VOL: HI
NO. 4
APRIL 1912
l i i
' .iBodfe^^^awi^'^f^i ^"fti'^i;; .TiB-oai,; tpe; state of man, t h e way- of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its pra- I .cepts are'.' Jjlnding, its' liistories are .t£ue, : and Its decisions are immutable» , Read -.it to be •Wise, believe itstib be s^.fe, and .practise It to'fee hoIy.|- ii contains light to dir
Published Ojice a Month by Sits Btblf SnstttutP of K ob Atigetejs LOS ANGELES, CAB
FIFTY CENTS A YEAR,
MOTTO: I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it, I will, keep it night and day.—"Is. 27:3 T ® g B U S I N E S S J. H. SAMMIS, Editor Entered as Second-Class matter November 17, 1910, at the postoffice at Los Angeles, California; Under the Act of March 3, 1879 Orgänof THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES,(Inc.) 260-264 South Main St. (Second Floor) Los Angeles, California Table of Contents Ask—Editorial
Two Bits—John Bunyan ; 11 The Safe Preacher Law and Gospel Dissemination—W. C, Sherman Personal Work—T. C. Horton A Darky Prcacher—Selection
Seventh Day People—J. H. Brooks Jesus' Prayerfulness—R.' E, Speer The Theological Seminary—Mark Mathews The Sin of Unbelief—Selection Analysis of Apocalypse—W. J. Erdman
DIRECTORS ' • ; I.ymarl Stewart, President
. Rev, A. B. Prichard, Viçe-Pres.
T. C. Horton, Superintendent
J. M. Irwin, Secretary-T^reas R. A. K. Hackett W. K Blackstone S. I. Merrill, R. A. 'Jtoprey - Gîtes Kellogg Hobt. Wàtchorà Doctrinal Statement , We hold to the Historic Faith of the Church as expressed in the Common Creed- of Evahgelical Christendom and including i The Trinity of the Godhead. 1 The Deity of the Christ.
: The Maintainance of Good Works, ; The Second Coming of Christ. ; : The Immortality of the SouL The Resurrection of the Body. The Life Everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Im- penitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan, (4) Spanish Mission. Meetings every night. (5) Shop Work. Regular Services in shops and Factories. (6) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work among the Hebrews. ; (7) Bible Women. . House-to-house ' and neighborhood classes. (8) Oil Fields. A' mission to men on the;oil fields;. (9) •'•• Books and Tracts. Sale and distri- " bution of selected books and tracts.
The Personality of the .Holy Ghost. The Supernatural and Plenary author- ity of the Holy Scriptures. The Unity in Diversity of the Church, which is the Boay and Bridé , of Christ. The Substitutionary Atonement. : The Necessity of the New Birth. PurDOSCs ^ e Institute trains, free of ^ ^ * cost, accredited men and wo- j men, in the knowledge and use of the Bible, \ Departments: < l > T h ,°, J n ?, titute j *• •... Classes held daily ex- cept Saturdays and Sundays. (2) Extension work. Classes and còn-i' ferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted ! Iby our evangelists, fi
OUR WORK
r HY ask? Does not God know? Yes; He who said, "ASK" said that, Mat. 6:8. Is not God's plan fixed from eternity? I believe it; the Book that says -'Pray" says that, Acts 15:18. Is not natural law changeless, an nn- broken chain of cause and effect? It looks that way, Gen. 8:22; Jer. 33:25 Does not the prayer of one often cancel that of another? Logically it seems to. How then can God answer prayer? I do not know. But I do know that all men instinctively cry to Him in need, as new born infants for the breast. Why instinct should lie in one case and not in the other is as hard a question as any here. I do know that myriads of saints have said, and do say that their prayers are granted. I, myself, say as much of my own. So much is this the case that I have found myself, apart from the promise, saying." If I ask I shall ge t ." That is the fruit of experience. I do know that God could write prayer into the eternal scroll of His age-long schemes; and that He mast be as able to use the laws of nature to work this, or that, without a break in them as man can. I shall ask and leave to Him the how to give. Jesus prayed! I know, too, that the assurances of prayer could not be greater. It is written that nothing is impossible with God, however it may look and be to men, M4rk 10:27; that He is able to do for "if ye ask any- more than we are - A sk w h a t thou wilt "Wh at shall i a s k ? i h i n ? „ i n m y n a m e. aDie to asK, Jlipn. F r om labor and t he cross release, I Will OO i t , " SO 3.': 20; and will not E x emp t i on f r om the common t a s k, ask what ve will mock his child who A l i f e of ? a r e l 6 SS e a s e ? and it »hall be done coM W o r I " A s k ^ a t thou wilt, "Or, shall I a s k ^ » W " V * cold stone, or a F or gold, a million yellow s u ns « t a r ry wait for it; scorpion's s t i n g , Wi th f a v o r i ng beams, t h at I may bask why, hitherto- ye Luke 11: u , 12. I W i t h F o r t u n e 's pampered sons? have asked noth- know t h a t t h e „\ , , • ing," ask!" Mat. P r a v e r - h e a r e r 's A s k w h a t t h o u wilt," and should I a sk 7 , 7 R . j - i . - 10.0a. t n S E f i ^ f 1 . P o r m a " y days, t h a t thou shouldst a r m I j °< J " 1 " 1 liberality IS equal My s t r e n g th with breastplate, shield, and 14:14; 15:7; Hab. to His ability. What casque 2; 3. m o r e could H p s a v? Invincible to h a r m? „1 . • , . more couia n e say. We do not know He tells us to make ,„Viat to for our wants known " A J: k w h a t thou wilt," and shall I a s k ^¡fiy**. tt; " TJ,;. , « The praise of men, t he obsequious crowd iAS.9 cnuaren we to mm, riui. 4.0, T h at f a w n i ng b r e ak t he f u l s ome flask Cry for harmful and . adds many Of flattery o'er the proud? things that wise "exceeding great ^ love can not give to and precious prom- A ? k w h a t thou wilt.' And shall I a sk this there ». o p _+ I . J A mo n a r c h 's crown, a s t a t e s ma n 's skill, J 18, r o F . 8 .¡T • i * ; T » T o bear t he sword, and w e ar t he m a sk IS provision, If We saying "Ask and it T h at rules t he world a t will? seek it; the Spirit shall be given you," ' wil teach find help "for everyone that Ask w h at x will? then, Lord I a sk us, Rom. 8:26; and asketh receiveth," Thy will, Thy praise, T hy k i n g d om be. the Word also, in therefore "ask and ^ S ^ v e ¡n T & l m m y t a s k ' which we learn to receive that your begin with "Hal- joy may be full," - ' l o w ed be T h y Name," and to follow with, "Thy will be done;" the Lord's example being before us, Mat. 26:36; His loftiest request for Himself being writ under that for His Father's glory, John If ; j. Once more, if the consciousness of our fleshly failing beclouds our expectation w e are told of Elias' victory though himself of the same passions and infirmities a s W e- Thus we are by "line upon line" encouraged to "ask nothing doubt- ing," 1 Ti m . 2:8. Bab^s in Christ» in their first use of this gift of grace, ask more for "daily bread," for the good things of this life than for "the best gifts," but as they move from grade to grade they cease, more and more, to ask for the supplies, comforts, and goods, of this life; and find their desire and delight in communion with the Father, and petition for growth, and gifts of grace: for others rather than for self; for the failing Church; and the fallen world: and above all for ihe sovren rule of the Lord Himself in and oVer the petitioner hiinself. Not till then do they taste the sweets of fellowship, or gain the fulness of the Promise "Ask—it shall be done!"
Seventh Day People By James H. Brooks, D. D.
e GSSGXDT is strange that they bother E'' T v themselves, a n d everybody I. I « they can reach by voice or / P e n . about a question that Q ffiSlj has so little .real importance. Even if it can be shown that almost tfie entire church has for nineteen hun- dred years mad,e a mistake in setting aside., for the public worship of God, for the preaching of His. word and for the sacred, rest day, that is associated with the. resurrection of our Lord, what good could be gained by a change of the day? To this it, will be replied that Gods commands are to,.be,obeyed, with- out regard, to consequences. True, but has J He ever forbidden any other day to be • observed as a Sabbath ? Let us see. " In the Fourth Commandment pro- claimed fròm Sinai, He says, "Remem- ber the Sabbath day," not the seventh but th$ Sabbath day,; "to keep it holy. 1 ' Then the seventh day was the Sabbath, but He, is careful to add, "the Lord blessed the Sabbath day," not the sev- enth day, but the Sabbath day, "and h^il'oivea it."' (Ex. 20:8-11). If it is urged that« in the institution of the Sab- bath, "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God cf^ated' and made" (Gen. 2:3), it must nè't be forgotten that the ordinance was originally linked with the first creation, the rfest of which was soon broken and dèstroyetì by the entrance of sin. ' Nor must it be forgotten that the ordinance took on a new meaning and róasÓn for its observance even under tlje lavi. "In six days the Lord made heaven and éarth, the sea, and all that in thèm is,, and rested the seventh day, and.hallowed it.'-. But forty years later, wfyen the Decalogue was repeated on thè plains ,of the Jordan, not a word was said about creation, but "keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy "Gód hath commanded thee . . . and remember thfit thou wast- a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence . . . . therefore the Lord thy God commanded thée to keep the Sabbath day." (Deut. 5:,12-15)., ... From this it is evident that God did not wish the Sabbath day to be Kigidly confined to the commemoration of His
creative power, but He intended that it should teach other lessons and receive additional sanctions, and become linked with the experience of His gracious and providential dealings. Hence, in the feasts and offerings that were plainly and confessedly typical of the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, He speaks of another Sabbath that was to he observed. Thus in the Feast of first fruits, rec- ognized by all as setting forth the resur- rection of our Saviour, it is enjoined upon the priest, "He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the Sab- bath the priest shall wave it.' The first day of the week then is here set apart for the observance of the most marked and important solemnity connected with the feast. "And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: even from the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days." Here again in the feast of Pentecost God was teaching His people that a new Sabbath must take the place of the old* and that the day which symbolizes the gath- ering of the Christian Church was not to be the seventh, but the first day of the week, the seven sabbaths being com- pleted and giving way to sacred observ- ance associated with the work of re- demption. So, too, in the feast of tabernacles it was ordered that "in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land,, ye shall keep a feast unto the Lord seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath," (Lev. 13.) It is not true, therefore, that even in the Old Testament God con- fined His people to a seventh day sab- bath, but He made provision for a first day, anticipatng the finished work of His Dear Son, the Spirit of prophecy ex- claiming, "The stone which the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it," (Psa. 118: 22-24.
Hence in the New Testament there was no need of any special enactment of the first day sabbath. The law and its types and ceremonies were fulfilled in Christ, who showed that so far as the seventh day sabbath was related to Israel, it was to be set aside. "Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat," (Mat. 12:1.) When the Phari- sees complained, He gave them to un- derstand that He was disowning unfaith- ful Israel, and that He had a right to break the seal of the covenant He had formerly made with them, "for the Son of Man is Lord also of the seventh day." In another place He said, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath," (Mark 2:27); and there- fore it is not to be compressed into any narrow apd Jewish conception of its observance, but is adapted to the broad- est needs of man wherever found and at all times. It is enough consequently to know GN2X5®i'SUS' consciousness of God Is y T y In nothing more fully ex- 0 0 pressed than in His prayerful- W J fl ness. Prayer was the natural 6 GXD W atmosphere of His life. Even in the midst of a theory He would at once express an inward satisfaction in an outward thanksgiving (Mat. 11:25, 26). The Father seemed.ever to be to. near and Jesus was accustomed to speak to Him as He would speak to one of His own disciples (Jno. 12:27; Luk. 23:46.) His disciples seem to have been impressed with this recognition of the nearness and love of God. They knew the spot where the 5,000 were fed as "the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks" (Jno. 6:2'3), and they remarked on His habit of thanksgiving, of "blessing" in prayer (Mat. 15:36; Mrk. 8:6; Luk. 9:16; Mat. 26:26, 27; Luk. 22:17-19; 24:30.) The first impression of prayerfulness is its love of solitude. There are three kinds of solitude, solitude of time, soli- tude of place, and solitude of Spirit. Jesus knew all these. He was accus- tomed to spend the night in prayer (Luk. He would rise long before day and pray in the faint morning light
that He rose from the dead on the first day, that He appeared on different occasions to His disciples upon the first day, (Jno. 20), that the Holy 'Ghost descended on the first day, (Actâ 2)} in order to show why'it was that the disciples come together to break bread on the first day of the week, (Acts 20:7) and why it was that the Spirit. gave order to the churches to lay by them in store upon the fir^t day of the week their benevolent contributions, > (I Cor; 16:1, 2. The seventh day had bound them to a creation that was marred^ to a rest that was disturbed, to à law that was broken;' but the first day linked them to a new creation of which the risen Christ was the head* and looked on to a rest that can never be inter- rupted. Hence the* disciples of Jesus were not to be judged any more with respect to the seventh or Jewish sabbath (Col. 2:16; Rom. 14:5, 6), but the sacred observance of the Lord's day was not even so much as questioned by the first Christians. (Mrk. 1:35); and at the sunset, hour., "When evening shuts,'.' and th
Jesus' Prayerfulness Robert E. Speer
He claimed to sustain to God was in keeping with the constancy of His pray- erfulness. In all the exigencies of His life He turned to the strength of pray- er's fellowship instinctively. The great events of His life were preceded by prayer: such miracles as His walking on the sea and stilling the tempest (Mat. 14:23-35), feeding the 4,000 (Mat. 15:36), healing the lunatic boy (Mrk. 9:14-2«), raising I^azarus( Jno. 11:41, 42), feeding the 5,000 (Jno. 6:11); such outgoings of power as His upholding of Peter upon the sea, and the healing of multitudes at Gannesaret (Mat. 14:23, 31-36). The people con- nected His prayers with helpful influ- ences, and brought little children to Him "that He should lay His hands on them and pray" (Luk. 6:12, 13), and Peter's great confession was made after the disciples had been engaged in prayer alone (Luk. 9:18, 20.) The transfiguration was a phenomenon of prayer. Such prayers of anticipation are com- mon. Facing a great crisis men turn instinctively to a power without them- selves, desiring help in the hour of need. When the crisis is past they lean once more contentedly upon their own strength and discernment. Jesus, however, followed the great events of His life by prayer: the feeding of the 5,000 (Mat. 14:23,) the remarkable Sabbath spent in Capernaum, with its miracles and (Jeep impressions (Mrk. 1:32, 35: the healing of a leper, the symbol of impurity, in a Gallean town (Lyk. 5 : J $ ); His baptism (Luk. 3: 21, 2 2 .) The sorrows of His life were met in prayer: the misunderstanding and ma- terialism of the people (Jno. 6:15), the awful prospect of the murder of God's Son by the nation which God had
trained to' be His first to recognize and obey His Son, His own physical weak- ness and moral strain (Mat. 26:36-46), the prospect of self-sacrifice and the bitter-sweet conditions of His coming dominion (Jno. 12:28), the triumph of death over those He loved, and the fail- ure of His friends to understand His triumph over death (Jno. 11: 41, 42), His agonizing end (Luk. 25:26.) Much of His prayer was for others than Himself. Simon Peter, whose needs He well knew, was a constant object of His prayer (Luk. 22:32); and on His cross He prayed for His murderers (Luk. 23:34), in true com- mentary on Luke 6:27, 28. Such was His confidence in His prayers that He even gave thanks publicly for God's goodness in hearing Him before any answer had come (Jno. 11:41, 42.) In some strange way His soul was stirred in prayer. When He prayed "yet more strainingly" the blood-drops stood out in sweat upon His brow (Luk. 22:44), and it was, "as He was praying" that "the fashion of His countenance was altered" (Luk. 9:29) His prayers were as simple, too, as those of a little child (Mat. 11:25-27); Jno. 11:44, 42;-Luk. 23:34, 46), and as* submissive, wholly free from all self-will and pride (Mat. 11:26; 26:39, 42, 44.)
The busier He was the more" earn- estly He seems to have given Himself to prayer (Mrk. 1:35; Luk. 4:42; Jno. 6:15); but He was ready at any time to forego for the sake of service the privilege of silence and communion which He so greatly valued (Mat. 14:4). His disciples were greatly impressed by His habit of prayer, and they re- quested Him to give them instructions that they might be able to pray (Luk. 11:1.) —From "The Man Christ Jesus." The Theological Seminary Should Be a Biblical Reservoir il Dr. Mark Mathews
gN2XSi(SR. MARK MATHEWS of Seattle ST p w V in his charge to the newly install- Ö [ ) " ed President of San Anselmo Seminary gives some strong, • ( SO O sensible advice. Among other things he said:
Teach Him the Bible, and that is the inspired Word of God. Don't teach him about the Bible, or in the Bible, but teach him the English Bible itself. Teach him how to handle the Bible. It is the sword of the Spirit and one should know how to wield it. A theo-
logical seminary is not an incubator of philosophies. It ought to be a Biblical reservoir from which the student could • get the unpolluted, undiluted, and un- colored fluid of divine inspiration. You, sir, and your faculty, are not here to apologize for the Bible, write amend- ments to it or expunge paragraphs from its sacred pages; you, and your asso- ciates, are here to teach it. It is di- rect from God, and should be so taught. If you cannot and will not do that, re- sign now. The Object of the Bible is to reveal Christ t o a . l o st world. Christ came to reveal the Father, establish the Fath- er's Kingdom and save His people from their sins. = Your students should be filled with the Bible, and: they should have a personal knowledge of Christ and a daily experience of His abiding presence. Indoctrinated Preachers. Make cer- tain the correct doctrinal viewpoint of your students. If they have any doubts about the inspiration of the Scriptures or the deity of Christ refuse to grad- uate them. Keep them here forever, if they are not clear and certain on those two essential points. Without the whole Bible and the deity of Christ you can not have a Gospel minister, preacher and prophet. No man who doubts the Bible or denies the eternal Sonship and deity of Christ has a right to enter the pulpit. There is no place or room for such in the Presbyterian denomination. We want only men who personally know, and have experienced the effect of, and are willing to testify to the ef- ficacy of the vicarious atonement. We want men who know the doctrine, and are willing to preach the doctrine of the whole Gosper of Jesus Christ. Over the door of every house where Uni- tarians meet to repeat their ritualistic denial of the deity of Christ there ought to be placed a bronze figure of the crowing cock as the emblem of perpetual r SX2N3OW beautifully the writer of the _ _ t» letter to the Hebrews identifies I—I W himself with those to whom it H I 1 « j 5 addressed! In the argument 0 O 3 W l e leads up through the types to the wondrous sacrifice to Christ Himself, beginning and ending the
denial, and if there are any in the Pres- byterian church who secretly deny the deity of Christ they ought to be honest enough to seek shelter under the cock- crowned roof of Unitarianism. We want no man to leave the seminary who will give an uncertain sound on the great fundamentals, essential truths, and eternally decreed doctrines of the vicarious atonement. We want you to send out men strong in the doctrines, firm in the faith, and bold in their declaration of the Gospel. Give to the world great doctrinal preachers, great evangelistic preachers in whose souls burn an everlasting pas- sion for the . souls and salvation of lost men. Send out men who know the aw- fulness of sin and the blessedness of the salvation provided by the death of Christ. Don't send out trimmers, give us men who believe, and men who will speak the whole truth. Give to the pul- pits great, broad-minded, loyal men; men who will protect their pulpits from the invasion of persons who deny Christ. No man who. loves Jesus would allow one who denies Christ to occupy his pulpit. That is not bigotry, it is loyalty to Christ. It is not narrowness, it is only nearness to Christ and the Triune God. Give us honest men who will be true to the Trinity, to the Bible, and to the standards of our church. The world needs a consecrated ministry with a blood-stained Gospel as its only message. You must send into the world wise, sympathetic pastors, profound preach- ers, ecclesiastical lights, Gospel leaders, righteous patriots, and fearless proph- ets. Then, and not until then, will you receive your reward and crown as a faithful potter. The vessels of honor and service will then testify to your consecration and faithfulness. We charge you to look well to your duty and promised crown,
à
f i
The Sin of Unbelief Selected
epistle in majestic and unassailable ar- gument. His exhortations to faith and patience in the tenth chapter are fol- lowed in the eleventh by a review of the heroes of faith, and in the first view is an exact definition of faith looking at it from the divine point of view. The
sidered ourselves responsible for cher- ishing? By taking the simple and im- mediate way pointed out in I John 1:9. "If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all righteousness.-' Look unto Jesus, the author and finisher ¿j of faith. There are times in the life of God's separated one when it seems as if all the forces of the devil were con- tending against our simply believing God, and with "faithful Abraham count- ing the things that is not as though it were." The devil so weaves a veil of reality about us that we can see nothing but his counterfeits of the real and the ca- lamity, and the symptoms, and the dis- tance at which he puts God, and the re- ality and the present distress so real that we fall into the sin of unbelief. Where then is our refuge, and how can we lay aside the sin of unbelief? Simply look to Jesus. "Impossible for God to lie." "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it." Therefore, dear child of God, turn in simple trust to Jesus and talk it over with Him, "and a little talk with Jesus sets it right." He, the author, will surely care for the weak faith, and He, the finisher of faith, will finish a work begun in us if we but yield wholly. The only hin- drance to God is an unyielded will. There is no power in heaven able to work out God's plan to save and sancti- fy and perfect and fill with all the ful- ness of Jesus, in one in whom the will is not yielded to Him in the minutest particular. There is no power in the X? realm of the adversary, the devil, that can withstand God in the perfecting of His will concerning us, in the will that is yielded to God in its inmost depths. of the Spirit in a masterful manner. He answered every question w'iith a verse of Scripture. He kept good natured but maintained absolute control of his audi- ence. Nigger Sam proved that it is pos- sibel to know and preach the clean-cut Word of God, and that men will listen, and that God will bless His own Word. He handled perhaps fifty or sixty differ- ent passages and always to the point. May the Lord raise up some more preachers after this kind.
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substance of the object of our faith and on another side the evidence that "we have the petition we have desired of Him." A vivid commentary on Mark 11:24. In chapter 12 he begins, "Wherefore seeing we also are com- passed about with so great a cloud of witnesses let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that gy ^ Two Bits By John Banyan I. The Safe Preacher |UNYAN brings "Christian" as far as the Interpreter's house who greets him thus: "Come in; I will show that which will be profitable to thee." So he commanded his man to light the candle, and bid Christian follow him; so he had him into a private room and bid his man open a door; through which when he had done Christian saw the picture of a very grave person hung up against the wall; and this was the po- sition of it. It had eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in his hand, the law of truth was written upon his lips, the world was behind his back. It stood as if it pleaded with men, and a crown of gold hung over his head. "Then," said Christian, "what mean- eth this? "The man whose picture this is, is one of a thousand, he can beget chil- dren (I Cor. 4:15) travail with chil- dren (Gal. 4:19) and nurse them him- self when they are born (I The. 2:7; I Cor. 3:2). And whereas thou seest him with his eyes lifted up to heaven, the best of books in his hand, and the law of truth written on his lips, it is to show thee that his work is to know and unfold dark things to sinn«rs; even as also thou seest him stand as if he pleaded with man; and whereas thou seest the world as cast behind him, and that a crown hangs over his head, that is to show thee that slighting and de- spising the things that are present, for the love that he hath to his Master's service, he is sure in the world that comes next to have glory as his reward'." "Now," said the Interpreter, "I have showed thee this picture first, because the man whose picture this is is the only man whom the Lord of the place, whether thou art going, hath authorized to be thy guide in all difficult places thou mayst meet with in the way, where- fore, take good heed to what I have showed thee, and bear well in thy mind what thou hast seen, lest in thy journey thou meet with some that pretend to lead thee right, but their way goes down to death." LOVE God, thou art love? Then it must be That love in loving loveth Thee; II. Law Versus Grace gV!3SSXEIEN he took him by the hand V-« w» jV and led him into a very large g " \ X / p a r l o r that was full of dust, ' » y because never swept; the which ( SO B after he had reviewed a little while, the Interpreter called for a man to sweep. Now when he began to sweep the dust It began so abundantly to fly about that Christian had almost therewith been choked. Then said the Interpreter to a damsel that stood by, "Bring hither the water and sprinkle the room," the which when she had done it was swept and cleansed with pleasure. Then said Christian, "What means this?" The interpreter answered, "The parlor is the heart of a man whose heart was never sanctified by the sweet grace of the gospel; the dust is his original sin and inward corruptions, that have defiled the whole man. He that began to sweep at the first, is the Law; but she that brought water and did sprinkle it is the Gospel. Now, whereas thou sawest, that so soon as the first began to sweep, the dust did so fly about that room by him could not be cleansed, that thou wast almost choked therewith; this is to show thee that the Law instead of cleans- ing the heart (by its working) from sin doth revive, put strength in and in- crease it in the soul, even as it doth dis- cover (uncover) and forbid it, for it doth not give power to subdue (Rom. 7:6, 7.) Again, as thou sawest the damsel sprinkle the room with water, upon which it was cleansed with pleasure; this is to show thee that when the gos- pel comes in the sweet and precious influences thereof to the heart, then, I say, even as thou sawest the damsel lay the dust by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and sub- dued, and the soul made clean through the faith of it, and consequently fit for the King of Glory to inhabit." (Jno. 5:13; Eph. 5:26.) And life is life without a flaw, If life is love, since love is law. —J. H. S. , 0 THE KING'S BUSINESS n Analysis of the Apocalypse 80 (L qas^ JLÔ. A W. J. Erdman I THE SEVEN CHURCHES The Prologue The Son of Man The Seven Churches . 1: 1-8 « H¡ 1: 9-20 2: 1-3: 22 4: 1-5: 14 6: 1-17 7: 1-17 The Throne, the Lamb and the Introduction Progression Episode Consummation Introduction Progression Episode Consummation Introduction Progression Consummation Introduction Progression Episode Consummation Introduction Progression Consummation Episode Episode Book The Six Seals The Sealed and the Saved The Seventh Seal III THE SEVEN TRUMPETS The Angel and Incense The Six Trumpets The Seventh Trumpet IV THE SEVEN PERSONAGES The two. Signs in Heaven The Great Tribulation 8: 1 8: 2-5 8: 6-9: 21 10:: 1-11: 14 t The Angel, the little Book, the Two Witnesses 11 : 15-19 12:: 1-13: 1 a 13:: 1 b-18 14:: 1-13 The First Fruits and the Three Angels The Harvest and the Vintage The Overcomers and the Seven Angels 14:: 14-20 15:: 1-8 16 : 1-12 16 : 13-16 16 : 17-21 17 :' 1-18 18 : 1-24 19 : 1-10 V THE SEVEN VIALS The Six Vials The Gathering of the Kings The Seventh Vial VI THE SEVEN DOOMS The Babylon and the Beast The Doom of Babylon The Four Hallels The Six Final Dooms VII THE SEVEN NEW THINGS 19 : 11-20: 15 •0 Introduction The New Jerusalem The Epilogue 21 : 1-8 21 : 9-22: 22 : 6-21 Notes 1. The Analysis is an attempt to group the cpntents of the Book accord- ing to what seemed to be the lines of its Scripture. 2. An explanation concerning the so called Episodes may be necessary. They are in each instance both Retrospective and Prospective. Three are most notable as coming be- tween a 6th and 7th of the Seals, Trum- pet' 5 , Vials; but it is plain that 14:1-13 is also episodical for its retrogresses to the very beginning of the great tribu- lation "which is viewed in 13:1-18 as past, and thus as an Episode it is Retro- spective in its warnings against the Wor- ship of the Beast and in its word of comfort to the Martyrs. It is also Pros- pective in announcing the Judgment to come. Likewise in 19:1-10 two of the Hallels are Retrospective to Babylon as fallen, and two Prospective to the Mar- riage Supper of the Lamb and the In- . auguration of the Kingdom. The Episode, ch. 7, telling of certain "sealed" ones, again alluded to in 9:4, and of others who were in a great trib- ulation, is not only thereby Prospective or anticipatory, but also Retrospective in evidently pointing back to the 5th Seal and its prediction of a complement of martyrs who were to appear before the Consummation. 3. The Seven Objects of the Scene in Beast, the two horned Beast or the False Prophet. 5. The Doom of Babylon precedes the Dooms of Beast, False Prophet, Kings, Dragon, Gog and the Dead. 6. The Seven New Things are the New Heaven, Earth, Peoples, City, Temple, Lflminary, Paradise. 7. The Advent of the Lord is an- nounced in both Prologue and Epilogue. Heaven in chs. 4-5 are God on the Throne, the twenty-four Elders, the Liv- ing Beings, the Seven Spirits of God, the Angels, the Lamb and the Book. 4. The Fourth of the Seven Sections of the Scripture of the Book is the Cen- ter and the Culmination of all; its theme the great Tribulation of the last "three and half years," and to it as to the focal point the Seven Personages are related; the Woman, the Child, the Dragon, the Archangel, the Remnant, the ten horned Personal Evangelism T. C. Horton for we bring to such an one a great Saviour and a great Salvation. 1. Christ came to save sinners. This was His mission to earth. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. 1 Tim. 1:15. The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10. If a man is a great sinner, he knows he is lost. He must be shown that Jesus came to find him; came be- cause His great heart was moved with compassion for him. 2. Christ came to save helpless, un- godly sinners. "For when we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Rom. 5:8. Because we were helpless, He came to help, and because we were with- out God He came to bring us back to God! 3. Christ suffered for sins. Christ suffered for sins, the just for the un- just. 1 Pet. 3:18. He was wounded, bruised, chastened for sins. Isa. 53:5. 4. Christ is the Sin-Bearer. "Behold the Lamb of God which beareth away the sin of the world." Jno. 1:29. Who His own self bare our sins in Hii own body on the tree." 1 Pet. 2:24. 5. Christ is the Sin Purger or Clean- ser. When He had by himself purged our sins. Heb. 1:3. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow. Isa. 1:18. His blood cleanses from all sin. 1 Jno. 1:7. His blood cleanses from all unrighteousness. 1 Jno. 1:9. 6. Christ is able to save sinners. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost. Heb. 7:28. He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. 1 Jno. 2:2. 7. Christ is willing to save sinners. Come unto me and I will give you rest. >S my Father hath sent me even . J so send I you." Jno. 20:21. /V y God so loved the world that S^ He sent His Son; Christ so 0 GXD iy loved the world that He has sent us. Christ said, "I delight to do Thy will." Can you say that? In the matter of saving the lost to which you are sent by the Son of God, are you rejoicing in your privilege? Before you take up the lesson for the month it will be well to pause a moment and' get our bearings. Do we recognize our calling? Are we praying every day, "Lord, make me a soul winner?" Have we a prayer list, and are we praying daily for those upon the list? What have you done during the last month? Have you spoken to some person about his soul's destiny? As you take up the lesson dedicate your- self afresh to the supreme thing in human life, soul saving. In dealing with the indifferent we found that we needed to give them the message to bring conviction; with those anxious to be saved we told them the story of the Cross; we now come to one that claims that he is Too Great a Sinner. There are those who, deeply conscious of their sins, feel that their sins are too great to be forgiven. This is a healthy condition in which to find a soul, and the method, of dealing with such an one is simple. First: Do not attempt to make light of the sins of such an one. God has graciously brought him to see the enormity of his sin, but he cannot see it as heinous as God sees it; neither can he see it as hateful and awful as he will see it after he has experienced the saving power of Christ and has come to understand His spotless char- acter and holiness. If one feels that he is a great sinner, then we can rejoice, Matt. 11:28. Whosoever will, let him come. Rev. 22:17. 8. Christ came to call sinners. I came not to call the righteous but sin- ners to repentance. Matt. 9:13. One of these passages would be suffi- cient to use. Combined, they give an unanswerable argument for the sinner who is bowed down with a sense of his sins. For Bible illustrations use the case of David who was a murderer and whose confession of his sin as recorded in GXDGiCDOU ask: "Are there no living v w r v people at the end of the Mil- si Y X lenium?" I suppose you mean y y after the end of the Millenium; B GXD G and by "living people," you mean people living in the flesh, and on the earth. We find seven ages follow- ing each other declared and described in Scripture, in the sixth of which we are now living. The Millennial, or sev- enth, age, the characteristics of which are so fully described, is to be fol- lowed by, in Scripture terms, the "ages of ages." Those succeeding ages are not described, or characterized. Being ages, however, they relate to earth. They are not periods transpiring in heaven, but in earth; and must be pe- riods in human history. Eternity is endless time, but time in Bible terms is divided into ages, each future age, doubtless, having some special or pecu- liar characteristic, like those now past into history, and all pertaining to men we find on earth the re-embodied, on earth. At the end of the Millennium transfigured saints, who, (2) as heirs of all things, have also the glory celes- tial; the converted Jewish nation; the Gentiles, or nations, over whom Christ is "King of Kings, and Lord of Lords"; and the apostate hordes whom Satan has stirred up against "the Lord's Anointed." The Judgment of the Great White Throne results in the eternal dis- missal of those rebellious hordes; the other living wicked, if any, survive; and the wicked' dead, raised to judg- ment, into the eternal fires. There are thus left the glorified saints; the re- newed Israel; the teeming millions of redeemed nations. We see these all at the portals of the oncoming ages,, but Psa. 32 was met with full forgiveness. The woman at the well in the fourth of John, and the woman taken in sin in the eighth of John, the casting out of the demons who possessed the man at Gadara, in Mark 5, and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9, are all proof of the great truth that God loves the sinner and that God saves the sinner. Press the inquirer to an immediate decision upon the basis of Isa. 1:18, "Come now, let us reason together," and Heb. 2:3, "How Shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" cannot follow them because it has not been revealed what those ages have in store. But we know that all things having been subdued "unto Him . . . God shall be all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28). And this sufficiently answers your sec- ond and third questions, "Are there no righteous people then?" and "If not, when shall those living be judged?" They shall be "a|l righteous" and all judgment is therefore past. "What is meant by 'neither Jew nor Gentile'?" This was well answered by Rev. Dr. J. H. Brookes, who refering to Eph. 2:11-19; Rom. 2:26-29; Gal. 3:28; 4:28-31; which he says "undoubtedly indicate that the distinction between Jew and Gentile is obliterated in this dispensation, as to their standing before God, and their oneness in Christ. But a Jew no more ceases to be a Jew when he is converted, than a Greek ceases to be a Greek, or a Scythian a Scythian, or a woman ceases to be a woman. The same passages that tell that there is neither Jew nor Greek, tell us, also, that there is neither male nor female; and hence natural distinctions are not obliterated in Christ. But during this dispensation Jews and Gentiles alike form His body, and neither of the two classes is under law, but under grace. This, however, does not militate in the slightest degree against the plain and numerous assurances of God's word that, when the present dispensation shall have ended, He will resume His covenant relations to Israel nationally. The passages in the Old Testament to which you allude, prove the restoration of Levitical services only so far as they reflect, the glory of the reigning Lord and King of the whole earth; Interrogation Points By J. H. S. Facts of Faith J. H. ' S. out Hi mth e first an dlast chapters ar e wanting, Is . 44:6 ;Pr . 1:7 . 4 . His - tory begins with Him . H ei s first o n the scene. From Hi mma nproceeds; by Hi mh e progresses. A God-con- sciousness i n ma nconstrains an dre - strains him . Religion i s th e first fact in history, an dGo di s th e first i n re - ligion, Gn. 2:8 ;11:9, 10 ;Ac .17:22-28. 5. H ei s th e first fact o f Law. Legis- lation begins with Him, Gn .9:5 ,6 ; it s foundation stone i s " I AMJEHOVAH, thy God," Ex . 20:2 . 6 . H e i s th e Fountain o fal lprosperity, I Chr. 29:12; Mt. 7:26 . Th e science, philosophy, learning, law ,economy, religion, that ignores God , i s a house built o n sand. It i s o f those "little systems" that "Have their day. They have their day , and cease t o be. " 3. Therefore Weought t o put' God first in al l things. 1 . Al lwa s made for Him ,Pr . 16:4 . 2 . Al l t o please Him, Rv . 4:11 .3 . Therefore Hi s purpose precedes all, Ro. 9:20. 4 . Hi s will i sbefore all, Ecc. 12:13. 5 . Hence its accomplishment should b e man's first wish, Mt . 6:10 ;an d engage hi s first efforts, Mt .6:33 ;an dinspire hi s chief affection, Mt. 22:37. 8 .Life itself is i n Him, Jn .17:3. A right start here is a right start i n doctrine, faith, an d duty. Fo rcreed an ddeed H ei s abso- lutely sovereign, Jb .33:13. H ei s re - sponsible t o n o one . Al lar e responsi- ble t o Him , 45:23. Al l things ar e fo r His pleasure, Rv .4:11 , bu thappily i t is Hi sdelight t o bless Hi s creatures, Ps. 145:8. Th ehighest glory o f th e Creator i s t o manifest Himself; th e highest good o fthe creature i sthat same self manifestation. T oglorify Himself is t o beatify Hi screation, Jn . 12:28; Ex. 33:18; Jn .17:3 ,24 . H e lp m e i n a l l t h ew o r k I .do , To ever b e sincere a n dtrue, And k n o w t h a t al lI' d d o fo r you , Mu st n e e ds b e done f o r—OTHE R S. L et "Self" b e crucified a n d slain, And b u r i ed deep; a n da l l i n vain, May e f f o r ts b e t o rise a g a i n, Un l e ss t o live f o r—OTHE R S. And w h en m yw o r k o ne a r th i s done, And m yn e ww o r k i p h e a v e n 's begun, May I f o r g et t h ec r o wn I ' v ewo n , Wh i le t h i n k i ng still o f—OTHE R S. 1. Th efirst o f facts i s GOD, "i n th e beginning God." Only th edevout ca n find Him, Ps .10:10; Hab. 2:20; I I Tim. 6:16; Jb . 11:7 ;Ro . 11:33. N oevi - dences o f Hi sbeing ar eo f force with the proud minded, Mt .5:8 ;Jn .3:3 ;I Cor. 2:14 ;Ps . 14:1 . Creation i s a Burning Bush. H ewh oputs hi sshoes from upon hi s feet ma ydiscover th e cause o f th e "great sight," Ex .3:3-6; he ma yhear th eVoice, th eonly Voice that ca nsa y" I AM," fo ral lothers ca n only say, " Ibecame." There i sbu tOne self existent, who i sbefore all, above all , in all, through all, and for Whom ar eal l things, Ep .4:4 ;Col .1:17 . What a wonder! How great! How glorious! Ho w good! Ou rmind cannot compass Him , our ey ecannot se eHim, bu tou rheart can rest i n Him . When an yma n ca n see God then al lmay cry, " 'Woe i s me ! for I have seen God' " an dlo !H ei sn o taller than I ca nreach; H ei s n o broad- er than I ca nembrace; His. mind i sn o deeper than I ca nfathom." Then w e shall pu to n ou rshoes, an dturn back to,bur herd and t oour wilderness. Said Luther, " I have often essayed t o ex - pound th e Te n Commandments, bu t could never ge tbeyond. ' I a mth eLord, thy God.' " II. 1 . Science must begin with God, Gn. 1:1 ;fo rth eMatter, Force, Life, i n all forms, which i t studies ar ederived from, known to , an dmade known b y Him alone. 2 . Philosophy begins with God. Al l i s a n inextricable tangle with- out Him. God, Hi spurpose an dglory, is th eKe y that turns al lth ewords i n the lock o f mystery, an ddisvovers al l treasures o fbeing, Pr .9:10. 3 . Knowl- edge begins with Him . Under Hi s name, an dunder i t alone, al lma yb e catalogued, i n it s logical order. With- A GOOD STORY t h e r e i s a s t o ry told o f General Booth, tha't o n et i me h e desired t o send a N e w Y e a r 's g r e e t i n g, b y t e l e g r am a n d cable- g r a m, t o a l l t h e Salvation A r my p o s ts i n t h e world. C a b l e g r a ms a r eexpensive a n d h a v e t ob e s h o r t. G e n e r al Booth boiled h i s m e s s a ge d own t o .a single wo r d, b u t h e w a s g r e a t e n o u gh t o choose th e bigges t wor dI n al l th e dictionary ; s o t h is w a sh i s m e s s a g e— "OTHERS'! B y C . D . Meigs . Lord, help m elive f r om d a yt od a y , I n such a s e l f - f o r g e t f ul w a y , T h a t even w h e n I k n e el t o p r a y, My p r a y er shall b e f o r—OTHE R S. Others, Lord, yes, 4 o t h e r s. L et t h is m ym o t to b e , H e lp m et o live fo r o t h e r s, T h a t I m a y live lik e Thee. Notes by \ J. H. the Way s. TORREY "Dr. Torrey is too dog- ' s ! «) DOGMA, matic," said one. What i s dogma? Doctrine, principles, convictions. A teacher or preacher without dogmas has no call. Jesus was dogmatic. He "spake as one that has authority," they said. He said, "We speak that which we know; and testify that which we have seen." The question is, of a preacher, not as to his manner, is he dogmatic? but as to his matter, is it true? A preacher who does not know, and know that he knows, is not fit for his office. Now, what he knows he should affirm as a witness to its truth. A preacher with- out convictions can produce no convic- tions; a true man can state his convic- tions only dogmatically. Dr. Torrey is dogmatic because Christ was dogmatic, and Dr. Torrey is right to state Christ's teaching as if there can be no question of its truth. A CROP OF The new crop of preach- PREACHERS. ers producer by our seminaries are not dog- matic about anything, save the so-called "results of modern scholarship," which are that we can be sure about nothing biblical, that open-mindedness is our proper frame, and that it is open-mind- ed to doubt everything. The prophets, apostles, and the Lord were too dog- matic, too narrow, and must be taken with a grain-^rather a ton—of salt. These flowers of scholarship are proud of being "broad"; broad like Pilate, who said, "What is truth?" but declined to have an answer. They are not dog- matic as to the extent of inspiration, or of its nature; as to the virgin birth, and the veracity of Luke; as to the deity of our Lord; the literality of His resurrection; or the significance of the Cross. They are without convictions in their souls; therefore without convic- tions in their congregations. Give us the dogmatic preacher. Go on with your dogmatism, Dr. Torrey; only be sure of your dogmas. ... It is odd to see the Roman- PATRICK, ist exploiting Patrick as one of his patron saints. Patrick was a Protestant, before Protes- tantism, a Christian of the Apostolic faith before Rome set foot on Britsh soil. He was one of the first of; the Culdees, who were afterwards the op- SAINT ITEM A sly doctor, spied on a cer- THREE. tain resident statesman, now advanced from a state to a national office of great dignity, and learned of his druggist that the Hon. gentleman, a "Christian Science" lec- turer, too, had got a prescription re- peated which had "demonstrated" effec- tively a few months earlier. ITEM This much-traveled and philan- FIVE. thropic lady, dining at the wri- ter's table, told how she chal- lenged a "Scientist" friend, boasting of her religion. "What good are you 'Sci- entists' doing in the world? I have met many philanthropists of all denomina- tions, in years of attendance on their beneflcient congresses, and I have never met a 'Scientist' among them." ITEM In our vicinity a "Scientist" TWO. was enjoying that mythical malady supposed to be a toothache; she had that illusion, a swollen face; a most material-looking bandage comforting her jaw. To her callers she said she was feeling first- rate. There is no doubt of that; her feeling was all in good shape. In fact, it felt so well that she felt so bad that on her guest's departure she resorted to that vanity—a dentist. ITEM A Boston lady, who for years FOUR, has advocated various philan- thropic organizations before assemblies and conventions from one end of the land to the other, is taking medical treatment of a Boston physi- cian now sojourning here. The Jady pointing to a "Scientist. Church" opposite, said, "Doctor, if I were a 'Sci- entist,' now, I would not. bç here." "I do not khow," said the doctor; "since we are both so far from home, I will venture to tell you that several of my Botson patients are members of 'The First Church Scientist' of that city. EDDY These i t e m s are authentic. ITEMS. The "Scientist" is sly. Item One. A neighbor of ours re- quested her doctor to leave his auto in front of a neighbor a few- dpors beyond! The honest man declined to -conspire with this fair "Scientist."
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