 '

fore,
gift-
ihng
well,

the
God

not
gift-
terly

»i

men
;ient
IV of
m of
:afl ?

:tii)n
:h is
kled
eye
(ime

REGENERATION.

UQN

now TO OBTAIN r'NTRANCi: INTO THE KINGDOM.

By Lady Dent.
Read John 3: i-iS ; 1:12, 13; Jas i:i3; il'et. 1:23.

^NE of the most important truths in the Bible, to be considered, is iis to how
entrance may be obtained "into the kingdom of God." It is a matter which
relates to tho personal salvation of each soul, and therefore of the deepest moment to
each.

In Eden God reijjned supreme, and the creature held communion with the
Creator, till Satan entered, usurped God's authority, induced man to believe him
rather than God, and thus led to sin, and consequently death — by reason of separation
from Ciod, the source of life — and expulsion from the earthly paradise.

I. God " Drove out the Min," and " a flaming sword turned every way, to
keep the way of the tree of life," Gen. 3 : 22-24 ; that man might not eat thereof in
his fallen state, and live forever in frail tabernacle — " body of sin," Rom. 6 : 6 — with
curse around. This was mercy, and shows that " God is love." Love also dictated
that revelation to fallen man, which pointed to death and resurrection of " the Seed"
of the woman. Gen. 3:15; Heb. 2 : 14 ; i Cor. 15 : 21, wherein Ufe could be found,
beyond the power of death ; and those who are united to the crucified, risen, and
exalted Saviour, Acts 2 : 22-24, 32, 2,2>i can feed on Him, the "Tree of Life." Jesus is
the "Seed" that died to save, Jno. 12 :24. Jesus is the "Tree of Life," who lives to
sustain the life of saved ones, Rev. i : 18 ; Jno. 6 : 57.

But how is this union effected? The whole human race died in Adam, the
federal head. All are born in sin, Rom. 3 : 10, 12 ; 5 : 12 ; "flesh," namely, fallen, old
Adam nature, '' cannot please God ;" it is utterly corrupt, Gen. 6 : 5, with Psa. 53 : 2,
3 ; 73 :8 ; Rom. 7 : 18 ; 8 :7, 8 ; Gal. 5 : 19-21. How, then, can any such be united
to the Holy Jesus, and "er.ter the kingdom of God.?" Our Lord Himself gives the
answer —

I I. " Ye Miist be Born again," or anew, or afresh, or " from above." (See
Jno. 3 : 3, R.V., also verse 31, where tho same word is translated "from above"). No
patching up of the old nature will do ; there must be a new nature implanted. That
vWiich is "of the earth" remains "earthy," that which is born of the flesh is or
remains "flesh," i Cor. 15 .-47, 48 : Jno. 3 :6. Nothing but the new birth will suffice.
Twice this truth is enforced by our Lord, vs. 3, 5, and its deep importance shown by
the repetition of the words "verily, verily." Words of incalculable import to man,
and of deep blessing, when by grace given to apprehend their meaning. "Verily" is
the same word in Greek as "Amen ;" Jesus is the "Amen," Rev. 3 : 14, and "all the
promises of God in Him are Yea, and in Him Amen," 2 Cor. i : 20. It is, as if Jesus
had said, I, " the God of Truth," or " Amen," Isa. 65 : 16, say to you, " Except a man

[103]

imvi

104

Gold from Ophir.

and God alone can give

which no man can " see," or

be born again," etc. A truth thus stated is incontrovertible
this new nature, suited to His kingdom, and without
" enter " therein.

Nicodemus went to Jesus as a great " Teacher," a learned " Rabbi," just as many
speak of Him in these days, but who, like Nicodemus, do not know Him as the " Son
of God," yea, God Himself. Nicodemus, being a "ruler," was ashamed to go to Jesus
by day, as if he, a teacher, were going to be taught (changed later, see Jno. 7 : 50 ;
•9 : 39) ; but he went under cover of night, hoping to get instruction of a superior kind,
probably expected to hear some learned discourse, just as men now like to listen to
clever, eloquent sermons ; and as the first words of our Lord startled Nicodemus, so
are people startled now, when this same truth is first put before them. " How can a
man be born when he is old ?" asks Nicodemus. He thought only of the natural birth,
the birth of the body ; but of what avail a repetition of that, if it could take place ?
There would be still the old Adam, sinful nature, "the flesh," of which it is said so
emphatically, " They that are in the flesh cannot please God ; " whereas our Lord spoke
of a spiritual nature.

HI "Bom of the Spirit." This may appear incomprehensible now, as it did
to Nicodemus then, and men may ask, as he did, " How can these things be ?" It is
humbling also to the proud heart of man to hear that there is nothing in him that God
can accept, for he is always proudly imagining that he can do something whereby to
gain heaven ; he vainly supposes he can work his way back to God, to the position
from which Adam fell ; but this is a fatal mistake. Every good thing cometh "from
above," Jas. 1:17; and therefore it is only in the new nature, given from above, that
a man can do anything "well-pleasing to God," Phil. 4 : 17, 18 ; Heb. 13 :2i — both
addressed to believers ; for what comes from above will work its way upwards, even as
water which finds its own level.

But how is this birth of the Spirit effected. Read passages at the head of this
article. These show it is through the instrumentality of "the Word" — the written
Word, which testifies of Jesus, the embodied or living "Word." The Word qu'ckens,
or gives life, Ps. iirs • 50. By the preaching of the Gospel souls are begotten, i Cor.
4 : 15. The "incon iptible" seed sown, Luke 8: 11, 15 : i Pet, 1 :23, in hearts pre-
pared of the Lord, Acts 16 :.I4, and watered by the Holy Spirit, springs up into life.
The Holy Spirit's work in the sinner is to reveal the Savioui^s work for him, and the
Father's love to him, shown in the gift of His Son, Rom. 5:8; and through His con-
straining power the sinner is led to accept His testimony — look with the eye of faith at
Jesus "lifted up," John 3 : 15, 16 ; 12 : 32, 33, and receive Him into the heart. Thus
is he quickened by the Spirit, John 6 :63 ; Jas. 1:18; i John 5:1; "born " or begotten
of God, becomes a child of God, partaker "of the Divine nature," John i : 12 ; 2 Pet.
1:4; and united to Christ, i Cor. 12 : 13 ; "a new creature" or creation — "/« Christ,"
2 Cor. 5 : 17, R. V., marg. ; Gal. 6:15. In Adam, the first man, we have sin, disobe-
dience, death, inherited in natural birth. In Christ, " the second Man," the " Lord
from heaven," i Cor. 1 5 : 47, life, obedience, righteousness, imparted in new or spiritual
birth. The two not mixed, but quite separate. In Christ, two distinct natures, the
Divine and the human. In the believer, likewise two natures, "flesh" and "spirit."'
Jesus, as man, was on earth; as God, in heaven, John 3: 13 : so now, believer in
body, on earth ; inspirit, with Christ "in the heavenlies," Eph. i 13 ; 2:6. Jesus
now in heaven as man, in "the glory of God," Acts 7:55; as God, filling all space.
Thus God, in the Person of Christ, having descended to earth, raises manhood up to
God, Eph. 4:9, 10 ; and thus is restored to new-bom soul, the fellowship destroyed
by the fall, 1 John i : 1-3, and God and man meet in Christ.

IV. Action of Spirit mysterious. It is compared to wind, John 3 : 8, and
the same Greek word is used to express both. At Pentecost, Acts 2, the Holy Spirit
came as "mighty rushing wind." In Ezek. 37 :9 (though primarily referring to the
resuscitation of the nation Israel), the wind typifies the Holy Spirit softly breathing
life into dead souls ; just as " the Lord God breathed " into the inanimate clay when

Regeneration.

105

Adam "became a living soul," Gen. 2 17. The Lord God diret's the wind to fulfil
"His word," Ps. 148 :8; so with the "Spirit" sent by the Son 'from the Father,"
John 15:26. "fhe cause is hidden, but the effects are seen ; iOmetimes in gentle
influences, like soft, refreshing breezes, infusing new life into invalid ; at others, mighty
and powerful to uprooting Satan from heart, and " pulling down < >f strongholds," 2 Cor.
lo : 4, even as great tempest uproots gigantic trees, or throws down strong piles of
buildings. Such results clearly show what power has been at work ; and so with one
"bom of the Spirit" — the results must be seen, and these are, conformity to Christ,
Rom. 8: 29 ; hatred to sin, i Jno. 3:9; victory over the world, i Jno. 5 : 4. Tastes,
dispositions, occupations, affections, desires, sanctified by indwelhng Spirit, i Tim.
4 : 4, 5 ; 2 Tim. 2:21, and directed to new object, /. e., "glory of God," i Cor. 10 : 31.
"All things are become new," 2 Cor. 5:17. Senses, time, talents, all differently
employed. Motive power hidden from view, but results visible. " Not I, but Christ,"
Gai. 2 : 20. His liie is manifested in the believer ; the new life, in the one born anew.

io6

Gold irom Ophir.

RI'(;i:XERATION.

"Ye must be born again," John 3 : 3.

I. It is ascribed to God. " As many as
received Him, to them gave He power to
become the sons of God, even to as many as
believe on His name : which were born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God," John i : 12, 13.
" Ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus," Gal. 3:26. "For we are
His (God's) workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works," Eph. 2 : 10. " Ac-
cording to His mere ■ He saved us, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing of tr e
Holy Ghost," Titus 3:5. " Of His own will
begat He us, with the Word of Truth,"
James 1:18 "Blessed be the God and
Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to His abundant mercy hath be-
gotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,"
I Peter i : 3.

n It is ascribed to Christ. "The Son
quickeneth (maketh alive) whom He will,"
John V. : 21. " The hour is comine. and now

is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the
Son of God : and they that hear shall live,"
John 5 : 25. " If ye know that He (Christ)
is righteous, ye know that every one thai
doeth righteousness is born of Him, ' i J jhu
2 :29.

III. It is ascribed to the Spirit " Ex-
cept a man be born of water {i.e. word) and
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the king-
dom of Heaven" (see John 3:5-8). "It is
the Spirit that quickeneth," John 6:63.
" The washing of regeneration and renewing
of the Holy Ghost," Titus 3:5. "The
Spirit giveth life," 2 Cor. 3 :6.

IV. It is ascribed to the Word. i. As
used by the Father, James i : 18; i Peter i :
23. 2. As used by Christ, John 6 : 63. 3.
As used by the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3:6. 4. As
used by man, i Cor. 4 : 15. The Father is
the originating cause. The Son the pro-
curing cause. The Spirit the efficient cause.
The Word the instrumental cause.

J. HIXON IRVING.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS.

NATURE produces nature ; like begets like. "That which is born of the flchh is
flesh." Human nature is human nature, whether cast in a Jew or a Gentile mould,
whether amiable or offensive, courageous or cringing. Good never will be evolved
out of evii, nor light be born of darkness, nor perfection issue uncreated out of rhaos.
The flesh is, and ever will be what it is ; and this is true of all. Let us not, like rest-
less waves, vainly beat against the iron rocks of truth.

No spiritual perception of (iod's kingdom exists in us in our nature state. We
have no soul-eye to see what it is like.

Cultivation does not change nature, it leaves the thorn bush and the thistle, thom
and thistle still. Man can develop things of earth's kingdom which exists, he cannot
create. Cultivation never enables a man to see more than the kingdom of msn ; it
neither generates a wish nor creates a desire in him fot the kingdom of God. On the
contrary, cultivation of the flesh usually ends in more potent pride than ever.

The believer is dead, because Christ died for him. The life with which the
power of temptation, guilt, the attacks of sin, are connected, exists no longer to faith.
By death all that was connected with it has come to an end. Now that which was
connected with the life of the old man was sin, condemnation, weakness, fear, power-
lessness against the assaults of the enemy— all that is past. We have a life, but it is
in Christ ; it is hidden with Him in God.

Regeneration.

107

TIIK SPIRIT OF LUCK.

By Dr. J as. //. Brookes.

itllTHAT shall \vc say then ? Is the law sin ? Ood torbid. Nay, I had not known
W sin, but by the law," Rom. "J -.T. " Dy the law is the knowledge of sin," Rom.
3 : 20. " Moreover, the law entered, that the offense might abound," Rom. 5 : 20. "it
was added because of transgressions," Gal. 3 : 19. The law, therefore, was never so
much as designed to bring life or salvation to a sinner, but only to reveal to his view
his terrible condition as spiritually dead. Hence it is called "the ministration of
death," and " the ministration of the condemnation," 2 Cor. 3 : 7, 9, because, having
detected the presence of death in man's sinful nature, it can only utter the voice of a
stern and righteous condemnation, "Cursed is every one that continucth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them," Gal. 3 : 10 ; and whoso-
ever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, heisguiltyof all,"Jas. 2 :2o.
Consequently unless it can be shown that a man has never failed to be conformed to
the requirement of the law in thought, word, or deed, it is simply impossible for him
to be saved by the law, or by any thought, word, or deed of his own.

But what the la<v could not do, God did when, sending His own Son in the like-
ness of sinful flesh, and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh. The work of Christ
in our behalf did not stop with offering a sacrifice for the outward manifestations of
evil seen in our conduct ; it extended to the hidden root of evil in our depraved
nature, making complete atonement for iniquity, both in its external and visible forms,
and in its internal and invisible principle — out of which all actual transgressions
proceed. The sin-hating God met His sm-bearing Son in the darkness that gathered
around the cross, and " over all the earth," and there entered into a full and final
settlement of the tremendous question of sin, condemning it, and executing the
sentence of condeir.nation, as it exists even in the flesh ; that the requirement of the
law might 1 e fulfilled in those wlio walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

It is not strange, therefore, that the Holy Spirit is here and elsewhere called the
Spirit of life, for the Spirit through the Gospel imparts life to dead souls, and maintains
it until the day of Jesus Christ, who says, " It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; the flesh
profiteth nothing : the words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life,"
Jno. 6:63. Again it is written, "The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life" —
2 Cor. 3 : 6 — the two passages presenting the law of sin and death in contrast with the
law of the Spirit of life. Nor must the importance which the Saviour attaches to His
words, in connection with the Spirit and with life, be overlooked, when he says, "the
words that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are life" because they explain
His remark to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he can-
not enter into the kingdom of God."

There are many who think our Lord here refers to baptism as the means by which
we are regenerated or born again, or by which we receive everlasting life ; and hence
they are worrying themselves with childish questions about the proper mode of
baptism, or about the particular religious body amid the wretched divisions of Chris-
tendom that constitute the true Church, or about the succession of ecclesiastics that
have a right to administer ordinances. It seems to be forgotten that He was con-
\ersing with a ruler of the Jews, who was familiar with the Old Testament scriptures,
and who ought at least to have known the frequent allusions in these scriptures to
water, as an appropriate symbol of the Word of God when accompanied by the
quickening energy of the Holy Ghost.

For example, the Pharisee had surely read the promise of Jehovah, " I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, a"'' ^"ods upon the dry ground ; I will pour my Spirit
upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thy offspring," Isa. 44:3; '"for as the rain
Cometh down, and the snow, from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the

io8

Gold kkom Opiiik.

earth, and maketh It bring forth and bud, that it may ^ivc seed to the sower, and bread
to the eater ; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth," Isa. 55 : 10, 1 1.
He ha' surely read the glowing prophecy that reached on to the time when the
kingdom of Cod shall be establisihed on the earth, "'l"hen will I sprinkle clean water
upon you, and ye shall be clean : from all your filthiness. and from all your idols will
I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within
you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and 1 will give you an
heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my
statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them," Ezek. 36 : 25-27. There are
many similar passages, and Nicodemus should have known that to be born again is to
be born or begotten of the word of God, applied to the conscience and heart in the
life-giving power of the Spirit.

That tne Lord^esus did not teach the doctrine of regeneration, or the reception
of life, by baptism, is contlusively shown by the foUov/ing facts :

I. He never preached about baptism, nor even alluded to it, until after His death
and resurrection. Think of the Saviour Himself preserving a studied silence with
regard to that without which no one can enter the kmgdom of God !

II. It is said, "Jesus Himself baptized not," Jno. 4:2. Think of the Saviour
withholding His hand from the work of regeneration I

III. If He taught that regeneration or life is communicated by baptism, He flatly
contradicted His own testimony, for He afterwards said to the unbaptized robber on
the cross, " To-day shalt thou be with mc iii Paradise," Luke 23 : 43.

IV. If baptism is regeneration, no unbaptized person is saved, for there is no
exception to the rule laid down in the conversation with Nicodemus. "Except a
man," or as Dr. Young properly translates it, "Except any one, be born again, he can-
not see the kingdom of God." Then the immense number of godly Friends or
Quakers, and all who on a dying bed have believed, like the dying thief, without
baptism, and the countless millions of dead unbaptized infants, must have perished,
although Jesus declares, " It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that
one of these little ones should perish," Matt. 18 : 14.

Hut if this is not enough to show that our Lord taught no such doctrine as
regeneration by baptism, additional facts may be mentioned :

I. He said to Nicodemus in the language of rebuke, "Art thou a master of
Israel, and knowest not these things?" Jno, 3 : 10. The latter could not have known
Christian baptism, for it was then instituted, although he ought to have known the
quickening efficacy so often ascribed to the word of God in the Old Testament.

II. Baptism is seldom mentioned after tie Acts of the Apostles, and at that time,
so far as the record goes, it was administered in the name of Jesus alone. The follow-
ing passages, in few of which is baptism by water even in view, are all that contain any
reference to the ordinance: Rom. 6 : 3, 4 ; i Cor. i : 13-17 ; 10 :2 ; 12:13; 15 = 29 ;
Gal. 3 : 27 ; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12; Heb. 6:2; Pet. 3:21. In fifteen of the Epistles
*here is not the slightest allusion to baptism. Could this be possible, if by it the

nner obtains regeneration or eternal life ?

III. Paul writes to a large church, " I thank God that I baptized none of you but
Crispus and Gaius ; lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And
I baptized also the household of Stephanas ; besides, I kiiow not whether I baptized
any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, ibut to preach the Gospel," i Cor.
I : 14-16. Think of the Apostle exclaiir^ing, " I thank God that I was not the meanb
of regenerating any of you, for Christ sent r.ie not to be used for the regeneration of
men."

But surely it is needless to go further in the statement of objections, when wc
have the positive testimony of the Holy Ghost that it is by the word of God we are
born or begotten again. " Of His own will begat he us with the word of truth," Jas.
I : 18. "Seeing ye have purified your hearts in obeying the truth through the Spirit
{this answers precisely to the water and the Spirit), unto unfeigned love of the brethren,

Regeneration.

109

love one another with a pure \\ -jart fervently : being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the w )rd of (lod, which liveth and abideth forever," i I'et.
I :22, 23. "In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the (iospel," i Cor. 4:15.
"Now ye are clean through the word which I have sf>oken unto you," J no. 15:3.
"Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that }Ic might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word," Eph. 5 : 25-27.

It is perfectly clear, therefore, that we arc born or begotten by the word of God,
which the Spirit employs as the meat ^ of imparting spiritual life ; and there is the
most striking analogy between the r< i.ition the Spirit sustains to tiie sinless human
nature of Christ and the relation He busLiins to the new-born soul, that is made par-
taker of the divine nature :

I. Christ as a man was born of thie Spirit, Luke i : 35.

He was anointed and sealed with the Spirit, Acts 10 : 38 ; Jno. 6 : 27.

He was led by the .Spirit, Luke 4:1.

He acted in the power'of the Spirit, Luke 4: 14-19.

He was justified by the .Sp-rit, Rom. 1:4;! Tim. 3 : 16.

He offered Himself by the Spirit, Heh. 9 : 14.

He was raised up by the Spirit, Rom. 8:11; i Pet. 3 : 18.
In like manner the new nature which is imparted to believers is :
L Born of the .Spirit, as already shown.

Those thus born are anointed and sealed with the Spirit, 2 (!or. 1 : 22 ;

2 :27.

They are led by the Spirit, Rom. 8 : 14 ; Gal. 5 : 18.

They act in the power of the Spirit, Jno. 7 : 38, 39 ; Acts i : 8.

They are justified by the Spirit, i Cor. 6:11.

They offer themselves unto God by the .Spirit, Rom. 15 : 16 ; i I'et. i : 2.

They are raised up by the Spirit, Rom. 8:11.
Well, then, may the Holy Ghost be called "the Spirit of life," and well may those
who want to be saved rejoice that in the same chapter He is called " the Spirit of
Christ ;" exhibiting the very patience, kindness, tenderness, and yearning for the lost,
that caused Jesus to be known as the "friend of publicans and sinners." Well too
may they be glad that they are not summoned to a wearisome and baffling investiga-
tion "of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands," but that the Spirit of life
in imparting life uses the living word of the living God, so .luipie a child may under-
stand it, so plain he that runneth may read. If they will bow to the testimony of that
word, apart from the control of man's teaching, they need not continue in darkness
one hour, nor remain in doubt of their salvation any longer time than is required to
read that the bosom of the Father is ready to shelter them, the arms of Christ are
extended to welcome them, and the Spirit is beseeching them to receive eternal life.

II.
III.
IV.

VI.

Vll.

Jno.

III.

IV.

VI.
VII.

Gold from Ophir.

THE NEW BIRTH.

I. Man, falkn froni-<iocl, corrupt in his
very being, requires a new birth, John 3:6;
Rom. 8 : 7, 8.

II. The sinner can neither enter nor see
Heaven without being regenerated, John

3:3-

III. The new birth is wrought, conjcintly,
by the Holy Trinity : (i) Wrought by God
the Father, John 1:13; i Pet. 1:3; (2)
Wrought by Christ the Son, i John 2 : 29 ;
(3) Wrought by the Holy Spirit, John 3:6;
Titus 3 : 5.

IV. It is produced through the instru-
mentality of the word of God, Jas. i : la ,
I Pet. I ; 23 ; thrc igh the resurrection of
Christ, I Pet. 1:3; through the ministry of
the Gospel, i Cor. 4 : 15.

V. Man is born again by the will of God,
Jas. 1 : 18.

VI. It is all of the mercy of God, Titus

3:5.

VII. It is.all for the glory of God, Isa. 43 :
7: I Cor. - : 21-31.

J. i:. W.

BIBLICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE iNEW BIRTH.

I. It is called a new creation, 2 Cor. 5 :
17 ; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2 : 10.

II. It is termed newness of life, Rom.
6:4.

III. It is a spiritual resurrection, Rom.
6:4-6; Eph. 2:1,5; Ccl. 2:12; 3:1.

IV. Ezekiel, by the Holy Spirit, calls it a
new heart, Ezek. 36 : 26.

V. It is described as a new spirit, Ezek.
II : 19; Rom. 7:6.

\ 1. Further, as the inward man, Rora
7 ; 22 ; 2 Cor. 4 : 16

VII. It is a partaking of the divi'.ne na-
ture, 2 Pet. 1:4.

J. E. W.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLOINGS.

DOES Christ not solemnly aver, that without n netu birth from above^ not one — no, not
even a moral, learned, inquiring Nicodemus — can see or enter \}ciQ, kingdom of God ?
He does not say that he may not, but that he cannot^ enter — leaving it to be inferred
that it is morally impossible. And this arises from the fact of its being a kingdom, as
v.'cU as from the fact of our depravity. An anarchist has a decided dislike to consti-
tutional and settled government ; so a man, who hates the laws by which God's
kingd m is governed, cannot be a loyal subjec t of His holy administration. God
would require to change His nature, befi)re He admitted any of us into His kingdom
with our nature unchanged. But, as (iod cannot change, we must, if we would see or
enter His kingdom. IJefore we can be happy and loyal subjects of it, we mus.t be
"born again," and thus get iis laws written m our minds and hearts.

As long as preachers keep by the pictorial and illustrative, and speak of the
seasons of the year, the beautiful earth, and the ancient sea, mountains and plains,
rivers and lal "s, fields, flowers, and fraits, sun, moon, and stars, sinners comprehend
the discourse .ind applaud it ; but, when the deeply spiritual and eternally importanl
form the theme; they feel listless, and characterize it as dull, prosy, and uninteresting.
But if we cannot enjoy a highly spiritual discourse, it must be because we are " carnal^''
and want the spiritual '' sense," which always accompanies the new birth ; for " the
natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness
unto him : neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Regeneration.

Ill

''Til MUST BE BORN AGAIN;' OR, OUR REGENERATION.

Hy IV. P. Mackey.

THOUGH you knew all th'* duties incumbent upon a royal Prince, this knowledge
would not make you a royal Prince. You must be in a position before you can
act under the laws of that position. This is the natural order admitted by all rnen in
human things, but quite reversed when they begin to speculate on divine things. God's
order is this — I make you scms ; walk like sons. Man says, try to walk like sons, and
after a shorter or longer time you will be ir.^de sons. But we must be brought out of
the kingdom of darkness before we can take the first step in the kingdom of light.
Before we can enter this kingdom we must have a nature capable of enjoying it A
nature can be implanted only by birth ; therefore we must be born again. This subject
is gone fully into in John 3.

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus, and said to Him, " We KNOW," eic.

Jesus answered him by saying, " Except a man BE BOKN AGAIN," etc.

There is a great difference between what we knoiu and what •wGare; a great differ-
ence between our attainments, education, talents, knowledge, and our standing before
God, and our relation to God. Nicodemus was an incjuiring man, who had been
convinced of Christ's claims by external evidences, and whose conscience was now
seeking after something deeper and more satisfactory. He comes with this profe? =;ion
of knowledge, *' Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God : for no man
can do these miracles that thou docst, except God be with him," John 3:2. Jesus,
because He knew all men, and all the thoughts of men, answered not the wends b-it the
need of Nicodemus, by showing that all his knowledge would never save him or any
other man ; for " Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Nicodemus by nature, however well-instructed, could never see God's kingdom.

I. Christ not a Teacher of the Old Nature. He is First a Saviour,
then a Teacher. — In the present day, in certain quarters, we hear a good deal p.bout
Christ as the perfect man, the perfect example, and the perfect teacher; but here is the
answer of Jesus Himself to all such compliments. He came not to teach the old nature
— not to teach man as sprung from Adam, but to seek and save the lost, to give the
new nature, and Ko teach saved men. The policy of all who have openly, or in thought,
denied the divinity of Christ, is to laud His moral teaching and His God-like example.
They brin,r; well known and fondly cherished truths forward, as if onl;^ they believed
and preached these great facts ; but at the outset they forget this insurmountable l)ar-
rier to all moral reclamation of the old nature of man, '' Except a man be bom a\^ain,
he cannot see the kingdom of God."

We find oiherc, however, who know Christ not merely as a teacher, but who also
believe in His divinity, that He is God as well as man. In fact, many in our land know
every fundamental doctrine in the Bible ; but a mere knowledge of doctrine, howev2r
true, never introduced a son of Adam into the kingdom of God. Men may have
learned what justification, sanctification, and adoption are ; they may be able to dis-
tinguish minutely between all the creeds, isms, and heresies, they may be theoretically
orthodox, may be able to judge preachers and sermons, may be very ready freely to
r-'ticise most men they hear, and graciously pay beautiful compliments to their special
favorites, as Nicodemus did to Jesus. They may know, moreover, about the new
birth, its necessity and divine origin ; but notwithstanding all this, they could not dare
to say, as before God, " Whereas we \\ ere blind, now we see." The greatest amount
of theological education never yet saved a man. Creed, or the belief in a certain
amount of doctrine, has made Christendom, but never made a Christian. "Ye must
be born again."

Others again, when their consciences have been reached, try to get this new birth

t'.,

112

Gold from Ophir.

brought about, and begin most zealously to train and trim, to educate and reform their
old nature, quite ignorant of what is meant by '•'•born again."

II. The Old Nature Unchanged and Unchangeable. — Nicodemus won-
dered how a man when old could be broug'ht again into this world but ; if it were
possible, what better would he be ? He might have changed his circumstances by
this new birth a'^cording to the flesh; but would he have changed kingdoms? He
would still be in the kingdom of the first Adam ; he would still be flesh ; for Jesus
goes on to say, " That which is born of the flesh is flesh," ver. 6. Water never rose
above its level : that which is produced is of the same nature as that which produces.
We find people to-day who think that if they were in other circumstances they would
have a better chance of getting saved. The rich man thinks that if he were poor, he
might have time to think of religion. The poor man, if he could get ends to meet, and
had a little more money, would have more leisure to think of God. Bu^ the difficulty
is not so much in what is around us, as in what is within us

Again, the-aids of religion are called in, in order that the flesh may be improved;
but after all attempt? it is found to be only religious flesh. Man may have all varieties
of it ; but it never rose to scp the kingdom of God. In nature, wc speak of the animal
kingdom and the vegetable kingdom. If we took a rose from the latter of these king-
doms, and cultivated it and trpined it, and by our various arts made it produce all its
varieties, we never by these means could bring it into the other kingdom — into the
animal kingdom. Or, again, if I take a nettle from the roadside, and bring it into my
garden or my hothouse, watch over, dress, water, and warm it, I may produce beautiful
nettles, and beautiful varieties of nettle, but I never could get apples from it ; that which
is produced from the nettle is nettle. We can never gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of
thistles.

Man by nature is in the kingdom of the first Adam ; no amount of reformation,
amelioration, cultivation, civilization, or religiousness, can bring one single man into
the kingdom of God. Look through Great Britain and Ireland, — what is the object of
the great bulk of the religious machinery.? Is it not for cultivating the flesh, in order
that, after death, it may see the kingdom of God? This is no guess. It is the sad
confession of godly men in all the churches — godly bishops, godly rectors, godly pastors,
elders and deacons. All unite in the same complaint, and do their best against it. The
majority of respectable religious people, as good as Nicodemus, a master in Israel, do

not know the practical
They put salvation at
the salvation of the sou

jower of this truth which stands at the door of God's kingdom.
le end of a long series of self-improving processes — God puts
at the very beginning, and all duties that in their discharge can
honor Him, are founded upon this fact. "Man's chief end is (not to get the soul saved,
but) to glorify God and to enjoy Him for ever" — starting with being saved for nothing
as the means to this end.

III. The Absolute Necessity of a New Nature. — Before I can enter God's
kingdom I must have a new nature, that can appreciate, see, live in, and enjoy that
kingdom. Ask a blind man what red is. He has no idea of it because he cannot see,
because he has not the capacity. Educate him in the mixing of colors. Tell him
that the blue and yellow mixed make green ; he may soon remember this, and kranv
much more ; by that knowledge he never saw a color.

The questions therefore of most importance to you are not — do y ou know doctrine ?
do you know Christ's teaching ? do you know your Bible ? do you know the evidences
of Christianity.? do you know that Christ is God, that Christ is a Saviour.? that He is
able and willing to save ? You may know all that, and be lost forever. But are you
born again ? Are you a partaker of a new nature, a divine nature ? Are you an heir
of God ? Is your standing now in Christ or in Adam ?

Before I can see the kingdom of God, I must have the nature implanted that
belongs to that kingdom. This is something more than a mere thought of sin forgiven,
or righteousness obtained. It is a question of capacity, of fitness to enjoy., of likeness
of nature. What an awful thought that so many religiously educated people are lost

Regeneration.

113

What a hell, where the good, decent religious sons of Adam have to be for ever shat
up with therprofane and the drunkard, and the abominable and the uncU an !

Reader, I entreat of you, think. Think fo** a moment, did Jesus speak truth or
tell lies? If he spoke truth, those who have not been born a^ain^ however intelligent,
educated, moral, benevolent, or religious, can never see the kmgdom of God, and must,
therefore, be swept away for ever with the lost, for there are only two places. What a
hell I Frequenters of cathedrals and frequenters of gin-palaces, tract-distributors and
pick-pockets, drawing-room-meeting religionists and the ofT-scourings of the streets !
Priests who, with solemn mien, pretended to stand between the people and God, and
murderers who have been hung for their crimes ! Teachers who knew everthing in
theology, and the profane, the swearer, the blasphemer, the infidel ! These things will
turn out true, whether you believe them or not. It waT seen in the days of Noah. Is
it to be y ur, bitter experience? Hell is real. Eternal punishment is real, Christ's
words are true, although they may be doubted, or denied by the majority of men. The
awful fact remains. Stop, therefore, high or low, rich or poor, educated or une-iucated,
intelligent or ignorant, religious man or blasphemer, respectable or profane, think and
ask yourself these questions, Am I bom again ? Have -I a new life ? — a life communi-
cated by .the Spirit of God -through the truth — born not of flesh, but gf water, tr.e word,
Ep].. 5 : 26, and the Spirit. Have I been born twice — once into this world of Adam,
and again mto that of God ? Friend, if you have not this new birth, it were better that
you had never been born ; but now as you are, and where you are, whenever you are
convinced of the necessity of this new birth, look and live ; believe and be saved ; take
God at His word : He says, " Ye must be born again ;" and in the same chapter it is
written : " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wild'irness, even so must the Son of
Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have
ETERNAL LIFE. What God demands, God provides,

IV. How the New Nature is Implanted.— This new nature is not implanted
by a process, but received by an act of faith. This new nature never sets aside as
to actual fact the old, never amalgamates, never becomes incorporated with it, never
improves it, but " lusts " against it in the believer, wars against it, is " contrary to it."
And how is it implanted ? Reader, this is of the greatest importance to you. Are you
to look for the new birth in your own frames or feelings, to an ordinance or an act of
man. A mistake here is fatal — " Ye must be born again." How ?

Jesus answers this, and gives us the three things that are divinely and absolutely
essential for the new birth, John y.y\ seeing the kingdom, ver. 3 ; entering the kingdom,
ver. 5 ; ' r having eternal life, ver. 15; all these being but different aspects of the same
truth. These three essentials are :

1. Water, ver. 5,.

2. The Spirit, ver. 5 and 8,

3. The Son of Man lifted up, vet. 14.
Let us consider each shortly ;

I. Water. — ^" Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
the kingdom of God," ver. 5,

It cannot in any way refer to baptism by water, the application of literal water to
a man externally, as that would only wash his body and could not touch his inner
man. Some would r jad the text, *' except a man be born of baptism," and of course by
this doctrine Old Testament saints could not be in the kingdom of God, as they were
not baptized. Circumcision could not save a man, " Neither is that circumcision
which is outward in the fl^'sh, . . . Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and
not in the letter," Rom, 2 : 28, 29. No change on a man externally can profit. He
may apply much nitre and wash himself with much soap, but his leopard spots of sin
still remain. Nor will mere education, reformation, cultivation, training of the old
nature, turn flesh into spirit. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh ;" it may be
decent or indecent flesh, religious or irreligious^ pious or profane, but still flesh.

Some seeing this, and understanding it, have now asked what can the " water^

I L

Gold KROM Ophir.

mean? This has been answered in several ways. Some say it is the same as the
Spirit ; others that it is the same as the blood, but "there are three that bear witness
in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood," so that if water was only another
way of exp'essing either the working of the Spirit or the cleansing of the blood, there
would be only two bearing testimony— the Spirit and the blood and the water standinjr
for either. We can solve the question by asking what should have come into the
mind of Nicodemus when Ciinst spoke of TiWd^r.^ He, a master in Israel, knew or a
laver where every priest had to wash before he could enter into the holy place, for no
unwashed foot ever trod that holy place. He, a master in Israel, knew the book of
Eijekiel, and the promise to be fulfilled in a coming day to Isrr.el. "Then will 1
sprinkle clean w«/£'r upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all ycur filthiness and
from idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I
put within you. . . . And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause y<m to walk in
My statutes; and ye shall keep My judgments and do them" Ezek. 36 : 25, 26, 27.

A teacher jn Israel should have been looking for the antitype of temple and laver,
and the true water of purification sprinkled to cleanse from defilement. He should
have been conversant with the.i 19th Psalm, which definitely explains what the water is
(ver. 9) : " Wherewithal shall a young man cleanseh'x^ way ?• By taking heed according
to Thy Word:'

The water here spoken of by Christ and typified in the Old Testament, is the
Word of God, the embodiment, the revelation of God's thoughts.

Let us search the Scriptures as to this : " Being born again, not of corruptililc
seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word 0/ Uod, which liveth and abideth for ever.
For all flesh is as grass," I Pet. i : 23. In our text "flesh" is contrasted with the
" Spirit," here flesh is contrasted with the " Word." "The seed is the Word 0/ Cod^'
Luke 8:11. "The righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise . . . The
Word is nigh thee," Rom. 10:6-8. " Of his own will begat He us with /^<? Word
of truth," James i ; 18. "Ye are clean through the Word v-.-hich I have spoken unto
you," John 15:3.

These all show that THE WORD is used by God in the new birth in that place
where Christ speaks of water to Nicodemus, but we have more direct evidence in
Eph. 5 • 26, "That He might sanctify and cleanse it (the Church) with the washing of
water by the Word" Thus, from Old Testament type, from New Testament analogy,
and from direct scriptural statement in both Old and New Testaments, the i^'ater in tlie
new birth is proved to be the " Word of God."

And most important it is to see this. How am I born again by the Word? Water
cleanses by displacement. Uncleanness and water cannot occupy the same space at
the same moment : the water displaces the uncleanness, and thus cleanses. The
Word of God does not act by teachmg "the flesh," but by displacing all the the ights
of " the flesh," and putting in those of God.

The entrance of God's word gives ''ght. Psalm 1 19 : 130. Man was lost by hear-
ing Satan ; he is saved by hearing d. Man, in his natural Adam-standing, is a
chaos — nothing in him can meet or please the eye of God — he is without form and
void, darkness brooding over him. When God, therefore, begins to re-create him (for
"we are His workmanship, created \n Christ Jesus unto good works," Eph. 2 : 10). He
says, " Let light be," and light is ; and it is by the entrance of His Word that this is
done.

This Word of God judges everything in man ; it puts God and His requirements
before man. Human opinion is entirely set aside. By nature we are all apt to rest
satisfied that there are many worse than we. " If I am lost, many will have a bad
chance," is sometimes said, and quite true, for God's Word tells us we are all guilty,
and, as we saw in a former chapter, " there is no difference," all condemned already,
equally condemned. We compare ourselves with one another, or according as men
are estimated, bad, good, or indifferent. God's Word comes like water, and washes
out all our thoughts and opinions.

Regeneration.

115

" It's my idea," says one, " if one tries to live a good life, that this is all he can do."
Of course, this is your idea ; but all our thoughts are evil, and unless God's Word
displaces our ideas we are undone.

" It's my opinion," says another, "that we must just do the best we can, and trust
in the mercy of God." Of course this is your opinion — but the action of (iod's Word
is like water to wash out our opinions. The first thing it tells me about myself and
about all of us is that we are lost, depraved, guilty, condemned.

But more ; the Word of God brings in God's mind about Himself instead of my
own ; it lets God think for me, God speak for me, God act for me ; it makes me
passive, because I can be nothing else.

^'' Hear, and your soul s'.all live," Isa. 55 : 3. Life is on its syllables — man, begins
to speak, to pray, etc., when he wants to be saved — (jod says. Hear f (iod is prayin;f
to us, and should we not answer God's f)rayer before we begin to pray? He does
beseech men by us, 2 Cor. 5 :2o. His prayer is easily answered. He says, " Will you
have my Son ?" and the answer is " Yes" or " A'^" By thus hearing the Word of God,

God in which God's
the Spirit's work in

and understanding it Matt. 13 : 23, we receive a new life from
thoughts reside, and in which they aci. Let us now look at
regeneration.

II. The Spirit.— We must be born of the Spirit— not the Spirit apart from tho
Won! —not the Word apart from the Spirit — not two births — but the one divine new
birth. We see Spirit and Word as the ItTing water, ]o\\n 7 ; 38. " He that.believeth on
me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this
spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive." This was
seen at Pentecost, when the rivers of living water (read Peter's sermon, a number of
Old Testament quotations) flowed out to the salvation of thousands, the words of God
carried home by the Spirit — hence living water ; the Word is the water, but it is
stagnant or dead without the Spirit — Spirit and Word make living water. Aga'U,
Jesus said, John 6 : 63, '' the wo7-ds that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are
life." Mere moral suasion, as it is called, never yet saved a man. This Word only
operates as God's Spirit applies it». The vehicle is the Word, but the power is tho
Spirit.

If people are famishing in a town, and we intend to send supplies to them, we load
the vans and wagons with bread and corn, and make up a large train. The entrance of
these wagons will bring life to many a famished family, to marfy a dying man. Wh^
delay, then ? why is the train lying useless at this station where there is plenty ? We
are waiting for that powerful engine which will speed it along. Screw up the coupling,
make all fast ; and now not only is the feast ready, but feasts and guests are brought
together. Christ Himself is the bread, the Word is the wagon, and the Spirit is the
engine or power that brings Christ in the Word to us poor perishing sinners.

God made a great feast, and bade many, Luke 14:16; none came, and " none of
those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper," is notv what God has said.
No merely invited guest ever came. We preach " Come, ; " we tell that all things are
ready, that the feast is spread, the door open, that "yet there is room ; " but no msn
by this mere invitation ever came ; as one has said, " God has to fill the chairs, as
well as the table." Five yoke of oxen or a piece of ground are of much more value
to a natural man than the richest feast of God. God has to provide the guests as well
as the feasts. If there were no Christ provided, there would be no feast : if there were
no Spirit working, there would be no guests.

Ye must be bom of the spirit. Like produces like. "That which is bom of the
flesh ' is not merely like " the flesh," but is " flesh," and " that which is born of the Spirit'
is not like the Spirit, nor is it the Spirit (that would be incarnation), but " is spirit," and
He dwells in that which He begets.

This is something quite different from "the flesh" being pardoned, then taught,
then toned down, pervaded, and sanctified by the Spirit. We have the man, the I,
the existi'. g person with undivided responsibility, " born again " by the thoughts of Goa

1 11' II

tiiiii

ii6

Gold from Ophir.

acting in him in power, and the mind and nature of God communicated to him by the
Spirit; and this now is the man's Hfe, as the "flesh" was his Hfe before. No
Christian can have his standing "in the flesh." Alas ! that ever any of us should walk
in the flesh : " we are not in the flesh ; " alas ! the flesh is in us still.

A boat has been sailing on the salt ocean ; it has come through many a storm,
and, half full of the briny water, it is now sailing on the fresh water of the river. It is
no longer in the salt water, but the salt water is in it. The Christian has got oflF'he
Adam-sea for ever. He is in the Christ-river for ever, Adam is still in him, which lie
is to .nortify and to throw out, but he is not in Adam. He has now a power, and a
position, and inclination to judge himself. He knows himself It was at this poini
that l^ul exclaimed, " 1 know that in me — that is, my flesh — dwelleth no good thing."
He is not two persons, but in the one person he has, and will have to his last hour
here, two natures diametrically opposite, and acti\v / opposing each other. He now
"cees that " the flesh " lusts against the " Spirit," but the Snirit also against the "flesh,
in order that he may not walk as he used to walk ; that these are contrary, and
therefore never can be friends, and that he has in him, and will have in him, a foe that
is neither to be trifled with nor trusted, but watched, warred with, and mortified.

But his life is in his new nature. He is now a "partaker of *he divine nature,"
"born of God," "an heir of God ;" and thus it is with every one who is born of the
Spirit, Jew or Gentile, for God acts here in sovereignty. Connection with Abraham
only gave them a fleshly standing, but a new thing is needed by the Jew as well as
the Gentile, and is as free to the Gentile as to the Jew.

The eighth verse of John 3 is a most blessed verse. In it we poor sinners of the
Gentiles have got in. Reader, never quarrel with the royal prerogative of God's grace ;
read Rom. 9, and see that if we do not let God be absolute we have no chance of
salvation, for we are all equally " condemned already." Praise His grace that hath
now appeared to every nation under heaven.

But passing over Christ's testimony of the Father, as given in verses nine to
thirteen— (prophets had prophesied, but here is God /twise//)— let us now look at

III. The Son of Man Lifted Up.— This, indeed, Is our life. Christ said, "Ye
MUST be born again ;" but here is another must that He mentions, "As Moses lifted
up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up : that who-
ever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life." God says. Ye
musf, but He also says, I must. Your Adam-life is forfeited, and you are under con-
demnation. The Son of man lifted up is the answer to the forifeit. Satan, who has the
power of death, and has every man in his power, for all have sinned, has been destroyed
as to his power, his head having been bruised by Christ on the cross, Heb. 2 : 14. But
Christ is now risen, and can communicate His life to any one who believes in Him, He
having satisfied every demand of God. The new birth is the communication of a nev
life. Christ beyond the doom of sin is that life ; Christ incarnate before His death
cannot be "our life," because the judgment against the old life can only be met in
death.

The " corn of wheat " must die before the fruit can be produced. The resurrection-
hfe of Christ is therefore the new life preached to the sinner, and implanted in him on
his believing—?^ life that is perfect, impeccable, indestructible, eternal as the Christ of
God is — a life that has already proved victorious over the cross of shame, over death's
strongest power — a life that will ere long swallow up mortality.

The Spirit of God applies the Word that speaks about the lifted-up Christ whom
we receive and rest upon for salvation, and this is the new birth. Such a life is offisred
only to a sinner — what a comfort ! No righteous man, no earth-wise, no rich man ever
entered the kingdom of God as such— only as justified sinners. None but redeemed
sinners sing the song of that kingdom — none but those who, guilty, depraved, lost, have
taken their place with roused consciences at the foot of the cross, and there seen the
lifted-up Christ. All in thaf'kingdom are " new creatures" clothed in " the best robe,
with the " ring," and the " sho«>s," and " the fatted calf" slain. What perfection is in

REGtNKRATION.

I 17

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the Word of God ! The Word tells me that unless I am bom again I cannot enter
(lod's kingdom ; but the same word tells me that if I am born again, though only u
babe now, I am as sure of spending eternity with my Lord as if I were with Him. Nc
hatred of devils, no enmity of the world, no power of the flesh, shall keep me out. We
enter God's kingdom by being born again. We /tai'e eternal life even now. We have
the germs of heaven even here. We do not wait for that life ; but " he that believeth
(,n the .Son h.ath everlasting life," vcr. 36.

We have tried to show thus briefly what is meant by being "born of water and of
the Spirit." l\ead i John 5 :6 — "This is He that came by water and blood, not by
water only, but by water and blood, and it is the Spirit that becreth witness, because
the Spirit is truth. For they that bear witness are three ; the .S'/>/r//, and the wa/er,
and the bloody and the three agree in one." (Correct translation.)

The b/ood'xs for expiation ; that is, the Son of man lifted up on the cross, and His
life taken for ours. " This is He that came by water and blood," i John 5 : 6.

The water is for moral cleansing ; that is, the Word of God applied in power 4o
our consciences. Jesus " came not by watjer only," that is to say, not merely a teacher
of the word, "but by water and blood." He came certainly as the great teacherj but
also as the great sacrifice making atonement for sin.

The spirit is the witness from the throne of God to the value of that blood in the
presence of God, and the witness to our spirits by applying the word (water) and thus
morally cleansing. Hfe is also the source, the framer, and the power of expression of
every new feeling, thought, affection, or purpose in the new creation, " and it is the
Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth."

These three agree in one, mcpt in one point, work out one thing in their testimony,
and this is the testimony, that " God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in
His Son. He that hath the Son, hath life," i John 5:11, 12.

What any sinner, therefore, has to do in this new birth is to look to Christ on the
cross ; and where is he to look to Him now as crucified but in the Word. He is to
believe what God says about His Son. God says, I have given yo j Christ, John 3:16.
I believe it ; therefore I thank God. I do not ask myself do I feel it? but God says
it— I appropriate it as mine — I believe His word by putting in my name where God
puts His " whosoever." In this Word of God we get the Spirit's witness — that is, God's
testimony about His Son. God does the work ; we believe the Word.

Reader, are yoif^<7r« again? You are not satisfied with yourself. Nor is God
satisfied with you. You are not satisfied with your estimate of the work of Christ. Are
you satisfied with God's estimate of it ? The Spirit has come to tell out to us the value
of that blood. Faith does not consist in my valuing it, but in my accepting God's
value of it. God says, " When I see the blood, I will pass over you."

If you do not believe God's witness, the Spirit of God in the Word, about His Sen,
you simply make God a liar. Now you must either make yourself a liar or God. Do
you not think that it would be the better way to say, " Let God be true and every man
a Har" — myself the first liar? A man does not Hke to be called a liar, but God says,
"e.very man." Until a man calls himself a liar, he makes God one. " He that believeth
not God hath made Him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of
His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life
is in His Son." As long as you look within yourself for one idea, one opinion, one
thought, you are listening to a liar. Call your heart a liar at once and simply take
God at His word, receive His Son as He has given Him to you.

Reader, art thou born again ? There was a moment that every Israelite had
between being bitten and dying ; that moment was given him to look and live That
is thy brief moment of life, hast thou looked and lived ? God can do no more than He
has done to provide life for thee. He. spared not His Son !

Do not look to thy wcunds, to thy sins, and think thus to get peace. Try no
lonijer earth's prayers, or religions, or works of righteousness. They are but ointments
to thy sores, that will never heal, but look away from all to the serpent on the pole.

Ii8

Gold fkOxM Ophir.

The question is not, whether thou hast great faith or little faith. It did not depend
upon the length of the look, nor tlie earnestness of the look, it was the fact of looking
tliut cured the bitten Israelite. Look and live 1 thou hast only one brief yet sufficient
moment of time.

But how are . i spending this little moment? In making money, in indulging
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life I In gathering together
the dust of their condemned cell into heaps and calling it riches ! In gathering ,the
straws that lie in their prison, and making crowns, and madman-like, playing at kings
while death is written as their doom ; and the door of escape stands still open !

God is standing over them with this awful word, " Yk MUST BE BORN AGAIN," and
tliis r)ther wondrous word, " The Son OF MAN MUST BK LIFTED ur." He deli\ ered
up His Son to* death. What a holy God I What a just, righteous, truthful God !
When sin was lying on the sinless Christ, He could not let it pass. Do you think He
will let yoii pass now after that aw'ul day at Calvary ! It is there that we read the
doom of sin. How shall we escape from Him if we neglect His "so great salvation.-"'
For it is not with God merely as a judge we have to do ; for.it was His love that planned
and Vrought the whole redemption work. Doubly bitter will be your cup of wrath that
you have spurned the salvation of such a God who desires to be known by you as Lovi. ;
for in order that any poor sinner might be born again, " God so loTcd the WORLD that
He gave Hir otily-begottcn So», that WHOSOEVER believeth on Hihi. should not perish,
but have everlasting life" John 3 :i6.

Let us suppose that you are convinced of these important realities ; that you are
lost ; that therefore your first need is a Saviour^ not a teacher ; that you have not a
nature capable of enjoying God; that the newnaturtfis gotten by your being born; born
again of water (the Word) and the Spirit, but you cannot understand how this comes
about. You cannot understand what is meant by lo<,king to Christ as the bitten Israel-
ites looked to the serpent on the pole. Let me illustrate it by a con\ ersation I had,
one day, with a man who had been hearing the Gospel preached, and with whom I had
to walk some miles.

I began 1 y asking, " Have you ever thought of the great salvation ? "

" Oh yes," he replied ; " I have often thought about it "

" And are you saved ? "

" Well, I could not say that— I don't feel as I would like."

" I Cjuite believe that ; but do you think any of us could ever feel perfectly right in
this world ? But are you at peace with God ? "

"I never could say that I am satisfied with myself."

"But, my friend, I did not ask if you were. It would be a verj bad sign if you
were satisfied with yourself But are you at peace with God V

" Well, I never could feel that I have peace."

" But I don't ask if you feel at peace with yourself ; I hope you ne\ er will. Have
you peace with God?"

"To tell you the truth, I am not right."

" How k ng is it since you began to think of these things ?"

"About seven or eight years ago, in the north of Ireland, I was first awakened by
a minister preaching on ' Ye must be born again.^ And often since that time I have
been trying to feel God's Spirit working in me."

"And you never have ?"

" No ; I could not be sure."

' How could ever any one be sure of what was going on within him, especially as
our enemy comes as an angel of light ?"

"Well, what am I to do, then ?"

"Jesus was the one, yon remember, that said, ' Ye must be born again.' ' Exce|)t
a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.' Now,
at the end of all this conversation, Nicodemus did not know how to be saved, but only
fi'V 'Hew can these things be?' even when Jesus Himself was the great Teacher."

Regenkration.

119

" That's just where I am."

" Mow, what did Jesus do? He took him away to the picture-book for cliildren,
and showed him the picture 01" a dying man looking away from himself to a serpent on
a i>i)le, and thus obtaining life ; and told him that 'as Moses lifted up the serpent in
•lij wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth m
Him should not perish, but have eternal life.' Now all you have to do is to look and
live."

" But that is just what I've been trying to do, and what I don't know how to do — •
what is it to look to Christ?"

"Now I can understand your difficulty ; you cannot see Christ with the eyes of
yciur body ; you cannot see Him in vision ; you say that you cannot feel His presence
within you ; you cannot feel that you have faith."

"Exactly ; what am I to do?"

"Allow me to give you an illustration." In some such words I spoke with my
friend, and gave him the substance of the following illustration, which seemed to clear
away his difficulty ; and I trust, by (iod's bless'ng, it may enable you to receive God's
simple plan, and accept God's salvation for nothing.

You have a rent — say ^10 a-year — to pay ; having to maintain a large family, and
having been recently in distress and out of work, you find it impossible to pay it. Let
us suppose that I was able, knew your difficulty, took pity on you, and said to you —

" jolm, I he^ir you have your rent coming oft, and having had very hard times,
you will never bj able to pay it. Now I wish you to use your money for your most
pressing wants, to get food and clothing for your wife and family, and look to nic for
t,ic nnf." You, knowing me, and hence believing me, would go away home with a
bu) Icn off your mind and a happy heart. When you came home next Saturday with
your wages, you would tell your wife to spend all the money in getting food and
clothing.

" But, John," she would say, " are we not to lay aside something for the rent ?"

" Oh no," you would answer ; " I met a man whom I know, and he said, Look to
me for the rent, and I believe him."

And thus weeks would go on, till shortly before the rent-day a neighbor cumes
in ,ind says —

"John, I have only got £s gathered for my rent, and I don't know what I m to do.
How much have you ?"

" None at all."

" What 1 have you nothing gathered ? "

" No, for a friend of mine said. Look to me for the rent."

" And are you not getting anxious about it ?"
) "No."

" Why ? "

" Because I trust him."

"Why?" ,

" Because 1 believe him."

"Why?"

" Because I know him."

By and by the rent-day comes, and even your wife Ijegins to be suspicious and
doubtful, but you have implicit trust ia what I said — you have no difficulty in under-
standing what look to ine for the rent means ; and so, at the appointed hour, I walk in
and make my word good, and am happy to find that, against all your neighbor's
doubts, against all your wife's fears, and even against all your own tremblings, you
h>ve trusted my word and looked to me for the rent.

This is, of course, just an illustration, as I have no doubt you are at the present
quite able and willing to <• iy your own rent ; but in the matter of our salvation,
though we might be willing, we are totally unable ; so the Lord now says, " Look to
Me, and be ye saved."

120

Gold from Ophir.

Christ on the cross has satisfied God's justice. He paid the debt for th > sinner.
Men are doing perfectly right things ; praying, living moral lives, and giving money
for charitable purposes ; but all for the wrong end. All these will never save. God
says, " Look to Me for salvation" and then begin to use your time, talents, money,
powers, for their legitimate end, to glorify (Jod. Do not try to be holy in order to be
saved. That would be like the man laying up for a rent which he could never pay.
" Look to me and be saved" says (Jod, and then be holy, because you are sure of
salvation on the authority of God. Religion will never save you — even pure religion.
(Jod defines pure religion in James i : 27 : " Pure religion, and undefiled, before (Jod
and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to
keep himself unspotted from the world." By the deeds of the law we cannot be
justified; therefore by doing all. this we cannot be saved. Religion is the life of a
saved man, not the efforts of an unsaved man to get saved. We do not try to do good
in order to get a new nature, but we try to do good because we have received a new
nature. I'he work which God will accept from you is not to the cross, it is from the
cross to the crown. Jesus did all the saving-work. He brought the cross to our
level. Get saved by looking to Hin», and then live to God. Do not look to the
feeling of being saved — look away from what is being wrought in you to what was
wrought y<?r you. We are not saved on account of the Spirit working in us, but by*
means of His work — we are saved on account of Christ dying for us. We are not
saved /?Jr faith but through faith. "'Look to me and be ye saved, all the ends of the
earth."

Lie down as a wounded^ helpless^ ungodly sinner, and look away from yourself to
Jesus crucified for sin.

Regeneration.

121

RESULTS OF THE NEW HIRTH.

V. It is the mighty motive power in con-

I. The very first thing the new birth pro-
daces is likeness to God, Eph. 4 : 24 ; Col.
3: 10.

II. Similarity, in a measure, to the Lord
Jesus Christ, Rom. 8 : 29.

III. As a result of the new birth comes a
just and true knowledge of God. Jer. 24 : 7 ;
Col. 3 : ID.

iV. It produces hatred to sin, i John 3:9;
3:18.

(juering the world ; it alone can give victory,
I John 5 : 4.

VI. It gives relish and delight in God's
word, Rom. 7 : 22.

VII. Brotherly love is born of the new
birth, John 13:35; i John 3:14-24; 4:7;
5 : 1-4-

'j. E. W.

THE NEW BIRTH.

I. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God, i John
4:2.

II. As many as received Him, to them
gave He power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name,
John 1 : 12.

III. Which were born, not of blood, nor
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God, John i : 14.

IV. Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of

God, which liveth and abideth forever, I
Pet. I ; 23.

V. God . . . gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should
not perish, buthaveeverlastinglife, John3 : 16.

VI. This life is in His Son, i John 5:11

VII. Jesus said ... I am the resur-
rection an J the life : he that believeth in Me,
though h3 were dead, yet shall he live ; and
whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall
neverdie. Believeth thou this? John 11:
25, 26.

SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS AND UNFOLDINGS

THE motions of sin may really be most violent, when a new principle is brought in to
cast it out ; and as the sun, sending its beams through the iuiniiou\ discovers the
motes in the house, and their motions, which were not seen before, so the light of grace
may discover the risings and actings of corruption. .

Dr. Owln says, " If a man of a carral mind is brought into a large company,
he will have much to do ; if into a company of Christians, he will feci little interest ;
if into a smaller company engaged in religious exercises, he will feel less ; but if taken
into a closet and forced to mediate upon God and eternity, this will be insupportable."

There is no entrance into God's kingdom in our natural state. Nature itself
teaches the lesson. The animal docs not entef into the vegetable kingdom. God,
the Creator, maintains the broad lines which distinguish creature from creature. Who
ever planted a forest in the ocean? The laws of nature cannot be altered by the
creature ; the laws of the new creation are never set aside. Being bom anew, a man
has a new nature. The spiritual kingdom is the element, if we may so express it, of
those who are born of the Spirit ; and to enter this kingdom there must be the new-
birth. "Except a man be bom of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of God."

\22

Goi-l) KkOM Ol'IIIK.

CLOSING THOUGHTS OX THE SUBjrXT OF RIXEXERATION.

1"*HE new niiturc, derived througli the Spirit implanting the word in the soul, is
divine as its source. Born of the Spirit, men arc thereby partakers of the divine
nature, and actually possess a life which is distinct from the life they have from Adam;
a life aljsolutcly new. Christ is the source, the patf^rn, the expression of this life ;
He is the life itself, we receive it from Him by the Spirit,

Thk Spirit of God works in human he-arts through the word. Such is His \vay ;
He does not act independently of tlie truths of the written volume. He takes that
which He Himself has inspired, and whii h He is the revelation of (lod in Christ, and
makes powerful in convicting, converting, and sanctifying.

Chrisi'.s death has marked the state of all men : " If one died for all, then were
all dead," 2 Cor. 5:14. We know what the dead state of our nature is, not only by
the declaration of the Scriptures, but also by the fart of Christ's death. Dead in sin
is man's condition, and in that ccmdition he cannot but remain, unless Ciod communi-
cate to him a life outside of that conditi'.;n. •

Apart from the Spirit of Cod, the letter kills. What more could it do? for the
word tells us that we are in our sins and require life, and shows to us that life is the
gift of (iod. "The letter killeth, but the Spirit givcth life," 2 Cor. 3 : 6. The words
which Jesus spoke. He said were spirit and life, Jno. 6:63, but the souls of the
hearers were rendered receptive by the Holy Ghost. To deal with the word of God
as if a man could take it up and make it his own in his natural strength, is practically
to assume for man a power which the truth of ( o ! denies that man possesses. Whether
religious or profane, learned or ignorant, the f.es'i is flesh in itself, just as an oak is an
oak, though there arc varieties of the tree. It is written : " It is the Spirit who quick-
eneth ; the flesh profiteth nothing," Jno. 6 : 63.

Remember, Jesus proceeded to lay before the Jewish ruler atonement through
Himself, lifted up as a mediator, and God's free love to a perishing world, embodied
in the gift and work of His Son. Yi>u want to be born agai . Well, Jesus tells you
to look to the|8on of Man lifted up, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
and you will thus be pardoned and made to live. You say you are prostrated and
helpless — with the poison of the serpent coursing through you — sick and dying— and
you want to live, to experience such a new life as shall prove, not only a present
counteractive to the virus of this terrible death-poison, but also an cnduring»spiritual
reality? Well, Jesus says, in this conversation with the inquring ruler, that "God so
loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth h
Him should not perish, but have everlastitJi^ life'^

Jesus Chri.st, the incarnate Son of Go'l, asserts the absolute necessity of i-
generation, when He says : " Vtfrily, verily, j say unto thee. Except a man be boi.'
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." And f irthcr on, He says, as solemnly and
decidedly, " Except a man be born of water and of the .Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." And He gives a fact al the reason of this necessity : " That
i.ihich is Oorn of the flesh is flesh." " Flesh," or corrupt human nature, is unfii to enter
God's kingdom, and will ever continue so. No self-regeneration is to be expected.
The total depravity of human nature renders a total spiritual change of absolute
necessity. The whole race, and every individual " man," is utterly depraved in heart,
his will averse from good, his conscience is defiled, his understanding is darkened,
his affections are alienated from God and set upon unworthy objects, his desire are
corrupt, his appetites ungovemed ; and unless the Holy Spirit impart a new nature,
and work an entire change on the whole faculties of his mind by " the washing of
water through the word," cleansing away his filthiness of spirit, as water cleanses
away outward defilement, he must remain an unfit subject for God's holy kingdom.

REdKNKRATlON.

«-3

(loi) forgives us our sins, cleanser us from our delilcmcnt, :incl justilic;. iii from all
lliinxs ; He also j,'ives us a new life in His Son. This life is entirely distinct from i>ur
natural life ; it is a li«)ly life— in dod anvl in Christ ire its origin, and the Holy Spii'.t
is its energy.

The absolute necessity for t!io qu ckcning power of the Floly (ihost in sinners
dead in sins is indicated by the fact that where the word "quicken" is used in Scrip-
ture it generally relates to giving life at the resurrection to the body in its state of
physical death, (iod will exercise a power, by whic h tiu; dust of the dead will be raised
to life, and He now exercises a power by which man in his deatl; of .sin becomes alive
to Himself.

The Holy Sj)irit is the gracious agent who accomplishes the new birth of men
dead in sins. In His sovereignty Fe is pleased to work \n us, and to give the words
of truth, whii h our outward ears hear, energy within us, and so to render the word of
(iod the word of life to us individually. The bare letter of (iod's trutli, apart from the
Spirit's work in us, does not give us life, 'ihe word of (iod does not take root in our
old fallen nature, and teaches us the truth about ourselves.

Now, in this age of grace, that which Cod promised is manifested. All eternity
is one continuous present with God ; but in His ways with men, ages and periods have
rolled on, the dispensation of law and its testing of men have come to a close, and the ^
time has arrived for the word of (iod respecting eternal life to be made goud. This,
His word, is unfolded through the preaching, as we read in Titus i : i-j, and ly the
procl imation of life to sinners dead in their sins, (jod, by His Spirit, quickens those
whom it is His purpose to associate in life with His own Son.

There are this day, among those whom He has cjuickened, some in throes of
t;.)rr:.w, who have been thus for months, yes, and in some msi'ances, for years together;
tliero are others who have broken forth into peace and joy, with a suddenness to be
camp.aed to the sprin,'^ of the arctic regions, where snows melt and winter flee: away
almost i:n nediately, and where m.riads of blossoms within a few days burst forth into
life out of th:j \n\j dreary months of death. No two souls have the ideiui ,d tale to
tell of (liod's work in them, but all have the same life ; Christ is the life of all, and all
iiave a "common salvation." The remarkable manner in which strong characters are
flften gently overcome, and we, k ones forced into obedience of the truth, in which a
high intellect is subdued by the most absolute simplicity, and a rough brute nature
broken down by tlie most tender grace, all witness to divine wisdom, and the working
"as He will" of t'oe Spirit of (Jod.

The ways of the Spirit of (iod, when working in souls, arc exceedingly varied.
We never find in the work of God in nature, or in grace, anything of a stereotyped
character ; but we do find general characteristics marking every group of H is workings.
There are not two clouds alike, yet the classes of clouds invariably preserve their char-
acter, whether they be that of the sweeping rain-cloud, or the mountain-likemass, or
the far-off tracery. No two ears of wheat are exactly the same, but every ear of wheat
bears the common stamp of a general character. Divine diversity in no way denicj
divine unity. The Holy Spirit bows or breaks men as He pleases ; He is sovereign,
and works as He will. He moves some souls, as the rustling corn is moved by the
gentle summer breeze ; He breaks others, as forests are broken by the whirlwind. How
tenderly are some hearts affected by His work, while others, by the effect of His opera-
tions, are driven almost into despair ! But all in whom He works, implanting the
divine life, have the general features of the family of (iod ; and what we have to do is
simply to believe and to yield ourselves to the fashioning influence of the truth. Why
the Spirit of God should bring some souls so swiftly into peace with God, and seal them
unto the day of redemption, and why He should permit others to groan for weary years
in the spirit of bondage and fear, teaching them deep lessons as to self, we know not ;
but we do know that there is divine wisdom in all His gracious wa\ s, and that the
word of truth is the means whereby the happy deliverance of every soul is produced.

124

Gold from Ophik.

Thk power put forth by Go6 in giving life, to sinners dead in their sins, is after
the same sort as that which He exercised in raising from the dead the body of His
Son, who had died for sinners. "The exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward
who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which he wrought in
Christ, when He raised Him from the dead," Eph. i : 18-20. Life is given to the
spiritually dead, who are raised from their spiritual state of death, according to the
mighty power of God, even as the Lord's body was raised from among the physically
dead.

The resurrection of our Lorr" evidences a life for man beyond death, a life which
is freed from death's dominion, Rom. 6 : 9, and from sin, Rom. S : 8 ; and the eternal
life is now communicated to us who believe on the once crucified but now rise'' Son of
God, in His present condition of resurrection. Tnis is truth, new in the sense that it
is Christian truth, not Jewish truth ; and it is liberty, even as the Lord taught before
His death, as is recorded for example in John, the 8th chanter.

if W l T< a iyBi«<ww |ii rB'T i'ii |iffl,J i ! i

■> after

)fH;s

-ward
:ht in
o the
:o the

ically

rhich
lernal
ion of
hat it
>efore

RESURRECTION.

.#.

IIHI

RESURRECTION.

THE RKSURRECTION OF THE BODY.

/>> Dr. Nathaniel West.

LIKE Him who was its brightest iUustration, the doctrine of the Resurrection of the
liody has become, to many, a "stone of stumbHng and a rock of offence." It
was denied in ancient times

I. By the sect of the Sadducees, who behved in "neither angel, resurrection, nor
spirit ; ' elite sceptics and literal interpreters of the " lively oracles ; " discrediting the
Prophets, yet holding to " Moses and the Law ;" men, examples of whom we have in
the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, in the disputers with Jesus, and in the first
assailants of the resurrection of Christ, Matt. 22:23-33 ; Mark 12 : 18-23 5 Luke 20:
27-33; Acts 4:2; 23:6-8,26:6-8,24; Luke 16:19-31 ; Matt. 28: 11-15.

II. Hy Athenian Epicureans and Sioics, who, confronting Paul on Mars' Hill,
mocked at his doctrine ; some jibing "What will this babbler say?" others expounding,
"He seemeth to be a setter forth of gods, because he preached Jesus and the Resur-
rection," Acts 17:16-32.

III. By sceptics in the Corinthian Church, who forgetting the gospel of the
Resurrection Paul had preached, and *vhich they professed to receive, declared boldly
"There is no resurrection of the dead," denying the fact because unable to explain the
"//rw," I Cor. 15:1-34, 35-58.

IV. By Hymenaius and Philetus, who interpreting a predicted, literal, objective
fact concerning the body, .in a spiritual sense concerning the soul, '•''gangrened" the
church with fheir doctrine, and "erred concerning the truth, saying that the resirrer-
■ n is past already,'' 2 Tim 2 : 17, 18.

V. By Gnostic sects in the primitive Church who held that the evil principle
• ■ ued in matter, and, spiritualizing the prophetic words, taught that the resurrection
- .'X' °r a moral awaking of the soul from its sleep in sin, or an educationjil progress

tu , gnorance to knowledge, by means of science, philosophy, and art. These men
the great Justin denounced as "blasphemers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob."

VI. By certain Church-Fathers, who, following Origen and the .Alexandrian
school of philosophy, allegorized the prophecies concerning Israel, the Resurrection,
the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennial Age, and the New Hea\cn and Earth,
and were the first m history to broach the doctrine of a gradual leavening or .sanrtifi-
cation and conquest of the whole world, by means of church agencies and the out-
pouring of the Spiric of God. They held that '' the viillennium is now.^"

The resurrection of the body is also denied in modem times :
I By Modern Rationalism, which regards the Old Testament prophetic word, as
also the word of Christ and His .Apostles, as the "outward envelope" of an "abstract
spiritual thought," a "general idea," clothed in Jewish draper/ or Oriental costume.

[127]

128

Gold from Opiiik.

not meant to be literally interpreted. It is " Poetry I" the "rough rind of a sacred
bulb ! " " oriental phantasmagoria ! " " arabesque word-ornament ! " " non-essential
form!"

11. By Modern Materialism, or Scientific Monism, which denies the dualism of
matter and mind, and holds that body and soul have come alike from an atom, and
are alike the result of self-organization which appears at birth and expires at deatl:.
This is only a revival of the ancient materialism of Epicurus and Lucretius.

in. By Modern Philosophic Ideahsm and Scepticism which denies the existence
of matter, or a real external world, resolving all outward phenomena into mere delu-
sions of the mind.

IV. In general, the resurrection of the body is denied by all the forms of pure
Naturalism, viz: Atheism, Pantheism, Deism, Materialism, Idealism, Scepticism,
Agnosticism ; on the ground that it is a miracle, and therefore (i) it is impossible
because contrary to nature, (2) it is incredible because contrary to experience. Its wit-
nesses, though honest, were more likely to be deceived than their testimony was likely
to be true. The supernatural is denied in both cases. And this is the crime of much
so-called science and philosophy in our day.

Our Repl]^. — The reply of our Lord to the Sadducees is all sufficient here. "Ye
do err, not knowing the Scriptures, neither the power of God." The cause of the denial
of the resurrection is ignorance ; ( i ) of the Scriptures as a testimony to the fact of the
resurrection ; (2) of the power 0/ God as a cause adequate to produce the fact. The
first meets the " incredible" the second meets the " impossible." Paul meets both in
his challenge to Agrippa, " Why should it be thought (a) a thing incredible, {b) that
God should raise the dead ?" Acts 26 : 8. He who denies or doubts the resurrection
of the body denies or doubts, (i) God, (2) the Scriptures, (3) Christianity. The Pro-
phets, Aj.ostles, and Christ are false witnesses, the Christian faith which rests on Christ
raised from the dead is vain, and the Christian hope which looks for His coming to
raise the dead is vain also. We are lost forever !

Diflferent Resurrections. — The Scriptures reveal different kinds of resurrec-
tions :

I. Spiritual : a resurrection of the soul from its death and corruption in sin, John
5 : 24 ; Eph. 2:1-6; 5 : 14 ; Col. 2:13; Rom. 6 : i-ii. This is apresent resurrection,
and elsewhere called a Quickening, Eph. 2 : i ; a New Birth, John 2''3i and a New
Creation, Eph. 2 : 10.

II. Material: a resurrection of the body from its death and corruption in the
grave, and here {a) the resurrection of the righteous, John- 5 : 25 ; {b) the resurrection
of the wicked as well as the righteous, John 5 : 28 ; Acts 24 : 15.

III. Moral : a revival of the Christian life, under the power of the Spirit of God.
Pentecost, Acts 2:1-4, 17, 18, 41 ; Joel 2 : 28, 29 ; Isa. 44 ; 3 ; Ezek. 36 : 27 ; Zech.
12 : 10.

IV. National and Political : the resurrection of Israel, as a nation, from its national
and political death, after the two long days of Old Testament, and New Testament non>
existence of Israel's kingdom; a resurrection on the third day, the day of millennial
glory, Hos. 6 : i, 2 ; 13:14; 14 : 5-8 ; Ezek. 37 : 1-28.

V. Diabolical: the resurrection oi Antichrist, the revived head of the ten-king-
domed world-power of the last times ; the Beast "who had the stroke of the sword and
did live," Rev. 13:14, whose "death-stroke was healed," Rev. 13 : 3, 12; who " ascends
out of the abyss," Rev. 17:8; 11:7; that "was, is not, and shall be present," Rev. 17 :
8 ; " whose coming is with all Satanic energy," 2 Thess. 2 : 8. This is the last Gentile
ruler, and last oppressor of the people of God. This resurrection is both that of a person
and a power.

Resurrection of the Righteous.— The texts for this are Exod. 3 : 4-6, com-
pare with Exod. 6:3, 4, and Acts 7 : 5, with respect to God's covenant to give the
"land of Canaan" to Abraham, Isaac, sa\6. JACoh, themselves personally ; a promise yet
unfulfilled, but to be fulfilled at the resurrection. This is Christ's answer to the Saa

Resurrection,

i2g

duceesjout of the Law. He proves the resurrection of thebody out of "Moses," see Matt.
22 : 23-33 ; Mark 12 : 18-23 ; Luke 20 : 27-33 > also Deut. 32 : 39. The bodies of the
righteous mu"t rise because these are part of their total personality, and because the
"living God' is the God of the whole person, the God of " Abraham," of " Isaac," of
"Jacob," who, in covenant with God, are redeemed from death, and still "live unto
God" though their bodies rest in the grave. The "living Ciod" is the "God of the
living and not of the dead, for all live unto Him." Believers never die, John 11 : 26.
They still live. "They rest in their beds, each one walking in their uprightness," Isa.
57 : 2. They are under a covenant that abolishes death and secures their resurrection.
This is Christ's argument with the Sadducees. "Abraham," "Isaac," and "Jacob"
shall each be raised from the dead to inherit the land of promise made glorious and
heavenly at the coming of Christ. It stopped the Sadducean mouth ! It is not merely
the "Immortality of the Soul" Christ proves by this argument, but especially the
" Resurrection of the Body," otherwise God's promise to the patriarchs, Exod. 6 : 4, is
false, and God's covenant fails. The other passages for the resurrection of the right-
eous are : Job 19 : 23-27 ; Ps. 16: 10; 17 : 15 ; 49 : 14, 15 ; 50 : 4, 5 ; Hosea 13 : 14 ;
Isa. 26 : 19 ; Ezek. 37 : 12 ; Dan. 12 : 1-3 ; Matt. 27 : 52, 53 ; John 5:25; 6 : 39, 40, 44,
54 ; II : 1-44 ; Romans 8 : 1 1, 23 ; i Cor. 15 : 1-58 ; Phil. 3:11; i Thess. 4 ; 13-18 ;
Hcb 11:19, 35, 40 ; I Pet. 1:3-9; Rev. 1 1 : 18 ; 20 : 4.

The resurrection of the righteous is described variously as that : —

I. Of Christ's Body, Isa. 26 : 19.
II. Of the Blessed Sleepers, Rev. 14 : 14 ; i Thess. 4 : 14 ; John 11 : 11 ; Dan. 12 .2.

III. Of the Singing Dwellers in the Dust, Isa. 26 : 19.

IV. Of the Just, Luke 14 : 14 ; Acts 24 : 15.
V. Of Life, John 5 : 29.

VI. Of the Righteous, Ps. 49 : 14.

VII. A better Resurrection, Heb. 11 : 35.
VIII. Out from among the dead, Phil. 3:11.

IX. Out from among the sleepers, Dan. 12:2.
X. Of the Many, not of all the Dead, Matt. 27 : 52, 53 ; Dan. 12:2.
XI. Of They that are Christ's, i Cor. 1 5 : 23.
XII. C" .he Beheaded for Christ, Rev. 20 : 4.

XIII. Of the Slain for Christ, Isa. 26 : 24.

XIV. Of the Baptized for the Dead, i Cor. 15 :29.
XV. Of the Two Witnesses, Rev. 11 : 11.

XVI. The First Resurrection, Rev. 20 : 5.

Resurrection of the Wicked. — In all ages. Jewish and Christian, some have
denied the doctrine of the resurrection of the wicked, ( i ) on the ground of a false senti-
mentahsm more gracious and less just than God ; and (2) on the ground that such h
the connection between the resurrection and the redeeming work of Christ, that the
wicked are e-xduded from it, it being the peculiar privilege of the righteous. These
grounds are insuflficient and vain, sinking out of sight, as they do, the judicial relation of
Christ, as the Son of Man, to all mankind, and the necessity of the resurrection of the
wicked in order to their final judgment, John 5 : 27 ; Acts 17:31. On the contrary, the
resurrection of the wicked is taught l>/ implication, everywhere in the Old Testament,
in connection with the doctrine of final retribution. E.\pressly is this thc^ case in the
one Passage of the Old Testament which makes it plain, by deduction from the use of
the terni, "visited," at the close of the "many days" of Israel's glo-v in the millennial
kingdom, viz., Isa. 24 : 21 : 22 ; a passage which is the Old Testament basis for John's
picture in Rev. 20:5, 11-15. The passage in Dan. 12:2 so often wrongly used to
prove the resurrection of the wicked, and dffes not teach it, but only the " First Resur-
rection" as in Isa. 26 : 19 ; Rev. 20 : 4 ; John 5 : 25. King James' wrong translation of
ihis passage has led to this error. The true rendering is : " Many shall awake out from
among the sleepers in the earth-dust ; These (who awake) shall be unto life everlasting,
but those (the slain who do not awake) shall be unto shame and contempt everlasting."

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Gold from Ophik.

(See The Presbyterian Review, Jan:^ 1884.) The contrast is between the resurrection of
the righteous and the destruction of the living wicked, " at that time,^' viz., Antichrist's
destruction, Dan. 11 : 45 ; 12:1; Isa. 66 : 24, and not between the resurrection of (he
righteous and the resurrection of the wicked. So Isaiah shows us, Isa. 26 : 14, 19; so
John shows us, Rev. 20 : 4, 5. It is that of the resurrection of the righteous, and the
non-resurrection of the wicked.

Nevertheless, the Old Testament does teach the resurrection of the wicked as above
stated. The New Testament also does so in the clearest ma.nner. Although neither
in Matthew, Mark, Luke, nor in Peter, James or Jude, is it once mentioned, yet it is
expressly taught by our Lord, and called a resurrection " unto damnation," John 5 : 29 ;
by Paul, and called a "resurrection of the unjust," Acts 27 : 15 ; and by John, and
called a resurrection "of the rest of the dead," Rev. 20 : 5 ; "of those not written in
the Book of Life," v. 12 ; a resurrection unto "the second death," v. 14. And theae
are all the passages in both Testaments that mention it ; and in two passages alone m
all the Bible, do we find both resurrections named together, John 5 : 28, 29 ; Acts
27 : 15. It is the historic faith of both the Jewish and the Christian Church that the
wicked shall rise. And this resurrection shall be, not by virtue of their union to
Christ, as in the case of believers, but by an independent, omnipotent act of Cod,
who raises the dead, and because of their relation to Christ as the Son of Man, and
the Judge of all mankind, 2 Cor. 5 : 10 ; John 5 : 27.

The Time of the Resurrections. — I. Of the Spiritual Resurrection of the
dead. It is " now," "to-day," and continuous by the power of the Spirit, and the word
of the gospel which. is the spiritual "voice" of Christ, John 5:21, 24-25 ; Matt. 23:
37 ; John 3:8; 4:14; 7: 37; Rom. 8:2; Eph. 2:1; Heb. 4 : 7. The spiritually dead
hear the voice of Christ and live.

II. Of the Moral Resurrection, or revival, of those already raised, but endued
afresh with power from on high, Joel 2 : 28, 29 ; Isa. 44 : 3 ; Acts I : 4-8 ; 2:1, 2, 17,
18 ; Hosea 14 14-9 ; Zech. 12 ; 10 ; Micah 2:7; Isa. 41 : 17, 18. This is essentially
the same as the above. It is Now, To-day, continuous, in answer to faith and prayer,
Isa. 41:17; Ezek. 36:37; Hab. 3:2; Acts 1:4. All the spiritual promise^ of
salvation are common to both Jewish and Christian believers. The rest are peculiar
to Israel, as such, and the Nations.

III. Of the National and Polii! J Resurrection of Israel. It is at the Second
Coming of Christ, and at Israel's conversion, as a people, to Christ, after their return
in measure to the Holy Land, yet future, Acts 3 : 19-21 ; Rom. 11 : 25-33; Matt.
23 : 39, and parallels ; Luke 21 :28. It follows the destruction of Antichrist, Deut.
32 : 39-43, with Rev. 15:3, 4; Isa. 11 14; with 2 Thess. 2:8; Isa. 59:19, 20 with
Rom. 11:26; Dan. 7:21-27, with Rev. 19:11-22. And it synchronizes with the
deliverance of Israel's faithful living, and the resurrection of Israel's faithful dead,
Deut. 32 : 39 ; Hos. 13:14; Isa. 26 : 19 ; Ezek. -^j : 12-14 5 Dan. \2 : 1-3 ; Rev. 20:4;
II : 18.

IV. Of the Diabolical Resurrection of the Antichrist. — It is at the opening
of the 70th week of Daniel, and marked by the enactment of a strong covenant
with the Jews, Dan. 9 : 27 ; Rev. 13:2,3. It is at the time of the invasion of
Palestine m the last days; time of the overflowing, Isa. 59:19; Dan. 9:26; time
of the Mock-Christ's effort after universal conquest, Rev. 6:2. It immediately
precedes the " Day of the Lord," 2 Thess. 2:1-8; and is contemporaneous with the
Resurrection of Israel's Dry Bones, Ezek. 37:1-12; Rev. 11:1-14; 12:1-11. Like
the Resurrection of Christ, it will be denied, disbelieved, mocked at as a fable, l)e
mysterious, and unknown for a time, but still it will be a fact, soon made evident, to
the world's sorrow. Rev. 13:3. It is not far off from the resurrection of the righteous.

V. Of the Bodily Resurrection of the RighteoUs. — And here we have several
marks of the time.

{a) In general, it is " at the Last Day^^ John 6 : 39, 40, 44, 54 ; Luke 14:14; John
II : 24. The day that closes our present dispensation, day of recompense for the just,

mmmmmmm

Resurrection.

131

and of vengeance for th>i wicked; the " Day of the Lord;' the Day of Judgment,
I John 4 : 17 ; the "Great Day of the Wrath of God," Rev. 6 : 17 ; the "time to reward
the dead," Rev. 1 1 : 18 ; the " Great Day of God Almighty," Rev. 16 ; 14 ; a Day that
is an Epoch of Time, closing the "Times of the Gentiles," the bisecting epoch between
our own and the millennial age, Luke 2 1 : 24-28.

{ff) It is in "the Hour that is coming and HOVf ts," the dead shall rise, John 5 : 25.
The "NOW is" refers to the resurrection of Lazarus, John 11 :43, 44, and to that of
the "many bodies of the saints" that arose when the voice of Christ was heard from
the cross, Matt. 27:50-53. The hour that "is COMING" refers to the end of our
present age, or " Last Day," when all " they that are Christ's," i Cor. 15 : 23, " them
that sleep in Jesus," i Thess. 4 : 14, shall rise from the dead. The swift glance of our
Lord sees both these "hours" and He speaks of them in one and the same breath.
The resurrection. of behevers at His first and second Advents He unites in the same
sentence, though occurring ages apart. The passage John 5 : 25, mf ns nothing else
than the bodily resurrection of those whose j//>77«a/ resurrection is in verse 24. It means
nothing else in its distant scope than the " First Resurrection," in which the martyrs,
who are only a part of " them that are Christ's," stand prominent. Rev. 20 : 4. The
doctrine of the Fourth Gospel is identical with that of the Apocalypse written by the
same author. The wicked, in vs. 28, 29, do not rise at that time, Dan. 12 : i ; Isa.
26 : 14.

{c) It is, more definitely yet, at the Second Advent, or Parous^fi, of the Lord, when
'■'■the Lord Himself shall de send from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the
Archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise Jirst," — i.e.
before the living are "changed," I Thess. 4:16. '■'■They that are Chris fs, at His
comingi^ i Cor. 15:23. There is no resurrection of the dead before the return of ^
Christ from heaven. This one fact annihilates all false theories of the resurrection,
now so much in vogue ; as the one fact that, when He does come, and '■'■ descends from
heaven" — " Himself,'' — in His proper personality, annihilates all false theories of His •
Parousia. It is at His '■^^ appearing" the righteous dead rise and are glorified, i John
3:2 ; Heb. 9 : 28 ; Titus 2:13; 2 Pet. 3:12; 2 Thess. 2 : 8 ; 2 Tim. 4 : i, 8 ; i Peter
1:7; Col. 3:4. It is at His ^'^ appearing*' the righteous living are "changed," Phil.
3 : 20, 21. The " resurrection " of the righteous dead, and " chajige" of the righteous
" who are alive and remain," are both put at the same epoch of time, because put at
the "coming," i Cor. 15 : 51, 23 ; which is at the "appearing," Phil. 3:20, 21, the
"appearing" and " cor Ing" being the same event, i Thess. 4:16, 17 ; 2 Thess. 2 :8.
When the Lord "cones" He "appears." His coming is personal, visible, and
glorious. The resurrection of believers takes place when the Lord comes to gather
His saints, Ps. 50:3, 5; 2 Thess. 2:1; to gather His elect. Matt. 24:31 ; to gather
His wheat, Mat. 13:30; Rev. 14:15; to ^a/?^^ the living wicked, the tares, Matt. 13:
30 ; the vine of the earth, Rev. 14 : 19 ; to gather Israel, Ps. 142 : 2 ; Isa. 11:12; Ezek.
34:12-16, compared with Matt. 24:31, and Isaiah 27:13; 49:22; Micah4:6-8; Ezek.
37:21; Zeph. 3:9; Isa. 66* 19-21 ; Rev. 16:18; to ^«/l^^r the Nations, Joel 3 : 1 1-14;
Isa. 34:1 ; Zeph. 3:8; Zech. 14:2, 3; Matt. 24:32, 40; Rev. 11 :i8; 16: 16; 15:4; to
judge the world, Acts 17:31; to overthrow the world-power or Gentile-Colossus, Dan.
2:31-35,36-45; to destroy the Antichrist, Dan. 7:9-14,20-27; Rev. 19:11-22; Isa.
11:4; 2 Thess. 2:8; to bind Satan, Rev. 20: I ; and to set up His glorious kingdom on
earth, Daniel 7: 18, 27; Zech. 14:9; Ps. 72:7; Rev. 20:4. It is in inimediate and
direct connection with these great events that the resurrection of the righteous takes
place, the change of the living occurs, and the "rapture" of both "to meet the Lord
in the air," i Thess. 4:17.

{d) It is yet more definitely, a Pre-millennial Resurrection. A millennium on
earth before the resurrection of the righteous is an ecclesiastical fiction, and not only
without one passage of support from God's Word, but opposed by the whole concert
of Prophets, Apostles and Christ Himself, in both Testaments This is the one un-
failing test of all false millennialism, whether Jewish or Christian, whether carnal

Pit

132

Gold from Ophir.

or spiritual, whether coarse or fine, whether a millennium of culture or Christianity.
Everywhere in God's Word the Millennial Age follows the great events just
described ; follows the resurrection of the righteous, and, therefore, follows the Second
Coming of Christ. The resurrection of the righteous is /V^-millennial. A Pre-
advent Millennium is a perversion and negation of the prophetic word in both
Testaments. "The thousand years," in John, Rev. 20:1-7, are identical with the
'•many days" in Isa. 24: 22, at whose ^«^/ those punished and cast into the abyss at
their beginning are let loose for fihal judgment ; /". e., the resurrection of the wicked
occurs at the end oi the " many days." These days are identical also with i le " many
days " in Ezckiel 38 : 8, at whose end Gog is destroyed. They are identical with
Hosea's "third day," which follows his "two days" of Israel's Old and New Testa-
ment dispersion and national death. They are identical with the Messianic days of
glory on earth, called " His Days," in Psalm 72 : 7. Everywhere in the Old Testament
the resurrection of the xxghiGons precedes these "days," and stands connected with the
great events just described, which occur at the end of our present age, and at the
beginning of the " many days." It stands connected also with the Self-revelation oj
fehovah, or His coming, or His appearing, in the day of the Lord, which in the New
Testament is called " The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ" and is the name given to the
closing book of the New Testament canon. It precedes the final glory of Israel,
gathered, restored, converted to Christ, and dwelling in their fatherland ; i.e., it
precedes the millennial age in both Testaments, Deut. 32:39; Ps. 49: 14; Hosea
13:14; 14:4-8; Isa. 25:8; 26: I, 19; Ezek. 37: 1-28, 40-48 ; Dai> 12:1-3; 7:27;
I Cor. 15:23; Rev. 19: 11-21 ; 20:1-7; 11:15,17,18; 12:7-10, with Dan. 12:1-3.
There is no millennium till aft< r the resurrection of the righteous at the Second
Coming and appearing of Christ. The resurrection of the righteous is at the opening,
not at the close, of " the thousand years," — years that begin only after the Second
Advent.

VI. Of the Bodily Resurrection (f the Wicked. — The time of this resurrection is
put in both Testaments at the end of the period of converted Israel's blessedness and
glory in their own land ; i.e., at the end of the millennial age introduced by the second
coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven, Dan. 7:9-14; Rev. 1:7; 19:11.

{a) In the Old T^estament, we find it so in Isa. 24 : 22, where, "«^^rthe many days'
that follow the judgment on Satan and his angels, and Anti-christ and his hosts, those
who then were cast into the abyss, are released for final judgment ;• i.e., they are
^^ visited" in a judicial sense, like confined criminals lei out for final sentence. It is
here all scholars find the Old Testament passage for the resurrection of the wicked in
connection with the doctrine of final retribution. That resurrection occurs ''*' after many
days." These days, identical with "the thousand years " in John, it follows that the
resurrection of the wicked is /'^jZ-millennial, in the Old Testament. It stands
connected, also, with the final judgment, which likewise occurs ''^ after many days,"
following the period of restored and converted Israel's blessedness and peace in their
fatherland. '■*■ After many days thou shalt be visited," Ezek. 38:8. The ^^ visited"
here, as in Isaiah, means looked after for final retribution. What is taught is this,
viz., that (i) the *^^ visiting," at the end of the "Many Days," of those who in Isaiali
23:22 were imprisoned in the abyss at -the beginning of those days, viz., Satan, his
demons, and the wicked dead ; and (2) the '"'^ visiting" of Gog, or the living nations,
deceived by Satan, let loose at the end of those days, occurs at the same post-millennial
time. That is, the final resurrection and judgment of the wicked, living and dead, is
not simultaneous -vxih the judgment on Antichrist, the deliverance of Israel, and the
resurrection of the righteous at the Second Coming of Christ, but stands distantly
from it by the whole extent of the Millennial Age, or "Many Days" in Isa. 24:22;
Ezek. 38 : 8 ; or " Third Day," in Hosea 6:2.

{b) In the New Testament, we find it so. With this all are familiar. John is the
organizer and interpreter of Old Testament prophecy, concerning Israel and the
Nations. The interval of the one thousand years, implied in i Cor. 1 5 : 23-28, is fully

Resurrection.

133

9:11.

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opened out by the great New Testament seer, who, at the same time, builds on Old
Testament ground. A word here is sufficient, the case is so clear. The resurrection
of the righteous, called the " First Resurrection," and in which the blood-witnesses of
Jesus stand in the foreground, is identical in time with that in Hosea 6:2; Isa. 26 :
19 ; Dan. 12:2; John 5 : 25 ; i Cor. 15 : 23. It immediately follows the Second Com-
ing of Christ, from " Heaven opened," Rev. 19 : 1 1, for the destruction of Antichrist,
Israel's last oppressor. "The one thousand years," or millennial age, immediately
folloiu that advent, and that resurrection, Rev. 20 : 1-7. The chronological sequence of
chapter so : i-j, upon chapter ig : 1/-21, is strict and tinsunderable. The resurrection
of the "rest of the dead,'' unraiscd at the beginning of the thousand years, follows the
letting loose of S.itan, and the re-deception of the nations, at the end of the thousand
years, and is, moreover, associated with the judgment, by fire, on Gog, Rev. 20 : 7-15.
It is the final resurrection and judgment, in which the wicked, Satan, dei\th, and hades,
receive their final award. In other words, the thousand years in Rev. 20 : 3-6, lie in
between the First Resurrection and the Last Resurrection ; betiveen Satan imprisoned
and Satan let loose ; betiveen the Judgfnent on Antichrist and the Judgment on Gog,
or, as Paul has it, between the assumption of the kingdom by Christ, at His Second
Coming, and the surrender of the kingdom by Christ to the Father, at the end of the
thousand years, i Cor. 15:23-28. He who denies this denies the perspicuity of the
Scriptures, the harmony of both Testaments, and the unity of all prophecy. The doc-
trine of a ut.ii'crsal and simultaneous resurrection of the righteous and wicked dead is
unknown to the word of God, as it was unknown to the primitive Church standing
nearest the Apostles.

(f) This viev/ is in perfect harmony with the celebrated passage in John 5 : 21-29,
so often quoted against it. What we have here is (i) a general unlimited expresion
cohering all kinds of resurrection, verse 21 ; (2) a more special expression, limited to a
spiritual resurrection, verse 24 ; (3) a special expression limited to the resurrection of
the bodies oi the righteous dead, the bodies of believers, verse 25 ; and l;i t of all, a
general unlimited expression covering the resurrection of the bodies of both rig. ous and
wicked^ "all thAt are in their graves," verses 28, 29. Such the progress in uiscourse.
The error of interpretation consists in this, viz., (i) in assuming that the " hour that is
coming" in verse 25, is identical with the "hour that is coming" in verse 28, not con-
sidering that our Lord, glancing at the whole future in verse 28 as His thought advances
in climax to comprehend the whole, combines both resurrections in one without regard
to the distinction of time; the "hour" having thus a double reference in verse 28,
whereas it hac' but a si7igle reference, as to the future, in verse 25 ; (2) in assuming that
because events ;«^«//««<?rtf in juxtaposition, or grouped together in general discourse,
therefore they must be simultaneous in occurrence j (3) by compounding the universcil
subject of discourse, "a// that are in their graves," in verse 28, with the particular
subject, "Many out from among the sleepers," in Dan 12:2; and (4) by wrongly
carrying over the verb, "awake," from the first to the second clause of the verse in
Dan. 12:2, where the subject is particular^ because we are entitled to carry over the
verb, "come forth," into the second clause of verse in John 5 : 29, where the subject is
universal, verse 28. In this way the "Many out from among the sleepers," in Dan. 12:2,
are made equal to the "^//thatare in their graves," in John 5 128 ; and thus, by confusion
worse confounded, the doctrine of a universal and simultaneous resurrection of the
righteous and the wicked, at the second coming of Christ, has been given to the Church
as the word of God. On the contrary, the representation in the fourth Gospel is in
perfect harmony with the representation in the Apocalyjjse. And this is a fatal blow
to the " Higher Critics." The " hour that is coming" in John 5 : 25, is the hour for
the resurrection of the righteous, called by Daniel " at that tinted' Dan. 12 : i, viz., the
time of Antichrist's overthrow, and end of Israel's tribulation ; " that day,^' 2 Tim. 4 :
8; I : 12 ; i Pet. 5:4; 2 Tim. i : 12. In the most express manner, the Old Testament
prophets assure us that the wicked shall not rise " at that timej^ but only the " upright,"
Ps. 49 : 14-15, only "Christ's dead body" of believers, Isa. 26 : 19 ; only they who are

'•'! i

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Gold from Ophir.

.'!

"written in the Book," *Dan. 12 : i. As for the wicked, "dead t/iey shall no/ live;
deceased, //ley shall noi rise ; for Thou hast vi'si/ed and destroyed them, and made all
memory of them to perish" Isa. 26 : 14. They sleep, as it were, "a perpetual sleep, and
they wake not," ler. 51 : 39-57. They are forgotten in the millennial age. The New
Testament could teach us no otherwise, nor will he, who understands the law of pro-
phetic representation, its groupings and its separations, and the progress, unity, and
harmony of God's word, find any contradiction in cither Old or New Testament pre-
diction. The juxtaposition in John 5 : 28-29, no more implies simultaneousness of
occurrence than it does in Acts 27 : 15 ; Isa. 61 : 2 ; Luke 4 : 19-20 ; or in Dan. 9 : 26.
Co-existence of different events in mental conception, or in general prophetic discourse,
does not necessarily imply co-existence in time, and what is indefinite in the earlier
must be interpreted by what is definite in the later revelation. This is admitted on all
hands.

The Manner of the Resurrection. — The Scriptures are silent as to the
manner of the resurrection of the wicked. That is veiled? As to that of those who
sleep in Jesus, it is solemn, imposing, and magnificent beyond our poor capacity to
understand.

I. It is Martial, as becomes a victory over death and the grave. It is with a
"shout" from the descending Lord Himself, throned on the clouds, gleaming in
glory, and flanked and followed by His covering army of holy angels. It is with the
" voice " of the Archangel, repeating the order for assault on the empire of death, to
the innumerable host that attend His coming. It is with "the trump of God" whose
clangor is louder and longer than that at Sinai. " The trumpet shall sound ! \ Thess.
4:17; I Cor. 15 : 52. It is with an "opening of graves," overturning the tombstones,
and bursting the grassy hillocks, that mark and measure the length and breadth of
the dust of God's saints. Matt. 27:52; Ezek. 37 : 12. It is with a " rapture " in clouds
" to meet the Lord in the air," i Thess. 4:17. It is in company with living saints
who, strangers to death, are yet " changed " into the likeness of those who are raised
from the dead.

II. It is Orderly, as in an army. "Every man in his own tagma, or band,
I Cor. 15 : 23. By battalion, and division, they ascend, and deploy in the sky in
bright procession ; the martyrs first, the faithful blood witnesses of Jesus ; martyrs 0/
the Law, martyrs of the Gospel, the slaughtered babes of Bethlehem, the martyrs of
Pagan and Papal persecutions, fronted and led by their world-famed heroes ; patri-
archs, prophets, kings, apostles, confessors, reformers, and saints of all ages, who
fell in temperate, torrid and frozen climes, who witnessed for Christ a good confession,
in palaces, hovels, and huts, on thrones and in dens and caves of the earth ; all
uniformed in resurrection attire, and soaring sublime to meet their Lord.

III. It is Quick. As the body of man rose erect at first from the dust of the ground,
by God's creative command, so shall the dust of the sleeping saints start into life,
bodies full formed and complete, in response to the "Spirit" the "Voice" and the
"Trump." Quick as a glance it will be. Quicker than Christianity works. Not by
process of natural law, not by blind evolution, not by higher forces in nature, but
mstantaneous it will be, by God's command. " In a moment," "in the twinkling of an
eye," they shall break their fetters and rise immortal, lo die no more, i Cor. 15 : 52.

IV. It is Glorious. They " shine as the sun," Matt. 13 : 43 ; "as the firmament's
gleam," and "as stars forever and ever,'' Dan. 12 13. Their glory, Paul tells us is
that of the " Sun," the " Moon," and the " Stars," dififering in glory, yet all corruscant
with heavenly splendor. Like numberless millions of gems, sparkling in light, shall
the " saints in light " appear in the sky, some like the twinkling gauze of Andromedas
veil, some like the three that glitter supreme in the belt of Orion. " So also is the
Resurrection,'^ i Cor. 15 : 41, 42. '^^ As the stars, so shall thy seed be," Gen. 15:5. The
incandescent glow of theif immortal bodies "fashioned like unto Christ's glorious
body," Phil. 3 : 21, will array them in "raiment so white as no fuller on earth can
white it," Mark 9 : 3. As they "have borne the image of the earthly, so do they bear

Resurrfxtion.

«35

the image of the heavenly," i Cor. 15 149. In glory celestial their "corruptible" has
dazzled to " incorruption," their "mortal has put on immortality," i Cor. 15:56.
Freed from the limits and needs of a carnal life, their " flesh and blood " are exchanged
for bodies "equal to angels in heaven," Mark 12 : 25 ; vestments of matter pervaded
by spirit, agile and swift, the "natural spiritual" now, "dishonor" exchanged for
"glory,'' and " weakness " for " power," i Cor. 15 : 43, 46.

V. It is Triumphant. The graves are vacated, the earth has restored her richest
treasure, the monster is "swallowed up in victf>ry." "Death, where is thy sting?
Grave, where is ihy victory?" i Cor. 15 : 55 ; Hos. 13: 14. It is the proud challenge
of Christ and His saints together to death's empire and its opened graves. The
triumph of the righteous is complete and eternal, God beholding, angels attending,
devils trembling, heaven resounding. It is impossible to conceive of anything more
perfect. With Christ, near Christ, like Christ, and in Christ, their blessedness is
infinite. And all in obedience to His own command. Awake! sing 1 ye dwellers in the
dust ! Be bright as the glittering dew ! Mount as on eagle's wmgs ! Come ye
blessed ! Inherit the kingdom ! Wear the crown ! Sit on my throne ! Share my
supper ! Swell the song 1 Isa. 26: 19; 40:31 ; Matt. 25:34; Rev. 3:21 ; 2:6; 19:9;

5:13.

What is it that rises? — This respects the «fl^«r^ of the resurrection body
what substance and qualities it is. And —

I. It is the satne body that was laid in the grave ; that which once lived, died, and
now lives again ; that which belongs to the proper outer personality of the individual.
So our Lord spake when appearing as the Risen One to John, " I am He that liveth
and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more," Rev. i : 18. So to the Eleven^
"Behold, it is I myself; handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye
see me have," Luke 24 : 39. So, in the case of Lazarus, " He that was dead came forth,
bound hand and foot with grave clothes," John 11 :44. The Scripture doctrine is
explicit. What ^^ comes forth," in the resurrection, is what is laid down "/« the graves,'^
John 5:28,29; '■'■ this body" that is destroyed, Job 19:26; '■'■ My flesh" that rests in
hope, Ps. 16:19; Acts 2:26; ^'•This mortal" that puts on immortality, and '■'■This
corruptible" that puts on incorruption; "//" that was sown; "//" that is raised;
" That which " is natural, i Cor. 1 5 : 35-54 ; " Yournatural bodies" Rom. 8:11; " Our
vile body" Phil. 3 :2i. Just as the '■'' many bodies" of the Old Testament saints that
slept "arose" when they heard the "Voice" from the Cross, "and came out of the
graves, after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared to many,"
Matt. 27 : 50-53. That "raised" is what is "planted," even as the "corn of wheat,"
John 12 : 24, and the "bare grain," i Cor. 15:37, that is "not quickened except it die."
Otherwise, there is no force m the term ^^ Ana-stasis " nor in the words "sleep " and
"wake."

II, It is a Different Body from what was laid in the grave. It is not "flesh and
blood," which "cannot inherit the Kingdom," i Cor. 15 : 50, though it may be " flesh
and bones " as the Saviour had, Luke 24 : 39, yet glorified. What is laid in the grave
is not "that body that shall be," i Cor. 15 : 37> even as the grain of wheat, sown in the
soil, is not the grain that is found in the harvest-ear. And yet it is the same wheat —
the same yet diff"erent, the same in substanc»and form, although, if great change has
passed upon it by any means — it is vastly different in quality. "So also is the resur-
rection ; even like old and battered coin cast in a new mould, bearing a new impress,
or stamp. There is a true material structure to the resurrection body, and an Identity
which compels the recognition of the personality though differenced from its former
self. We shall know each other in the future age, i Thess. 2 : 19-20; Matt. 17 : 3.
That identity does not consist in a mechanical reproduction of the same material
particles laid in the grave, but in the continuous unity, proper form and personality,
and visible tangible corporeity, of the individual existence which death cannot destroy
and the resurrection can only glorify. This view of identity is already proved from
the total displacement of the material particles of the human body in regular

it i«t

136

G LD FROM OPHIR.

septennial periods, even during life. And yet "//" is "//" forever; the same in sub-
stance ancl in form, though different in attribute or quality, because regenerated,
changed, recreated, transfigured ; no longer "natural" but "spiritual," i.e., adapted tc
spiritual uses ; matter spiritualized, i Cor. 15:45. A body, ''^ metaschematized,' Phil.
3:21; ^'' metamorphosized" 2 Cor. 3:18, "immortal," " incorruptible," and, though
material, yet raised in "power" and "glory," "angel-like," and "Christ-like,"' eter-
nally. " It bears the image of the heavenly,' l Cor. 15 : 49. There-incorporation ol
the disembodied soul in its old temple raised again, is a necessity from the words
" Ye must be born again" John 3 : 3, and from the words " Your bodies are the temples
of the Hol^ Ghost" i Cor. 6 : 19. From death to life is the law for the body as well as
the soul, smce the whole personality lies under the penalty and curse. A regenerate
soul in an unregenerate body the believer is now, and " groans being burdened,"
2 Cor. ^ : 4, crying out " O, wretched man I " Rom. 7 : 24, and longing for the coming
of Christ and "the redemption of the body," Rom. 8 : 23, in order to his perfect free-
dom from carnality and sin, and his perfect likeness tc his Lord. He who hath not
learned to sigh for the day of his re=urrection is yet a babe in the school of Christ.

False Theories. — Men, not content with the word of (".od as to the fact, have
devised various theories in order to account for, and explain, both the fact and the
how of the resurrection body. And —

I. The doctrine according to which the soul evolves, for itself, its own new body
— even as it evolves its old one in embryo, and at birth — either (a) now in this
present life, {b) or at death, {c) or in the intermediate state, {d) or at the time of the
resurrection. Between the soul and the outer gross body a new tenuous vestment is
formed by the soul, a subtle nerve-envelope, in anticipation of its future need. Or, if
not this, then, after death, and by " molecular attraction," " nature's inorganic forces,"
and the "higher chemistry," the soul being " formative and self-organizing," it ' ves
for itself a "glorified allotropism" as the vesture of its immortality. For this °d
scientific, bioplastic, pantheistic, naturalistic speculation, there is not one jf
proof in all the Scriptures. It is the pagan doctrine of the self-extensibility of spirit,
or that the spirit-force is the source of corporeity, externalizing itself in material form.
It attributes to nature that " life " and "formative power " which belong alone to God.
Each soul forms its own body ! The resurrection is a process according to natural
law, nature being the weaver of ethereal body. This egg-skin theory of the resurrec-
tion is contradicted by the whole word of God which represents the resurrection, not
as a " process of nature " but as an "instant act of God," '^in a moment," "intlie
twinkling of an eye," and at a definite time, "the last trump;" and the resurrection
body itself as the special '^ gi/t " of God to each saint, i Cor. 1 5 : 38. As well seek to
explain by natural law the miracle of the Water changed into Wine, or dead Lazarus
raised to life again, or the Incarnation of our Lord, or His own resurrection I The
whole theory is materialistic and against the supernatural. It stands opposed to
miracles. The gift of life does not belong to /aw, but to a ^' Power" above all law,
acting instantly, and apart from second causes. It is God's omnipotent voUtion, and
God's omnipotent communication.

II. The doctrine that the resurrection body is already in us now, by reason of the
Sacrament of the Altar, believers being* gradually transubstantiated into, or consub-
stantiated with, the Lord's risen body now, by eating which, in the sacrament, they
are nourished to eternal life. This mystic, sacramentarian, semi-pantheistic, Corpus-
Christi theory of the resurrection rests upon the dogma of the " Real Presence " of
Christ in the Holy Supper, and actual appropriation of His real flesh and blood in
that ordinance. The resurrection body is generated within us, now, by ethical pro-
cesses, and is evolved " sacramenta/iter." It is enough to reply to this, that, even
granting the premises, the conclusion is illicit. There is nothing in the argument to
show that the effect of eating Christ's risen body, or ti\s literal flesh and blood, would
be the creation, in the believer, of an inner tenuous nerve-envelope, to serve us in the
middle-state, and complete itself at the last day.

Resurrection

137

III. The Germ Theory of the resurrection, viz.: that there is a special germ
residing in the present body, preserved there as a living seed which vegetates in the
grave, and grows, at last, to the future resurrection body, as the seed-corn grows to
Its ear, or the wheat-grain to its ear This theory rests upon the straining of analogy
beyond its properlimits, and a misconception of the illustrations by our Lord and Paul,
John 12 : 24 ; I Cor. 15 : 36. The whole point of our Lord's illustration is this, that tis
"the corn or wheat' abides "alone" and unproductive, "except it fall into the
ground and die;" so, apart from His own death, a harvest of souls for (iod is
impossible. The great point of Paul's illustration is that, as the grain of wheat dies
and rises again, so the body dies arid rises again. In other words, death, although a
necessity, is of itself no bar to resurrection ; rather, it is in order to resurrection. The
"A<7«/" or mode of the vegetation .inc^ the resurrection in the Plant World has nothing
whatever to do with the argument m either case. It is the /acf that is adduced.
Neither Christ nor Paul teach that the resurrection of the body is the result of a
vegetative process according to natural law. All their teachings contradict this.
What Paul does is to meet the Corinthian scepticism, built on " How are the dead
raised, and wi/h what body do they come ? " by showing its self-convicted folly in this,
viz. : that the same objection lies against the same fact of death and resurrection in
nature, while, nevertheless, the fact is bel'eved though none can explain the " mystery."
The"^<?w" of the natural process is as inexpHcable as the ^^how" of the super-
natural act. h faith obtains in the one case, much more should it obtain in the other.
The '''' testimony" as to the ''''fact" is the same in both cases. " Otherwise, Christ is
not risen," and men are forever lost. Paul docs not identify the natural process with
the supernatural act of God. He does not t' h that the resurrection of Christ, or
of believers, was, or will be, the result of a k' minal development. He says nothing
of a " germ " in either case. For him, the -ahole body is the seed, in figure ', not a germ
in the body. Nowhere do the Scriptures speak of a resurrection body germinally
present in believers now, but always that the present body is, itself, the subject of the
resurrection. A germ is not the body, and vegetation is not resurrection. Still more ;
the germ is, by supposition, indestructible, superior to the claims of corruption and
death, even when buried in the earth. It never dies. But the Scriptures demand
the absolute death of the whole body as the pre-condition of its resurrection. Paul
does not hold to the germ theory even in the vegetable world. He attributes no
death-defying life to any seed that rises. He knows no immortal germ anywhere,
but speaks of the whole seed as due to death in order to quickening. " Aphron .' "
" Senseless man ! That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die, i Cor. 1 5 : 36.
In the plant world, as in the animal world, "life" is the gift of God, and "death " is
the law of nature. So far from holding the germ theory, he rejects it, and even the
seed theory, except to refute his adversaries, and adopting the architectural idea, in
opposition to the germ t leory, speaks of the resurrection body as a ^^ building of Cod,^*
2 Cor. 5. 1-4, "fashioned" by His power, Phil. 3:21.

IV. The theory that the human spirit developes at death, an " immaterial form of
light," or "luminifcrous ether" in wlvch it resides till the resurrection ; a vesture of
glory completing itself in its reunion with the resurrection body. This is held by many
excellent men, and rests upon the double view (i) that the human spirit possesses a
power of self-organization, and (2) that the soul preserves its individuality after death
in separate form, uncommingled and unabsorbed with other souls, and needs an organ
for its action, recognition and communication. One word here is enough. Whatever
probabilities exist for a "clothing" of the soul "given," or "put on" after death. Rev.
6: IT, 13, and .prior to the resurrection, there is no Scripture proof that the spirit
weaves it for itself, nor that, were such a vesture given of God, it has anything what-
ever to do with the resurrection body. From first to last, the Bible doctrine is that
this body of ours which we have from " the first man, Adam," and which is the subject
of natural death aV»d burial in the grave, is the self-same subject of supernatural re-
quickening and resurrection, and shall " come forth " in the likeness of the glorious

^™*^

i 11

I 1;

138

Gold from Ophir.

body of " the second Adam, the Lord from heaven," i Cor. 15 : 45-47. And this is the
faith of true believers.

W.-O Effects the Resurrection ?— The self-same adorable Triune God,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, who effected crcdiion, effects providence, and all salva-
tion, effects also the resurrection. Within their own interior relations and operations,
each of the Persons of the Trinity act separately. Outside those relations, in time and
space, all act concurrently. The Father creates, the Son creates, the Holy Spirit
creates. The Father rules, the Son rules, the Holy Spirit rules. The Father raises
the dead, the Son raises the dead, the Holy Spirit raises the dead. All three concur.
All three co-operate. One does nothing without the other, in regeneration, justifica-
tion, sanctification, resurrection, or glorification. A Triune hand is pledged for the
redemption of the believer, body and soul, from the dominion of sin, death, the grave
and hell. This is the doctrine of the sacred Scriptures. Nor is there a crime greater
in the universe than to doubt or disbelieve the love, and oath, and faithfulness, and
power, and word, and work, of these Blessed Three, self-bound in sworn compassion
to -edeem us from our sins, and raise us glorified, to share their kingdom, fellowship,
and joy forever.

Tlxe Hope of the Resurrection. — For all who have believed^n Christ to the
saving of their souls, the hope of the resurrection of the body, is : —

II.

III.

IV.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

XI.

XII.

A Comforting Hope, Job 19 : 25-27; i Thess. 4 : 13-18; Ps. 16: 10; 49:15.

A Satisfying Hope, Ps. 17:15.

A Sustaining Hope, 2 Cor. 4 : 17, i^; 5 : 1-3.

A Lively Hope, i Pet. i : yT.

A Purifying Hope, i John 3 : 2, 3.

A Glorious Hope, Rom. 8:18.

A Sure Hope, John 14 : 19; Rev. 1:18.

A Sealed Hope, Rom. 8 : 11 ; 2 Cor. 5:5.'

14; I Cor. 15 : 55-57.

A Triumphant Hope, Hos. 13

A Jubilant Hope, Isa. 26 : 19.

A Blessed and Holy Hope, Rev. 20 : 6.

The Believer's Hope, John 11 : 25-27.
The Resurrection and the Kingdom.— The doctrine of the resurrection of
the righteous stands everywhere, in the Bible, organically and inseparably connected
with the establishment of Messiah's kingdom of glory on earth. Apart from this it
has no notice. Its time is ever made synchronous with that of the re-erection of
David's fallen tent. If, spiritually^ this began at the First Advent, it was yet attended
by the literal resurrection of the bodies of many saints that slept. Set up, outwardly,
as a visible sovereignty on earth, at the Second Advent it will be attended by the
literal resurrection of all that are Christ's. It is because the kingdom is to be in
relation to this present earth, a visible, real, historic, external kingdom, with a loc: 1
centre and seat, that the corporeity of its subjects is required, for the King Himself u
incarnate and risen from the dead. A resurrection of the body for the purposes of a
Messianic administration in a super-terrestrial sphere has not the slightest foundation
in the 'Vord of God. A believing Jew would stare at the utterance of the thought,
and a believing Gentile should. God's will is to be done ^'' on earth'' as it is now
in heaven. The resurrecticn of the body is in order to the resurrection of the kingdom,
and the coming of Christ, in visible bodily form, is in order to both. As the kingdom
is a real, proper, literal material one, though spiritual, so is the resurrection of the
body. As the kingdom is the re-eiection of the outward kingdom once begun, but
destroyed, dead and buried, through Israel's guilt, a kingdom to be restored, but in
form more glorious, and "under the whole heaven," so the bodies of the righteous,
once existent, but dead now, boicause ot sin, are to be re-erected, but in power and
glory as never before.

It is for this reason the wicked (un «<7/and nvill not be raised ** in that dav," and
" at that time," when the righteous " awake out from among the sleepors in the dust,"

Resurrection.

139

They can only be raised at the close of Messiah's temporal kingdom of glory on
earth, when the final judgment occurs, in which Satan, death and hell, receive their
final award. Of what possible use could the resurrection of the wicked be for the
establishment of the kingdom of the righteous on earth ? To weed out the tares, to
destroy the ungodly, to overthrow Antichrist, to break the Gentile colossus, to redeem
Israel, to deliver the righteous, to raise the faithful dead, is plain enough. But what
purpose could the resurrection of the wicked serve, when, thus far, in history, amid all
Its advancing steps, no instance of the resurrection of the wicked is found, while many
instances of the resurrection of the righteous are known, and while yet a further time-
course remains to be run, and Satan is loosed again, at the close of the kingdom of
glory on earth ? God's wisdom is not so foolish as to mix, in history, the absolute end
with the relative end, the close of time with the beginning of the kingdom of glory on
earth. Precisely as the resurrection of the wicked is strJctly connected with the final
retribution of the wicked when Messiah surrenders the kingdom, so precisely is the
resurrection of the righteous connected with the final reward of the righteous, at the
coming of Ciirist, when Messiah assumes the kingdom, and the wicked are swept
from the earth. In no picture by the prophets, in none by Christ, in none by His
apostles, is the future othervise painted. Every time, and in every place, in both
Testaments, the resurrection of the righteous stands, in the text and context, always
in strictest connection with the regathering of dispersed Israel, and the setting up of
the Messianic kingdom, at the coming of Messiah Himself in glory. It is so in
Moses, Deut. 32:39-43. It is so in David, Ps. 49:11-20. It is so in Hosea, Hos.

13:9-14; 14:4-9-
Ezekiel, Ezek. yj
24:29-39; 25:31
I : i-T. It is so

It is so in Isaiah, Isa. 24:21-23; 25:6-9; 26:1-21. It is so in
: 1-28. It is so in Daniel, Dan. 12. 1-3. It is so in Christ, Matt.
•46; Luke 21:24-28. It is so in Peter, Acts 3:19-21 ; i Peter
in Paul, Rom. 8:19; 11:26; Heb. 10:37; 11:26-28. It is so in
John, Rev. 11:15-18; 15:2-4; 19:11-21: 7:1-8; 14:1-5. The kingdom cannot
come apart from the resurrection of the righteous at Messiah's advent in glory. The
church fiction of a kingdom of millennial glory on earth, such as the prophets and
apostles describe, before the resurrection of the body, is one of the best embalmed,
blindest, and wildest inventions of prejudice, purpose, and of false exegesis, and is
antagonized, at every point, by the entire Word of God. It is a masterpiece ot
distortion and negation of the "lively oracles." The millennial glory on earth cannot
come before the coming of Christ to raise His saints. It cannot come before Israel's
conversion and deliverance. The end of Christ's sojourn in heaven, and that of
Israel's present apostasy and national death, are fixed at the same point of time. Acts
3 : 19-21 ; Rom. 1 1 : 26. The period of that sojourn is measured by the interval of our
present dispensation, which is the interval between the 69th and 70th of Daniel's 70
weeks, the last of which is eschatological, and the 69th of which expired at the First
Advent, Dan. 9: 24-27 ; Luke 21 : 24 ; Rev. 11 : 1-13. The sojourn ended, the Risen
becomes the Returning Lordjn the clouds of heaven, descending to wake the righteous,
set up His kingdom, and reign on the earth. Everywhere, this is the uniform biblical
representation.

The doctrine of a universal and simultaneous resurrection of the righteous and
wicked was first taught B.C. 168, in the apocryphal 2 Book Henoch, chapter 51:1. It
was not the faith of the Maccabean martyr mother and her seven martyr sons, whom
Paul has so touchingly eulogized, 2 Mace. 7:29, 14 ; Heb. 11 : 35-38. Iv was not the
faith of the Pharisees in the time of our Lord, Luke 14; 14, 15. It was
faith of the prophets, Christ, or His apostles, nor of the early Christian church for three
hundred y-^ars, nearest the apostles. The .'Vllegorizers, Spiritualizers, Gnostic
Idealizers, and Roman Hierarchizers have been they who wrecked the true doctrine,
and gave us the false, transmitted t'lrough middle-age fogs, and still settled as
dank obstruction on Protestant eyes. It is to God's goodness we owe the fact of an
emancipation so wide and 1^0 great already, by means of patient study of the Word
itself, and among so many of the noblest and ablest scholars of our times. We come

I'M

: :

'<\ .

III

140

Gold kko.m Ophik.

back to the early faith of the church, >nd find that the resurrection of the righteous
is strictly associated with the establi nent of the kingdom of Christ on earth, at His
coming, and with the hope of a bi ^sed reunion and fellowship of the saints of all
times, among whom we expect to meet our loved ones gone before us ; yea, together
to rise to meet the Lord when He comes, and share in our bodies and souls, united
forever, and like to His own. His ineffable smile, eternal beauty and bottomless love.
Our whole interest in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body is bound up with,
and limited to, this one fact, even that we and ours may not only be " m " Him, and
'■'"with" Him, but "near" Him, and "/li'e" Him to all eternity. Blessed the inter-
mediate state where souls, " absent from the body," are " present with the Lord,"
2 Cor. 5:8. " Blessed the dead who die in the Lord," Rev. 14 : 14. But more blessed
are they who, victors over the grave, rise in the resurrection of the just, fashioned like
Christ Himself, and, perfect m body and soul— the only perfect human beings— enter
with Him to His kingdom, and live and love and reign with Him forever.

|i ''H

1 !

Resurrection.

THE GLORIES OF CHRIST" IN ZECH. 6:ii-i3.

I He is the crowned High Priest (ii.)
The crowns are made of silver and gold.
The one speaks of redemption— His death —
and the other of His Divine glory as— the
Son of God.

II. ''The Man whose name is The
Branch." This is Christ's special name in
relation to Israel and their future glory ; see
Isa. ii:i; Jer. 23:5, and 33:15: Zech. 3:8;
the Stone of Israel with seven eyes — the
only times He is thus named.

III. His service for them and also for
us. " He shall branch up under Him, and
build the temple of the Lord ; even He shall
build the temple of the Lord." What He
will yet do for Israel, and also His present
work for His Father and for us, the Church
of God, Eph. 2 : 19-22 ; i Cor. 3:9; Heb.
3:3; I Pet. 2:4,5.

IV. He is the Glory-Bearer. "And He

shall bear the glory. " It is only by Him,
and in Him, and from Him, that all God's
eternal blessings of His salvation come to us,
and soon will to Israel. How glorious He
is! "On His head are many crowns."

V. He will be the reigning and ruling

Qne. " He shall sit and rule on His
throne." We see Him now as our enthroned
Sin-Purger, Prophet, Priest, and Lord, and
soon He will be known and loved as Israel's
Redeemer and King. His Kingly reign and
glory, and all its Divine issues, will then be
fulfilled, known, and delighted^in by them.

VI. "The counsel of peace between
them both," which speaks of His infinite
delight He will have in all those He has so
divinely blessed, and also of their delight
and peace they will have in Him. Blessed
be God for the prospect 1

W. H.

PRACTICAL TRUTHS AS TO THE WALK OF THE CHRISTIAN
IN CONNECTION WITH "THE COMING OF CHRIST."

I. We are to hold fast till He come. The
whole truth of God, Rey. 2 : 20, 5>j.

II. We are to be steadfast in our service
for Christ, i Cor. 15 : 58.

III. We are to stand fast in the Lord, Phil.
3:20; 4:1.

IV. We are to rejoice in the Lord alway,
Phil. 4:4.

V. We are to increase and abound in love
one to another, that He may establish our
hearts unblameable in holiness before God,

Thess. 3 : 12, 13.

VI. We are to seek those things that a'-e
above, and set our affection on things above,
nut on things on the earth ; and to mortify
our bodies. Col. 3 : 1-5.

VII. We are to fight the good fight of
faith, and lay hold on eternal life, i Tim.
6: It, 13, 14

VIII. We are to preach the Word ; be in-

stant in season, out of season ; reprove, re-
buke, exhort, with all long-suffering and
doctrine, 2 Tim. 4 : 2, 8.

IX. We are to deny ungodliness and
worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world, Tit. 2; 12, 13.

X. We are to be patient and long patient,
and to establish our hearts, James 5:7,8.

XI. We are comforted in regard to our
sleeping loved ones, who are with Christ, and
as to our speedy reunion with them, i Thess.
4 : 13, 16.

XII. We are to abide in Christ; that we
may not be ashamed, and have confidence
before Him at His coming, i John 2 : 28

XIII We are to hold the Word of His
patience and the results to us. Rev. 3 : 10. 11

XIV. Those who are elders are to feed the
flock of God, and to be as examples to them,
I Peter 5:2. W, H.

142

Gold from Ophir.

THE SECOND COMING.

I. Jesus is comings again.

Our God shall come, Ps. i : 3.

The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven,

I Thess. 4 : 16.
This same Jesus, .shall so come, Acts i : 11.
The Son of Man shall come in the glory of

His Father, Matt. 16 : 27.
They shall see the Son of Man coming in

the clouds of heaven, Matt. 24 : 30.
Behold, He ccmeth with clouds , and every

eye shall see Him, Rev. 1 : 7.
The voice of my Beloved ! behold, He
, Cometh, Cant. 2 : 8.

II. And that soon and unexpectedly.

Yet a little while, and He that shall come
will come, and will not tarry, Heb. 10: 37.

Behold, I come quickly; and My reward is
with Me, Rev. 22 : 12.

Surely I come quickly, Rev. 22 : 20.

Ye know not what hour your Lord doth
come. Matt. 24 : 42.

Ye know not when the Master of the house
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the
cock-crowing, or in the morning, Mark
13:35

III. To receive His own children.

He shall gather together His own elect.
Matt. 24 : 31.

Ye shall be caught up. . . .to meet the Lord

in the air, i Thess. 4 : 17.
Thou shalt receive me to glory, Ps. 73 : 24.
I will come again, and receive you unto

Myself, John 14 : 3.

IV. That they may be with Him.
There where I am, there ye may be also,

John 14 : 3.
Where I am, there shall alfo My servant be,

John 12 : 26.
Father, I will that they also, whom Thou

hast given Me, be with Me where 1 am,

John 17 : 24.
Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise, Luke

23:43
With Christ, which is far better, Phil, i : 23.

V. In a place prepared for them.

Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the

kingdom prepared for you. Matt. 25 : 34.
Rye hath not seen.. the things which God

hath prepared for them that love Him,

I Cor. 2 ; 9.
Men have not heard . . O God, beside Thee,

what He hath prepared for him that

waiteth for Him, Isa. 64 : 4.
An inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled

reserved in heaven for you, i Pet. i : 4.
I go to prepare a place for you, John 14:2.
—Footsteps of Truth

THE JUDGMENTS.

I. The judgment of believers as sinjiers is
on the cross of Christ, Rom. 6:6-8; Heb.
10 : 17 ; I John 4:7; John 3 : 18 ; 2 Cor.
5 : 14-21 ; I Peter 2 : 24.

II. The judgment of saints (works) — at the
"judgment seat of Christ" after the saints
have been caught up, i Thess. 4 : 14, 17 ; 1
Cor. 4:1-5; 3 : 13-15 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 9, 10; Rom.
14: 10, 12.

III. The judgment of the 'quick" ("liv-
ing"; nations, Acts 10 : 42 ; 2 Tim. 4:1;!

Pet. 4:5; I Cor. 6:2; Matt. 25 : 3T-45 ;
Acts 17 : 31. " Inhabited earth."

(Day of Judgment, 1,000 years.)

IV. The judgment of the " dead '—" Great
White Throne" at the closeof the Millenium,
Matt. 10:15; 11:21, 22; 12:41, 42; Rev
20: 12, 15 : 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; Jude 6; Rom
2: 15, 16.

V. The judgment of angels, i Cor. 6:2:
Jude 6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Rev. 20:10; Matt.
25:41. Mrs. T. C. ROUNDS

Resurrection.

143

THE LAST DAYS.

By A. B. Mackay.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAST

DAYS,

According to

• I.^~ ^ ^11.

Some Theologians. The Word of God,
(2 Tim.3:i-5, R.V.)
KNOW THIS.
That in the last days,
GOOD GRIEVOUS

TIMES SHALL COME;
For men shall be

Unselfish,

No lovers of money.

Modest,

Humble,

Kindly,

Obedient to parents,

Grateful,

Holy,

Affectionate,

Easily appeased,

True,

Self-controlled,

Gentffe,

Lovers of good,

Loyal,

Docile,

Solid,

Lovers of God more
than lovers of plea-
sure.

pa-

Lovers of self.

Lovers of money.

Boastful,

Haughty, .

Railers,

Disobedient to
rent'J,

Unthankful,

Unholy,

Without natural af-
fection.

Implacable,

Slanderers,

Without self-control,

Fierce,

No lovers of good.

Traitors,

Headstrong,

Puffed up.

Lovers of pleasure,
rather than lovers
of God,

Holding the root of
godliness, and show-
ing the power there-
of.

TO THESE ALSO

HOLD FAST.

Holding a form of
godliness, but de-
nying the power
thereof.

FROM THESE ALSO

TURN AWAY.

Which testimony do you believe ?

This on the left ? or. This on the right ?
"The Scripture cannot be broken," John
10 : 35.

II.

Which list accords best with what you

see and hear?

This on the left ? or, This on the right ?
"Ye can discern the face of the sky ; but can
ye not discern the signs of the times ?"
Matt. 16 : 3

III.
Which advice will you take ?
This on the left ? or, This on the right ? '
"Come out from amorg them and be ye
separate," 2 Cor. f : 17.

IV.
What place will you take

Vv'hen jcsus judgLb the nations for these
things ?
That on the left ? or. That on the right ?

"These shall go away into everlasting pun-
ishment ; but the righteous into life
eternal," Matt. 25:46.

— Faithful Wilnesi.

PRACTICAL USES OF THE LORD'S COiVIING.

Some of God's dear people tell us that
they see no interest or practical use in the
doctrine of the Lord's coming; that it is in-
volved in mystery and we can know but
little about it ; that death is the Lord's com-
ing to the individual, and that the doctrine
paralyzes missionary effort.

I will present, therefore, a Bible study,
showing that it is connected with every
doctrine and duty of our holy religion, and
that it is used by Christ and the Apostles for
every practical purpose of Christian char-
acter and life. Christ speaks of baptism
thirteen times and of His second coming

144

Gold from Ophir.

forty times. If I were to present death as
a ground of appeal, I could find but two or
three passages in all the New Testament,
and not one direct exhortation for a believer
to watch for the uncertain event of death,
but upon this theme I have more than three
hundre'd passages from which to select. I
will present seven groups fot careful and
prayerful study.

I. We are exhorted by the Lord's coming,
to assurance, brotherly love, heavenly affec-
tions, and boldness in confessing Christ,
Phil. i:6; 2 Tim. 1:12; Rev. 3:3, 11;
Phil. 3 : 18, 20; Heb. 13 : 13, 14: Marks : 38;
Luke 22 : 8, g.

II. We are t^iught and exhorted to be
watchful, sober, patient under provocation,
and on guard against hasty and unjust judg-
ments, 1 Pet. 4; 7; Phil. 4 '.5; Phil. 1:10;
I Pet. 1:13: I Cor. 4:5;! Cor. 6 : 1-13 ;
Jas. 5 : 9.

III. To be pure and holy in heart, sepa-
rated and consecrated ; abiding closely in
Christ. I John 3:1-3; Col, 3:1-4:1 Thess.
3 : ■»<» 13 ; I John 2 : 28 ; i Thess. 5 : 23 ;
Tit. 2: 11-15; 2 Tim. 4:8, 10.

IV. To endure temptation, rejection, per-
secution, and all earthly losses, with forti-
tude and cheerfulness, i Pet. 4 : 12, 13;
John 14 : 1-3 ; Heb. 10 : 34-37 ; Luke 12 : 32-36;
Thess. 1 : 6-10 ; 2 Cor. 4:17; Rom 18 : 19.

V. To be comforted, in bereavements and
afflictions by the hope of resurrection, re-
union and glory, John 17 : 24 ; i gThess.
4:14-18; Rev. 20:6; Thess. 3:5; Matt
19 : 27, 28; Matt. 13 : 43 ; John 16 : 22.

VI. To be faithful and diligent in service
regardless of the fear or favor of men full
of missionary zeal ; to arouse the consciences
of impenitent men by appeals to " that day "
See about one-half of all the parables;
Matt. 24 : 48-51 ; 2 Tim. 4:1,2; i Tim 6- .,-
I Thess. 5 : i-io; i Cor. 16 : 22 : Jude 14, 15;
Matt. 16 : 26-27.

VII. To regard this as the supreme and
impending event of unfulfilled prophecy, to
teach these things, to live under the magic
power of this expectancy ; and to celebrate
the Lord's Supper as witnesses of this
blessed hope. Rev. 1:7: Tit. 2:15; Heb.
10 : 35-37 ; I Thess. i : 9, 10 ; 2 Tim. 4:7,8
I Cor. II : 22. E. P. MARVIN.

THE HEAVENLY HOME.

I woim set forth the "great city, the holy
Jerusalem," Rev. 21 : 10, the blessed and
eternal home of all who love Jesus, in the
following way : —

I. It is a gjeat city.

" That great city," said John, gazing on it.
Its circuit is vast — beyond Babylon or Nine-
veh , Paris or London . That " mighty city , "
says John, speaking of Babylon the great,
Rev. 18:10; but this is mightier far. There
hasbeennocity likeit. It isM« city, the one
city, the great metropolis of the mighty uni-
verse, the mighty city of the mighty God.

II. It is a well-built dty.

Its "builder and maker :s God." Its
foundations are eternal ; its wails are jasper ;
its gates, pearls : its streets paved v/ith gold.

It is "compactly built together," l3ntog four-
square, and perfect in all its parts, without a
break, or flaw, or weakness, or deformity.

III. It is a well-lighted city.

Something brighter than sun or moon is
given to fill its heaven. The glory of God
lightens it. The Lamb is its "light," ci-
" lamp," so that it needs no candle, no sun-
light. There is no night there.

IV. It is a well-watered city.

A pure river of water of life flows through
its streets, proceeding from the throne of
God and the Lamb. What must its waters
be ? What must be the rivers of pleasure
there ? Who in it can ever thirst ? Its in-
habitants shall thirst no more.

Resurrection.

145

V. It is a well-provisioned city.

The tree of life is there, with its twelve
manner of fruits and its health-giving leaves.
It has more than Eden had ; it is paradise
restored — paradise and Jerusalem in one;
Jerusalem in paradise,' and paradise in
Jerusalem.

VI. It is a well-guarded city.

Not only has it gates and walls and towers
which no enemy can scale or force, but at
the gates are twelve angels, keeping per-
petual watch.

VII. It is a well-governed city.

Its king is the Son of God ; the King of
kings, Immanuel, the King eternal, v.hose
sceptre is righteousness ; who loveth right-
eousness, and hateth iniquity. No misrule
is there, no disorder, no lawlessness.

VIII. It is a well-peopled city.

It has gathered within its walls all gener-
ations of the redeemed. Its population is as
the sands or the stars — the multitude that no
man can number — the millions of the risen
and glorified.

IX It is a holy city.

It origin is heavenly and it is as perfect
as its builder. Nothing that defileth shall

enter — no spot, or speck, or shadow of evil.
All is perfection there, divine perfection.

X. It is a glorious city.

The glory that fill it and encircles it is the
glory of God. All precious stones are there ;
no marble or granite, such as we boast of
now. All about is gold and pearls and gems.
Everything resplendent is there.

XI. It is a blessed city.

It is truly the joyous city. It is the throne
and seat of the Blessed One, and all in it is
lika Him. Its name is Jerusalem, the City
of Peace; its king's name is Solomon, the
Prince of Peace. There is no enemy there,
no danger, no sickness, no curse, no death,
no weeping, no pain, no sorrow, no change
forsver. They that dwell in it "shall hunger
no more, neither thirst any more, " Rev.
7 : 16, 17 ; for the ransomed of the Lord
shall return, and come to it with songs ; and
sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Isa.
35 : 10. Blessed city ! city of peace, and
love, and song! fit accompaniment of the
new heavens! fit metropolis of the new
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness I How
eagerly should we took for it ! How worthy
of it should we live I

Dr. H. BONAR.

THE PROMISE OF THE LORD'S COMING.

Acts 1:9-11. Rev. 16:15; 22

12, 20.
Rev. 3 13-1 1. Heb. 9 : 28.

John 14 : 2, 3. Acts 3 : 19-21.

I. To raise the righteous dead :

Isa. 26 : 19. John 5 : 28, 29.

John 11:25. Phil. 3: 10, II.

Dan. 12:13. I Thess. 4 : 13-16.

I Cor. 15 : 20, 23, 52. Rev. 20 : 4-6.

II. To change the living (as Enochs
Gen. 5:24, and Elijah, 2 Kings 2 : iz.)

Isa. 26 : 20-21.
Luke 16:26,27,34-37.
I Thess. 4 : 15-17.
Matt. 25:6-10.
Luke ai : 36.

I Thess. 5 : 4, 8-10.
Luke 12 : 35-38.
I Cor. 15: 51.
Rev. 3 : 10.
Rev. 12 5.

146

Gold from Ophir.

DEATH: IS HE "THE KING OF TERRORS, OR THE PRINCE

OF PEACE?"

FOR a solution of this vexed question let us appeal to the testimony of God's Word.
Death may be defined to be the separation of the spiritual from the material part
of man, or the soul from the body. It was pronounced as a curse by God on Adam
and his posterity for the sin of disobedience. " Dying thou shalt surely die." Man
was created to live and not to die ; he dies as a punishment for sin. The separate
existence either of soul or body is a violation of the law of creation, and a state of
imperfection.

Death is everywhere spoken of in the Bible as the great enemy of man. He is
detested by God. Aaron was commanded not to go in to any dead body, not even
that of his father or his mother. No smell or taint of death should defile the person
or garments of him who came into the immediate presence of that Holy Being who
dwelt between the cherubim. God says of His chosen Israel, " I will ransom them
from the grave, I will redeem them from death. O death, I will be thy plagues.
grave, I will be thy destruction."

No disembodied spirit could come into God's presence without reminding Him of
the fact that the arch-fiend, whorr. he had hurled over the battlements of Heav'en, had
despoiled the fairest work of His entire creation. Even his only and well-beloved
incarnate Son did not dare to present Himself before His Father's throne as a naked
Spirit. Not until he had overcome death in His own person, snatched His body from
its foul embrace and clothed it with the beauty and glory of immortality, thus giving
an earnest of the completion of the mission His Father had given Him to do, did He
ascend to His Heavenly Father. And not until He has accomplished as much for
His chosen ones of all ages, will He take them to His blissful abode. Christ's saved
ones do not go straggling into the mansion^ of the blest, one by one, as naked disem-
bodied souls. It is when these have been perfected by reunion with their glorified
bodies, and the whole Churchy the one body of Christ, adorned in her beautiful garments
as the bride of the tomb, that she will be introduced to the majesty on High and enter
into the inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom

Death is not a momentary event or passion. It is a condition or state of being.
Peter in his first sermon, Acts 2 : 24, tells us that " God raised up Christ, having loosed
the pains of death, for it was not possible that He should be holden of it." These
" ^3/«j," whatever were their nature, cannot be predicted of the body. They could
not have been physical suffering such as He endured in the garden or on the cross,
for His body was lying insensible in the tomb. They must tbeiefore have pertained to
His spiritual nature. And for the space of three days, our Lord endured these "pains
of death." The disquiet, the unrest, the feeling of loss, due to the separation into parts
of what was created to remain forever one undivided whole, is probably what may be
regarded as the "pains of death." The great enemy of man had divided asunder
what God had joined together.

We read in Rom. 6 : 9, that " Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more ;
death hath no more aominion over Him." But death held Him with a firm grasp, so
long as His body remained in the grave ; so we shall remain under the dominion of
death until our resurrection. During this brief period the soul of our Lord was in
that paradise to which He promised to take the penitent thief. This was not the
heavenly abode of God the Father, but the place of departed spirits, where the souls
of all who die on earth remain until the resurrection of the body.

St. John " saw under the altar the soul;; of them that were slain for the Word of
God," and crying, " How long, O Lord, Holy and True, dost Thou not avenge our
blood on Thine that dwell on the earth ?" These souls were not before the throne of
God and the Lamb, engaged in worship and ascription of praise. And they were not

«p

Resurrection.

147

content with their condition ; which could not, therefore, have been one of unalloyed
bliss. Their utterance was almost a complaint at the tardiness of the Lord to avenge
them of their adversaries, and bring them into the fulness of blessing. St. John " saw
ihe souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, . . . And they
lived And. reigned with Christ a thousand years." The phrase "they lived," can refer
to nothing else than the union of their souls and bodies at the resurrection. The
question of the angel to those who sought Jesus on the morning of the resurrection
was, " Why seek ye the //V/«^ among the dead?" Christ had been dead, but was
then living — raised from the dead. So the souls that John saw were dead until resur-
rection, when they ^^ lived" again. Our Lord says of Himself, " I am He that H^'eih
and was dead." The sting of death will be felt, and his dominion continued to be
exercised until the very last, for " the last emmy that shall be destroyed is death.''

We do not overlook the assertion of St. Paul that "to die is gain," that he had a
"desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better." The condition of the soul
in the intermediate state is undoubtedly one of rest and peace and communion with
Christ, as well as exemption from the toils and suffering mcident to this life. But it
is an imperfect condition and all who are in that state are under the dominion of death.
St. Paul nowhere holds up death as an object of hope and desire. He exhorts Chris-
tians to long, hope, and pray for the coming of the Saviour and the accompanying
resurrection and translation as their highest, chiefest good. His prayer for the
Thessalonians was that their whole spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless (or
entire) "unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ ;" in other words, that they might
not taste death at all, but live to receive translation at the hand of their King. Death
is not the goal of the believer.

A very pernicious effect of the modern teachings in respect to death is that it
makes the resurrection of the body of no consequence. For if the naked soul, on its
separation from the body, enters into the full enjoyment of heaven, and upon a career
of never-ending expansion and glory, what need is there of a body ? The resurrection
state must be a matter of indifference to those who thus believe. Our Lord's resur-
rection was the crowning act of His redemptive work, without which everj'thing else
was valueless. It was an earnest of the final victory He will obtain over the king
of terrors at the last judgment, when Death will be forced to yield up the myriads
over whom he has so long held dominion, and receive his eternal punishment. No,
it is not to " the blessedness of dying," nor the " holy joy of death," nor to " death as
the Prince of Peace," that we are to look forward with ea^er desire as the acme of our
hopes ; but to the coming of the Lord, the resurrection of the righteous dead, and the
translation of the living saints. — Timothy j in Mid-Continent.

* t

li!

148

Gold from Ophir.

DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH IN GENESIS.

I Cor. 10 : n.

First epoch — Fall to Flood, 1656 years.
Second epoch — Ark to Abraham, 427 years.
Third epoch — Abraham to Joseph's death,
427 years ; and to Exodus, 592 years.

I. Revelation of truth in beginning of each
epoch — Adam, Gen. 3:15, 21, 24; Noah,
Gen. 9 : 4-6, 9-13 : Abraham, Gen. 17 : i.

II. Increase of revealed truth through
each epoch — Enoch, Jude 14, 15; Gen.
4:25, 26; Shem, Gen. 9:26,27; 11:10-26;
Joseph, Gen. 49 : 22-26.

III. Increase of wickedness during each
period — Marriage with world, Gen. 6: 1, 2,
II, 12; Rebellion, Gen. 11 -4, 5: Slavery,
Ex. 1 : 13, 14.

IV. Crisis of each epoch demanding judg-
ment — Deluge, Gen. 6:13, 17. Confusion
of tongues. Gen, 11 : 7-9. Slaying Egyptians,
Ex. 7: 12 ; 14:28.

V. Deliverance of saved in each epoch—
Ark, Gen. 8:15-19; i Peter 3 : 20. Selec-
tion, Abraham, Gen. 12 : 1-5. Moses, Ex.

15:1-19.

(i) In each epoch revealed truth increases
from beginning to end. From epoch to
epoch the revelation is additional to and in
harmony with the previous revelation. The
increase of the number savef' ' ^ apf* ♦ • a;e

is likewise evident. Thislaw ui t

Scripture running through each age, till
Satan is chained, then all will be saved.

(2) In each epoch sin increases, and grad-
ually leavens the good, till the crisis is
reached, and then judgment; the good is
perfected and delivered.

(3) Each age prepares for something
better to come.

(4) God overcomes sin finally by the in-
flicted penalty.

SECOND COMING OF JESUS.

It is named in God's Word as that which
believers should long for, 2 Tim. 4:8; Titus
2:13; Heb. 9 : 28 ; Rev. 22 : 20.

I. Attitude of the early church.

I Thess. 1 : 10; Phil. 3 : 20; 2Thess. 2 : i.

II. Practical duties taught by the doc-
trine.

Watchfulness, Matt. 24:42,51; Mark
13 : 33-^7 ; Luke 21 : 28, 34-36 ; Rev. 3:3;
Luke 12 : 45, 46.

i^dithfulness, Matt. 25:14-20; 24:48-51;
Luke 19 : 13-15.

Wakefulness, Matt. 25 : 1-13 ; i Thess. i : 8.

Joy, Acts I : II. Compare with Luke
24 : 52 ; Col. 3:4; Phil. 4:4,5; i Peter
1 : 7, 8 ; Rom. 5:2; 8 : 24. The hope is in
Christ's coming.

Patience, Heb. 10 : 36, 37 ; i Cor. 4:5;
James 5 : 7, 8.

In anticipation of trouble, John 14 : i, 3.
In actual trouble, i Thess. 4 : 13-18.

III. Motives arising from the doctrine.

For holiness of believers, i Thess. 3: ij;
5 : 23 ; Titus 2 : 1 1-15. For abiding in Christ,
I John 2 : 28. For perseverance. Rev. 3 : 2,
For ministers preaching it, i Peter 5:2-4; 2
Tim. 4:1-4; I Thess. 2 : 19.

IV. Warning against apoitacy.

Luke 17 : 24-37 > 2 Thess. 2 : 1-12 ; i Tim.
4:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 2 Peter 3:1-4; 2
John 7.

V. An appeal to sinners.

2 Thess I : 6-10 ; Acts 3 : 19-21.

VI. A personal, rot a spiritual coming.
Matt. ID : 7 ; 13 : 11-52; 24 : 30; 12 : 44,48;

John 21 : 19-23, Luke 19 : 11-15 ; Jolin
14 . 1-3 ; Luke 12 : 35-40.

What the angels say. Acts 1 :9-ii. What
Peter by the Holy Ghost says. Acts 3 ; 19-21.
What Paul says by the Holy Ghost, i Cor.
1:7:1 Thess. 4 : 16. What Christ said to
John, Rev. 22 ; 7, 22, 20.

Resurrection.

'49

VII. Relation of the coming; to Israel,
the Church, and the World.

Israel (the Jews) to be restored to the
Holy Land. The land promised uncondi-
tionally, Gen. 13 : 14-17. Its boundaries not
yet fully occupied, Gen. 15 : 17, 18. An
everlasting possession. Gen. 17:3-8; Deut.
11:12; Lev. 25 : 23. An everlasting throne,

1 Chron. 17:4-17. Their restoration, Isa.
1:25-27. 2:2,3; 11: 10-13: Jer. 3:3-8;
33 : 7-16; Ezek. 37 : 21-28; Jer. 3 : 16-18.
To the church, Rom. 8 : 23 ; i Cor. 1:7:
Phil. 3 : 20: Heb. 9 : 28 ; 2 Tim. 4:8; Titus

2 : 13; I Thess. i. : 10.

Coming of the Lord in the air for believers.
Christ seen only by believers after the resur-
rection. Acts 1:2, 3, 10 ; John 14 : 19 ; i
Thesa. 4:16; Acts 10,41; i Cor. 15 : 18.

Shout, word of command. Saints only
will understand the word of command, John
12 : 28 ; Acts 9 : 7 compared with Acts 22 : 9 ;
Dan. 10 : 7 ; i Cor. 15 : 51, 52. The looking
for Christ is not death, i Thess. 4: 14-1S;
Phil. 3:21; I Cor. 15:23,49-54. With
Christ, John 12 : 26 ; 14 : 3, 19 ; 17 : 24 ; i
Thess. 5: 10.

VIII. Believers and the Judgment.

Their persons and sins do not come into
judgment : but their works do, Rom. 14 : 10 ;
I Cor. 3 : 8, 13-17 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 10; Eph. 6:8;
Rev. 22 : 12 ; James i : 12 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 7, 8 ; i
Peter 5:4; Col. 3:25.

IX. Coming of the Lord to the earth.
Coming of the Lord is when He comes

for His saints. Day of the Lord is the day
of judgment, visitations, and the thousand
years of His reigik

For His saints. Matt. 24 : 29, 30 : Mark
14:62; 2 Thess. 1:7; Rev. 1:7; Zcch.
H-^t 4, 5> Rev. 17:14. Compare with
Rev. 19 : 14 ; Jude 14 ; Col. 3:4; i Thess.
3:13; 4:14.

X. The believer reigns with Christ
Rom. ^ : 17 ; i Cor. 6 : 2, 3 ; Matt. 19 : 28 ;

Luke 12 . 25-37 ; 2 Tim. 2:12, Rev. 1:6;
3:21; 5:9, 10.

XI. Order of events in Christ's coming.

1 . The dead in Christ arise, and those who
are alive and remain are caught up together
with them in the clouds, i Thess. 4 : 14-18.

A literal restoration c' ;he Jews to their
own land. Part of them return in unbelief,
Isa. 6:9, 13; 17:10-14; Dan. 9:24. 27.
Compare with Zech. 11:14-17; Zech.
12:8-14; Isa. 18:3-7; Ezek. 22:1-9; Zech.
13:1-9-

2. The temple will be reboilt, 2 Thess.
2:4; Rev n : 1-8.

3. The Jews will enter into a covenant
with Anti-Christ, Dan. 9 : 27 ; John 5 : 43.

4. After tnreeand a half years, Anti-Christ
reveals His true character, Dan. 7 ; 19-23 ;
8:23-25; 9:27; 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:3,9;
Rev. 13.

5. He stops the sacrifice in the temple and
sets up His own image for worship, Dan.
9:27; II : 31; Matt. 24 : 15; Rev. 13 ; 14-17;
Dan. ij : II.

6. The two vdtnesses are killed, Rev.
11:7.

7. The devil cast out of the air into the
earth. Rev. 12 : 7-12.

8. The Holy City (Jerusalem) trodden
down, Dan 9 : 26 ; Rev. 11:2; Luke 21 : 24.

9. Great tribulations come upon the world,
Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21; Rev.
7:14; 3 : 10 ; Luke 21 : 34-36 ; Zech. 14 : 12.

10. Israel is saved in these tribulations by
the personal appearance of Christ, Zech.
14 : 1-3 ; Rev. 19; 2 Thess. 2 : 4-7.

XII. The Resurrections.

Difference in character of the resurrections
of the believer and unbeliever, Johns : 28, 29;
I Thess. 4 : 13-18; i Cor. 15 :42, 54, 55.

Difference in time of resurrections of
believers and unbelievers. Rev. 20:4-6;
Luke 14:14; Isa. 26:6-9; 26; 12, 14,19, 21:
Ezek. 27 : 1-14 ; Dan. 7 : 17-27 ; 12 : 1-3 ;
Matt, 13:38.43; Psa. 49:14, 15; Matt.
22:30; Luke 20:35, 36; I Cor. 15:23;
Phil. 3:11; Acts 24 : 14, 15.

J. H. BROOKES.

1 I

! '

150

Gold from Ophir.

DEATH AND Till!: LORDS COMING CONTRASTI-D.

I. Death is tho penalty of sin, but the
Lord's coming delivers from sin and penalty,
Rom 6 : 23 : i Thess. 4 : 17.

II. Thoughts and experiences of the one,
painful ; of the other, delightful, John 11 :3i ;
Titus 2 : 13.

III. In one event we look downward and
weep ; in the other, upward and rejoice,
John II : 35; Phil. 2 : 16.

IV. In one the body is sown in corruption
and dishonor ; in the other it is raised in
incorruption and glory, i Cor. 15: 42, 43.

V. In one event we were unclothed ; in the
other, clothed upon, 2 Cor. 5:4.

VI. In one a sad separation of friends ; in
the other, a glad reunion, Ezek. 24 : 16 ;
I Thess. 4 : 13, 14.

VII. We enter into rest at death, but we
are crowned at the Lord's coming, i Thess.
4 : 13 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 8.

VIII. Death comes as our greit enemy ;
Christ as our great friend, i Cor. 15:36;
Prov. 18:24

IX. Death is the king of terrors ; Christ is
the king of glory. Job 18 : 14 ; Ps. 24 : 7.

X. Satan has the power of death ; Christ
is the Prince of Life, Heb. 2:14; Acts 3:15

XI. In one event we depart to be with
Christ ; in the other. He comes to us, Phil.
1 : 23 ; John 14 : 3.

XII. Christ and the Apostles never com-
manded saints to watch for death, but
repeatedly for the Lord's coming, i Cor.
15:51 ; Matt. 25: 13.

We may here see that the frequently
assumed resemblance between these two
events is strikingly unscriptural and false.

We should also understand that the prac-
tice of applying parables, instructions, and
exhortations to death, which we know were
expressly spoken of the Lord's coming, is a
false and dangerous method of interpretation,
Jer. 23 : 28 ; Rev. 22 : 18, 19.

E. P. MARVIN.

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND EVENTS CONNECTED

THEREWITH.

A WORD FOR INQUIRERS INiO THE SUBJECT.

I. Will the second coming of Christ be
a personal one ?

Yes. The word " appear," in Heb. 9 : 28,
answers the question conclusively. A spirit-
ual coming, or presence, would not be a
visible one, see also Acts i : 1 1 ; Matt. 24 : 30 ;
John 1:51; Rev. 1:7; Zech. 14 : 4, 5.

II When will He come — before or after
the millennium?

Before. " Iniquity will abound " up to the
very time of His appearing, 1 Tim. 4:1, 2 I
2 Tim. 3 : 1-5, 13 ; Jude 17, 18, 19 ; 2 Peter
3:3, 4 ; Matt, 24 : 37-39 ; Luke 17 : 26-30 ;
Luke 21 : 33-35, R. V.

III. For what purpose will He come ?

To establish His kingdom and persona!

reign of righteousness over the earth. Pre-
paratory to this, according to promise. He
first desc<Mids from Heaven to receive His
saints, both those who have died and those
who are then alive, who are changed, and
" caught UD to mssi Him fci the air." "This
is the first resurrection," r Thess. />.: 15, 18;
John 14 : 3. He doubtless returns wicn :.»cm
for a time, to the immediate presence of the
Father, when will take place the judgment
of works of service as believers, according
to I Cor. 3 : 12-15, with a view to position
and reward in the coming Kingdom; also,
what is termed in Rev. 19 : 7, " the marriage
of the Lamb." The salt of the earth being
thus removed, moral corruption and aati-

Resurrection.

151

Christian rebellion and apostacy develop un-
hindered, and spread with increased rapid-
ity, until, the cup of man's iniquity being
full, the Lord descends to earth with His
saints to " execute the judgment written "
in Ps. 110:5,6; Isa. 63:1-6; Dan. 2 : 34,
35. 44. 45 ; Zech. 14 : 1-5 ; Ezek. 39 : 17-21 ;
Joel 3 : 9-16 ; Mai. 4:1-3; Jude 14, 15 : Rev.
14:17-20; 17:13,14; and 19:11-21; also
Ps. 2; 2 Thess. I : 7-9 ; and 2 : 7-12. This is
the "day of vengeance of our God," Isa.
61 : 2 ; 62 : 4, and 34 : 8 ; the day of the Lord
of Hosts,'' Isa. 2 ; 12-17.

IV. What follows?

The binding of Satan in the bottomless pit
for 1,000 years, Rev. 20: 1,3. The repent-
ance and conversion of the Jews by the
actual sight of their Messiah, Zech. 12 : 10,
14. Full restoration and establishment of
Israel and Judah in their own land, Ezek.
37 ; Zech. 8:3-8; Jer. 23 : 6-8 , and 31 : 31-40 ;
Isa. 65 : 18-23. Renewal of the earth by
partial removal of the curse, Isa. 35 ; Joel
3:18; Amos 9:13; and change also in the
natures of the animal creation, Isa. 11 : 6-9,
and 65 : 25 ; Rom. 8:21. Conversicn of the
Gentiles, Isa. 2 : 1-3, and 49 : 6 ; Micah
4:1-4; Ps. 22 : 27, 28 ; Zech. 8 : 20-22 ; Isa.
11:9; Hab. 2:14; Mai. 1:11; and com-
mencement of the millennium, or visible
personal sign of Christ and His risen glori-
fied saints over the regenerated earth. Matt.
19 : 28 ; Isa. 32 : i ; Jer. 23 : 5, 6 ; Zech. 14:9;
John I : 51 ; Rev. 2 : 26, 27; 3:21; and 20:4.

V. What, then, is the object and char-
acter of the present Gospel Dispensation?

Not the conversion of the whole world,
but, first, to make manifest the fulfilment of
the Divine purposes in the institution of the
preceding one — Judaism, with its system of
teaching by types, sacrifices, and ordinances,
and its consequent setting aside. Also, the
full clear revelation of God's perfect plan of
saving lost man by the sacrifice of His own
belo- ed Son, the God-Man Christ Jesus,
onci crucified for us, but now the risen,
victorious, glorified Saviour, Heb. 7 : 10.

This plan to be fully and faithfu!lv pro-
claimed by those who accept it, to " the
whole world for ta testimony unto all the
nations" (R.V.); the ordained result to be
the gathering out from amongst them, both
Jews and Gentiles, a people to his Name, to
be His witnesses, " to serve the living and
true God, and to wait for His Son from
heaven," who shall bring in the succeeding
age of universal righteousness.

At the close of that glorious period, an-
other outbreak of Satanic and human wicked-
ness is to take place, to be, however, speedily
and finally put down. Rev. 20 : 7-10 ; followed
by the judgment of the wicked dead — the
finally impenitent, before "the great white
throne," verses 11 to 15 ; the passing away of
the present heavens and earth, and the
creation of "new heavens and a new earth,"
Rev. 21 : 1-5, "wherein dwelleth righteous-
ness," and where there shall be "110 more
curse," 2 Peter 3:13; Rev. 22 : 3.

"These are the true sayings of God,"
though but a part of those things He has
revealed in His Word as yet to come to pass.
" Hath He said, and shall He not do it ? or
hath He spoken, and shall He not make it
good?" "The great day of the Lord is
near ; it is near and hasteth greatly," Zeph.
1:14. The ploughshares must be beaten
into swords, and the pruning-hooks into
spears, Joel 3 : 10, ere the swords shall be
beaten into ploughshares and the spears into
pruning-hooks, Micah 4 : 3. The mighty
men of war must be awakened for the last
dread confiict which comes as " a destruction
from the Almighty," and terminates at
Armageddon, Rev. 16 : 13-16, of which He
has said, " I will overturn, overturn, over-
turn, until He come whose right it is, and I
will give it Him," Ezek. 21 ; 27, before we
can reach the time when " the nations shall
learn war no more." Many are crying
" Peace ! peace ! " and expecting to establish
it on ea. ^^ a^art from the coming of the
" Prince of Peace," in spite of what is thus
clearly revealed, and in spite of the warning

|i:,i

91 Ml V

152

Gold from Ophir.

11'

trumpet of the signs of the times, now waxing
louder and louder. But " the counsel of the
Lord, that shall stand." He mjist, after long
forbearance, do His work of judgment on re-
bellious men, eie, as the Sun of Righteousness,
He can arise with healing on His wings, and
" fill the face of the world with fruit," the
fruit of the Tree of Life.

These two contrasted pence's in the clos-
ing years of the world's history axe rapidly
approaching, yea, are even at the door.

"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh;" He
shall execute the judgment, and He shall
bear the glory, and wear his " many crowns "
in the scene of his former humiliation, and
suffering, and death, for " the Father hath
committed all judgment unto the Son."
" Then the moon shall be confounded, and
the sun ashamed, when the Ix)rd of Hosts
shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem,
and before his ancients gloriously," Isa.
24:23. C. A. THOMPSON.

THE THREE LOOKS.

£y Dr. Gordon.

The eye is the index of the isoul, and
wherever it turns, there the Spirit muy be
supposed to be for the time directed ; hence
God's constant command that we should
look. The great facts of redemption are set
before us. And they are completed facts ;
we can add nothing to them by our faith ;
we can take nothing from them by our un-
belief. But they must be appropriated, in
order that they may become facts of ex-
perience and inner life. One opening of the
eyelid, and all the beautiful landscape which
lay spread out before us instantly be* omes
an inward CApeiience, imprinted first on the
retina of the eyo, and from that mysteriously
thrown upon the camera of consciousness.

Now, the three great facts of Christ's
redemption are, ator«"ment, advocacy, and
advent. And there are thrte looks corres-
ponding to these.

I. The backward look.

" Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the
ends of the earth," Isa. 45 : 22. The eye is
first carrii I back to the cross, and io Christ's
'finished work thereon accomplished. Then,
our Redeemer having satisfied the law con-
cerning Ein, bids us accept, by our consenting
faith, the satisfaction He has made. " Hav-
ing made peace by the blood of the cross,"
we gaze with cc .senting faith upon His work,

and, therefore, " being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ."

IL The upward look.

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and
finisher of our faith ; who, for the joy that
was set before Him, endured the cross, despis-
ing the shame, and is set down at tiie right
hand of the throne of God," Heb. 12:2.
There He is in the place of advocacy, who
^vas before in the place of atonement.
Better for the present that He should be
there rather than here. The lawyer must
be in court if he would conduct the suit of
his client; and therefore Christ has gone
" to appeal in the presence of God for us. "

HI. The onward look.

' ' Looking for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ," Titus rz : 13. This is
the true expectation of the believer who
waits for full salvation. Our Lord compares
Himself to a nobleman going into a far
country to receive for himself a kingdom,
and to return. It is for us to wait that
return, that we may share that kingdom with
Him. " For our conversation is in heaven ;
from whence, also, we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ."

■r 'fVaicAtvord.

Resurrection.

<53

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST THE TRUE KEY TO
THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE.

The Second Coming of Christ is spoken of
by the Prophets, Apostles, and Christ Him-
self in the strongest and most glowing terms,
as being the hope of the Church, and the
final siUvationof Jew and Gentile, i. Christ's
coming will be personal. 2. There will be
no millennium until Chr'st comes Let us
look at His personal coming under the head
of the two advents of Christ.

I. Christ's Second Coming will be per-
sr jA.

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and
drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's
death till He come," i Cor. ii : 26.

This text, and others, enable us in part to
see what Christ began at His first coming,
and v\ hat He will finish at His siecond coming.
Let us take a look back and see what Jesus
suffered and did for us; and then, as we look
forward, we will see what Christ is coming
for. We will take four quarttjtte looks.

I. What He suffere'^. in bearing our sins.

1. As we look back we see redemption
begun. Matt. 20:28; Gal. 3:13. When we
Took forward we see redemption finished,
Luke 21 : 27, 28 ; Rom. 8 : 23 ; Phil, i . 6.

2. He appears with our sin, Matt. 26:28;
I Pet. 2 : 24. He appears without sin, or
having nothing to do with sin, to them that
look for Him, Heb. 9; 28.

3. He appears in weakness, Ps. 22 : 6 ;
Mark 15 : 4, 5. When He <Jomes He will
appear in power and great glory. Matt. 24 :
30 ; 26 : 64.

4. He is laid hold on by death, John 19:
33. When He comes it is td conquer, and
put an end to death forever, i Cor. is : 20-26 ;
Rev. 20 : 14 ; 21:4; Helj. 2 : 14, 15.

IL What He suffered from friends and
enomies.

I. Friends forsake Him, Zech. 13:7; Mark
14: 50. They gather together unto Him, 2
Thess. 1 : 10; 2:1.

2. Surrounded by enemies, Pa. 22:16;
Matt. 27 : 36. When He coaies He will be
surrounded with myriads of friends. Zech.
14 : 5; I Thess. 3:13; Jude 14, 15.

3. Enemies mocked and scoffed at Him,
Ps, 22:13; Luke 23 : 35-37. When He comes
they wili tremble with fesr, Rev. 6:14-17;
Luke 23 : 30.

4. As we look back, Satan is braising
Christ, Gen. 3:15; Isa .53 ; 5. Christ com*«
to bruise Satan, Rom in: 20; Rev. 20: 1-3.

HL What He suffered in His person,
morally and physically.

1. As we look back we see .Him filled and
covered with darkness, Matt. 24 : 36-44 ; read
Ps. 88. When He comes He will be filled
and covered with unapproac'nable light, i
Tim. 6 : 14-10; Acts 26 : 13 ; Rev. zi :23.

2. We si;e Him co%'ered with shame,
Matt. 27:27-31. He comes covered with
glory, Matt. 24 : 30; 25 . 31.

3. In derisio.!! crowned and bailed king of
the Jews, Matt. 27:29. He will be hailed
when He comes, an)id shouts of angels and
saints, as King of kings, i Tim. 6 14, 15;
Rev. II 15 ; !g: 16.

^ . As He hung upon the cross the v/orld
was veiled in darkness, J..-nke 23 ;44. \'v'ben
He comes, from east to west will be lit up
by His glorious light, Matt. 24; 27,

IV. What He suffered from God, man
and Satan.

1. At the cross God forsakes Him because
He has to do with sin, Mark 15 : 34. At His
second coming God is with Him, because He
has nothing to do with sin, Titus 2:13; Heb.
9 : 28 ; I Thess. 4 ; 14.

2. Ar. we took back, we ftee the grave is
receiving, and still receiving our dead. Isa.

.53 9 ; ]^^^^ 19 • 39"4^- ^'^t when He comes
the grave will give up our dead forever, John
5 . 28, 29 ; 2 Thess. 4:15, iG.

3. Satan's hour and the power of darkness,

154

Gold from Ophir.

Luke 22 : 53. But when He comes it will be
His hour, yea, His everlasting day, Dan. 7:
13, 14; Kev. 22:4, 5.

4. As wo look back, the world is judging
Christ, Luke 23:1-26; John 18:28-31. As
we look forward we see Him coming to judge
the world, Ps. 50 : 3-6 • Acts 17 : 30.

This is what faith sees as it looks back;
and this is what hope expects as it looks
forward. Faith sees a bruised, crucified,
dead, buried and risen Christ. Hope expects
to see a glorified Christ.

Was His first advent literal and personal,
as He began redemption, bare our sin,
appeared in weakness, was laid hold on by
death? You say, yes. Well, then, He will
appeal in person as He completes redemp-
tion, puts an end to sin, is ssen in power
when He comes to cast death into the lake
of fire, Rev. 20: 14.

Was this first advent literal and personal
when friends forsook Him, when enemies
surrounded and mocked Him, and Satan
bruised Him? Well, then, He will appear
personally when friends gather and surround
Him, when foes tremble, and Satan is bruised
and cast into the bottomless pit and lake of
fire, (o be tormented forever and ever, Rev.
20 : i-io.

Was His first advent literal and personal
when filled and covered with darkness, when
shame was heaped upon Him, and He was
mocked in derision as king of the Jews ;
when nature veiled her face at such treat-
ment of her Creator? He surely will appear
in person when He comes covered with light
and glory as King of kings at His second
coming, iind then nature will be His witness,
as it was at His first coming, Num. 14 : 21 :
Ps. 72 : 19.

Was PI is first coming personal, when God
forsook Him, the grave received Him and
the world judged Him ? He will surely come
in person when God comes with Him, for
the dead in the graves to hear Him, to judge
the world and reign on David's throne for-
ever, Matt. 25: 31-46; Luke i : 32.

n. There can be no millenniutn until
Christ comes.

We will give some plain simple scripture
reasons for saying so. i. The devil is at
liberty to deceive and to destroy until Christ
comes and binds him with the great chain,
Rev. 20 : 1-3. This is at the beginning of the
thousand years. Surely we must all admit
that there can be no millennium with the
devil going about to deceive, as an angel of
light, preaching another Gospel, 2 Cor. 11 ; 13-
15. To others as a poisonous serpent to
leaven and corrupt pure doctrine, 2 Cor. 11 ;
Rev. 12:9. And to many as a roaring lion, so
that they are dwarfed. through fear of him,
I Peter 5: 8; Job 1:7; Prov. 29:25; Christ
must come and bind this great enemy before
this fair earth will have her glorious rest,
Isa. 14:10; 14:7; and His people perfect
love without fear, i John 4:17-18.

2 . Anti-Christ is to be reigning in full power
when Christ comes, 2 Thess, 2:8; John 5-
43. No one that believes that God is a
jealous God, Exod. 20: 1-5, can believe that
there can be a time of rest and peace, with
this man of sin, this son of perdition, in the
camp. We believe this man of sin — this
son of perdition — is to be destroyed at Christ's
coming, 2 Thess. 2 : 2-3. Then begins the
millennium.

3. Wickedness is to increase with the
wicked, until Christ comes. Christ Himself
says it, and tells us plainly it will be like
Noah's day, before the flood, like Lot's day
before Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed
by fire, Luke 17:26-29; Matt. 24:12, 37-39.
Daniel 12:8-10, gives a glimpse of the wick-
edness, and Paul to Timothy by the Holy
Ghost gives a fearful picture of man's corrup-
tion, 2 Tim. 3 : 1-7.

4. The tares and the wheat are to grow
together until Christ comes, Matt. 13 : 24-30,
36-43. The tares are the devil's children.
Can there be a millennium with those Lsh-
maelites in the house with Isaac. Read Gal.
4:22-31, and ask yourself the question if you
think you could have much of a millennium

Resurrection.

155

with some of those Ishmael tares that are in
the church in the present day. You know
they are enemies to all warm-hearted prayer
meetings, and to all pure Gospel sermons,
and to all spiritual work in the Church ; but
give them a raffle in the Church, or a bean
supper, or a theatrical performance, or a
dance, and they are at home, like their father,
the devil, _, ^hn 8: 44.

5. There are to be scoffers, and men flatter-
ing themselves in false peace, until Christ
comes, I Thess. 5:1-3. There are no doubt
tens of thousands 1 istening to cultured preach-
ing (but not the Gospel) that are saying peace,
peace, when there is no peace, Jer. 6:14.
And among this class we have the scoffers
that are saying "Where is the promise of His
coming?" Ah! poor deluded, corrupt pro-
fessor, you will see Him some day to your
shame and confusion ; then you will have
time to think over your cultured sermons,
without any saving Christ, or coming Christ,
in them, 2 Peter 2 : 1-3.

6. There is to be a resurrectio*^ of the
Saints before the thousand years reign of
Christ on earth, i Cor. 15:20-23; i Thess.
4:13-17; John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:4-6.

Has Satan been chained yet ? Has Anti-
Christ been consumed yet ? Is wickedness
decreasing in the world everywhere — any-
where? Have the tares '^een separated and
cast into the fire ? Arc there no scoffers
saying, "Where is the promise t His
ccming ? " Is the r- nrrection past already,
and has nobody's faith been overthrown ?
3 Tim. 2:17,18. Evei spiritually-minded
believer says, No, no! ^11, then, hear the

Master say, "Behold I >_ le quickly, hold
" that fast which thou hast, mat no man take
thy crown," Rev. 3:2.

Topical study on scores of subjects will
lead to Christ's Second Coming.

You will find the folio ving line of study
exceedingly interesting. \'^e here give you
an idea, and put them in sevens, as this
makes ii easier for the memo .y ; and in it we
have the pe,rftci number of scripture.

1 God, Gen. 1:1; Ps. 50 : 28 ; Titus 2 : 13.

2 Light, Gen. 1:3; Ps. 104 : 2 ; i John 1:5;

1 Tim. 6: 14-16.

3 Lord, Gen. 11:5. The Lord descends, i

Thesi:. 4 : 16.

4 Judge, Gen. i8:<!5; Acts 17:31; 2 Tim.

4:1.

5 Man, Gen. 1:26; Acts 17:31; Matt.

25:31

6 Work, Gen. 2:2; Rev. ::2 : 12.

7 Gathering together, Gen. i : 10 ; Ps.

50:3; 2 Thess. 2:1.

1 Sons of God, Gen. 6:2; i John 3 : 2.

2 Angels of God, Gen. 32 : i ; Matt. 16 : 27;

Mark 8 : 38.

3 Servants, Gen. 14:14; Luke 12:37.

Blessed Servants.

4 Walk, Gen. 17 : i ; Rev. 16 : 15.

5 Kingdom, Gen. 10: 10; Luke 19: 15.

6 Come, Gen. 7:1; John 14 : 3 ; Acts i : 11.

7 Door Shut Gen. 6:16; 7:16; Matt.

25: 10.

1 Sin, Gen. 4:7; Heb. 9 ; 28.

2 Heart, Gen. 6:5;! Cor. 4 : 5.

3 Darkness, Gen. 1:2; 15:12; i Thess.

5:4-

4 Earth, Gen. 6 : 11-12 ; 2 Pet. 3 : 10.

5 Sinners, Gen. 13:13; Jude 14:15.

6 Night, Gen. 1:5; r Thess. 5:2:2 Pet.

3: 10.

7 Serpent, Gen. 3 : 14 ; Rev. 20 : 1-3.

1 Blessed, Gen. i : 28 ; Rev. 22: 7.

2 Voice, Gen. 3:10; i Thess. 4 : 16.

3 Behold, Gen. 1 : 29 ; Rev. 1:7; 16 : 15.

4 Nations, Gen. 10 : 5 ; Matt. 25 : 31-32.

5 Presence of the Lord. Gen. 3:8; 2 Thess.

1 : 7-9.

6 Vengeance, Gen. 4:15; 2 Thess. i : 7-8.

7 Fire, Gen. 15:17; (Margin) Ps. 50:3;

2 Thess. I : 7-8.

1 Righteousness, Gen. 15:6; 2 Tim. 4 ; 8.

2 Grace, Gen. 6:8; i Pet. i : 13.

3 Spirit, Gen. 6:3:1 Thess. 5:23.

4 Heaven, Gen. 1:15; i ThesG. 4 ; 16 ; Acts

I : II.

5 Air, Gen. i : 30 ; i Thess. 4 : 17.

6 Day, Gen. 1:5; Job 19 : 25 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 8.

No night. Rev. 22 : 5.

7 Believed, Gen. 15:6; i Thess. i : 10.

1 Shepherd, Gen. 49 : 10 ; i Pet. 5:4.

2 Glory, Exod. 24 : 16 ; Matt. 24 : 30

3 Crown, Exod. 25 : 11 ; r Thess. 2 : 19.

4 Life, Gen. 6:17; Col. 3 : 4.

5 Son, Gen. 22 : 12 ; i Thess. i : 10.

6 Died, Gen. 50 : 26 ; i Thess. 4 : 14.

7 Changed, Gen. 41 : 14 ; i Cor. 15 : 5ir52.

156

Gold from Ophir.

1 Cometh, Exod. 4:14; Matt. 25:6; Rev

I -.-J.

2 Thief, Exod. 22 : 2 ; i Thess. 5:2:2 Pet.

3:10.

3 Wicked, Gen. 38 : 7 ; 2 Thess. 2 : 8.

4 Dead, Gen. 23 : 4 ; i Thess. 4 : 16 ; 2 Tim.

4:1.

5 Garments, Gen. 38 : 14 ; Rev. 16 : 15.

6 Virgin, Exod. 22 : 17 ; Matt. 25 : io-'^i3.

7 Quickly, Joshua 8 : 19; Rev. 22 : 20.

1 Look, Gtn. 15 : 5 ; Phil. 3 : 20.

2 Escape, Gen. 19:17; i Thess. 5:2,3.

3 Coming, Gen. 30 : 30 ; James 5:8:2 Pet.

3:12.

4 Salvation, Gen. 49: 18 : Heb. 9: 28.

5 Delivered, Num. 21 : 34 ; i Thess. i : 10.

6 Rest, Exod. 33:14: 2 Thess. 1:7, 8;

Heb. 4 ; g.

7 Gift, Deut. 16 : 19 , i Cor. i : 7.

1 Love, Deut. 7:7:1 Cor. 16:22.

2 Confidence, 2 Kings 18 : 19 ; i John 2 : 28.

3 Redemption, Lev. 25 :52 : Luke 21 : 27,28.

4 Waiting, Num. 8 125: i Cor. i : 7.

5 Watching, i Sam. 4:13: Prov. 8 : 34 :

Luke 12 : 37.

6 Watch, Exod. 14:24; Judges 7:19;

Matt. 24 :4i.

7 Reward, Ruth 2:12; Matt. ^6 : 27 ; Rev.

22 : 12.

1 Saints, i Sam. 2:9; Zech. 14 ; 5 ; i Thess.

3:13; Jude 14 . 15.

2 Blameless, Geu. 44 : 10 ; i Thess. 5 : 23.

3 First Fruits, Exod. 23 : 16 ; i Cor. 15 : 23.

4 Reapers, Ruth 2:5-7: Matt. 13 ; 41-43.

5 At Hand, Deut. 32 : 35 ; Phil. 4:5:1 Pet.

4:7.

6 Consume Deut. 7:16; 2 Thess. 2 : 8.

7 Suddenly, Num. 12:4 ; Mai. 3:1; Mark

8 : 34-37-

1 Enoch, Gen. 5 : 22-24 ? Ju.de 14 : 15.

2 Noah, Gen. 6 : 13 ; 7 : I ; Matt. 24 : 37-39.

3 Lot, Gen. xg : 23, 24 ; Luke 17 : 28, 29.

4 Saviour, Judge:: 3.9; (Margin) Phil.

3:20 ; Titus 2: 13.

5 He Cometh, Exod. 4:14: Rev. i : 7.

6 Harvest, Gen. 8 : 22 ; Ruth 2:23; Matt.

13 ; 39. 40-

7 No Man Knoweth, Deut. 34:6; Matt.

24-30-36; Mark 13 : 31-37.

1 Lightning, Job 37 : 3; Matt. 24 : 27.

2 Glorious, Exod. 15:6; Titus 2:13.

3 Trumpet^ Exod. 19:19; 20:18; Matt.

24:30, 31; I Cor. 15 : 51, 52; I Thess.
4: 16.

4 Tarry, Judges 5 : 28 ; Heb, 10 : 37.

5 Over All, Gen. 39 : 5; Matt. 24 : 45-47.

6 New Heavens and New Earth, Isa.

65 : 17; 2 Pet. 3 : 10-13 ; Rev. 21 : i.

7 King of Kings. Ezra 7: 12; Ezek. 26 : 6;

2 Tim. 6: 14-16.

We have taken up the word of God, — Light,
Lord, Judge, Man.Work, Gathering Together,
Sons of God, Angels, Servants, Walk,
Kingdom, Come, Door Shut, Sin, Heart,
Darkness, Earth, Sinners, Light, Serpent,
Blessed, Voice, Behold, Nations, Presence
of the Lord, Vengeance, Fire Righteousness,
Grace, Spirit, Heaven, Air, Day, Believed,
Shepherd, Glory, Crown, Life, Son, Died,
Changed, Cometh, Thief, Wicked, Dead,
Garments, Virgins, Quickly, Look, Escape,
Coming, Salvation, Delivered, Rest, Gift,
Love, Confidence, Redemption, Waiting,
Watching, Watch, Rewards, Saints, Blame-
less, First Fruits, Reapers, Hand, Consume,
Suddenly, Enoch, Noah, Lot, Saviour, He
Cometh, Harvest, No Man Knoweth, Light-
ning, Glorious, Trumpet, Tarry, Over all.
New Heavens and New Earth, King of
Kings. In all eighty-four words, which
might be increased to hundreds, but these
will suffice to show that Christ's Second
Coming may be made a profitable study,
and that all our study may head up into His
Second Coming.

This is the way I have studied Christ's
personal Coming from the Bible, to satisfy
my own mind. May God bless it to others,
is my prayer.

TQHN CURRIE,

Resurrection.

157

THE PROPHETIC SCRIPTURES.

THERE are at least eight reasons for those who fear the Lord giving heed to the
prophetic Scriptures :
]. Because they arc the words of the hving God.

II. Because ALL Scripture is profitab.:;, . . . that the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 17.

III. Because the Holy Spirit — the glorifier of Jesus — is given to us to show us
" things to come," Jno. 16: 13 ; and can we suppose that He would have taken up
His abode in our hearts, to guide us into a correct understanding of the mind of (jod,
unless our heavenly Father intended it for our blessing and His own glory.? Certainly
not, especially when we remember that the name of this blessed Teacher is " The
Comforter."

IV. Because the testimony of'the apostle Peter is that we do well to take heed
to the " sure word of prophecy," as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, 2 PeL
I : 16-19.

V. Because much of the personal ministry of the Lord Himself was prophetic
VL Because prophecy formed an important feature in the ministry of the apostles.
VIL Because the last book in the sacred Scriptures is peculiarly prophetic. It

is a letter from the Lord Jesus to His saints some years after His ascension ; it opens
with the solemn announcement, " Behold, He cometh with clouds ; and every eye
shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him ; and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of Him ; " and concludes with, " Behold, I come quickly." The book is
introduced with, " Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
prophecy," etc. ; and towards the end it is written " Seal not the sayings of the pro-
phecy of this book."

VIII. Because most unfulfilled prophecy is connected with the personal return
and glory of Him who is the object of the affection and desire of the Lord's people.
The first resurrection will take place when the Lord Himself descends from heaven,
I Thess. 4 : 16, 17 ; the dead, small and great, being raised a thousand years after-
ward, when He to whom all judgment is committed will sit upon the great v/hite
throne, Rev, 20 : 5-12. When the enemies of the Lord Jesus are made His footstool.
He will arise from the throne on which He is now seated, to put all foes under His feet
Heb. 10 : 12, i}. When the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as
the waters cover the sea, Jesus will be King over all the earth ; in that day there
shall be one Lord, and His name one, Zech. 14 :9. — //. H. Snell.

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MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENT.

THE HOLY SPIRIT.

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THE HOLY SPIRIT.

THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

By Prof. Blakie.

AS our attention is to be mainly directed to the Holy Spirit and His work, it is
natural that we should begin by briefly considering who and what is the Holy
Spirit ? What is His relation to the other persons of the Trinity, and what is His
relation to men, especially in connection with the great work of redemption ?

It is a subject which from its very nature demands no ordinary reverence and sub-
duedness of mind. We may well take the shoes from off our feet as we approach it ;
we must address ourselves to it in a frame of holy awe. In its znte//echia/ beanngs,
the whole subject of the Trinity belongs to a region so utterly beyond the ken of our
faculties, that every inquiry that bears upon it ought to be conducted with profound
reverence and godly fear. In its practical bearings, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit
makes an equally strong demand upon our reverence, for it is in the person of the
Holy Spirit that Godhead comes into closest contact with man, and no inquiry can be
more important than that which concerns the manner in which, when the Holy Spirit
thus deals with us, we should act towards Him. If there weie some one member of
the Royal Family whose function it was, when we had any business to transact, to
come into personal contact with us, we shSuld feel that without diminishing the
respect due to those members of Royalty who kept more in the distance, we were
under special obligations to bear ourselves suitably toward him. If it be true, as we
shall presently see more clearly, that the Holy Spirit is that member of the Trinity
who comes into touch with us, with the viuw of depositing Divine elements in our
spirits, with the view of quickening us, and of moulding and fashioning us after the
Divine likeness, and in all suitable ways influencing us in accordance with the Divine
will — it becomes overwhelmingly important that we bear ourselves j^ghtly and
reverently toward Him, and abstain from all that would be displeasing ii» His sight,
and especially from all that is fitted to thwart Him and drive Him away.

The special point on which this address is intended to bear is the Personality
of the Holy Spirit. We have to consider Him not as a mere influence exerted either
by the Father, or the Son, but as Himself, a person, equally a person with the Father
and the Son. It is true that this is necessarily implied in the very doctrine of the
Trinity ; the Trinity means three persons in the unity of the Godhead, and in this
point of view it were out of the question that the first should be a person , and the
second a person, but not the third. In point of fact, however, it is found that many
persons have a much less distinct impression of the personality of the Holy Spirit than
they have of the personality of the Father and the Son. If is desirable, therefore,
that the fact of His personality, and the pro^^fs of His personality, be set clearly before
our minds at the outset of our Conference to-day.

We gather from Scripture — which is really the only source of our knowledge on

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this profound and myvcf.rious subject— that while the Father is the Eternal Fountain
ot Godhead, the Son ii: eternally bej^otten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds
eternally from the Father and the Son. We are further taught in Scripture that no
man having seen God ai any time, it is the function of the Son to reveal God, and
that it is the function of the Holy Spirit to communicate God, in all His communicaMc
attributae, to men. In reference to the scheme of redemption, it is the office of the
Father to devise^ the oflice of the Son to execute, and the office of the Holy Spirit to
apply that work. The performance of these various functions implies the personality
of each of the three persons, and certainly it implies the personality of the third as
much as of the first or the second. I do not take up your time at present with the
Scripture proofs of these varied functions of the three persons. I suppose it will be
admitted by those present that they are Scriptural. I trust, too, that there are many
here who can add to that Scriptural evidence a certain confirmation from their own
experience.

For the doctrine of the Trinity, far beyond our natural apprehensions though it
is, is susceptible of a certain verification from experience. To the natural mind the
doctrine appears not only unreasonable, but very unnecessary and even troublesome.
It seems to introduce a very needless compHcation into the unity of God. To the
natural reason of man it appears that all it is essential for God to do might be done
by one person as well as — nay, bettrr than, by three. But those to whom redempti •
has become a '•eality — those who have passed through the stages of conscious gu ,i,
and conscious disorder of soul — who have been driven from refuge to refuge, finding
all insufficient until at last they have got rest in the atoning work of Jesus, the sant ti-
fying work of the I 'oly Spirit, and the fore-ordaining- grace of the Father who lias
disposed and directed all — those who have co through all the strain of thesi
experiences, find much complacency and satisfaci. in that manifoldness of Divine
operation which is impHed in the doctrine of the Tnnity, and in that blessed and most
harmonious co-operation of all the three persons in our redemption, which is the
practical outcome of the doctrine to us. The interlacing arms of the three persons
seem to pritvide a specially sure and glorious refuge for the soul that has been tossed
with a sense of sin, after it has been driven from all the refuges of lies, while ' be
special relation of each of the three to some one aspect of the work of redemption
gives us the fullest possible assurance that every department of the work will be most
thoroughly carried out. Fhe words of the Apostolic Benediction are far more to such
persons than a threefold echo of a single sound. "The grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost," are a threefold
cord that cannot be broken.

*' The Lord bless thee and keep thee ; the Lord make His face shine upon thee,
and be gracious unto thee ; the Lord lift up His countenance unto thee and give thee
peace," acquires a new fulness and completeness when you think of it as the blessing
of the One in Three, the Three in One.

The more direct Scripture proofs of the personality of the Holy Spirit are such as
these :

I. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in relation to the Father and the Son in such
terms as imply that He is a separate person. 'I iie formula of baptism and the words
of benediction now referred to imply His personality. Why should we baptize in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, if the Holy Ghost is not a person,
if He is a mere Divine emanation or influt nee ? But even more decisive are the
terms in which He is referred to , our Lord's farewell discourse : "The Comforter,
which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name," John 14 : 26, It
were hardly possible for words to teach more clearly that the Holy Spirit is a separate
person, separate both from the Father and the Son.

II. Will and choice, the most peculiar acts of personality, are ascribed 10 the
Spirit. In i Cor. xii. 11, after an enumeration of the gifts which were common in the
early Church, we read : " All these worketh that one and the self same Spirit, dividing

The Holy Spikit.

163

to every man severally nr He will." There is no more distint t evidence of personality
among men than the exercise of will and choice, such as is here ascribed t<. the Holy
Spirit. Of similar tenor are the passages in the Acts 16:6, 7, where it is said that
Paul and his companions were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach in Asia, and
that when they tried to go into Bjthynia the Spirit suflfered them not. So also we
read, Acts 13:2, that as certain brethren ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said: "Separate Me Barnabas and I'aul for the work whereunto I have
called them." il" .ve take su passages in their na final sense tney undoubtedly, and
most distinctly, prove the fersonality of the Holy Spirit.

III. The ordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, involving will and choice as they
do, imply the Spirit's personality. These operations will be the subject of another
address. What I remark of them is that they are characterised by much variety, and
by adaptation to the circumstances of each case. The Spirit does not deal with all
alike. He has various ways of convincing and converting, of comforting, and even of
sealing. His operations are adapted to the peculiar case of each. There were great
diversities in the dealings of our Lord with individuals while He was pursuing His per-
sonal ministry. He did not deal with Zacchaeus as He dealt with Nicodemus He did not
deal with Peter as He dealt witn Thonrias ; He dia not deal with the Syiu-Phoenician
mother as He dealt with the woman that was a ssnner. Now the Holy Spirit was
sent to continue the work of Christ in drawing men and women to Himself. The
work of the Holy Spirit is characterised by the same diversity as that of Christ, and
this implies not only personality, but a busy, active, earnest mode of operation — the
work of one intensely interested in what He is doing, and prepared tobnng any or all
the resources of his Infinite Divine Nature to bear 0:1 the great work of converting,
sanctifying, and transforming the souls of men.

IV. One other proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit is found in what is said
regarding Him when His work is opposed. Scripture tells us that H.e Hoi Spirit
may be resisted, grieved, vexed, quenched. It would take too much time to t ' lully
into the meaning of these several expressions, and the orrasions to which they are
applicable. They do not imply that the Holy Spirit ever f ils in His blessed purpose
in the case of any who are the subjects of God's fore-ordaming grace. And, indted,
when it is said that the Spirit is grieved or vexed, this can only be the figure called
anthropopathy — ascribing to a Divine Being the feelings of men. But undoubtedly
the use of such words is a conclusive proof of the personality of the Spirit. It would
be wholly unsuitable to say that an influence or an emanation was grieved or vexed.
Grief or vexation, or whatever feeling answers to this in the Divine nature, is obviously
an attribute of a person

Now, in conclusion, let us ask, what is ihc practical application of this doctrine of
the personality of the Holy Spirit ? What difference does it make that the work of
regeneration, sanctification, and transformation, is not carried on by an influence or
emanation from God the Father, but by a separate Divine person ? Now, I am not
prepared to say that the difference is a difference in kind, for there have been good
men who have been Christians for years and have fully recognized the Divine source
of conversion and sanctification iiefore they understood the doctrine of the personality.
But if not a differenre in kind, it is a most decided and important difference in degree.
It gives us a new and vivid sense of the reality and overwhelming importance of the
work of renewal in the soul of man, to think that it has been specially committed to
one Divine person, that it specially occupies His Divine energies, that it is the special
subject of His thoughts md operations. Further, it gives us a vivid sense of the
honor which we ought to cherish for the Holy Spirit, the gratitude which we owe to
Him, the profound cordiality with which we should welcome Him, the dread we
should \-^- « of hindering or obstructing Him, the delight with which we should resign
ourselv' to His hands, and seek to be penetrated by His grace, and to be instruments
for His ork. Once more : this subject may well give us confidence in the complete
accomplishment '" the work of conversion and sanctificaticn, seeing it has been com-

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mitted to a Divine Being who is as much interested in it and as profoundly qualified
for it, as the Second Person was for the work undertaken by Him. Let us, then,
honor more the Holy Spirit, realise more vividly the value and importance of His
work, own more humbly our entire dependence on Him, look up to Him more earnestly
to put forth His mighty power ; and very specially let us guard more carefully against
all that would hinder Hjm in His mighty enterprise either in ourselves or in othei^.
" Because the palaces shall be forsaken, the multitude of the city shall be left, the forts
and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pastui c of flocks : until the
Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the
fruitful field be counted for a forest."

One other remark I must make in conclusion, in the way ol caution. The Scrip-
tures show us, that while there is a real sense in ■ 'hich different portions of the work
of redemption are specially connected with the several persons of the Trinity, that
sense is not an exclusive sense. That is, it does not exclude the other persons from
doing the same work. The Father sanctifies, and the Son sanctifies, along with the
Spirit ; and, indeed, it cannot be otherwise. In the ineffable mystery of the Trinity,
the acts of each are the acts of all, and the acts of all are the acts of each. For
" there are three persons in the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost :
and these three are one God, the same in substance and eoual in power and glory."
— From London Christian.

The Holy Spirit.

T65

THE HOLY SPIRIT-A BIBLE READING.

According to tho Scriptures of truth the
infinite God, maker of heaven and earth,
exists in three distinct Persons, Father,
Son, and Spirit ; " and these three are one
God, the same in substance, equal in power
and glory." The Father is God, the Son is
God, the Spirit is God. The Father is a
Person, the Son is a Person, the Spirit is a
Person. In the glorious work of human
salvation the Father plans, the Son executes,
the Spirit applies redemption t'~ the believer.
The Father sends the Son, the Son delights
to come ; the Father and the Son send the
Spirit. It is of the Spirit thus sent forth
upon such an errand of love and mercy, ^ve
are more particularly to speak.

I. The Holy Spirit is a Person.

The complete proof of personality is the
possession of personal attributes or proper-
ties and the performance of personal act-^.
"Whoever has understanding, reason, vill,
affections, i.e., the attributes of an intelli-
gent and moral agent, and puts forth
corresponding acts, must be a person.
Apart from these qualities and acts, there is,
and can be, no proof of a personal being in
the universe, whether man, angel, or God."
In the fullest and most explicit manner
every act and attribute of personality is
ascribed in the Scriptures to the Holy
Spirit. He knows. He teaches, testifies,
searches, leads, hears, speaks, reproves,
glorifies, helps, intercedes, bestows super-
natural gifts according to His will, etc., Jno.
14 17-26; 15:26; 16:7-13; Rom. 8:16, 26;
I Cor. 2 : 13 ; i Cor. 12:8-11.

1. The Lord Jesus speaks of the Spirit in
such a way as to make it evident that He
meant we should know Him to be a person.
The Greek word for the Spirit is ptteuma —
a neuter noun ; yet our Lord in John 16 : 12-
14, employs a masculine pronoun to designate
Him, saying, " Howbeit, when He, the
Spirit of truth is come. He will guide you

into all truth : for He shall not speak of
Himself," etc. (tktinos).

2. His personality is proved also from
the formula of baptism, and the apostolic
benediction. Matt. 28 : 19 ; 2 Cor. 13 : 14.
In these instances the Spirit is associated
with the Father and the Son ; if they are
persons, so is He. Moreover, it is incon-
sistent with every law of language and
reason to speak of the " name" of an energy,
or an influence, and to connect an energy
with two distinct persons.

3. Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
indicates that He is a person. Matt. 12 :3t,
32 ; Mark 3 : 28, 29 ; Luke 12:10. Properly
speaking, blasphemy is a sin which can be
committed only against a person.

II. The Holy Spirit is God.

1. He is called by Divine Names, Isa.
6 : 8, 9 , cf. Acts 28 : 25 ; Acts 5 : 3, 4 ; i Cor.
3 ; 16 ; 6 : 19 ; 2 Cor. 6 : 16.

2. The perfections of God are ascribed
to Him. (a) Omnipotence, Gen. 1:2; Job
26:13: 33:4; Zech. 4:6; Joel 2 : i8, 32;
Jno. 3:5; I Cor. 12:8-11. {b) Omnipre-
sence likewise, Ps. 139 : 7. He abides in
each individual believer, and in the uni-
versal Church, I Cor. 6 : 19 ; Jno. 14 : 16, 17.
(c) He is omniscient ; Isa. 40 : 13 ; i Cor. 2 : 9-
II. To dishonor and depreciate the Holy
Spirit is a sin of special enormity, Heb.
10 : 29.

III. The Gift of the Holy Spirit.

On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was
given in an altogether supernatural manner.
We call it the Baptism of the Spirit, for it
was the fulfilment of the promise of Jesus
made to His disciples both before and after
His resi'rrection. In John 16 : 7, we find
this somewhat strange and very significant
language; "It is expedient for you that I
go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter
will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I
will send Him unto you." Here we may

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quote also the equally significant words of
John 7 : 39 — " For the Spint was not given ;
because Jesus was not yet glorified." Of
course this language does not mean that the
Old Testament believers did not have the
Spirit, for we know on the authority of both
the Old and the New Testaments that they
did ; it means that in much larger measure
and in a different way the Spirit is given
under the present dispensation. The gift of
the Spirit at Pentecost was in consequence
of Christ's finished work of redemption, and
His ascension to the right hand of the
Father.* Hence we read in Acts 2 : 33,
"Therefore being by the right of God
exalted, and having received of the promise
of the Holy Ghost, He hath shed forth this
which ye now see and hear." Before the
death of Christ the Spirit undoubtedly
wrought in the hearts of men ; but it was not
until redemption work was completed that He
was poured forth with that copious effusion
which is the characteristic feature of our
dispensation. His presence now in the
world is so peculiar and so distinct, as that
it might well be said, He was not given until
Jesus was glorified.

IV. Emblems of the Spirit.

1. Oil, I John 2 : 20, 27 ; Lev 6, anointing
of Aaron as high priest, and afterward that
of his sons, cf. Ps. 133.

2. Seal, Eph. i: 13, 14. By the gift of the
Spirit to His people God marks them and
sets them apart as His own.

3. Earnest, 2 Cor. 5:5; Eph. i : 14. The
earnest is the pledge and security of all that
is promised.

4. Water, John 4 : 14 ; 7 : 37-39.

5. Wind, John 3 : 8.

V. Work of the Spirit.

1. Creation, Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps.
33 : 6 ; 104 : 30.

2. Inspiration, 2 Tim. 3:16; i Pet. 1:10;
2 Pet. 1 : 21.

3. Convicting the world, Jno. 16:7-11.

4. Regeneration, John 3:5; Titus 3 : 5.

5. He carries forward to completion the
new life and gracious work which He origin-
ates, Rom. 5 : 5 ; 8 : II, 14, 16 ; 2 Thess. 2 : 13.

6. Abides in believers, Jno. 14 : 16, 17 ;
I Cor. 3 : 16.

7. The Spirit grieved, Eph. 4:25-32;
I Thess. 5 : 14-22.

W. G. MOOREHEAD.

NOTES ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.

5 *

" Havfj ye received the Holy Ghost since
ye believed ? " Acts 19 : 2.

A (juestion of the deepest import — a ques-
tion put to believers. It was not, " Have ye
received Christ ? " but " Have ye received
the Holy Ghost since ye believed ? "

I. The receiving of Christ as Saviour, or
being 'born again," of the Spirit of God,
is net the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The
baptism of the Holy Ghost is subsequent to
the reception of Christ as Saviour. It is
promised, Joel 2 : 16, 17.

The Ephesian believers were saved. They
had believed in Jesus. They were disciples.

as is clearly stated in verse i of chapter 19 ;
but they, like thousands of Christians of the
present day, had not received the power
from on high, the great essential qualification
for Christian service. This brings us to our
main argument, viz:

1 . That there is a great difference between
having the Spirit in us testifying that we
are the children of God, and the Spirit upon
us qualifying in for service.-

2. All true believers have the Spirit of the
Lord. See J 10. 3 : 7, 8. But Jesus prayed
for the coming of another Comforter, Jno.
14 : 16, 17 ; Luke 24 : 49.

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The Holy Spirit.

167

3. The Lord commanded them not to
depart from Jerusalem until they were filled
with the Holy Ghost, \cts i : 4, 5.

4. The Holy Spirit comes as a dove. A dove
is the gentlest of all birds. So when the
Holy Ghost comes upon a man, he will pos-
sess the gentleness of Jesus, Luke 3 : 21, 22.

5. The Spirit by anointing, 1 Sam. 16 : 13.
Demonstration of the Spirit, Acts 2:4, 7.
The fruit of the Spirit, Acts 2:41. Fruits
of the Spirit, Gal. 5 : 22, 23.

6. This anointing may be lost. Note case
of Samson, Judges 16 : 20.

7. If you are filled with the Spirit you wiM
be misjudged. Acts 2: ii, 13.

8. There will be more power at times
than generally, Judges 13 • 24, 25.

9. The Holy Ghost is the mighty power of
God. "Dry bones live," Ezek. 37:9, 10;
and is resistless. Acts 6 : 10, 11.

10. Men are sent by the Spirit, and this
is the only right and tiue sending, Acts
10: 19, 20.

11. His leadings are perfect, Ex. 13:21.
The pillar and the cloud.

12. The Spirit is for workers and not for
lazy disciples, Ex. 31 : 3-5.

13. It is wonderful, i Sam. 10:10-12,

14. The Holy Spirit gives hunger for souls,
I Cor. 9:20; 9:22, 23 Winning.

15. It will make the timid bold, uiid the
slow of speech quick to testify, Ex. 4 : 10-16 ,
Jer. 1 : 8, 9.

16. Your words will be appropriate. You
will not strain for effect, Prov. 25 : 11.

17. Yon will feel like Elihu of old, Job
32:17, 18.

18. The anointing will also make you care-
ful in your speech. See Eccles. 5:2.

19. If placed in sudden emergency you will
be able to speak without pre-meditation.
See Matt. 22 ; 15, 21, 22.

20. There will be times when the Spirit
will lead you to be silent and answer not a
word, Matt. 27 ; 12-14 '• Luke 23 : 9, to.

21. In Genesis God came down and con-

founded the people so they could not under-
stand one another, Gen. 11:6,7. In Acts
2 : i-io, God the Holy Ghost came down,
and caused the disciples to speak so that
men of all languages could understand them.

22. Whenever the Holy Ghost is spoken of
in the Bible, He is spoken of in terms of
gentleness and love. We often read of the
" wrath of Gcd " the Father, as Rom. i : 18 ;
sad we read of the wrath of God the Son, as
in Psalms 2:12; but we nowhere read of the
wrath of the Holy Ghost.

23. Trench says that "The fundamental
idea of ' Comforter,' according to its ety-
mology and its early uses, is that of
Strengthener, and not Consoler. Like an
advocate, who being summoned to the side
of the accused or imperilled, stands by to aid
and encourage."

24. " He divides severally to every man as
He will," I Cor. 12 : 11.

25. The Gift of the Spirit is frequently
described as or by words expressive of
abundance and continuance. Thus the Holy
Ghost is spoken of as

(a) Coming, as a mighty and powerful
impulse, as in the case of " hniel, Jepthah,
Samson, personally, and upon the Church'
collectively.

(b) Poured Out, Psa. 45 : 2 ; Isa 44 : 3 ;
Joel 2 : 28, 29 : Zech. 12 : 10 ; Acts 2:17, 18.

(J) Clothing, Judges 6 : 34 ; i Chron.
12 : 18 (margin) ; Luke 24 : 49 ; " endued," or
invested with the Spirit.

{e) Dwelling, Psa. 68 : 18 ; Jno. 14 : 17 ;
Rom. 6:9; I Cor 3:16; and also 6:19.

(/) Supplying the wants of the Church,
Phil. 1 : 19.

Luke's Gospel contains the most frequent
references to the Holy Ghost of all the
Gospels. In the first four chapters we read
of Zacharias, and Elizabeth, John Baptist,
Mary, Simeon, and our Lord Himself, being
filled vfith, or moved, by the Holy Ghost.

Ar. by J. E. W.

i68

Gold from Ophir.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR SALVATION.

How often is this great and mighty person
— the Holy Spirit of God — thought and
spoken of as an influence, even by those who
profess to kn-^w Him. Thus is He dis-
honored by those who are His own children,
who are born of Him, John 3:7; and grieved
and wounded even in the house of His
friends. In Genesis, He ia nanicd as the
great cause of motion and of life. Without
Him, the deep was in darkness. By Him,
the rivers flow, the winds have power, the
rain falls, the fire burns, the dew-drops
sparkle, the lightnings flash, the thunders
roar, the clouds roll back, and the sun ap-
pears. He is the efficient cause of all life,
natural and spiritual. He gives skill to the
artist, knowledge to the learned, and wisdom
to the wise. Every good and perfect gift is
from and through Him, in whom we live and
move and have our being. In His opera-
tions in connection with our great salvation.
He is called the Spirit of life, of truth, of

grace, of adoption, of power, of comfort, and
of holiness.

He strives with sinners, Gen. 6 : 3.

He reproves (convicts) of sin, John 16 : 3.

He helps our infirmities, Rom. 8 : 24.

He comforts. Acts 9:3.

He teaches, John 14 : 26.

He guides, John 16 : 13.

He sanctifies, Rom. 15 : 16.

He testifies of Christ, John 15 : 26.

He glorifies Christ, John 16 : 14.

He searches all things, Rom. 11 : 33-36.

He worketh according to His own will, i
Cor. 13:4.

He dwells in saints, John 14 : 17.

He may be grieved, Eph. 4 : 30.

He may be vexed, Isaiah 63 : 10.

He can be resisted. Acts 7 ; 51.

He can be tempted. Acts 5 : 9.

He can be quenched, i Thess. 5 : 19.

Dr. WARD.

THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man.

No one is left in the dark, i Cor. 12 : 7.

No one can confess Christ but by the
Spirit, I Cor. 12:3.

We are born jigain by the Spirit, John 3:5.

Baptised of the Spirit, Acts i : 5.

Filled by the Spirit, Eph. 5 : 18.

Led by the Spirit, Rom. 8: 14.

Anointed by the Spirit, 2 Cor. i : 20, 21.

Sent by the Spirit, Acts 13 : 4.

Sealed by the Spirit, Eph. i : 13.

Access by the Spiru, Eph. 2 : 18.

Sanctified by the Spirit, Rom. 15 ; 16.

Taught by the Spirit, i Cor. 2 : 13.

Strengthened by the Spiri^ Eph. 3 : 16.

Comforted by the Spirit, John 14 : 26.

Gifted by the Spirit, i Cor. 12 :8-ii.
Transformed by the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3 : 18.
Habitation of the Spirit, Eph. 2 : 22.
Remember by the Spirit, John 14 : 26.
Powerful by the Spirit, Zech. 4 : 6.
Fruitful by the Spirit, Eph. 5 : 9.
We live in the Spirit, Gal. 5 : 25.
We walk in the Spirit, Gal. 5: 16.
We pray in the Spirit, Eph. 6 : 18.
We speak in the Spirit, Matt. 10 ;
We sow to the Spirit, Gal. 6 : 8.
We reap of the Spirit, Gal. 6 : 8.
Glory revealed by the Spirit,
2:9, 10.
Grieve not the Spirit, Eph. 4 : 30.
Quench not tht Spirit, i Thess. 5 : 19.

Miss KATIE A. CLARKE.

20.

Cor

The Holy Spirit.

169

THE WORK
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PREVIOUS TO PENTECOST.

: . IV. A. Southwell.

IN the consideration of this subject, we start with the truth of the Personality— the
Godhead — the essential holiness of God the Spirit.

If to the Father's eternal counsel and purpose we owe the glorious plan of salva-
tion ; if to the Son^s unspeakable sacrifice we owe the basis of salvation ; it is to the
Holy Spirit s instrumentality we are indebted for the accomplishment of all its pur-
poses. He it is who, all down the ages, has wrestled with men in their sins, and has
brought forth the fruits of grace. Ever has it been true that

" Every virtue men possess, • " ^

And every victory won,
And every thought of holiness,
Are His alone."

The Holy Spirit ! — is not the phrase at once expressive of the Divine Energy or
Force, by which is communicated life, light, order, beauty, majesty, alike to the
material and moral world ? working sometimes " soft as the breath of even," and
sometimes, as at Pentecost, "the sound of a rushing mighty wind;" thus in gentle-
ness and strength combining the two elements which are always found in the perfec-
tion of both character and working.

In carefully examining the Scripture references to our subject, we first of all find
the Holy Spirit at work in creation. Thus "the Spirit of God moved upon the face
of the waters/' whilst Job tells us how God "garnished the heavens by His Spirit,"
and David sings that " all the host of them " were made by "the breath of His mouth."

But Genesis gives us prophecy (by type) as well as history, for we read of
Joseph as "a man in whom the Spirit Cv God is," exalted to be ruler — a fitting type
of Him who, having the Spirit " without measure," shall yet wear the "many crowns"
of universal dominion.

Passing to Exodus, we find men filled " with the Spirit of God in wisdom^ and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in a.\\m?Lnr\troi workmanship iod&v'\?,& cunning
works," that they may make a place where Jehovah may dwell amongst His people.

Again, we have the same blessed Spirit given for wisdom to lead, advise, ^x^^rule.
as, for instance, to Moses, the Elders, Joshua, Elisha, Saul, David.

Another series of passages show His working in Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah, and
Samson, in the form of might, valor, invincible power^ whereby these men "subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, and obtained promises."

Continuing our examination, we find " holy men of God . . . ri^oved by the
Hcly Ghost " to declare His mind and will for the warning, or guidance, or instruction
of His people. Thus said David, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and His
word was m my tongue;" and Micah also, " I am full of power by the Spirit of
Jehovah . . . and of judgment and of might, to declare unto J[acob his trans-
gression, and to Israel his sin." Thus also on Jahaziel came the Spirit of Jehovah,
"and He said . . . Thus saith the Lord." Zechariah also speaks of " Jehovah's
words sent in His Spirit by the prpphets.''

Further,
translation of
of the events
Philip."

It is also interesting to note the evidences of the sovreignty of the Spirit's work-
ing ; in His departure from Saul because of disobedience ; and in His condescending

Ill

170^

Gold from Ophir.

to speak by the mouth of Balaam, who was otherwise a false prophet in one case
leaving a man because of his moral failure, and in the other, spcnVint by one who
had no moral qualification whatever.

Here we may note that it was doubtless in view of the depuiiuvt ot the Spirit
from Saul— thus disqualifying him for kingly rule, an4 marking C»od's displeaauj-e \viil\
Him — that King David, conscious of his sin, said, "Take not Thy Holy Spirit from
me." The only thing approaching this n the New Testament is \\\\ ic Paul expresses
a holy fear lest he be disqualified or disow;ied as a servant (not as a child of I'.od >
by becoming unprofitable, and, in that sense, a "castaway."

Now, let us see what we may gather from these several references, remembering
that the Old Testament was only a partial revelation alike of Father, Son, and Spirit,

How did the Spirit then act, and on whom?— On leaders, prophets,
kings, sweet singers, and on the rank and file of the people too, jnen and women.
Having first of all " moved upon the face of the waters," or, as the margin gives it,
" fluttered," as an eagle over her brood (compared with Deut. 32 : 11), " He " breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul."

He then came upon men, rested M^on them, girding, clothing, enduing them with
wisdom, skill, fearlessness, understanding, power to overcome.

As to the r^.y?^//.y of His working, we have to say, for the most part, " Howbeit
that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural." They were in keeping
with the character of the dispensation, which dealt with an earthly people, and gave
them an earthly inheritance. But all these things happened for an ensample to us,
whose blessing is of " the heavenly."

Thus it is clear that the working of the Spirit previous to Pentecost was of a
typical charactv^-r. T*^" " fluttering " over a chaotic world finds its antitype in the new
birth by the Spirit, the new ^ -"ation in Christ Jesus.

The abundant gift of the iiy'.nX. to Joseph foreshadowed the fulness that should
rest on the Lord Jesus Himself; whilst Isaiah uses with reference to the Spirit of
Jehovah, which should rest upon the "Branch," the identical words describing the
working of that Spirit in the "wise-hearted" ones gifted by Him to construct the
Tabernacle — its " glory and beauty " being symbolic of the greater glory and beauty
of the inner life, which should be wrought first in the Church of God, and in the latter-
day glory in Israel too. First the natural, and afterwards the spiritual !

Did the Spirit in those skilled ones of old work with earthly materials, adding
together with Divine cunning the gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, so are we by the self-same Spirit to "add to our faith, virtue, and courage, and
knov/ledge, and patience," and all the other graces " that pertain unto life and godli-
ness." What " garments for glory and beauty " are these I

Again, was there the gift of leadership and rule in those days ? Do we not find
the antitype in apostolic days, when the Lord "gave some to be apostles, and some
prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers," leading us to, and
fitting us for, not an earthly inheritance, but a heavenly ?

In like manner, the voice in the mortal prophets foreshadowed the voice in the
unchanging and incorruptible Word of God.

Yet again, what was the girding with physical power for combat between mortal
foes, and for victory over all enemies of the hosts of God, but a foreshadowing of the
power that in Gospel times should gird us for spiritual warfare ? What do we see in
the brave Othniel, in valiant Gideon, in Jephthah, the mighty man of Gilead, and in
Samson — whose strength, for a time obscured by weakness, yet became so mighty in
death — but typical workings of the Spirit of God, first in the Son of His love, who
" death by dymg slew ; '' and then in saints of God, who, " out of weakness made
strong," wrestle with and overcome, not flesh and blood, but "wicked spirits in high
places ? " Not that there was no spiritual element present with the carnal tvpe, but

tha., it lay in the b.-' -kground, whilst for all, in those days as in these, v. - '

Spirit was alone the root and power for all thai was of God.

The Holy Spirit.

17-

Then, as now, He was the Spirit ol liberty (free spirit) ; the good Spirit for guid-
ance and instruction ; and was everywhere wherever human hearts sought His grace.

Then^ He wrought for an earthly people, whose standing and relationship, and
inheritance, wiih His working, might all be lost.

lSloii\ He new-creates a heavenly people, whose portion is not here, but in the
V\t-aven8, eternally secured in Christ.

In addition, however, to the typical character of the Spirit's work, previous to
renten»Hl there was this, that He wrought in and upon men as the Spirit of servant-
skiPi in contrast with His working now as the Spirit olsonship. The solid unity of the
Church of God as "one body" was not known ; men were of the chosen nation by
natuml l>u th. Believers are now baptized into " one body by one Spirit."

The sonship of believers was a hidden mystery, and with it all that it carried — the
children's portion, the holy nearness, the co-heirship with Christ, the "Abba, Father,"
^he inheritance incorruptible and fading not away. "Behold what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us^ that we should be called children of God ; " and so
w« are, or as we sometimes sing —

" Abba, Father, Lord, "ve call Thee,

Hallowed name! from day to day ;
'Tls Thy tliiidren's right to know Thee,
NtlllB hut children. Father ! say."

All this was unrevealed and unknown.

What, then, had these glorious " sons of fame," who wrought with skill, and led
their hosts to victory, and were themselves the history of that early dawn ? This,
that this same Holy Spirit of sonship to us, was the Holy Spirit o{ senuintship to them.
May we not say with the Queen of Sheba, " Happy are these, thy serrants, which
stand continually before thee?" This was not a tithe of the blessing we now have,
yet theirs was a blessed pku e and portion, with its "dreams and visions of the night,''
when God spake with them — with the Angel of the Covenant eating, talking, wrestHng
with them — the pillar-cloud by day, and the /iery gj'^w by night, whilst they them-
selves were girded, enriched with all that was needful > ijic 'Ijj^tiiiv and discharj-^e of

" whilst lit;.'/.'/
-lant

the responsibilities of their position as servants of the " Mfost il:,

it all there fell the earliest rays of f|ay-bre<iking, when their position, wiili

types and shadows, should find fullest ;uis/.pr in the unclouded light of Ci> ^ ire

and privilege.

Pf^^ arfe, by unspeakable grace, jtf //J / and to tnis 0&t' "''^ its unff'iir../ Mil-
let us seek to adJ ilie joy of service rendered from a stai f^^y oi
knew. "For ye have not ret <-ived the Spirit of servantship leading l
ye received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we cry Abba, Father." — Fro;;: i .- / /
Truth. ' '

1 M

172

Gold from Ophik.

LIVING IN THE POWER.

2 Tim.3 : 5.

. I may profess what I like and may preach
like an Apollos, but unless my life says
" Amen " to my words they will count but
little. It is easy to write out cheques, but if
a man is known to be worthless his cheques
couiu for nothing. So it is with our words
and our profession. It is easy to profess,
but is my word confirmed by ' ' signs follow-
ing" in my daily life ? Does my manner of
life plainly declare that —

1. I have been redeemed? — Eph. 1:7;
Tit. 2 : 14.

2. Am sealed by the Spirit ? — Eph. i : 13.

3. Am a child of God ? — i John 3:2;
Rom. 8: 16, 17.

4. Am a stranger here?/.*., am one who
has no home ? — i Pet. 2:11.

5. Am a pilgrim ? i.e., am one who is go-
ing home ? — I Pet. 2 : 11.

6. Am really one of the " peculiar peo-
ple?"—! Pet. 2:9; Tit. ?. : II.

7. Am "looking for and hasting" the
hour when "my Lord shall come ? " — 2 Pet.
3:12; Tit. 2: 14.

There are many of us who are making
great professions along the line of holiness,

but are we living " godly in Christ Jesus? "
— 2 Tim. 3:12. The subject of the second
coming of Christ was never more generally
preached (as a doctrine) than it is to-day;
but are we really "waiting for His Son from
heaven ? " — i Thess. i : 10. It is very easy
for us to talk about laying up treasure in
heaven, but are we living as though our
' treasures were in heaven ? It is also easy to
talk about " separation ; " but are we really
living a life of "separation to our blessed
Lord ? " — 2 Cor. 6 : 14-18. Are we separate
from the world , its pleasures and it s practices ?

If we are are not living these doctrines
then ours is the " form without the power;"
and it is "high time for us to awake."

We sbo' Id "awake to righteousness,"
I Cor. 15:34; awake to our privileges in
that kingdom which is " righteousness, peace,
and joy in the Hoiy Spirit ; " awake to a life
of power and service ; awake " forour salva-
tion is nearer than when we first believed,"
Rom. 13 • II, 12. Oh, let us live as though
there were a power in godliness, and as
though we expected our Lord at any
moment.- W. S. MARTIN.

"THE HOLY SPIRIT" IN EPHESIANS.

I. We were sealed, on believing, with that
*' Holy Sj)irit" of promise, Eph. i : 13.

II. By ''one Spirit" we have access to
the Father, Eph. 2 : 18.

III. We are builded together for an habita-
tion of God through " the SpiHt," Eph. 2 : 22.

IV. The mystery of Christ (the Church)
was revealed to Paul by the Spirit, Eph.

3:5-

V. We are to be strengthened with all

might by "the Spirit," that Christ may
dwell in our hearts by faith, Eph. 3 : 16.

VI. We are to endeavor (o keep the
" unity ol the Spirit" in the bond of peace,
Eph. 4:3. , „.,

VII. There is one body and one Spirit,
Eph. 4 : 4.

VIII. We are not to grieve the Holy Spirit
of God, Eph. 4 :3o.

IX. We are to walk as children of light ;
for the fruit of " the Spirit" is in all good-
ness and righteousness and truth, Eph.

5:8.9.

X. We are to be "filled with the Spirit"
and its results, Eph. 5 : 18-21,

XI. We are to take the " sword of the
Spirit," v/hicb is the Word of God, Eph. 6 : 17.

XII. We are to pray always with all
prayer and supplication in "theSpifil," Eph.
J: IS, W. H.

The Holy Spirit.

173

TYPES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

I. The Dove. Jesus being baptized, the
heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost
descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon
Him, Luke 3 "21, 22.

II. Fire. Our God is a consuming fire,
Heb. 12 : 29 : He is like a refiner's fire, Mai.
3:2; He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and with fire. Matt. 3:2; there ap-
peared unto them cloven tongues like as of
fire, and it sat upon each of them, Acts 2 : 3.

III. Wind. The wind bloweth where it
listeth ... so is every one that is bora of
the Spirit, John 3:8; there came a sound
from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.
Acts 2 : 2.

IV. Water. I will pour water upon him
that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry
ground ; I will poar My Spirit, upon thy
seed, Isa. 44 : 3 ; then will I sprinkle clean
water upon you, and ye shall be clean. . . •.
I will put My Spirit withiu you, Ezek. 36 : 25-
27 ; He that believeth on Me, out of his belly

shall flow rivers of living water ; this spake
He of the Spirit, John 7:38-39; He saved
us by the washing of regeneration and re-
newing of the Holy Ghost, Titus 3 : 5.

V. Oil. The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me, because the Lord hath anointed me,
Isa. 61:1; God anointed Jesus of Nazareih
with the Holy Ghost and with power. Acts
10 ; 38 ; Thou anointest my head with oil,
Ps. 23 : 5 ; I shall be anointed with fresh oil,
Ps. 92:10; ye have an unction from the
Holy One. . . . The anointing which ye
have received of Him abidcth in you, i John
2 : 20-27.

VI. Wine. Be not drunk with wine, but
be filled with the Spirit, Eph. 5: 18; Others
mocking said. These men are full of new
wine. But Peter sa'd , . . these are not
drunken, as ve suppose. . . . But this is
that which was spoken by the prophet Joe( :
I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.
Acts 2 : 13-17.

NAMES AND TITLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

I. The Comforter. I will pray the Father,
and He shall give you another Comforter,
John 14: 16; the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, shall teach you all things, John
14 : 26 ; when the Comforter is come. He
shall testify of Me, John 15 : 26.

II. Spirit of Truth. The Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot receive, John 14 : 17 ;

the Spirit of truth, which procedeth from
the Father, John 15 : 26 ; the Spirit of truth
will guide ych. into all truth, John 16: 13.

ni. Spirit of Grace. I will pour upon
the house of David the Spirit of grace, Zech,
12:19; of how much sorer punishment shall
he b'l thought worthy who hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace ? Heb. 10 29.

IV. Spirit of Wisdom. The Spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of
counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge

and the fear of the Lord, Isa. 11:2; speak
unto them whom I have filled with the
Spirit of wisdom, Ex. 28 : 3 ; Joshua was full
of the Spirit of wisdom, Deut. 34 : g ; the
Father of glory gave unto you the Spirit of
wisdom, Eph. 1 : 17.

V. Spirit of Glory. If ye be reproached
for the name of Christ, happy ore ye; for
the Spirit of glory resteth upon you, i Vai.
4:4.

VI. Spirit d/ttlf meni. The Lord shall
wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion
by the SpirU of judgment, Isa. 4:4; when
He is come. He will reprove the world . . .
of judgment, because theprince of th's world
is judged, John 16: 8-1 r ; the Lord of Hosts
shall be for a Spirit of judgment to him that
sitteth in judgment, Isa i8 :6,

VII. Spirit of Promise. Aftpr ye believed,

|S!1
Hi

174

Gold from Ophir.

ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of
promise, Eph. 1:13; the Holy Spirit is
also called the Spirit of God, Gen. 1:2:1

Cor. 2 : 14 ; Rom. 8 : 9-14 ; i Cor. 6:11; and
the Spirit of Christ, i Pet. i : ir ; Rom.
8 : ^.—Footsteps of Truth.

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; OR, THE TWO GREAT

FAMILIES.

Text : I Cor. 12 : 1-13.

Those who are in Christ Jesus have anew
power within them. Not only new life in
Christ but a new force within — even the
Spirit of God Himself.

The law is no longer their ruler, but by the
Spirit they are enabled to fulfil the law's
irequirements, and to live to God,

First, then, the Bible divides mankind
into two vast families. In 1 oth of these

we cannot be— in one or the other we all
are.

There is no intermediate place, since birtb
determines entrance into each of them.

First, that which is natural: into this
family we all entered when we were born
into the world. Afterwards is that which is
spiritual : into this family we were brought
by grace, when we were born again.

NATURAL.
Orifin.
"That which la bom of the flesh," John
3:6.

Nature.

'Is flesh," John 3: 6.
*' After tl^e flesh, " Horn. 8:|.

stAiidini

•• In the fleihr H\n» Hs.

Inclination.

* Mind the things of the flesh," Rum. 8 : 5

Result.
"Death," Rom, 8 6.

THF. TWO GREAT FAMILIES.

bl'l RITUAL.
Origia.

" That which is born of the Spirit," John
3:6

Nature.
"\s Spirit," |nhn 3:6.
" After the Spirit," Rom. 8,3.

Standing.

" In the Sjiiiit," Rom. 8:y,

Inclination

" Mind the thlUHH nf B|iUll," Rotn. 8:5.

Result.

" Life and peace," Rom 8 : 6,

1. " The fleshly mind is enmity against God."

2. " For it is not subject to law of God."

3. " Neither indeed can be."

" So then they that are in the flesh cannot pluttse God," Rom. 8 : 7, 8.

When a man believes upon Christ, he
receives everlasting life, and then he is

I. Born of the Spirit.

This is his birthday ia divine things. Thus
he enters the family of God's people. He
receives life by the Spirit. So is the Spirit

the power for living out practically the life
he has in Christ and from Christ.

Towards this end the " flesh profiteth
nothing," John 6: 63. It has no vigor for
godly living; no strength for serving God,
or for enjoying God ; on the contrary, it is
opposed to God. See Gal. 5 : 17.

The Holy Spirit.

'75

II. Not only is the believer born of the
Spirit, he is also indwelt by the Spirit.

For ill every believer, who believes the
Gospel of Salvation, the Holy Spirit dwells
See Rom. 4 125; 5:1.

Peace regarding the righteousness of God
ia dealing with sin, and with our sins — peace
v/ith God as thogreat Judge, for He, the Just
One, justified us. Thereupon the Holy
Spirit took up His dwelling within our hearts,
and shed abroad in our hearts the love of
God.

Thus the Holy Spirit takes up His abode
within the believer, John 14 : 16. And this
being accomplished,

III. The Holy Spirit never leaves His
dwelling place. See again John 14: 16.

It is true that David prayed, " Take not
Thy Holy Spirit from me," Ps. 51: 11; but
we are not now speaking of the manifesta-
tions of the Spirit to the believer, but of the
Spirit personally dwelling within him. The
Spirit was not personally sent from the
Father and given to dwell within the believer
iiiilll II18 Lo'd JuHUS ros« from the dead.
Snfi John 7 ; 39. All our privileges are based
upon the finished work of Jesus Christ, and
are cnriHequont upon our I (iifl'if glory The
Sjjirit of fiiitj dopB not Ihen fnis^ke the
beliover, wht)fie |hii|| | Ih |ia8ilB||jtiBf| jn mnUn
Histemplia. iMit It (U |)BlU>Vbf ^l(uw Mn\l
or the flesh to act, then the Spirit of Gml Ih
grieved, He is a PorHiin witlilli lliHltnJinvcr,
who Is a grieved Person. His manlfesta-
tionHcease, HIscommunicatlonsare Intet nip-
tlnns; We witnesseth not with our Spirits
hut II futhpr dnfiH iml Imivn the house
because his child Is wilful and disobedlniit ;
but until his child be sorrv his grieved heart
finds it impossible tn pxpress its affections to
the child. He becomes the reprover of his
child. His true love to his child can act in
no other way, and the child, instead of

beholding the smile, sees grief written upon
His father's countenance.

And thus it is, too often, that the children
of God, instead of enjoying the manifesta-
tions of the Spirit of God within, are,
because of their evil and disobedient ways,
subject to the reproofs which the Spirit ad-
dresses to them. Therefore we are en-
joined — •

"Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of re-
demption," Eph. 4:50.

IV. Again the Holy Spirit of God who
dwells within His people, takes up His
abode in their hearts as h3 Spirit of Son-
ship.

See Gal. 3:26; Gal. 4: 6. He is not with us
as the Spirit of bondage, not as a Spirit
leading us to fear, but to liberty, Note Gal.
5:1. We are not by the Spirit led to doubt
our Father's love, or to question whether we
are His children. See Gal. 4:7; Rom.
8 : 15. We call Him Father by the Spirit,
Rom. 8:15.

Another thing about this Spirit of Sonship
is that it is an individual t>Iessing as well as
a family blessing.

And we know the blessing experimentally.
We know it —

1. Because God has revealed it in ftfi
u/i(m1 ; but we know it

2. JJecaiiia God has made the fact good
within out hearts ' The Spirit itself beareth
witness with our Spirit, that we are the
< lilldren of God," Rom. 8 : 16,

There is a mutual witness of love within
the hearts of earthly parent and child, but
there l.s a closer witness within our hearts to
God, for the same Spirit who iu with the
Father is also within our hearts, and Ho
makes God pur t'athfir iu ouf h^sFte what
our Father's heart Is tut ^^.—SiUcUd.

176

Gold from Ophir.

. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE BELIEVER.

Geo. C. Needham, '.'

WHAT the Spirit was to Jesus in His human nature, that He is to the believer. He
is given to the believer as the Spirit of Sonship, Rom. 8 : i6, 17. Being, first of
all, born of the Spirit into the divine family. He takes up His abode within us, so that
we are the children of God, having the Spirit of adoption. The common idea of
adoption is that of a rich man taking a beggar from the streets and treating him as a
son. So God takes us into His family. The parallel fails in one respect ; there is
noti ing in nature between the rich man and the beggar, but in the adoption of the
believer, the Spirit enables him to realize a relation already existing. "The Spirit
Himself beareth witness with our spirits." We have a spiritual nature which gives
this testimony, and it is in the line of the Spirit's own testimony, Rom. 8:16; Gal.
4:6. It is important thai we understand this relation of the Spirit to us as believers.

The Spirit is also given as a Divine seal upon the believer. We are sealed with
the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph. i : 13. See also 2 Cor. i : 22. What is this seal?
It is not some emotion or sonie experience : it is the Spirit of God Himself. This seal
is first of all a mark of genumeness. All legal documen's must have an official seal
as attesting their validity. " Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven," Matt. 7:21. It is not a question of what our frierds
think about us, but what God thinks about us. If any man have not the Spirit of
Christ he is none of His, Rom. 8 ; 9.

The seal is also for security. My spouse is a fountain iled, Cant. 4 : 12. The
sand of the desert cannot enter and mar the fountain. . his sealing also implies
ownership. " The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth
them that are His," 2 Tim. 2 : 19. It is also a mark of recognition. Sometimes we
have a peculiar mark on our goods, so that we may distinguish them from tiie goods
of others. Unless we have upon us this seal of the Spirit, God will not own us as His.

Another thought the seal carries with it, it impressis a likeness. When a seal is
placed on the soft wax, an impressii 11 is produced th;.t corresponds with the die.
So the Holy Spirit brings out in the believer His own likeness. He is the Holy Spirit
and the Spirit of truth, therefore we are to be holy and truthful. Goer's grand pur-
pose concerning us s that we may be conformed to the image of His Son. That will
not fully take place .ntil our bodies are raised from the dead; but now there is a
moral transformation going on in the life of every believer who is walk ng in the Spirit.
There is a continuous growth into the likeness of the Son , so that believers are the
epistles of Christ that may be read and known of all men : and the image of Christ to
be seen, Rom. 8 : 29 ; 2 Cor. 3:18.

Again, the Holy Spirit is given to the believer as the holy oil for anointing. " Ye
have an unction from the Holy One," i John 2 : 20. See also verse 27, which
speaks of an anointing specially for teaching. In the Old Testament there are many
beautiful symbols that typify this anointing. We read in Psalm 45, of " the oil of
gladness." We are to be joyful in the Lord. Then there is t;he oil that maketh man's
face to shine, Psalm 104 : 15 — the type of moral beauty. This anointing is upon us
that we may reflect the likeness of Jesus Christ. As He was Prophet, Priest and King,
so we are called to enter upon the same spiritual functions, and for all these
relationships we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

We are enjoined to walk in the Spirit, Gal. 5 : 16. "As many as are led bv the
Spirit of God they are the Sons of God," Rom. 8:14. Born, sealed, anointed and
led by the Spirit, we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. We are to present our
bodies to God, and this must be done in the Spirit in order to be acceptable. We are
to pray in the Holy Ghost. Our praises must be the outcome of the Spirit dwi lling
within us. Our money is to be given not merely as a matter of philanthrop\', but as

The Holy Spirit.

^71

an f)ffering which shall be as a sweet savor unto God. No service, however humble, is
wiisted, that is done in the Spirit to tl praise of His glory.

As the Spirit guard- I the dead bi^dy of Jesus, so we read in Romans 8 : ll, of the
Spirit's relations to the -.leeping saints. ..et us bear in mind when we take the bodies
of our friends to the cemeter)', and plat c them in the tomb, tuc Spirit guards them
there ; ;ind when the shout of the King is heard. He will raise them up in ylory, that
they may be fashioned like unto Christ's ^ilorious body. Our bodies arc redeemed
with the blood of Jesus Christ, and are precious to Him Let us remember that our
bodies are the prcbt nt dwelling place of the Holy Spiri It is a solemn thought, that
He has put Himself into our keeping. How careful should we be as to our associations
and our walk in life, avoiding all that would quench that divine light, or grieve our
best friend. We are not our own ; let us therefore glorify God in our bodies and
spirits which are His.

THE HOLY GHOST ^ ; ■

THE Holy Spirit Is a real person and is God. Peter said to .Vnanias, "Why hath
.Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost ? — Thou hast no d unto men,
but unto (lod, Acts 5 : 3, 4. He acted in creation, Job 26 : 13 ; spake by the prophets,
2 Peter 1:21; dwelt in Christ on earth, and dwells in every believer now, John 14 : 17;
as also in the Church, i Cor. 3 : 16. Reader ! have you received the Holy (.ihost since
you believed ? Acts 19:2. ^

He V s striven with men from the beginning, Gen. 6:3; and is the great agent of
regenerai.on, and of all the necessary work in men's souls, such as repentance and
faith for their salvatifi, Titus 3 ; 5. He is the great inside gift of God to believers,
;is the Son is God's great outside gift to the world, John 3 : 16 ; 7 : 38, 39. Those that
believe on God's Son for salvation, God anoints and seals with the Holy Ghost, who
is also the earnest, or pledge in their hearts, of their future inheritance, 2 Cor. i : 21, 22.
These believers are no longer in thi flf>sh, Christ is in them, the sentence of (l«,'ath is
written upon their bodies, and the Spin, is the pledge and agent of their resurrection
when Jesus comes again, Rom. 8:9, 11. He is also the active agent in th<- believer's
soul for all practical life after he is saved, and can be grieved, Rom. 8 : i j, 14, 23, 26 ;
Eph. 4 : 30.

In Old Testament times He came upon different men, such as Gideon, Samson,
and .Saul ; but did not indwell them.

He did not come as a Divine person to dwell on the earth, till after the ascension
of Christ, consec^uent on the work of redemption. See John 7 : 39; 14 : 16, 26 ; 15 : 26 ;
16 : 7. Now durmg Christ's sojourn at the right hand of God, He dwells on earth, in
the believer's body, i Cor. 6 : 19 ; and in the Church, i Cor. 3 : 16, till Christ comes
again for His saints ; then he will be taken out of the way, 2 Thess. 2 : 7. He will be
poured out on the Jews in the latter day, Joel 2 : 28.

To say that the Spirit by which Jesus did His work was a devil, was to blaspheme
against the Holy Ghost. For sucb a sin there is no forgiveness, Mark 3 : 29, 30.

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178

GOL.J FROM OpHIR.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.

All we can know of the Spirit is contained
in the Bible. As we are no w more intimately
related *o the Spirit than to any other person
of the Trinity, a correct knowledge of His
person and wo ^k is of the utmost importance
to the believer.

The doctrine of Scripture is that the
Spirit is the executor of God. What God
does is done by the Spirit.

I. Hence at the very first wo find Him
presiding at Creation, Gen. 1:2; Job 26: 13;
33:4; 32:8; Ps. 104:30.

n. This creative power is made the sym-
bol of the new creation — the new birth.
Hence wa find that the soul is like chaos
until the Spirit acts — no order, no life- the
soul is desolateness and emptiness. Compare
John 3:5; I Cor. 12:3; iThess. 1:5; Tit.
3:5; illustrated by Gen. 41:38; Num. 11:17,
25i 29; I Sam. 10 ; 6: 16 : 13, 14 ; Isa. 61 : i.

HI. The field of the Spirit's work at first
seems to have been consigned to a few, Joel
2 : 28 ; Isa. 44: 3. His dispensation had not
yet arrived. He was to take Christ's place,
John 14:16; 16:7. "The premise of the
Father" was fulfilled. Acts i and 7.

IV. The history in the book of Acts is ihe
record of the Acts of the Holy Ghost, indi-
cating the part He was to take hereafter in
the economy of the Church, Acts 4:8, 31 ;
5:32; 6:3,5; 7:51.55: 8:15; 9:17,31:
10:44, 47; 11:15, 16; 13:2, etc., etc.;
19: 26.

V. In the Epistles the doctrine is based
on the history — the actual experience, Rom.
15:13; I Cor 2:13; 6:19; 2 Cor. 13:14;
Heb. 6:4:2 Tim. 1:14; Jude 20.

VI. "Therefore" grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, Epa. 4 : 39.

J. C. HILL.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EPKESIANS.

I. Eph. 1 : 13. " In whom ye also trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation : in whom also,
after that ye believed, ye were ^saled with
that Holy Spirit of promise." You heard,
you trusted; and then, having believed, ye
were sealed with the Holy Ghost — the seal
of God upon you, saying : T uis soul is mine ;
it belongs to Me. That is the first thing.

II. Eph. 1:17. "That the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father o^ glory, may
give unto you the spirii. o^ wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of Him.'

III. Eph. 2 : i8. " Through Him we both
(Jew and Gentile) have access by ono Spirit
unto the Father."

JV. Eph. 2:22. "In whom ye also are
builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit."

V. Eph. 3 : 16. "That He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory, to be
strenfTthened with might by His Spirit in

the inner man; that Christ may dwell in
your hearts by faith ; that ye, being rooteii
and grounded in love."

VI. Eph. 4:4. We read that there ;s one
Spirit, and just because there is one Spirit
there is one body, and one unity of the
Spirit that must be kept.

VII. Eph. 4:30. " Grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption."

VIII. Eph. 5:9. The fruit of the Spirit
13 said to be in all goodness and righteous-
ness and ttuth.

IX. Eph. 5: 18. " Be not drunk with wine,
wherein is excess, but be filled with the
Spirit." Strengthened by the Spirit, filled
by the Spirit, having the fruits of the Spirit,
taking "the sword of the Spirit, which is the
word of God."

X. Eph. 6:18. " Praying always with all
prayer and rupplicatiop in the Spirit." —
Notts Jor Bible Study.

The Holy Spirit.

179

BIBLE NOTES ON THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I. Not by might nor by power, but by My
Spirit, Zech. 4 : 6.

II. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
Joel 2 : 28.

III. Be filled with the Spirit, Eph. 5: 18.

IV. My Spirit shall not always strive with
man, Gen. 6: 3.

V. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God,
Eph. 4 : 30.

VI. Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost,
Acts 7: 51.

V;!. How is it tuat ye have agreed to-
gether to tempt the Spirit of the Lord ? Acts
5:9.

VIII. Quench not the Spirit i Thess.
5:19- •

ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT.

I. Oil for the light, Exod. 25 : 6.

" They that were foolish took their lamps,
and took no oil with them : but the wise took
oil," Matt. 25 :3, 4. "Ye are the light of
the world," Matt. 5:14. "Arise, shine,"
Isa, 60: I. " Noi by might, nor by power,
but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts,"
Zech. 4:6.

II. Oil upon the meat offering, Lev. 2 : 15.
" God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the

Holy Ghost and with power," Acts 10 : 38.

III. Oil for anointing '. {a) PYophet.

" Elisha shalt thou anoint to be pro-
phet in thy room," i Kings 19: 16. " I will
pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy,"
Joel 2 : 28, 29. "They were all filled with
the Holy Ghost." Acts 2 :4. " He will show
you things to come," John 16:13. 'Ye
have an unction from the Holy One, and ye
know all things," i John 2 : 20. (i) Priest,
^ev. 8:30. (<r) Alrw^, I Samuel 16 : 13. "Ye
are a royal priesthood," i Peter 2:9. " He
b.ilh made us kings and priests unto God and
his Father," Rev. 1:6. "He which hath
anointed us is God," 2 Cor. i : 2:.

IV. Oil for healing.

" Pourng in oil and wine," Luke la: 34.
"The Comforttr, which is the Holy Ghost,"
John 14: 26.

V. Oil of joy.

" God, thy God, hath anointed thee with
the oil of gladness above thy fellows," Ps.
45 :7. "The oil of joy for mourning," Isa.
61 : 3. "Thou anointest my head with oil;
my cup runneth over," Ps. 23:5. "The
kingdom of God is.... joy in the Holy
Ghost," Rom. 14:17. "The frrit of th^
Spirit 's. . . .joy," Gal. 5 : 22. [6, 7

VI. Oil of separation. Lev. 21 : 10-12; 10:
Once anomted with the holy oil, the

anointed ones could not, dared not, live as
others. "Come out from among them, and
be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not
the unclean thing," 2 Cor. 6:17. "Know
ye not that your body is the temple of the
Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have
of God, and ye are not your own ? For ye
are bought with a price; therefore glorify
God in your body, and in your spirit, which
are God's," i Cor. 6: 19, 20.

VII. The land of promise was a land of
oil-olive, Deut. 8:8.

The walk of faith is a walk in the Spirit.
" If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit," Gal. 5 : 25. " We all, with oj)en
face beholding as in a glass the glory of the
Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord," ■! Cor. 3 : 18.

J\NET CLARK.

ilia

•ill

tiriwuBil

iMi

tiiii

180

Gold from Ophir.

now OUR NEEDS ARE MET r»Y THE PROMISES OF THE

HOLY SPH<IT.

I. When we are unloving, Rom. 5 : 5.

II When we cannot pray, Rom. 8 : 26, 27.

III. When our prayers seem not to reach
the Father, Eph. 2 : 18.

IV. When we are weak in faith, i Cor.
12:8,9.

V. When we are weak in purpose, Eph.
j:i6.

VI. When we fear others, 2 Cor. 3 : 17.

VII. When we do not understand the
Word, I Cor. 2 ; 10, 11.

VI I i. When we do not know what to do
or where to go, Jno. i.\ : 2G ; iG : 13.

IX. When we feel our inability, Zech, 4 : 6.

X. The prpcious promise, Luke 11:13.

F. A. HATCH.

THE SEVEN OPERATIONS OF TIHi HOLY SPIRIT IN JOHN.

I. Quickening, John 3 : 5.

II. Indwelling, John 4 : 14.

III. Outflowing, John 7 : 38.

IV. Comforting, J 'm 14 : 16, 17.

V. Teaching, John 14 : 26.

VI. Testifying against the world, see

John i5 : 8-11 ; 14 : 16, 17.

VII. Prophesying, John 16: 13: — Of the
rapture of the saints; of the awful judgments
to come uf)on the wicked.

PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I. The Koly Spirit as a pevson is as-
sociated with the Father and the Son,

Matt. 28: 19; 2 Cor. 13 : 14; Matt. 3 : i6, 17 ;
Eph. 2 :22.

II. The Holy Spirit is represented as a
di&tinct agent, John 14:16; John 15:26;
John 16:7-15; I Cor. 12:8-11 ; Acts 7: 51;
Acts 13: 2, 4; Acts 28: 25.

Ill Divine attributes are ascribed to the

Holy Spirit, Acts 28:25 ; Heb, 10:15; Jer.
31:33; Jer. 10: r; i Cor. 2 : 10, 11 ; John
3:5; John 1:13.

IV. Will and feeling are ascribed '.o

Him, .1 Cor. 12: 1 ! Eph. 4 : 30 : Isa. 63: lu.

V. He is a sent Messenger and Teacher,
John 14 : 16, 26; John 15:26; John itf-j,

13. 15

VI. The Holy Spirit and Spirit of God
are identical in some passages, Acts 2:17;

Joel 3: 1-5; Acts 10: 38; Luke 4:18; Isa. 61;
2; Mark 12 :36.

VII. The Holy Ghostis called God, Acts
5:3,4; I Cor. 3 : 16. 17 ; 2 Cor. 6 : 16 ; Eph.
2 : 22 ; I Cor. 6 : 19.

VIII. The Holy Spirit quickens the
mind, Rora. 12 : 6, 8 ; i Cor. 13 : 27, 28 ; Ex.
31:3,6; Ex. 35:31,35; I Kings 3: 7-12; I
Kings 4 : 26 ; Jud. 3 : 10 ; Jud. f^ : 34 ; i Sam.
11:6; I Sam. 16: 14.

IX. The Holy Spirit inspires to teach
God's will, John 14 : 26 ; John 15 : 26 ; John
16:13; Luke 1:67; Acts 21:11; 2 Pet.
1:21; 2 Sam. 23 : 2 ; 2 Chron. 20 : 14 ; Micah
3:8; Judges 6: 34; i Chron. 12: 18; 2 Chron.
24 : 20 ; Luke 24 : 49,

The Holy Spirit effects whatever is done
in the soul by special divine agency to ac-
romplish justification an 1 sanctification

S. H. TYNG.

TiiK ]Ioi,Y Spikrr.

t8i

EMBLEMS OE Till-: llOLV SPIREr

V, Rain and Dew, Deut. 32:1-3; Mic.

I. Water, John 7 : 37-jij. — Cleansing — Re-
freshing — Freely Given

II. Fire, Acts 2:2-4; Matt. 3 : 11— Puri-
fying— Warminrj — Illuminating. ^iug.

III. Wind, John 3 : 8 —Powerful— Re viv-

IV. Oil, Isa. 61 : 1 ; Luke 4 : 18— Healing
— Comforting.

5 : 7. — Fertilizing — Refreshing — .Vbundant.

VI. Dove, Luke 3 • 22. — Gentle — Meek —
Forgiving. ■. , :

VII. A Voice. I Kings ig : 12, 13 ; Isa. 30:
21.— Teaching — Guiding — Warning.

THE POWER OE THE HOLY GHOST.

I. In the first place the Spirit of God is
the Power of God, compare Matt. 12 : 28,
with Luke ir : 20.

II. Christ commenced His ministry in the
Power of the Holy Ghost, see Luke 4:14.

III. The Power of the Holy Ghost was
exhibited in the creation, see Gen. 1:2; Psa.
104 : 30.

IV. Exhibited i Ihe conception of Christ,
Luke 1:35.

V. Exhibited in raising Christ from the
dead, i Peter 3 : 18.

VI. Exhibited in working miracles, *Rom.
15: 19.

VII. Exhibited in making the Gospel effi-
cacious, I Cor. 2:4:1 Thtss. I : 5.

VIII. Klxhibited in overcoming all diffi-
culties, Zech. 4 if), 7.

IX. Promised by the Father, I.,uke 24 : 49.

X. Promised by Christ, Acts i-A.— Selected.

THE OFEICE OE THE HOLY GHOST.

The office of the Holy Ghost may be
illustrated in this way, making a distinction
between His miraculous and ordinary influ-
ences, the latter of which more immediately
concerns us to obs jrve :

I. Through the preaching of A crucified
id risen Saviour (as on the Day of Pente-
cost) the Holy Ghost will convict of sin,
thus teaching the very murderers of Christ
to surrender themselves to His service and
be filled with the Holy Ghost. " And they
were all filled with the Holy Ghost," Acts
2:4; 4:31-

II. The Holy Ghost fell on them that
heard, Acts 10 : 44. On them was poured
the gift of the Holy Ghost, verse 45.

III. The Gentiles may receive Himaswel!
as the Jews. " The Holy Ghost fell on them
as on us at the first," Acts 11 : 15.

IV. All that ever were in the church of
Jesus Christ, or now are, or will be, are

brought into it by the baptism of the Spirit.
" Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost,"
Acts 1:5. "For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews
or Gentiles," i Cor. 12 : 13.

V. No person can say that Jesus is the
Lord but by the Holy Ghost, i Cor. 12 : 3.

VI. By Him we are sealed and anointed as
His, Eph. 1:13; I John 2 : 27.

VII. By Him some are set apart to the
ministry of the Gospel. The Holy Ghost
said, " Separate me Barnabas and Saul lor
the work whereunto I have called them,"
Acts 13 :2.

VIIT. He sends the true ministers. " So
they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,
departed," Acts 13:4,5; 2 Sam. 23 : 2.

IX. He influences them what and how to
jircach. " Which things also we speak, not
in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
hut which the Holy Ghost teacheth,' i Cor.

h IS \

\ il

182

Gold from Ophir.

2 ; I j. Their preaching did not come in
" •A'ord only, but also in power, and in the
Holy Ghost, i Thess. i : 5."

X. Therefore the true church is a spiritual
church or house, i Peter 2 : 5, being built
together by the Spirit. "In whom ye also

are builrled together for a habitation of God
through the Spirit," Eph. 2:22 "We are
the circumcision, which worship God in the
Spirit, . . and have no confidence in the
flesh." Phil. 3 : 3.

JOHN FETTERHOFF.

THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I. He Convicts, Converts, and Sancti-

fies.

1 He reproves, see John i6 : 8.

2 Convicts, Micah 3:8.

3 Strives, Heb. 3:7.

4 Instructs, Neh. 9 : 20

5 Aids the preached word, i Thess. 1:5.

I Peter i . 12.

6 Quickens, John 6 : 63.

7 Renews, Titus 3:5.

8 Imparts love to God, Rom. 5:5.

9 Leads, Psalms 143 : 10.

10 Upholds, Psa. 51 : 12. :

11 Prevails, Zech. 4 : 6.

12 Washes and justifies, i Cor. 6:11.

13 Gives liberty, 2 Cor. 3 : 17.

14 Aids in mortifpng sin, Rom. 8 : 13.

15 Resists the flesh, Gal. 5 : 17, 18.

16 Changes from glory to glory, 2 Cor.

3:18.

17 Aids in living unto God, i Peter 4 : 6.

II. The Holy Ghost the Comforter.

I Is given by the Father, John 14 : 16.

2 Is given by Ch.ist, Isaiah 61 : 1-3.

3 Is given through Christ's intercession,

John 14 : 16.

4 Is sent in the name of Christ, John

14 : 26.

5 Is sent by Christ from the Father,

John 15 : 26.

III. As Comforter He communicater joy
to the Saints, Rom. 14 : 17.

1 Edifies the church. Acts 9 : 31.

2 Testifies of Christ, i John 4:2.

3 Imparts the love of God, Rom. 5:3-5.

4 Imparts hope, Rom. 15 113.

5 Witnesses with Saints, Rom. 8 : 16.

6 Gives access to the Father, Eph. 2:18.

7 Seals believers, Eph. i : 13 ; 4 ; 30.

8 Imparts joy, i Thess. 1:6.

9 Dwells with and in Saints, John 14:17.

10 Abides forever with Saints, John 14:16.

11 Is known by Saints, John 14 : 17.

12 The world cannot receive, John 14 : 17.

— Scripture Text Book.

THE SPIRIT'S WORK IN BELJEVERS.

I. He teaches us to sanctify ourselves.
See 2 Tim. a : 21, also verse 19 ; 2 Cor. 7:1.

II. He teaches us what to fpl'ow, Heb.
12 : 14.

III. Our responsibility is to abstain from
all that is contrary to the Word, the Spirit's
teaching, i Thess. 4:3-7.

IV. The Holy Spirit is the direct agent
in actually conveying to us all that con-
tributes to our sanctification.

V. By Him we are changed, 2 Cor. 3 : 18 ;
iCor. 6:xi; Rom: 15: 16; 2 Thess. 2:13;
I Peter 1:2.

VI. By Him we are " baptized into one
body." See i Cor. 12 : 13, 27; also Rom.
12:5: Eph. 4:25.

This is the real "baptism of the Spirit."
which our Lord promises to His people,
Acts 1 : 5, and of which all true believers are
partakers. See how beautifully the reality

|tt!

The Holy Spirit.

183

of this union is unfolded in Eph. 4 ; 22-32.
Here the relationship of the believer to
Christ is so closely and so marvellously
figured by that of a man's flesh to the man
himself, verse 29 ; and believers are actually
spoken of in the most remarkable manner as
" members of His body, of His f^esh, and of
His bones." See verse 30.

VII. By Him are the various gifts dis-
tributed. See I Cor. 12:4-11.

Lastly. Not only is it the office of the

Holy Spirit to effect these realities, but also
to make us know them. He works a con-
sciousness and assurance of them in the
heart that simply believes them. This is
important and should be thoughtfully con-
sidered by some whodoubt the possibility of
such an assurance, or who a all events
regard ii only as the privilege of a few ad-
vanced or mature Christians. See i John
3:24. "We know," etc., I Jno. 4:13; Rom.
8 : 15, 16 ; Gal. 4:6; i Jno. 5 : 10.

CHARACTER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I. He is God. See Exodus 17:7, comp.
with Heb. 3: 7-9.

II. He is called God, Acts 5: 3, 4.
HI. He is called Eternal, Heb. 9 : 14.

IV. He is c.^1!p:1 Omnipresent, Psalms
139:7-13

V. He is called Omniscient, i Cor. 2: 10.

VI. He is called Omnipotent, Luka i :35;
Rom. 15: 19.

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Gold from Ofhir.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SERVICE.

W'E know thnt one effort put forth in ;he power of the Holy (Ihost is worth a whole
life-time of service without Him. While meditating on this subject I have been
impressed with the need there is in these days that Christian workers should be more
fully anointed with power from on high. Why cannot we, as the disciples of old, wait
for ten days before the Lord, that we may receive a baptism of the Spirit ? I am sure
we all feel that we are not filled full as we wish to be. Where is the hindrance? Is
not the Lord willing to pour out a blessing according to His promise ? I do not know
that it would be a waste of time if our Christian merchants were to close their shops,
and our ministers close their studies, so as to meet in some central place from day to
day and cry for an outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Indeed, I do not know but I may
in these remarks be occupying precious time that ought to be spent on our knees.
But if they should lead us to our knees afterwards, the time will not be misspent.

Service implies that we are already brought into relationship with the Lord. And
if we are Servants, that involves the still closer relationship of Sons. "Son, go work
to-day in my vineyard." God employs not hirelings, but sons. I remember goin^
with my wife to visit an interesting lighthouse on the New Jersey coast. She made
the remark to the light-house keeper : " When you hear the wind blowing and the stonn
raging, are you not filled with fear for your safety ?" "Oh, no," he replied, "my own
safety is secured. I bend all my energies to keeping the reflectors bright and the
lamps fiUed with oil ; I think about the safety of others." So when the Christian
knows the.* his own safety is secured, he will endeavor to shine out upon the dark
waters of sin for the safety of those who are perishing in their unbelief.

For this service we need power. In Micah 3 : 8, we read: " I am full of power
by the Spirit of the Lord." Any man who rebukes a backsliding people needs to be
full of power. Our Lord said to His apostles, " Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until
ye be endued with power from on high," Luke 24 : 49 ; Acts 1:8. So that we in
New Testament times need the very same power that the Old Testament prophets
had, whether our services take the form of rebuking sin, or witnessing for Jesus and
inviting sinners to Him.

This power of the Holy Spirit may be represented in a two-fold manner — power
within us, and power resting upon us. "The water that I shall give hir/ shall \>&ln
him a well of water springing up into everlasting Hfe," John 4:14. This denotes the
personal life and experience of the believer. " He that believeth on Me, out of him
shall flow rivers of living water," John 7 : yj — not a well only, but a fountain. This is
the real secret of ministry — not receiving the Spirit once for all, but putting ourselves
under the Divine inflow, that He may flow through us in the form of service and
ministry for others.

When God made choice of a man to do the work of constructing the Tabernacle,
he must be endowed with wisdom by the same Spirit as fitted Moses for the work of
leadership. In all the detail work of the churches we need men qualified by the
power of the Spirit dwelling within them.

It is said of John the Baptist that from his birth he should be filled with the Holy
Ghost, Luke i • 15, 16. He was to lie a Nazarite— one separated unto God from the
womb. Think of his marvellous ministry, which lasted only about nine monthn. For
further instances of the enduement with power in the early Church, see Acts 2 : 4 ;
4:31 ; 6:3-5.

But there is something beyond ; we want not only to be filled with the Spirit, but
to overflow. " I am full of matter, the Spirit within constraineth me, I will speak that
I may be refreshed," Job 32 : 18, 20. Our testimony from the Lord ought to refresh us
if we are like Elihu. " My heart is inditing a good matter" — buub' iig up like those
hot springs that burst from the earth — "I speak of the things vhich I have made
touching the King," Psalm 45 : i. When a man is full of the Holy Ghost his talk will

«««ipp

The Holy Spirit.

185

not be about himself. Let us pray that there may be such a fullness of the Spirit
within us that it must find vent : that we must talk that our hearts may be refreshed.
The other thought is the power of the Spirit upon us. In this aspect the Spirit is
represented by the oil. How frequent, in the symbolic rite? of the Old Testament
|)ricsihoo(l, was the use of the consecrating oil ! As illustrations of the power of God
resting on his servants, see Joshua -Num. 27:18; Dcut. 34:9; Gideon— Judges
6:34; Samson— 13 and 14; Elisha — 2 Kings 2:9; Zechariah 2 Chron. 24:20.
See also, Is. 32 : 1 5 ; Ezek, 37. As we go forth to service among the dry bones of this
world rtf sinners, "dead in trespasses and sins," let us claim the promise of the Holy
Ghost u])on us. If wc continually feel our entire dependence on Him, He will not
leave us. He will be in»ui and upon us, clothing His own word with mighty power.

C N.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CHARACTER.

IN the sight of God we are judicially perfect in Christ, Judo 24 ; Col. i : 22. He is
now presenting us by His priestly ministrations, and in His own inherent holiness,
as a holy people to the Father. The ultimate purpose of Jesus Christ is to "present
unto Himself a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle," Eph. 5:27. But we are
still in the body, and the Holy Spirit is given that He may keep us without spot and
blameless unto the coming of our Lord.

There are many elements that go to make up character. First of all, there is life.
The third person in the Ciodhead is called "the Spirit of Life," Rom. 8:2. It is essen-
tially the work of the Spirit to produce life in the soul of man. Then He comes to
dwell in the living soul. He loves to dwell in the scene of life, to provide for Himself
a princely palace in tho heart of regenerate man.

Another element of character is truth. The man who is not truthful even in the.
world's estimation is not a man of good character. So the Spirit is called the .Spirit
of Truth, John 14:17. In all our transactions, and in all our relations w>th our
fellowmcn, we must be truthful, else our Christian testimony will be of no avail. Three
times in the three chapters, John 14-16, the Holy Ghost is termed the Spirit of Truth,
lie guides us into all truth; presents the truth to us; and leads us to walk in the
truth.

He is also designated the Spirit of holiness, Rom. 1 : / There can be no real
Christian character without practical holiness. God hath l -)sen us in Christ, that
we should be holy, Eph. 1:4. If we bear the name of Christ we are commanded to
be holy, 2 Tim, 2 : 19. Holiness primarily means separation. Practically it is moral
excellence. We are to follow after holiness, Heb. 12:14. As a dog scenting the
game is intent on the pursuit of it, so the believer is to lay out all his energies in the
///rj//// of holiness. It must be the great object of our renc.^d life.

Our " conversation" is to be holy ; this word covers the whole life of the believer.
To this end the Spirit is given— to lead us in the paths of holiness, that the world may
be convinced of the reality of our profession and our possession of that which they do
not possess. Thus, if we should never open our lips, we may exemplify a holiness of
character that shall win others to the feet of our Lord and King. As McCheyne said,
" What a dreadful weapon in the hands of God h a holy man ! " In proportion as we
are holy, the power of the Spirit shall rest upon us.

Then He is called the Spirit of wisdom, which is another element of character.
We read of Bezaleel, who was filled with the Spirit of God in wisdom, Ex. 31:2. A
man may show worldlv or intellectual wisdom without the Spirit, but the wise in heart
are taught by the Spirit of God.

Strength is another element of character. Power was given to the early disciples

1 86

Gold from Opiiir.

t| i::)

M'A-

for testimony, for witir^ss bearing, «ind also for endurance So in all times of prr«!prn
lion and reproach, if we are to take our stand for (iod in testimony to those around
us, we need the strength which will enable us to endure.

Goodness, too, is an important element in chanicter. " Thy Spirit is good," I's.
143:10. When in the early days of the Church they wanted men to manage their
secular affairs, they were enjoined to look out for those who were "of honest report,
fill of the Holy Ghost," Acts 6:3. Barnabas was "a good man, and full of the Holy
Ghost," Acts n : 24. Apart from public testimony, or public position, goodness must
be seen in the personal life. In those early days the Church looked not for moneyed
men, or m in of social influence and position, but for men of sound judgment, and who
were irreproachable in their personal life, upon whom the Holy Ghost was resting.
In our own day we need officials in the Church who shall be above criticism.

Character, in short, ir Christ formed in us through the Spirit. In all the minuti;e
of domestic life, and commercial life, just as much as in public testimony, the power
and te.iching of the Spirit are needed for the building up of true Christian character.
The pagan king Pharaoh attributed the character of Joseph to the Spirit of God. By
his patience, meekness, truthfulness, and purity of life he won from Pharaoh this
eulogy: " Can we find such an one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?"
Gen. 41 :38. So let us yield ourselves to the power of the Holy Ghost that He may
chisel off the angles and corners, tone down the harsh lines, .ind bring out in us the
image of Jesus Christ. Let our prayer be, not so much that we may be great, as that
we may be holy, men and women. G. C. N.

THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE HEARING OF FAITH.

Gal. 3 :2.

IT is the Holy Spirit that is the life of a Church and the life of a soul. No Spirit, no
life 1 It is through this Spirit that the man awakes — opens his eyt, his ear, his
heart. This Spirit is first with the sinner, revealing the truth to him a.id enabling
him to believe It. Not self, nor man, nor the flesh is first, but the Holy Ghost. It is
He who moves on the face of the waters.

But there is another side of the question which our text brings before us ; namely,
the receiving of the Spirit a^ter believing, as the result of " the hearing of faith." In
neither is there any visible illapse, or audible voice, or perceptible touch — anything
contrary to or out of the region of our faculties ; still both are real. It is to the second
that our verse refers. And the question to be solved is this : Does He come in con-
nection with the law or the- Gospel ? Is he received by working or by believing?
Does the preaching of law, or the preaching of grace, bring Him ? The Apostle
appeals to the experience of the Galatians, when first he comes to them preaching the
Gospel. It was in connection with that Gospel which he preached that they received
the Spirit : and that Gospel was not the Gospel of working, but of beheving the Spirit
came down on them, when he delivered his message of grace, and they received that
Spirit in receiving the good news.

The Apostle refers to one thing only here, as the result of a received Gospel— the
Spirit. But in like manner are all the blessings of the new covenant received. Thus is
Christ Himself received: by "The hearing of faith." Thus is pardon received: by "The
hearing of faith.'' Thus is life received : by " The hearing pf faith." " So we preached
and so ye believed." It is not as workers of good works, or doers of God's law, but as
listeners to His Gospel, that we are receivers of His blessir*^. It is not as workers,
but as listeners, that we are receivers of His Spirit. " Hear, and your soul shall live ;"
" Hearken unto Me ; '' " Listen, O ye isles ; " " Blessed is the man that hearetli Me ;"

The Holv Spirit.

i8r

" Hear ye deaf ; " " He that hearcth My words ; "

(i; He is the promise of

" He that hath an ear, let him hear
" Hicssed are they that hear. "

I. The Holy Spirit is God's specia^ gift to us.
the Father. (2) He is tlic Church's special birthright. (3) He is in the hands of the
risen vSa\iour. {4) In Him are all the ^^ilts needed by the Church as a whole and by
each saint. In the S|)irit all is contained that we need. The Father is most willing
to bestow Him ; the Son is most willing to shed Him down ; He is most willing to
come. We need Him much. As the earth without rain and sunshine turns to bar-
renness, so it is with the Church or soul without the Spirit. But still He is " ministered "
or "given " or dispensed in a particular way, God's way — the way that will honor the
Father and glorify Christ.

II. He is not received in or by working. None 01 God's gifts are thus
received ; least of all the Spirit. The law does not procure us the Spirit. Works do
not contribute to our obtaining it. We do not serve in order to obtam the Spirit, but
we obtain the Spirit in order that we may serve. First the Spirit, then work ; not
first work, then tJie Spirit. The works that we do without the Spirit, or previous to
our receiving the Spirit, arc in themselves poor and unprofitable, nor can they in any
way secure the Spirit for us.

III. He is received by the hearing of faith. The expression is a peculiar
one. It is not simply " hearing,'' nor "faith," but the "hearing of faith," that obtains
for us the Spirit. What does it mean, then ? Not that faith which leads to hearing,
but that heariog which leads to faith (or believing). It is in listening to the Divine
word that faith springs up, and then the Spirit comes in and fills us with all His gifts
and graces. No doubt the Spirit must work in order to our hearing and believing ;
but then He works most fully after that we have believed. It is the believing soul that
is the vessel for receiving all His fulness. The Holy Ghost then does not come —

(1) By works. Works cannot v/in, or buy or deserve. He is the free Spirit.
I'salm 51 : 12.

(2) By chance^ at random. There is no chance work in the mission of the Holy
Ghost.

(3) J^y mirnde, as at Pentecost. It is the same Spirit, but not by open miracle.

(4) By mere sovereignty. God is sovereign j yet He gives the Spirit in an
appointed way, and according to promise.

But in believing, and by believing, in proportion to our faith. The simpler and
stronger our faith the more of the Spirit.

Let us believe /flr the Spirit. Not simply believe and hope that by-and-by the
Spirit will come in power upon us, but believe for Him — that is, earnestly and believ-
ingly desire Him, and desire more of Him. Our unbelief hinders Him, grieves Him.
Let us beware. Only believe, and be filled with the Spirit.

The age thinks it can do without the Spirit. Let the Church watch against this
blasphemy. Let her keep hold of the Lord's promise, the promise of the Father. Let
her prize the gift, long for more of it. Let our cry be contmually, " More of the Holy
Spirit ; more of His fulness ; more of His gifts and graces."

Not human intellect or genius, but the power and wisdom of the Holy Ghost !
Study and culture may do much for the mind in widening and filling it, but more is
needed. Man's faculties, well disciplined according to the progress of the age, may
raise him to no inconsiderable height, but only the Divine Spirit can lift a fallen being
out of the region of darkness and evil into sympathy with the " age to come," into
communion with the living God. — Selected.

;ii.

THE SCRIPTURES

iS^aKl': h.'-.l

I ^^

* "1

Mwj

} ;|

• ,1 ' t > 11 . • t -■ I <

t •

THE SCRIPTURES.

GOLDEN BELLS AND POMEGRANATES; OR, WORD AND

,:/:■;; ;•;;.■.. ■ ^ ""LIFE. ' ^-^vS;" ^'^'^ -^

'.;-;:f " ,:-,-"' By J. E. Wolfe.

" A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of
the robe round about." — Ex. 28 : 34.

THE typez of the Old Testament are full of significance to the Spint-taught child of
God. To him they interpret in the most practical manner the spiritual truths of
the New Testament. In other words, they carry to him God's comment on His own
most precious word. The personal characteristics of the Lord Jesus Christ shine forth
most luminously in the types, and shadows, and symbols of the Old Testament
Scriptures.

These types, from whatever cause, ha', e been much neglected, notwithstanding
that our Lord furnishes the key to their interpretation in that saying of His, " MoSES
WROTE. OF Me." Again tlie Holy Spirit dedares through Paul, i Cor. 10 : 12 ; "Now
all these things happened UPto them (the children of Israel,) for types (see marginal
reading) ; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world
are come."

The Person and work of God's Beloved Son is the substance of all types, promises,
and prophecies. The exercise of tracing out those lines of truth which centre in Him,
with the application of their meaning to ourselves, is one of the most glorious objects
that the devout student of the Word can possibly have before him. Such study, when
rightly conducted, not on the basis of mere idle curiosity, but with the right motive
and principle, will lead to blessed discoveries of "heights and depths, and lengths and
breadths," of Him who is " God manifest in the flesh."

The 28th chapter of Exodus is a volume of spiritual beauty. A life time of study
could not fathom its depths nor exhaust its boundless stores. In this chapter we
have a minute description given of the separation of Aaron to the priesthood ; his
priestly garments, the breast-plate, ephod, robe broidered coat, mitre and girdle, etc.,
etc. But I will confine myself more particularly to the truth embof' ed in the "bells
and pomegranates." See verses 31 to 35 :—

" And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue, and beneath,

upr ' ^ hem of it, thou shall make pomegranates of blue and of purple, and of scarlet,
roi .tbout the hem thereof , and btils of gold between them round about ; a golden
bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe
round about. And it shall be upon Aaron to minister, and his sound shall be heard
when he go-^th in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that
he die not.'

The office of the ancient High Priest was to make atonement for the sins of the

! I

192

Gold from Ophir.

people. Once every year the blood of sacrifice was taken into the Most Holy Place.
And although the whole tabernacle was built as a Sanctuary for the Most High, this
room was specially where He dwelt. None were permitted to enter, save the High
Priest, and he only one day in each year, which was called the Day of Atonement.
Then as the reprfjentative of the nation, he passed within the vail, with incense and
blood, and God communed with man. So we see that after our Lord Jesus Christ
had completed the work which the Father gave Him to do, in offering Himself as a
sacrifice for the sins of the world, He arose from thedead, and, as our Great High
Priest, He ascended into the Hoavens, and passed into the Most Holy Place, and
then were the gifts of the Spirit manifested in the sound of testimony ; Acts 2 : i-ii,
and they will be when He comes out again. The FRUITS OF THE spirit, we know,
were also in the saints, as witness the record of the Acts of the Apostles.

One well-taught in the Word has remarked : " Upon the hem of the robe of the
ephod there was the desirable fruit (pomegranates) and the testimony (golden bells;
of the Holy Ghost, which depended on the priesthood. I think that Christ in entering
Heaven made Himself heard through the Holy Ghost in His people — hem of His
garment (compare Psalm 133); and He will make Himself heard through His gifts
when He comes out also. Meanwhile, He bears within also the iniquity of the holy
things in holiness before the eternal God. (Tiiis holiness is upon His very forehead).
Not only they but their imperfect services are presented according to the divine holi-
ness in Him .... The Heavenly Priest must Himself be a heavenly Mnu ; and it is
to this character of Christ, as here in the high priest, that the fruits and estimony of
the Spirit are attached. It is from Christ in His heavenly character that they flow ;
they are attached to the hem of His garment (His people — His body) here below.
His sound was heard when He went in and when He came out ; and so it has been
and will be."

Macintosh says : " The blue robe of the ephod is express,iv.>o thset'irely heavenly
character of our High Priest. He is gone into heaven ; He is beyond the range of
mortal vision ; but, by the power of the Holy Ghost, there is divine testimony to the
truth of His being alive, in the presence of God ; and not only testimony but fru't like-
wise. ' A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate.' Such is
the beauteous order. True testimony to the great truth that Jesus ever liveth to make
int>.rcession for us will be inseparably connected with fruitfulness in His service. Oh,
for a deeper understanding of these precious and holy mysteries ! It is needless to
remark that there is divine appropriateness as well as significance in all the figures
presented to us in the Word. Thus the " pomegranate," when opened, is found to
consist of a number of seeds contained in a red fluid. Surely this has a voice. Let
spirituality, not imagination, judge."

May not the "golden bell" also signify the joyful sound of the glorious gospel of
the blessed God ? Jesus yet speaks from heaven to the sons of men. " My words
they are Spirit and they are life." The literal translation of the word " gospel " is " the
joyful message." Would God that more might hear, " look, and live."

But have not the " bells and pomegranates " additional significance ? Most
assuredly. To the believer the " bells " speak of testimony for the Lord Jesus while
the " pomegranates " tell of fruitfulness or fruit-bearing.

1. Testimony. 1. The bells were made of pure gold. The High Priest did
not dare put on silver, zinc, tin, iron, or any other kind of metal. So the believer's
testimony should be the " pure gold " of God's Word. How much of the testimony
given in our rf 'igious meetings falls short of this holy standard any one who has
spiritual discei nent can testify. The most we hear now-a-days is something about
"feeling," or " y church," or " our dear pastor," or "my opinion." Zinc, tin, lead and
iron, instead 1 the blessed holy Word of God.

2. It will be noticed, furth ir, that the bells and pomegranates evenly balanced on
the hem of the High Priest's robe. There were just as many pomegranates as bells.
Many Christians who have the bells seem to be devoid, in a large measure, of the

The Scriptures.

193

pomegranates. Our Christian character should be rounded out full. We should have
as many pomegranates as bells. Our lives should be in perfect harmony with our testi-
mony. *' A golden bel! and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pome ^/ranate, upon the
hem of the robe round about."

3. Testimony ought to have it in two things. Not only the truth, but all the truth.
Many in the pi 1 pit and elsewhere are afraid to spervk all that the Lord commands.
Some withhold certain important truths for "policy sake." Such are not faithful
witnesses, and God will judge them.

4. There is a notable distinction between the testimony of the Holy Spirit and that
of the believer. The Spirit testifies OF Christ; the believer FOR Christ. In John
15 :26 we read : "He shall testify OF Me ;" but in Acts 2 : 14-17, we find Peter
testifying for Christ.

How simple and to the point was the testimony of the early disciples. There was
no straining for effect ; no gilt-edged oratory ; no imaginative flights, causing the
hearer to exclaim, " What a wonderful preacher ! How captivating his manner ! How
gifted ! What a wealth of language !" In the Acts of the Apostles we have the model
testimonies for all times, " Christ crucified, dead and risen again," was their theme
on every occasion and under every circumstance. We never read of any flattering
things being said of them. Sometimes their testimony was rejected in the most bitter
and vindictive style ; sometimes it was received by multitudes " with gladness of
heart." Nothing, however, could for one moiiient cause them to abandon the blessed
" old, old story." The bells were golden and rang with no uncertain sound. What
wondrous scenes were witnessed in those days. Thank God, even in our day when
the Word is preached in its purity, and the Holy Ghost honored, like results follow.
Oh ! for a revival of the old-fashioned Actarian times!

Note the testimony given by Peter in Acts 5 : 29-42. Just liberated from prison,
whither he had been sent along with other of the Apostles, we find him in the temple
preaching the Gospel just as fearlessly as ever. How the ecclesiastical authorities
raged, saying, verse 28 : " Did not we straightly command you, that ye should not
teach in this name? And, behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctnne, and
intend to bring this man's blood upon us."

Then Peter and other Apostles answered and said : "We ought to obey God rather
than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on
a tree. Him Kath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and Saviour, for
to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sms. And we are His witnesses to
these things ; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey
Him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay
them. Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, n^med Gamaliel, a doctor
of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the
Apostles forth a little space ; and said unto them, ye men of Israel, take heed to your-
selves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up
Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody ; to whom a number of men, about four
hundred, joined themselves : who was slain ; and all, as many as obeyed Him, were

scattered and brought to nought And now I say unto you, refrain from these

men, and let them alone ; for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to
nought : but if it be of God, >e cannot overthrow it ; lest haply ye be found even to
fight against God. And to him they agreed : and when they had called the Apostles,
and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus,
and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that
they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And DAILY in the TEMPLE,
and in EVERY HOUSE, they CEASED not to TEACH and PREACH JESUS CHRIST."

Prisons, persecutions, death, could not intimidate them nor make them change
the nature of their testimony. Stephen had just been stoned lo death for giving the
"Golden Bell" testimony. Many were arrested and put in prison, and the persecu-
tion waxed so hot that great numbers were forced to nee for their lives, leaving homes,
13

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kindred and all for Christ's sake. But a'! this could not or did not interrupt the steady
witnessing of those Holy Ghost anointed ones. On they went like a mighty resistless
river. It is to be supposed that the more bitter their persecutions the clearer and
sweeter the ring of the " Golden Bells." See Acts 8 : 4-8 : —

" Therefore they that were scattered abroad, vent everywhere PREACHING thk
WORD, Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached CHRIST unto
thern. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Phi'ip
spake, heanng and seeing the miracles which he did. . . . And there was great joy in
that city."

In the same chapter, commencing at the 26th verse, Philip has a call from God
to do a little personal work for his divine Master.

" And the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying ; Arise, and go toward the
south, unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza which is desert. And
he arose and went ; and behold a man of Ethiopia, an Eunuch of great authority under
Candace, Queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had
come up to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning ; and, sitting in his chariot read
Isaiah the prophet. Thei. the Spirit said unto Philip, go near and join thyself to this
chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and he heard him read the prophet Isaiah,
and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said. How can I except
some man should guide me ? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit
with him. The place of the Scripture which he read was this, " He was lead as a
sheep to the slaughter ; and lik ; a lamb dumb before his shearers, so opened He not
His mouth. In His humiliation His judgment was taken away ; and who shall
declare His generation ? for His life is taken from the earth. And the I'unuch answered
Philip, and said, I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself or of some
other man? then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture,

AND PREACHED UNTO HIM JESUS."

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so Philip lifted up "Jesus only,"
and what precious results followed ! There was no putting the Eunuch on a long
mourner's bench trial for his salvation, no legal striving for conversion ; no praying
before receiving God's wonderful gift of eternal life. The well-taught evangelist just
made the w*ay plain by the Word of God, and the Eunuch believed straightway and
trusted in Jesus Christ and was saved! It is so in this our day, when the Word is
rightly divided. Souls believe, receive Christ and live. Many Christian ministers,
because of their ignorance of the Scriptures, cannot lead a soul out of the darkness.
They preach the sinner into a state of conviction and then " leave the rest of the work
to the Holy Spirit," as they say. The secret of the matter is, that not having had
Philip's schooling, they are ignorant of the way to lead a soul at once to Christ. How
true that portion of the divine word, Rom. 10:14-17, "How then shall they call on
Him in whom they have not believed ? and how shall they believe on Him in whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall
THEY preach, EXCEPT THEY BE SENT ? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet
of them that preach the gospel of peace, and*BRiNG glad tidings of good things !
But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For faith Cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of god.'' Golden bells, golden bells !

See also Acts 10 : 34-48, where Peter gives the same old testimony in the power
of the Spirit. The Word is sti .1 quoted. Glorious results follow.

Acts 13 : 38, 39 contains ^ le Gospel in a " nut-shell."

In Acts 16 : 25-34, Paul and Silas ring out the joyful message to the hardened
jailor, and " in the same hour of the night " he and his family are converted. No long
legal process here. How quick the Spirit applied the Word, under the miniftration
of those God-taught brethren. They knew how to lead a soul to the Saviour, because
they had fed upon the Word, and knew how to " rightly divide it."

What is the great need of the day ? The simple answer is, WE MUST COME
BACK TO THE SIMPLICITY OF THE SCRIPTURES. Let our testimony have

■iliii I

The Scriptures.

195

ICRIPTURE,

a " Thus saith the Lord " ring to it. The cry of many of th-j theologi ,al schools of the
present day is, " The people must have ministers who are s ireast of th'e times." This
is a fearful mistake and delusion. What is needed is the culture of the Bible. Those
that are called of God have got all that they can attend to to give the world the simple
Gospel. What has science got to do with our salvation ? Where in the Word is it
commanded t^hat the minister of the Gospel should give five or seven years of his life
to the study of metaphysics, philosophy, theology, and the sciences, in order to qualify
himself for the v.ork of the ministry? Science, philosophy, etc., are all right in their
place, but nowhere in the Bible is it taught that dne c- lied of God to the work of the
ministry should waste his valuable time on these secular side issues. Evei. a, Paul,
with all the education received before his conversion, declares, "And I, brethren, when
I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you
the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in fear, and in much trembling. And
my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in
demonstration of the Spirit and of power ; that your faith should not stand in the
wisdom of men, V ut in the power of God."

II. Pruit-Buaring. i. As remarked, the golden bells and pomegranates alternated.
They were equal in number, and as the bells spoke of testimony, so the pomegranates
typified fruitfulness or fruit-bearing. In the 5th chapter of Galatians we read of the
"fruit of the Spirit." In Solomon's Song the Church is compared to an orchard of
pomegranates. The normal condition of the believer should be that of a fruit-bearer.
True testimony always produces genuine fruit-bearing. The soul that reverently feeds
on God's Word and "sounds it forth," will not be without precious fruit. "Every

branch that beareth fruit. He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit If ye

abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH FRUIT ; so shall ye be
my disciples," J no. 1 5 : 2, 7, 8. The life and words should accord.

2. Fruitless believers are taken away. See Jno. 15:2. This is more fully brought
o.it in I. Cor. 1 1 : 17-32. The Corinthian believers had not only tolerated gross sin in
their midst, (5th chapter), but had become sectarian in spirit, i Cor. 3 : 1-7, and had set
up separate tables, i Cor, 21 : 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21, and no longer remembered the
Lord's death in the breaking of bread together. Note particularly the 29th and 30th
verses. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment
(margin) to hiriself, not discerning the Lord's body. For THIS cause many ARE
WEAK and SICKLY among you, and many sleep." Sleep, in this instance, refers to
physical death. The Lord had removed them from the earth, for had they continued
m this bad state the na^ne of Jesus would have been disgraced before the world. Sick-
ness, even unto death, was sent upon them, as note i Jno. 5 : :6. " If any man (Chris-
tian man, for the epistles were written to believers for their edification and warning-,
and not for the unsaved) see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death (that is
physical death, not eternal death), he shall ask, and He shall give him life for them
that sin not unto death. There is a SIN unto death. I do not say that he shall
pray for //." For corroboration of tVe foregoing see James 5 : 12-20, especially the
last verse. The party to be prayed for is not one of the unconverted, but a brother.
The context must be read in order to get the true meaning of this verse. So we see
that there is a sin unto death for the believer who will not be purged or pruned, Jno.
1 5 : 2, 6. How inexpressively solemn is all this !

3. Physical or bodily affliction is one of the ways in which the Lord frequently
chastises His children. I believe that bodily weaknesses are often sant in faithful
love. Sometimes to hinder the development of evil forseen only by the Lord Himself,
as for example the " thorn in the flesh " sent to Paul, a preventive discipline that is
most precious ; but often as direct chastisement for evil committed, as for instance,
see Numbers 12 : 10 ; 2 Chron. 16 : 12 ; 2 Chron. 26 : 19 ; James 5:15.

4. It has been remarked that Paul, though pre-eminently possessed of the gift of

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healing, left Trophimus sick at Miletum, as though the purpose of the Lord in sending
the sickness had not been accomplished. . . . Timothy seems to have been con-
stitutionally weak and subject to frequent bodily infirmities, i Tim. 5 : 23. This was
doubtless needed discipline, but there is no evidence that it was chastisement for evil
committed.

5. In I Cor. I : 30, there can be doubt that the words "many sleep" refer to death.
The Greek word rendered '* sleep" is the same that occurs in chapter 7:39, and is
translated "dead." It occurs again in chap. 15 :6, 18, 20, ^i ; also m i Thess. 4 : 13,
14, 15 ; and 2 Peter 3 : 4, and elsewhere. A different word entirely is used in such
passages as Matt. 8 : 24 ; 26: 40 ; Eph. 5 : 14 ; I Thess. 5 : 6, 7, 10.

6. In I Kings 13:24, we find an instance of chastisement unto death on account
of disobedience. Even Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and others, fell in the wilderness on
account of disobedience, and none save Joshua and Caleb lived to enter the land of
promise.

7. How true it is that the fruitless branches are " taken away " from the sphere of
fruit-bearing. But even then it is in order that they may not be "judged with the
world."

8. This leads us to see — if we have eyes to see — the great need of walking in
constant communion with the Master. The best among us remember that at the
judgment of stewardship, when Christ shall judge the works of the redeemed ones,
all our neglect of duty, all our religious works that were performed for the approval or
benefit of self, all "hay, wood, and stvibble," will be consumed in the fiery flames of
His judgment wrath. May we have that love, that loyalty to the Beloved Lord Jesus,
that John sp>eaks of in his ist epistle, 4th chapter and 17th verse : " Herein is our love
made perfect, that we may have BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT;
because as He is, so are we in this world." Thank God it is written that ^^when we
are judged 7ue are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be judged with the worldl^
I Cor. II :32,

The Scriptures.

197

THY WORD.

"The entrance of Thy Word givethl ight; it giveth understanding unto the simple."— Psalm 119 : 130.

I. The supreme authority of the word of
God.

Deut. 4 : i-io ; 12 : 32 ; Joshua 1:8; Prov.
30 : 5, 6 ; John 12 . 48-50 ; Heb. i : 1-3 ; 2 : i-
4; Rev. I : 1-3; 20: 12; 22: 18, 19. " Take
heed what ye hear," Mark 4:24. "Take
heed how ye hear," Luke 8:12. "To the
law and to the testimony ; if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is
no light in them," Isaiah 8: 20.

II. Theteacherof the word.

"The Holy Ghost, . . He shall teach you
all things," John 14:26. "The Comforter,
. . .He shall testify of Me," John 15:26.
"The Spirit of Truth, . . He will puide you
unto all truth," John 16 : 15.

III. Blessings promised to those who
" hearken to do " Hfs word.

Ex. 15 : 26 ; Lev. 26 : 3-13 ; Deut. 6:1-3;
7: 11-15; II : 13-15; II : 22-25; 28: 1-4; Rev.
1:3; 12:7.

IV. Judgment to all who despise and
neglect it.

Lev. 26:14-40; Deut. 28:15-68; 2 Kings
22 : 13 ; 2 Chron. 36 : 15, 16; Prov. i : 24-32;
Isa. 65:12; 66:4; Rom. 2:11, 12, 16; 2
Thess. I : 7-9 ; 2 : 10-12.

V. Would you be happy? Read the
word.

Ps. 1 19 : 162, 165 ; Isa. 48 : 18 ; Jer. 15:16;
John 15:11; 16:33; 17:13; Acts 13:32,
33. 38. 39; I John I :i-4.

VI. Would you be wise? Read the
word.

Ps. 19 : 7 ; 1 19 : 98, 99 ; Prov. i : 1-7 ; 9 : 10 ;
r Cor. 1 : 22-24, 3°' 3^ '• ^ Cor. 2 : 1-16 ; Col.
1:9; 3:16; 2 Tim. 3: 14, 15.

VII. Would you be fruitful ? Read the
word.

See what the fruit is in Gal. 5 : 22, 23 ;
Eph. 5:9; Luk.8 8:11-15; Rom. 10:17;

Col. 1:3-6; I Thess. 1:2-10; 2:13, 14;

1 Pet. 2:1,2; Ps. 1:1-3; Isa. 54 : 8-13.

VIII. Would you be holy ? Read the
word.

Ps. 119:9-11, 133; John 15:3; 17:17:

2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5 : 26, 27.

IX. Would you know God ? Read the
word.

Job 22:21-30: Prov. 2:1-5; 8:34, 35;
John I : I, 14, 18 : 5 : 38, 39; i John 5 : 20.

X. Would you have fellowship with
God ? Read the word.

Prov. 6 : 20-23 ; John 14 : 21-23 ; Phil.
3:8, 10, II ; I John 1:1-3; Rev. 3 : 20 ; i
Cor. 1 : 9.

XI. Would you be strong in the Lord,
and have victory over the world, the
flesh, and the devil ? Read the word.

Ps. 17:4, 5; Prov. 2:1-10; 7:1-24, 27:
Matt. 4 : 3-10; Eph. 6: 10-17 > ^ John 2 : 14.

XII. Would you be a praying Christian,
and have power with God? Read the
word.

Ex. 34:5-9; Num. 14; 17-20; 2 Sam.
7 : 17-27 ; Job 22 : 22-28 ; John 15:7; Hos.
14 : T 3.

XIII. Wouldyou be a successful servant?
Read the word.

Josh. 1:7, 8 ; Ps. 1:1-3: 2 Tim. 2 : 1 j ;
3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12. "Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly,' Col. 3 : 16.
Praying always with all prayer and suppiica-
tion in the Spirit.

TO THE UNSAVED.

XIV. Would you be saved, and have
eternal life ? Read the word.

Luke iG : 22-31 ; Acts 11:14; 13 : 26 : Ps.
107 : 20 ; Rom. i : 16 ; James i : 18, 21 ; John
5 : 2.; 16, 39; I Pet. 1:23-25; John 20:31;
I John 5 : 13. — Faithful Witness.

igB

Gold from Ophir.

"THE TRUTH."

14*: 6.

Christ is—

1. The truth, Jno.

2. Full of truth, Jno. i : 14.

3. Brought it to us, Jno. i : 17.

Believers are —

1. Begotten by the truth, Jas. i : 18.

2. Sanctified through the truth, Jno. 17 : 17.

Believers £re to —

1. Know the truth, Jno. 8 : 32.

2. Worship the truth, Jno. 4 : 23.

3. Bear >vitness of the truth, Jno. 5 : 33.

4. Rejoice in the truth, i Cor. 13 :6.

5. Endure by the truth, 2 Cor. 6:7.

6. Speak the truth, Eph. 4 : 25.

7. Rightly divide the truth, 2 Tim. 2: 15.

8. Girt with truth, Eph. 6 : 14.

9. Obey the truth, i Pet. i :22.

10. Walking in the truth, 2 Jno. 4.

Our power for this —

The Spirit of truth, Jno. 14 : 17.

Unbelievers are—

1. Destitute of the truth, i Tim. 6 : 5.

2. Resist the truth, 2 Tim. 3:8.

3. Obey not the truth, Rom. 2 : 8.

4. Love not the truth, 2 Thess 2 : 10. '

Hypocrites —

1. Hold the truth in unrighteousness, Rom.

1:18.

2. Change the truth of God into a lie,

Rom. I : 25.

Doom of the Unbeliever —

Damned who believe not the truth, 2
Thess. 2 : 12.

— Selec'ed.

THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD.

It converts the soul, Psa. 19:7-11; Jer.
23 : 22.

It makes clean, Psa. 119 : 9 ; Jno. 13 : 8-10 ;
Jno. 15 : 3; Eph. 5:26.

It quickens, Psa. 119 : 50, 93.

It enlightens and convinces of sin, Psa.
119:130; Prov. 6 : 20-23 ; Hosea 6:4-6; cf.
Jno. 3 : 19-21 ; and Eph. 5 : 11-14.

It gives life, Isa. 55 : 2, 3 ; Matt. 4:4;
Jno. 5 : 24 ; Jno. 6 : 63 ; Jno. 20 : 31.

It accomplishes God's purposes, Isa. 55:11.

It is like a fire and a hammer, Jer. 23 : 29.
• It saves the soul. Acts 11:14; 13:20;
Rom. 1:16; I Tim. 4 : 16 ; 2 Tim. 3:15;
James i :2i.

It is able to build up. Acts 20 : 32 ; Rom.
15:4; I Cor. 10:11; I Pet. 2 : 2.

It produces conviction of sin, Rom. 3 : 20 ;
Rom. 7 : 9-13 ; James 2 : 9.

It produces faith, Rom. 10 : 17.

It produces joy and peace, Rom. 15 : 13.

It is the power of God, i Cor. 1 : 17-25 ; r
Cor. 2:4,5.

It is a savor of death unto death, or of life
unto life, 2 Cor. 2 : 16, 17.

It appeals to every man's conscience, 2
Cor. 4 : 2.

It pulls down strongholds, 2 Cor. 10 : 4, 5.

Is a schoolmaster unto Christ, Gal. 3 : 19-
24.

It is the sword of the Spirit, Eph C : .7 ;
Heb. 4 : 12.

Stops the mouths of gainsayers, Titus
I :9-ii.

It gives the new birth, Jas. i : 18 ; i Pet.
1 :23.

It gives knowledge of eternal life, i Jno.
5 : 9-13. C. M. WHITTLESEY.

The ScRiPTURLS.

199

THE WORD OF GOD.

By Cnl. Burton.

THE Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ; neither is there
any creature that is not manifest in His sight, but all things are naked and opened
unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do, Heb. 4 : 12, 13.

2. Are you glad, reader? Ps, 13 : 9 and 23 :24. If commentaries and helps on
the Word of God are studied merely \.o become acquainted with the doctrine and
literature of the Bible, they will tend rather to puff up than to build up, i Cor.
8:1-3; 4: 19, 20.

3. Satan is very bijsynow-a-^ays as an angel of light, 2 Cor. 11 : 14. He will allow
souls to occupy themselves with the Bible, provided tliey stop short of Christ, the
Alpha and Omega of the Bible.

4. The Jews are said to have so reverenced the Bible that they counted its letters
—but they crucified Christ.

5. The second chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel furnishes a striking illustration
of the difference between familiarity with the letter of Scripture and the drawings of
the Father to the person o^ Christ. The wise men were in true and earnest search
for Christ, and they found Him. Doubtless they could not compare with the chief
priests and scribes in script-'.ral knowledge. These could quote chapter and verse,
but of what use was their knowledge to them? It only rendered them ready insfru-
ments for Herod, in his deadly enmity to God's appointed.

6. Better far be a humble worshipper at the feet of Jesus, though with slender
knowledge, than be a learned scribe with a heart cold and distant from that blessed
One, Phil. 3 : 8, f.c.

Dear reader, which are you ? . *

7. The word of God cannot be too diligently studied, but let it be to " know Him,"

Phil. 3
Col. 2 ;

10, f.c, "in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,"

A SHORT METHOD WITH INFIDELS.

G. F. Pentecost.

AN infidel is one who denies the revelation which God has made to us of His will,
love, and grace, in the Bible, and especially in the person of Jesus Christ. There are
a great variety of infidels. The learned and the ignorant ; the somewhat sincere and
the utterly insincere ; the religious and the irreligious ; the infidel in disguise and the
openly defiant. TpThey all agree on one point, viz., that the Bible is the work of man,
pure and simple ; that God is not the author of it, by inspiration or otherwise ; that
the supernatural occurrences recorded in it never occurred ; that God never spoke to
man, and that all the "thus saith the Lords" are falsehoods or vain imaginings.
Especially, that the New Testament history of Jesus is mythical or deliberately
fraudulent.

We are often asked by young Christians, and sometimes by older ones, what
answer to give to men who deny the truth of the Bible. We suggest the short answer
of John Wesley. We have studied this answer very carefully, and do not see why it

aoo

Gold from

Ophir.

is not a complete answer to the infidel objection. Infidels often, and indeed usually,
forget that their own positions are open to criticism, and that it is as incumbent upon
them as it is upon Christians to make their position good. In meeting them on their
denial of the divine origin of the Bible, we must recognize, and so must they, that the
Bible is a fact, and that it must be accounted for, just as any other fact. Wesley's
short method is substantially this :

1. The Bible Is a book, and if God is not its author, it must have been written by
some man or men without any supernatural aid.

2. It must have been written by good men or bad men, if it was composed by
more than one man.

3. If it is false in its statements it is a bad book, therefore it could not have been
written by good men, since good men would not have written so bad a book as the
Bible is, if it is a false book, nor have been the authors of so great and grave false-
hoods.

4. Bad men couM not and would not have written so good a book as the Bible is
confessed to be, even by infidels. First, because it is not possible that men who were
bad e lough to have perpetrated so ^reat a fraud, and told or written such monstrous
lies as are contained in the Bible (if it is not true), could have constructed so sublime
a philosophy of life, and so perfect a system of ethics , or conceived so faultless and
perfect a character as is embodied and portrayed in the person of Jesus. Second,
even if we could conceive of bad men being ablii to invent the Bible, such men would
have no motive in writing such a book, every line of which condemns their badness
and consigns them to everlasting torment, while it instructs them that the only way to
happiness is through the denial of all carnal appetites and desires, and a life of self-
sacrifice and personal righteousness and holiness.

5. Since, therefore, we cannot conceive of good men writing so bad a book, or
bad men writing so good a book, we must conclude that its authorship is from another
source, and that source is clearly stated in the Bible itself.

This argument, which is very simple, though capable of a wide expansion, seems
to us amply sufficient to dispose of the ordinary infidel objection to the Biolc. In this
connection, the following extract from John Stuart Mill ("Three Essays on Religion')
is in point. The author of this paragraph was an atheist, did not of course believe in
Jesus Christ as the Son of God, but he unhesitatingly accepted the historical
character of Jesus, and denied that it was possible for His character and sayings to
have bedn the result of invention :

" It is no use to say that Christ, as exhibited in the Gospels, is not historical, and
that we know not how much of what is admirable, is supperadded by the tradition of
the followers. Who, among His disciples or among their proselytes, was capab'e of
inventing the sayings ascribed to Jesus, or of imagining the life and character revealed
in the Gospels ? Certainly not the fishermen of Galilee ; as certainly not St. Paul,
whose character and idiosyncrasies were of a totally different sort ; still less the early
Christian writers, in whom nothing is more evident than that the good which was in
them was all derived from the higher source."

This dilemma as to authorship has been admitted by the ablest and most candid
of all infidel writers. In fact, the theory of fraud and forgery has bee.i practi( ally
given up by candid men. The last ditch in which infidelity mak^s it^taud, is one in
which they must reconcile the highest ethical teaching with a deliberate attempt on
the part of the writers of the Bible, from religious motives, to impose a falsehood upon
the readers. In a word, we must first persuade ourselves that sweet waters may flow
from a bitter fountain, or vice versa ; or that it is possible to gather grapes of thorns
and figs of thistles.

The Bible itself is its own best argument. Let it speak for itself and demonstrate
its divine right by its imperishable existence. According to the boasted law of the
survival of the fittest, the Bible is the fittest book, and its survival is a demonstration
of its fitness to live according to its own claim. ' #

The Scriptures.

201

NOTES ON THE FOUR GOSPELS.

The Gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
refer to Time —

Matthew's to the Past,
Mark's to the Present,
Luke's to the Future.

John's refers to Eternity,

Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote of the
external life of Christ ; John of the internal.

Matthew's Gospel was written in Jerusa-
lem. From thence he showed Jesus as the
Messiah.

Mark's from i?ome- -showing him as the
irresistible Conqueror of the world.

Luke's from Greece — showing Him as the
Divine Philanthropist.

John's from Asia Minor — showing Him as
the Word viade flesh.

Matthew condemned the carnal view of the
Church held by Judaism.

Mark condemned the Casarism of brute
force.

Luke condemned the corrupt philosophy of
Hellenism.

John condemned the humanitarianism of
the world by showing the Divine humanity.

Matthew represents Jesus as a King— the
King of Israel — introduces him as Genesis
introduces the history of Abraham.

Mark represents Jesus as a Priest or
Servant — the Saviour of the world — writes
consecutive to the conclusion of Malachi
{'My messenger').

Luke represents Jesus as a Prophet — the
Son of Man ascending to the Divine throne —
begins in spirit and form like i Samuel (the
child prophet).

John represents Jesus as the Son of God
descending to humanity — shows the Word
in the second (spiritual) creation, as Moses
did in the first and material one.

Matthew takes one course.

Luke an entirely opposite one.

Mark a middle course.

The synoptic Gospels treat of the kingdom
of God.

John's Gospel treats of eternal life.

Matthew treats of Jesus' functions as the
Messiah.

Luke treats of His work as a Saviour.

Mark treats of His activity as an Evange-
list.

John treats of His person, human and
divine. *

John wrote the threefold picture of the life
of God—

1. In ihe person of Jesus, in his Gospel.

2. In the Christian, in his Epistles.

3. In the Church, in the Apocalypse (or
Revelation).

Matthew shows Jesus as Ezekiel's lion —
royalty.

Mark shows Jesus as a man — human
sympathy.

Luke shows Jesus as the calf or ox —
sacrifice.

John shows Jesus as the eagle — divinity.

Matthew speaks most business-like about
money, and his Gospel is peculiar for its full
revelation of the fatherly character of God.

Mark is most graphic and dramatic, and
has no reference to the law of Moses.

Luke has the most mention of women.

John gives Jesus' visit to Judea and
Jerusalem rather than to Galilee.

There is some reason to believe that the
four evangelists each inserted in his Gospel
a single shy hint of his own personality : —

Matthew is the publican called at ihe
receipt of custom.

Mark is the young man who left his linen
cloth in the hands of those who captudkd
Jesus.

Luke is the disciple who went with
Cleophas to Emmaus.

John is the beloved disciple.

ALEX. CRAIGHEAD.

202

Gold from Oi'hir.

TRUTH.

I. The believer and truth. He should—

1. In truth speak, Zech. 8. i6; Eph. 4 : 25.

2. In truth walk, i Kings 2:4:2 Kings
20 : 3 ; 3 John 4.

3. In truth serve, Josh 34 : 14 ; i Sam.
12 : 24.

4. In truth rejoice, i Cor. 13:6.

5. In truth meditate, Phil. 4 : 8.

6. In truth love, i John 3 : 18.

7. In truth worship, John 4:24; Ps.

Us ■■ 18.

8. In truth obey, Rom. 2 : 18 ; Gal. 3:1.

9. He should esteem the truth, Prov.
23 : 23.

10. Rightly divide, 2 Tim. 2:15.

11. Buy the truth, Prov. 23 : 23.

12. He should pray to be —

{a) Led in the truth, Ps. 25 : 5.

(b) Preserved in the truth, Ps. 40: 11.

(rf) To understand His truth, Dan. 9 : 13.

(e) That truth should not be taken out of

his mouth, Ps. 119:43.
(/) That God would send out His

truth, Ps. 43 :4.
(g) That He would prepare truth, Ps.

61 : 7.
II. WlvAt the truth is able to do for the'
believer.

1. To regenerate, James i : i&.

2. To make frte, John 8 : 32.

3. To sanctify, John 17: 17.

4. To shield, Ps. 91:4.

5. To preserve, Ps. 40: 11.

6. To establish, 2 Pet. 1:12.

7. To gird, Eph. 6: 14.

8. To purify, i Pet. i : 22.

J. HIXON IRVING.

GLORIOUS THINGS IN THE GLORIOUS BOOK.

God is glorious in holiness, Ex. 15:11.
He has a glorious name, i Chron. 29 : 13.
He has a glorious arm, Isa. 63 : 12.
He has a g'orious right hand, Ex. 15 : 16.
He has a glorious voice, Isa. 30 : 30. ^
He has glorious feet, Isa. 60 : 13.
His is a glorious work, Ps. 111:3.

His is a glorious gospel, 2 Cor. 4 : 4.

His is a glorious rest, Isa. 11 : 10.

He brings us into glorious liberty, Rom.

: 21.

He will give us a glorious body; Phil. 3 :2i.

His church will be a glorious church, Eph.

: 27. F. E. MARSH.

WHAT THE V;ORD OF GOD IS TO THE GODLY.

It is the food by which his nature is
nourished, i Pet. 2:2.

It is a preservative against sin, Ps. 119 : 11,

It quickens the soul, Ps. 119 : 50.

It gives songs in the house of our pilj,rim-
age, Ps. 119: 54'

It enriches the soul with what is more
precious than gold, Ps. 119 : 72, 162.

It impartssuperiorwisdom,Ps.n9:98,io5.

It is loved because of its purity, Ps.
119: 140.

It brings peace to them, Ps. 119: 165.

It is a plea for help, Ps. 119 : 175, 8.

It counsels them, Ps. 119: 24.

It is their delight, Ps. 119 : 16.

It is a message they utter to others, Ps.
119:13.

It is the object of desire, Ps. 119:33, 3^^.
77, 49, etc. J. A. R. DICKSON.

Thk Scriptures.

203

^ : HOW TO READ THE WORD.

Geo. MUller.

READ the Scripturet re^larly through. Read, alternately, portions from the Old
and New Testaments. Begin at the beginning of each. Mark where you leave
off, and begin there n( xt time. When you have finished each Testament, begin it
again. -

2. Read withp lyer. You cannot by your own wisdom understand the word of
God. In all your reading of the Scriptures, seek carefully the help of the Holy Spirit.
Ask for Jesus sake that lie will enlighten you.

3. Read -with meditation. Ponder over what you read. The truth is thus applied
to your heart. You see new and deeper meanings. It is better to think over a little
than merely to read a great deal.

4. Read with reference to yourself . Never read only with a view to instructing
others ; but for your own teaching. Receive blessing yourself first, and you will
communicate it to others. Always ask yourself, " How does this affect me f*

5. Read with faith. Not as statements which you may believe or not, but as the
revealed word of God. Receive every word as true, with simple childlike trust. Rest
upon the promises. Read them as madey^r y<7«.

6. Read in order to carry into practice. We must accept His Word as being the
revelation of His will. In it He tells us what to be and v/hat to do. He expects us
to be "obedient children."

MOSES THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS.

By James Inglis.

MOSES is the author of the Book of Genesis, and of the other four books which bear
his name. We have no direct statement in Scripture that the Book of Genesis
itself was written by him, but that what the Hebrews called The Law, of which
Genesis was a section, was written by Moses is asserted in numerous passages, both
in the Old Testament and in the New. Josh, i : 7, 8 ; P . j4 ; 23 :6 ; i Kings 2:3;
2 Kings 23 : 25 ; 2 Chron. 23 : 18 ; Dan. 9 : n ; Mai. 4:4; Matt. 8 :4 ; Matt. 19 :7,8 ;
Mark 12 :26 ; Luke 16 129 ; 24 : 27 ; Jno. 5 145, 46 ; 7 : 19 ; 2 Cor. 3 : 7-15. "Every
work which comes down to us as the production of a particular author is to be accepted
as his production, unless strong grounds can be produced to the contrary." Much
more, when we have a succession of testimonies reaching from Joshua to Ezra, with
the whole weight of New Testament authority.

The authority of the Book of Genesis is confirmed in a remarkable manner by our
Lord Himself. He authenticates most of its leading events, as will be seen from the
following quotations, some of which are indeed mere illusions, whilst others are very
definite : —

Gen. 1:1; Mark 13 : 19 — "The beginning of the creation which God created,"
Matt. 24 :2i.

Gen. 2:1-3; Mark 2 : 27 — " The Sabbath was made for man."

Gen. 2 : 23-25 ; Matt. 19 : 4-6 — " Have ye not read that He which made them at
the beginning made them male and female, and said, for this cause shall a man leave
father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife ; and they twain shall be one flesh ?"

%•

204

Gold from Ophir.

Gen 3:1-5; Jno. 8 : 44 — " Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning."

Gen. 4 : 1-8 ; Matt. 23 : 35 -" Righteous Abel."

Gen. 6 ; Gen. 7 ; Matt. 24 : 37-39—" As the days of Noah were, so shall also the
coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away."

Gen. 15:6; Jno. 8 : 56 — " Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he
saw it and was glad ;'' Jno. 8 : 39, 58 ; Luke 13 : 28.

Gen. 17 19-14; Jno. 7 : 22 — " Moses therefore gave unto you* circumcision (not
because it is of Moses, but of the fathers).''

Gen. 19: 1-25 ; Luke 17 : 28, 29—" In the days of Lot : they did eat, they drank,
they bought, they sv>ld, they planted, they builded ; but the same day that Lot went
oat of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all."

Gen. 19 : 26; Luke 17 : 32 — " Remember Lot's wife. "

Gen. 28 : 16-22 ; Jno. i : 51— " Hereafter ye shall see heaven open^ and the angels
of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

That Moses made use of a variety 01 information traditional or v/ritten in the Book of
Genesis does not affect either the authorship or the inspiration of the book. A house
is none the less new in plan and purpose that whilst some of its stones have been taken
from the living quarry, others have been cut and squared from a former building. The
Gospels were written by men, who, apart altogether from inspiration, had become
acquainted with thg words and acts of our Lord ; but this in no way lessens their credi-
bility or authority. There is evidence on the face of history that it has been compiled
from various sources, and that possibly documents in whole or in part have been
transferred to its pages. Thus the first and second chapters appear to have a ditferen'
author ; the great genealogical hart in the tenth chapter must have been in existence
long prior to Moses ; and the history of Abraham and Joseph are written in a differ-
ent style. But all these varied materials are worked into one great book, having a
definite design.

The Book of Genesis is, besides, just such as an author in the age and circum-
stances of Moses might have written. Its ctyle and language, its intimate acquaintance
with Egypt and Canaan and the peninsula of Sinai, are all strong proofs to the same
effect. The investigations of scholars into the language and antiquities of Egypt have
established this fact beyond reasonable doubt. Genesis forms, moreover, the historic
and moral basis on which the other four books rest, and without which they rould not
be understood, plainly showing that they all come from a master mind ; and it is mti-

mately related to the whole volume of the inspired Scriptures Genesis

is divided into two main parts -one universal and one special. The first part, which
contains the earliest history of man, extends from the first chapter to the eleventh
chapter. The eleventh chapter forms a connecting link between the firstand second parts.
The second part begins with chapter twelve, and is continued to the close of the book.
It contains the caU of Abraham and the history of his descendants to the beginning
of their sojourn in Egf)rpt. "The chief aim which pervades the whole is to show how
the theocratic institution founded by Moses was rendered possible and necessary.
The book, therefore, tnkes its starting point from the original unity of the human race,
and their original relation to God, and proceeds thence to the interruption of that
relation by the appearance of sin." In the first promise to Adam, the call of Abraham
and the subsequent training of the family of Isra'*!, we have the preliminary steps of
the great work of grace which was consummated in the coming of the Lord Jesus to be
the Saviour of the world.

•f

The Scriptures,

205

your

THE WORD.

Two meanings — Jesus Christ, the Living
Word, Jno.*i : 1-5, 14. The Bible, the Writ-
ten Word, Luke 11:28; Jas. 1:22; Ps.
119: loi; 25:38.

Christ's name —

The Word.

The Son, or Word, is the only one who
speaks or has spoken of the Trinity, Jno.

5:37-
The words He speaks are : —

Creative, Gen. 1 ; Ps. 33 : 6; Jno. i : 3.

Ui)holding, Heb. i : 3.

Regenerating, Acts 11 : 14 ; i Pet. i : 23 ;

Jas. I : 18 ; Ps. 19:7.
Sanctifying, Jn 3. 15:3; 17:17; Eph.
5:26, 27.
(Question. — How' far are we responsible
for the regeneration of souls ? Ans. — Faith-
fully and in love to sow the Seed, the Word
of God}.

The Written Word corresponds with the
character of the Living Word.
•1. He is Truth, Jno. 14:6.

His Word is Truth, Jno. 17 ; 17 ; Ps.

119:151-
2. He is Life, Jno. 14 : 6 ; Jno. i : 4.

His Words are Life, Jno. 6 : 63 ; Phil .
2: 16.

3. He is Gracious, Ex. 34 : 6 ; Jno. i : 14.
His Words are Gracious, Luke 4 : 22 ;

Ps. 45 : 2 ; Acts 14 : 3. Word of His
Grace.

4. He is Merciful, Ex. 34 : 6; Jer. 3 ; 12.
His Words are Merciful, Ps. 85 : 10.

5. He is Precious, i Pet. 2 : 7. Highly

valued, much esteemed.
His Words are Precious, Ps. 19 : 10, 11.

6. He is Pure, i Jno. 3 : 3. Free from

mixture, without spot or blemish.
His Word is Pure, Ps. 12:6; Ps.
119: 40.

7. He is Holy, i Pet. i : 15, 16 ; Rev. 4 : 8.
Whole, entire, perfect, in a moral

sense.
His Word is Holy, Rom. 7 : 12. " Holy
Scriptures."
The Power of the Woid, Heb. 4 : 12.
The Certainty of the Word, Prov. 22 : 18-
21.
The Hope of the Word, Ps. 119 : 81.
The Eternity of the Word— Ps. 119 : 89—
Settled in the heavens ; z Pet. i : 25 —
Endureth forever.

Heaven and earth shall pass aw?.'% but
My words shall not pass away, Matt. 24 : 35.

'^. C, ROUNDS.

THE WORD OF GOD.

I. As God's Word of wisdom it makes
wiie unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3:15; John
17 :2o : 20 : 31 : Jas. z : 21.

n. As the word of life, it quickens, Ps.
z 19: 50-93; John 6: 63.

III. As a divine word it converts the soul,
1 Pet. I : 23 ; Jas. z : 18 ; Ps. zg : 7.

IV. As the truth which is after godlines;^
it sanctifies, John 17 : Z7 ; Z5 : 3, 7 ; Ps. z 19 : 9.

V. As a nourishing word, it promotes
growth in grace, i Pet. 2:2; Acts 20 : 32.

VI. As a word of consolation, it comforts,
Ps. Z9:8; ZZ9: 54, iiz.

VII. As amagazineofsupply, it thoroughly
furnishes us unto all good works, 2 Tim. 3 : Z7 ;

Ps. 119: 104.

VIII. As the divine word, it is our guide,
Jer. 8:9; Prov. 6 : 23 ; Mark Z2 : ?4 ; 2 Peter
I : 19.

IX. As a spiritual sword, it is a mighty
weapon in the hands of the Spirit, Acts 18 : 24,
28; Eph. 6:17; Matt. 4:4-10.

X. When the books are opened, it will
judge us at the last day, John 12 : 48 ; 5 : 45 ;

Rom. 2 : Z2.

O. W.

i '

206

Gold from Ophir.

GLEANINGS FROM THE 119TH PSALM.

I. God's word is—

A 'amp, verse 105, f.c. Alight, verse 105,
I.e. A counsellor, verse 24, I.e. Wonder-
ful, verse 129. Our heritage, verse 1 11, f.c.
Exceeding broad, verse 96. The Truth,
verse 142, f.c. Better than silver, verse 72.
Better than gold, verse 127. Sweeter than
honey, verse 103. Good, verse 39, I.e.
Righteous, verse 138. Settled, verse 89.
Very pure, verse 140. Very faithful, verse
138. Right on all subjects, verse 128. From
everlasting, verse 160. To everlasting, verse
152.

II. Power of God's word.

It quickens, verse 25. It cleanses, verse
9. It keeps clean, verse i. It keeps from
sin, verse 11. It strengthens, verse 28. It
comforts, verse 5c. It gives liberty, verse
45. It gives great peace, verse 165. It
gives rejoicing of heart, verse iii, I.e. It '
gives understanding, verse 104, I.e. It gives
light, verse 130", f.c. It gives support in
•affliction, verse 92.

III. Results.

Blessed — ourselves, verse 2, I.e. Safe —
ourselves, verses 114, 117. Rejoice, other
Christians, verse 74. Fellowship with
Christ's people, verse 63. Enjoy God's

presence and smile, verse 135. Long for the
salvation of sinners, verses 136, 158.

IV. We are commanded to —

Believe in it, verse 66, I.e. Love it, verse
47. Love it exceedingly, verse 167, I.e.
Search it, verse 94, I.e. Keep it diligently,
verse 4. Keep it continually, verse 44.
Consider it, verse 95, I.e. Trust in it, verse
42, I.e. Hope in it, verse 43, I.e. Never
forget it, verse 176, I.e. Walk in its pi -.epts,
verse 59. Hide it in the heart, verse 11.
Meditate on it, verse 13. Observe it with
I he whole heart, verse 34. Keep it with the
whole heart, verse 69, I.e. Delight in it,
verse 47. Learn it, verse 73, I.e. Talk of it,
verse 27, I.e. Declare it to others, verse 13.
Obey it at once, verse 60. Never be ashamed
of it, verse 46. Rejoice in it, verse 14. Unto
the end, verse 112. ..

V. Time for meditation on it—

In the morning, verse 147. In the even-
ing, verst; 148. At midnight, verse 62. All
day, verse 97. All night, verse 55.

VL God will-
Open the eyes to read aright, verse 18.
Teach it to us, verse 26, I.e. Make us
understand it, verse 27, I.e. Enlarge our
hearts to keep it, verse 32.

Miss KATIE CLARKE.

THE MINISTERLNG OF THE WORD.

I. The necessity, Titus 1:3:1 Cor. 1:21;
Rom. 10 : 14.

Who shall preach.

II. The commission. Matt. 9 : 37, 38 ;
Rom. 10:15; Mark 16 : 15, 16 ; Rev. 22 : 17 ;
I Cor. 14 : 1, 5, 24, 31, 39, ; 2 Cor. 4 : 13 ; i
Pet. 2 : 5, 9.

III. All have gifts and should use them,
Ron. 12:3-8; I Cor. X2th chapter; i Pet.
4:10, :i. There are those who would foi"-
bid, but God rebukes all such: See Num.
XI :26-2$; Luke9:49,5o. The entire Church
preached upon the day of Pentecost : Sec

Acts 2 : 1-4, 17-18. Also during the Persecu-
tion : See Acts 8:1-4. Every member in the
early Ephesian Church preached : See Acts
19:6. ^reaching during the first two
centuries of the Church's history, upon the
part of the entire membership, was the rule
and not the exception.

IV. The subject, i Cor. i : 23, 24; 2 Cor.
4:5; Acts 13 :28: Gal. 1 :8.

V. How, I Cor. 2:4, 5; 1:17, 18; Tim.
4: 1, 2; Jer. 23:28.

VI. Exhortations, i Cor. 14 : 40 ; 3 : 6, 7 ;
2 Cor. 5 : 20.

The Scriptures.

20/

. THE PRECIOUS BIBLE.

C. H. Spurgeon.

WE are begotten by the Word of God : it is the instrumental means of regeneration.
Therefore love your Bibles, keep close to your Bibles.

You seeking sinners, you who are seeking the Lord, your first business is to
believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ; but, while you are yet in darkness and in gloom, oh,
love your Bibles and search them ! Take them to bed with you ; and when you wake
up in the morning, if it is too early to go down stairs and disturb the house, get half
an hour of reading upstairs. Say, " Lord, guide me to that text which shall bless me.
Help me to undei stand how I, a poor sinner, can be reconciled to Thee."

I recollect how, when I was seeking the Lord, 1 went to my Bible, and to Baxter's
" Call to the Unconverted," and to Allen's " Alarm," and ■>Doddridge's " Rise and
Progress ; " for I said in myself, " I am afraid that I shall be lost ; but I will know the
reason why. I am afraid I shall never find Christ ; but it shall not be for want of
looking for Him." That fear used to haunt me ; but I said, ' I will find Him, if He is
to be found. I w-'U read. I will think."

There was never a soul that did sine ^rely seek for Jesus in the Word, but by and
by he stumbled on the precious truth that Christ was near at hand, and did not want
any looking for ; that He was really ^here — only they, poor blind creatures, were in
such a maze that they could not just then see Him. Oh, cling you to Scripture !
Scripture is not Christ ; but it is the silken clue which will lead you to Him. Follow
its leadings faithfully, Rom. lo : 8, 9.

When you have received regeneration and a new life, keep on reading, because it
will comfort jiou. You will see more of what the Lord has done for you. You will
learn that you are redeemed, adopted, saved, sanctified. Half the errors in the world
spring from people not reading their Bibles. Would anybody think that the Lord
would leave any one of His dear children to perish, if he read such a text as this : " I
give unto My sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck
them out of My hand 1" When I read that, I am sure of the final perseverance of the
saints. Read, then, the Word, and it will be much for your comfort.

It will be for your nourishment too. It is your food as well as your life. Search
it, and you will grow strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

It will be for your guidance also. I am'sure those go rightest who keep closest to
the Book. Oftennmes, when you do not know what to do, you will see a text leaping
up out of the Book, and saying, " Follow Mc" I have seen a promise sometmie=
blaze out before my eyes, just as when an illuminated device flames forth upon a public
building. One touch of flame, and a sentence or a design flashes out in gas. I have
seen a text of Scripture flame forth in that way to my soul ; I have known that it was
God's word to me.

i*:i4

wmW

I m
m

208

Gold from Ophir.

THE TRUTH.

I. What truth is.

That which is opposed to falsehood, Pro v.
12 : 17.

That which is opposed to deceit, Rom. 9: i.

That which is opposed to pretence, Eph.
4 :2i; John i :g.

That which is true of itself, i Tim. 2 : 7.

That which is true doctrine, Gal. 3:1.

That which is the fulfilment of the types
and shadows of the law, John i : 17 ; 14:6.

II. Someof the things with which truth
is found connected.

I. Grace and truth, John i : 14, 17.
Mercy and truth, 2 Sam. 15: 20.
Peace and truth, 2 Kings 20 : ig.
Faithfulness and truth, Isa. 25 : i.
Light and truth, Ps. 43 : 3.

6. Righteousness and truth, Zech. 8 : 8.

7. spirit and truth, John 4 : 23, 34.

III. God and truth.

"God is a God of truth," Deut. 32:4;
Ps. 31 : 5.

1. His Word is truth, Dan. 10:21: John
17:17.

2. His judgments are truth, Ps. 96:13;
Rom. 2:2.

3. He desires truth, Ps. 51 : 6.

4. He regards it with favor, Jer. 5:3.

2.
3-

4-
5

5. He delights in those who sprak truth,
Prov. 12 : 22.

6. He keeps truth, Ps. 96 : 6.

7. He will judge in truth, Ps. 96 : 13.

8. He must be walked before in truth, i
Kings 2 : 4.

9. He must be served in truth, Josh.
24 : 14 ; I Sam. 12 : 24.

IV. Christ and truth.

1. "I am . . . the Truth," John 14:6;
7:18.

2. Truth came by Him, John i : 18.

3. He spake truth, John 8 : 45.

4. He is full of truth, John i : 14.

5. He bore witness to the truth, John
18:37.

6. He prayed His disciples might be
sanctified by the truth, John 17 : 17.

7. His life was sought because He spake
truth, John 8 : 40.

V. The Spirit and truth.

1. "The Spirit of Truth," Jjhn 16:13:
I John 5:6.

2. He guides into truth, John 16 : 13.

3. He bears witness to the truth, i John 5 : 6.

4. His fruit is " truth," Gal. 5 : 9.

5. The world cannot receive Him, John
14:17. J.H.I.

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.

I. Qbject in study, Jind Christ, John 5 : 39 ;
Luke 24 : 27, 44 : Acts 28 : 23 ; 2 Tim. 3 : 16;
John 6 : 63 ; Ps. 138 : 2 ; John i : i, 14 ; John
3:11-13,34.

a. Life by the word, James 1:18-21: i
Peter i : 23 : Deut. 8:3: John 5 : 39 ; John
6:63; Ps. 119: 130.

3. Growth, Job 23: 12: Jer. 15:16; John
6:35: Matt. 5:6)2 Thess. 2: 13; Eph. 5: 26.

4. Power, Isaiah 40:8; Ps. if^:89;
John 15:7: Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12; Rom.
10:17.

5. Searching in study, John 5 : 39 ; 2 Tim.
2 :X5.

6. Dependence on the Holy Spirit, John
15:13; John 16:20; Jude 20: Jac. 1:5; i
Cor. 2:9, 10, 12, 13.

7. With whole mind and heart, 1 Chron.
28:9; 2 Chron. 15: 2; Isaiah 26:3.

8. Seek light from any who are taught by
the Spirit, 2 Peter i : 20, 21 ; 1 Tim. 4 : 13-16.

9. After such study have clear, positive
views, 2 Tim. i : 8-13; Ps. 2 : 12, 13.

J. H. BROOKES.

The Scriptures.

209

THE WORD OF GOD.

1. Our prevention from sin, Ps.

2. Our counsellor, Ps. 119:24.

3. Our guide, Ps. 119 : 19.

4. Our lamp, Ps. 119 : 105.

5. Our sustenance, Luke 4 : 4.

6. Our quickening, Ps. 119 : 50.

119 : II.

7. Our comfort, Ps. 119:50.

8. Our sword, Eph. 6 : 17.

9. Our cleansing, Eph. 5 :26.

10. Our sanctification, John 17 : 17.

HENRY P. DONNER.

STUDIES ON THE BIBLE.

The Bible is the word of God.— "The
Mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken,"
Ps. 50 : I.

Introductory. — The Bible is of superhuman
origin; the text declares that "God has
spoken ; " this book contains what He said,
hence His word.

I. The Old Testament claims to be the
word of God.

1. That God spoke to men — Abraham,
Gen. 12 : 1-3; 22 : I, 2; Isaac, Gen. 26:2-5;
Jacob, Gen. 28:13-15; Moses, Ex. 33:11;

34 : 32-34-

2. The Hebrews so received it — at Horeb,
Ex. 20: 19; 24:3-7; in Jerusalem, 2 Kings
22 : 13 ; when Ezra read it, Neh. 8:1.

3. Its power ovtfr them — reformed them,
Dan. 9:2; sustained them, Isa. 39:8;
builded them; they died for it, Joseph us
vs. Apion.

4. Christ so received it; see quotations in
the Gospels ; as support, Matt. 4 : 3-10 ; as
authority, Matt. 22 : 31, 32 ; as being ful-
filled, Luke 24:44.

5. The Apostles so received it ; see their
quotations; their use of it. Acts 17:2;
settling questions, Acts 2 : 29, 30.

II The New Testament claims to be the
word of God.

1. Christ's teachings are God's word — He
claims it, Jno. 8:28; His enemies confess,
Jno. 7 : 49; His friends testify, Heb. i : 2.

2. Apostlf^s' teachings are God's word —
Christ promised it, Jno. 14:26; promise
fulfilled, I Cor. 2:12, 13; Christians re-
ceive it, I Thess. 2 : 13 ; results prove it.
Acts 19:20.

3. The Gospel test proves it is God's
word — in the individual, Jno. 7:17; the
family, society, intellectual life, in civil
government,

4. Its compass proves it is God's word —
height, depth, length, breadth.

Concluiiion — God's thought of us passes
into word; that word is light and life; it
comes to every soul that will receive it ;
Jesus Christ the incarnate Word, our life.
S E. WISHARD.

210

Gold from Ophir.

BRIEF MISCELLANEOUS HINTS ON BIBLE STUDY.

Collated by IV. F. Crafts.

LEARN at least one verse of Scripture each day. Verses from memory will be
wonderfully useful in your daily life and work. See Josh, i : 8 ; Psa. 119:11.

Do not be satisfied with simply reading a chapter, but study the meaning of at
least one x'erse every day.

Read and study the Bible sor'^Uy. This is done in Teachers' Meetings, IJible
Classes, Bible Sociables, etc. Eac'i one's views are sure to be som ^what corrected,
supplemented and stimulated by the views, arguments and suggestions of others.

Set apart at X^TisX. fifteen minutes each day for studyiti^ it ; this little will be grand
in results, and never be regretted.

When you read your Bible, be sure you hunt for something. Read the same
■chapter over and over again, till you understand it. — D. L.M.

Make yourself thoroughly y?Jw///ar with PauPs Epistles. They are the key to all
■the Holy Scriptures. — D.L.M.

Look into the deeper meanings, as astronomers search into the depths of the skies.
New stars may be found in the most studied chapters.

Take the plain and simple meaning oi a. T^assagQ. Ingenious interpretations are
usually dangerous. —L.A.

Allow for yourself your prejudices, etc. The Calvinist reads Philippians 2:12,
13, with all the emphasis on verse 13, while the Arminian accents verse 12, and reads
verse 13 very lightly. — L.A.

Gti al best translation, (i.) By studying it in " the original," if possible. (2). By
comparing the received translations with the new translations that are appearing. (3.)
By comparison also with French and German Bibles, especially " Luther's Bible.'' —
L.A.

Study so as to ascertain the whole truth contai ed in a single incident or miracle ;
when and why written, how it applies to yourself, and how to use it for others. — L.A.

Have Crudens Concordattce and a Bible Text-Book at hand ; also in all cases
refer to parallel passages and marginal notes.

Study the Bible in the freshness of the morning rather than the weary hours of
evening. Open and read it in the morning before opening any other book or any
paper,

Believe in the Bible as God s revelation to you, and act accordingly.

Study the peculiar circumstances of the writer of any passage under considera-
tion.— L.A.

Ask " IVho is it that speaks in this passage ? " A Universalist preacher took as
a text to preach against future punishment, (}en. 3 : 4 — " Thou shalt not surely die ■'—
the words of the Devil. — L.A.

Ask what \s the character of the passage ? Law? Poetry? History? Philosophy?
Why not interpret the poem in Judges 5 : 20, by the same prose laws that so many apply
to the poem in Josh. 10 : 13? — L.A.

Ask what is the temperament of the writer or speaker! Rom. 9 : 3 is to be read
in the light of Paul's vehement nature, not used as a prose statement of a necessary
principle of didactic theology. So John 6 : 53, 63, is to be read with Christ's illustrative
temperament in mind. — L.A.

Take the Bible to the preaching sendee^ the Sunday-school, and the week evening
prayer-7neeting — J.H.V.

Study the Bible topically/ Take "Love," for instance, and spend a month in
searching wha. the Bible says about love, from Genesis to Reveladtion. Thus you will

The Scriptures.

211

■ considera-

learn to love everybody, whether they love you or not. In the same way, take " Grace,"
" Faith," "Assurance," " Heaven," and so on.

Let the conductor of a class elicit from each member a written statement (anony-
mous) of the use he makes of the Bible. This will probably in many cases be a melan-
choly "confession," but such "confession is good for the soul," and may lead to
repentance and reforrr;. — J.H.V.

Read the Bible through in courseyOnce or t'vice in a life-time, using 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 17,
as a personal glass through which to read each passage, asking " What reproof in this
for me?" " What instruction ?" etc.

Read the Bible with a view to associate it with the scenes and surroundings of our
lives. Looking out upon Nature, ask " What does the Bible say of trees and shrubs ? "
"What does the Bible say of rivers and waters ?" So of national aflfairs Psa. 33 : 12-
23 ; 44 : 1-3 ; evening, Psa. 121 :4-8 ; morning, Psa. 3:5; 5:3; the Sabbath, Rev.
I : 10-20 ; so of business, meals, journeys, rocks, storms, etc., etc.

Read the Bible with biographical centres ? As it is of intensest interest to read
Revolutionary history with Washington as the centre, so it will be found pleasant to
read Jewish and Christian history with Moses 01 oamuel, or Peter or Paul, as a living
centre, grouping the scenes of which they were the most prominent human figures
around their personal histories.

Read the Bible comprehensively, getting the grand view of each book or set of
books. This is hardly second in value to any method of Bible study, and yet is
probably least followed of any. Bible reading is, for the most part, either " in course,"
or with sharp analysis of single verses here and there, or in single chapters. It is of
the highest impoi lar>ce that we should also get a comprehensive bird's-eye view of
each Bible epistle, each history, each biography, by reading it continuously to the end,
or at least with as few intervals and as short as if we were reading a modern letter,
biography or histor)'.

The time required to read the individual books of the Bible is much less than is
usually supposed. Genesis, which is the longest historical book in the Bible, can be
read without haste in three hours — an amount of time which almost every one
frequently gives to a favorite author at one or two sittings. Luke is the only New
Testament book that requires two hours for its reading. Forty-two out of the sixty-six
books of the Bible may be read in less than an hour each. Of couise, such books as
Proverbs and Psalms, which have no continuous narrative, should not be read so
continuously.

Study to Vxiow for what, and to whom a book or chapter was written.

Study how to use the Bible so as to '■'■walk with God'^ and lead others to Christ.

Read the Book as if it were written for yourself . Always ask God to help you to
understand it, and then expect that He will.

Carry a Bible or Testament with you.

Read systematically with some purpose in mind.

Read the Bible with a view of //>/«;,'■ rather than merely learning it, comiftg to it
not only perfunctorily for lessons and sermons, but alsoy^^r loving conversation, "as a
man talketh with his friend.''

Those who can afford but little for Bible helps can cover the various lines of FIble
study quite satisfactorily by getting the following : "How to Study the Bible," by Jas.
H. Brookes; "Notes on the Books of the Bible," by J. H. B. ; "Jesus is Coming," by
W. E. B. ; " Revised Scripture Text Book," " Young's Concordance." All the fore-
gcing can be obtained through the agency of any bookstore.— J. E. W.

<!i

i i

1 I

! i

212

GOLD FROM UPHIR.

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE.

G. F. Pentecost.

Tills we knoWj is a hackneyed theme. At the same time it is an important one and
must again and again be discussed. There are many Christians who really want
to know how to get at the truths of God's word, in order that they may know the will
of God and grow in grace. They try to read the Bible and fail to do so in any
measure satisfactory to themselves. They adopt one method after another, only
to abandon them, and finally settle down to a mere formal reading of chapters,
concluding (falsely) that Bible reading is a science known only to a few.

This is all a great mistake. God's book was not given for the few, -but to and for
the many. It is not a closed book, but an open one. It is not a difficult book, but an
easy book ; a delightful book ; a most fascinating book both to read and study.
There is no book in the world that is so full of thrilling interest as the Bible ; no book
in the world so varied in its contents ; no book in the world so straightforward and
simple in its style. By this we do not mean that there are no deep places in the
Bible ; no difficulties to be mastered ; no mysteries to be solved. On the contrary,
there are deeps everywhere, and difficulties on ever/ page ; and since it is a revelation
of the mystery of God and godliness, there must be mysteries in it to be solved. But
we mean to say that with all this, the Bible is yet a book that every child of God
ought to be and may be thoroughly familiar with and practically the master of, so far
as its greatest and most blessed truths are concerned.

It is not our intention to unfold a method of Bible reading in this article, but to
suggest one or two fundamental principles which must be observed if we are to read
and study the Bible with profit to ourselves.

First. Every one coming to the Bible ought to remember that it is a book to be
read with the aid of a Divine Interpreter. No child of God ought ever to think of
ripening the Bible for even a moment's readmg or study without first invoking the
presence and direct aid of the Holy Spirit. For without the Spirit of God to
illuminate the page and enlighten the heart and mind of the reader, the Bible is an
unlighted candle. It is a dead body in which there is no expression or response. It
may be dissected and analyzed, but no life will be found in it. The absence of the
Holy Spirit in Bible study is the main reason why it is to some a dull book, and to
others a book so " mysterious ■ "
that the most important factor

itself was given to us. It was for this reason that Luther used to say if he had only
ten minutes in which to read the Bible he would spend six of them in prayer that his
own soul might be brought into spiritual fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Let every
one, then, who would read the Bible with understanding and profit, first seek
earnestly and reverently the presence and blessing of the Holy Spirit, and then read
and study in conscious dependence upon this Divine Interpreter, and the pages of
God's book will glow with life and teem with the precious thoughts of God.

Second. The Bible, to be understood and profited by, must be studied as well as
read. We by no means under-estimate the value of regular reading, in course, from
Genesis to Revelation ; indeed we most earnestly recommend this habit. Neverthe-
less, there is a great difference between regular reading of the Bible and the careful
and particular study of it. To read the Bible is one thing, to study it is another. One
might gain something in the way of knowledge by simply reading through a text-book
on grammar or mathematics ; but no one would think of mastering the science of
language or mathematics by simply reading the text-books through, chapter by
chapter, "in course." By study we understand a careful effort of the mind to

" that it cannot be understood. Let us repeat this .
in Bible study is the Holy Spirit, by whom the book

comprehend and apply the things which are brought to our intelligence. As we study
God's Word, we ask questions. To whom was this said ? What was the occasion of

The Scriptures.

213

t one and
;ally want
w the will
io in any
ther, only
chapters,

to and for
ok, but an
,nd study.
; no book
•ward and
ces in the
1 contrary,
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Ived. But
ild of God
;r of, so far

icle, but to
are to read

book to be

think of
oking the

|of God to
ible is an
iponse. It
:nce of the
lok, and to
peat this :

1 the book
le had only
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then read

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as well as
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^ we study
Iccasion of

the saying ? What did the person or persons to whom it was said understand by it ?
What does it mean to me, if anything ? How am I to apply this truth ? And a score
of other questions like unto tiiese.

Third. The Bible is a book not simply to inform the mind, but to sanctify the life.
A book designed first to give us a revelation of God and then bring our lives into
reconciled relations to Him. It must therefore be studied with an honest purpose to
apply its truths to our life. When the will of God is ascertained, it viust be done. It
is not the hearer, but the doer of God's word that is blessed. If, therefore, in the
course of our study, some truth is discovered that has personal bearing upon our own
relation to God — upon our own life and conduct — and we do not at once endeavor to
apply the truth practically and experimentally, not only will we get no good from the
knowledge gained, but we will soon lose the power to gain more. If God lays
spiritual food before us, and we do not eat it, He will cease to give us food. If God
intrusts us as to life and conversation, and we do not walk in His way, the way will be
darkened to us. If God reveals His grace and the way of salvation and we do not
believe, the light will be withdr.twn. The Bible has no real truth for a man who does
not purpose to use the truth for salvation and sanctification. One of the chief reasons
why we have such difficulty in understanding the Bible is that we do not do what we
understand.

God will not vouchsafe knowledge of Himself and His will fo mere curiosity.

These are bnt three suggestions, but they are among the most important ones.
They pertain to principles of Bible reading, rather than to any method. Whosoever
will prayerfully seek the spirit of God, honestly endeavor to find out what was in the
mind of the Spirit in the words of the Bible, with a purpose to apply the truth to
himself, and then honestly and diligently put the discoveries of truth into practice, will
have no difficulty in understanding the Bible, and experience no dullness either in
reading or studying it,

,¥f I

THE WORK AND WORKERS

(
I'

ipii

:ja

THE WORK AND WORKERS.

PRACTICAL HINTS TO SOUL WINNERS.

By J. E. Wolfe.

"And they that be wise (margin, "teachers,") shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament ; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever,"
Daniel 12:3.

IF there is any one thing that a Christian worker needs above another, it is a practical
knowledge of how to deal with souls. He who said, " I will make you fishers of
men," has placed within the reach of every child of God the gift of soul-winning.
, There is one passage of Scripture in which Ciod says, "My people perish for lack of
knowledge ; " and while this may not be directly applicable to the subject under dis-
cussion, yet in a modified sense it is. Many ministers of the Gospel come short of
the knowledge of how to lead a soul to Christ. The word is preached, sinners are
convicted, are brought to the birth, but are not bom. So with Christian workers :
they will converse with the unconverted and see conviction produced, but are brought
to a stand-still at this point, not knowing how to lead them to a decision/or Christ.

There is nothing, therefore, so essential as unclouded knowledge of how to rightly
divide God's Word, and apply it to the various cases that may be met with in what is
known in these modern days of revival as the " inquiry room." Many times the worker
blames the inqu'rer vith dullness of mind when really the fault lies within himself

Mr. Moody says : " Having studied the Bible, it is important that we know how
to use it, and nowhere is this knowledge so essential as in our personal work for
Christ."

In the first place, then, the believer should believe God's word with all his heart,
soul, niind, and strength. The Bible is not merel> an old book with holy memories
clustering about it, simply bringing to us good advice on important subjects ; it is
infinitely more. It is God's voice to us, fresh as when first uttered, and it "is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works," 2 Tim. 3 : 16, 17. Every Christian, then, should be a minister of
the Gospel, and should remember that he is ordained of the Lord to tell out the Gospel
story to others.

Supposing a person should be sent into a carpenter shop to do a piece of hne work,
but who had no knowledge of how to use the tools skillfully, the job, if job at all, would
be a bungling piece of work. Now the Lord has in His Word furnished every facility
necessary for soul-winning. The tools are there ; the skill to use them must be
acquired by patient, prayerful study of the Word. A physician is called to see a
patient. If he be not a quack he will make a careful diagnosis of the case, and then
prescribe the proper remedies. How strange if he should give a h.sty look at the
patient, and simply ^^jj as to what kind of medicine to administer! The Bible is

[217]

H II

1^13 1 li-.

218

Gold from Ophir.

God's medicine chest, and the worker should be so thoroughly educated in the Word,
as to know how to determine the ailment of the patient and then prescribe the proper
remedies.

Many well-meaning Christians, when brought in contact with a convicted sinner,
"tell their experience." Now no two Christian experiences are alike. The process
of awakenl.-.r, conviction and conversion are in no two cases identical. So that the
relating of experience is likely to cause the inquirer to stumble. Satan takes advan-
tage, and suggests that he, the inquirer, must pass through the same peculiar process
as did his instructor The best thing to do is to use God's word, as it is applicable to
all cases.

There are many helpful passages for different classes of seekers. The first class,
I would suggest, is the backslider ; it is a very numerous one. CJntil backsliders are
reclaimed the work of revival cannot progress uninterruptedly. Many of the books of
the Old Testament are devoted to backslidden children of God.

[The arrangement and classification of the following passages are by no means
criginal, but are given in order to help the many in the Church who perhaps may
not have come across them before.]

I. For Backsliders.— Jeremiah 2 : 5, 13, 19, 27, 32 ; 3 : 12, 13, 14, 22 ; Hosea
14 : 1, 2, 4. The references will be found to be quite numerous. A backclider must
begin where he left off. Peter denied or ceased to confess Christ, and there was no
restoration until confession was resumed.

II. For Those who are Indifferent.— There are many who are but slightly
convicted, if at all. The Word of God must be used in the most unsparing manner.
The only remedy for such cases are the following passages of Scripture and kindred
references : Roinans^ 3 : 10, 23 ; 7 : 24 ; i John 1 : 10 ; Ecclesiastes 7 : 20 ; Isaiah 53 :6 ;
Psalms 143 : 2 ; Gahttians 2 : 16 ; Ephesians 2 : 8, 9 ; Isaiah 1:5,6. With such cases
let thorough work be done. Let God's Word be the mirror in which the sinner shall
see nimself as God sees him.

III. For the Very Deeply Convicted.— Such should be dealt with in great
tenderness. Use Isaiah 1:18; 53 : 4, 5 ; 43 : 25 ; 44 : 22 ; i Peter 2 : 24 ; Romans
5:6; Revelation 22 : 17.

IV. The Class that do not Know how to Come to Christ.— There are
many of this class. They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. Per-
haps they have been taught by some that they must "seek religion." Nowhere in the
New Testament is the sinner exhorted to seek religion. A seeker of religion is already
a Christian, James i : 27. They should be taught not to receive a creed, but a Person.
John I: II, 12; 5 : 24 ; 3 : 16, 18, 36 ; 6:40, 47. They must trust, Isaiah 26:3;
Psalm ;^4 : 8. God offers salvation as a gift, and to be taken. Revelation 22:17; Psalm
96 : 13 ; Romans 6 : 23.

V. The " Don't Feel" Class. — A false theology has mi^de feeling a condition of
solvation. Thousands of sinners have stumbled and are stumbling over this false
idea. Show them that it is simple trust in God's word that brings the joy of conscious
salvation. Teach them to rest on the Word. Sometimes this class will trust and
come back doubting. It is because they have not confessed Christ. Use Romans
10 : 9, 10 ; Matthew 10 : 32.

VI. •' I AM Afraid I will not Hold Out." — Many use this as an argument for
not deciding for Christ. Give them : i Peter 4:19; Psalm 121 : i ; Isaiah 43 : 2 ;
I Corinthians 10 : 13 ; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Jude 24 ; Romans 8 : 35-39 ; Co' »ssians

3 : 3, 4-

VII. For Those who Stumble over Weak Christians —Use Romans 14: 12;
John 21 : 21, 22 ; Matthew 7 : i, 3 ; Romans 2:1; 3:4.

VITI. For the "I'll Try" Class.— Show them tli?t salvation is not to be ob-
tained by trying. They must quit trying and go to trusting. Use Romans 4 : 5, and
kindred passagep.

IHI

The Work and Workers.

219

IX. "There are Some Things I Cannot Give Up."— For this class refer to
Mark 8 : 35, 37 ; Phillippians 3 : 7, 8.

X. To Whom is the Invitation Extended?— To the lost, io the ungodly,
Luke 19 : 10 ; Matthew 9:12; Luke 5 : 32.

XI. The Time OF Salvation. — See Isaiah 55:6; 2 Corinthians 6: 2: Hebrews 3: 7.

XII. Delay ic Dangerous.— Proverbs 1:24,28; Warnings: Psalm 92 : 7 ;
2 Peter 2 : 9.

XIII. How to Meet the Skeptic— John 7 : 17 ; Psalm 25 : 14 ; John 6 :4o.

XIV. A Few Closing Hints :

It is noi best for several persons to talk one after another with the same inquirer.

The worker should believe that Jesus is able and willing to save now.

It should be remembered that each inquirer has one chief difficulty.

Meet all candid objections but avcid controversy.

Let the Spirit of God pray in you while you work with them.

Urge the seeker gently, yet earnestly, io immediate decision.

Do not ask a soul to wait until to-morrow.

Do not tell an inquirer " I shall pray for you till you are converted." Keep that
to yourself.

Do not offer the I'jast comfort to impenitent souls.

Be thorough. Don't run to too many in the inquiry room, but confine yourself to
one until some decision is reached.

Never fail to pray with an inquirer, if possible, m a quiet manner, standing or
kneeling by his side.

Above all things have_/a//A for immediate results.

220

Gold from Ophir.

RULES FOR EVANGELISTS.

Being those given by Paul to Timothy.

I. "Stir Up the gift that is in thee," 2 Tim.
x:6.

II. " Be not thou ashamed of the testi-
mony of our Lord," i : 8.

III. " Hold fast the form of sound words,
which thou hast heard of me, in faith and
love which is in Christ Jesus," 1:13; and
again in the 14th verse, "That good thing
which v/as committed unto thee, keep by the
Holy Ghost which dwelleth in thee.'

IV. You want strength ; then, " Be strong
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus," 2:1.

V. '■ Endure hardness as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ," 2 :3.

VI. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the
seed of David, was raised from the dead,
2:8. Evangelists, that is the doctrine for
you. Christ raised from the dead is God's
receipt in full for the sinner's justification.

VII. " Study to show ihyseM approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of
Truth," 2: 15.

VIII. "Flee also youthful lusts; but fol-

low righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with
them that call on the Lord out of a pure
heart," 2 :22.

IX. " Foolish and unlearned questions
avoid, knowing that they do gender strife,"
2:23.

X. " Continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned," 3 : 14. Not only preach
to others, but live out the truth you preach.

XL- " All Scripture is given by inspiration
of God," 3 : 16. Be persuaded of the inspira-
tion of the Scripture. Use it, for it is the
sword of the Spirit.

XII. " I charge thee, therefore, before God
and the Lord Jesus Christ . . Treachthe
Word, be instant in season, oai u* ;jeason,"
4: 1, 2.

XIII. "Do the work of "an evangelist,"
4:5. Do the work, don't merely talk about
it, or be satisfied with the title of an evange-
list. DO the WORK— it is tough work, hard
work, but blessed work.

MARCUS RAINSFORD.

BIBLE NOTES FOR STUDENTS.

1. The first verse in the Bible speaks of
Creation. The last verse in the Bible
speaks of Grace. The middle verse of the
Bible speaks of Judgment, Ps. 18:9.

2. E~je a Type of the Church, Gen. 2 : 22.
" And the rib builded He a woman." (See
margin), Eph. 2:22. "In whom (Christ)
ye are builded together."

3. The Day of Grace — God says : " Look
unto Me and be ye saved, Isa, 45 : 22. The
Day of Judgment, " Every eye shall see
Him," Rev. i : 7. Many to-day will not look
for mercy, but oneday they will be compelled
to look for judgment.

4. What jfesus Saves from — " His people
from their sins" . . condemnation of sin,

Rom. 8:1; . . present power of sin, Rom.
7:6,7; , . from sin itself, with all its effe''
when weget to glory. Rev. 22 : 3, 4. Frou. .
ii.iquity, Titus 2 : 14 ; from this preset'' c . -■■
ago. Gal. 1:4; from our enemies, Luke 1:7^.

5. Twenty-two Signs of the Times, 2 Tim.

3:1-8.

6. "A GoodGeneralServant, Epaphroditas
Phil. 2:25; brother; companion in labor;
fellow-soldier; messenger; servant.

7. "Put on the Whole Armour of God,
Eph. 6:11: That we may be able to stand-
defensive, verse 13. That ye may "be able
t) WITHSTAND, aggressive, verse 16. Ye
SHALL be able to quench, victory.

F. C. SPURR.

wmmm

The Work and Workers.

221

WHY SHOULD GOD'S PEOPLE WORK.

I. To show the genuineness of their faith
and love, Jas. 2:18, 2G; John 14: 15; and
15: 10, 14.

II. God chose and regenerated them that
they might work, John 15 . 16 ; Eph. 2 : 10.

III. Christ died that they might work,
Titus 2:14; 2 Cor. 5 : 15.

IV. Scriptures given to qualify them for
work, 2 Tim. 3; 16, 17.

V. Sufficient help offered to enable them
to work, 2 Cor. 9:8; and 12:9; Phil. 4 ; 13.

VI. That they may be blessed and happy,
Jas. 1:25; John 13:17.

VII. To glorify God and be like Him,
Matt. 5: 16; I Pet. 2 : 12; John 15:8; Titua
3:8; Matt. 5:44.45. 48.

Let God's people therefore OBEY, Heb.
10:24. G- '^^

SERVICE.

We are set free to serve. God said si\
times to Pharaoh, "Let my people go, that
they may serve Me." We, too, are redeemed
out of the spiritual Egypt to serve God —
" Made free from sin, ye became the servants
of righteousness," Rom. 6:18-22. "That
we, being delivered out of the hands of our
enemies, might^erve Him," Luke 1 174.

I. Characteristics of God's service.

1. Loving service. " I drew them with cords
of a man, with bands of love, Hos. 11:4.
"I love my master . . . I will not go out
free ... he shall serve him for ever," Ex.
21 :5, 6.

2. Whole-hearted service. "No man can
serve two masters," Matt. 6 : 24. " Present
your bodies a living sacrifice . . . your
reasonable service," Rom. 12 : i. "There
shall not an hoof be left behind : for thereof
must we take to serve the Lord our God ;
and we know not with what we must serve
the Lord, until we come thither," Ex. 10 : 26.

3. All-including service. " Whatsoever ye
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men . . . forye serve the Lord Christ,"
Col. 3:23, 24. "Whosoever shall give to
drink unto one of these little ones a cup of
cold water only in the name of a disciple,
verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise
lose his reward," Matt. 10 : 42. " Under the
charge of the sons of Merari . . . the pillars
. . their sockets, and their pins, and their
cords," Num. 3 : 36, 37. (Such little things

to look after, but it was God's work as much
as any seemingly more important. His
field of service is wider than our field of
vision).

4. Holy service. " Be ye clean that bear
the vessels of the Lord," Isa. 52 : 11. " The
Levites were purified . . and after that went
the Levites in to do their service, Num.
8 : 21, 22.

5. Joyous service. " Serve the Lord with
gladness," Ps. 100: 2. " My servants shall
sing for joy of heart," Isa. 65 : 14.

6. Satisfied service. "Mine elect shall
long enjoy the work of their hands. They
shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for
trouble,'' Isa. 65 :22.

" For only work that is for God alono
Hath an unceasing guerdon of delight —
A guerdon unaffected by the sight
Of great success, nor by its loss o erthown ;
All else is vanity be.'.eath the sun.
There may be joy in doing, but it palls when done."

7. Rewarded service. "God is not un-
righteous to forget your work and labor of
love," Heb. 6:10. "Your work shall be
rewarded," 2Chron. 15:7; Jer. 31 : iG. "If
any man's work abide ... he shall receive
a reward," 1 Cor. 3:14. "Come ... in-
herit the kingdom prepared . . . inasmuch
as ye have done it unto one of the least of
thee, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me,"
Matt, 25 : 34-40-

II. Characteristics of God's servants.
I. Obedience. "His servants ye are to

I. i

223

Gold from Ophir.

whom ye obey," Rom. 6 : i6. " Whatsoever
He saith unto you, do it," John 2:5. " Thy
servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord
the king shall appoint," 2 Sam. 15:15. (It
is not enough to be working for the Master,
we must be working at His word).

2. Gentleness, patience, meekntss. " The
servant of the Lord must not strive ; but be
gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in
meekness instructing those that oppose them-
selves," 2 Tim. 2 : 24, 25.

3. Love. "By love serve one another, "Gal.
5:13. " Let us not love in word, neither in
iongue ; but indeedand in truth," i John 3:18.

4. Expectancy. " Let your loins be girded
about, and your lights burning; and ye
yourselves like unto men that wait for their
Lord . . . Blessed are those servants whom
the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watch-
ing," Luke 12:35-40.

III. Strengfth for service.
" Who is sufficient for these things ? " 2 Cor.
2:16.

" Our sufficiency is of God," 2 Cor. 3 1^.

1. Prayer. " And in the morning, rising up
a great while before day, He went out, and
departed into a solitary place, and there
prayed," Mark i : 35. (In the Gospel of
God's Servant, here in the first chapter, we
see how He gathered strength by prayer).

2. Baptism of the Spirit, Acts 2. " They
were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spake the word of God with boldness," Acts
4:31. " Seven men of honest report, full of
the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may
appoint over this business . . . Stephen, a
man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost
. . . full of faith and power, did great
wonders and miracles among the people,"
Acts 6 : 3, 5, 8.

3. Following yestis. " If any man serve
Me, let him follow Me," John 12:26. " Con-
sider Him that endureth such contradiction
of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied
and faint in your minds," Heb. 12:3. "I
have given you an example," John I3 : 15.

4. Looking to the Lord. "Behold, as the
eyes of servants look unto the band of their

masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto
the hand of her mistress : so our eyes wait
upon the Lord our God," Ps. 123:2.
Answered by, " I wjll gfuide thee with mine
eye," Ps. 32:8. "The Lord looked upon him,
and said, . Go in this thy might . . . have
not I sent thee ? " Judges 6 : 14.

5. Trust. "The God of heaven, He will
prosper us ; therefore we. His servants, will
arise and build," Neh. 2 : 20. " We rest on
Thee, and in Thy name we go against this
multitude," 2 Chron. 14: 11.

6. Grace. " Let us have grace, whereby
we may serve God acceptably, with reverence
and godly fear," Heb. 12:28. "Hegiveth
more grace," James 4:6. "God is able to
make all grace abound toward you ; that ye,
always having all-sufficiency in all things,
may abound in every good work," 2 Cor. 9 : 8.

7. Remembrance of past help. "David
said moreover. The Lord that delivered me
out of the paw of the lion, and out of thepaw
of the bear. He will deliver me out of the
hand of this Philistine," i Sam. 17:37.
" When I sent you without purse, and scrip,
and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they
said. Nothing," Luke 22: 35.

IV. The glory of service.

" Let this mind be in you, which was also
in Christ Jesus : who . . . made Himself of
no reputation, and took upon Him the form
of a servant . . . and humbled Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted Him," etc., Phil. 2:5-11. "I am
among you as He that serveth," Luke 22 : 27.
"Whosoever will be chief among you, let
him be [your servant ; even as the Son of
Man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give His life a ransom tor
many," Matt. 20:27, 28. "Ye serve the
Lord Christ." Col. 3:24.

" They spent their lives for others.

But the world knsw them not ;
It had not known their Master,

And they sought no higher lot.
But the angels la heaven knew them.

And He knew them, who died and rose ;
And the poet knew that the lowest place

Was that which the Highest chose."

JANET CLARK.

The Work and Workers.

22S

PLAIN WORDS ON PLAIN SPEAKING.

Bj' J. T. Trench.

MY first piece of advice is in the words of the Lord to Jeremiah, 2,500 years ago : — •
" Be not afraid of their faces," If you are afraid of either the '* goodies " or the
"badies," and I am not sure which are the severest critics, you had better clear out,
and take to scribbUng, shoemaking or some other respectable business, as you are
certainly not fit to be a King's messenger.

II. Make them understand you.— A man said to me some time ago, " The
worst of you is that if you preach any wrong doctrine, you will destroy us, for you are
sure to make us understand it." Well, preach the truth if you know it, and if you do
not you had better hold your tongues until you do.

III. Seek not your own glory. — If you do that, you are done for ; and yet of
all temptations this is the most powerful. "Well preached," whispers the devil in
your ear, as you leave the pulpit. "Lord, help !" you exclaim. "Now, devil, pass on."

IV. Don't offer the Lord what costs you notLing.— If you think you can
preach without study, you are laboring under a great delusion. I preach very little ;
moreover, my sermons are no great things, but I never preach one that does not cost
me from four to six hours' study.

V. Don't preach beyond your experience. — If you do, your audience will
find you out before you have been at it for ten minutes, and God will find you out earlier
still. I once heard a man preach on " Christian Perfection," and after the service I
went up to him, and said, " Excuse my asking, sir, do you experience all you have Ijeen
urging upon me?" He replied, in a very flurried way, " Well I am afraid I have an
engagement now, but I will see you about it some other time." And off he went.

VI. Avoid politics in the pulpit. — You have enough to do with the passions
of the heart, the reasonings of the intellect, the ambitions of the soul, without degrading
celestial interests by importing partisan politics into the pulpit.

VI I. Heat the iron before you try to mould it. — Remember that you have
a difficult work to perform, and do it with common sense, or rather with uncommon
sense. But in the citadel which you have to storm you have always a friend, namely,
the man's own conscience. That tells him that religion is right, and that he had better
surrender.

In conclusion. You will find that your attainment in method, and achievement,
and also in result, will be pretty much according to your faith and your works. Go in
for a big thing while you are about it, and at last the Saviour's own hand will place on
your immortal brow a crown whose glittering gems will forever reflect His smile of
approbation.

HINTS FOR THE INQUIRY ROOM.

By Geo. Soltati.

' " HEARING AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS."

" The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue, is from the
Lord." — Prov. 16:1. _^

MANY workers find some difficulty in knowing how to begin a conversation. Such
questions as "Are you a Christian ?" " Is your soul saved ? " " Have you found
the Lord ? " are somewhat abrupt, and may have the effect of repelling the inquirer.
Just as a medical man, when he calls to see a patient, leads up to the special questions
as to the suffering and illness, so with tender sympathy the Christian should lead up to
the close inquiry as to the state of the soul of the anxious one. It is a good plan to

224

Gold from Ophir.

commence with questions suggested by the text of the address, or by the. closing
appeal made by the speaker, or by an allusion to the closing hymn.

Amongst the replies to pointed questions about the safety of the soul, the following
will probably be frequent : —

I. "Ihopelamsaved. I am doing the best I can. Wliatmorecanldo?"
Instead of at once attempting to show that the hope is vain, and that nothing has

to be done for salvation, it may be well to ask such questions as these : —

How long have you been hoping to be saved? What first aroused your mind as
to the necessity of being saved ? When did you begin to do your best ? How have
you been getting on? Are you satisfied with yourself? How many sins have you
overcome ? Who told you to do your best? Have you any text that enjoins it ? When
will you have attained to the standard of holiness that God requires ? Do you know
what God requires? He requires a perfect likeness to Jesus, His blessed Son. Here
is the description of Him, Heb. 7 : 26 : " He was holy, harniless, undefiled, separate
from sinners." Are you like Him ?

Inquirer may reply, " But I am not worse than most people, and better than a
great many." " But you admit you owe a certain amount to God that you cannot pay ?
a debt of sin has been contracted?" "Yes."

With this admission turn to Luke 7 : 41, 42, and explain the parable of the two
debtors. Let the inquirer be the 50-pence debtor, the Christian worker the 500-

Eence debtor, and point out the meaning of the words " nothing to pay." If the inquirer
rings up the text Phil. 2:11, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,"
as an argument for "doing one's best," turn to the passage, and read, " For it is God
that worketh in you," and show how it is impossible to work out what God has not
first worked in; that He gives forgiveness of sin, and the Holy Spirit for this very pur-
pose, thus enabUng the saved sinner to work for Him, and manifest the salvation received.
Another Hne of conversation may be found useful. Put the question, " How much
time do you spend in religious exercises during the week? and how much in business
or family affairs ? " Suggest the desirability of reversing the order of things, and
devoting to the interests of the soul for the next month the time hitherto spent in
business etc., and to the affairs of ordinary life the time hitherto spent in spiritual
things, pointing out how such a process would lead to bankruptcy and confusion. If
the soul is of more imp'^-tance than the body, how utterly vain and futile must the
efforts be for its salvation. Do not encourage the inquirer to " keep on trying," as is
so often done. Note carefully Rom. 10 : 3. Having knocked away all the props of
self righteousness, and convinced the soul of its need, put God's way of dealing with
sin before the inquirer.

II. "I put my trust in the Almighty, He is very merciful."

When you hear the expression, " the Almighty," be very sure <he person using it
knows nothing of the character of God, or of the heinousness of sin. Inquire, " What
promise of God are you trusting ? What do you know of His Mercy ? Has' He forgiven
your sins? Has He accepted you? Answers in the negative to these questions will
enable you to point out that the inquirer is trusting in his feelings, prayers, good char-
acter, etc., rather than in God."

" But I shouldn't like to presume to say I was saved ; none can tell that till they
come to die ! " To such an observation, reply, " Suppose when you come to die, after
doing your best, you find you have made some great mistake, and you are all wrong
and there is no time to get anything put right, what will you do ? It is presumption
to flatly contradict what God says, and He plainly declares that we may know we are
saved, and have eternal life." See John 3 : 16, 36 ; 5 : 24.

III. " How am I to know that Jesus died for me ? "

Turning to Rom. 3:11, "They have all gone out of the way," ask the inquirer,
" Is this true ? " " Yes." " Then you have gone oirt of the way ? " " Yes." Again,
Isa. 53 : 6, " All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have turned everyone to his own
way/' "Is that true?" "Yes." " Then you have gone out of the way ?" "Yes." "And

The Work and Workers.

225

you have turned to your own way." "Yes." " How far have you gone from God \n
your own way? As far as you could get ? " "Yes." Now change the words a// w«
for the word /, and read the verse again, coucluding, "and the Lord hath laid on Him
the iniquity of . . . . Whom?" "Did Jesus die for you?" " You have no right to
cut this verse in two, believing that the first part that condemns you is true, and that
the last clause that would save you is not true."

It is important with this class of inquirers to very clearly put before them that
the Lord ^w^w those whose sins He was bearing on the cross — that His eye looked
down the future as well as back on the past, and that He then was fully aware for
whom He was suffering, John 17 : 20. " Neither pray I for these alone, but for them
also which shall believe on Me through their word."

IV. " How can I tell whether I am one of the elect ?

The adversary of souls skilfully uses the most precious doctrines to hinder the
sinner coming to Christ. He uses the doctrine of God s free grace to lull the conscience,
by persuading the soul there is plenty of time. He uses election to frighten timid
souls, lest they press forward and accept the gift of life. To such an inquiry it may
be well to reply, "Are you anxious to know whether y( can be saved?" "Yes."
"Jesus said, ' U any man thirst, let him come unto Me and drink,'" John 7 : 37. " Did
He mean this invitation for anyone?" "Yes." "For you?" "I don't know ; how
can anyone come unless the Holy Spirit draw him?" "Who set God's people
arranging these meetings ? Who induced you to come to them ? Was it not the Holy
Spirit? And having brought you here, and given you this desire for salvation, does
He purpose disappointing you, and leaving you in darkness and difficulty ? The Holy
Spirit now submits to your heart the decision of the matter. The question really is.
What do you choose . Whatever you choose God will ratify. Choose life, by accepting
the Lord's invitation. * If any man thirst, let him come to Me,' and God will seal that
choice for ever."

It has been very wisely said that the texts containing the great invitations such as
" Whosoever will," and " Whosoever believeth," etc., are the outside texts for all to
read. Those who believe these words of mercy, and step inside the door, will find
another set of texts for their comfort and assurance, such as Rom. 8 : 29, 30 ; Eph. i : 4,
5 ; I Peter i : 2 ; these are the inside texts.

V. " I am afraid I have committed the unpardonable sin."

This difficulty haunts the minds of a certain number of persons who are naturally
morbid, and given to introspection. If such a remark is made by an inquirer, ask him,
" Does this fear haunt you ? How long have you been thus troubled ? What first
gave rise to i • ? " Then ask, " Do you honestly desire salvation ? Who produces thiu
desire in your mind, Satan, or the Holy Spirit? If the Holy Spirit has thus stirred
you to earnest inquiry, it is clear you cannot have committed the unpardonable sin.
I lad you done so. He would no longer strive with you ; He would have left you for ever,
and you would never have been troubled about these things. Take your very anxiety
of mind as the best proof that the Lord desires your salvation, and has guided you here
for that very purpose."

/I. " I am afraid if I begin to-night I shall not hold on."

To meet this difficulty it is important to make clear the work of the Holy Spirit.
The two great gifts of the Gospel are Remission of Sins and the Holy Spirit, Acts 2 : 38.
The first deals with the pas^, the second with the future.

The Holy Spirit seals the soul for eternity, Eph. 1:13; 4 : 30 ; 2 Cor. i : 22. He
gives life, Rom. 8 : 10. He dwells in the believer, Rom. 8 -.9 ; John 14 : 16, 17. He will
teach and guide, John 14, 26 ; 15 : 13 ; 16 : 13. Help infirmities and teach you how to
pray, Rom. 8 : 26. God who saves is also ab!e to keep, Jude 24 ; 2 Tim. 1:12; Cor. 9 : 8.

Moreover, this great gift of the Holy Spirit is the power for surmounting all diffi-
culties and overcoming all temptations. Eph. i : 19-21, teaches us that this power is
in us, that as the Holy Spirit raised Jesus and set Him far above (not just above) all
principality and power, etc., v/e, too, may expect to be raised up above the power of
evil and the trial of circumstances, and thus be kept from falling.
15

226

Gold from Ophir.

CHRISTIAN WORKERS' POWER.

I. Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost,
Luke 3 : 22 ; 4 : 14 ; i : i8-2i.

II. He promised the same to His disciples,
John 7: 38, 39; 16: 13, 14; Acts 1:8; 2:4.

III. Obligations laid upon us, assume that
the same promise is given to us, Rom. 8 : 8,
9, 14; Gal. 5: 16, 18, 25.

IV. Instruments of our service ail under
the Spirit's power, i Cor. 2: 13; Rom. 8: 16,
26; Eph. 6: 17; I John 4: 13; Jude 20, 21.

V. Cautions concerning treatment of the

Holy Spirit imposes responsibility, i John
4:1-3; I Thess. 5:19; Eph. 4:30; Acts

VI. Incentives to active service are from
His voice — urging to present victory. (Note,
seven overcomes). Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26-29;
3:5, 6, 12, 13, 21, 22.

VII. Our witness-bearing joined with His
— thus showing indivisible union now in
Christ, John 15:26, 27; 17:20,21; Rev.
19 : 9, 10. H. M. PARSONS.

THE CHRISTIAN AT WORK.

Acquire a spiritual knowledge of all parts
of the word, and learn how to " rightly
divide it."

Learn by questioning the real spiritual con-
dition of the individual you deal with. Be
thorough.

Find readily and explain clearly from your
open Bible, a few apt texts.

Always hold up Christ as the only and all-
sufficient Saviour. Work with the Holy
Ghost.

Pray rather than argue. Use as much as
possible the very words of Scripture.

Be earnest and urgent for an immediate
decision, 2 Tim. 3 : 16-17.

Some classes met with :

1. The self-righteous and careless. "No
fear ; God is just ; I never did anything very
bad; will take my chances," Jno. 6:29; i
Cor. 16 : 22 ; Gen. 6:5; Jer. 17:9; Rom.
3 : 10-21 ; I Jno. i : 10.

2. Skeptic. " Peculiar, can't believe ; think
for myself, etc., Ps. 14 : i ; Rom. i : 21, 22,
28 : Rom. 3:3:2 Thess. 2 : 10 ; Jno. 3 : 36 ;
I Jno. 5 : 10.

3. Doubting Christians. " Hope, try, no
one can be sure." Stop hoping and trying,
and "trust," i Jno. 5:1, 13 ; Jno. 5:24;
6 : 47 ; 10 : 28 ; Rom. 8 : 31-39.

4. Deceived formalists. "Belong to the

Church," Jno. 3:5-8; Rom. 2:28-29; Gal.
6:15; 2 Tim. 3:5; Matt. 7 : 22, 23.

5. Inconsistencies of professors. "Hypo-
crites — as gooa as they — il I can't be better,
etc.," Matt. 7:1-3; Jno. 21 : 22 ; Rom. 2 : i-

9 ; 14 : 4, 12 ; Jas. 4:12; Jude 14, 16.

6. Backsliders, Prov. 14 : 14 ; Jer. 3 : 22 ;
Mai. 3:7; Hos. 14:4; 11:8. David and
Peter.

7. Deeply convicted and despondent, Isa.
1:18; 43 : 25 ; 44 : 22 ; Rom. 5 : 6 ; i Pet.
2 : 24 ; I Jno. 1:7; i Tim. i : 15-17 ; Heb.
7:25; 8: 12.

8. " So many things to give up." Receive
the Lord Jesus Christ first, Jno. i : 12 ; Mark
8 : 35-37 ; Phil. 3:7-9; Luke 18 : 22 ; Rom.
8:16-18.

9. How to believe, Rom. 10 : 10 ; Acts
8 : 37 ; Jno. 3 : 4-18 ; 5 : 25 ; Rev. 22 : 17.

10. "If I felt, etc.," Isa. 45:22; Rom.
5:1; 4:5. Feeling three times, faith three
hundred times in the N.T. A matter of Faith
and Fact, rather than feeling.

11. "Fear I can't hold out, having tried,"
Isa. 41:13; Eph. 3:20; Phil. 1:6; Jno.

10 : 27-29; 2 Tim. i : 12 ; Jude 24.

12. "Not to-night," Gen. 6:3; Prov. 27:1;
29 : 1 : Matt. 24 : 48-51 ; Luke 12 : 20; 2 Cor.
6:2; Heb. 3 : 15 ; Jas. 4 : 13-17.

E. P. MARVIN.

The Work and Workers.

227

THE CHRISTIAN REVIVED.

I. The need of revival.

(a) We need to be revived daily to follow
the way God would have us go, Ps. iig : 37.

(6) We need to be revived in God's right-
eousaess, Ps. 119:40.

(d) And in the truth, a Pet. i : 13.

(e) In the joy of our salvation, Ps. 51 : 12.
(/) In the heart and spirit, Ps. 51 : lo.
{g) In the spirit of our mind, Eph. 4 : 23.
(h) For His name's sake, Ps. 143 : 2.

II. How revived.

(a) By the Holy Ghost, Titus 3: 5; Acts
1:8:1 Cor. 2 : 4.

{b) By God's word, Ps. 119 : 50, 93 ; John
6:63; Ps. 19:7.

III. Results of revival.

(a) We rejoice in God, Ps. 85 : 6.

(b) We keep His word, Ps. 119 : 88.

{d) Renewal of worship, Ezra 9 : 8-g.

(^)" Victory in trouble, Ps. 138 : 7 ; 71 : 20.

(/) Spirit of prayer, Ps. 80: 18.

(g) Keeps us in path of righteousness, Ps.

23:3-
(h) Gives us strength, Isa. 40:31; Ps.

103:5-
(i) Gives us comforts, Isa. 57 : 18.
(k) Restore i health to the soul, Jer. 30 : 17.
(/) Comforts the sorrowful, Jer. 31 : 25.
IV. Revival conditional.

(a) We must be humble, Isa. 57 : 15 ; Ps.
34: 18. We must be contrite, Matt. 5:4:
Luke 15 : 20.

(b) We must return and confess sin, Hos.
5: 14-15; 6:1, 2.

W. FLINT JONES.

SOME OF THE WEAK THINGS GOD USES AQCOMPLISH

HIS PURPOSES.

How full of comfort is the Bible to the
dear Father's " little ones," His weak ones.
In looking through its sacred pages we find
so many instances where God, instead of
selecting the great ones of the earth, the
mighty ones, chose the weakest in order to
demonstrate His own Almighty power. In Job
26: 2 we tead : " How hast thou helped him
that is without power ? How savest thou the
arm that hath no strength ?" And in Isaiah
40:29, "To them that have no might He
increaseth strength." i Cor. 1:27: "God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to
confound the mighty." 2 Cor. 10:4:
" Mighty through God to the pulling down
of strongholds." It ought to be clearly seen
by all of His children that His plans have
not changed in the least. May the Holy

Ghost bless the following word pictures of
" power in weakness " to the encouragement
of the many who think they have no gift for
service in the Master's vineyard.

Among the many things that God makes
use of are the following :

1. A rod — See Exodus 4 : 2, 17 ; 8:5, 16 ;
9:23; 10:13; 14:16; 17:9.

2. An ass — Numbers 22 : 28 ; Luke 19 : 34,
35; 2 Pet. 2 :i6,

3. A ram's horn— Joshua 6:5.

4. An ox goad — Judges 3 : 31.

5. A woman — ^Judges 4 : 9.

6. A nail— Judges 4: 21 ; Eccles. 12:11.

7. A barley cake— Judges 7 : 13.

8. Broken pitchers and trumpets —Judges
7: 20.

9. A piece of millstone— Judges 9 : 53.

228

Gold from Ophir.

zo. Jaw-bone of an ass — Judges 15 : 15, 19.

11. Left hands — Judges 20: 16.

12. Shepherd's slings and five stones— i
Sam. 17 : 40.

13. A cruse of oil— i Kings 17 : 16.

14. A cloak — 2 Kings 2:8.

15. Valley full of ditches— 2 Kings 3 : 16.

16. Empty vessels— 2 Kings 4 : 3.

17. A worm — Isaiah 41 : 14, 15.

18. A gourd — Jonah 4 : 6, 7.

19. Babes— Matt. 21 : 16.

20. A cock — Mark 14 : 72.

21. A cup of cold water — Mark 9 : 41.

22. Five loaves and two fishes — ^Jno. 6:9

23. Clay — Jno. 9 : 6.

24. A voice — Jno. i : 23 ; Luke 7 : 28.

25. Five words — i Cor. 14:9, 19.

26. Helps— I Cor. 12:28; Acts 18:27: z
Tim I 16.

27. Succorers— The word means "running
on the occasion of a cry," Rom. 16 : 2, 3.

28. Repairers — Isa. 58 : 12 ; and in Nehe-
miah 3rd chapter, we find the word " re-
paired " some thirty-two times.

29. Stoppers of chinks and strengtheners
— Ezek. 27 : 9 (see margin).

30. Rags— Jer. 38 : 11 ; 39: 14, 16, 17.

31. Two mites — Mark 12:42-44. A mite
is the seventh part of a piece of brass money.

32. An alabaster box of ointment— Jno.
12:3.

33. Tears — Luke 7 : 44.

34. A needle — Acts 9 : 39 ; Eccles. 9 : 10.

Ar. byj, E. W.

THE WORK AND THE WORKER.

1. The work.

X. The work is to declare the testimony of
3od, I Cor. 2:1.

2. And that is that all the world is guilty
before God, Rom. 3 : 19.

3. That God Is not willing that any should
perish, 2 Peter 3 : 9.

4. "That God so loved the world," etc.,
John 3 : 16.

5. " That Christ has borne our sins, "etc.,
. I Peter 2 : 24 ; John 1 : 29.

6. That it is through Him the forgiveness
of sins is preached, Acts 13 : 38, 39.

7. That God now commands all men every-
where to repent, Acts 17 : 30.

8. That the benefits of Christ's death are
received through repentance toward God and
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts
20:21.

9. That thus believing in Christ, the sinner
is at once saved. Acts 16:31; John 5:24;
John 3 : 36.

II. The worker.

God's work in Christ comes first.
The believer's work is in and from Him.

1. There must be separation before he can
be sent, John 17 : 16-18.

2. There must be communion before
testimony, John 15:27; Acts 4 13, 20; 1
John 1 : 1-3.

3. The believer must be loving Christ
before teaching others, John :. i : 15-17.

4. Preaching is simply being a witness
Acts 1 :8, 21, 22 ; Acts 5 : 32.

5. In Acts 9:20, Saul believed, and
" Straightway he preached Christ," John
1:41, 45; 4:28, 29.

6. This ministry is received from the Lord
Jesus, Acts 20 : 24.

7. The method of the law — doing that one
may live — fails, see Rom. 10 : 1-5.

8. The method of the Gospel — life that
one may do — puts Christ's work first, and in
God's order, Rom. 10:6-17.

9. Gifts for service flow from being mem-
bers in the body of Christ, see Rom. 12 ; 3-8 ;
Eph. 4 ;7, II, 12; I Cor, 12 :4-3i.

10. God pours from filled vessels, Rom.
15:29; 2 Cor. 4:7.

nth and lastly— Our sufficiency is of God,
2 Cor. 2 : 14, 17 ; 3 : 5, 6.

The Work and Workers.

229

THE PREACHER AND HIS WORK.

By " Prediger," Sf. Petersburg.

WE take the liberty of reprinting the following from Mr. Spurgeon's excellent maga-
iine, The Sword and Trowel, as it is calculated to be very helpful to those
engaged in the Lord's service, and is deserving of a wide circulation. Mr. Spurgeon
adds in a footnote: — 'A friend from abroad has sent us the following sententious
sentences. They may be useful to others besides ministers ; but we wish our friend
would put them in the way of preachers. May God bless each sentence ! "

Preface. — This treatise, though very brief, is the result of many years reading.
It lays no claim to originality ; the thoughts it contains are gathered from or suggested
by others. May He whose servants it seeks to help, but without whose blessing it will
be in vain, graciously use it !

The Minister. — A minister is set apart to glorify God and help men.

A true minister dares not be other than a minister.

Few men are so closely watched as ministers, and there are none whose inconsis-
tencies do so much harm.

Ministers are put in charge of souls, and will have to give account of them.

No man is fit to be a minister who would not joyfully live and die in the lowest
sphere so long as he can serve his Lord.

No one can so easily do harm as a minister.

If you are seeking to be admired, it will at last be better for you had you been a
ploughman than a pastor.

A trifling and inconsistent minister is a laughing-stock to bad men, and a sorrow
to good ones.

Responsibility. — " If thou speaketh not to warn the wicked from his wicked
way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will
I require at thine hand"

As a minister, when I think who I am, and who sent me, and how awful the
account I must soon render, I tremble.

Our opportunities of doing harm are immense. My brother, a million years
hence your influence will tell on souls ! Take care, lest^<?« lead men to ruin.

If there be one si^ht in the universe calculated to inspire terror and dismay, iti s
that of a faithless minister about to be consigned to his doom.

Private Prayer. — Public teaching is useless without private prayer.

A minister is in duty bound to bear his people daily to the throne of grace.

If you wish to preach well you must pray much.

Generalities are the death of prayer.

Plead with God before you plead y^r God.

Better neglect your body than your soul, your meals than yoyr prayers.

He that lives most in prayer grows most in grace.

Let prayer ascend when you wish blessing to descend.

Neglect of prayer arises from want of faith : he who believes will pray.

A little prayer does more than a great deal of study.

The Sphere. — You turn the helm of your life when you chose the sphere of your
work.

Go where you can do most for men, not where you can get most from men.

Be more concerned about your ability than about your opportunity, and about
your walk with God than either.

Your sphere is where you are most needed.

He who called you to the ministry will give you a sphere of service.

There is no place without its difliculties : by removing you may change them, it
may be you will mcrease them ; but you cannot escape them.

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Gold from Ophir.

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Those who push themselves into a sphere they are not fitted for in this life will
regret it in the nex*.

Christ knows best where you can serve His people : trust Him ami He will place
you there.

The Pulpit.— The moments you spend in the pulpit will tell on the ages you
must spend in eternity.

The/J/V/y of the pulpit decides the piety of the pew. .

Never go into the pulpit without Christ.

In the pulpit self and the concerns of time must be forgotten.

There is no place where Christ is more ready to reveal Himself to His servants
than in the pulpit. ,

How easy it is to dishonour (lod in the pulpit !

Thousands of souls have been lost through the mistakes of the pulpit.

Every moment spent in the pulpit is pri7)ileged time.

Public Prayer. —Remember that you are in the presence of God, and that you
address HiM. Never pray to be admired of men.

Let the sermon be omitted rather than the prayers be slurred.

The prayers should make the people feel the reality of prayer.

The prayers prepare the ground, the sermon sows the seed.

The manner in praying does more than the matter in preaching.

The Voice. — A gentle voice is of untold value. All can attain it.

Feigned voices are the great causes of relaxed throats.

He who seeks, by a feigned voice, to make men wonder, makes them smile.

Speak oftener, and your voice will not fail so often.

The voicedependson t he heart.

If we think how we are saying a thing, our hearers will see it, and despise us for it.

A man cannot walk well when he thinks how he is walking, nor ^ ik well when
he thinks how he is speaking.

A man's own heart is influenced by the tone of his voice, and the /t his voice is

affected by the state of his heart.

Preaching. — You must live with God if you would preach /(?r God.

Manner tells quite as much as matter.

Preach as you will wish you had preached when you stand before God.

Ask often, " What does Christ think of my preaching ? "

One earnest man does more than ten cloquentones.

Live well, and you will not preach badly.

Preparation. — Without God's blessing you will never prepare a sermon that
* you will not regret in eternity.

The state of the heart decides the fate of the sermon.

Never begin to prepare till you have clearly decided whether you want to gain
men's praise or save men's souls.

Prepare your heart; then your sermon.

Prepare your sermon with the judgment-seat in view.

In your preparation, remember that it may be the last sermon some who listen to
you will ever hear.

When preparing your sermon, forget yourself.

If you desire to make a useless sermon, make a beautiful one.

The Sermon. — Heart-sermons reach hearts.

One weak point will injure ten strong ones.

The Bible reiterates the same things again and again.

Great sermons are given, not made.

Harshness will produce resentment, gentleness, contrition.

The strongest part of all great sermons is the close.

More depends on the last two minutes than on the first ten.

The aim of our sermons should be to reform the heart rather than to inform the
mind.

The Work and Workers.

231

Every sermon may be your last.

No sermon is a success which does not touch the heart and move the will.

Make men remember the texr

Texts and Divisionei. — Choose your text for usefulness.

Reject every division which might strike, but would not help.

It is God's Word, not our word, that convicts and converts.

Some can only be won to (]od by love, $ome can only be driven from sin by tear:
use pleading and threatening as the Scriptures do.

Value truth more than taste, souls more than symmetry.

Let divisions always be : i. Useful. 2. Simple. 3. Concise.

Style. — Simple language alone reaches the heart.

Vanity will make a man speak grandly, piety plainly.

Striking and special are synonyms, when used respecting sermons.

Don't whip with a switch that has the leaves on..

You will not move a man if you do not make him understand you.

The Great Teacher never used a big word.

Delivery. — To keep attention, mix questions with statements.

Think of your hearers' needs, and it will help you ; of their criticism, and it will
hinder you.

In large assemblies speak more slowly than in smaller ones.

Make each one feel that you are speaking to him.

Your hearers think about what you think about.

Address the lowest, and you will reach the highest.

Make men listen, and do not let them misunderstand.

For whom do you preach— /^ Christy or for yourself ?

The Congregation. — Thu more of the people than of the preacher.

Nearly three-fourths of every audience do not understand the great truths of
salvation.

Get a great heart if you would like a large congregation.

Twenty are hungry -of heart to one hungry of head.

It is easy to manage a congregation when they are kept near to Christ.

Forsake God and your congregation will forsake you.

Visiting. — " Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My
brethren, ye have done it unto Me^

It is not the time of sickness so much as the time of convalescence that decides
tlie future life. Remember this, and seize opportunities.

Let each one feel that you are his personal friend.

Get others to talk : what a man says to you has more influence upon him than all
you can say to him.

" If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not
leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is
gone astray?"

If you neglect the sick and they die, it will be sad to think that you lost the last
opporttmity of helping them ; if you neglect the sick and they recover, your power
to influence them will be weakened for ever.

Habits. — " Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus."

Principles and habits are as readily taught as Greek and Latin, and they are of
vastly more importance.

Evil habits begin in cobwebs and end in chains.

Good habits are begun with difficulty, but continued with joy.

He who sees little does less.

Read no book, do no act, harbor no thought that makes God less near, Christ less
precious, eternity less real.

If piety decay, zeal will die.

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Gold from Opiiik.

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Have no self.

Be actuated in everything by principle.

A minister's habits should be such as to impress men with the truth of his char-
acter and the dignity of his calling.

Books and Beading. — THe books you read will decide the life you live.

The greater the man the fewer the books.

A man of one book is a man of power.

He who wants to preach well should read Baxter's " Reformed Pastor," and read
it often.

No book published within the last thousand years has done so much to promote
good preaching as F6nelon's *' Dialogues on Eloquence."

Whitefield and Jay were great students of Matthew Henry.

No man has ever become a truly great preacher who did not know and love the
Bible.

Read with a purpose, or read not at all.

No one can estimate the result of giving or lending a book.

Praise. — He who seeks praise seldom gains it.

Praise makes a wise man humble, a fool proud.

A minister should be saddened by seme men's praise.

When men praise thee, ask. Will Christ accept me ?

Life praise is better than lip praise.

Christ praised Mary more than Martha.

".A.S the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold ; so is a man to his praise."

Some men will praise thee to tty thee.

If a good man praise thee, praise God.

Seek souls for Christ, not praise for self.

" How can ye believe which receive honor one of another.?

Success. — He who grasps authority seldom gains influence.

He who wishes to succeed must seek men's welfare, not their " Well done."

Do not prove truxh too much, or you will make men doubt it.

Affectation spoils good sermons, and makes bad ones ridiculous.

The successful man is the man who has done most for others.

You can do all God calls you to do.

What wa do depends on what we are.

If our words are to have power with men, our lives must convince them of our
sincerity.

Misoellaneous. — All changes in life begin by a change in thought.

Vou will not succeed if you have two objects.

Aim to b2 a good public reader ; few are, but all ought to be.

A wise man may be in haste, but not in a hurry.

God helps by hindering.

Nothing is good with God's frown, nothing bad with His smile.

Manner is something with all, everything with some.

Contradict lies by life.

Be always at leisure to do good.

If you are a hireling, flee when danger threatens.

When you are willing to bear the guilt of a sin, it is not necessary to reprove it.

You need not flee from temptation if you are willing to commit the sin.

Here are some of your Lord's own words as a finish : —

" Ye are My friends. ' " Lo, I am with you alway." " My reward is with Me."
Watch and pray."

The Work and Workers.

233

WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS BE SOUL WINNERS.

7. Because they may be —

a. By a happy and consistent life, Ps.

40: 3; I Pet. 3; I.

b. By direct teaching, Ps. 51 : 13.

c. Bj both life and teaching, i Cor.

7 : 16.
"Wisdom essential, Prov. 11 : 30. Can be
had, Jas. 1:5. ,

II. Because such become Fathers of the ex-
cellent of the earth, i Ccr. 4:15; Ps. 16:3.

III. Because it is the greatest and best
work.

The man who saves human life is es-
teemed the greatest benefactor of our race,
Jas. 5: 20.

IV. Because it pays well —

Each soul won is a jewel, Mai. 3 : 17.
Each jewel of more value than the

world. Matt, 16 : 26.
What an immense revenue to the

kingdom of our Master, therefore,

must only a few bring.

V. Because with perseverance success is
certain. Gal. 6:9; John 1 5 : 16 ; Mark 9 ; 23.

VI. Because it is the most Christ-like
work. Matt. 9:13; Luke 19: lo; Acts 10:38;
)no. 17 : t8 ; Jno. 13 : 15 : T^^-ph- 5:1.2-

GEO. THOM.

lem of our

WHAT TO PREACH.

Jesus, Acts 8 : 35.

Jesus Christ, Acts 5 : 42.

Judgment, Acts 10 : 42.

Righteousness, Ps. 40 : 9 ; Acts 24 : 25.

Repentance, Matt. 4 : 17.

"Turn . . untothelivingGod," Acts 14:15.

Christ crucified, 1 Cor. i : 23.

The lesurrection. Acts 17 : 18.

The word, Acts 16 : 6 ; 2 Tim. 4 : 2.
The word of faith, Rom. 10 : 8.
Good tidings, Isa. 61 : i ; Acts 13 :
Deliverance, Luke 4 : 18 ; Col. i
Remission of sins, Luke 24 : 47.
Peace, Eph. 2 : 17
Kingdom of God, Luke 9 : 00.

M. M. ARNOT.

32.
13-

HOW TO USE THE SCRIPTURES.

I. Indifferent.

" Becauce I have called and ye refused; I
have stretched out my hand, and no man re-
garded ; but ye have set at naught all my
counsel, and would none of my reproof; I
also will laugh at your calamity ; I will mock
when your fear cometh. Then shall they
call upon me, but I will not answer ; they
shall seek me early, but they shall not find
me ; for that they hated knowledge, and did
not choose the fe.ir of the Lord ; they would
none of my counsel, they despised all my re-
proof. Therefore shall thoy eat of the fruit
of their own way, and be filled with their

own devices. For the turning away of the
simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of
fools shall destroy them. But whoso
hearkeneth unto me, shall dwell safely, and
shall bequiet from fear of evil," Prov. i 24-33.

"And Jesus auswering, said unto them,
Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sin-
ners above all the Galila23Jis, because they
suffered such thing."!? I will tell you »• /;
but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise
perish," Luke 13 : 2, 3.

"Rejoice, O yonng .man, in thy youth;
and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of
thy you^h, and walk in the ways of thine

ill

1 -.«-. ,-4

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234

Gold from Oi'hik.

heart, and in the sight of thine eyes ; but
know thou, that for all these things God wiii
bring thee into judgment," E-^cl. 11 : g.

" How long halt ye betw i two opinions ? *
If the Lord be God, follow Him," i Kings
18:21

n. Penitent.

"But as many as received Him, to them
gave He power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name,"
John 1 : 12.

" And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up : That whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in Him should not perish but have
everlasting life," John 3 : 14-16.

" And by Him all that believe are justified
from all things, from which ye could not be
justified by the law of Moses," Acts 13 : 39,

" But to him that workcth not, but be-
lieveth on Him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness," Rom.

4:5-

" For ye are all children of God, by faith
in Christ Jesus," Gal. 3 : 26.

HI. Deferring

" Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou
kndwest not what a day may bring forth,"
Prov. 27 : I.

" Seek ye the Lord while He may be found,
call ye upon Him v/hile He is near. Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous
man his thoughts ; and let him return unto
the Lord; and He will have mercy upon
him ; and to our God, for He will abundantly
pardon," Isa. 55 :6, 7.

" And he said. This will I do. I will pull
down my bams, and build greater ; and there
will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast
much goods laid up for many years; take
thine ease, eat, drink and be merry. But
God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee ; then whose

shall those things be which thou hast pro-
vided ? " Luke 12 : i8-2o.

" For He sailh, I have beard thee in a
time accepted, and in the day of salvation
have I succored thee; behold now is the
accepted time; behold now is the day of
salvation," 2 Cor. 6: 2.

" Hov.' shall ■Me escape, if we neglect so
great salvation ; which at the first- began to
be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed
unto us by them that heard Him," Heb. 2 : 3.

" But exhort one another daily while it is
called to-day ; lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulnessofsin," Heb. 3 : 13.

"Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith.
To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden
not your hearts," Heb. 3:7.

IV. Faultfinders.

"Judge not that ye be not judged. For
with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged," Matt. 7: i.

" But we are sure that the judgment of
God is according to truth, against them
which commit such things. And thinkest
thou this, O man, that judgest them which
do such things, that thou shalt escape the
judgment of God ? " Rom. 2:2,3.

" Who art thou that judgest another man's
servant ? To his own master he standeth
or falleth," Rom. 14 : 4.

"So then every one of us shall give
account of himself to God," Rom. 14 : 12.

V. Good enough.

"The Lord looked down from heaven upon
the children of men, to see if there were any
that did understand and seek God. They
are all gone aside, they are all together be-
come filthy ; there is none that doeth good ;
no, not one," Psa. 14 : 2, 3.

" For there is not a just man upon earth,
that doeth good, and sinneth not," Eccl.7: 20.

" All we, like sheep, have gone astray : we
have turned every one to his own way ; and
the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us
all," Isa. 53:6.

"For all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God," Rom. 3 : 23.

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The Work and Workers.

235

" If we say that we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we
say that we have not sinned, we make Him
a liar, and His word is not in us," i John
1:8-10.

VI. Backsliders.

"Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have
your fathers found in me, that they are gone
far from me, and have walked after vanity,
and are become vain ? For my people have
committed two evils; they have forsaken
me, thefountain of living water, and hewed
them out cisterns, broken cisterns that can
hold no water. Thine own wickedness shall
correct thee, and thy backslidings shall re-
prove thee ; know therefore and see, that it
is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast
forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear
is not in thee, saith the Lord of hosts," Jer.

2:5. 13. 19-

" Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that
thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy
God. Return, ye backsliding children, and
I will heal your Backslidings," Jer. 3 : 13, 22.

" O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God ;
for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. I
will love them freely ; for mine anger is
turned away from him," Hosea 15 : i, 2, 4.

VII. Can't-g^ive-up class.

"Then said Jesx^z unto His disciples. If
any man will come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross, and follow me.
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain

the v/hole world, and lose his own soul ? "
Matt. I : 24-27.

" By faith Moses, when he was come to
years, refused to be called the son of
Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God, than
to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures in Egypt. . . . For
He endured as seeing Him who is invisible,"
Heb. II : 24-27.

"And He said unto them. Verily I say
unto you, there is no mail that hath left
house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or
children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who
shall not receive manifold more in this
present time, and in the world to come life
everlasting," Luke 18 : 29, 30.

VIII. Unbelievers.

"And He said unto them. Go ye unto all the
world and preach the Gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized,
shall be saved; but he that believeth not,
shall be damned," Mark 16 : 15, 16.

" I said therefore unto you that ye shall die
in your sins ; for if ye believe not that I am
He, ye shall die in your sins," John 8 : 24.

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and
the abominable, and murderers, and whore-
mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake
which bumeth with fire and brimstone;
which is the second death," Rev. 21:8.

R. G. PEARSON.

236

Gold from Ophir.

A WORD TO WORKERS.

By Lord Radstock.

THERE are two passages in Exodus referring to the holy anointing oil, which is a
scriptural type of the Holy Soirit. "The holy garments of Aaron shall be his
sons' after him, to be anointed therein ; and that son that is priest in his stead shall
put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to
minister," Exod. 29 : 29. " And upon man's flesh shall it not be poured," Exod. 30 :
32. This is a very striking illustration of the giving of the Holy Spirit. We must be
clothed upon^ baptised into^ Christ, buried in Him, so that God sees, not uSy but His
beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased. An imperfectly buried thing, with any part
left uncovered would be revolting and horrible ; so we must be quite buried in Christy
and no part of self left exposed — then the Holy Spirit descends upon us because we
are in Him; but upon ourselves in the flesh can it not be poured. So, if we are really
in Christy the H j'.y Spirit must be ours because it is on Him ; ours must be a new life
springing from within. It is difficult for us to realize this, because our old nature is
so hard to shake off— old habits, old failings, old sins ; still they must die, and new
habits and feelings must grow. A tree does not cease to live nor cease to be a tree
because its leaves die and dry up and wither — no, tnese old faded leaves, no longer a
part of the living tree, must fall off and be destroyed, and perish, and in the Spring
new life shows itself, and the tree puts forth buds and blossoms, and is covered with
green leav^es — so Christ says, " I am the Vine, ye arc the branches," not are to become
so, but, with all our sinfulness, weakness, and failings we are branches, joined to, nay,
part of Christ, and so must banish self-will, self-consciousness, self-conceit, and self-
judgment, and henceforth know His will and His Spirit only j and it is just in propor-
tion as we realize and aim after this, that He will be able to work in us and then
through us. Let us have much time of availing on the Lord, getting to know His will.
Some young Christians may be saying, " I do not know if I am sent or not." Then I
would say, " Wait till you do." Suppose a servant were to come out and say, " I do
not know if my master has sent me or not." Why, you would say, " Then go to
your master and find out." If we cannot hear our Master's voice, perhaps we are a
little deaf; let us get closer to Him, and listen attentively. Suppose a friend tele-
graphing to us, and we have a ri'sty nail on our end of the wire, no message
would come. So one sinful thought, one unkind feeling may be hindering our close
communion with God. Let us try to recognize the Holy Spirit's guiding in all the
little things of our lives, the times we go in and out, the people we meet, and then the
words we speak will be just out of His fulness, spoken from hearts full to overflowing
of Christ's love ; our hands, Christ's, to do His work — our feet. His, to do his errands.
So let us think of ourselves more than ever before, as not our own, but His ; and when
we are in perplexity or doubt, not knowing which way to turn, let us always just ask
ourselves, " What would Christ do were He in my place ?"

Take your Bibles and turn to Acts 7 : 29 : — " Then fled Moses at that saying, and
was a stranger in the land of Midian forty years." Moses made the mistake so com-
mon to us poor human creatures — went on his mission without waiting for God to
send him, and for God to show him the way. He failed, and no wonder ; then was
sent into the wilderness for forty years, as it were to school, just to be much alone with
God and learn of Him. Then he came forward again, filled with wisdom and power
from on high, given to him by God, when Moses stood with Him on covenant ground
and God revealed Himself unto him — went boldly into Pharaoh's presence, saying,
"Thus saith the Lord ;" and God worked through him, and wrought a mighty deliver-
ance for His people. Let us take a lesson from Moses in our work for God.

I. We must be sent of God.— It must be His voice that we hear calling us to
work. Let us be sure that we are in the place where God would have us.

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The Work and Workers.

237

II. We must be taught of God.— If God has not revealed Himself to us, and
given us our message, our words will have no power. But, if we are willing to be led
by the Spirit of God, then we may go boldly forward, knowing that it is God's work
we are doing ; and let us not be discouraged though many years may pass without
our seeing any apparent result. The Holy Spirit will just prompt us to speak a word
here, to be silent there, to give a tract to one, to teach, or guide, or advise another ;
and these little seeds, sown in the power of the Holy Ghost, may be made by Him
fruitful and successful above all we may know or expect.

III, We must be in direct communion with God.— A little girl asked why
a lamp in a certain lighthouse burned always, and she was told there was a cistern of
oil above and a pipe to convey it to the little lamp. Nothing could put the lamp out
except the keeper stop the supply by turning the stop-cock the wrong way. This
illustrates our spirilual life. The Holy Spirit may he had abundantly. Nothing
hinders it unless we interpose something between. Let us see to it, then, that ./e are
much with God, near to Him, and taking of His fulness minute by minute. If He is
keeping our light burning, then we must shine through Him and for Him.

UNREALITY.

For the Prayerful Consideration of Those who Serve the Lord Christ.

By C. Russell Hurditch.

DO we really believe what we preach ? Put together cur preaching and our practice,
and would there be a harmony between them ?

When we preach the love of God to men, does that love fill our own hearts ?

When we have to declare the fearful denunciations of vengeance upon the wicked,
do we understand what we are saying, and does their pitiful condition become redt
to us ?

When we talk about hell and everlasting damnation, ^lave we positively any con-
ception of the fearful doom of the ungodly 1

Fellow-workers for Christ, it will be well for us to solemnly ask ourselves such
questions as these in the very presence of God.

Duncan Matheson, just before his death, said, " If God would spare my life, I
would preach of ETERN ITY as I never have done yet." It is a mournful fact that many
who profess to be the servants of the Most High have drivelled down to essay-reading
in their pulpits ; and if the terrors of the world to come happen to be mentioned, it is
in about the same style that a school-boy would gabble over his unpleasant lesson.

But while this is so, do not let us point to the mote in their eye, and miss the
beam in our own. Let those of us who are evangelists, and do nothing else but preach
the Gospel, ask ourselves if we enter as we ought into the verities we preach. It is
very easy to talk about heaven and hell, but if permanent good is to result from the
preaching, the man who preaches must be real about it.

How much do ive know of weeping day and night for the sins of the people ? or
of nights in prayer? .

I heard but recently of a Christian worker, who went out into the fields at mid-
night and asked God to show him what hell really was, so that he might be real in his
preaching of it. Y)k\ not call him eccentric for doing it ; it might be well if we did it.
When there is downright reality there will be blessing.

The ever-recurring question, " How to reach the masses," might find an answer
here also.

h is deplorably true that with all the agencies at work — including the latest
sensation if you like — the fringe of the masses has not been touched yet. Is it for

238

Gold from Ophir.

want of effort? It may be in some places even that ; but I verily believe it is for want
of reality in Christians. This is the root of the thing, and the shoots may take the
form of worldliness, pride, selfishness, idleness, and a hundred other things. Take
any town or city you please. What might be done if every child of God in that town
or city was real in his belief and carried it out practically. But what is the actual
fact ? That the Christian workers of every kind are in a sad minority in nearly every
church. Will any sane man tell me tliat the idle majority REALL ^ believe in the bliss
of heaven and the terrors of hell ? If they did, they COULD NOT B£ IDLE.

: "'*

» THE BELIEVER "A VESSEL;" OR, HOW TO BE USEFUL.

A WORD TO YOUNG CHRISTIANS.
By F. E. Marsh.

PAUL, writing by the Holy Spirit in 2 Timothy, 2nd chapter, calls the believer many
different names.

In verse i, a " Son." In verse 3, a " Soldier." In verse 5, a " Wrestler," In verse
6, a "Husbandman," In verse 15, a " Workman." In verse 21, a " vessel." In verse
24, a " Servant of the Lord."

It is as a vessel we consider him now.

In Hebrews 9-: 21, we find that the vessels in the tabernacle were sprinkled with
blood; and we know it as the blood of Christ that forms the ground of our forgiveness,
Eph, 1:7; cleanses, i John 1:7; justifies, Rom, 5:9; sanctifies, Heb, 13 : 11 ; brings
us nigh, Eph. 2:13; keeps us nigh, Heb. 10 : 19 ; through which peace has been made,
Col. I : 20 ; and atonement. Lev. 17:11 ; that enables us to overcome. Rev. 12 : 11.

As believers in Christ we are sprinkled vessels, sprinkled with the blood of Christ ;
cr, in other words, by faith we see Jesus dying y??r us — bearing the consequence of our
sin. Our faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lays hold of that fact, and all the
value of what Jesus is and has done is reckoned to us ; therefore we are no longer
our own, but we belong to Him who has bought us with His own blood ; therefore we
are blood-sprinkled and blood-bought vessels.

If we look at Leviticus 11 : 32, we see that if any vessel touched anything that
was dead or unclean, it had to be washed in water ; and if the believer's garments—
that is, the believer's ways in the world — get defiled, we have the " water of the
Word" that we need continually to resort to, "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse
his way ? By taking heed according to Thy Word," Ps, 119:9.

As water is to the body, so the Word of God should be to us, Heb, 10 : 22, We
should so hide it in our heart that we sin not against God. " Continue in the Word,"
John 8 :3i.

Again, in Exod, 40 : 9, we find that the vessels of the tabernacle were anointed
with oil. It is a precious truth that the Spirit of Gcd indwells every believer, i John
2 : 27, The great need of the Church to-day is the unction from the Holy One — to be
filled with the Holy Spirit, to live, walk, sow, war in, and be led of the Spirit ; and
then the fruits of the Spirit, Gal, 5 ;22, 23, would be seen in our life, and His power
be manifest in our work and testimony.

In Acts 9: 15, we find Paul called a chosen vessel to carry the Gospel to the
Gentiles, and we find that we are chosen to salvation^ 2 Thess. 2 : 13, to holiness,
Eph. I : 4, to service, Eph. 2:10,

Then, again, we are sanctified (set apart) vessels, 2 Tim, 2 :2i ; we find a very
simple illustrat:on of sanctification in Exodus 32, The Levites first came out from
their brethren tc the Lord ; so we are separated from the world to the Lord. Second,

The Work and Workers.

2iy

iever many

they had to put their swords upon their thighs and slay the disobedient ; in like
manner we must take " the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God," in the
power of the Spirit, and judge and cast away everything that would come in between
us and God, and hinder our communion with Him.

Again, in 2 Cor. 4 : 7, we are earthen vessels. Why? That God's glory may
shine through us. If we look in Judges, chapter 7, we find an illustration of this in
Gideon. Observe what he and his followers were supplied with.

I, — A Trumpet — we possess a trumpet — our voice.

H. — A Sword — Sword of the Spirit — the Word of God.

II. — A Pitcher — Our bodies to present for His service.

IV.— A Light in the Pitcher — Christ in our hearts, to be manifested in our
lives. And although the pitcher may be only a poor broken one, the light will be
seen, not the pitcher.

. In Isa. 22 : 24, we find there °je different sized vessels ; we are not all for the
same work, as we see in i Cor. 12 : 28. Some of the Levites only carried the pins of
the tabernacle, but they did their work ; so we are, each of us, to ask the Lord,
" What wilt thou have me to do?" then do it in the Lord's way, guided by His Spirit,
through His word ; do it in the power of the Spirit to the glory of God.

Lastly, the Lord wants emriy vessels. In 2 Kings 4 : 3, 4, we have an iliustration.
Let us ask ourselves, *' Am I an empty vessej ? " for the Lord cannot fill us if we are
not empty.

Empty of self and filled with ';he Spirit.

Empty of pride and filled with humility.

Empty of malice and filled with loVe.

Empty of unbelief and filled with faith.

May the Lord empty, and fill and use us Himself^ to His own glory and others
profit.

'■ itiu

til

SUGGESTIONS TO WORKERS FOR CHRIST.

By Henry Bewley.

REMEMBER, it is the Gospel oi the grace oi QoA which you are privileged to make
known, and that some of its simplest truths are the most important to be set
forth. The nature and consequences of sin ; the love of God in the gift of His Son ;
and the perfect work of the Lord Jesus, in^ putting away sin by the sacrifice of Him-
self, and God's declared acceptance of that work by raising Him from the dead — these
are the great themes which you are called to make known ; but, remember, also, it is
the Spirit alone that can effectually use them to awaken the conscience, and subdup
the heart.

In the Gospel, God is a giver, and man a receiver. Never forget that you are
moving amongst the spiritually dead, who need life, and amongst the guilty, who
need pardon. It is through, faith in Christ, and through faith alone, both are
imparted.

Bear in mind that all power is of God, and that the Holy Ghost works in souls
by means oi the truth. Therefore, whether speaking in public or in private, carry the
conviction with you, that you are but an instrument which the Spirit of God may use.

Cherish the consciousness of your own weakness. Look to God in continual
prayer for guidance, and lean on Him for strength. Forget not the words of the
Apostle, " When I am weak, then am I strong." How was this ? Because then he
was cast on God, and God's power was glorified in his weakness.

As a child of God, receive, in the simplicity of child-like faith, every word which

':|ilij|g|||H

240

Gold from Ophir.

your Father addresses to you in the inspired volume. Daily, before you venture to
labor amongst others, let your own soul be refreshed and strengthened out of the
Word. Seek to realize an abiding sense of God's love. If you be used to lead others
into His presence, you need to glorify Him in your own soul, by that Holy serenity
and joy which flow from the knowledge that all your sins have been washed away in
His most precious blood, and that now you stand before God, accepted and acceptable
" in the Beloved," Rom. 5:2; Eph. i : 6. Communion with God in Christ is the secret
of effective sennce.

Beware of putting your own deductions from Scripture, and your reasonings about
Scripture, in the place of God's own Word. Do not confound them. Give prominence
to the words of inspiration. God's truth is not conveyed to us in words which man's
wisdom has taught, but which' the Holy Ghost has taught, i Cor. 2 : 13. Much as you
may say by way of explanation, come back to God's own Word, and place confidence
in it, as that which the Holy Ghost brings home to the conviction and conversion of
the sinner. " The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God."

Avoid long, vague, desultory conversations on a variety of subjects. It may be
wise, on some occasions, to dwell on only one truth at a time. If the ear be not
opened to hear,^ou gain nothing by a multiplicity of words and arguments, and you
are thereby in danger of losing power, and of lowering the authority of Divine truth.
A few words spoken on the solemn authority of God's Word, are better than ten
thousand in your own wisdom.

Cherish tenderness towards others, remembering you are yourself a brand plucked
from the burning — a c'ebtor to God's sovereign grace. Never resent indignity or
insult. Be clothed witli the meekness and gentleness of Christ. You are unfit to be
engaged in your Master's work, if you cannot render " blessing" for " cursing." What-
ever obloquy you may be called on to endure, bear it patiently, as from those who are
not " in their right mind."

Finally, avoid everything which would grieve the Spirit of God ; and let it be
your constant aim to glorify Jesus ; so will the Lord honor your work, and give you a
crown of rejoicing in the day of glory.

"They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and
ever." Dan. 12 ; 2.

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FRAGMENTS THAT REMAIN.

LEAVEN.

By Mrs. George C. Needham,

OUTSIDE of Scripture, leaven is known as a corrupt, fermenting agent. It is
employed in Scripture to symbolize that which is evil. With a few special
exceptions, it was forbidden in the offerings of the Old Testament, Lev. 2:11. Like
honey, its fermenting property disqualified it for Jehovah's use. Salt, its opposite
and counteractant, was, however, never wanting in the sacrifices.

Leaven, as set forth in Scripture, is somewhat remarkably associated with tne
number three. It possesses three distinct characteristics : it is secret, diffusive, and
contaminating. Then, three kinds of leaven are mentioned and warned against : the
leaven of the Pharisees, the leaven of the Sadducees, and the leaven of Herod, Matt.
16 :6 ; Mark 8:15. Again, three definitions are given of typical leaven : it is false
doctrine; it is hypocrisy; it is malice. Matt. 21 : 12 ; Luke 12 : i ; i Cor. 5:8.
While in the parable, the Ic.iven, whatsoever that may be, was hid in three measures
of meal. Matt. 13 •.2,2)-

As to the New Testament use of the word leaven, we are not left to speculation
concerning its application. Our Lord Jesus has Himself expressly explained it. We
have Him saying, " How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you
concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the
Sadducees ? Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven
of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees," Matt. 16 : 11, 12.

In connection with the threefold peculiarities of typical leaven we have just
noted, let us observe how closely these characteristics are associated with three cardmal
truths of Scripture, viz. : the Christian's yi?/M, the Christian's hope^ and the Christian's
love.

I. The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. It involved strenuous
law-keeping, and external ri^rhteousness. It was a religion of ceremony, selfishness,
and pride. It exalted the traditions of men, and made worthless the command-
me.its of God. Thus the leaven which our Lord cautioned against was a principle,
which virtually by its teachings /^-wfl/r^/a/M, and put sinful man upon the basis of
meritorious works to effect his salvation.

I I. The leaven of the Sadducees was false doctrine. " For the Sadducees
say there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit ; but the Pharisees confess both,
Acts 23 : 8.

Thus their teaching tended directly to undermine the believer's hope; which hope
centres itself in the doctrine of a blessed resurrection out from among the dead.

r243]

244

Gold from Ophir.

the hope and the resurrection together as
24 : i^. The same truth is repeated in

Twice in the Acts we have Paul linking
component parts of the fact, Acts 23 ; 6

Rom. 8 : 23, 24. We are waiting for the redemption of the body ; and that is desig-
nated as our being saved by hope. Now there is intrinsic difference between faith
and hope — that faith is the experience of present confidence, while hope involves
future expectation. Faith relates to the veracity of the word ; hope pertains to its
fulfilment. To deny the resurrection is to falsify the promise of the Second Coming of
the Lord Jesus ; for until He returns, the Scriptures teach, there will be no resurrec-
tion of the dead, and no establishment of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ, wherein
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob shall be manifested as alive from the dead before the
God of the living.

Thus the leaven of the Sadducees tended to corrupt and ruin the most vital, as
well as the most precious, essential of Christian belief — the redemption of the body at
the Second Coming of Christ.

III. The leaven of Herod wcus malice. Personal hatred against the personal
Jesus and His followers made notorious the careers of each of the seven atrocious
Herods of the New Testament. The leaven of the Herodians involved any deceit
that would prejudice and draw away disciples from the Lord Jesus. The public
question that they put to Him, *' Master, is it lawful to give tribute to Ccesar or not ?"
was intended to entangle Him in political controversy, and weaken His authority over
His disciples, Mark 12 : 14.

The leaven of Herod then means, as pertaining to belie .s now, any influence
which sensualizes the heart, or makes the soul disloyal to the Lord Jesus. Hate and
love cannot exist together towards one person. The Lord has Himself stated that he
that is not for Him is against Him.

The ^leaven of Herod deliberately aimed to contaminate the Christian's love.
Thus we perceive that these three forms of leaven are the corruptions of those three
divine factors in our great salvafion which the Spirit of God has linked together —
"Faith, Hope, Charity," i Cor. 13 : 13.

Now, while it is generally conceded that Scripture writers employ leaven as a type
of wickedness, yet some maintain that the parable of the leavened meal is the excep-
tion to the ordinary rule ; and that in Matt. 13 : 13 ieaven stands for the wholesome,
permeating mfluences of the Gospel, which are to diffuse themselves throughout the
world.

Let us examine this interestin case in the light of a few analogous icripture
facts.

L In every other identical instance save this, leaven is unquestionably the repre-
sentative of things defiling and corrupting.

II. Wherever meal is introduced in Scripture, its effects are good, nutritious, and
healing. With meal Gideon sought to refresh the angel of God, Judges 6 : 19. With
meal Solomon garnished his royal tables, i Kings 17 : 15. With meal the prophet of
Jehovah was sustained — he who might have as easily been fed on angels' manna, had
meal been too coarse food for him, i Kings 4 : 22. With meal the poison in the pot
was antidoted, 2 Kings 4 : 41. Nowhere in the Bible is any evil thing spoken of
meal.

Now if leaven represents the Gospel, then of course meal must mean the woilu,
since this world is the sphere to which the operations of the Gospel are directed. But
just here we encounter a difficulty. Our parable, which promised to run so smoothly
in this groove, swings off the track.

The world, in Scripture, is everywhere condemned as an evil, dead, corrupting
thing. Between it and the meal we fail to discover any correspondences by which the
one could with suitableness represent the other. Therefore, the moment we change the
ordinary use of leaven, as found everywhere else in Scripture, to this exceptional one,
it involves likewise the setting aside of the uniformly good signification of meal, for
an exceptional and bad one.

Fragments that Remain.

245

III. In Scripture, woman is the type of the Church, a figure repeatedly enforced
by ilhistration and exhortation. Indeed, the wedded woman, vith ner devotion and
her frailty, is the favorite type of the Holy Spirit for setting forth Christ's tenderness
for those whom He has redeemed, and the responsive love and faithfulness of the
redeemed Church herself, i Cor. 6:17; Eph. 5 : 31, 32.

According to the common interpretation, this parable teaches that the Church is
taking the Gospel, and secretly filling the world with its power, and that in the end the
whole world will be a completely Gospel-leavened mass. We should like to believe
this were not unsurmountable difficulties in the way. The whole weight of Scripture
testimony is diametrically opposed to such exegesis. The world is now living under
the power of Satan, i John 5: 19. Evil, and not good, is the active principle in the
world, John 14 130.

The children of disobedience are far more numerous and aggressive than the
children of righteousness. The character of this dispensation is an elective one. God
is taking out of, not infusing into, the world, a people for His name. The preaching
of the Gospel in this age is not for the conversion, i.e., the leavening of the world, but
for a -witness unto the world, and for a testimony against its evil. "Simeon hath
declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people fof
His name," Acts 15 . 14.

" This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations." " But after this, I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of
David ; '' then will ^^ the residue of men seek after the Lord," Matt. 24 : 14 ; Acts
15:16,17.

So far from looking for the universal spread of righteousness, as the Church nears
the termination of her earthly history, 2 Thess. 2:1-4; 2 Tim. 3:1,2, the days
occurring just before the flood are to be repeated. Sensuality and unbelief will abound.
Wars and intricate political disturbances will transpire, great indiflference and great
scorning will be manifested towards true religion, along with wide-spread blindness
concerning the actual condition of the world. For men will be puffed up and filled
with conceit, each fancying that their scheme shall speedily prove the great panacea
for earth's multiplied woes, Luke 21 : 25-28 ; 2 Peter 3 : 3, 4.

It may be necessary to state here that the expression "Kingdom of Heaven"
refers to the age of grace, or rather to the mysteries pertaining to this Christian dispen-
sation. It is a term broad " as the law," which signified the whole run of tne Jewish
age. As before the advent of Messiah, Mosaism was the only access to Jehovah, so,
since the Cross, the faith of Christendom has been the only way of approach to God
the Father. Unless we comprehend this broad bearing of the expression, we never
can grasp the scope of our Lord's parables. In Matt. 13, throughout, he was illustrating
what the Christian dispensation would be ; a mixture of good and evil down to the
end, which was finally to result in the casting out the bad by the divine agency of
angelic messengers. Hence the chapter is a record of partial failure ; and a vein of
badness pervades several of its parables. Tares were sown with good seed ; birds
found a temporary lodging in the mustard tree ; leaven was secreted in the meal ; bad
fish were taken with the good ; stony ground, greedy fowl, scorching sunlight, and
thorns interfered with the growth and fruitage of the crop sown. Not that we are to
understand for one moment that the Gospel in its final results, will in any sense be
a failure. But this is the age in which the Prince of this world rules ; in which an
enemy is contesting the claims of Christ ; in which we are not taught to expect results
commensurate with effort ; and this thirteenth of Matthew is precisely the place where
we are explained all this. By and by shall come a millennial dispensation, wherein
Gospel-sowing shall produce sixty and an hundred-fold. Now it will not do to array
these parables before us as a medical student might set up three or four skeletons, and
go to counting the bones, expecting to find the same number of wrist and ankle and
rib bones in each. The parables are iPt!.er like scenic effects, drawn sometimes jn
bold, spare outlines, and sometimes in minuter detail, as may be necessary.

24^

Gold from Oprim.

In the parables our Lord appears to aim at gencal impressions rather than close
minutiae. So the whole of Matt. 13 is a series of woru pictures unfolding one promi-
nent fact, viz. : The mixture of good and evil which shall pervade this (Gospel age to
the end. With the exception of the assumption that the parable of the leaven teaches
otherwise, not one of the rest emphasizes the idea of GospA victory. All througl: it is
the Gospel contending with difficulty.

Since such is unquestionably the teaching of the Word concerning the character
of this Church dispensation at its close, let us ponder the Parable of the Leaven with
docile and reverent mind. Is it legitimate to mar the complete symmetry of truth for
one pet theory ? Is it for the confirmation and strengthening of any dogma to dislo-
cate Scripture, depriving it of its proper support of joints, bands and sinews ? If
leaven ordinarily stands for false doctnne ; if meal is uniformly connected with bene-
ficial results ; if woman is the frequent type of the Church — have we not in hand the
line of a simple clue to a correct understanding of the whole bearing of the parable?
And do not facts and common discernment both attest that even in our day the
parable is being fulfilled before our own experience ? Is not the Church, she who was
appointed to feed on the " unleavened bread of sincerity and truth^" taking the leaven
of ritualism, spiritualism, and sensualism, offspring of Phariseeism, Sadduceeism, and
Herodism, and therewith making unto herself idolatrous cakes ? and by her loathing
of God's own manna, corrupting her own spiritual health.

She who was espoused unto one Bridegroom has gone after many lovers. She
who was to eat of consecrated bread in the Holy Place has gone out into the camp
to play the glutton. And some of her ministers are like her. They are " speaking
perverse things to draw away disciples after them." They are " dealing deceitfully
with the Word of God, and corrupting it." They have turned away from "sound doc-
trine unto fables." They knowingly "give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of
demons." Their ears itch and tingle for something newer and fresher than the old
doctrines of grace, established in type and offering.

Manifestly, ihe woman herself has done the mischief. And this leavening principle
mixed with the truth, which is nothing else than a spirit of distaste for the pure, simple,
strong Word of God, will not cease in its penetratmg influence till the whole mass is
corrupted ; and that which is now a secret, subtle agent, will be openly manifested in
the apostate Mai , of Sin, whose climax of iniquity will be his avowed denial of God in
His tri-personaiity.

Let us then disabuse our minds of pernicious prejudice, and as children of the light
c"3ze with wide open eyeb upon fact.

Leaven, which in itself is corruption, can never be anything else than evil The
leaven commanded to be put into the \yave loaves was to teach the same idea — imper-
fection in both Jew and Gentile, Lev. 23 : 17. Hence the burnt offering which accom-
panied them.

Great is our danger, lest the things we have heard run out from us as leaking
vessels. xMay the Word of Christ, unmixed with false doctrine, dwell in us richly,
fortifying us against the d'^ceits of the Adversary, And let i.s heed the injunction so
pertinent to our times, " Beware of Leaven."

Fragments that Remain.

247

SANCTIFICATION.

I . General definition of sanctification.

1. To make clean judicially in God's sight,
H«b.2:ii; Heb. 10:14; Heb. 9:13, 14;
Heb. 10 : 29 ; Heb. 10:10; Heb. 13 . 12,

2. To set apart, or consecrate after purify-
ing, Eph. 5 : 26, 27 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 21.

3. To devote a person already holy to a
divint; purpose, John 17 : 17, 19 ; John 17:26;
John 10:36.

4. All things are holy that are vised for
acknowledged sons of God, i Tim, 4: 4, 5.

5. Character of Christians in Corinth,
what they were, i Cor. 6:9, 11. What they
are, 1 Cor. 6:11.

6. Duty to treat with reverence a person
or thing sanctified. Matt. 6:9; Ex. 28; i
Peter 3:15; Deut. 32 ; 51.

7. As a state, or condition of being, the
believer is before God in a permanent state
of holiness. Acts 20 : 32 ; Eph. 5 : 27 ; Acts
26:18: 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Cor. 6:11; Heb.
3:1:2 Cor. 6 : 19 ; r John 1 : 7. When the
believer discovers and appreciates what he
is before God, he has "Rest in faith," or
"Holiness." ;-: ;'':¥; ;'

8. That man does not acquire perfection
js inferred : (a) The exhortations in every
epistle. (6) The need of a high priest to in-
tercede for believers, (c) Typica? teaching
of the mitre of the high priest, {d) Sin-water,
under the old dispensation, {e) Leaven in
the meat offering for the people. (/) Ex-
perience of saints in all ages. (^) A deeper
knowledge of the Scriptures, opening higher
states of holiness.

II. How is the Scripture state of holi-
ness brought about by God so tlist wc can
say we are holy ?

1. By uniting us with what is holy. Matt.
23 : 17. 19 ; I Cor. 7 : 14 ; Eph. 1:4; i
Cor. 1 :3o; Col. 1:22.

2. Saints are in a permanent state of
sanctification, i John 4 : 17.

3. This permanent state of sarxtitication
before God should be realized by the believer

in hv3 own experienct;, Rom. 6 ; 19, 32 ; i
Thess. 4 : 3, y ; 2 Cor, 7:1;! Thess, 5 : 22,
23 ; I Thess. 3 : 12, 13.

4. Th« believer should be in life what he
is in facv before God, i Cor. 5:7,8; Heb.
li? : 14 , I Peter i : 22, 23 ; Rom. 12:1; 1
Cor. 3 : 17 : compare with Num. 19 : 13, 21 ;
Num. 5:3: Lev. 15:31; Fnb. 4:', ^'o\.

3-1.4
11.^. Sanctification is by the H* v Sj^.ti. 'u

1. The Holy Spirit takes charge '♦ iie
believer in everything, for ed cation of holi-
ness, John 3:5; I Pet. 1 : 2 ; I Cor. 6:11;
Titus 3 : 5, 6. General leading of " ^liever
by the Holy Spirit, Rom. 8 : 14 ; Phil, x : ig.

2. The Holy Spirit specially as an age.tit,
Eph. 4 : 30 ; i Cor. 3 : 16. He uses the word
of truth as a means of sanctification, John
15:26; John 16:13, 14. All things are
given by the Holy Spirit, i Cor. 2:1;*; 1
Cor. I : 30,

3. The Holy Spirit as the agent uses the
word as the means, pointir^^ the believer to
fia'shed realities which are in Chrisl, true of
tb« believer, i Cor. 5:7,8; Eph 3 : i6, 20 ;
Gai. 5 : 24 5 Gat. 2 : 20 ; 2 Cor. 12:9; Roni.
6; I Cor. 6 : 19; Eph. 5 : i, 2 ; i John 3 : i,
3; Rom. 12:1; Titas 2:12, 14; Col. 1:9,
II, i;j, 14; John 17:17. 19: 2 Cor. 3:18;
John 10:36; 2 Cor, 4:0. iS; John 17:6,
26; Eph. 1 : 16. 23 ; 1 Peter 2:9; Eph.
1:4, 6.

IV. The believer's full grown aonship.
Rom. 8:23; John 14:16; John 20:17;

Acts 2 : 23 , John 20 : 23 ; Gal 4 ; 4, 7 ; Eph.
1:5; Heb. 2 : 10, 13; Gal. 4:5; Gal, 4:6;
Rom. 8 : 15, 23 ; Rom. 8 : 15, 16.

V, The two natures.

Nature is the sum of the qualities that belong
to a person or thing, inherently. Person it!
a distinctive thing identified wUb a nature.

1. The flesh, Isaiah 40 :&, 7 ; Rom. 8:3;
John 1:14; Rom. S : 6, 8.

2. The flesh and the spirit ; iheir character,
works, and fruits, Gal. 5 : 17,26 ; John ^ . 13 ;

MMM

248

Gold from Ophir.

Gal. 6:8; John 3:6; Rom. 8 : 5, 9 ; i John
3:4, ro ; Rom. 7 : 18.

3. The old man and the new : their
character and deeds, £ph. 4 : 20, 22 ; Col.

3:14-

4. The natural man and the spiritual man,

I Cor. 2 : 12, 14 ; James 3 : 15 ; i Cor. 3:1,4;
Jude 19.

5. The evil man and heart ; and the good
man and his heart, Matt. 15:18, 20; Matt.

12:33.35-

6. The flesh and the spirit are like realms,

or spheres, in which we live. Gal. 5 : 16, 18 ;
Rom. 8:4, 8; Gal. 5:25.

7. Before God the sphere of the flesh has
been swept away by the cross, Gal 5 : 24 ;
Eph. 2:1, 5; Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:11, 13;

Gal. 6: 14: i Cor. i: 18, 24; Rom. 8:3: x
Cor. 4 : 20 ; Rom. 6 : 6.

8. All the sins of the believer were atoned
for once for all by Christ, Rom. 3:23, 26;
Heb. 9 : 25, 26.

9. Let believers live and walk in the
Spirit, and they shall not fulfil the lusts of
the flesh. Such a life is one of holiness,
Gal. 5 : 25 ; Col. i : 12, 14 ; Rom. 8 : 4, 8, 12;
Col. 3: 1, 5: Ga!. 5:16, 18; Rom. 6: 11, 13.

VL Walk as Christ walked.

Heb. 2 : 10 ; Acts 3:15; Heb, 12 : 2 ; Acts
5 : 31. The same word is used in these four
passages, Christ is the princely leader of His
people from this world beyond to a common
heritage, where they will be crowned with
Him. W. J. ERDMAN.

THINGS WORTH HAVING.

1 Tim

I. Peace with God.

"Therefore being justified by faith we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ," Rom. 5:1; Col. i : 20 ; Luke 1 : 79 ;
2:14; John 14:27; 16:33; 20:19, 21, 26;
Acts 10 : 36 ; Eph. 2 : 14-17 ; Isa. 25 : 3.

II. Redemption.

"In whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins according
to the riches of His grace," Eph. 1:7; Rom.
3 : 24 ; I Cor. 1 :^o ; Heb. 9 : 12 ; i Peter
i.:i8, 19; Tit. 2:14; Ps. 111:9; 130:7;
Rev. 5 : 9.

III. An high priest.

" We have such an high priest who is set
on the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the lieavens," Heb. 8:1; 2 : 17,
18; 3:1; 4: 14-16; 5* 1,2; 7:21-27; 9:24;
13:11, 12; Ex. 28:12, 29, 38; Mai. 2:7;
Rev. 8 : 3, 4.

IV. Access to the throne of grace.
"Through Him we both have access by

one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. 2:18;
3:12; Heb. 10 : 19-22 ; Rom. 5:2; John
10 : 7-9 ; 14:6;! Peter 3:18;! John 2:1,2;
John 14 : 13, 14.

4 : 1-9-

V. A well grounded hope.

" Which hope we have as an anchor of the
soul, both sure and steadfast, and which
entereth into that within the veil," Heb.
6:19; Rom. 5:5; 8:23, 24; 12:12; 15:4,
13; Col. 1:5; I Thess. 2:19; 5:18; Tit.
2:13: I Peter 1:3:1 John 3 : 2, 3.

VI. A building of God.

"We know that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a
building of God, an house not made with
hands, eternal in the heavens," 2 Cor. 5:1;
Jao. 14:2, 3; Luke 10:20; Matt. 6:20;
Acts 7:55: Phil. 3:20, 21; Heb. 10:34;
11:16; 13:14; I Thess. 4 : 14-18.

VII. A right to the tree of life.

" Blessed are they that have washed their
robes [see Revised Version] , that they may
have right to the tree of life, and may enter
in through the gates into the city," Rev.
22:14; 1:6; 2:7; 7 : 14 ; 1 Jno. 1 : 12, 13 ;
Prov. 3 : 13-18; 13:12: Luke 23 : 43 ; Jno.
10 : 1 ; Acts 4 : 12 ; Heb. ix : 10.

J. H. BROOKES.

Fragments that Remain.

249

THINGS WORTH KNOWING.

I Thess. 1 : 1-5.

I. The worthlessness of the flesh or the
badness of everything belonging' to the
nature with which we are born into the
world.

*' I know that in me (that is in my flesh),
dwellethno good thing," Rom. 7: 18; 8 : 7,
8 ; Gal. 5 : 19-21 ; Phil. 3:3; Eph. 2:1-3;
John 3:5,6; Gen. 6:5; Job 14:4; Ps.
51 :5; Isa. 64:6; Jer. 17:9.

II. The love of God for U3.

"We have known and believed the love
that God hath to us," i Jno. 4:16; Jno.
3:16; Rom. 5:8; 2 Thess. 2:16; Eph.
2:4-6; Tit. 3:4,5; I Jno. 4 : 8-10 ; Deut.
7:7,8; I Kings 10:9; Isa. 63:9; Jer.

III. The grace of Jesus Christ our
Lord.

" Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that, thougl He was rich, yet for
your sakes he became poor, that ye through
His poverty might be rich," 2 Cor. 8:9;
Acts 15 : II ; Rom. 3 : 24-26 ; 5 : 20, 21 ;
11:6; Gal. 1:6; Eph. 2:8; 2 Cor. 12:9;
Rev. 22:21.

IV. The Holy Spirit.

" The S] it of truth whom the world can-
not receive, because 't seeth Him not,
neither knoweth Him ; ut ye know Him ;
forHe velleth with you, andshall'bein you,"

John 14:17; 15:26; 16:7-13 ; Acts 1:8;
5:31132: 9:31; 10:44; Rom. 8:2, 9, II,
14, 16, 26; I Cor. 2:9-14; 2 Cor. 1:22;
Gal. 4:6, 7.

V. That we have eternal life.

"These things have I written unto you
that believe on the name of the Son of God,
that ye may know that ye have eternal life,"
I Jno. 5:13; John 3:15, 36 ; 5 : 24 ; 6 : 40,
47 ; 10 • 28 ; 17 : 2, 3 ; Rom. 6 : 23 ; Gal. 6:8;
Tit. 1:1, 2 ; 3:7; I John 1:1, 2 ; 2 : 25 ;

5:11-

VX. That all things work together for
our good.

" We know that all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to His pur-
pose," Rom. 8:28; Gen. 1:20; Deut. 8:3,
16 ; Ps. 46 :i-3 ; Prov. 18 : 10; 2 Cor. 4 : 15-
17 ; Phil. 1:19; Heb. 12:6-11; Jas. 1:2-4;
Rom. 8:35-39.

VII. That a happy resurrection awaits
us at the coming of the Lord.

" I know that He shall arise again in the
resurrection at the last day," Jno. 11:24;
Isa. 25:8; 26:19; Dan. 12:2; Hos. 13:14;
Matt. 22:29, 32; Luke 1/1^14; Jno. 5:28,
29; Acts 17:31, 32; 24:15; I Cor. 15:20,
23, 42, 43 ; I Thess. 4 ; 13-18.

J. H. BROOKES.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Read Ps. 23.

I. " Our Lord Jesus Christ, that great
Shepherd of 'he sheep," Heb. 13 : 20.

II. He died for them, John 10 : 11.

III. Sought ihim, Ezek. 34 : 11, 12 ; Matt.
i3 : 12.

IV. Takes care of them, Ps. 23 : i, 2 ; Isa.
40 : 10, II.

V. Leads them, John 10 : 3.

VI. With them in death, Ps. 23 : 4.

VII. In glory, Rev. 7 : 16, 17.

250

Gold from Ophir.

SINS WITHHOLDING GOOD FROM US.

Jeremiah was a faithful servant of God,
and he declared to his people the whole
counsel of God. Have you ever read through
his prophecies ? They are both tonic and
stimulating. It is well to bring our spiritual
nature under the influence of them. In one
of his noble sermons, he says to the people,
chap. 5:23: "Your iniquities have turned
away these things, and your sins have with-
holden good things from you." How sugges-
tive that is ! And how much we need to see
it, for it is a side of the precious truth we do
not often think of, notwithstanding that onr
experience of the fact stated here is so
frequent. We are so to learn. And God
mercifully gives us line upon line, precept
upon precept, here a little and there a little.
How then does sin withhold good things
from us ?

I. Sin cuts us off from the fountain of
blessing, Isa. 59:2, f.c; Jer. 2:12, 13;
Jer. 17:13; Micah 3:4; Jer. 8 : 18.

II. Sin changes our taste for, and our
reiish of good things, Rom. 1:21: Eph.
4: 18, 19; Jer. 4:22.

III. Sin renders us unfit to receive
blessings, Rom. i : 24, 25 ; Matt. 23 : 37, 38.

IV. Sin keeps back blessing from us.
Isa. 59 : 2, (second clause) ; Jer. 16:5; Jer.
8:9.

V. Sin causes us to abuse even the good
we receive, Jer. 7 : 10, 11 ; Rom. i : 23.

VI. Sin brings spiritual death, Rom.
5: 12; Rom. 6 : 23.

Oh, how we should hate sin and turn away
from it — and when it is upon us flee to the
fountain of cleansing, r Jno. i : 9.

J. A. R. DICKSON.

THE WAY.

Read Heb. 10 : 19-22 ; " I am the way," John 14 : 6.

I. Many ways to hell, J ude II ; Matt. 7: 13.

II. One way to heaven, John 10 ; 2.

III. Jesus the way of holiness, Isa. 35 : 8 ;
Heb. 12 : 14.

IV. Living way, Heb. 7 : 25.

V. Declared in the Gospel, Acts 16 ; 17.

VI. Will be guided in the way, Isa. 30 : 31 ;
Job 17:9. . .

FRUIT BEARING.

John 15 :i-i6.
To abide in Christ is to remain just where II. Answered prayer.

we were the day we trusted in Him as our
Saviour, not losing faith in Him, nor the
sense of our dependence upon His grace. So
abiding in Him seven results follow.

I. Fruit.

" He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the
same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without
Me ye can do nothing," verses 5,8; Matt.
3:8; 7:16-20; 21:43; John 4:36; Rom.
6:21, 22; Cz\. 5:22, 23; Phil. i:ii; 4:17';
Heb. 12: II ; 13: 15; James 3:17, 18.

"If ye abide in me and my words abide
in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall
be done unto you," verse 7; John 14:13,
14; Matt. 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9-
13 ; 18 : 1 ; Rom, 12:12; Eph. 6 : 18 ; i Thess.
5:17; James 5 : 16-18 ; x Jno. 5 : 14, 15.

III. Love.

" As the Father hath loved me, so have I
loved you ; abide ye in my love," verse 9;
Revised Version: John 3:16; 17:23, 26;
Rom. 5 : 8-10 ; 8 : 35-39 ; Eph. 2:4-6; 3 : 17-

Fragments that Remain.

251

19 ; 5 : 25-27 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 14, 15 ; Gal. 2 : 2c
I Jno. 4 : 8-10, 19.

IV. Obedience.

"If ye keep my commandments ye shall
abide in my love ; even as I have kept my
Father'^ commandments and abide in His
love," verse 10; Luke 6: 46-49; Jno. 14:21-
23 ; Rom. 6 : 16-18 ; i Cor. 7:19; 2 Cor.
7:1; Eph. 5:1,2; I Thess. 4:1; 2 Thess
1:8; I Peter i : 14-16; i Jno. 2 14, 5; 3:22,23.

V Joy.

"These things have I spokett +0 you,
that my joy in you might abide, and that
your joy might be full," verse 11 (literal) ;
Luke 2:10; 10:17, 20; Jno. 16:22, 24;
Rom. 5:1, 2; 14:17; 15:13; Phil. 4:4;
I Thess. 5 : 16 ; i Peter 1:5-8; i John i : 1-4.

VI. Fellowship.

" Henceforth I call you not servants; for
the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth ;
but I have called you friends ; for all things
that I have heard of my Father I have made
known unto you," verse 15; John 20:17;
Matt. 12:50; Luke 12:41; Rom. 8:29;
Heb. 2:11, 12; I Cor. 1 : 9 : Eph. 1:22,23;
5 : 30 ; I John 4 : 17.

VII. Abiding fruit

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have

chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should

go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit

should abide," verse 16 ; Ps. 1:3; 92 : 12-

14 ; Prov. II : 30 ; Isa. 3 : 10 ; Hos. 14:8; 2

Cor. 9 : 10 ; Rom. 7 : 4-6 ; Col. i : 10 ; Jas.

5:7, 8; Rev. 22 : 1-3.

J. H. BROOKES.

HINDRANCES TO PRAYER.

Text : " That your prayers be not hindered," i Peter 3:7.

Failure to obtain blessings sought in prayer
not only robs and injures us and others, but
dishonors God. We cannot, then, too care-
fully seek to know how our prayers may be
hindered, or too earnestly strive to avoid such
hindrances.

I. What reasons are given in the word
of God for withholding answers to some
prayers ?

See Isa. 59:1, 2; Mark 11:25, 26; Ps.
138 : 6 ; Matt. 6:5; Jas. 4:3;! Sam. 16:7;
Ps. 66 : 18.

II. Is the fact that the results of prayer
which are not immedialtely seen any proof
.that it is not, or will not be answered ?

See and compare Job 30 : 20 with 42 : 8 ;
Matt. 15:21-28; 2 Cor. 12:7-9; i Peter
1:7; Jas. I : 3-4.

III. What is the right course when the
answer to prayer is or seems to be delayed ?

See I Peter 5:6, 7 ; Dan. 9 : 23 ; Isa.
58 : 3-14 ; Gen. 32 : 26, with Hosea 12 : 4-6 ;
Ps. 40 : 1, and 27 : 14.

iiiii

JUSTIFICATION.

I. We are justified by God, the Author of
it, Rom. 3 : 26.

II. We are justified by Grace, the Source
of it, Rom. 3 : 24.

III. We arejustified by Blood, the Ground
of it, Rom. 5 : 9.

IV. We are justified by Resurrection,
the Acknowledgment of it, Rom. 4 : 25.

V. We arejustified by Faith, the Principle
of it, Rom. 5: 1.

VI. We are justified by Works, the Mani-
festation of it, Jas. 2 : 14-26.

252

Gold from Ophir.

STUDIES IN THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

Romans is the exhibition of the gospel of
God, chap, i :'i. It is a treatise from the
pen of inspiration upon the question : " How
can a man be justified with God ? " Job
25:4.

This epistle takes man as it finds him, with-
and without religion, and never leaves him
till it sets him down ''just with God."

The first seventeen verses may be looked
upon as the introduction. From verse 18
to 32 we have man without law, without
religion ; left to the teachings of nature, Acts
17 • 30 ; Acts 14 ; 14-17.

Chap. II. Man with the law — with re-
ligion.

Chap. III. God's verdict of both, last
clause of 22nd verse and 23rd vfrse. "All
have sinned and come short of the glory of
God." See also Rom. 5:8. "Enemies,"
Rom. II : 32. " Shut up in unbelief."

Chap. IV. Justification by faith without
works, Eph. 2 : 9.

Chap. V. "Ungodly," "Sinners," "Ene-
mies," are justified by faith, not for faith.

Chap. VI. Dead to sin by virtue of our
union with a dead and risen Christ.

Chap. VII Loosed from the old husband
^the law — and married to another. Rcsad

6th verse : " But now we are loosed from the
law, having died to that wherein we were
held," etc. Alford.

Chap. VIII. God/or M5, 31st verse ; Christ
for us, verse 34 ; Spirit for us, verse 26.
Therefore no condemnation, 8:1; John 5 :
24, and no separation, verse 35 and verse 39,
with Jude 24.

Chap. IX. The answer to the question:
"Are the promises of God to Israel made
void by the calling of the Gentiles ?

Chap. X. Israel's rejection of Christ.

Chap. XI. God's Jewish bride disowned,
Isa. 54:5, 6,- until the "Fulness of the
Gentiles be come in," verse 25, i.e., the
gathering out in grace of a bride to Christ.

Chap. XII, Practical consecration of
justified ones; ministry to God, to the
Church, to the world.

Chap. XIII. Holy living in view of the
appearing of Jesus. The aspect of our walk
toward the world.

Chap. XIV. The aspect ofour walk toward
jr brethren.

Chap. XV, Church fellowship, and fellow-
ship in the gospel.

Chap. XVI. God's interest in every mem-
ber of His family. R. M'J., Jr.

JESUS, THE FRIEND.

1. The sinner's friend, Matt. 11 : 19.

2. My friend, Cant. 5 : 16.

3. Who satisfies. Cant. 5 : 1.

4. Who sticketh closer than a brother,
Prov. 18 : 24.

5. The unchanging friend, Prov. 17 : 17.

6. The surety, Prov. 6:1.

7. Who dies, John 15 : 13.

8. Who reproves, Prov. 27 : 6.

9. Who counsels, Prov. 27 : 9, 10.

10. Communion, Prov. 27 : 17.

11. Resurrection, John 11 :ii.

My Beloved is my friend. Christians need
an object for their heart. Joy clings, 17
Matt. Jesus only. His photograph : alto-
gether lovely. My beloved. No fear,
^elcome. Paul. Loved me. My friend.
HENRY MOOREHOUSE.

Fragments that Remain.

253

JOSEPH-JESUS.

By Alf. Sandham.

Joseph.

The Well Beloved Gen. 37 : 3

Sent to seek missing ones " 15-16

Sent by his father with a message of love. . " 14

Was a willing messenger " 13

Did not cease his journey till he came to

where they were " 16, 17

Found them at Dothan (the "law" or

"custom") " 17

Envied '• n

Hated because he testified against them

(last clause) " 2

The more he spake of his coming supe-
riority, the more they hated him 8

Conspired against, to be slain " 18

Plans laid to deceive as to his disappearance " 31, etc.
Brethren said, " See what will become of his

dreams." "

Sold by advice of one of his brethren

" Judah " (Judah,Hebrew; Judas.Greek) " 26, 27
Those who sold him acknowledged they had

sinned " 42:21,22

Endured temptation untainted " 39:7-14

Was falsely condemned " 39 : 20

Was numbered with transgressors " 40 : 2, 3

Jesus.

Luke 3 : 22.
Luke 19 : 10.
John 3 : 16.
Heb. 10:7.

Phil. 2 : 7,8.

Gal. 3 : 13.
Mark 1 5 : 10.

John 7 : 7.

John 8 : 59.
John 5:18.
Matt. 28 : 13, 14.

Mark 15 : 29.

Mark 14 : 10, 20.

Matt. 27 : 4.
Heb. 4:15;

Luke 4 : 1-13.
Matt. 26 : 59, 60 ;

Luke 23 : 14, 15.
Isa. 53: 12;

Matt. 27 : 38.

;.M||i!!pii

LILIES.

By Miss Katie A, Clarke.
" Consider the Lilies," Luke 12 : 27.

GOD must have thought it worth our while studying flowers, or surely He would not
have given such a command. If we bear in mind that "a// Scripture is given by
inspiration — and is profitable," even apparently unimportant passages must contain
some lessons ; the Holy Spirit only opens our eyes to behold the wondrous things in
God's Book. "Consider" — the Greek would read "perceive distinctly— learn
thoroughly."

The lily is mentioned seven times in the Bible, (not including parallel passages.)

1. Christ — the Lily of the Valley. Song of Solomon 2 : i.

2. Christ — His sweetness, lips Hke lilies. Song of Solomon 5 : 13.

3. Ch ist — feeds ai.^ong His lilies." Song of Solomon 2 : 16.

4. Christ — gathers His lilies. Song of Solomon 6 : 2.

BBS

254

Gold from Ophik.

5. Church — a lily among thorns. Song of SoJomon 2 : 2.

6. Christian — shall grow as a lily. Hosea 14 : ^.

7. Christian — learn to trust trom the lilies. Mati. 6 : -28.

There are many varieties of this flower. Let us consid(;r a /gw <rf them and try
and gather some precious lessons.

L The Lily of the Valley.— emblematic of Jesus Christ — '* I am the Lily of the
Valley," S. of S. 2 : i. As its pure sweet blossom is almost hidden among the dark
leaves, so the beauty of Jesus is invisible to those who do not seek for Him. "He
hath no form or comeliness," "no beauty that we should desire Him," but to those
who find Him, He is "the Lily of the Valley" — "the fairest among ten thousand,"
" the altogether lovely one." It is a low-growing plant — those who would gather its
blossom must stoop. So Jesus *' humbled Himself even unto death " — and all who
wish to be partakers in His exaltation must first partake of His humiliation. " He
that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Low at His cross we will grow sweet. We
become like those whom we love and with whom we most associate.

n. The Lilies of the Field,— These speak to us of God's loving care for His
children — " If He so clothe the grass shall He not clothe you ?" He looks after, tends
and beautifies the wild lily of the field, and shall He not care for His own ? "Are we
not much better than they ? " Therefore let us " be anxious for nothing," Phil. 4 : 6,
(R.V.), for "your Father knoweth what things we have need of," Matt. 6:32. "Have
faith in God" and "rest in His love."

III. The Lily of the Garden,— Referred to in the Song of Solomon as typical
of the Church of Christ or the individual believer — purchased by the Gardener —
planted by His hand on His own premises, watched over, pruned, watered, and at last
gathered, when it has reached perfection, adorn His own palace or be worn in His
bosom. So the Christian — bought with His precious blood — planted in His garden —
watered by His word — (Hos. 14 : 5), pruned by afflictions, is to grow, sweet, pure,
beautiful, as the cultivated lily — so that at last the Gardener can say, as He gazes on
the perfect blossom, " Thou art all fair, my love," and stooping, gathers His lily to
bloom more abundantly in the richer soil above.

IV. The Easter Lily.- Blossoming in its annual beauty at the Easter tide-
fit emblem of our coming glorious resurrection. "Except a seed die it remaineth
alone ; if it die it bringeth forth fruit." Jesus died — and Jesus lives — and every leaf
is witness of His resurrection — every flower a silent messenger from Him who made
it, and the language of every Easter lily is, " He was dead. He is alive forever more,
and because He lives we '/hall live also."

V. The Water Lily. — Its beautiful snowy leaves seem to repeat again and
again the words of Jesus, " Consider the lilies — even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these." It floats above the water where it can be seen, but its root
is deep down in the earth, so the believer must have the foundation " within the veil "
— "our citizenship is in Heaven." It is pure and sweet — and the Christian i"? perfect
througjh the comeliness of Christ, Ezek. 16:14. Gather a water lily in full bloom, but
put it in the dark, and it soon closes ; so the follower of Jesus cannot and need not live
in the shade ; the Sun of Righteousness is ever brightly shining. It is also worth a
thought that as the water lily cannot live in the dark, neither can it live without water.
No more can the Christian live without the water of the Word. We cannot gather the
lily oft" any other kind of plant, so neither can we have the sweet qualities of the lily
without constantly and faithfully communing with and following after our Great
Example, "The Lily of the Valley." Let us "learn of Him who is meek and lowly of
heart," and as we learn we unconsciously grow like Him, so that as our Beloved walks
among His Hlies, He may be satisfied with the fruit of His labor.

Fragments that Remain.

255

GOSPEL TEMPEIUNCE HINTS.

1. Licensing murder, Esther 3.

2. Wine in and wit out, Esther i.

3. Drunkenness and defeat, i Kings 20 : 12-
ai ; 16: 8-10.

4. Money and your life, i Kings 21.

5. The money interests of wrong-doing,
Acts 19:23-34.

6. The woes of wine, Isa. 5 : 10-25 ; 10:1-3.

7. License laws, Isa. 28 : 1-7, 13-22.

8. " Rum, and old Jeroboam," 2 Kings,
15:27-29; 17:6-23.

9. The physical benefits of temperance,
Dan. I : 8-20.

10. Intemperance and sacrilege, Dan. 5.

11. Rumsellers as robbers, i Kings 20: 1-9,

12. Wisdom and wine, Prov. 2 : 10-22.

HARMONIES AND CONTRASTS IN GENESIS
AND REVELATION.

By Miss Katie Clarke.
I. HARMONY.

■si'm.

Genesis.

" The Tree of life in the midst of the
Garden," Gen. 2 :g.
Precious stones, Genesis 2 : 12.

The gold of that land is good, Gen. 2 : 12.

God walked in the garden, "Gen. 3 : 8.

No need of Temple, Gen. 3 : 8.

A river flowing through the garden, Gen.
2 : 10.

Adam gave names to every creature. Gen.
2 : 20. '

First rainbow. Genesis 9:13.

Lamb — First recorded sacrifice, Gen. 4:4.

Man made in God's likeness. Gen. i : 27.

All that is pleasant to the eye. Gen. 2 : 9.

" All that is good for food," Gen. 2 19.
Judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, Gen.
19 : 24.

Marriage of first Adam — his bride, part of
his own I:fe, taken from his side while he
was asleep, Gen. 2 : 21-35.

Revelation.

" In the midst . . . the tree of life," Rev.
22 :2, and 2 -.j.

" Garnished with all manner of precious
stones," Rev, 21 : 19.

The streets of the city were pure gold,
Rev. 21 : 18.

God dwells with His people. Rev. 21 : 3.

" No Temple therein," Rev. 21 : 22.

" A pure river of water of life," Rev. 22 : i.

Christ gives a new name. Rev. 2 : 17; 3 ; 12.

Rainbow round the throne. Rev. 4 : 3.
" Lamb as it had been slain," Rev. 5 : 6.
Complete in His likeness, Rev. 22 : 4 ; Ps.

17:15.

" Eye hath not seen — what God hath pre-
pared," Rev. 21 : II.

The hidden manna. Rev. 2 : 17.

Judgment on the world, Rev. 8 : 13.

Marriage of second Adam — His bride
bought with His own life; the spear that
pierced His side in death (sleep), gave to the
Church her life. Rev. 19 : 7.

2S6

Gold from Ophir.

II. CONTRASTS.

Genesis.

One gate, Gen. 3 : 24.

Flaming sword to keep the gate, Gen.
3:24.
Abel— the first shepherd, Gen. 4 : 2.

Light created, Gen. i : 16.

" In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread," Gen. 3 ; 19.

Heavens created, Gen. i : 8.

Naked, Gen, 3 : 10.

" Summer and winter, day and night, shall
not cease," Gen. 8: 22.

Earth destroyed by water, Gen. 7 : 17-24.

A few saved on Mount Ararat, Gen. 8 : ^

Death, Gen. 4:8.

First promise of the Saviour, Gen. 3:15.

' larp and musical instruments first mar^^,
Gen. 4 : 21.

" Paradise lost," Gen. 3 : 23.

Sin entered through disobedience, Gen.
3:6.

Earth created, Gen. i : x.

Night, Gen. 1 : 5.

Seas, Gen. i : 19.

Sun and moon. Gen. i : 16, 17.

Garden, home for man. Gen. 2:8.

First appearance of Satan, Gen. 3:1.

Curse, Gen. 3 : 17.

Driven from the tree of life. Gen. 3 : 24.

Confusion of tongues. Gen. 11:9.

Going out from the Lord's presence, Gen.
4 : 16.

Scattered over all the earth. Gen. 11:8.

Revelation.

Many (12) gates. Rev. 21 : 21.
Gates never shut, Rev. 21 : 25.

Christ, chief Shepherd, all His flock in the
fold. Rev. 14 : 1.

The Lamb is the light. Rev. 21 : 23.

" The Lamb .... shall feed them," Rev.
7:17.

Heavens passed away. Rev. 21:1.

Clothed in white. Rev. 19 : 8.

"There shall be time no longer, ' Rev.
10:6.

Earth destroyed by fire, Rev. 6 : 14-17 ; 2
Peter 3 : 10

Many saved on Mount Sion, Rev. 14: 1.

No more death. Rev. 21:4

Saviour acknowledged as king, Rev. 5 : 12,

Harps used in praising, Rer ^•6'

"Paradise re-gained," Rev. 7 : 14.
He hath put in their hearts, to fulfil His
will. Rev. 17 : 17.

Earth passed away. Rev. 21:1.

No night there, Kev. 22 : j

No more sea. Rev. 21 : i.

No need of sun or moon, Rev. 20 : 23.

City, home for nations, Rev. 21 : 10.

Satan's final doom. Rev. 20 : 10.

No more curse. Rev. 22 : 3.

Welcome back to it. Rev. 22 : 2.

Union <jf all tongues, Rev. / : 9.

Forever in the Lord's presence. Rev. 14 : i.

All kindreds of the earth united. Rev. 7:9.

GOOD WORKS.

I. The duty of good works, Matt. 5 : 16 ;
Titus 2:14; 2 Tim. 3 : 17 ; , James 3:17;
Titus 3 : 8.

II. Our example in good works, John

10: 32; Acts 10:38; A(?ts2 :22; John 14 : 10;

9:4-

III. The author of j^ood works, Phil.
1:6; John 15:5; Eph. 2 : 10.

Fragments that Rt main.

a<7

CONDITIONS OF SUCCESSFUL PRAYER.

■^•mu '■

er," Rev.

: 14-17 ; «

i:^:.:

Rev. 5 : 12.

14-

[> fulfil His

" Ye ask and receive not — because ye ask
amiss," Jas. 4: 3.

I. Forgiveness of enemies, Mark 11:24-
26 ; Col. 3:13; Matt 18 : 19-22 ; Matt. 5 : 23-

24-

II. Confession Han. 9 : 4, 8, 20, 23.

III. Sincerity, i's. 66: i8.

IV. Faith, Heb. n ; 6; Jas. 1:5-7

V. Perseverance ur importunity, Luke
11:1-13.

VI. Earnestness, Jer. 29:13

VII. In the name of Jesus, John 14: 13,
14 ; 15 :l6.

VIII Dependence on the Holy Spirit,
Rom. 8:26; Eph. 6:18.

W. E.ODWELL.

A TRUE WOMAN-FROM THE BIBLE STANDPOINT.

She will first of all have her heart opened
by the Lord — as Lydia, Acts 16 : 14.

Then she will be ready to follow Jesus
anywhere, through "evil report or good re-
port," even to the cross if need be, as the
Marys, Mark 15:40, 41.

She will not be united to any but a Chris-
tian. See Ex. 2:1:2 Cor. 6 : 14.

Her husband's heart can safely trust in
her, Prov. 31 : 11.

She will prove a " helper in Christ Jesus,"
Rom, 16: 3.

The motto of her house will be, " As for
me and my house we will serve the Lord,"
Josh. 24 : 15.

Her children will early be brought to Jesus
as the "Mothers of Salem" brought their
little ones for Him to bless. Matt. 19 : 13, 14.

Her children will be consecrated to God's
service as was Hannah's son Samuel, i Sam.
1 :27, 28.

She will look well after all in her house,
Prov. 31 : 17.

She will be hospitable, as was Lydia, Acts
16:15.

She will not only be willing to receive
God's people into her home, but will be ready
to bestow " much labor" on them, as Mary,
Rom. t6 :6.

She will work for the poor, as Dorcas, Acts

9:36-39

She will be ready to serve Jesus at all
times, as Martha, John 12 : 2.

She will be equally ready to sit at Jesus'
feet in commanion as Mary, Luke 10:39.

She will labor much "in the Lord," as
did Persis, Rom. 16 : 12.

She will be a helper to the Church of
Christ, as Phebe, Rom. 16 : i.

She will be modest in dress and her chief
■".dommsnt will be her good works, i Tim.
2 :9, 10.

Instead of adorning her own person, she
will give of her treasure to the Lord, as the
Israelite women did, Ex; 35 : 22, and Ex.
38 8.

She will be able to give good advice to
others, as did Mary, mother of Jesus, John

2:5-

She will " have faith in God," as the
woman of Canaan, Matt. 15 : 28.

She will meditate on the Word of God
and keep it in her heart, as Mary, the Mother
of Jesus, Luke 2 : 19.

She will give of her time and work, not to
sew for bazaars, etc., but to help on the
Lord's cause, as the wom'-a of Israel did
when the Tabernacle was to be built, Ex.

35 : 25. 26.

Her lips will b« ruled by the law of kind-
ness and her conversation will show wisdom,
Prov. 31 : 26.

She will be pure — discreet — and keep to
her own .house, not to be gossiping in other
folks' houses, Tit. 2:4,5.

She will not be a busy-body — but " study

258

Gold from Ophir.

to be quiet and mind her own business," i
Pet. 4 : 15.

She will be diligent, Prov. 31 : 19.

She will be benevolent, Prov. 31 : 20.

She will be gracious, Prov. 1 1 : 16.

She will be " faithful in all things," i Tim.
3:11, I.e.

She will be separate from the world and
act as becometh a "daughter of the Lord
God Almighty," 2 Cor. 6 : 17, 18.

She " will publish the tidings " of salvation,
Ps.68:ii, R.V.

She will be ready, as the women at the
grave, to hasten and tell others of a Risen
One. First see, then tell, John 20 : 18.

She will not live at ease, Isa. 32 : 9-11.

She will be waiting and watching for the

Bridegroom's coming, as the virgins should
have done. Matt. 25 : 1-4.

She will be instrumental in saving others,
as the woman of Samaria, John 4 : 39.

She will take all her sorrows to Jesus,
John II :2. 3,-

She will be qualified by God for His
service, and therefore must be successful,
Acts I : 14, and 2 : 18.

" She shall be praised," Prov. 31 : 30.

She is valuable — " her price — far above
rubies," and the wise man's question, " who
can find " such a one, shows that this kind
are not very plentiful. *

The first step to a beautiful and successful
life is letting the Lord into your heart, Prov.
31: 10.

Miss KATIE A. CLARKE.

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT SALVATION.

I. It is a Common Salvation, Jude 3; in
the sense that it is provided for all, adapted
to all, offered to all, and needed by all. See
Rom. 3 : 22, 23 ; Isa. 45 : 22.

II. A Free Salvation, Jno. 3:16; 6:32,33;
Rom. 5:18; Rev. 22 : 17 ; Isa. 55 : i , Jno.
7:37; Matt. 11:28; Rev. 21:16; Jno. 6 :
35; 4:10; Rom. 6:23.

III. A Personal Salvation, Psa. 25:5; 35:
3; Isa, 12:2; Mat. 16:15; Rora. 10:9; Phil.
2 : 12.

IV. A Present Salvation, 2 Cor. 6:2; Luke
7:50; 14:17; 19:9-

V. A Powerful Salvation, Luke i : 68, 69 ;
Psa. 18:2; Matt. 1:21; Rom. i : 16 ; Heb.
7:25 ; Isa. 63:1.

VI. An Eternal Salvation, Heb. 5:9; 9:
12 ; Jno. 10 : 28 ; 2 Cor. 4:17; 5:1; Jno.
3:15; Rom. 6:23; Isa. 45:17; 51:16; i
Jno. 5: 11; Jno. 4:14.

VII '"To escape if we neglect it, Heb. 2': 3;
10 :28, 29; 12:25; Jno- 3:18; I Jno. 5:12;
Jno. 3 : 36. I

Miss CLARA CHARLES.

SOWING AND REAPING.

The great husbandman, Isa. 50 : 6 ; 52 : 14 ;
53:4, etc.; Luke 19:41; 22 :44 ; John 12 124 ;
Heb. 5:7.8.

His followers, Acts 20 : 19, 24 ; i Cor.
4:9, etc.; 2 Cor. 4 : 10, II ; 2 Cor. 11:23,
etc.

COMING AGAIN.

REJOICING — BRINGING SHEAVES.

His great husbandman, Ps. 22:30, 31;
110:3; Isa. 53:11; Luke 10:21; Eph.
5 : 27 ; Heb. 2 : 13; 12 : 2.

His followers, John 4 : 36 ; 2 Cor. 4:14;
Phil. 4:1;! Thess. 2 : 19-20. G. P.

Fragmf:nts that Rkmain.

!59

A STUDY IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

I. He is a Son, 1:2,3; 3:6; 5:8; 7 : 28.
n. He is the Son of God, 1:5; 4 : 14 ;
5 ; 5 : 6 : 6 : 7 : 3 ; 10 : 29. ^
ni. He is God, i : 8-10 ; 3 : 3, 4.

IV. He is as the Son superior to angels.
(a) As to name, i : 4-5 ; i : 7. (b) As to

rank, 1:6; i : 8-9 ; : : 3 ; 8:1; 10 : 12 ; 12 : 2.
(c) As to office, 1:10; 1:2; 1:13.

V. He is as the Son superior to the prophets
as the mediators of divine revelation, i :i-2.

VI. He is the Son superior to Moses in
the House of G' ', 3 : 5-6.

VII. He is superior to Joshua as leading
into the promised rest, 4 : 8-14,

VIII. He is the Apostle of God, above all
sent from God, 3:1; 2:3.

IX. He is Man, 2:6, 11, 14, 17 ; 5: i, 7.
(a) And so could suffer, 2 : 9-10 ; 2 : 14-18;

4:15; 5:8; 9 : 25-26 ; 10 ; 19-20 ; 13:12.
(b) And live by faith, 2: 13, 18; 5:7' 12:2.

X. He is the Son of Man, 2 : 5-8.

(rt) Was a little while lower than the angels,
2 : 7. {b) Is still waiting for His dominion,
2:8; 1:13. (c) Is still waiting for His
fellow-heirs, 3:i4;3:i;2:io;4:9;9:28;
10:36,37; 10:16; 13:14; 12:25-28.

XI. He is a Mediator of a better covenant,
8:6-13; 9:1-10; 10:14-18 — of the new
covenant, 9: 15-22 ; 12:24.

XII. He is surety of a better covenant,
7 : 19-22.

XIII. He is the perfection of the begin-
nings and shadows of the old covenant,
10: I ; 7:2; 5: I2;i4; 6: 1-3.

XIV. He is a priest from God, 5:4-6-10;
3:2; 7:28; 10:5-7.

XV. He is a priest and from among men,
2: 10; 4: 15; 5: I.

XVI. He is a ^ri-d^ priest, 10:21. "High"
is in the Greek "great."

XVII. He is a High Priest, 2:17; 3:1;

4: 14, 15; 8: I.

XVIII. He is a great High Priest, 4 : 14.
(a) Superior to the Aaronic order, 8 : 4-6 ;

10:1-4; 7:28; 7:11, 18, 19. (b) After the
order of Melchizedek, 5: T-. : 7:3. (c) Made
v/ith an oath, 7 : 20-22 ; 7 . 28. (</) Abiding,
and with an untransferable priesthood, 5:6;
7:16,23,25; 10:12. {e) Kingly. 7:2; 7:14.

W. J. ERDMAN.

li'ili!

GOD IS LOVE.

God IS love, I John 4 : 8, 16. First clause,
God being loved, Hd cannot help loving;
every object of the creation is loved by God,
and that love is shown by the care He exer-
cises over them, Matt. 10: 29; Luke 12 :6.

I. God loves the sinner.

John 3:16; John 15:13; i John 3 : 15.

Shown by God the Father in making pro-
vision for salvation. Gen. 3 : 15 ; Rom. 5:8;
John 3 : 16 ; 1 John 4 : 9, 10.

II. God the Father loves His children.
Pre-eminently, Rom. 8 : 38, 39 ; Eph. 3 : 17.

III. God the Son is love.

Gal . 2 : 20. His love equal to the Father ' s ,
John 15:9. His love is shown for His own

in His care for them and their comfort, John
14 : 16, 18 ; John 15 : 26 ; John 16 : 7.

IV. God the Spirit is love.

Is shown in His guiding and comforting,
John 16 : 13 ; John 14 : 26 ; i John 2 : 20-27.

Believers have the anointing from the
Father, as well as from the Son, even as the
Son is anointed by the Father, hence the
Spirit is the token that we are in the Father
and the Son; without it we are ncne of His.
The Spirit poured on Christ the Head, is by
Him diffused through all His members. Itap-
pears that we are the body of Christ, i Cor.
12:27; Rom. 12:5; Eph. i:s2,33; Eph.
4:12; Col. 1 : 24.

11 ..

I:;

26c

Gold from Ophir.

V. Safety and rest in His love.

John lo : 28, 29. The Believer finds a
resting place in His love, John 15 : 10 ;
Rom. 5:5; I John 4 : 16.

VI. Surely such love demands our love.

Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27; Eph. 1:4;
Eph. 3:17. This should not be a slavish
love, but it should be that kind of reciprocal
love which exists between a fond parent and
child, Eph. 5; 1,2; I John 3 : I ; Gal. 4:5-
7 ; I John 4 : 15-18. Not servants but friends,
John 15 : 15. So that there is fellowship or
partnership between Christ and His own, i

Cor. 1 : 9. God's children then should be sio
in harmony with their Father and Elder
Brother that they will be absorbed into
Christ's life, i Cor. 3:9; Col. 3:12; Gal.
2 : 20 ; Col . 2 : 20 ; Col .3:3; risen with Christ,
Col. 2 : 10. Suffer with Christ, i Pet. 4: 14;
Rom. 8 : 17. As Christians are united to God
as children and to Christ »in one common
body of brotherhood by love, they should

Vn. Love one another.

I John 4:21; John 13 ; 34, 55 ; John 15 : 12.
Without love we are nothing, i Cor. 13.

C. H. ELLIOTT.

^-J^t

" GOD AND LITTLE CHILDREN."

The Mosaic legislation was Divine. God
employed Moses as His instrument. In the
Mosaic legislation we mark a marvellous
advance in dealing with the children,
beyond that attained even by the wisest
nations and foremost thinkers of antiquity.
It is full of tenderest affection; while the
treatment of little ones by other legislators
was pitiless and inhuman. The Spartans
exposed the weak and the mis-shapen to die ;
and they reared the healthy and the well-knit
with a harsh and brutal severity. In Plato's
Republic children were to be bred up in com-
munities, ignorant of their parents, and, in
his scheme, belonging to the State only, the
parental relation being nothing. Andin how
many nations has it been a part of religion,
to give the fruit of the body for the sins of
the soul; either casting them into the
Ganges, or causing them to pass through the
fire unto Moloch. Now take up into your
minds God's thoughts toward the children.

I. God claims the children, Ezek. 18:4;
Ex. 13 • 2 ; Num. 3 : 12, 13 ; Matt. 19 : 14,

II. He makes a distinction between the
children of IMevers and unbelievers, i Cor.
7 : 19. And it is of believing parents* child-

ren that the Scriptures principally treat.
Those in covenant relation with Himself.
Those only can realize their obligation and
fulfil their duty.

III. They are His choicest blessing, Gen.
33 : 5; 48 : 9 ; Ps. 127 : 3 ; 128. (Hebrew—
a possession, a portion assigned of God).

IV. He givfis command (i) as to their train-
ing, Deni. 6:4-9; Prov. 26:6; Jno. 21:15.
{2) As to their treatment, (a) To be corrected,
Prov. 22 : 15 ; 29 : 15 ; 23 : 13, 14. {b) Not to
be provoked, Eph. 6 : 4. (3) To be provided
for, 2 Cor. 12 : 14.

V. He gives promises, (i) Of the Holy
Spirit, Isa, 44 : 3 ; Acts 2 : 38, 39. (2) Of
tht,ir faith, Isa. 59:21. (3) Of their godly
integrity, Ps. 45 :i6; Prov. 20:7.

VI. He goes beyond parental dealing — and
gives them (i) commands. Col. 3:20; (2)
Promises, Prov. 3 : i-io.

VII. He uses them as types of character for
His kingdom, Matt. 18 : 3.

VIII. God's thought of the children finds
its fullest declaration in this fact, Gal. 4:4;
Matt. 2 : II ; Isa. 9:6.

J. A. R. DICKSON.

Fragments that Remain.

261

THE TEN VIRGINS-WIIO ARE TIIEY?

By W. A. Parlane.

CHRISTIAN men who hold the doctrines of grace, and who at the same time know
not dispensational truth, find it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to recon-
cile the teaching; of such parables as that of the ten virgins with what the word of God
savs in other places as to the security of the believer We see, for instance in this
parable, that the foolish as well as the wise are virgins (a term symbolic of good
and not of evil) : that they, equally with the wise, are waiting for the Bridegroom ; t'ley,
too, have oil in their lamps (which are " going out," not gone out) ; and when they are
*old to go and buy, they at once respond to the advice ; apparently they are in the
same position as the five wise (with the single exception that they have no oil in their
vessels), and yet according to the common exposition, they fall away and are lost ; if
so, how i.s this to be recor.ciled with the truth that "He which hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ " ? Is there any explanation
possible of this apparent contradiction ? If we regard this, and other kindred parables,
simply as vehicles to convey certain moral teaching, there is not, but if we, recognize
the fact that they set forth not only practical truths, but also the character of the age
at certain periods in its history, we shall find that the supposed contradiction shall
vanish.

In this parable of the ten virgins there are three prominent questions which sug-
gest themselves : —

I. What is meant by the term " kingdom of heaven " ?

II. Whit period of time in the age is indicated by the word "then " ?

III. What company of persons do the ten virgins represent ?

I. TThat is meant by the term " kingdom of heaven " ?

Time and space will not permit to enter here into an exposition of the expression
"kingdom of heaven" as used in the word of God. Tt- may be briefly said that the
Scriptures speak of the kingdom in a two-fold sense, sometimes as the kingdom in
mystery, the kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, that stage of the kingdom
in which we dwell, sometimes as the kingdom in manifestation, the kingdom and
glory, that state of the kingdom for which we wait.

Our Lord Jesus Christ came proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, proving His
Messiahship by His niracles, and the kingdom in glory (a foretaste of which was fiven
on the Mount of Transfiguration) would have been manifested had the Jewish nation
received the king ; but they rejected Him, they would not have Him to reign over them,
and therefore the kingdom in glory was placed in abeyance, and instead we have the
kingdom in mystery, the kingdom and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is now
infested by tares, ruled by the fowls of the air (the children of the wicked one), leavened
by the false doctrine of the apostate woman, having within it bad fish as well as good,
and things that offend, which will remain until He v/hose right it is to reign, comes
and casts out of His kingdom all things that offend, and ihem that do iniquity. The
kingdom of heaven, which commenced with the ministry of the Lord Jesus and which
in this age is the " kingdom and patience," is that constitution of persons or things
which ^roy^jj^flJ/j/ acknowledges His authority, and the condition of the kingdom at
certain periods m its history is described in the gospel of Matthew by various parables,
of which th's is one.

II. What period of time in the ag-e is here indicated by the word
''then:'

To understand this we must go back to the 24th chapter, of which this parable is a
continuation. In reply to the questions of the disciples in the third verse, " when shall

ilir'

262

Gold from Ophir.

these things be," etc., our Lord amongst other things speaks of two special events, viz. :
" the great tribulation," vide verse 21, and His Coming in glory, verse 29. (It may
just be observed here en passant that this chapter relates almost, if not altogether
exclusively, to the Jewish people ; this can easily be shown from Scripture). We find
the first of these two events spoken of by Daniel 12 : i, in almost similar language to
that used by our Lord, and again in Rev. 7 : 14, where it is called specifically the great
tribulation. Zechariah 14 : 1-5, gives us a detailed account of the events, without
speaking of it distinctly by name.

In Drniel 12 : i, we see that this time of unexampled trouble is connected with the
deHverance of the Jewish nation.

In Zech. 14 : 1-5. we find that the time of Israel's distress and deliverance is con-
nected with the time '■f the appearing of the Lord with His saints.

In Matt. 24 : -ig, vie find that the great tribulation is followed immediately by the
coming of the Lord iii glory.

1*1 Rev. 7, we find the sealing of the elect remnant of Israel, and the description
of the white-robed riiultitude who have come out of the great tribulation takes place
after the events described in the 6th chapter, of which compare verses 12 and 13 with
29 and 30 of Matt. 24.

So, by comparing these special incidents spoken of by our blessed Lord with other
Scriptures, we leam that there are certain events which almost synchronize, viz., the
great tribulation, the deliverance of Israel, and the Coming of the Lord in glory with
His saints. " Then " (at this time) so it would appear, shall the kingdom of heaven be
likened unto ten virgins, etc.

Ixl. What comp0.ny do the ten virgins represent?

Not the Church ofGod^iox Matt. 24 129, says, "They shall see the Son of Man
coming in the clouds with power and great glory." And we are expressly told in Col.
3 : 4, that, " When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear v/ith
Him in glory." When He comes in glory His church is with Him, and this agrees
with what the prophet Zechariah says in chapter 14:5," The Lord my God shall come
and all the saints with Him." (" Him," not "Thee " being the more correct reading).
Now if the saints are with Him at this time when He appears to deliver the Jewish
remnant, they must have been caught up to be with Him at a period anterior to this.
But there is another standpoint from which we can see that the ten virgins are not
the Church of God. The Church of God is the bride of Christ ; now the virgins and
the bride are distinct persons (no one would ever think of confounding the brides-
maids with the brides) ; the virgins are the guests who go forth to meet the bridegroom.

Those acquainted with Jewish customs say that the marriage festivities commenced
at the house of the bride's father ; 4hat they lasted, in the case of a maid, seven days,
and that the concluding feast was held at the house of the bridagroom, to which,
accompanied by the bride, he returned at the close of the seventh day, when his friends
went out to meet him with torches to escort him home, the term "marriage" being
applied to all the festivities both to the opening and closing feast, and to this our
Lord refers in Luke 12 : 36, where He says, "And ye yourselves like unto men that
wait for their Lord when He will rtivixxi from the wedding."

Dr. Peters quotes Dean Trench as saying that this parable is based on the
assumption that it is the bridegroom returning with the bride, and says that the Syriac,
Coptic, and Vulgate versions insert the word "bride," and read, " went forth to meet
the bridegroom a«</ M^ bride.'' Wycliffe's Bible says, "the husband and the wife."
Cranmer's Bible, " the bridegroom (and the bride )." The Rheims version, " the bride
groom and the bride." De Sacy's French Testament has " Vepoux et lepouse." If wti
turn to the 45th Psalm, we find the distinction drawn there between " the queen in gold
of Ophir,'' she who is to be brought to the king in raiment of needlework, and, " the
virgins that be her fellows " who 3hall bear her company ; there is no confusion here
as to the bride being the virgins ; they are " her fellows," but not herself.

The 24th Matt, is essentially Jewish, connected with them and deahng with them

nia I

Fragments that Remain.

263

as a nation, and this parable of the ten virgins speaks of an event synchronous with
those recorded in that chapter. The commencement of the Messianic week of Daniel
(the seven years) sees (so far as we can judge) the rapture of the Church of God, and
the commencement of the marriage supper ; the end of the week sees the return of
the Bridegroom with His Bride, when the elect remnant of the Jewish race (who groaning
under the oppression of Antichrist, have been longing and waiting for the Messiah)
shall recognize in that Messiah when He appears the Lord Jesus of Nazareth whom
they have pierced, and " shall mourn for Him as one mourneth for His only son" ;
that Messiah who coming with His saints in manifested glory, shall take to Himself
His great power and reign, when of Israel he shall say, "it is my people," and they
shall say, "Jehovah is my God." May He hasten the day.

GRACE. -

By Bella Clarke. < ''

BY grace we are called, i Tim. 1:9; Gal. i : 15.
By grace we are forgiven, Eph. 1:7.
By grace we are saved, Eph. 2 : 5, 8.
By grace we are justified, Rom. 3 : 24 ; Titus 3:7. ,.
By grace we are made possessors of eternal life, Rom. 5:1:"". '

By grace we are strengthened, 2 Tim. 2:1.

We are to stand in grace, i Peter 5:12; Rom. 5:2. "

We are to grow in grace, 2 Peter 3:18.
We are to be established in grace, Heb. 13 : 9.
We are to testify of the gospel of grace. Acts 20 : 24.
We are to look to the word of grace for power. Acts 20 : 32.
Grace changes our j" ^sition, Rom. 6 : 14.
Grace changes our life, i Tim. i : 13, 14 ; i Cor. 15 : 10,
Grace changes our conversation, 2 Cor. I : 12. ''.;■,

Grace changes our thoughts, Rom. 12:3.
Gives us strength to meet every trial, 2 Cor. 12 : 7-9.
Wisdom for Christian work, f Cor. 3 :<), 10. • '

To the least child of God it is given, Eph. 3:8; Eph. 4 : 7.

A sufificient supply for all time. " Enough for each, enough for all, enough for
evermore," 2 Cor. 9:8.

No danger of it running short, James 4:6;! Peter i : 2.
We have a " God of all grace "—and a Saviour " full

1 Peter 5 : 10 ; John I : 14.

Our whole salvation is of grace, Titus 2:11.

It was grace brought Christ from the glory down to earth, 2 Cor. S :^; Phil.

2 : 6-8.

It is grace that takes us from earth into the glory, Eph. 2:6; Eph. i : 20, 21.

of grace " to draw from,

Oh I the fulness of His grace,

Rich and boundless, great and free ;

Making sinners, poor and lost, .,^,_ -^ -— ^-^

""" Heirs of God, with Him to be: , '

Human lips would fail to tell
_, Half the sweet and wondrous story ;

How He brings us by His grace,

All the way from sin to glory ;
But when we reach that glory brig .t, and our faith is changed to sight,
Then these tongues shall sweetly sing all the praises of our King.

mmm

264

Gold from Ophir.

iJ l Bf '

THE "1 WILLS" OF ISALvil 4ist.

I. " I will strengthen thee," verse 10.

II. " I will help thee," verse lo. His
promise is enough, becaus<> !Ila presence is
a fact.

III. " I will uphold thee," verse 10. He
sustains. His arms are underneath.

IV. "I will hold thy right hand," verse
13. Help in service.

V. "Fear not; I will help thee," verse 13.
He is our co-partner. See how God assures
and re-assures His timid child.

VI. " Fear not thou WORM Jacob, I will
help thee," verse 14. "V^en I am weak,
then am I strong," 2 Cor. 12 : lo Here we
see that God takes as an illustration the
lowliest of His creatures as showing forth
the littleness of the believer and the utter
weakness of his strength.

VII. " I will make thee a sharp threshing
instrument," verse 15, His word, too, is

sharper than ai\y two-edged ■word, Heb

VIII. " I will hear them," verse 17. " Ria
ear is ever tpeuevl to their cry."

IX. " I will not forsake them, verse tf.
See Rom. 8 : 38, 39

X. " I will open rivers," verse iS Re
freshment. He does not say "rivulett,"
" brooks," or " creeks," but RIVERS.

XI. "I will make the wilderness a pool of
water," verse 18 When a saint is filled
with the Holy Spirit the Gospel will spread
like a mighty pool of water. His testimony
will then have weight and influence.

XII. " I will plant in the wilderness,"
verse 19. " And what the Lord plants the
devil cannot pull up or destroy," Jno. 10 : 28.

XIII. " I will set," verse 19. Blessed be
God for full assurance and establishment in
the truth, Jno. 5 ; 24. J, E. W.

OUR CALLING.

" Paul, servant of Jesus Christ, calbd to be
an apostle — separated unto the Gospel, called
lo be saints — among whom are ye also," Rom.
1:1; 7 :6.

I. Called.

1. Out of darkness, i Pet. 2:9.

2. To eternal life, i Tim. 6 : 12.

3. By the name of the Lord, Deut. 28 : xo.

4. To be sons of God, i Jno. 3:1.

5. To the peace of God, Col. 3 : 15.

6. To liberty. Gal. 5 : 13, f.c.

7. To fellowship, i Cor. 1:9.

8. To follow Christ, i Pet. 2 : 21.

Q. To the marriage supper. Rev. 19 : 9.
10. To glory, 2 Pet. 1 : 3, I.e.
_ Walk worthy of your calling, Eph. 4 : 1.

II. Separated.

i 1. Brought near to God, Num. 16 ig.
a. Out from the world, 2 Cor. 6 : 17-18.
3. Love not the world, i Jno. 2:15.

4. Be not yoked with unbelievers, 2 Cor
6 : 14.

5. To be the Lord's inheritance, i Kings 8

53.

6. Reproached by the world, Luke 6 : 22.

7. The Lord goes with us, Ex. 33 : 16.

8. Separate from other people, Lev. 20:
24.

9. A Fountain for separation, Zee. 13 : i,
(marg).

III. Called to be a servant.

1. Servants of God, i Pet. 2 : 16, I.e.

2. Servants chosen, Isa. 43: 10.

3. Servants of God only, Isa. 44 : 21.

4. Ready to hear, i Sam. 3: 10, I.e.
Ready to obey, Jno. 2 15. - -^ -
Ready to do anything, 2 Sam. 15 : 15.
It is a great calling, Isa. 49 : 6.

5-
6.

7-
8.

It is to be our r

20:40.

:i6"'«. I Kings

Fragments that Remain.

265

»nl, Heb.

X7- " ^W
verse 17

> ^8 Re
riVUleU."

:rs.

} a pool of
t is filled
vill spread
testimony
;e.

ilderness,"
plants the
no. 10 ;28.
Blessed be
ishment in
. E. W.

its, 2 Cor
I Kings 8

ike 6 ; 22.

Lev. 20;
pec. 13: I,

I.e.

: 21.

I.e.

'''l

I Kings

9. His servants are joyful, Isa. 65 : 14, f.c.
lo. His servants have plenty, Isa. 65 : 13.
n. His servants are called by His name,
Isa. 65: 15, I.e.; Acts II :26, I.e.

12. He shows them His power, Deut. 3 : 24.

13. He helps them, Luke i :45.

14. He maintains their cause, i Kings 8 : 59.

15. He confirms their word, Isa. 44:26, f.c.

16. Remembers them, Ps. 105 : 42.

17. Takes pleasure in them, Ps. 35:27.

18. Shall be with Him forever, Jer. 12 : 26.

19. Shall serve Him forever, Rev. 22 : 3.
IV Called to be an apostle.

1. Ainvsile a messenger sent forth on im-
portant busi.iftss, t Thess. 2:4. Put in trust
with flifi llospel,

2. Uill iiurRsage—'Mvbllloever I command
thee," Jer. i : 7, l,i-

3. To all we can rorti ll, Mark 16 : 15.

4. Time — in season, out of season, 2 Tim.
4:2.

5. All our attention, our business, i Kings
20 . 40.

6. No time to be lost, i Sam 21:8, I.e.

7. The message shall be successful, fsg.
55:"-

V. Called to be a saint.

1. Keepsths feet of His saints, i Sam. 2:9,
f.c.

2. Preserves their souls, Ps. 97 : 10.

3. Preserves their way, Prov. 2 : 8, I.e.

4. They are His delight, Ps. 16 : 3.

5. They are His inheritance, Eph. i : 18.

6. Makes known to them His riches, Col.
1 : 26-27.

7. They ha.e no want, Ps. 34 :g.

8. He intercedes for them, Rom. 8: 27.
g. Their death is precious, Ps. 116 . 15.

10. They shall be the judges, Ps. 149 : 9.

1 1 . They shall take the kingdom, Dan. 7:18.

12. Christ shall be glorified in His saints
at His coming, 2 Thess. i : 10.

13. "Among whom are ye also — the called
of Jesus Christ," — God is no respecter of
persons, Rom. 2:11: Job 34 : 19.

The Word of His grace — able to build you
up, and give you an inheritance among all
them which are sanctified, Acts 20:32.
Called — chosen — separated to be apostles —
servants — saints of the most high God.
Walk worthy of your vocation.

Miss KATIE A. CLARKE

ON TOE NUMBER t

It has teen said that " the constant OpPBjf-
rence in Scripture of the number seven is ^e
result of nothing short of Divine intention."
This number has btit n traced in one form or
another in nearly every book In the Old
Testament and the New It is wonderfulijr
associated with the hi&tory of the life and
teaching of our Lord. Note

1. The seven stages of His history in Phil.
2 :6-9.

2. The seven characteristics of ttia wisdom
in Prov. 3 : 15-18.

3. The seven parables in Matt. 13.

4. The seven miracles in John, chapters 2,
4. 5. 6,9, il.

5. The seven prayers in Luke, chapters 3,
5,6,9,11, 22.

6. The sevenpetitionsinti^/..ord's Prayer,

J.n)mif :2 4 „

7. fim mem taifitigi im Htm cross, Luke

23 : 34 ; Joljft /'/ J!6-28 ; />»/)••« yi 4^ ; Matt.
27 : 46 ; John 19 : 30 , ' 46

8. The seven blessings li-,m the ^OtHffff^i
Key., chapters i, 14, 16, ig, 20, 22

Seven is the number expressive of per-
fection. We see fb** perfection of sufferinc
in Peter's seven refere i'~es to the sufTeringsof
Christ, I Peter, chapt-jrs i to 5; tht perfec-
tion 0/ benevolence in the seven giftp of
Christ, Jtrfwj 4: 10, 6' 51 ; 13 : 15; 14 27 ;
16:7; 17:8; tf.zi, «nd '^^ —- -fection of
glory in the seven " hii in ^jt v • a«vx:I-

ated in Eph i and ', wit; ' ' s

Church, Eph. i :6 12, 14, 17, iS; 3 ^4, it.

y TTiORNE.

266

Gold from Ophir.

WHAT THE LORD'S SUPPER TELLS OUT TO THE BELIEVER.

There are seven precious thoughts con-
nected with the Lord's Supper.

1. Sins put away.

That is the first grand, soul-cheering
thought connected with this beautiful ordi-
nance, Isa. 1:18; 43:25; 44:22; 53:45;
Matt. 1:21; Acts 13 : 38, 39 ; Rom. 5:6-8;
Heb. 1 : 1-3.

n. Eternallife.

The Life died that we dead sinners might
live, Jno. 3 : 14-18 ; 3 : 36 ; 5 : 24 ; 6 : 37-40 ;
10 : 28-30 ; I Jno. 5:1; 5:4, 9-13.

III. It tells out the gfuidingand keepings
power of Jesus, our great High Priest.

Like the cloudy pillar by day, and pillar
of fire by night, that guided and protected
Israel, so Jesus is our leader, by the Spirit,
Jno. 16 : 13-15. Not only that He keeps ;
"He is able to keep that which we have
committed unto Him," Jude 24. See also
Rom. 5:8-11. - ""^

IV. It speaks of *' separation."

The blood separated Israel from Egypt.
The blood was placed on the side-posts and
lintels. They — Israel — were shut in to God,
and the Egyptian world shut out ; the blood
the line of demarcation. Indeed, there can
be no true unity without separation. That
was the mighty power for soul-winning and

holy living in the early Church. See Acts
5: 13, 14; 2 Cor. 6: 14-18.

V. The unity of the body.

Oh, what deep need in these days of a
knowledge of this glorious truth 1 Christ the
Head, we the members of His body. This
the Holy Spirit's own figure, i Cor. 12 : 12-
31; Eph. 4:1-16; 5:15-32. "One bread"
— "one loaf," i Cor. 10: 16, 17.

VI. Our pilgrim character.

The table of the Old Testament was set
in a wilderness ; so is this, if it be truly the
" Lord's Table." The world rejects Jesus
as of old ; so does it reject the true disciple
of this day. We are "travellers through
this worldly wilderness," Ex. 12:8-11; Col
3: i-ii. The Lord's table shows us that
there can be no fellowship with the workers
of iniquity ; hence a separate table.

VII. !t speaks eloquently of the coming
of our Lord,

" As oft as ye eat this bread, and drink
this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till
He conic." How much there is in the Word
about His coming again ! Always, too, do we
find the sanctification of the believer con-
nected with the doctrine of the " coming of
Christ," I jno. 3 : 1-3; and many other sim-
ilar passages. J- E. W.

BIBLE THOUGHTS ON RAIN.

Rain an absolute necessity ; sustains life ;
long absence of rain entails suffering and
death. In the Scriptures water is the symbol
of spiritual life ; its absence spiritual death.

I. Rain withheld because of sin, i Kings

8:35

a. Rain comes in due season, Lev. 26:4;

Deut. II : 14, 30.
3. God's word drops as rain, Deut. 32 :2.

4. Rain is sent in answer to prayer, Jas. 5:18.

5. There is clear shining after rain, 2 Sam.

23:4'

6. God will rain snares upon the wicked,

Ps. 11:6.

7. But He will rain righteousness upon the
godly, Hosea 10 : 12. (Note contrast between
the righteous and unrighteous )

J. E. W.

^pp?'n^^''

Fragments that Remain.

267

FIVE SMOOTH STONES FROM THE BROOK.

le commg

The way to slay the Goliaths of sin and
unbelief is simply to take the Word of the
Lord and hurl it at them. In these days of
light regard for God's testimony, when
many who even wear eccles iastical livery are
seeking to destroy faith in the plenary in-
spiration of the Scriptures it behoves us to
stand like heroes in defence of " the faith
once for all delivered to the saints." Goliath
of old defiantly sneered at the youth who
came out to do battle with him, but God
was with David, and soon demonstrated to
the waiting expectant hosts that He could
use the "weak things of this world" to ac-
complish His divine purposes. He inspired
David to take " five smooth stones from the
brook." These, with the shepherd's sling,
constituted David's entire armament ; but
with these he slew the giant, and Israel's
host reaped a mighty victory, while God got
the glory. So, if the servant of God will
only heed His instruction, and seek to be-
come thoroughly furnished by diligent study
of His Word, rightly dividing the same,
he will " become mighty to the pulling down
of strongholds."

There are five fundamental facts in the
Bible, arranged in very beautiful order by
the Holy Spirit, namely : Man's Ruin, Man's
Redemption, Man's Regeneration, Man's
Sanctification, and Man's Glorification.
They are Five Smooth Stones from the
Brook of God.

I. Man's Ruin.

" If one died for all, then were all dead,"
2 Cor. 5:14; see also Eph. 2:1-3; Gen.
6:5; Isa. I : 4-6.

II. Man's Redemption.

"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things, ....
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of
a lamb without blemish and without spot,"
I Pet. 1 : 18, 19. See also Lev. 17 : 11 ; Ex.
12:14; and for many other passages on this
theme trace out the references.

III. Man's Regeneration.

" Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God," Jno. 3 : 3. Also i Pet. i : 23 ; Jas.
1:18; Jno. 1:13; Jno. 10:28; I Cor. 3 :6,7.

IV. Man's Sanctification.

"I beseech }uu therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God," etc., Rom. 12 : i, 2.
I. The God, or judicial, side of the question,
I Cor. 1:30; Col. 3 :3 ; Col. 2 : 10; Heb.
5:9. 2. The man, or experimental, side of
the question, i Cor. 6 : 15, 16 ; i Jno. 2'. 15^
17; Col. 3:1, 2.

V. Man's Glorification.

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God ;
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be;
but we know that when He shall appear, we
shall be like Him ; for we shall see Him as
He is," I Jno. 3:2; Jno. 14 ; 1-3.

J- E. W.

UNION WITH CHRfST.

Believers are —

1. Crucified with Christ, Rom. 6: (J.

2. Dead with Christ, Rom. 6:8.

3. Buried with Him, Rom, C : 4. — -■~"

4. Planted together in the likeness of His
death, Rom, 6 : 5.

5. Planted together in the likeness of His
resurrection, Rom. 6:5.

6. Quickened together, Eph. 2 : 5.

7. Raised up together, Eph. 2 ; 6

8. Sitting together in f/eavenly
Eph ai 6

9. Living together, i Thess. 5 : 10.

10. Working together, Mark 16:20.

11. Suffering together, Rom. 8 : 17.

12. Glorified together, Rom. 8 : 17.

places

268

Gold from Ophir.

THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL PRAYER.

I. Faith.

Ask in faith, nothing wavering, Jas. i : 6.

Believe that ye receive, and ye shall have,
Mark ii : 24.

Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believ-
ing, ye shall receive. Matt. 21 : 22.

According to your faith be it unto you,
Matt. 9 : 29.

As thou hast believed, so be it done unto
thee, Mktt. 8 : 13.

The prayer of faith shall save the sick,
James 5 : 18.

II. In the name of Jesus.

Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that
will I do, Jno. 14 : 13, 14.

III. Submission to God's will.

If we ask anythin ', according to His will,
He heareth us, i Jno. 5 : 14.

IV Obedience.

Whatsoever we ask we receive of Him,
because \m: keep His commandmHUlH, 1 Jno.
Stat.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much, Jas. 5: 17.

The prayer of the upright is His delight,
Prov. 15:8.

He heareth (he prayer of the righteous,

PfOV \H 4»)

It auy maodoeth His will, him He heareth,
Jno. 9:13,

Contrast : — If I regard iniquity in my
heart, the Lord will not hear me, Psa. 66 : 18.

V. Sincerity.

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call
upon Him in truth, Ps. 145 : 18.

Let us draw near with a true heart, Heb.
10 : 22.

Use not vain repetitions. Matt. 6 :y,

VI. Boldness and confidence.

Ask, and it shall be given you, Matt. 7 : 7.

Let us come boldly . . that we may obtain,
Heb. 4 : 16.

Having boldness . . let us draw near in
full assurance, Heb. 10 : 19, 2a.

VII. Humility.

If My people will humble themselves
. . then will I hear, 2 Chron. 7 : 14.
He forgetteth not the cry of the humble,

Ps. 9: 12

I ttmi hast heard the desire of the humble,
Ps. 10: 17.

VIII. Abiding^ aiui delighting; In Qod.

If ye abide in Me . . . ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done, Jno. 15:7.

l^elight thyself in (lie Lord, and He shall
give thee the desirea of thy hear(, Ps. 37 : 4

IX Union with others in prayer.

U (wo of you shall a^jree i( Hhall be
done for them, Matt (| I \%

t\wisteps of Truth.

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

I. Boldly. Eph. i'.li', Heb. 4:16; 10:19,
ao.

II. In faith, Heb. 10 : 22 ; James i : 6.

III. Without ceasing, Luke 18 : i ; 21 : 36.

IV. Constantly, Eph. 6:18; Rom. 12:12.
y. Earnestly, Matt. 6:7; Isa. 55 : 6 ; 26:9.

VI. Believingly , Jer. 29 : 13.

VII. In the name of Christ, John 16:23,
a6 ; 14 : 13.

VIII. Expecting answers, Mark ii :24.

IX. In resignation to God's will, Matt. 6 : 10
X Reierently^ Te. 8g : 7 ; Heb. la : 28 .

XI. In humility, Ps. 10: 17 ; Isa. 57 : 15.

XII. And prayer will be answered, John
14:13; 15:7; 16:24 : Isa, 58:9; 65:24.

In b3lieving faith let us "come boldly ta
the throne of grace, and pour out our hearts
before Him," who waits to be gracious and
to do for us "exceeding abundantly above
all that we ask or think," Eph. 3 ; 20.

Fragments that Remain.

269

THE POWER OF GOD.

jr in my
1.66:18.

that call

art, Heb.

1:7.

datt. 7 : 7.
.ay obtain,

w near in

hemselves
le humble,
le huiubls,

It Qod.

aak what
115:7.
|\ He shall

Vs. 37 : 4

ler.

jit Hhall be

Truth,

I. The Gospel is the Power of God ^ Rom.
1 : 16; John 3 ; 16; 5 :24,

II. Christ is the Power of God, i Cor.
1 :24.

III. The Cross is the Power of God, i
Cor. I : 18.

IV. Faith only can stand in the Power of
God, I Cor. 2: 5.

V. The Believer is kept by the Power of
God, I Pet. 1 : 5.

VI. The Enduement of Power, Luke 24 :
49 ; Acts 1 : 8.

VII. The Power of His resurrection, Phil.
3 : TO ; I Jno. 3:1-3; Ps. 40 : 15.

J. E. W.

CHARACTERISTICS OF PRAYEI IN JAMES 5.

I. Individual prayer, " ^,et him pray,"
verse 13.

II. United prayer, "Let them pray," verse

III. Believing prayer, "The prayer of
faith," verse 15.

IV. Intercessory prayer, "Pray one for
another," verse 16.

V. Fervent ytzyer, "the eKeciwsX fervent
prayer," verse 16.

VI. Definite prayer, "that it might not
rain," verse 17.

VII. Effectual prayer, " He prayed again,
and the heavens gave rain," verse 18.

J. L. S.

THE TRIUNE SALVATION.

I filMlvAMnn Pssf, iUh g 34-26; Heb.

II. Salvation Present, Mftb. ^lilSi Jude
94 i I'liil I I

III. Salvation Future, a TheBs. % \ 13-17 ;

I Thess. 1:8-10; I TheBB. 4:13-18; Phil.
3:20-21 ; Eph. 4 : 30.

Remark There is no other «. f ""t^
tlon for the sinner, Heb. 2 : 3.

J. E W

V1att.6:to
|i2 : 28 .

57 : 15
sred, John
65 : 24.
boldly to
I our hearts
icious and
itly above
120.

BArKSLIDING.

T Is turning from God, i Kings 11:9.

II. Is leaving the first love, Rev. 2 : 4.

III. Is departing from the simplicity of the
Gospel, 3 Cor. u 13; Gal. 3:1-3; 5M' 7

IV. God is displeased at, Ps. 78 i sh 59

V. Warnings against, Pa. 85 : 8 ; i Cor.
lu: la.

VI. Brings its own punishment, Prov
I4f 14; Jer. 2 : 19.

Vfj. tnUutliiiiims (f) return from, 2 Chron.
30:6; tan ;ji tfi; Hosea fi : r

VIII. Sin of, tu Its tunfeBsed, Ua. §q' u-
14; jer. 31 1 J, 14

IX. Pardon of, promised, 2 Cbron 7 : 14 ;
jer. 3:12 ; 31 520; 36:3.

Sll

270

Gold from Ophir.

- BIBLE MARKING.

IV. p. Webster in Y. M. C. A. WaickmaH.

IT greatly aids a worker, in looking up passages bearing on any particular truth, to
have them indicated by fa, or Gp, or Xd, or other similar abbreviation. Perhaps
he knows just where they are ; even then he is helped by the mark, because his eyes
are spared all unnecessary work in the finding. And while he is running through the
chapters, he can cull out verse after verse, by the dozfm it may be, which had not occur-
red to his mind. He may not discard his concordance, of course ; but his concord-
ance is not always with him ; or, if bound up with his Bible, it may be incomplet
and meagre ; and, then, it is trying to the eyes to turn repeatedly back and forth
between the text and a pack of references in the back part of the book.

Marking one's Bible leads one to read thoughtfully. What are the teachings
of this verse? and this? and this? And if the reading is slow, no matter; a few
verses thus perused are better than a few chapters rapidly skimmed over.

While I ilo not dissuade from more full annotations, I would suggest that the
miore one writes, the more risk one runs of encuml.ering the margin with crude or
commonplace jottings which occupy valuable space, and are often of no service. Only
germ thoughts or well digested observations are entitled to be thus noted in any one's
Bible. But the abbreviations need take but little space, and half a dozen can easily be
set against a^y one verse.

As a running index to the historic contents of my Bible, I have found a system of
underlining the significant ix.'ords, to be helpful, if the margin were wide, I should
prefer to write a marginal running index, but my agster being faulty in this respect,
I resort to the other mode. I illustrate : "Gideon and all the people"

the well of Han-d"-
" three hundred men "

pitched beside
"fearful and afraid" " returned "—" number " ''^that lapped,"
-"all the rest" " bowed down "—" so " "he" "retained those
three hundred men." "Midianites," " Amalekites," "children of the East," "along
in the valley like grasshoppers " — " when Gia^on was come " — " the three companies'
blew the trumpets and brake the pitcheis" — " ihe Lord set every man's sword against
his fellow" — "Israel" "pursued." The above is Judges 7. Again: " Ye shall bring
your offering" — "burnt sacrifice" — "meat offering" — "peace offering" — "sin offering,"
"atonem' lU," "offering of Aaron and of his sons," "law of the trespass offering"
— "law of" "peace offering "—" The Lord spake" — "Take Aaron"— "poured of
the anointing oil upon Aaron's head," — " Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle" —
" glory of the Lord" — " Nadab and Abihu" " offered strange fire" — " the Lord spake
unto Aaron " — " Moses spake unto Aaron." The above is my running index,by simply
underlining the words which I have quoted, of the first ten chapters of Leviticus.

It suits my fancy to underline, for this purpose, in black. If one writes annota-
tions in black, it is well to write s.mple abbreviations in red, to prevent confusion. If
black is used in underlining an historic index, it is essential that a different color be
used in underlining for moral and spiritual purposes; red is probably best.

Let me just add that, if any one likes the system of abbreviations, he can mark
hundreds of useful passages in a very little while, if he will look them up by the help
of his concordance or a text book, taking one subject at a time,'. One more suggestion :
In the unpremeditated use, in a meeting, of any passage which some one else has read,
the abbreviations v.'ili often suggest thoughts which have engaged one in some previous
•careful study of the text.

Note. — No system of Bible-marking can be proposed which will satisfy all Bible
students. Some are positively opposed to any marking except on separate slips of
paper. " Keep your Bible clean " is their advice, and the arguments for their position
are forcible. Others reject any but the simplest mode of marking, as a line down the
margin against the verse marked. Others adopt some complicateu system, using

Fragmlnts that Remain,

2/1

signs, abbreviations, underlinings, different colored inks, etc. ; but each one's method
having peculiarities "riginal with himself.

To encumber oi s Bible with too many and unnecessary markings will defeat
their .1 .>ject, for where he whole is emphasized alike, nothing is emphasized at all.
Every verse marked like every other verse vould be worse than useless, of course.
And the margins written full of merely surface thoughts arc no improvement over the
clean white margins as they came from the printer.

SEED AND SOWERS ; OR, TRACT DISTRIBUTION.

/ F. Moncrief.

HOW many there aro who, humanly ^eakin},, would never have heard the r.ospel
but for tracts. Sermons, addresses, personal dealing, the reading of books, all,
of course, are means of grace and greatly blessct. i)u,. they still leave room for the
tract. How often a man wiio would neither listen to preaching, nor open a religious
book, has received a message from God through the agency of a tract or text.

A tract has this advantage, that it may be b)lh written iid read without distrac-
tion. A calm, well-thought-out, and well-arranged tement, calculated to arrest,
impress, and convince the careless, it does not repci uy its length, and is willing to
accommodate itself to the reader's convenience. At his leisure, when his mind is free;
when circumstances are favorable; it may be in the silent watches of the night, on
the mighty deep, upon the hillside, or the quiet country road, where no human voice
disturbs, he reads his tract, and the .' pirit makes it to him as the voice of God, calling
to repentance and to newness of life.

Many and many a time has the truth contained in a tract proved as the "still small
voice" which aroused the conscience, or the finely pointed and divinely guided arrow
which lias found ics way between the joints of the harness, and produced conviction and
conversion in the hitherto hard and tmbelic\ mg heart. It is certainly desirable that
tracts should be attractive in appearance, and got up in such a way as is like to ensure
their being preserve*! or circulate d. Even thouj'h they should cost a little more, they
are worth the money, because they are likely to last much longer, and to be circulated
more readily, than the flimsy leaflets which too often, it is to be feared, meet the same
fate a? the han'lbills which are distributed in the streets.

F'^w Christians need grudge the price of good tracts, for surely few things in the
present day are cheaper. Besides, there are always many of God's people who are
willing to pay for tracts for those who are willing to distribute them ; and no one who
is really anxious to engage in this work need be long without a supply of good tracts to
give. It is not so much the want of tracts that is felt, as the want of the necessary faith
and courage on the part of God's people generally to make a more plentiful and prayer-
ful use of them.

An excellent plan is to place texts, tracts, or little books in envelopes, which may
or may not be closed, and which may be left in any sheltered spot where they are likely
to be found before long. This sort of scattering may perhaps not commend itself so
much to some as personal distribution, but, nevertheless, it has its place, and has had
"blessed results.

Those who are really anxious to lose no opportunity of doing good in this way will
do well never to be without some precious seed to scatter in their walks abroad, or
wherever they may happen to be. They should also remember that it '^is been said
with truth that "a wise man makes more opportunities than he finds," and they should
deeply and solemnly realise the fact that a lost opportunity may be a lost eternity to
some poor soul.

Tracts may be dropped into a letter-box, oi in at an open door or window — maybe

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272

Gold from Ophir.

left in the hou?e, the shop, the waiting-room, the railway carriaoje, the cab, between tht
leaves of books, under a sheltering lodge, in a hole in the wall, on a garden seat, in a
message-basket, a hat, or a pocket — anywhere, in fact, where they are likely to be found.
Many opportunities will occur to those who look for them, and the outlook for original
plans adds to the interest of the work. Possibly the finder might sometimes be
impressed and induced to read by the very singularity of the place where the tract was
found.

Dear Christian reader, if you have hitherto neglected this means of usefulness, so
easy and yet so blessad in its results, resolve that you will do so no longer, but that,
from this time, you will constantly, prayerfully, and hopefully by this means sow the
seed of the Word, and be assured a day will come v/hen you will realise with great joy
that your sowing was not in vain.

" Broadcast thy seed !
Although some portion may be found
To fall on uncongenial ground,
Where sand, or shard, or stone may stay
its coming into light of day ;
Or when it comes, "some pestilent air
May make it droop, and wither there —
Be not discouraged ; some will find
Congenial soil, and gentle wind,
Refreshing dew and ripening shower,
To bring it into beauteous flower,
From flower to fruit ; to glad thine eyes.
And fill thy soul with sweet surprise.
Do good, and Gcd will bless thy deed —
Broadcast thy seed ! "

fcH

THOUGHTS ON UNITY.

Py E. Venn.

I. A Threefold Entreaty for Unity, i Cor. i : 10.

1. " That ye all speak the same thing." Oneness of voice, 2 Chron.

(a) Oneness in confession — There is '

5:13-

of our lips is " Confessing to His name,'

" One Lord and His name one." The fruit
Heb, 13 : 15, Greek. But, alas ! what sau

confessions do we hear ! " I am of Paul," etc., etc

{b) Oneness of testimony — They were enriched with all utterance and knowledge
in Him, yet what uncertain sounds were made I Every one had a doctrine, an inte» -
pretation ; some declaring there was no resurrection.

If oneness of confession be not maintained, unity in testimony must be lost.

2. "That there be r.o divisions among you." Oneness of heart, Acts 4 : 32. Un-
broken fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ, will produce, and
maintain unhindered, "fellowship of the Spirit'' in the saints one with another.

3. " That ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same
judgment." This oneness of mind is extremely difficult — an utter impossibility until
"We have the mind of Christ ;" and this we have only as every thought is brought
into captivity to the obedience of Christ, by the power and teaching of the Holy
Spirit through the Word. And when " this mind'' is in us, "which was also in Christ
Jesus," we shall Iread the same pathway of humility and obedience, Phil. 2 : 5-8.

By one Spirit, baptised into one body, i Cor. 12 : i^, they had one Lord, ch. i : 2,one
God and Father, i : 3, and were called into ore fellowship of their calling, 5:9: " My
Aove, My undefiled is but one,^^ Cant. 6 : 9. Where this is remembered and maintainea,
variety df gift will " keep the unity of the Spirit," and strengthen the oneness of the

Fragments that Remain.

273

body; but when forgotten, opulence of gift will increase spiritual weakness, poverty,
and deformity, by dividing the saints, developing the flesh, and displaying carnal
wisdom.

II. A Threefold Question, i Cor, 1:13.

1. *'Is Christ divided ?" Division in the Church is a sad dishonor to the person
of Chriiit.

2. " Was Paul crucified for you ?" No less a wrong to t\e work of Chtist.

3. 'Were ye baptised in the name of Paul?'' A depreciation also of the power
and preciousness of the name of the Lord Jesus.

When teachers take the false honor of becoming the founders and leaders of
separate factions in the Church of God, the person, work, and name of the Lord Jesus
Chribt are alike dishonored.

DECORATIONS FOR CHURCHES.

By E. P. Marvin.

ART is being employed more and more to "beautify the sanctuary " and to render
the administration of the Gospel "attractive" to the woiid. Several books have
lately been printed for instruction in church decoration, and especially in ecclesiastical
entertainments. I wish to direct all churches that mean to be " up with the times," to
a rich variety of inscriptions or rnottos, suitable for walls, windows, ceiling, pulpit,
galle'y o"- organ. There is no copyright upon them, and in some cases, if they are
appropriately selected, I will agree to furnish an approved artist to do the lettering free,
" for the good of the cause."

These inscriptions may all be Ibund in an old book printed and sold for a small sum,
in New York City, by the American Bible Society. Here are a few sample selections
and adaptations : —

I. A high church filled with sectarian zeal, and fostering the stimulus of divisions,
I Cor. I : lo-i J ; Phil. 2 : 3.

II. A church with secular trustees, chosen to represent the world and help " run
the church," 2 Cor. 6 : 14-18 ; Acts 6 : 2, 3.

I I I. Appropriate to the annual pew auction, when Money-bags buys his place,
and the Lord's poor are assigned theirs, Jas. 2:1-7; John 2 : 14-16.

IV. Especially .appropriate to the Sunday Dress Parade, when spring fashions
appear, i Tim. 2 : 9, 10 ; i Pet. 3 : 3, 4.

V. For any people who were bound to build " ihe finest church in town " and
remain bound by a mortgage, Rom. 13:8; Prov. 22 : 9.

VI. Mottos for "banks of flowers and fruits,'' covering the pulpit platform. Gen. '
4:3; Jude II.

VII. For a church ?bout to suspend all operations and take a midsummer vacation,

1 Cor. 15 : 58 ; 2 Tim, 4 : 2.

VIIL For "Imitation churches," that are lapsing into the observance of papal
holidays, Ga). 5:1; Gal. 4 : 9, 10.

IX. For a church that has a preacher who tries to be sensational, rationalistic, or
smart, and to spin out of his little empty head some novelty or "l-itest thought,'' This
should be read to him by the senior deacon, or elder, just before he rises to " preach,"

2 Tim. 4 : 1-8 ; Rev. 22 : 18, 19.

X. Something for the choir loft, when occupied by persons who, under the inspira-
tion of brandy and vanity "rhout lies to heaven'' for sanctuary worship, Col. 3 : 16.
Exod. 20 : 7.

XL For churches that are allied with play-house and club-room as bureaus of
amusements and caterers, Luke 19 : 45, 46 ; i Cor. 11 : 22.

XII. If any church finds all the foregoing selections applicable, just one more
should be added to cover all. Rev, 3 : 13-20.
18

274

Gold from Ophir.

SOME OF THE MOUNTAIN SCENES IN SCRIPTURE.

1. As sinners we gaze upon substitution,
Gen. 22 : 2.

2. As 'warriors we obtain victory, Ex.
17 : 10.

3. Worshipper? in thepresence of God, Ex.
24:T,g-ii.

4. As intercessors on thebehalf of others, i
Kings 18 : 42.

5. As privileged friends gazing wood. His
glory, Mark 9 :2.

6. As waiting ones looking by faith upon
things which are eternal. Rev. 21 : 9.

7. As reigning ones in resu»rection glory we
shall be associated with Him when He reigns
over a redeemed earth, when the " law shall
again go forth from Mount Zion," Zech.
14 :9, 10, II ; Rev. J : 5, 6, 7 ; 3 :i2, 21.

Ar. by J. E. W.

^^;

SEVEN KINDS OF SPIRITS.

I. Spirit of Anti-Christ, i Jno. 4 : 3.

II. Spirit of Bondage, Rom. 8: 15.

III. Spirit of Divination, Acts 16 : 16.

IV. Spirit of Dumbness, etc., lark 9: 17.

V. Spirit of fear, 2 Tim. 1:7.

VI. Spirit of Jealousy, Num. 5 : 14.

VII. Spirit of Slumber. Rom. 11 :1

J. E. W.

COURAGE.

sii|f-;r

I. We must put away abominations, and
then V, i have the promise that God will be
with us. 2 Chron. 15:0; Deut. 31 : 6, 7, 8, 23.

II. Be of good courage and take the Word
of Cod for your guide, and you will prosper,
Josh. I : 6, 9, 18; I Chron, 22 : 13.

III. We must go to work, i Chron. 28 ; 20.

IV. We are exhorted to play the man,
2 Sam. 10: 12.

V. We should wait on the Lord, Ps. 27 : 14.

VI. He will also strengthen, Ps. 3: : 24.

VII. We should exhort others to be of
good courage, Isa. 41 ; 6.

J. E. W.

TWO KINDS OF WISDOM.

I. The first is the wisdom that cometh
from below. It is designated as,—

1. Earthly, Phil. 3 : 18, 19.

2. Sensual, Jude 16-19.

3. Devilish (Phariseeism) , John 8:44.
Sowing error is devilish, att. 13:39, c.f.
Matt. 13:24-30. The unsanctified tongue
devilish, Jas. 3:6.

II. The second is the wisdom that
cometh from above. It is termed, —
1. Pure, Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8; i Pet.

I ; 15, 16 ; Rom. 12:1; i Cor. 5:7; 2 Cor.
6 : 14-18 ; 2 Cor. 7 : i.

2. Peaceable, Isa. 32 : 17, 18 ; Heb. 12 : 11.

3. Gentle, Titus 3:1,2; 2 Tim. 2 :24.

4. Easy to be entreated (or persuaded),
T Cor. 4 : 13.

5. Full of mercy and good fruits. Matt.
5:7; John 15 : 1-16.

6. Without partiality, James 2 : 1-13.

7. Without hypocrisy, Rom. i", :9-2i.

J. E. W.

Fragments that Remain.

ing UQOii His

>lay the man.

fruits, Matt.

SAFETY, CERTAINTY, AND ENJOYMENT.

I. Safety.

1. Through the atonement, or in virtue
thereof, believers are made safe from the
power of the adversary. See Rom. 5 -S-ii •
a Cor. 5 : 18-20 • i John 4 : 10.

2. Men did not assist in making atone-
ment. Christ accomplished it all alone
Had men engaged to assist, there would
have been no redemption. Man spoils all
he touches. See John 1:29; Acts 4.10
12; iThess. 1:10; Heb. 2:9: iPet.2:2i

3. The atonement was the perfect v^ork of
he perfect man. And we find that only
through faith in His atonement can the
guilty sinner be saved, Rom. 3:25; Gal
3 : 13. 14. It was the blood that sheltered
the Israelites in Egypt, and only the blood

H. Certainty.
_ I. The certainty of this safe :y or salvation
IS produced by faith in what God says. Eph
3:12; 2Tim. 1:12; Heb. 10:22.

2. Assurance comes through belief of the
Gospel, Col. 2 : 2.

3- We may be certain as toour election, i
Ihess. I :4.

4- Certain as to our redemption. Job 19 : 25.
5. Certain of our adoption. Rom. 8:16 • i

Jno. 3 : 20. ♦

6. Certain of our salvation. Isa. 122
7- Certain of eternal life, i jno. 5 : 13."

8. Certain of the never-failing love of God
Rom. 8 : 38, 39. •

9- Certain of our union with God and
Christ, Eph. 5 : 30 : i Jno. 2 : 5

with God by our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom.

". Certain of pxeservation, Ps 3- 6- Ps
27:3-5-

III. Enjoyment.

1. Ine Word affords joy. Neh. 8: 12 • Ter
T5: 16. ' ■' ■

2. The Christian rejoices for salvation
Ps. 21 : I.

3- He rejoices over deliverance from
bondage, Ps. 105 : 43.

4- The joy of saints should be abundant
2 Cor. 8 : 2 '

5- Should be exceeding. Ps. . f : 6 ; 68 : 3
Is unspeakable, i Pet. 1:8.
This joy is full of glory, i Pet. i ; 8
It should also be constant, 2 Cor. 6 : 10
Evermore, 1 Thess, 5 : 16 ; Ps. 23.

J. E. W.

7-
8.

IN ORDER THAT OUR PRAYERS MAY BE ANSWERED

I. WE MUST as) in the name of Jesus
John 14 : 13, 14.

II. WE MUST be abiding in Him and
His Word in us, John 15 : 7

III. WE MUST be keeping His com-
mandments, I John 3 : 22

IV. WE MUST give thanks at the same
time, Phil. 4 : 6.

y. WE MUST be watching for answer.
Col. 4 ; 2.

VI WE MUST speak spiritual things
>i/, Matt. 6: 33. * .

VII. WE MUST pray forallsaintsatthe
same time. Eph. 6 : 18.

VIII. v;e MUST be intelligent as to
God's mind, Jude 20, Eph. 6 • 18

IX. WE MUST have no hard feelinw
toward my o«^, Mark II : 25

X. WE MUST NOT "Babble." Matt
6:7.

XI. WE MUST NOT ask for fl.shly
desire, James 4:3.

XII. WE MUST NOT doubt; God will
ketpHisword Markii:a4; i Johns: 14. 15.

276

Gold from Ophir.

BOYS OF THE BIBLE.

U 1%

Isaac, Genesis 22 : u, 12 — son of piomiae.

Joseph, Genesis 37 : 3 — king's treasurer.

Moses, Exod"iS2 : 10 — deliverer; lawgiver.

Samuel, i Sam. i : 27 — child of prayer.

Samuel, i Sam. 2 : 18 — servant of God.

Samuel, i Sam. 3: 10— high priest.

David, I Sam. 16: 11, 12— king.

Little lad, i Sarn. 20 : 35— Go'l uses boys.

Widow's'son, i Kings 17 : 22 — God cared
for boys.

Shunamite's son, 2 Kings 4 : 36, 37— Cod
cares for boys.

Azariah, 2 Kings 15:2, 3 — a boy king.

Jesus, Luke 2 : 42-46 — He can sympathize
with a boy.

" Set Him in the midsj," Matt. 18 : 2—
Jesus loves boys.

Little lad, John 6 : g — boy on hand to helj^
in the miracle.

Timothy, 2 Tim. 3 : 15 — evangelist.

God has used boys all the way along and
uses them to-day,

W. H. PERKINS.

BIBLE FACTS ABOUT OUR BODIES.

I. Sin must not reign, Rom. 6 : 12.

II. Body dead because of sin, Rom. 8 : 10.

III. Should present our bodies a sacrifice,
Rom. 12: 1.

IV. Our bodies are not for fornication, i
Cor. 6 : 13. .

V. Fornication is sin against the body, i
Cor. 6 : 18.

VI. Body temple of the Holy Ghost, i
Cor. 6 : 19.

VII. We must glorify God in our bodies
I Cor. 6 : 20.

VIII. We must keep the body under, i
Cor. 9 : 27.

IX. Christ should ever be magnified in our
bodies, Phil, i : 20.

X. This b'^y of humiliation shall be
changed, Phil. 3 :2i.

J. E. W.

CONSCIENCE.

Webster defines conscience to be, "The
knowledge of our acts, states, or characters,
as right or wrong; the faculty, power, or
principle, which decides on the lawfulness of
our actions and affections, and approves or
condemns them; the moral faculty; the
moral sense."

Blackstone writes of a "Court of con-
science, established for the recovery of small
debts, in London, or other trading cities or
districts."

Whewel! says that "Conscience is the rea-
son, employed about questions of right and
wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments
of approbation and condemnation."

Shakespeare : " Conscience makes cowards
of us all."

The Bible tells us a great dea^» about con-
science :

I. We read of a seared conscience, i Tim.
4:2.

II. An awakened conscience, John 8 -.g,

III. A purged conscience, Heb. 9 : 9 ; : 14;
10: 2 ; 10: 22.

IV. A pure conscience. Acts 24 : 16, ist
clause; i Tim. 3:9; 2 Tim. 1:3. A good
conscience, Acts 2:31; i Tim. 1:5;! Pet. 2 :
19; 3:16; 3:21.

V. A conscience void of offence, Acts 24 :
16, last clause.

VI. A weak conscience, i Cor. 8: 12; 8:7.

VII. A defiled conscience, Titus i : 15.

VIII. A witnessing conscience, Rom. 2:15;
9 : 1 ; 2 Cor. 1 : 12. J. E. W.

Fragments that Remain.

277

Dy king,
sympathize

Ltt. 18 : 2—

land to help

elist.

' along and

lRKINS.

our bodies
ly under, i
nified in our
n shall be
J. E. W.

I about con-
ence, i Tim.
[ohn 8:9.

24:16, 1st

;3. A good

5; I Pet. 2:

ce, Acts 24 :

, 8: 12; 8:7.
:us I : 15.
, Rom. 2:15;
J. E. W.

I. The Matter of Preaching.

1. The preaching which God bids, Jonah i
3:2. I

2. Not a dream nor human conception, i
Jer. 23 : 28.

3- Solemn warnings from God, Ez. 33 : 7.9,

4. Most gracious Gospel invitations, Luke
14 : 17.

5. Jesus Christ and Him crucified, i Cor
2:2.

6. The Word, in apostacy and rejection 2
Tim. 4 : 1-5.

7- All Scripture, 2 Tim. 3 : i6.
II. The Manner of Preaching.

BIBLE HOMILETICS.

1. With absolute fearlessness of conse-
quences, Ez. 2 : 7.

2. With great plainness and simplicity of
speech, Neh. 8 : 8.

3. With special spiritual adaptation, 2 Tim
2 : 15.

4. Not as an artist, but divine oracle, i
Cor. 2:t,4, 5, 13.

5- With great sincerity and earnestness,
Acts 20: 31.

6. With absolute divine authority, Matt.
7 : 29.

7. With a beseeching, persuasive spirit a
Cor. 5 : 18-21.

E. T^ MARVIN.

CLEAVING, OR STICKING TO.

I. The believer should stick to God's testi-
monies, Psa. 119:31.

II. Should become so identified wUh the
word that he would cleave to it, as did the
hand of Eleazer. the son of Dodo, one of
Bavid s mighty men, to the sword, 2 Sam
23 : 10.

III. He should cleave to the I^rd, Deut
10: 20; Acts ir :23.

XV. A man should cleave unto his wife.

No sanction in the Bible for divorce, save
adultery. "Husbands, love your wives."
Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:25.

V. The Lord sticketh closer than a loving
brother, Prov. i8 : 24.

VI. So close that there will never be
separation. Job 41 : 17 ; Rom. 8 : 38, 39 ; Phil.
1:6; Jno. 10:28.

VII. For disobedience, the Lord sendeth
affliction upon His paints, Psa. 38 : 2 ; Heb
" = 5-12. J E. w.

THINGS THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD DO CONTINUALLY.

I. Should seek the face of the Lord con-
tinually, I Chron. 16: II, Psa. 109: 15

II. Should praise the Lord continually
Psa. 71:6. ^'

III. Should pray continually. Acts 6:4-
1 Thess. 5 : 17 • Psa. 72 : t^.

IV. Should magnify the Lord continually.
Psa. 70 : 4. ^

V. Should" hope continually, Psa. 71 : 14.

VI. Should keep God's A^ord continually.
Psa. 119:44. 119:117,. Jno. 15:7; I Too'

2:5.

VII. The Lord will guide thee continuallv
Isa. 58:11. ^

J. E. W.

278

Gold from Ofhir.

P 1

THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS.

I)r. W. Kay.

('CHRISTIANS who have listened to their Divine Master praying for His murderers
J are often perplexed when they read Psalms like the 35th, 69th, and looth, which
breathe so stern, and, it might even seem, vindictive a spirit. A few remarks on this
poin'c may not be out of place.

I. We have plain evidence that David in his personal transactions was singularly
free from vindictiveness.

It is scarcely possible to imagine greater provocation than he received from his
bitter and malignant persecutor, Saul. What intensity of hatred rankled in the brea'^t
of him who authorised Doeg, the Edomite, to slay eighty-five ministering priests, and
to massacre the whole population of the city of Nob, because Abinielech had done a
trifling act of kindness to David ! Yet on two occasions, when this implacable foe
was placed in his power, he let him go uninjured ; simply addressing him thus : "The
Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee ; but my hand
shall not be upon thee .... The Lord be judge, and judge between me and thee,
and sec, and plead my cause, and vindicate me out of thy hand," i Sam. 24 : 12-15 ;
comp. 26 : 9-20.

Surely we may aoply to him the words in which St. Peter described the meekness
of the Divine Sufferer Himself: "He committed Himself to Him that judgeth
righteously," i Pet. 2 : 2 j,

II. It is remarkable, that in the very strongest of the Imprecatory Psalms we
have clear proof of more than meekness, of the persevering love of the sufferer. So
in Psalm 35. "They reward me evil for good, to the desolating of my soul. As for
me, when they fell sick, my clothing was sackcloth : I afflicted my soul with fasting,
and my prayer, it returns mto my bosom.' In 69, : "That which I had never taken,
did I then make good .... I wept out my soul with fasting ; and th; t was turned
into reproaches against me." In 109 : "In return for my love they persecute me ;
and I am all prayer. And they laid evil on me in return for good, and hatred for
my good will."

III. How, then, it is asked, are we to explain those prayers for punishment.? A
simple key for unlocking the difficulty is supplied by 2 Chr. 6:21-23. Solomon is
there entreating God to let His mercy rest upon the Temple. His first petition is that
when any prayed toward that place, Gcd would hear from heaven, " and forgive."
Hi~ second petition runs thus : " If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath
be laid on him to make him swear, and the oath come before Thine altar in this
house ; then hear from heaven, and do, and judge Thy servants, by requiting the
wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head, and by justifying the righteous
by giving him according to his righteousness." Now, unquestionably there was
nothing indictive, nothing contrary to the spirit of meekness, in this prayer. The
retribution asked for was good for all. That the unjust should triumph over the
righteous was not good for any. That would have undermined the foundations of the
Israelic Theocracy ; would have thrown a stumbling block in the way of the pious ;
would have hardened the ungodly m their sins, comp. 10 : 12 ; 12:1; 14 : 6 ; 58 : 1 1 ;
64:9; 73:2-14; 74:20. If God were not to punish the high-handed violators of
law and right, then would Israel be less favored thanthegenerality of heathen nat'ons,
amongst whom providential retribution on'impious pride and violence was confidently
looked for by the more religious class of minds.

IV. These Psalms, then, may be viewed as the outpourings of a spirit animated
by the highest love of truth and righteousness and goodness, zealous for th in-
tenance of God's honor — nay, and anxious for the recovery of the bold transgu ..sor
himself.

Fragments that Remain;

279

This last aim shines through most manifestly in 10 : 15 ; "Break Thou the arm
of the wicked and bad man ; so, when Thou inquirest into his wickedness, Tnou shalt
find none." When the imprecation assumed its most solemn form, it was like the
excommunication pronounced by the Apostle, "a delivering unto Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord," i Cor.
5:5. In cases of less heinousness, the end hoped for was the present recovery of the
offender. It is recorded of Ciesarius of Aries, that when he suffered injurious treat-
ment from anyone, his practice was to pray : " May God pardon thy sins ! May God
take thy sins away I May God punish thy sins in order that they may not cleave to
thee 1 May God correct thy errors in this world I" (Meander's Memor. p. 357.) This
way of viewing the subject has been singularly illustrated by the experiences of
modern reformatory philanthropists. "If the sentimentalists cast righteous retribution
for the past out of their penal theories, they abandon one of the most powerful means
which God has created for arousing that 'godly sorrow ' which is the first beginning
and the only safe foundation for a genuine reformation of character," W. L. Clay :
The Prison Chap'atn, p. 365.

V. It is not difficult now to answer the question : In what way are these Psalms to
be viewed, when they are recited in public worship ?

Inrely they are like the echoes of the thunder? of Sinai launched against wilful,
unrep^nting sinners. These have not been silenced by the Gospel. " For the wrath
of God is revealed (by the Gospel) against all ungodliness and unrighfiousness of
men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, i Rom. 1:18. That epistle, in which the
tender love of the high priest of the human race is most largely set forth, warns us
that " our God is a consuming fire," Heb. 12 : 25 ; comp. 10 : 27, 31 ; Rom. 2 : 5 ; 2 Tim.
4 : 14 ; Rev. 6: 16, 17.

Sin is an utterly hateful thing, that must be exterminated out of God's universe.
This is revealed plainly. Into the holy city " shall in no wise enter anything that
defileth," Rev. 21 127 : comp. Ps. loi :8 ; 104 :35. The Psalms proclaim this irreconcilable
antagonism between God's kingdom and all that is selfish m man. They " to whom
the Word of the Lord came," in old times were by these Psalms placed under a necessity
of either departing from iniquity or pronouncing sentences upon themselves.

Here, then, is the answer to the question propounded above. When these awful
words are heard in church, they are to be listened to as warr.ings from the invisible
world against allowing any of the accursed thing to cleave to ourselves. They tell us
how God of old "judged his people ; " how " every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompense of reward." They leave us to infer "how much sorer
punishment," Heb. 10:29, is Justly due to those who slight the obligat' s laid on them
by Christ their gracious Saviour.

"\(^hen any of y 11," says Caesarius, "is singing the verse of the Psalms where it
is said, ' Let the proud be put to shame,' 1 19 : 78, let him be earnest to avoid pride, that
he may escape everlasting shame. When we sing, ' Thou wilt destroy all them that
are seduced away from Thee,' 68 : 27, let us strive to escape from all evil desires ;
and as often as sinners are cursed in the Psalms, let us endeavor to fi»-». fiOm sin, lest
we be found to curse ourselves with our own mouth." (In the App, to vol. 5 of St.
Augustine'3 Works, p. 335 F., 336 A).

: animated

THE UNDYING WORM.

Dr. Alex. Whyte.

NO man in this life, not even thR man who has studied the Book of God, and his ovm
heart, and the moral and spiritual laws of God best, knows what the unquenchable
fire means, nor what it is to be. Christ said there were many things impossible for
Him to tell His disciples, but He told them enough to save their souls from Tophet.

28o

Gold from Ophir.

*te

No doubt it was impossible even for Christ Himself to tell us what the fire of hell in
reality is. The whole state of human existence after death, and especially our existence
after the day of judgment, is so mysterious — it must be in everything so unlike our
present state of existence — that it may have been impossible even for Him to tell more
than He has here told us. He is our sole and supreme auth'ority on all matters con-
nected with sin, death, and judgment. He has left other fields for other men to
explore, but He alone knew this field, and He has explored it for us. And three times
in this passage, as if to show there can be no mistake about it. He employs the terrible
figure of the "unquenchable fire." Since He is silent as to what the fire is, we cannot
so much as touch the borJor of the mystery that hangs about the dreadful word. God
help us to point the lost to Christ, so they shall never make the horrible discovery as
to what the fire really is 1 The unquenchable fire we cannot in this world either taste
or understand, buc the undying worm all taste. That cruel worm is already at work in
very many souls. What is the worm that dieth not, but a sin-laden conscience
awakened when it is too late ; when the day of mercy is clean gone for ever, and the
door of hope is shut and locked? In some men's bosoms the pain of that worm is
raging incessantly, bleaching their faces, making their hair grey, because its time is
short. In many a man this worm is almost asleep because it has all eternity before
it, to waken up and do its work.

We do not need to go beyond Scripture to study this worm of remorse, for this,
like everj'tWng else, is in the holy Book. We hear the cry of this awakened conscience
in Cain, m Saul, in Judas. And all profane literature, worthy of the name, is full of the
same horror; because literature is life, and life is full of that horror. Our own hearts,
alas ! are not stainless. There are men and women whose ashy faces show that they
are suflfering from that which no physician can get at — the sleepless tooth of the worm
of God. Moralists and theologians call it remorse ; Christ calls it the undying worm.
In truth it is God Almighty Himself. It is the righteous Judge, in His righteous anger,
making His wrath felt in those who are preparing themselves to be the vessels of His
wrath. But when all is said, this remains true, that in no living man has that worm
ever awakened in full fury, not even in Judas himself, or in the most miserable man
here who has sinned agamst light as Judas never did. . . .

What a book the Bible is 1 and what a fool is he who neglects or goes against it.
What discoveries it makes to us of things otherwise undiscoverable and unimaginable
by us. It opens at one time the eternity of the past, and shows us our election of grace;
at another time it shows us the eternity that is to come, where we see our fathers, and
the saints before us, rejoicing in glory. It takes us to Gethsemane, and leads us up to
Calvary ; while again, under its awful guidance, we stand in anticipation before the
great white throne. It shows us the sons of God in the glories of heaven ; it lays our
ear to the door of hell, and lets us hear the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth
of old fellow-worshippers, as they lie with the fire around them, and the undying worm
in their bosoi is.

With all the sinner's sleeping draughts and comforts he cannot command a quiet
night here in his earthly body. When the remembrance of the past begins, his midnight
bed is sometimes let down as with coffin curtains into the caverns of Tophet, and he
tastes in the night-watches a little of what an eternity of remorse will be. No wonder
they say in the morning, "You have not slept." He was remem.bering his lifetime.
He saw the long-forgotten past in the light of God's law. Like angry ghosts there
stood around his bed the souls whose destruction he had had a hand in long ago; the
households he had ruined ; the hearts he had broken or beclouded, and boasted about it ;
the friends he had betrayed ; the men whose good name he had done his best to
dishonor. What a company, like a nest of hornets, passes around his bed, till he is
able to say that he understands now, better than all his teachers, what is the worm that
dieth not, and the consuming fire that is not quenched. If one night watc!" on earth
can be made so terrible, what will the awful night be on which no morning will ever
dawn ? . . . .

Fragi ents that Remain.

I. A corrupt spring. Prov. 25:26; G*en.
o : 12.

n. Corri^.pt doings, Ezek. 20:44

III. Corrupt words. Dan. 2:9; or, "an-
other Gospel , "

IV. Corrupt minds, i Tim. 6 : 5.

CORRUPT THINGS.

V. Corrupt trees. Matt. 7 : 17 (had. putrid
rotten.) *^

VI. Corrupt communications, Eph. 4 : 29.

VII. A country where nothing can enter
to corrupt. Matt, 6 :j9. ao.

J. E. W.

FOURTEEN GREAT FACTS IN JOHN 6.

I. We are given by God to Christ. 37. ,9
JI. We are drawn to Christ, 44. "^ *

III. We are come to Christ, 35, 45

IV. We believe in Christ, 47^

V. We see Christ. 40.

VI. We live by Christ, and are sustained
by Him, 51. 57.

VII. We feed on Christ, and its results
*o us, 54, 56.

VIII. We are taught by Christ, 45.

IX. We are witnesses for Christ, 69.

X. We ar. the abiding ones in Christ. 56.

XI. We have everiasting life in Christ
40. 47-

XII. We have Christ, the True Bread from
Heaven, 32.

XIII. We shall be raised up by Christ 39
40, 44. 54-

XIV. We are sure of all these Divine bless-
ings, because that Christ is the Son of the
living God, 69. ■yy- j^

NOAH'S ARK AS A TYPE OF CHRIST.

I. When the ark was provided death
threatened ail. Gen. 6:5.7; Rom. 3:23-
Rom. 5: 12; Eccl. 7:20; Rom.6:23;Ez.
iS ', 4,

II. It was a God-provided refuge, Gen. 6
13.14; John 3: 16; I John 4: 10.

III. It was the only refuge. Gen. 6: 17, 18 •
Acts 4: 12; John 14: 6.

IV. It was perfectly safe. Gen. 7:10-16-
John .3: 15. x8;John 10:28. 29.30; John
6:47.

y. All who entered lived, Gen. 8: 15-20-
John 5 : 24 ; I Cor. 15:22; John 6 : 40.

VI. All who remained outside died. Gen
7:21-23: John 3:36; John 5:40: I John

VII. There came a time when it was too

latt to find refuge. Gen. 7:16; Matt. 25 : lo •

Luke 13 : 25-28 ; Prov. i : 24-28.
Vni. Dear friend, where do you stand

outside or inside? Remember there i^ no
middle class, and when the door is shut
however near we may stand it will be of no
avail; we must either be shut in with Christ
in th«! glory, brighter than human heart can
conceive, 2 Cor. 2:9.10; Isa.64:4; Rev.
21:3. 4. 10-23; or shut out in everlasting
darkness and despair. Matt. 8 : 12 ; Matt 13 •
42. 50 ; Matt. 22 : 13 ; Jude 13. Which shall
It be? "To be almost saved is to be aU
together lost."

" rfn^^^i 1k^ ^°°'' ?"** »•»« 'lo»' «*oo<l wide,
Close to the port but not inside ;
Near to the ark, yet not within.
Almost persuaded to give up sin •
Almost persuaded to count the cost.
Almost a Christian, and yet lost."

BELLA CLARKE.

282

Gold from Ophir.

THE BELIEVER'S SINS.

irf: '■

They are atoned for, Lev. 4:35; blotted
out, Isa. 44:22; borne, i Pet. 1:24; cast
behind God's back, Isa 38 : 17 ; cast into the
dt;pths of the sea, Mic. •/ : 20; cleansed, i
John 1:7; covered, P». 32:1; Christ died
for them, i Cor. 15: 3; Christ gave Himself
for them. Gal. 1:4; Christ made to be sin,

2 Cor. 5:21; Christ offered to bear them,
Heb. 9 :28; Christ suffered for them, i Pet.

3 : 18 Christ the propitiation for them, i
Toh 2:2; dead to them, Rom 6:2; des-
troyed, Rom. 6:6; finished, Dan. 9:24;
forgiven, Eph. 1:7; God's face hid from
them, Ps. 51 : lo ; laid on Christ, Isa. 53 : 6 ;
laid aside, Heb. 12:1; made an end of, Dan.
9.24; made free from them, Rom. 6

22 ;

not beheld, Num. 23 : 21 ; not dealt with in
us, Ps. 103 : 10 ; not found, Jer. i : 20; not
imputed, Rom. 4:8; not having dominion,
Rom. 6:14; not mentioned, Ezek. 33:16;
passed away, Zech. 3:4; parsed by, Mic. 7 :
18; pardoned, M'.c. 7 : i8; purged, Heb. 1:3;
put away, Heb. 9 : 26; remitted. Acts 10:43;
removed, Ps. 103:12; subdued, Mic. 7:19;
taken away, John 1:29; unremembered,
Heb. 10:17; washed, Rev. 1:5; white as
snow, Isa. i : 18.

Would it not be well to leave them where
God has put them through the death of His
Son, by the Holy Spirit, and go forth under
the constraining love of Christ, to testify of
all this grace ? J. H. B.

TAKE IT AT ONCE.

It is wonderful how much there is in the
New Testament about the word Take. It
seems to involve us in much responsibility,
that we ha 76 to put forth our spiritual bauds
and take, or let our hands hang down and refuse
to take what is so graciously offered. We have
each the power of spiritual receptibility ; oh
that we may use it ! Just listen to this list of
the word Take in the New Testament. In
the whole Bible the word Take, or Taking,
or Taketh is used over 500 times. The
command to Take is more specially used in
the New Testament, and is a most solemn
admonition to all of us ; therefore let us
Take heed.

I. " Take these things hence," John 2 : 16.

II. " Take heed, therefore, how ye hear,"
Luke 8 : 18.

III. " Take My yoke upon you," Matt. 11 :
29.

IV. " Take ye away the stone," John 2 : 39.

V. "Take unto you the whole armour of
God," Eph. 6:13.

VI. " Take theshield of Faith," Eph. 6 : 16.

VII. "Take the helmet of Salvation,"
Eph. 6 : 17.

VIII. And (Take) " the sword of the
rpirit," Eph, 6 : 17.

IX. "Take wrong," i Cor. 6:7

X. " Take up thy cross," Matt. 16 : 24.

XI. "Take, eat ; this is My Body," Matt.
26 : 26.

XII. "Take the Water of Life freely,"
Rev. 22: 17.

The only thing we are not to take is Thought.

XIII. "Take wothought," forlife, forbody,
for raiment, nor for the morrow ; St. Luke
explains it. " Live not in careful suspense,"
12:29. (Margin).

. And He offers us His peace, too ; peace
through His blood. He is our peace. Oh,
do, do, do, let us take His peace. We do
ourselves grievous wrong, and we vex His
Holy Spirit, if we do not appropriate His
dying gift. His legacy of Peace.

An anecdote may help you to see what I
mean.

An aged widowed grand-aunt of mine

Fragments that Remain.

283

who, like Anna of old, " served God day and
night with fastings and prayers, and spoke of
Him," etc., etc., was sitting meditating, as
her custom was, in her room, when a nephew
was ushered in to see her.

In the course of conversation he said,
" Aunt, I want to be sure that you will give
me a legacy when you die, and that is what
I want," said he, as he pointed to a piece of
solid silver on her sideboard.

"Take it at once, take it at once, my boy,
and then you will not wish me dead."

So I say to you, dear Christian, " Take
your legacy, 'take it at once.'" Take the
peace Christ left you; it can never be re-
voked. Remember He was dead only three
days. He is alive again, and gone in to ad-
minister His own will. His gifts, His legacy.
He will see they are carried out. No fear
of His will being disputed. His will is His

Father's will. " I and my Father are one."
Take it at once.

You may carry this peace away with you
even as my great aunt's nephew did his silver
salver. It was his from that day forward.
" Go in peace " are the words of Jesus to
every one who touches His garment in faith.
Repentance towards God is one-half of our
belief, and Faith toward the person and
work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the other
half, both equally true and important.

But there is no peace unless we take Jesus
at His word, "Go in peace." Oh, take it at
once. Oh, let us carry His golden Salver of
Peace away with us to sweeten our daily
cup, and gladden our hearts with His joy,
" That your joy may be full." Let others
see your joy, even as my third cousin showed
his wife the " Take it at once " Salver.

EMILY LEAKEY.

A CARD FOR THE ANXIOUS.

The following, printed on two sides of a
tinted card, should be widely circulated ; it
seeks to point the anxious to Christ, the true
foundation : —

THE LORD SAVES.

I. He is all our Salvation : those only
who have Christ have everlasting: life,
John 3:16; I John 5: 12.

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are
one God, one Lord, united in saving all
believers.

Satan is real, sin is real, bell is real; and,
precious truth! the Saviour is real, His
righteousness Is rial, and heaven is real.

No theory, Church, Ministry, " Priest,"
" Pope," " Sacraments," or " Good Works,"
or all together, can ever save any one soul —
Jesus only can save, Ps. 62 : 2-6 ; Matt. 1:21.

II. Salvation is all of gprace.

The gift of God, as free as the air we
breathe ! it is all in Christ ; clearly made

! known throughout the Bible ; is revealed bv
I THE Spirit to all who seek, and it is

III. Enjoyed in believing, Rom. 15: 13.

Those who have the Lord and trust p ' one
in Him, are saved. All who have C. st
have the Father, and are in His bosom, Jo
1:18.

HAVE YOU CHRIST?

Do you believe that He is present with
you ? And do you trust Him and obey Him,
and none other? Can you say, " Christ is
all, and He is mine? ' If so, you have eternal
life, John 5 124.

Having Christ Himself is being in the
Way.

Having Christ Himself is having the
Truth.

Having Christ Himself is having the Life,
John 14 : 6.

He saves by His precious blood all who
truly trust Him.

284

Gold from Ophir.

His death is our life, and His life is our
strength.

He is our perfection to delight in for ever,
Col. 2:10.

Behold His beauty, Ps. 27 r 4.

Be satisfied with Himself, and grow like
Him, 2 Cor. 3: 18.

Those are most unwise who allow anything

to come between their soul and the Lord
Himself, i Thess. 1 : 9-10 ; and 4 : 16-17.

Read His w_rd with prayer for grace to
know and do His will.

Having the Lord, a blessed reality yourself,
seek to make Him known to others by calm,
meek, loving conduct.

And always mention His name with be-
coming reverence.

SELF-DELUSION.

L Self - delusion characteristic of the
wicked, Ps. 49 : 18.

n. Prosperity frequently leads to self-
delusion, Ps. 30 : 6; Hosea 12:8; Lukv 12 : 17-19.

HL Obstinate sinners often given up to
self-delusion, Ps. 81 : 11, 12 ; Hosea 4 : 17 ;
2 Thess. 2 :io, 11.

IV. Is exhibited in thinking we are pure,
Prov. 30: 12.

V. Better than others, Luke 18 : 11.

VI. Have a species of peace while in sin,
Deut. 29: 19.

Vn. That God will not punish us for sins,
Jer. 5 : iz.

VIII. Fatal course of self-delusion. Matt.
7:23; 24:48-51; Luke 12:20; I Thess. 5:3.

J. E. W.

Fragments that Remain.

J85

THE CLEANSING OF THE BELIEVER FROM DAILY DEFILE-
MENT: IS IT BY "BLOOD" OR B\ "WATER?"

IT is of the greatest importance to see clearly the distinction between that which
has been done once for all at the cross and that which is continuous, and often
repeated in the believer's existence.

The Lord Jesus, " when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the
right hand of the Majesty on High," Heb. i :3.

To that hour God had looked forward f^om " before the foundation of the world,"
an expression that occurs in connection with "the fore-ordaining of the Lamb," whose
precious blood, shed in due time at the cross, formed the groundwork of that purpose
of infinite grace: Compare Eph. i :4, and Peter i : 19, 20.

When that atoning death was accomplished, when Jesus cried, "it is finished,'*
and bowed His head in death, all was done? that ever will be done towards God on
acccunt of sin.

Past, present, and future are in God's reckoning gathered into one focus at the
cross. There "the Loid hath made to meet on Him the iniquity of us ?J1," Isa. 53 :
6, margin. "This man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down

at the right hand of God For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them

that are sanctified," Heb. 10: 12-14.

On the ground of *his one offering God has acted from the time of His grace
bestowed on Adam and Eve till the present hour, whether in justifying the ungodly,
or in forgiving the sins of his erring children.

We sing —

" Happy day ! Happy day !
When Jesus washed my sins away."

But by this we mean the day when first by faith we saw that our sins had been purged
by the one offering eighteen centuries ago. In othe-; words, faith reckons, as God
reckons, that time places no space between the day when Jesus died and the day wheh
I believed. By faith I am taken back in Spirit to the very spot and hour when Jesus
died for me. It is all as plain and as real as if for me alone He had died but yesterday.

Strictly speaking, then, the purging of our sins was effected on Calvary. But, in
striking contrast to this, justification is invariably referred to the day when first we
believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is never said that our sins are washed away 'by
faith ;" but it is said that we are "justified by faith," Rom 5:1, It is only as a guilty
sinner believes the Gospel that he receives the benefit of the one offering. Then, and
nnt till then, God justifies him. From that moment he passes, in God's reckoning,
out from condemnation and death into righteousness and life. He is no longer in
God's reckoning a sinner, a branch of tiie corrupt and condemned Adam tree, but a
son of God in Christ, and partaker of the life of the New Man — Christ Jesus.

This justification — this passing from death into life — this regeneration is never,
in Scripture, spoken of as being repeated.

It is the act of Gc d's grace toward the believing sinner, based upon, and insepar-
able from, the one offering— the purging of sin effected on Calvar>', solely thro ;h the^
Blood of Christ.

But if we Te clear as to this^ next arises the question, what is meant by such a
passage as " jood of Jesus Christ, His Son. cleanseth us from all sjn ? " and also,

closely allied to this, what is meant by the figure of cleansing by water?

Now, it seems to us that much of the obscurity that surrounds this subject in
many minds arises from not seeing clearly that this great subject has two sides — which
we would call the Goo ward and the manward. On God's part all is settled, all is clear,
all is perfect. It is from God's side of the subject that the 10th of Hebrews is written.

286

Gold from Ophir.

" Perfected for ever" is that which characterises it. But the other side has to do with
my experience, my conscience, and is, therefore, affected by the measure of my faith
and of my obedience.

The moment I apprehended by faith the glorious announcement that my sins
had been laid upon Jesus, as my substitute, and purged by (Jis blood, so that God's
righteous demands were fully met, and that I was, consequently, discharged from the
guilt of my sins — the burden that had lain upon my heart was gone ; in other words,
the crimson stain of guilt that defiled my conscience, and kept me far off from God,
and in perpetual bondage and terror, was removed !

This was what is called cleansing^ us pertaining to the conscience. This is not the
removal of my sin from before God, but the removal of it from my heart and
conscience.

Its removal from before God was effected by "the blood," and the "blood alone."
Its removal from my conscience is effected by a threefold agency. The spirit, the watei,
and the blood have all had a part in it, yet not a separate part, for these three are one.

This is divinely illustrated in the ordinance of the red heifer, Num. 19. There
was but the one offering It was wholly burnt. Even the blood was burned with the
rest, ver. 5.

The ashes, therefore, contained in type all the permane.;t value of the offering.
They always showed forth the fact that one offering had been made, on the ground of
which defilements were to be removed not once, but many times, from many persons,
and throughout their wilderness experience.

But together with the ashes there had to be always " running water " — literally
" living water." In many sc-iptures it is plain that water represents the Word of God.
Compare Ps. 1 19 : 9 , Eph. 5:26; compare, also, John 13 ; 10 with 15:3 and 17:17.
But "living water" represents the Word of God in the living power and efficacy of
the Holy Spirit. See John 7 : 38, 39.

Is it not, therefore, evident, that the cleansing of the conscience is effected by the
Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, bringing home to the heart in power the
b'essed truth (typified by the ashes) that sin has mdeed been put away once for all ?
The whole Gospel truth concerning the value of the blood of Christ, is that which
alone can purge the conscience, Heb. 9: 14. This is the "ashes of the red heifer j''
the Word of God i.- the means by which the truth is conveyed to the believing soul,
and it is by the living energy of the Holy Spirit that it is made effectual in cleansing
the conscience and in restoring communion.

The moment a child of God is conscious that he has sinned, that sin operates as
a stain tipon his conscience, and interferes with his confidence in drawing near to God.
In other words, it mars communion. In such a case what God instructs is INSTANT
CONFESSION.

'' If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse
us from all unrighteousness," Jno. i : 9. That is equal to saying, if we come to Him
with the defilement, whatever it be, He will not only forgive, as a father forgives a
penitent child, but He will convey afresh to the conscience the sense of forgiveness,
and restore to the confidence and communion that the sin had marred.

This He will do, not by a new offering, but by referring the defiled conscience
anew to the same blood-shedding, by the same unchanging Word, and by the power
of the Holy Spirit. It is true that a believer in this present dispensation should
:ience of sins," Heb. 10 : 2. Not that if he commit sin it should

** have no more conscience
not trouble his conscience, but
Jesus for perpetual cleansing,
and cleansing which are ever
of God's grace, Eph. i : 7.

There is another sense in which Scripture speaks of cleansing by the Word,
is not the cleansing of the conscience, but the cleansing of " the way," Ps. 119 : 9.

lat, provision having been made in the one offering of
is his privilege to obtain without delay the forgiveness
;ady for him in Christ Jesus, according to the riches

It
It

Fragments that Remain.

287

is the application of the pure and holy teachings of the Word of God to my feet and
my hands — in other words, to my vvalk and my actions.

Though once and forever washed from our sins in the blood of Christ, we cannot
acceptably serve the Lord except as our hands and ouk feet are continually brought to
the laver. Christ is that laver for us. May our hands and our feet evermore be sub-
mitted to Him, that we nay be sanctified by that Word which is truth, and which tells
not only of His death for us, but also of His will concerning us. — Selected.

iscience
power
should
should

ering of
iveness

! riches

WAS THE APOSTLE PETER EVER IN ROME?

OR, SOME BIBLE FACTS FOR ROMAN CATHOLICS.

By C. Russel Hurditch. ^

BESIDE his life of Christ, the beloved physician Luke has given us a history of the
• founding of the Church of Christ, and of special events connected with it for nearly
thirty years after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

In this history we find the names of two men distinguished above the rest ; to
each was a special service appointed, and, as may be expected, the localities of their
respective mmistrations agreed with the service so appointed. Peter, the apostle to
the circumcision, is found in Judaea, Samaria, Galilee, and Syria, but not in Europe, or
in the chief city of the Gentiles — Rome.

InA.D.29. Peter was at Jerusalem in an upper room . . Acts i : 4, 12, 13, 15.
29. Publicly preaching at Jerusalem
29. In the temple . .

29. Before the high priest and his kindred . . Acts 4 :6, 8, 13, 16.

30. Condemning hars and healing the sick
32. Peter was sent from Jerusalem to Samaria

36. Paul stayed fifteen days with Peter at Jerusalem Acts 9:26; Gal. i : 18-21.
36. Peter passed through all quarters, probably of

Samaria, G.-ililee, and Judaea, to Lydda
yi. He was at Joppa, near to Lydda

41. He went from Joppa to Caesarea

42. He was at the Jerusalem council
44. He was released from prison
52. He was at the second council at Jerusalem

No date. He was at Antioch .. Gal. 2:11.

InA.D. 58. The Epistle to the Romans is supposed to have
been written. In it the apostle Paul sends salu-
tations to twenty-seven Christians, but he does
not mention Peter . . . . . . Romans 16.

" 61. Paul arrived at Rome, and nothwithstanding

that there were twenty-seven beloved and much- •

honored Christians there, thechief of the Jews
at Rome represents the Christian religion as
a sect everywhere spoken against ; plainly
the apostle of the circumcision was not then
Bishop of Rome.
Paul wrote six epistles from Rome — to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, to Timothy and Titus. He does not mention Peter in any one of them.

Acts I :

4, 12, 13,

.\cts 2 :

5-14.

Acts 3 :

1,2.

Acts 4 :

6, 8, 13, I

Acts 5 :

1-16.

Acts 8 :

14.

Acts 9 :

26 ; Gal. I

Acts 9

31,32.

Acts 9 .

36-43.

Acts 10

Acts n

: 2.

Acts 12

: 1-19,25

Acts 1 5

:4-7..

288

Gold from Ophir.

It is admitted that the Second Epistle to Timothy was written in A.D. 66 ; after
mentioning the departure of Demas, Crescens, and Titus, he says, "Only Luke is with
me, but adds nothing about Peter.

Peter wrote no epistle either to or from Rome ; but he sends salutations from the
saints at Babylon, where probably there were some Jewish families left from the
Nebuchadnezzar captivity.

We again appeal to those who know more of the life of Simon Peter than the
evangelist Luke, to tell us when he set his foot in Rome ; and if he never was in
Rome, whence proceed the fables concerning his bishopric in the imperial city?

The first recorded mention of Peter as Bishop of Rome is by Eusebius, in the
time of Constantine, about 250 years after the death of the apostle to the circumcision
—a special time of Christianising and glorifying Rome.

INDEX.

[The * refers to Articles Contribuied and Collated.;!

GOLD.

Gold, brass resembles
Is found in the earth
Is liable to grow dim

PAGE.

2
I
2

Gold is precious
Stands the fire
Takes prominent place in Scripture

PAGE.

I
I
I

RUIN.

Adam, tne sm of, not merely an in

considerate act
All have sinned
A photograph of the natural man .

Boston's " Fourfold State," illustra-
tions from

PAGE.

14
15

Cain

Certain bills of indictment 'against
man
♦Closing thoughts on the suijject of
ruin

34
32.42

7
38

Death— eternal, spiritual, temporal 8 o
Regulations about ... 20

The inevitable result of sin 7

The penalty of, is attached to

man as the oflfspring of Adam ^7

The visages of sin is . . r- ^a

Debt a type of sin . . . ^' H

Disease, physical . . '22

♦Dress, the mystery of . ' . ' . 30

♦God no respecter of persons; or,

There is no difference . . xo

The grace of, is brought to man 37

Leaven a type of sin
Leprosy a type of sin

Moral .
Lost man, the condition of

PAGE.

20, 22, 27

. 21

own

Man and his members, God's
description of .

A photograph of the natural .
A slave to sin

By nature, a child of the devil
Cannot please God
Certain bills of indictment against
Comes short of the glory of God
fallen, conscious of his guilt .
Goes astray from his birth .
Intellectually depraved
Inwardly corrupt
Is helpless

The condition of lost .

The fall of . . * '

The grace of God is "brought to

The natural, a child of wrath

Total depravity of .

Was first made in image of God

What is the character of

What sin can do for a

33
15

8
6

/
7
8
8

9
6

37
6

5.9
6

7
*5

f II

290

INDEX.

PAGE.

Man's alienation from God, marks of 8

Conscience is defiled ... 7

Fall, the devil the cause of . 6

Present fallen state.five things about 16

Greatdarknessof understanding 16

In his fallen state is guilty and

condemned . .16

In his fallen state is miserable 16

Is helpless . . 16

Is vile, depraved . . . 16

Ruined condition described by God 32

* Moral law, the use of. in convincing

the sinner of his jin . . 24

•Ruin, closing thoughts on the subject

of 38

Sin, all men are born in and commit 14

•And sinnership .... 18

Bible illustrations of defilement of 20

A cage of unclean birds . . 20

Defiled garments . . 20

Dogs 20

Leprosy . . .20, 21, 22

Regulations about death . . 20

Regulations about sacred duties 20

Regulations about social life . 20

Sepulchres .... 20

Spots and blemishes . . 20

Swine 20

The red heifer . .21

" Deceivableness, unprofitableness of 26

Described . . 14
Entrance of, into the world . '14

How brought into the world . 36

Immediate consequences of 14

Infatuated passions of sinners after 23

In God's sight .... 29

The body of .... 22

•The first 5

The law of 22

The only remedy for . 14
The progressive character of . 27
The reign of . , .23
*The use of the moral law in con-
vincing the sinner of his . 24
The wages of . . . i5i 23
Three steps in the Bible interpre-
tation of .... 14
Two solemn facts about . . 26

PAGE.

Sin [cDntinued).

Types and figures of . . 22

Burden, grievous, intolerable 22

Cage full of unclean birds . 22

Captivity 22

Crooked, perverse . . 22

Death 22

Debt 22

Floods 22

Fountain of impurity . , 22

Girdle, cleaving tc a man . 22

Leaven .... 22
Leprosy . . . 2o, 22, 27

Physical disease ... 22

Poison, venom .... 22

Slavery .... 22

Spots and stains ... 22

The body of sin ... 22

The law of sin .... 22

The old man ... 22

The reign of sin . . . 23

The wages of sin . . . 23

Vhie of Sodom ... 22

Words expressive of . . 23

Wounds and bruises . . 22

What is 41

What it can do for a man . 15

What it has entailed ... 9

Words expressive of . . 23

Sinned, all have .... 14

Sinner, every, is a moral suicide . 23

The soul of the, is dead . . 38

Sins, dark groups of many . . 23

The condition of lost man , . 9

The fall of man .... 6

•The mystery of dress ... 30

•The root of the tree ... 36

•The use of the moral law in convincing

the sinner of his sin . . . 2|
•There in no difference ; or, God no

respecter of persons . . 10
Three steps in the Bible interpretation

of sin 14

Two solemn facts about sin . . 26
The deceivableness and unprofitable-
ness of sin .... 26
The piogressive character of sin 27

Unbelievers, all, are dead

21,38

INDEX.

291

PAGE.

REDEMPTION.

••

rable

s .

• •

•

'32

•

■

• «

•

20, 22, 27

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

> •

•

• •

•

1 9

ncing

2 +

xi no

ation

table-

•

21.38

•Altar, the .
Atonement as defined by the Bible

•How to present the, to inquirers

•Or reconciliation

-5?^®" precious facts concernfnc

•The day of . . . .^ •

•Blood, His, cleanses from all sin

Of Christ, the ..."

Of Jesus, the precious .
•Seven things inseparably con-
nected with the
Atonement or reconciliation .
Deliverance from the pit
Forgiveness of sins .
Justification .
Nearness to God
Peace with God , , '
Redemption
•The . . . _

Uses and applications of the 00
Blottmg out .
Brought by God ; or. The gjories of

*R„,„. J'^. ^^ *heepistle to the Heorews 5 1
Burnt oflfenng, the lamb for the . 93

Christ in Old Testament type and
similitude .
The blood of

The death of .".'.'.'
The glories of, in the epistle" to

the Hebrews
The precious blood of . '
Witness to the sufferings of " , *

•God, nearness to

•Peace with . ' * *

•God's covenants founded on the blood

ot a victim .
•Goel-Redeemer, the

* • •

Inquirers how to present the atone-
ment to

•Isaiah 53, a new translation of

Jesus as Redeemer and Deliverer from
Sin ,

Our Kinsman and Redeemer
Our Sacrifice . , *

The precious blood of
teSfi'- the finished work of

justification
•Justification . ' " '

• • .

•Lamb, the. for the burnt offering
•Pit, deliverance from the

PAGE.

74
74

49
79

66
70

78
69
82

65
7S

•Day of atonement, the

62. 75. 81
74

•Redemption

Redemption ' ' 6 ^Z' P

•As taught and illustrated in Bifie^' el

•?hTfr-a'.*^°'^/"^-'^j-*°^ 9I

By His almighty power ' ' qJ

By His own precious blood . * qt

Christ redeems,from all lawlessness 01

Our bodies have to be redeemed 92

•Scapegoat, the, and the live goat 6«

Sin, where God puts . " ^

•Sins, forgiveness of ' ' t u^

•Substitution-a word foreverybody ^'^' 89

REGENERATION.

PAGE.
103

God drove out the man

PAGE.

103

Born again, ye must be

*Again,yemustbe; or,'ourregen

eration . ttt i *ir' j

Of the Spirit . .• • 10.,," ^'"?^°'"' how to obtain an entrance

Christ'^not a teacher of the ol7' '^' ' " " • m

n3,tur6 I

How the new nature is implanted "13 *''^^'' '^" ^P^"* °^ • • • 107

- .. ...V, ..^„ ttaiuic IS iiupiantec
Ane absolute necessity of a new

nature . . , .112

The old nature unchanged and

unchangeable ... uj

The . . ' • • • '^^

What is the ' ■ • "°'«i

• • • •. 12\

292

INDEX.

New nature, absolute necessity of a
How the, is implanted
Born of the Spirit 104

Born of water ....
The Son of man lifted up

PAGE.

112
"3
"5
"3
116

•Old nature, Christ not a teacher of
•Unchanged and unchangeable

Regeneration . . . . •

Ascribed to Christ . . .

Ill
112

106
106

PAGE.

Regeneration (continued).

Ascribed to God .... 106

Ascribed to the Spirit , . io6

Ascrilied to the Word . . . 106

•Closing thoughts on the subject of 122

•Ye must be born again; or, Our iii

Son of man, the, lifted up
Spirit, action of, mysterious

•Born of the

♦Of life, the .

104

116

104

"5
107

RESURRECTION.

PACE.

Christ, the coming of, practical truths
as to the walk of the Christian in
connection with . . 141

The glories of, in Zech. 6 : 11-13 • 14'
The second ( ning of 142,148,150
The second coming of, and events

connected therewith
The second coming of, the true
key to the study of the Bible .

150

Death and the Lord's coming con-
trasted

♦Is He the King of Terrors or the
Prince of Peace ? . " ,
Dispensational truth in Genesis

•Heavenly home, the .

Jesus, second coming of
An appeal to sinners .
A personal, not a spiritual com-

mg 148,

Attitude of the early church to .
Believers and the judgment .
Coming of the Lord to the earth
Motives arising from the doctrine
Order of events in Christ's coming
Practical duties taught by the

doctrine

Relation of the coming to Israel,
♦ the church and the world

The believer reigns with Christ

153

150

146
148

144

148
148

153
148
149
149
148
149

148

149
149

Jesus, second coming of {continued).

The resurrections
Warning against apostacy
Judgments, the ....

PAGE.

■ 149
148

. 142

•J-KSt days, characteristics of the — a

contrast .....

•Looks, the three — backward, upward,

onward

Lord's coming, practical uses of the
Death and the, contrasted
The promise of the

Millennium, there can
Christ comes

be no, until

143

152
143
150

154

Resurrection, false theories concerning
the

Manner of the , . . .
•Ofthebody

Of the righteous .

Of the wicked ....

The, and the Kingdom . . ,

The hope of the

What is it that rises at the .

Who e£fects the

The time of the
Resurrections, different

* Scriptures, the prophetic

136

134

. 127

128

139

. 138

138

. 135

138

130

128, 149

157

PAGE.

. io6
:<o6
io6

: of 122

r III

Ii6

. 104

04, "5
. 107

149
148
142

143

152
143
150
M5

154

136

134
127
128
129
138
138
135
138

130
i, 149

157

INDEX.

THE HOLY SPIRIT.

293

•Holy Ghost, the

Office of .

Power of . , '
Holy Spirit, the .
•And character .
*And service . ,
*And the believer ,
*And the hearing of faith

Anointing of

Bible notes on .
Bom of

Character of .
Dwells within His people
Emblems of .
Giftof . . . ■ . ■
God's special gift to us
How our needs are met

promises of
In our salvation
In Ephesians
, Is a person .

PAGE.

177
181

181

•

» •

165
185
184
176
186
179
179

• '

174
183

166

^75
, i8i

by the

165
187

180

168

172,

178
180

PAGE

Holy Spirit, the {continued).
Is God ....
Living in the power of
Manifestation of, given to every
man . . , ^

Names and titles of ,
•Never leaves His dwelling place
Notes on . . , _

*f^?'^"'®i^^'''®^ '"• °^ ^Y' working
<Ji Ciod . , .

•Personality of . . *

Person of . . ' ' i6« 180

•Power of; or. The two great fami-'
lies— natural and spiritual . 174

Received by the hearing of faith ,87

The seven operations of, in John 180

Types of . . . . ■'

Work of. in believers ' . ' ' \Z

♦Work of, previous to Pentecost' 169

165
172

168
^7i
175
166
187
178
161

THE SCRIPTURES.

PAGE.

Bible, how to study the . 208, 2 1 2

^Studies on the . . . . 209

•Study, brief miscellaneous hints on 210

The. IS the Word of God . 200

*The precious .... 207

Gleanings from the 1 19th Psal m . 206

Glorious things in the glorious Book 202
Golden bells and pomegranates ; or

Word and life . . . '. ^g^

•Infidels, a short method with .

•Moses the author of the Book of

Genesis ^^^

199

•Notes on the four Gospels
•Scriptures, the prophetic .

Truth and the believer

The . . ■ •

•Word of God, the .

What the. accomplishes
What the, is to the godly

•Word, how to read the .
The ministering of the
The power of God's .
The —two meanings
Thy — admonitions to read it

•Believer, the. " a vessel " ; or. How to

be useful 3^8

Bible notes for students . ' . ' 220

Christian, the, at work . . .226

Revived 227

Workers' power .... 226

Christians, why should, be soul winners 233

THE WORK AND WORKERS.

PAGE

Evangelists, rules for

•Inquiry room, hints for the

•Plain words on plain speaking
•Preacher, the, and his work
Preach, what to

PAGE.
20I

. 157

202

198, 208

199. 209
. 205

202

. 203

2o6

. 198

205

• 197

PAGE,
220

. 223

223

229

•233

294

INDEX.

PAGE.

Scriptures, how to use the . 233

Servants, characteristics of God's 221

Service, characteristics of God's 221

Strength for . . . 222

The glory of .... 222

•Soul-winners, practical hints to . 217

Why should Christians be , . 233

Students, Bible notes for . . 220

PAOB.

'Unreality 237

Weak things, some of the, God uses to

accomplish His purposes . 227

Why should God's people work , 221

Work and the worker . , 225

•Workers, a word to ... ajg

•For Christ, suggestions to . - ajr.

Anxious, a card for the

FRAGMENT.S

PAGE.
. . .283

Backsliding 269

Believer's sins, the . . ■ . 282
•Believer, the cleansing of the, from
daily defilement ; is it by "blood"

or by "water " ? . . . 285

Bible homiletics .... 277

•Bible marking 270

Bodies, our, Bible facts about . 276

Boys of the Bible .... 276

Christian, things the, should do con-
tinually 277

Christ, union with . . . 267

•Churches, decorations for , , 273

Cleaving or sticking to . . 277

Conscience ..... 276

Corrupt things . . . . 281

Courage 274

Fourteen great facts in John 6 . 281

Fruit bearing .... 250

•Genesis and Revelation, harmonies and

contrasts in ... . 255

God and litile children 1 . . . 260

Is love ...... 259

The power of . . , . 269

Good Shepherd, the .... 249

Works 256

Gospel temperance hints . • .255

•Grace 263

Hebrews, a. study in the epistle to the 259

THAT REMAIN.

Mountain scenes in Scripture

Noah's ark as a type of Christ
Number 7, on the . .

Our calling . . , .

I wills, the, of Isaiah 41st .

Jesus, the friend ....

Joseph — Jesus

Justification ,

•Leaven

•Lilies

Lord's Supper, what the, tells out to
the believer . • • .

264

252
253
251

243
253

266

PAGE.
• 274

281
. 265

264

•Peter, was the apostle, ever in Rome ? 287

Prayer, characteristics of, in James 5 269

Conditions of successful . . 257

Hindrances to 251

The secret of successful . . 268
Prayers, what we must do in order that

our, may be answered . . 275

Pray, how should we ? . . . 268

•Psalms, the imprecatory . . . 278

Rain, Bible thoughts on 266

Romans, studies in the epistle to the 252

•Seed and sowers ; or. tract distribution 271

Safety, certainty and enjoyment . 275

Salvation, seven things about . 258

The triune 269

Sanctification .... 247

Self delusion 284

Sins withholding good from us . 250

Sowing and reaping .... 258

Spirits, seven kinds of . . . 274

Stones, five smooth, from the brook 267

Take it at once .... 282

Things worth having . . . 248

Worth knowing . 249

•Tract distribution; or, seed and sowers 271

•Unity, thoughts on ... . 272

•Virgins, the ten, who are they ? . 261

Way, the ...... 250

Wisdom, two kinds of , . , . 274
Woman, a true, from the Bible stand-
point 257

Works, good . , . . . 256

•Worm, the undying , . . 279

227
221
228

281
265

264

287
269

257
251
268

275
268
278

266
252

271

275
258
269
247
284
250
258

274
267