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30.

No. 7.

AUCKLAND,

N.Z.) JULY,

l~IO"

TWOPfl\CE.

-HAT the Dreadnought microbe is working energetically amongst the nations of the world is a fact becoming more and more evident as time advances. 'I'hc great nations led off in a rivalry for supremacy, and the smaller nations arc rapidly following suit, either because they fear the designs of the larger nations, or that they may prepare for a probable contest amongst themselves. That the small Argentine Republic should enter into this mad race for naval armaUbe ments would seem to be absurd, lDrea~llougI)t but that it has done so is clear lDtsease. from the announcement made that this little State, with a population "about equal to the city of New York," has entered into a contract with an American shipbuilding firm for two Dreadnoughts which will surpass anything in the United States navy. They are to have a displacement of 27,000 tons, to be armed with twelve 12-inch guns, twelve 6-ineh, and twelve 4-inch, and are to have a speed of 22.5 knots. Commenting upon this, the World' s 01'isi~says: "These will rank with the most powerful Dreadnoughts in any navy, and will give a hitherto unimportant Republic some standing as a naval power. It is little wonder that the present international craze for battleship building is causing alarm in Great Britain, where supremacy of the seas has been maintained for so many years. Its maintenance in future decades, if time lasts, must impose an appalling burden that will tax both poverty and wealth." The recent trouble in England concerning the Budget is a testimony which clearly shows that, as far as possible, wealth will combine to keep the burden upon the shoulders of the worker, where hitherto it has mainly rested.

Wc number ourselves amongst the few who believe that the predictions contained in the Bible relating to the future arc to be literally understood, and that manv of the prophecies which relate to Assyria and Babylonia have not, as generally believed, been fulfilled, but shall, ere UlJe lfk\~i\'ing the consummation of the age, lEast. have their fu Hi!ment in every detail. It has never yet been satisfactorily shown tlrat such predictions as those which relate to the destruction of Babvlon have been fulfilled according to the terms employed by the prophets. If that is so, then those who believe that the prophecies were gi ven by inspiration must believe in their future fulfilment. Those who hold to this view have urged that although the desolation which largely pervades the regions of Mesopotamia, and especially the sites of Babylon and Nineveh, seem to preclude the possibilitv of any future revival of these lands to activity and importance, yet modern historv supplies u with examples of localities, as unpromising as these, being brought within a short time into posij ions of importance. The discovery of precious metals or stones, coal or pretroleum, will crowd such places with inhabitants, and city life is not long in establishing itself from such discoveries. But such comparisons, whilst suggesting the possibility, did not afford any degree of probability. 'Vc now submit that the scheme outlined bv Sir William Wilcocks for the irrigation of the Mesopotamian Valley offers a sure step to the probabilitv, Sir William is sanguine enough to assure his hear~rs and readers of the fruitfulness of the land if irrigation is provided, and does not hesitate to promise immense harvests from those districts. Revival of town life is a sure accompaniment of agricultural productivity, and, as eities now grow, it is conceivable that a mighty city could speedily emulate the glories of old Babylon. But this revival of Eastern lands, as viewed through Bible prediction, is to be general, and the opening up of railways through areas hitherto occupied only by nomad tribes, seems an ea.rnest of the fulfilment of the Word. To the south of Palestine is a recent discovery, which, if it Uf)e eu jfiell's proves to be equal to all that is of $inai. claimed for it, may revolutionise

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JULY,

1910.

that portion of the earth. The prospectus of a company naming itself "The Sinai Petroleum Syndicate Co." is before us as we write. This company is working under direct license from the Egyptian Government, and claims to be in possession of oil springs promising an abundant supply of petrolenm. The prospectus states: "These oil fields are in the direct route to India, Australia, and the East, and should therefore be of the greatest value in securing a regular supply of liquid fuel to thc war vessels and merchant shipping using the Canal." As petroleum is coming into increased use by shipping, it is clear that if the prospects of this enterprise are encouraging, it will not be long ere the district will be changed into a sphere of mercantile activity, and the spectacle often witnessed from the steamers that pass through the Suez Canal of the Arabs standing in stately pose to watch the vessels as they pass, will become a thing of the past. It has almost become a commonplace for Bible students to say, that in view of the kind of attacks made upon the Bible in these latter days, it seems that God is permitting the evidences to be yielded up from the dust of the ages to refute them. Already thc num ber of these is B lDeluge astonishing, but the end is not yet. UesthllOn}? Such as have come to light have been said to "confirm" the Bible. But the time has come when the Christian student should be more bold, and declare the truth that the Bible confirms the monu ments. The existence of the multitudinous and varied external evidences to the historical accuracy of the Bible show most decisively how trustworthy the Bible is in all its references to its contemporary history. A recent discovery is being announced by all Christian papers :-"As one of the results of the fourth expedition of the University of Philadelphia to Nippur, Babylonia, made in 1899, two boxes of tablets, excavated from the Temple Library, were brought home. Looking these over recently, Professor Hilprecht's attention was attracted by the Accadian word meaning 'deluge.' He proceeded to translate the inscription, and found it to be an account of the Deluge, closely agreeing with the Scripture narrative. Another account, given by the Assurbanipal tablet, has been long known, but that speaks of a plurality of gods; this recent tablet speaks of the action of one God. It is held that this is the earlier account, giving a sober, historical account of the Deluge in agreement with that of the Scripture, and it thus is a witness to the truth of the Biblical account. These things we welcome for the refutation of the unbelieving attacks upon Scripture; but from our standpoint we say it is the Bible account which confirms this tablet, !Lnd supplies that which is wanting in its lacunae. From the dust of ages comes this small tablet, a 'tile of nnbaked clay, a clod of dried mud, less than an inch thick, and less than three inches square, upon one side of which scratches made upon its surface, when soft, some four thousand years ago, can still be deciphered,' and

it speaks and says there 'was a Deluge which destroyed all but one 'household.''' Yet another piece of valuable testimony. There has lately been added to the British Museum an Assyrian inscription relating to Sennacherib. The Bible states that after his return (how long is not stated) from his invasion of the land of Israel, "it B Sennacbertb came to pass, as he was worship5nscription. ping in the house of Nisroch, his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer smote him with the sword, and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon, his son, reigned in his stead" (2 Kings xix. 37). For long that record stood alone, with no other known reference to it in history; but the famous Coronation Inscription of N abonidus, n.c. 555, which gives a summary of the chief events in the history of the New Babylonian Empire, records this event, and says of Sennacherib: "That king of Assyria, who, by the anger of Marduk, had accomplished the destruction of the land, the son, the offspring of his body, with the sword pierced him." Another inscription gives the date when the murder occurred: "On the 20th day of the month Tebet, Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, his son slew him in a rebellion." The same inscription tells that the rebellion lasted from the day of the murder until the twenty eighth day of Sivan of the next year, "when Esarhaddon, his son, sat on the throne of Assyria." That two were privy to this murder seems clear from the inscription, for Esarhaddon tells us that he had to fight against his two brothers. The Assyrian inscription now added to the Museum carries the testimony a little further, for it relates to the place where the murder took place. The Bible expressly says, "In the house of Nisroch, his god." The newly-acquired cylinder has been dug up from the foundation of the great gate of the wall of the city, and it reads: "To N ergal, his lord, King of Aseyria, a palace shrine which is within the city of Tarbizi from foundation to roofs he built and complete(l.'~ "The flight of the murderers into Armenia is confirmed by the recording Esarhaddon, who defeated them in a battle on the Armenian frontiers." A somewhat dramatic attempt on the part of the Rev. R. J. Campbell to draw the Congregational Union into an expression of opinion on his views was frustrated by the attitude of the Chairman. Because some . of the members of the Union have <!alllpbelll)}et expressed themselves freely against Bgatn. Mr. Campbell's teaching, he appeared upon the platform at the annual meetings to ask for its opinion as to whether or not he should withdraw. As we read the speech he there made, it seems that he was confident that no desire would be expressed for his severance, but that, on the other hand, there would be the expressed wish that he should remain, a decision which would be tacitly accepted as the endorsement by the Union of his teach-

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ings. The Chairman pointed out that it was not within the province of the Union to pass a vote upon this matter, that the proper tribunal at which to raise the question was the London Oongregational Union, and he went on to add: "J do not think that he (Mr. Oampbell) has any conception of how deeply and poignantly he moves the most sacred feelings and convictions of the best people amongst Us by the things he has said and written about the person of Jesus Ohrist, and I want to Ra} this, that we do not mean, by onc party in the Assembly, or by another in the Assembly, to be driven from our loyalty and allegiance to the great central truths for which we stand. Neither are we going to be driven to relying on the letter of a written dogma, nor are we going to forsake our beliefs in historic Christendom and identify ourselves with U ni tari anism. We stand as to our Ohurch life exactly where we did, and we believe that the affairs of this Union are in the hands of the living Lord." After the meeting Mr. Oampbell protested to the Press .that he does not stand for the "Unitarian position," or that he has ever said or written anything derogatory to the person of Ohrist. To which we add, then most men who have read his writings have failed to understand what he means.

In the British Weekly appears regularly a column headed, "The Oorrespondence of Rev. Professor David Smith, D.D.," which mainly relates to religious and Bible questions. Those who have doubts, fears, and difficulties are invited to send in the account of them and the lDretention' B Rev. Professor, D.D., will give 'IDicta. a reply. If prefixes and suffixes to a name offer any guarantee, then the questions should be answered in a full and satisfactory manner. But a reading of the replies given suggests that the titles and honours borne have very little relation to help in understanding Bible theology, and a recent number gives a case in point. In the issue for April 7th is a letter from G.B., who writes stating that a certain minister has visited the town and given a number of addresses on the Second Ooming. "He believes in two Resurrections, two Judgments, and a literal, personal, visible reign of Christ on earth for a thousand years." The opinion of the Rev. Professor is invited on the matter, and he gives it without hesitation, and with all the aplomb of certainty. But there is no appeal to the Word. He does not invite his correspondent to consider what Scripture says for or against this position, but thus opens his criticism:"This millennarianism, which had a considerable vogue in pietistic circles a generation ago, but which I thought had gone the common way of absurdities in a more or less sane world, is a fantastic structure built on Rev. xx., and garnished with alien metaphors collected at random from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. It is a stupid and prosaic perversion of Jewish apocalyptic."

If it really is what out divine declares it to be, then a presentation of Bible truth should show its error; but this is not given. If it be an "absurdity," it should not be a difficult matter to manifest it. That this divine is not in very close touch with the thought of thousands of deep and B\?oibino tbe reverent Bible students, and with Sssne. the abundant literature which is available on these matters is self-evident from his "thought," and one wonders where he has been of recent years. But, be it noted, he admits that there is some Scripture warrant for the idea, for he says, "The idea appears with the luxuriant detail of Oriental imagery in Rev. xx. Of course, it is poetry, and it is pitiful to see how it fares in clumsy hands." Here is the admission; the idea is contained in the language of Revelation. But our Professor says it is poetry. Is it? There is not anywhere in the Word a more direct statement of history to be accomplished, and he who says it is poetry can do so for no other reason than to cover over the fact of his ig-norance of the intent and pmpose of the Divine working as that is clearly given in the Bible from its beginning. To the reverent reader of the Word, who believes that God means what He says, the literal language of Rev. xx. is the expected outcome of the plan followed from the days of Abraham. The statement that most of the oracles of the Revelation are cryptograms is just an announcement that our Professor does not know very much of the W orc1 it is his business to teach. ~ We fear that there is not much help afforded from such a source on this great and grave matter of the establishment of God's Kingdom on the earth, and our fear is deepened when we read his quotation from Kingsley: "God's Kingdom is not a kingdom of fanatics yelling for a doctrine, ~be 'IDoctrine but of willing, loving, obedient is ~rlle. hearts." We have had a good deal of experience and fellowship with those who believe in the coming literal Kingdom of God to be established upon the earth, and who believe in a Millennium, and we are persuaded that the average of love, willingness and obedience is as high as amongst those who reject such teachings, and we may add that to tag on this quotation is to close with an insult a column of writing which does not touch the "point raised by the questioner. Smartness which abuses opponents and avoids the arguments is not usually looked for from men who occupy positions of authority. Either the doctrine concerning the Millennium is true or it is false. In either case, the question has to be determined from the Bible. No argument is advanced against it; it is admitted that the language, literally read, contains it; but it is assumed that it is really poetry, and that assumption is supposed to overturn the Millennarian position. Poor, deluded Professor! and poor students who receive from him theological instruction!

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"We are become as they over whom Thou never barest rule; as they that were not called by Thy name."-Isaiah Jxiii. 19.

Onn text is taken from one of the very finest books in the Divine library. The numerous references made to it by the New Testament writers convey to us some idea of the high esteem in which it was held by the Early Church. There are no less than 62 direct quotations from Isaiah in the New Testament, and out of the 66 chapters comprising the prophecy quotations are made from no less than 28. But, apart from these figures, which are so interesting to the student, we know that all Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable, and that whatsoever things were written aforetime, whether it be the history of the Jews or the history of any other nation, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of Scriptures might have hope. What a pathetic picture it is that the prophet draws in the 19th verse: "We are become as they over whom Thou never barest rule; as they who were not called by Thy name." Here we have a memory of former greatness and the mournful plaint of present degradation. May we not say that it is the story of the Prodigal Son in fact and in history? It is the history of the prodigal in national life. Think of the glory and dignity which the children of Israel had enjoyed as the chosen people of God. Think of the vast army of the Egyptians swallowed up to a man for daring to stretch out their hands against them. 'I'hink how the Midianites and Amorites and Canaanites were humbled before them. Why, even those who were hired to prophesy against them were compelled to foretell their glory and triumph. Think of their faithful patriarchs, honour cd and richly blessed of God. Think of the precious covenants of promise. Think of their brilliant leaders, Moses and J oshua, Think of the wisdom and glory and greatness of their kings, David and Solomon, and then compare the peace and prosperity, the honour and favour and splendour of it with their history during the period of 230 years between Solomon's death and the fall of Samaria, In the very year in which Isaiah began his prophetic mission, part of the Israelites were carried captive into Assyria, Twenty-eight years later Samaria, the capital of their kingdom, fell into the hands of their enemies, and more captives were taken, while three years before the portion of the prophecy with which we are dealing was uttered .Iudah was invaded by the King of Babylon. For peace, there was war. For prosperity, there was poverty and panic. For honour, there was degradation. For favour; there was wrath. For splendour there was demolition, ravage and waste. Truly they were as those over whom J ehovah never bare rule; as those that had not been called by His name. As children of God they were beyond recognition. The Divine image had faded. How was this change in their condition and cireum-

stances to be accounted for? J ehovah was not a man that He should have moods. 'I'he Kingdom of Israel was not an experiment that He had grown weary of. I think you may get a pretty good idea as to the cause of their downfa 11 if you go back some 450 years in their history to the incident recorded in 1 Sam. viii. 4-9. The cause of their downfall was not God's rejection of His people, hut the people's rejection of God. Their desire for a king was but an expression of the worship of another .god which they had set up in their heartsthe god self! It was their selfishness, pride, vanity, lust, and the superficiality of their religious disposition that led to their downfall. There had been a time when God bad ruled, not only in their national affairs, but in the 'individual life; not onlv in their politics, but in their affections. There had been a time when God had not only chosen them for His people, but when they preferred Him as their God. There was a time when God not only named them with His name, but when they took a delight in preserving the honour of that name. But now-"We have become as they over whom Thou never barest rule; as thev who were not called by Thy name." Service bad give~ way to sentiment. Duty had gone on her knees to desire. Fear had taken the place of faith, anc1 what was true of the Babylonish garrison at Samaria was, on the Israelites' own confession, as true of them, namely, that "They feared the Lord, and served other gods." Once their fear had been lest they shoul d hurt God . Now their only fear was that He wouid hurt them. They still professed that they knew Gael, but in their works they denied Him, being abominable and unto every good work reprobate. The prophet further unveils the wickedness of this people in the 64th chapter: "For we are an become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment, anc1 we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. And there is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on Thee, for Thou hast hic1 Thy face from us and delivered us into the power of our iniquities. But now, 0 Lord, Thou art our Father. We are all Thy people. Be not wrath very sore, 0 Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever. Thy holy cities are become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. Our holy and our beautiful house where our fathers praised Thee is burned with fire, and an our pleasant things are laid waste. Wilt Thou refrain Thyself for these thing, 0 Lorc1? Wilt Thou hold Thy peace and afflict us very sore ?" "We are become as those over whom Thou never barest rule." That strikes, I say, a very pathetic note, anc1 a very human note, too. How we have despised these poor Jews, to be sure. How often we have; wondered how they coulc1 do it, haven't we? But they were very human were these Jews, very human. We have met together, my brethren, to honour One whom we profess to know. Are our works witnesses to the truth of our profession? We have met to honour

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His bidding. If Christ is'my Master, I ought to be servOne whom we profess to love. Are our hearts knit toing Him. If Christ is my Friend, I ought to "seek His gether in an indissoluble bond with His? We have met presence every passing hour." If Christ is the Light to honour One whom we profess to serve. Are our of my life, I ought not to be found in moral slumdom. hearts eaten up with zeal-for Him? Are "life" and If Christ is my way, I ought never to dare to choose my "Christ" synonymous terms to us? Is it our consuming path. If Christ is my Saviour, I ought to be a Soldier passion to express the Divine Image? Is it our meat of the Cross. If Christ is my King, I ought to be His and our drink to do the will of our Lord? ambassador. If Christ is a living REALITY to me, I The beloved Apostle Paul could say, "It is no longer I ought not to be a hypocrite, a make-believe, a pretender. that live, but Christ liveth in me." That is what it If for me to live is Christ, there ought not to be any means, my brethren, to be subject to the rule of the pride in my heart or lust in my eye. Master, and to bear His name. Paul was now only known as the man who persisted in exalting the name Who am I? Who am I serving? of the crucified N azarene. Paul was now only known "Is there a thing beneath the sun as the man who was ready to bear any sacrifice for the That strives with Christ my heart to share? sake of His Lord and his brethren. He could not be : Ah! tear it thence, and reign alone recognised as the sceptic and persecutor of Christianity. The Lord of every motive there." He was identified by inseparable love of it anc1 his in creasing service to it. Does Christ thus bear rule over us? Is His name indelibly stamped on our conversation and conduct? Or, are we become as those over whom Christ never bare rule, and as those that have not been callec1 by His name? Are we who profess to be His saints like those who "feared the Lord" but served themselves? To every brother and sister who partakes in it this memorial service ought to have two clear and well(To the Ed'i(m.) defined meanings. 8i1',-Gen. ii. 17. If the marginal rendering is the 1. What Christ is to me. correct rendering, I do not see why there should be any 2. What I ought to be to Christ. straining of God's Word to fit any theory or to disprove To some Christ is just a cold historical fact of 1900 any theory. To my mind the evidence is so clear that years ago. To some, Christ is nothing more than the the rendering "dying, thou shalt die," explains the posiauthor of certain theological formulae, to which they tion so lucidly that I wonder why it can be, and is, have given their intellectual assent. 'I'o some, Christ baulked at. I take it that Adam and Eve were in a presents a very lovely but still a very impracticable Ideal. purely healthy condition of body, no disease germs lurkTo some, Christ is but a nobleman in a far country-a ing in the system, but the whole frame, flesh and blood, nobleman whose return is not early expected or eagerly in a perfectly healthy state, so Goel forbade Adam to "eat desired. of the tree of know ledge of good and evil;" but they did eat, and evidently by doing so the fruit imparted disease But what is Christ-to me? That is the question! germs, decay or corruption, to their hitherto healthy Can I say that to me Christ is not only a fact of history, bodies, and at once they became dying creatures. Having but a fact of my experience? Can 1 say that to me sinned, God at once took steps to cut them off from the Christ is not only the preacher of a new religion, but a "tree of life," lest they eat and "live for ever." Then power for righteousness? Can I say that Christ has not God cursed the ground, and it (to quote your own only convinced me of the truth of His doctrine, but that words) "produced food which in itself has the elements He has captivated my heart with the beauty of His holiof decay, and therefore can supply no more than a tranness and the tenderness of His love? Can I say that to sientduration of form." Further, when cut off from the me Christ is not only my Ideal, but the strength by "tree of life" man in his mortal state could not live on which I am daily pressing towards the mark for the prize for ever, so it is self-evident that cutting the pair off of my high calling? Can I say that to me Christ is not from its life-giving power they were inevitably doomed only the spotless and Perfect One, but that I have found to death, "dying, thou shalt die."-I am, etc., in Him the law of the Spirit of Life which has set me free from the law of sin and death? This is what He J.P. The "straining" is required to show that the penalty the Lord. threatened was inflicted, and still more to show that if If I say "Yes, Christ is all this to me," I should be inflicted there can be any redemption therefrom. It is recognisable as "one over whom Christ bears rule; as one who has been called by the greatest name under heaven." true that by being cut off from the 'I'ree of Life the sinIt should no longer be necessary for men and women to ning pair must die, but this was because they were morask, "Is he a Christian?" If Christ is a fact of my tal, and when nature gave out death followed; but we experience, He ought to be the feature of my expression. submit that then, as now, a "natural" death must be If Christ rules in my heart, my feet ought to run to do clearly distinguished from an inflicted death, i.e., a death

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sentence and execution because of transgression. The English idiom "surely die" is the best rendering of the Hebrew idiom, which is literally translated in the margin. The explanation suggested by our correspondent would obviously not stand in 1 Kings ii. 37, where there is no marginal reading, although the Hebrew is identical. There an immediate inflicted death is threatened. The suggestion that by eating of the tree disease germs were implanted, goes beyond the text-it conveys the idea that thus the penalty threatened was carried out, the further act of banishment from the Tree of Life being to give full effect to a penalty already in the course of being experienced. (To the Edit01.) Sir,-1 was so glad to see by the June BIBLB S'l'ANDABD your straight-out remarks re Protestantism and the Accession Oath. I fear there is trouble ahead unless at the present moment Protestants take a firm stand and speak with no uncertain sound. 0 the bitterness of the human heart against all and any who are opposed to the RomanCatholic teaching and the mandate of the priests, as expressed in the three notable Oaths-the King's Coronation Oath and Protestant Declaration, Princess Ena's Oath of Apostatization, the Oath of the J esuits, My protest shall be raised against all encroachments of that huge political association called the Roman Catholic Church. I'm a Protestant protesting, For I read what Home has been; "I'is the most degrading system That the world has ever seen. -Yours in service, C. GAMBLE. Magill Hoad, Stepney, June 9, 1910.

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

lScboes from 'Wtest $treet.

.-%- .. -0--.-%- .. -0--.-%-. MAN'S COUNTERPAR'r. ,VHBN man was first placed in the Garden of Eden duties were assigned to him which involved thought, care, attention and labour on his part to fulfil. The exercise of his mental powers was implied as the necessary prelude and guide to his labours in the Garden. Knowledge as to the trees and plants of the Garden and the distinct treatment which should be given to them to produce the best results seem as natural a supposition in the case of Adam as in the case of any modern gardener to whom such a task might be given. Whence was such knowledge derived? It cannot be conceived that man was placed in such a situation and thrown entirely upon such resources as could only be acquired by long and, often, disappointing experiences. It is a most reasonable thing to believe that He who assigned the duty to man gave him all necessary instruction. Jehovah Elohim the instructor, the works of God above and around the school books, _and Paradise the schoolhouse. It were easy to let fancy play upon the probable scenes in the Garden, when man, under the instruction and supervision of his Divine Teacher, learned those things which enabled him to carry out the duties laid upon him. The command that followed indicates that this instruction was continued upon what, for want of a better name, we call the moral plane. The issue of the command implies that man is intended to reflect upon conduct and consequences. Prohibition and threatened penalty presuppose an advanced state of mental growth altogether beyond that which is allowed by those who foolishly imagine that man has slowly evolved from savagery, gradually advancing out of darkness to present intellectual light by his own unaided efforts. It is held that human language developed slowly to articulate speech from a usage of man's own emitted interjections and the imitations of the sounds made by birds and beasts. But this hypothesis makes too great a demand on faith. It is a much easier view to believe that man was created with all his organs perfect, and needed but an instructor to enable him to acquire and use speech and the power of thought. The narrative in this chapter of Genesis clearly enough shows that in the person of the Creator man had the necessary Helper. Language is acquired to-day by personal intercourse with someone who speaks it, and inasmuch as language is employed between J ehovah Elohim and Adam, it is no stretch of imagination to believe that Adam learned the use of speech and thought from the Great Teacher, and the amount of intellectual knowledge thus acquired was in iarge degree. With a fresh and vigorous brain, amid

...

WHY is it that some of our orthodox friends get so angry when we happen to say anything against the dogma of eternal torment? One would think that the "milk of human kindness," to say nothing of the "love of God shed abroad in the heart," would make them glad to listen to anything which offered a possibility of escape from the awful conclusion that the Bible teaches that sin, sinners, misery, and anguish are to be continued throughout eternity. We really cannot understand why some Christians cling so closely to the doctrine of endless misery, just as though it was to them one of the most blessed and comforting truths of revelation. See the hot flush mount to their faces when you dare to assail this cherished conviction of theirs! Queer, isn't it?Messiah's Advocate.

Ridicule is by no means the worst thing. I would rather be laughed at a hundred times than wept over once.

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surroundings from which opposing influences were excluded, under so wise and gracious a Teacher, rapid and full advance in knowledge must have been the experience of the man during that time in Paradise. So much seems fairly to be inferred from the narrative to this point. But in the verses that follow yet more is suggested. In all this there is no need to suppose that Adam's knowledge was all directly imparted by special revelation. A wise teacher directs the studies of his pupil, and carefully guides him to the use of his own intellectual powers. Doubtless many things could not be known by the man save by direct information, but there is no necessary opposition to the belief that the training of the man was "educational." In all this we trust that we are not going outside the rule which we believe should rigidly hold all who attempt the exposition of the Word. The first duty should be to ask, What does the Word say? and then, What does it mean? The latter must be li terally understood. It does not signify, What can it be made to mean? but What does the passage convey? If to some it may seem that what has been here said goes beyond the record, we beg them to carefully read the story itself, and note if we have gone beyond fair inference. Let us now observe the language of J ehovah Elohim in verse 18:"And the Lord God said, It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a helpmeet for him."

Apparently up to that point of time it had been "good" for man to be alone. How long the period of training had lasted we do not know, but that it had an important bearing upon his future seems evident from this interjected statement. In that state of solitude man had been learning. His mental powers had been trained, his knowledge of God and his own relationship to Him was sufficiently advanced for new conditions, relationships and responsibilities to be introduced. His training had been for himself; he shall now have the privilege of exercising care towards another and of instructing another in the things he had himself learned. 'I'here shall be fashioned for him his counterpart.

acteristics of the thing named, and the naming met with Divine approval. The creatures named were in subjection to him. He exercised "dominion" over them, but he had no companion. One writer says, "Adam must be master before he can enthrone a mistress." - His need is met, and a counterpart is provided. The story of the creation of woman that follows is viewed by opponents of the Bible as a subject for ridicule, but reverently read it becomes the fount of suggestive thoughts. Adam was made from "the dust 'of the ground," from non-living matter, and was directly vitalised by the "breath of life." All questions as to man's nature must be argued from that basic position. But woman is fashioned from that which is already living, from man, who lives, thinks and acts. It is not it wholly new life that is brought into bcing, but a development, all offspring from that already existing. This is the very point which seems to be emphasised. in the Saviour's reconciliation work. He gives Himself for "the life of the world"-one life giveI,l for one life forfeited. It might be objected to this statement of substitution, but if the multitudinous race of mall is traced back to its source we find two lives in the Garden; the reply must be, but it is necessary to go back further, and to note that the second life is taken from the first-the two are one. Eve is but a cutting from Adam, and thus the New Testament idea of the one life is justified. Man's companion, his counterpart, is provided, but she is "bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh." They are two, but one, and that fact of woman's origin is used by the Lord Jesus to impress deeply the Divine law of marriage.
"Have ye not read, that He which made them from the beginning made them male and female and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they twain shall become one flesh. So that they are no more twain, but one flesh" (Matt. xix. 5. 6).

The order and difference in the creation of these two persons is of significance, in view of present tendencies in the sphere of religion. 'I'he Apostle Paul has referred to this act of creation for the purpose of showing the position of man and woman in the Church. They are one in the Lord, but in any question of headship But it should be observed that the proposed gift is that arises man is placed first. It is noteworthy that modern movements should so persistently exalt women not immediately bestowed. There is yet another step to the first position. The days of Ann Lee and J oanna in the man's education. Man must first undergo a test Southcote are gone by, but we call to mind the establishwhich seems to suggest a trial of his mental fitness, and ment of the Theosophical Society under Madam Blavatprobably by its means he is also taught his own need of sky, and reflect that the leaders of that movement are a complement. He is called upon to name the animals women. The cult known as Christian Science, which which are brought before him. If one might so say, it has made such phenomenal advances within a few years is the fulfilment of an examination test imposed by the Teacher. The time had arrived when man should be is the doctrine of a woman, who is still the reputed leader of the movement. Much could be said in refertested in the use of the powers so well trained and disciplined under his Wise Teacher. The duty imposed is" ence to this very marked feature of the present, but we refrain, as it would take us away from our present pursatisfactorily performed, and there is no need to revise pose, which is to put before our readers the early records his work-"whatsoever the man called every living creaof Genesis, together with such thoughts as will, we trust, hue, that was the name thereof." The naming implies lead to their further study and appreciation in these that the man had speech, reason, perception, and could days of such wide departure from the Word of God. use them. We may conclude that the names were not EDITOR. arbitrarily given, but would indicate the prominent char-

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1910.

ConRESPuNDENCE " ECHOltS FROM WEST STHEE'l' ASSOCI,\TION NOTES

THE MYSTEHY m' CHnIST AND TH"' CHURCH ROME CIHCLE-SHOELWAROS THOUGHTS FOH THE TIIOUGH'n'l;L
CHURCH ANI>

..

MISSION

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MISSION

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CHRISTI \N BAND SUNSl:II:\I!; CORNER

97-99 100-lm . 101-102 .. 102-103 101 105-107 108 109 110 III 111
III

oun HOOK LIST TREASUHEHS' ACJ{LODGEMEN'l'S

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7'?7"{';o~ MONTH LV ORGAN

011~ THE

Ncw ZCilland EVimgclistic ilnd Publiciltion Association.

EDITED BY GEORGE ALDRIDGE, ASSIS'J'lm BY SPJ,CIAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

The Editor' wishes it (0 be understood that, while he exercises" general supervision over the articles and Correspondence appearing in the STANDARD, responsibility for sentiments expressed rests upon the individual writer.

tts50cintion

IHotes.

This month is marked by our recurring Church Anni. vcrsarics at West Street and the 'I'hames. The brethren at Thames intend to hold their Anniversary services on Sunday, July 10th, to be followed by the Annual Tea on the 12th. A warm invitation is given to any Irorn other centres who may be able to attend these meetings. At West Street the elates fixed are Sunday, 1"i'th. The Annual Tea takes place on Wednesday evening, the 20th inst. Brethren from country churches are invited to LItis gathering, at which we hope to sce a large assembly. Bro. ,1osiah Salisbury is expected to arri ve in Auckland on SUllC1ay, ,1ul) 3n1. The Association will give him a welcome at a Social to be held on the following Wednesday at West Street. Wc trust that a large number 0 f Church members and friends will be present to welcome our brother to the Dominion. The long-expected book, "Lectures on Daniel," is now issued, and an advance copy has been received. This has been forwarded to Bro. C. C, Brown, from whose pen a review will appear in our August issue. We expect to be able to say in our next when the books may be expected to arrive, so that orders may be invited for this latest work by the Editor. On occasions of our visits to Melbourne wc have enjoyed fellowship with Bro. Isaac Hopkins, of Williamstown, and have appreciated his warm Christian love and sympathy. "Ye learn, just as we are going to press, that he has recently fallen on sleep. 'I'he following sketch of his life and labours is forwarded for insertion in the
STANDAUD.

The subj eet of this short sketch fell asleep in Jesusafter five weeks' illness, June 12th, aged 78. The last days were days of much weakness of body,. but the strong faith that had ever characterised him shone out clearly, He was greatly comforted by the loving ministrations of his wife and family, who were all permitted to be with him to the end. From a very early age our brother devoted himself to the service of Jesus Christ in his native town, N eath, South VIales. Afterwards, amongst the Welsh Baptists in London, where his early married life was spent, and Christian friendships formed that helped to build up a very strong yet tender character. Fifty-two years ago Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins went to Australia with their two daughters, and at once connected themselves with God's work, their home, with its hospitali ty, always being open to those of like fai th. Eleven children blessed this union, and the work of training them for God was consistently carried out. Some twenty years ago our brothel' and his wife, always strong believers in and advocates for Advent Truths, embraced Conditional teaching, Miles Grant and the late Mrs. John Gray being used of God in this matter. For him to know a truth was to preach it-in season and out of season. It has been said that genuine prophets are expensive luxuries; thcy arc always troubling their friends, disturbing the wise and prudent, and making themselves champions of unpopular causes. It was so with our brother; but the glorious light of a fuller revelation found its way into many hundreds of hearts through his faithful presentation of it. As a citizen of 51 years in Williarnstown, his life, both in public, where he attained the highest honour as Chief Magistrate, and in private, where his generosity and affability were greatly appreciated and admired, was consistent with his pro fession as a Christian. One of the exceeding great and precious promises that fell rrom his lips towards the close of his life was, "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye appear with Him in glory." Bro, W. Broadbent conducted the memorial service at Williarustown, and preached before a large congregation the truth so beloved by the dear saint now fallen on sleep.
1

Proposals for legislative interference, with a view to arrest some of the most frightful evils of Society, are still constantly opposed, not by careful analysis of their tendency, but by general assertions of Natural Law as opposed to all legislation of the kind, "Y ou cannot make men moral by Act of Parliament." Such is a common enunciation of principle, which, like many others of the same kind, is in one sense a truism, and in @very other sense a fallacy. It is true that neither wealth, nor health, nor knowledge, nor morality, can be given by Act of Parliament. But it is also true that the acquisition of onc and of all of these can be impeded and prevented by bad laws, as well ,as aided and encouraged by wise and appropriate legislation.-uThe Reign of Laio" uy the late Duke of Argyll.

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[05

~be !lD\?ster\?of (tbrist

(Concluded

ant> tbe cburcb.

from Page 91.)

"The mystery which hath been hid from all ages and generations ; out now hath it been manifested to His saints" (Col. i. 26) .

IY.I!: have seen that the Church aLJ erusalem, under the twelve Apostles-the sect of the 1\ azarenes (Acts xxiv, 5)-was a company distinct from and on some points hostile to the Church at Antioch, called Christian (Acts xi. 26), which was under the leadership of Paul and Barnabas. These Jerusalem followers of Jesus were not regarded by the nation as renegade Jews for holding the mistaken idea that the dead N azarene was the promised Messiah ; the rulers found no fault with them for neglect of Temple worship or Mosaic injunctions; indeed, after the short, sharp persecution, of which the chief victims were Stephen and J ames, the Church at Jerusalem had poaco for twenty years. 'I'hese Nazarenes were in no sense Jewish apostates; they were really perfected Jews. 'I'hey were a small section of Israel 'rho believed that the Messiah had come, and gone, and was about to return. And they" were the better .J cws for their belief-they regularly attended the Temple services, offered sacrifices (Acts Hi. 26), kept the Sabbatic ordinances, and observed all the national laws and customs. Indeed, "a great company of priests"-rnen still officiating in the Temple-joined the believing band (Acts vi. 7; v. 42; Hi. 24 and 26). Had the J ews, as a nation, been brought to repentance by the preaching of the twelve Apostles; had they mourned, as hereafter they will with godly sorrow, over "Him whom the} pi erccd" (Zeck. xii. 1O-H), and acknowledged Rim as Messiah, there would have been no change of dispensation such as that which actually took place. The Jews would not have been "broken off and cast away" (Horn. xi. 13-19), the "outcast of Israel" (Is. xi. 12) would have been brought forth from exile, as we know hereafter the} shall be, and J udah and Israel re-united have again formed one nation (Ez. xxxvii. 22). The Lord Jesus Chri t would hare returned from heaven to sit upon the throne of David and inaugurate the reign of righteousness (Jer. xxiii. 5, G), and. the course of ti.me run on smoothly and uninterruptedly to the final C011summation of all things. In that case we Gentiles must have occupied et standing very far in fen or to that which now has been allotted us. 'Ye could then have been adinittcd as proselytes, and as proselytes only could we have become partakers of Israel's promises. But this was not to be. God had reserved for us a better portion than that of mere proselytes (Heb. xi. 40). It was for this purpose-in the mysterious counsels of God-that the Jews were suffered to persist in their impenitence, until "wrath overtook thorn to the uttermost" (1 Thess. ii. 16), that we might be raised to a far higher standing and be made partakers of "better promises" (Heb. viii. 6) . "Ye judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, 10

we turn to the Gentiles," said Paul to the blaspheming Jews. The inference seems clear that had the Jews received, instead of rejecting, the Word of God, the Apostles wou lcl not have turned to the Gentiles. For the la t 2000 years God has been "yisiting the Gentiles" (Acts 'xv. 1~), 110tto convert them as nations, hut to take out of them a people for His name, and no further change of dispensation will take place until all those from among the Gentiles who shall he "heirs of salvntion" arc ga thercd into the Church. These :Z,OOO Wflrs form a parenthetical dispensation. The thread of prophecy was broken off, the f'ul Iilment 0 r the ancient prophecies indcfinitelv su pended, and a ]1('W state of things introdu(;ed, illfiniic'ly important in it cif, but hal,ing- no necessary connection either \\ ith that which went before or with that which shall follow after. During this parenthesis, or interval, is being formed "the Church of God," and when it members art' complete 01(' thread will be resumed again, just as if no interruption had over taken place. X 0 ono Church ever "cl has had the righ ( to call itself "lh e Church of Christ," meaning therebv that it is the onc and only true Church, to the exclusion of all others-neither that of Antioch, nor Ephesus, nOTRome, nor Geneva, 110r England, nor any other, in any place, or at any time. Individuals on l v arc chosen bv God, pulled out, as it were, here and there from the various congregations of professing Christians. Few in number arc they compared with the masses among whom they dwell, and they remain for he most part undistinguished and unknown till the clay of Christ, when, asscm bled as onc body, clothed upon with resurrection glory. they shall be recognised as "the sons of God" (Rom. viii. 14-). Thus it is evident that the past dispensation and the future dispensation is a national one, b111 the present dispensation is not national, but individual. The establishment of this new dispensation was signalised by miracles and .igns and wonders (1 Cor. xii. 9, 10; 2 Co~. xii. 12), but after the laying of the foundation bv apo tle and prophets (Eph. ii. 20) these wonders ceased, and since their death there has been no open miracle or sign, except the miracle of the conversion of each individual sinner, which is the greatest of miracles of Divine grace. It is not po sible to state with any certainty when Paul received the revelation of the mystery, or to fix the date of the birthday of the Christian Church. In 2 Cor. xii. 1-7 we read that it was "fourteen years before" that revelations were vouchsafed to him. This epistle wa written about A.D. GO. Fourteen years earlier would he A.D. 'b6, which was the year when Barnabas and Paul were separated for the work whereunto the Holy Spirit called them (Acts xiii.). And it is in verse 46 of this chapter we read the solemn epoch-marking words spoken to the Jews, "It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken to you, but, seeing ye put it from TOU, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, 10, we turn to the (}entil<.'s." In all probability this was the crucial moment when the special work connected with the Mystery was about to be commenced-a work

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for which these two Apostles were specially separated and called. And it is not the mystery of the Church merely; it is a180 the "mystery of Christ" (Col. iv. 3), and the part about Christ is the higher of the two. Christ would no longer be alone (John viii. 29; xvi. 32), as He was to the end of His earthly career; He would have a new and suited body - believing Jews and Gentiles being fellow-heirs and-fellow-members of the same body. When all was complete in the communications of God's plan in the Old Testament Scriptures concerning Jew and Gentile and this earth,there was one subject that was left a blank. Paul was the chosen witness to fill up that blank. In his epistles he gives no lengthy exposition about it; he made it known in comparatively few words; but he has written with Divine perfection. It was revealed to other Apostles, as well as to some of the prophets of the Church (Eph. iii. 5), but to Paul first (verse 3) ; and it is by his pen alone that to succeeding generations the Great Mystery has been made known. Lt is in the Epistle to the Ephesians that the origin and development of the Church is perfectly unfolded. This (with the Epistles to the Philippians and Colossians) was written during Paul's first imprisonment in Home, about A.D. 62. The first thing to be noticed in what this epistle teaches as to the Church is this-that though the Church was called last into existence in the developed order of God's ways, it existed in His mind and purpose before the unfolding of His ways commenced. Before God separated Israel to Himself as a peculiar nation on the earth, the Church existed in the purpose of God. Paul declares, "God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world" (i. 4). This is not the covenant with Abraham or David; our thoughts are led back to a date (so to speak) before the creation of the world. And -in the future-marvellous to relate, it is "by the Church is to be made known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God" (iii. 10, 11); while on earth. "unto all generations for ever and ever shall glory be in the Church by Christ Jesus" (iii. 20, 21'). Another thing demanding attention is that this great purpose of God from all eternity was not revealed, or made known, till at least 4,000 years after the creation of the Adam race. Paul speaks of "the mystery which, from the beginning of the world, hath been hid in God" (iii. 9)." This declaration is of great importance. What was made known through Paul had been unknown to prophets of old, for we read, "it hath now been revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit" (Eph. iii. 5) ; that "now it is manifested by the Scriptures of the prophets" (Rom. xvi. 26), i.e., by the writings of prophets then living (1 Cor. xii. 28), of which "Scriptures" only the Epistles of Paul have, by the providence of God, been preserved. And the Church, which is the subject of the mystery, is outside Jew and Gentile; indeed, it lies completely outside this world. As we have before said, it has a different origin, it is revealed at a different time, it cherishes a different hope, it belongs to a different sphere. Instead of inheriting the Old Testament pro-

mises and fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies, it forms the most absolute contrast with them that the mind can conceive. So different are they that the two cannot exist together. "While God's purposes about the earth were being unfolded, the mystery of the Church was hidden. When the mystery of the Church was unfolded, the purposes about the earth were suspended. The Church is associated with Christ in heaven; Israel is associated with Him on earth. 'I'he Church knows Him in His suffcrings and patience; Israel will know Him in His exaltation and powel'. The Church looks for Christ to take her to the heavenly places before His return to earth; Israel looks for the Messiah to restore them to their ancient dignity and privileges, and to reign over them as King. There is a great contrast between the hopes of Israel as represented by the twelve Apostles and their followers in J crusalem and those of the Church as taught by Paul at Antioch and Ephesus, in Asia, Macedonia, and Rome. 'I'herc are two, and only two, Church ordinances that have the sanction of a Divine command, i.e., Baptism and the Lord's Supper. During the last few months a very determined effort hat; been, and is being, made to do away with these sacred ordinances, on the ground that they are purely Jewish rites, and connected only with the Jewish members of the Jewish Church at J erusalem, and have no connection with or binding power over those who belong to the Pauline Church, or mystical body of Christ. As we have already dealt somewhat fully with this objeetion in pages 77 ~nd 93 (May and June) of this publication, we need not here repeat what is there said. Suffice it that water baptism is approvingly referred to by the Apostle in Rom. vi. 3,4, Col. ii. 12, Eph. iv, 5, and the Lord's Supper in 1 Cor. xi. 23-26. May we, in closing, refer for a moment to the outward aspect of the Church to what is called Christendom? When we look around on the various sects and divisions of Christiani ty from Iioman Catholicism, on the one hand, to Brethrenism, on the other, what an ecclesiastical confusion presents itself. There seems to be a marvellous resemblance between the Jewish nation of olden days and the Christian Church of more modern times, both as regards their decline and the manner in which they departed from the truth. Both, it Jllay be said, started well, and both began to fall away with melancholy rapidity, while in both there is found a faithful remnant, numerous individuals who remain faithful to their Goel.. Both of them also become more or less heathenish, and, just as the Jewish nation were eventually sent into captivity, so Paul has forewarned as to the doom of an Apostate Church. N one of the churches now existing can claim to be the Church. There is more than one candidate for the proud position, but the strongest of the warring sects only contain a percentage of Christendom, which, alas! is at present known quite as much by its quarrels as by its agreement. Indeed, it is an opinion held by some that since the death of the last of those on whom Paul and his fellow-apostles laid their hands, the Church has ceased to be in any sense an infallible guide,

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and henceforth existed only as a body of believers of which the various members were to be helpers and comforters of one another, the Holy Scriptures being the sole source of information and inspiration. After the time of the Apostles, with their supernatural gifts, no man has been enabled to say, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us" (Acts xv. 28). The churches to-day are associations of men and women, including a large proportion of those who are not spiritually minded. :N 0 professing Church is entitled to claim to be anything more than a human institution: the true Church being invisible. The churches, as at present constituted, more or less encourage and develop party spirit and sectarianism, and, to say the least, there is a strong tendency to subordinate truth to' the interests of the community. 'I'he best churches are only means to an end; they are in tended to keep alive and develop the Christian character, and, if they fail us, the individual Christian has still the inspired Word to fall back upon. He can always, by prayer and trust in God, obtain that light and love which are the real objects of God's training and discipline on earth. Yet, with all their faults, the churches are no doubt necessary parts of the machinery by which men are raised from the lower to the higher, and are used by God for that end. 'I'he servant of Christ is always a member of the true and invisible Church of the firstborn. It is the invisible, not the visible, Church that is the real object of our Father's regard and love. The true Church has not yet fully come into existence. This may appear by asking one or two questions. Has our Lord yet finished building His assembly (Col. ii. 7)? Has the living Temple yet ceased growing (Eph. ii. 21)? Has the Christ yet presented to Himself His ecclesia all glorious (Eph. v. 27)? The Church is now in process of formation, the spiritual growth still continues, the work is approaching completion, and when hereafter assembled in the heavenly places, coinpletc, and in resurrection glory, fully organised, mighty in power, perfect in holiness, "not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing" (Eph v. 27), then shall the Church be revealed to be admired with great admiration by all orders in God's Kingdom for all the ages to come (Eph. ii. 7; iii. 10). The Church is to be manifested as the Body of Christ -as it were, a part of Himself. Unspeakable honour! It is to share with Christ the inheritance of all things in heaven and on earth. Wonderful revelation! (Col. i. 15-18). No mortal mind can conceive or grasp the import of such revelation as this. May we continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel.

"~o many of my members have been at outs with one another," said a pastor. "They have had their feelings hurt." "Wouldn't it be fortunate," said I, "if they could be treated as are those who have appendicitis, and cut off their sore feelings?" "Indeed, it would," assented he. "And I'd be willing to pay the cost of operating on some of my members." Church members getting their feelings hurt! Ridiculous! A maiden losing her temper because the wind flips a rose petal in her face! Think of it, a professed follower of the meek Jesus getting angry with a fellow disciple ! And usually over a mere trifle. Pray, what does Christianity mean, if not a little forbearance? Nine times in ten the offender meant no offence at all. You fancied ill when none was intended. You are just supersensitive. You have lots more feeling than religion. Even if offence is intended, you ought to have enough of the Christ spirit to take no notice of it. Now, don't get your feelings hurt any more. Be ashamed of yourself and make yourself behave.-Cumberland Presbyterian.

. ..

]6"olutionat)? 1Ronsensc.
a contrast there is between the Divine simplicity and saving power of the Gospel, and the conceited evolutionary nonsense heard in some pulpits. Here is a brief sample from a "higher critic": "Behold, a world is in process of creation; fire-mists are cooling, planets are throwing off rings that harden into moons; habitable worlds are putting on a cloth of green and gold, while soil climbs to grass and flowers, and vegetable life climbs to animal life, animal life approaches man, and savage men become patriots, heroes, and saints." Vain man is like a wild ass's colt, wearing plumes and exploiting flimflam for Gospel, only now and then nodding to God. Boasted progress needs a guiding bric1le as well as a stimulating spur. The gigantic boulders of sin are before us, and only almighty power can remove them. Mere human progress is like speed in a blind horse going the wrong way. Righteousness before God comes from the blood of the cross. Flesh can only produce flesh; we must be born from above. Those who believe in salvation by character and development are stone blind to the Bible. The clevil must laugh at a bloodless Gospel, as his children despise "slaughter house religion." The Word is emphatic and uncompromising in its testimony that, without shedding of blood there is no remission. The way of Cain, with fruits and flowers and without the slain lamb, is the way of sure condemnation and cleath.-E. P. Marvin, in Watchword and Truth.
WHAT

Rotorua.

C. CRISP

BROWN.

"In the innermost traits of His being, Jesus is more transparent and familial' to 118 than any hero of the world's history."-Et~chen.

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--THE--

: HOME
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..-~

SHEOLWARDS. For some months past a discussion has been appearing in the Bible InvestigatoT (edited by Rev. John Urquhart ) on the Nature and Destiny of Man. We learn that this is now closed, and we feel free to make a few comments upon it. By the kindness of a friend we have read the articles as they have appeared, and our impression from the whole is that it is absolutely necessary in a discussion on these important themes that the advocate of the popular views shall define from the Scriptures what he means by the prime terms he uses. He should supply the signiflcation of the words "soul" and "spirit," and, giving his definition, he should be called upon to show the Scriptural grounds for such a view. The discussion ought not to proceed until this has been done. In these articles "Delta," who defends the popular view, quite airily asurnes that "soul" or "spirit" (for these are confused, a thing which is never done in the Bible) can, and does, carry personality apart from the body. This assumption trammels that purt of the argument which is given to a consideration of the Bible evidence regarding the death state. Thus in a reference to Job xvii. 13-15: "If I wait Sheol is my house : I have made my bed in the darkness, I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, My mother and my sister." "Delta" adds, "Job's destination is twofold. The spirit is for Sheol; the body is laid down in the darkness." To which it may be replied, Th is is adding to Scripture in order to support a theory which the language of the patriarch does not contain, and there is no ground in Scripture elsewhere to justify the inference. It is a clear contradiction to Scripture concerning the destiny of the spirit. There is ~o mention in its pages of "spirits" gomg to Shcol, but it directly affirms that "the spirit returns to God, who gave it," i.e., it ascends to God, whereas whatever goes to Sheol descends. All verbs of motion attached to this word indicate that Sheol is downwards. There is, further, a .tot" I ignoring of the personality-the "I" of the text. If "spirit" goes to Sheol, and the body to the grave, as contended by "Delta," which of these is the' "I"? "Vc have no doubt as to "Delta's" reply; indeed, we find it in the assumptions so plentifully bestrewn through his articles; but our contention is that Scripture invariably attaches personality to the organism-the body, living or dead. If that can be established, and we have no doubt whatever of its certainty, then the very special pleas advanced regarding Sheol become invalid. We say this because the whole drift of the argument presented by "Delta" has been towards the endeavour to prove consciousness in the death state, althougb, when the dis-

eussion began, the question was, "Does the Scripture teach the immortality of man ?"-a very different proposition. Beta, the Conditionalist advocate pointed out that Sheol is described as a place of death, and that grey hairs, weapons of war, and dead bodies went there. Shcol, he declared,. is "gravedom," i.e., all graves viewed in one. This position "Delta" was compelled to meet. He could not deny that; according to the English version Beta was quite justified in making these statements but with an appeal to Hebrew' he contended that the translation missed an important point. In Genesis the sorrowing Jacob says, "If misch id befall him (Benjarnin ) by the \\'ay in wh ich ye go, then shall ye bring my gre,Y hairs with sorrow to Sheol!" Here, says Beta, "is evidence that grey hall'S can go to Sheol," and if grey hairs, then obviously the rest of the body also. No.' replies "Dclta"; 'here is where vour scholarship is lacking; there is no -"to" in the passage, the word is "Sheol-ah," and the "ah" at the eudl of the word simply means "ward's"-Sheolwards.' Again, il: the Book of Numbers occurs the very ignificant passage, "But if the Lord make a. new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and sw.rllow them up, with all that appertain to them, and they "0 down a live into Sheol . . . So the';, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into Sheol" ( urn. xvi. 3033). This seems quite decisive, and the reader of the English version is clearly taught that the men, and all their belongings, went down into Sheol. But "Delta" says, "The Hebrew text swallows up this argumeut as completely as the earth swal lowad up those daring rebels. There is no "into" there, but,instead we find the former phrase, 'Sheol-ah,' Sheolwards." The opened ground was not Shsol, nor was the deeper earth SheoJ. Both were only the way to Sheol. Sheol was deeper yet; they went down alive Sheolwards." Prodigious! That the revisers should have missed this obvious point is wonderful, and that it should be overlooked by those whose speciality is a study of this , important matter is astonishing. Surely We must hang our heads in humiliation that we, on the authority of the English Version, should have affirmed what it declares, in ignorance of the dictum that the Hebrew text does not make that affirmation. But, stay, there is onc important question to ask. If these people went Sheol",.ards, and their belongings with them, did they reach their destination? Or have they stopped short on the way? Yesterday evening I left a meetinz and journeyed "home-wards," and in due. time 1 got there. If a person in Auckland, setting out on a journey says, "I am going Melbourne-wards," he would be looked upon as a dissembler if he went no further than Sydney. His hearers would understand that Melbourne was his objective. So tbe question which presses in the light of "Delta's" marvellous discovery is, Did those sinners and their belongings eventually reach Sheol? Does the addition of "wards" mean approach without attainment? His reply to this

would be an interesting contribution to be added to his discovery. But there is yet another word to say which may find a place in this short review. The terminal preposition "ah" in Hebrew, seems to correspond to what is known as the accusative of direction, denoting direction towruds a.n object, or motion to a place. It does not preclude the idea that the place is reached, or entered, but suggests that it is, as in Judges xvi. 1, u.A..nd Sarnson went Gaza-ah," i.e., Gazuwards. That Samsori entered the city is evident from the after story, which tells that when he went out of the city he took with him its 'doors and posts. \\~hen the Israelites wen t "into Egypt" (Mizru.im-ah ) to buy corn, dud they get there or not! When Joseph commanded his steward to brillg L1,e brethren home to Joseph's housc they were brought "into Joseph's house" (both-ah ) . Did they enter or not? Let the reader determine from the perusal of the chapter. Such expressions as "into the house," "into the tent," where this suffix is used, ought to have taught our friend a little caution ere he so jubilantly imagined that the important argument drawn from the passages ci ted by Beta could be so easily set aside. TIle late Mr. Spurgeon warned his students once against adopting "tadpoles of Interpretation,' and it seems to us that it must be one of that species that "Delta" has discovered. There is yet another thing that may be sa id in regard to this, and that is that "Delta" is not sufficiently careful in his choice and use of materials. At the close of the article in which this special interpretation is brought to light is a reference by him to Ps. ix. 17, "The wicked shall be turned into hell (Sheol) -all the nations that forget God;" and he adds, "That is a special fate. It is a special judgment upon wickedness. But if Sheol is the grave, then the speciality of the fate disappears, seeing that the grave is the appointed lot of all men. There is not one part there for the wicked dead and another part for the blessed dead. But if Sheol and the grave do not signify the same place the meaning is clear." Oh, "Delta," consistency is a jewel I Why did you not read this in the Hebrew before you cited it? Had you done so you would have seen that it would hardly suit your purpose, for, to use your own words on Num, xvi., "'Ve flnd the former phrase 'Sheol-ah,' Sheolwards!" Beta might say to you, "Yes, certainly, they went Sheolwards, but as, according to your showing, the grave may intervene, they may have stopped there on the journey and your Sheol knows them not." In view of "Delta's" contention it is noteworthy to observe that it is this form, "Sheol-ah," which is found at the first occurrence of the word (Gen. xxxvi i, 35), where, we presume, "Delta" would not limit it to direction without attainment. Now. we are quite prepared to accept the dictum that the addition of "-ah" is equivalent to our English -wards, but we believe that its use in Scripture is such that if the object or place towards which

JULY,

1910.

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

109
of the work of Christ is left out of calculation; they lose sight of the truth that if He had not died as a sacrifice the whole of His life, perfect as it was, would not, and could not. have atoned for h~man guilt. Christ's death, they say, IS to be deplored as the work of mis.guided men but is not to be regarded III any Way' as a factor in human salvation. Is not this the way of Cain? Cain's next step was enmity of the truth. Because Abel's bloody sacrifice was accepted and his "fruit offering" 'vas rejected, he rose up against his brother and slew him. Hatred of the truth developed the first persecutor and caused thr- first martyrdom. Then Ca in went out from the presence of the Lord. He sought acceptance in t.hn t presence by a method of his own; fniling in this, hr- leaves it-leaves it. never to return. This was "the way of ('~in." and it mean t that for thf' future he would act independently of God and "O.f' his own judgment ns to what was rig-ht and wrong. The last thing we know about Cain io "hf' built" city And cnIled the name of it after the name of his son." Re souvh t to make his world a pleasant, ~"fp~ and prosperous abode without GocL And thcv made real and lasting progress. Int{'llect and skill must have been sin"ulnrlv active then. Thev originated ;TlI'I Pl;ltivoted thE' useful And ornamental srionces : thev were ngri(mlt11risto .. musir-inns. a nd ,,~orkers in metals (Gen. iv, 20-221. These cducnt.inz and elovn tinc agell('ies \I'pre design-d. not in suborrl innt.ion to, but n s subst.i tutes for God's provision which unbel ief had rejected. For nearlv 2.000 y!'ars the Ca ini tes flourished -there is no evidence that they ever returned to the worship and service of God. And then the flood came, a nd all in "the way of Cain" were overwhelmed nnrl swept, away. \Varning words are these for all of us. Christendom has largely gone in this way. The Divine inspiration of the Seiiptures is denied, prophetic truth pract.ica.lly rejected, tIle truth of the atonement ignored. Education, music, science and arts-things good and innocent in themselves-are looked to as the rezeneratcrs of the race, and any past or'" future work of the Lord .Iesus is not ma tter for great consideration. Man can work out his own destiny. Evolution is the watchword of tbe race. But, "Hc that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in de~ision' (Ps. ii. 4), and it shall be said, "Woe unto them! for they went in the way of Cain." Let us read and heed these solemn admonitions of Jude, and, refraining our feet from the way of Cain, be "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." CARPUS. "The heights of Christian perfection can only be reached by faithfully each moment' following the Guide who is to lead you there, and he reveals your way to you one step at a time, in the little things of your daily lives, asking on YOl~r part that you yield yourselves up to hIS guidance."

the direction moves is attainable, then the addition implies that it is attained. Thus understood, all of Beta's arguments concerning Sheol as a place of dead bodies, souls, grey hairs, etc., remain in their original strength, unaffected by this vaunted bit of Hebrew criticism. EDITOR.

Tbougbts for tbe Tbougbtful.

"Wha.tsoever things are true, whatsoever things fire venerable, think on these things" (Phil. iv. 8). The epistle of .Iudo is onc of the neglcl'ted portions of the New Testament. Though written to "them thn t are called, br-lovsd in God the Father, and kept for .Iosus Christ." yet the matters mentioned in the epistle are little to the credit of the particular community to which they belonged. Certain men had "crept in privily," turning liberty into license, and, moreover. were "denying the on Iy Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." And so the whole strain of the epistle is one of warning against these evil persons and exhorting the faithful ones "to contend earnestlv for the faith which WAS once for all 'delivered unto the saints." What adds to the interest of this ('pistle is thn t it was written by an a.ctual brother of our Lord. We read 111 Ma rk vi. 3, "Ts not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and -Iudas find Simon? and are n.rt his sisters here with us?" Not any of these were numbered among tIle twelve Apostles; indeed. at first they derided His claim to be Messiah-"Even His brethren did not belicve in Him" (.Tohn v. 3). James a.f'terwa.rds-c-how and why we know not-became the head of the .Terusa lem Church, oven l,e who wrote the epistle called by his name, and who was declared by Paul to be "the Lord's brother" (G'-tl. i. 19). There were two Apostles of the name of James -onc was beheaded by Herod (Acts xii. 2) and the other was the son of Alphceus (Matt. x. 3), of whom 'we know nothing. The distinction between the Apostles and the brethren of Jesus is most marked in Acts i. 13, 14. Jow here Jude (or .Iudas ) calls himself "brother of James." The reference could be to no other but the James the wellknown leader in Jerusalem. .Iames and Jude, then, were two of the four "brethren of tbe Lord" (1 Cor. ix. 5). Jude, writing concerning the teaching and conduct of these evil men who had "crept in," and become members of the Church which he was addressing, says they went in THE WAY OF CAIN. "They went in the way of Cain!" This is not spoken of men in the outside world, but of professed believers. What is this way of Cain, a pathway trodden by men in close association with the assembly of the saints, and yet, in reality, are active subverters of the faith? In Gen. iv. we read of Cain-the first great criminal of the Adam race, the first to outrage the laws of nature by murder-

ing Abel, his brother. Yet at first "the way of Cain" was not marked by any Vel~y glaring wrong, but he lacked faith and obedience, and so things in themselves lawful and innocent became means of wrongdoing. Cain was an agriculturist. This is a lawful, honourable and most useful branch of industry. The employment of Adam in the Garden of Eden, before his fall. was to dress it and keep it. The wronsr that Cain was guilty of was in oyerl~oking the curse which rested upon the earth because of sin, and the fact that he was a son of sinful parentage, and therefore himself tainted with sin. and that something more was demanded from him than a mere useful life in causing the earth to yield her increase. Cain "brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord." He WRS a reli~ious man-a religious man of the world-the head of the so-called "rcl igious world." In most outwa.rd things there was at first probably no creat difference between Cain and Abelboth 111ora1. both observe the forms of religion. and each takes an offering to be nrpsrntpfl unto the Lord. Here are the poirrts of resemblance between multitudes who bear the Christian name. In outward things they seem al ike, yet there is a vast and vital difference. Of the mnjority we fear it may be sa.id, "they are gone in the way of Cain." Cain brought of the fruit of the ground. Whn t wn s Cain's error? His error was he had no respect for God's Word. no adequate comprehension of what his father's (Adarn ) sin had done, how life had been forfei ted, nnd life had only been spared on cert a in conditions, in which evidently he had no faith. In a state of innocence a n ofre ring of fruit would have been a right offering as an expression of his gmtitude to the Giver of all blessings. But the penalty of sin is death, and hence Abel presented a sacrificed life as an acknowledgment of his deserts as a sinner and of the claims of Divine holiness, Is not "the wav of Cain" the popular rel izion of to-dav"? Is not the truth being last" siaht of th'at without shedding of blood i~ no remission (Heb. ix. 22), and that there is no way into the holiest but bv the blood of Jesus? Is it not the way of many to bring their offerings-some of them very costly endowments of hospitals, founding of orphanages, .erect. ing cathedrals, assisting to amellOr~te the condition of the poor, forwnrdmg social reforms, etc., otc., hoping thereby to win the favour of heaven and secure hereafter an eternal reward? And they boast, too, that by perfect organisation n nd ceaseless activities they will yet regenerate the world. The necessary sheddin" of the blood of Jesus Christ, the call of God to all fallen ones to trust to the merit of that blood-shedding-this is lost sizht of; it is ignored, forgotten, treated as" a misunderstanding in times less cultured and polished than our own. To talk of "blood" is offensive to the ears of the refined Christian in this enlightened twentieth century. It is the life of Jesus the Great Exemplar, we have to consider and imitate. And so the basis

110

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STANDARD.

JULY, 1910. The attendance at both morning and evening meetings has been good, and the interest is well sustained. Our Bible Class has also been encouraging, the meetings being fa irly wel l attended. A .T.L.R. DU:\,EIHK.-Our meetings during the past month ha\'e suffered considerably through the sickness of several members, of whom Bros. Greatorex. Wilson and Moss are still unable to attend the services. Our Sisters La wrence have been missed very much during their long holiday. A plan has been drawn up for the Sunday services, by which the work will be more evenly distributed. We are grateful to have the co-operation of Bros. W. Lawrence and L. Sanderson in this direction. The Sunday evening services continue to he conducted by Bros. G. Lawrence, Sincock and 'I'idman. Interest in the Christian Band meetings is well maintained, and a syllabus is being prepared for the next six months. The design and plan for the new Church has been passed by the Building Committee, a url we are deeply grateful that the "one thing now required" is coming in steadily. We desire to specially acknowledge the guarantee of our Auckland friends. Greetings in Jesus' name to all the brethren. H.T. GEORGETOWN (B.G.).-I was recently asked to read a paper at the Y.M.C.A., and chose for my subject, "Bread." This gave me opportunity to call attention to the fact that God is the Author and Sustainer of Life, and that all the information we have to hand concerning the cereals show that for their perpetuation they are dependent upon the care and cultivation of man, and that, uncared for, they would speedi~y die out - a powerful argument agal11st. the present popular doctrine of evolution. I was also able then to carry forward the presentation to the New Testament declaratj011 concerning Christ as the :nrea~ of Life, My paper was open to dISCUSSIon, but it was not attacked. At the close I had a brief conversation with a Methodist minister, who believes in evo-lution, and pointed out to him t~at if this doctrine be true the BIble ceases to be an authority. I still get a hearing on the street, and the young men at the Y.M.C.A. also listen to me. I went recently to La. Penitence, where I spoke on the "Destiny of the Wicked.' One preacher said he did not trouble about that question. But surely God has given His declarations clearly enough. Many gathered and listened to that address, although there are few who will read and study for themselves. I have a strong feeling that I shall see, before I die. the Bible removed by force from the people. If many are still without it to whom it has not been taken. there are millions who are wilfully without it, having east it away, and many of them hate it with great hatred. But, thank God, human hatred and opposition cannot thwart the fulfilment of the Divine purposes. Our Lord will return according to promise, and God's will shall be done on earth, as in heaven. W. S. EDQEHlLL.

11

'CHURCH

11

MISSlON

AND NEWS.

11
11

AUCKLAND.-Sunday morning, May 22: .Brother G. A. Green presided over the meeting, and in the course of his remarks cla.imed that one of the things we a 11 needed was certa in knowledge of the Truth so that we may be able to defend ourselves against erroneous doctrines. But the knowledge of tongues and propliecy that Paul speaks of shall be done away with, and faith, hope and love should abide for ever. In the evening Bro. Aldridge gave a very instructive address on "The Wonders in the Heavens" (Acts ii. 19), drawing attention to the wonderful exactitude of the time of the stars and planets, and how men may be guided by them. What does the advent of the comet say to us? It speaks of the existence of God and His wonderful wisdom (Jer. x. 2). Sunday, morning, May 29: Bro. L. E. Fa lkner presided, referring in thc course of his remarks to the late mission in Auckland by Mr. Henry, saying that if the converts declared for Christ some good has been accomplished. Attention was drawn to the stir that was made in the time of Christ, concluding with the desire that we may be more desirous of declaring the Message. The Baptistry was again open at the service, two more dear ones openly confessing their Lord in His own appointed way. In the evening Bro. Aldridge's address was on "What Does Christ Teach About Hell?" Our Lord was the only one who used the word "Hell." Gehenna, a place a little to the south of Jerusalem, Gai-Hinnom, the place the Lord assigned to the Jews. and no other. The fire unquenchable dies out when it has utterly consumed the sinners (Jer. vii. 31-33; xix. 6; Is. lxvi. 24). Sunday morning, Jurie 5: Bro. C. F. Garra.tt presided, speaking from the Epistle of James, -Who wrote to the 12 tribes of the dispersion. The words of .Iamcs are a direct application to us in the present day, as in the verse, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only." The passage on which our thoughts were centred was, "Draw nigh unto God and He will draw nigh unto thee." In the evening we listened to a splendid address by Bro. Aldridge on "Future Punishment as Taught by the Apostles." If there is to be a place where sin is existent, how does that coincide with the statement of the Apostle that God will be all in all, and also the declaration that sin shall be done away with? The Apostles were men divinely chosen to deliver the message, to turn men from darkness into light, and we can only know what they said from the. writings we have given us. They preached to men to whom their message was n ew, , Sunday morning, June 12: Bro. AIdridge was in the chair, turning once more to tbe 1st Epistle of John m., in the opening verses of which is pourtrayed that wonderful love of God by which, through the gift and death of our Lord,

we are permitted to become children or sons of God and one familv in Jesus Christ. In the evening our Br"o.'s address was taken from Paul's words. "I shrank not from declaring unto YOI; the whole counsel or God." In the time of Paul socia I and In bour troubles were preva lent, a nd in the cities that Paul visited men were as keenly alive to the endeavour for the betterment of conditions as they 'He to-day. To such was Paul entrusted wi th the decla ration of the Word -to the blind, that they may see; to the dca f, that they may hear; for, indeed, they werr- in darkness, and his desire was that tlley might be turned to the trno light of God. Sunday morning, June 19: Bro. Ernest Aldridge took the service, and spoke on the words of our Lord, "Whn.t I say unto you, J say unto all, Watch.' Our Bro. claimed that there can be no greater incentive in the life of the Christian than to wa tch for the re tu rn of the Lord; to "watch unto prayer," and to "watch in faith." "Blessed are those servants who, when the Lord cometh, shall He find watching." In the evening "The "umber of Man" was the subject of Bro. Aldridge's address, (Revelation xiii. 18) The Greeks nsed their alphabetic letters for numbers, and this gave a numerical value to words and names. 6 man's number, and points to man's imperfection; 666 the perfection of imperfection. Reference was Blade to the formation of trusts and monopolies n s stepping stones. to the events predicted in this chapter, and no doubt when the Ant.i-Cln-is t appeared his name would contain the nurnIwr (i(j(i. The Bible Clnss has held meetings on three evenings during the past month, Bro, Aldridge continuing his talks on the Epistle to the Romans, and many practiea I and helpful lessons have been learned therefrom to greatly help to guide our walk in Christ and strengthen us in our faith. On Wednesday evening, .Iune 8, our Bro. gave a ver.v interesting and instructive lecture on "The History and Mystery of Comets." The meeting was held in the Ch urch, and the address was illustrated by limelight views of the formation, advent, appearance and departure of these wonderful visitants. Unfortunately th!' weather was not the most agreeahle, and no doubt gceatly lessened the attendance, but those who did venture out were fully rewarded for their effort. J.H.W. HELENSVILLE.-Since our last notes were written sorrow has been in our midst, our Bros. Geldard having lost their aged mother. Bra. Heape, also, has lost his mother. Sister Heape was a member of 'Vest Street Church, but has resided at Whanga rei for several years. The heartfelt sympathy of all our members has gone out to our brethren in their time of sorrow, During the last couple of months we have had, as visiting speakers, Bro. Mushet, of Onehunga, Bro. Dick, of Dominion Road, and Bro. E. 'Vhite, of West Street, the local brethren supplying presidents and speakers for the other Sundays.

JULY,

1910.

THE MISSION
Editor,-I

BIBLE

STANDARD.

111

THE
Dear Mr.

FIELD.
trust I am not

CHRISTIAN BAND. ~
~~

too late for the July issue, as, no doubt, those who are interested in Mission work will be looking for a report from me. Since my last the interest at the several tained, and meetings that and attendance have been maina good deal,

On .May 23 the Reading Circle of the Christian Band was held, Bra. A. Smith presiding. readings He Bra. G. Aldridge from the "Pilgrim's journey Faithful's continued and the ex"Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. "The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shal1 be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. "The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing. "Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness." Ps. xli. 1, 2, 3, The Sunshine Committee wish to be able to distribute, within the next few weeks, winter comforts and necessaries to some needy ones whom we have on our Iittl e list. 'Ve have already sent out groceries, firing and clothing, but now we ask your help to be given to our BLAN1CET FUND. Your assistance (for we know you are wil1ing) may take one of the following forms :-By sending Ist-A blanket you can spare from home; 2nd-A brand new one, or pair; 3rd-The price of a brand new one, or pair; 4th-Part of the price of a new one to the Secretary of our Committee, MISS G. HARDY, C/o Dadley and Co., Queen Street, Auckland. We thank you in anticipation, and call to your remembrance the gracious promise given in the quotation above. H.A. COULD NOT BE TAXED. A tax-collector one day came to a poor minister in order to assess the value of his property and determine the amount of taxes. The minister asked the man to be seated. Then the latter took out his book and asked, "How much property do you possess?" "I am a rich man," answered the minister. The offioial quickly sharpened his pencil and asked intently, "Well, what do you own?" The pastor replied, "I am the possessor of a Saviour who earned for me life everlasting, and who has prepared a place for us in the Eternal City." "'Vhat else?" "Healthy and obedient children." "What else?" "A merry heart, which enables me to pass through life joyfully." "'Vhat else?" "That is all," replied the minister. The official closed his book, arose, took his hat, and said, "You are indeed a rich man, sir, but your property is not subject to taxation."-Sel. Progress."

is saying

considering the wet days and dark nights, which usua.Ily affect church attendances. We can with all gratitude to our God for the evident operation through the Word thank courage. It has been of His Spirit Rim and take privi-

followed

my happy

lege to assist two dear friends in making the good confession in the waters of baptism, Which number would have been augmented by three, business and physical difficulties intervening , but they are only waiting the first favourable opportunity to make the "good confession," beside two others who a re seriously contemplating that important step. Vile have again to express our deep gratitude for the sympathy and loyal support of the brethren and sisters of Hamilton East, whose great desire is that the meetings may be sustained, as they expect a very much larger n.ttendance when the days get longer, some coming from a considerable distance. What is urgently needed is the effort of a brother resident here, who can resnme the house-to-house visits, which I was compelled to discontinue owing to the indisposition of my dear wife, whom I rejoice to say is very much better. I cannot close my report without mentioning the Christian courtesy of our Baptist brethren, who generously placed their church and baptistry at my disposal for the immersions, and have intimated their willingness to accord the same favour on future occasions when we may require it. Pray the Lord that He will send forth more labourers into His vineyard; the fields are white unto the harvest. May the Lord prosper the effort; to Him be the glory.
CRAS.

B.

KING.

Hamilton,

June

20, 1910. WORK.

DE LA WD'S

De Lawd He had a job fa' me, Bnt Ah'd so much to do, Ah nst Him git somebody else, An' wait till Ah got froo; Ah don't know how de Lawd came out, But He seemed to git along; But Ah felt kind 0' sneakin' like 'Kase Ah knowed I'd done Him wrong. One day Ah need de Lawd myse'f, An' need Him right away. He never answered me at all, But Ah could hear Him say, Way down in mah accusin' heart, "Ah's got so much to do; Yo' bettah git somebody else, An' Wait till Ah gits froo."

periences and the meeting of the Pilgrims with Talkative. 'Ve saw how the faith of some men never reaches below the surface, and how they talk about things of which they know nothing, and why Christians ought to be thorough. We have the Word, and therefore ought to be victors over our difficulties. Vanity Fair was then described. All sorts of evil were there, and all sorts of professions. The people of the Word ought not to mix up with these things. Faithful got his raiment at the cross, and we must have this raiment of righteousness to distinguish l1S as we pass through this world. On May 30 a paper entitled "The Old and New Jerusalem" was given by Sister :NI. Green. Jerusalem means dwell ing of peace. It was seven times captured, and twice demolished. In the reign of Solomon it attained its greatest glory. God sent His only Son to Jerusalem to sit upon the throne, but they received Him not. Jesus also wept over that city. The rulers of the city put Him to a dreadful death, and the ancient city was overthrown. God. being interested in Jerusalem, intends it to be rebuilt, and it shall yet become the Empire City of the world. The Lord shall choose Jerusalem for His throne. A glorious promise - He will again send a ruler to His beloved city. Then shal1 the earth be joyful. The Prince of Peace shall reign supreme, and God's will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven. There is a great city, which is to come down from heaven. It is of pure gold, and has twelve gates and twelve pearls. At the present time God is choosing a people out of the world to dwell in His city. Let us henceforth strive to be inhabitants of this city. On June 6 the usual monthly Roll Call meeting of the Band was held. Bra. J. Woodward presided, and an instructive paper on "Jesus, Healer an Friend," was given by Sister B. Penman. What wonderful deeds were wrought by the Lord. No case was ever too difficult for Him to cure, and how thankful were many of those who were healed. This powerfnl healer, now risen from the dead, is our Friend, and we are called, not only to His companionship, but also to His service, and to the extent of our powers we should copy His example. We are saved to serve. From us goes forth influence which must tell upon others. Let us see to it that it is for good and not for harm. Many messages were received from absent members. "The sweetest, purest ornament that a woman can wear, and of which she should feel proudest, is the clinging necklace of her baby's arms."

-Selected.

112

THE

BIBLE

STANDARD.

JULY, 1910.

U:be :fBible Stanbarb.

Orders
High to be sent. to -_the BOok Steward, Auckland.

MR. E. PIlIPPS, 31,

Street,

Posit.ivo Theology, by Miles Grant, 4/6. Duration and Nature of Future Punishment, by H. Constable, 3/6. Sheol v. Hades, by T. F. Pells, 3/6. The Giver and His Gifts, by E. W. Bull inger, 3/-. ne L'uspes.kable Gift, by J. H. Pcttingell, 3/-. Hoy,)1 !lights and Happy Years, by W. Leask, 3/-. The Eig.,t Signs of St. John's Gospel, by F. Madeloy, lVLA., 2/6. Condition" lism , by F. L. Piper, 2/-. The Word of the Kingdom, by J. O. Woodruff', 1/6. The Star Evangei, by Geo. Aldiidge, boards 1/6, cloth 2/6. Addresses on the Atonement. by Geo. Aldriclge, 1/-. The Doctr-ine of Tmmortality, by .JnK TT. 'Whitmorc, 1/-. The Bible Doctrine of the Soul, by C. L. Ives, 1/-. Futuro Prohn t.ion , by 'V. G. Moncrieff', 1/-. Ti,e Prnruiso of Life, by .T. F. B. Tinling, B.A., 1/-. Frnmrn-tn litv in Old Testament Times, by 'V. G. Moncrieff', 1/-. Eternal Pr-inciples, by lVIiles Grant, 6d. Forgotten Themes, by G. A. Brown, 6cl. Paul ine Theology, by VV. Leask, 6d. The Na turc of Man, by W. Broaclbent, 6d. The Kingdom of God, by Geo. Aldridge, 6d. In Quest o.f Truth, by Geo. Aldridge, 6(l. The Prophecy on Olivet, by Geo. Aldridge, 6cl. The Fourth Prophetic Empire, by Geo. Aldridge, 4d. Berea.n Siftings, by Geo. Aldr idge, 4d. l novi ta hie Immortality, by Canon Liddon, 4d. EnnlPsts of Redemption. bv Gea. Alc1riclge, :lcl. r:od's Eternnl Pm-nose, by Ceo. Aldr idg, 3d. 1'11('1" Unni,,]', Di};'" r'ln.ss, by S. ';Vilson; 3d. Why I n 111 " Cb t-istin.n. by S. Stokes, :Jd. :SDiritis1ll-D,'monism. bv A. Smith, 2d. The Spi ri t in Mnn--'Vh~t is it? by Miles Grant, 2(1. Christ. the Source of Immor tal itv, by A. G. Wilkinson, 2d. 1'he Rich Mnn nnd La.zarus, by Geo. Aldridge, 2d. The Vnlue of it T1'11eEschatology, by F. Madelcy, M.A., 2c1. T110 History of an Immortal Soul, by S. S. Brewer, 2d. The Cln.ims of Conditional Immortality, by R. H. Strung, Id. Vi'hnt is Mnn?" by l\files Grant, Id. The Son of Man Coming in His Kingdom, by C. C. Brown, Id. Our Lord's Retm-n the Christian Hope, by Geo. P. Me.Ka y, I(L That Blessed Hope, by F. W. Seeats, Id. 'rl,c End N~'1r, bv C. E. Brooks, le1. Sni ri t. Soul , Bocly, by R. H. Judd, le1. T~~ Spirits in Prison, bv Geo. Aldriclge, Id. Opportunities for Salvation in an Af'ter Life, by C. C. Brown, Id. .Iernsa lem : The Metropolis of the World, by W. Leask, Id. 80n1. by W. G. Mon cri eff , Id. :Spiritn~lism, Trlle or False? by C. E. Brooks, Id.

The Bible Standard can be ordered direct from the 'l'reasurer. MR. A. M. SKEATES, Queen Street, Auckland. s. d. 2 6 Price PCI' annum, post free .. o 2 Single copies .. BOOK STEWARD-ill. PHIPPS, 31, High Street. AGENTS FOR '.rHE BIBLE STANDARD: NEW ZEALAND. Anckland-Mr. Hancock, Bookseller, Queen Street. Wellington-H. J. Barraclougb, Myrtle Crescent. Dunedin-Mr. Lawrence, Hope StrQet. Kaiapoi-Mr . lames Holland. Hangiora-Mr. Wm. Smith. South Brook. New Plymouth-Mr. Fred Goodacre, Courtney Road. East Oxford-Mr. A. England. Thames-Mr. C. Sanders. Macky Street. 'I'Imaru-c-Mr. H. U. Ki ug, Stafford Street. 'I'Iuwntd, Ashburton-i\lr. Shearer. Waihi-lIfr. Joseph Foster. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adeln lde-s-Mr. C. Gamble, Magill Road, Stepney. Sydney-Mr.
H.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Cropp, Gray Street. Kogrua h.

Communications to the J1Jditor to be addressed: GEO. ALDHIDGE, Brentwood Avenue, Mount Eden. Telegraphic Address, "Rocky Nook." All communications to the Association and orders for Bible Standard to be addressed to the Secr'etm-y, MR. ALEX. PAGE, Murdoch Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland.

CHURCH
Hold Services as nnder:

OF

CHRIST

AUCKLAND-West Street. Sunday, at 11 o'clock a.m., Fellowship Meeting. G.45 p. m., Preach ing Service. Sunday SCllOOlat 2.45. Wednesday evening, Bible Class at 7.45. Evangelist's address-Geo. Aldridge, Brentwood Avenue. Mount Eden. Secretary-Mr. J. H. Ward, Stanle y Street, Arch Hill MOUN'l' ItOSKILL, Corner WaIters Road and Emma StreetSunday ut 11 a.m., Fellowship Meeting. Sunday at 6.45 p.m., Preaching Service. Sunday School at 2.45 p.m. DONEDIN-Oddfellows' Hall, Stuart Street. Sunday at 11 a.m., Fellowship Meeting. 6.30 p.m., Preaching Service. Wednesday evening. at 7,45. Christian Band Meeting is held in Kroon's Reception Room, St. Andre w Street. Church Secretary-Harold 'I'idruan, Lorne Cottage. King St .. Roslyn. HEJLENSVILLE-Church. Sunday, F'ellowsh lp Meeting, at 11 a.m, Sunday School at 2.30.
Sunday Evening, Preaching, 7.

Chur-ch Secre tu ry, B. :M. Cameron. THAMES--Pollen Street Lecture Hall. Sunday at 11 a.m., Fellowship
Evening Service at f).30.

\!rel'lsnrer's

Meeting.

'E.cfmoW'Ieboments"

Sunday School at 2.30. Evangelist-Chas. Waterhouse, Heale St., Parawai. Secretary-Chas. Sanders, Mackay Street, 'I'harnes. WAolHI-Ch.urch. Main Street. Sunday, 11 a.m .. F'ellows h ip Meeting. Sunday, 2.30 p.m., Sunday !':chool. Sunday EJvening. at 7. a Public Address. Church Secretarv-e-D. Donaldson . Evangelist-J osepb Foster, \Vaihi. TIMARU-Sophia Street Hull. Secretary's Address-H. H. King. Stafford Street, 'I'imaru . HAS'I'INGS, HAWKES' BAYSunday at 7 p.m., in the Old Library Ha.ll, for Fellowship, Breaking Bread. a.nd Address .. Acting- Secretary's Address: J. 'N. Walker, Willowbank
Road, Hastings.

Rib7e Standard 8ubs.-Me'ldames Gray (Vie.), Widdison, Lowe, Cullen, Grimlrocl. Misse= Rogers, Messrs. F. B. Hughes, 'V. S. Hughes rvie.i, Blukev. W. T,. Gilhert (Cal.), D. Campbell, Wm. Smith (Ca nt.) , D. Sm ith, J. Goldie, G. Whitcombe, .Jenkins (Arch Hill}, ,T. M. 'Miller (Hastings, 3 copies), W. Manning, R. Fn.llowcs, H. Philli1)S, L. 'Pearce, W. Stoupes, T. Dick son, J. F. Hansori (Helensville). .Association 81.!bs.--Mrs. Knot t, Messrs. F. Firth, T. O. .Jenk ins, E. White, H. H. King, J. M. l\1ilJer. A. lVI: SKEATES, Treasurer. The Treasurer would be glad if all current tions as yet unpaid are forwarded this month. year's subscrip-

.. .

ADELAIDE, S.A.-Drllids" Hall. Beulah Road. Norwood. Secreta rv's Address-Miss L. L. Blaclccby, 226, Rundle St., Adeiaide, S.A.
Printed bv the Bnm-r PnrNTING AND PURLISHING COMPANY, Short land 'Street, for the New Zealand Evangelistic and Puhllcatlon Association. and published by W. A. S~II'l'H, Selwyn Road, Mt Albert, JULY, 1910.

Real Ja.ith is as satisfied, and rests as firmly on the ahiding promises of .Iehovah, as if it had all the blessings of grace and glory in hancl.-il:f. Top lady.