JANUARY, 1911
VOL. II
Sealed. 2 Cor. 1: 22 We know not what God holds in store, Nor what his will for each may be. As we pass through another door Of life's untraversed mystery. We know not if this year may lead To shade or sunshine, joy or woe, To thorny road, or flowery mead Whilst yet we tarry here below. We know not; but 'tis good to feel We cannot pass from out His care; Upon His own, God sets His seal, And He doth keep them everywhere. Then let us now, with heart at rest, Start bravely forth on path untried; Our Father plans for each the best, And He most surely will provide. Charlotte Murray. HMWMMi IMWMMHINHMtaMMMMMiHMW* Published Once a Month by THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Bible Institute Press.
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Forever, O Lord, Thy Word is settled in Heaven.—Psalm 119:89 MxbU ImtxtnU (Incorporated ) 260-264 South Main Street (Second Floor) b o s An g e l e s , Ca l i f orn ia DIRECTORS: Lyman Stewart, President Rev. A. B. Prichard, Vice Pre«. T. C. Horton, Superintendent B. C. Atterbury, M. D. Secretary-Treas. R. A. Hadden, Supt. Extension Work E. A. K. Hackett W. E. Blackstone S. I Merrill W. L. Green DOCTRINAL STATEMENT We hold to the Historic Faith of the Church as expressed in the Common Creed of Evangelical Christendom and including: The Trinity of the Godhead. 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 Personality of the Holy Spirit. The Supernatural and Plenary au- thority of the Holy Scriptures. The Fellowship of the Church. The Substitutionary Atonement. The Necessity of the New Birth.
The Life everlasting of Believers. The Endless Punishment of the Im- penitent. The Reality and Personality of Satan.
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The Institute trains accredited men and women, free
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i ^ l J t ^ ^ 6 ^ ^ *** dai,y exCept Satur ' (2) Extension Work. Classes and conferences held in neighboring cities and towns. (3) Evangelistic. Meetings conducted b y compe- tent evangelists under our direction. (4) Spanish Mission. Meetings every night for Spanish-speaking people and house visitation. (5) Shop Work. Regular services in shops and factories all the year. (6) Jewish Evangelism. Personal work in homes for the Hebrew people. (7) Bible Women. House-to-house work and neigh- borhood classes. (8) Aqueduct. Work among the 4000 men on the new aqueduct. (9) Oil Fields. A mispion to the men on the oil fields. (10) Books and Tracts. Sale and distribution of selected books and tracts.
Departments
PRAY FOR THE WORK AND WORKERS OF THE INSTITUTE, If ye abide in me and My Words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.—John 15:7.
Topical Methods of Study.
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^Dr. A. T. Pierson.
Special themes need to be studied in the light of the Word as a whole. Without being in form a philosophical or theological treatise, it contains sufficient guidance, as to all truth and duty. To search out its witness wherever found, classify and combine it, yields such instruction that upon any needful question the mind of God is dis- closed in a remarkable manner and measure. Grand thfemes, that suffice for life-long study, are found set like shining gems all along the circlet of the Scriptures, such as the following: 1. The Glory and Beauty of the Law of God (Psalm CXIX). 2. The Messiah as the Suffering Lamb of God (Isaiah Ljjflll). 3. The Four Successive World-Empires (Dan. II:31-45)?V 4. Divine Forgiveness (Micah VI I: 15-20). .5. The Sin of Covetousness (Luke XlII:13-48). 6. The Antidote to Trouble (John XIV: 1-27). 7. The Righteousness which is b yFaith (Rom. I l l ; 9; IV: 25).. 8. The Message of Faith (Romans X). 9. The Body of Christ (I Cor. XII). 10. Love as the "More Excellent Way" (I Cor. XII :3l; XIII : 13). 11. The Resurrection from the Dead (I Cor. XV: 12-58). 12. The Law of Separation Unto God (2 Cor. VI: 14 - VII • 1) 13. The Peace of God (Phil. IV). 14: The Old and New Man (Ephes. IV: 22-32; Col. I I Í: 1-17) 15. The Choice of Virtues (2. Peter 1:5-8). 16. The Perfect Deity and Humanity of our Lord (Hebrews 1:2). 17. The Great White Throne (Rev. XX: 11-15). 18. The Final Perfection of Saints (Rev. XXI I: 3-5). 1. Faith in God—fundamental, rudimental (Heb. XI- 6- Tames 1:25-7; Matt. XIV : 29, 30; 1 John V: 14, 15, The Confidence)'. 2. Three-fold condition—Asking, Seeking, Knocking (Matt. VII : 7). . Supplication, earnest desire, importunate continuance (Eph III • 20; Heb. TV: 13-16; Matt. VI: 7, 8; Mark X:51, 52; Jas V-16-18 : Hosea XI I: 4-6: Luke XL: 5-10; XVI I I: 1-8). 3. Abandonment of Sin (Psalm LXVI: 18, 19; Prov. XV: 29:
Isaiah 1:15; L IX: 2; John LX:31; 1 John 111:20-22). 4. Anticipating Answer (Mark XL: 22-24). Such holding to the faith, or faithfulness of God, as to believe the blessing already received (Rom. VIII:26, 27; Jude 20). 5. Boldness of Approach (1 John V: 14, 15; Heb. LV: 16; John XV: 7; XIV: 16; XVI: 23-26). In the Name of Jesus (Jeremiah XIV: 21; Psalm LXXVIII : 41 ; Matt. XI I I: 58). 6. Individual and Solitary Approach (Matt. VL : 6 ). Secrecy, silence, solitude. Habit of closest communion. "Practice of the Pres- ence of God" (Luke VI: 12). 7. Collective, corporate prayer (Matt. XVIII : 19, 20; 1 Chron. XVII : 1-4; Dan. 11:17, 19; Acts 1:14; 11:1-4; IV: 31; XI I: 5-17; XVI: 25, 26 ; Peut. XXXI I: 30), The relation of Believers to this world-age can be fully seen only by a comparison of at least seven conspicuous passages of Scripture, where different phases of the subject appear: Matthew VI:<*9-34; Worldly avarice and anxiety, foes to faith. John XV: 18-24; XVII, Worldly hatred of our Lord and ;His disciples. Rom. XII : 1, 2, Duty or non-conformity to the world and its standards. Eph. I I: 1-7, The connection of this world with the flesh and the devil. James IV : 4, 5, Ehe friendship of the world enmity toward God. 1 John XI: 15-17; V: 19, The love of the world forbidden as not of God. Revelation XVI-XVIII, The greatness and glory and doom of the world. When these Scriptures are compared,, there will be no mistaking the fact that with singular uniformity, the world is held up as the foe of faith and Godliness. The Old Testament writes large the word separation over the very portals of the hold life, and the New Testa- ment forbids even conformity to the world's standards and methods. Such great themes remind us of Kepler's exclamation when, after eighteen experiments, he found the key that unlocked astronomical problems: "O Almighty God! I am thinking Thy thoughts after Thee.", Grattan said of Fox, "You must measure the magnitude of his mind by parallels of latitude"; but, in measuring the infinite mind, all such standards fail us; and, in research into the Scriptures, it is this constant recurrence of infinite ideas and ideals that transcend alike all human expression and conception that convinces us of their Divine originality and authority. The level of the thinking which they suggest is so exalted as to be unapproachable. We have instanced a score of subjects, treated in single passages ; but in many cases for anything like a complete view, various Scrip- tures must be collated and compared, because in no one place are these themes fully presented. Sometimes different writers suggest various aspects of a common theme, or there is a historic development of it. in theh succession of events, or ideas. A few of these may be like- wise cited as examples of hundreds. 1. The Fire of God, represented in thé Shekinah, the miraculous
flame kindled on His altars, the Pillar of Fire, etc., and above all, the Pentecostal Flames and tongues of fire. 2. The Angel of the Lord, the constant wonder worker in all human history, the great Defender, Protector, Avenger, omniscient, ominpotent, omnipresent, invisible, irresistible. 3. The moral code of Jehovah; embraced in the Decalogue, and applied in the Sermon on the Mount—a complete and sublime ethical foundation for human character. 4. The Spirit of God, revealed officially and occasionally in the Old Testament, individually and perpetually in the New, as source. Of light, life, love and power to the human spirit. 5. The God-man, a new order of Being, with Divine and human natures perfectly combined in one personality—a mysterious blending of the finite and' infinite. 6. The Prophetic Vision —divine sight, foresight and insight im- parted to human agents so that they have a backward vision of pre- historic events and a forward vision of the future. 7. The conception of substitutionary Sacrifice— the. obedience and suffering of a- sinless being accepted in behalf of the sinner, so as to make pardon and reconciliation possible without sacrificing right- eousness. 8. Eternal life through believing, or the impartation of the nature W God to man through faith as a means of union and identification— t'fte., mystery of a perfect salvation through a new birth., '9. The Rewards and Retributions of the'Future St-atey complet- ing the partial administration- of Justice in this age by the final awards of eternity and the settlement of destiny. 10. The Church of God, as a called-out body of delievers and witnesses—indwelt by the Spirit of God, constituting one invisible organism of which Christ is Head. 11. The World of Spirits—invisible and innumerable—and di- vided into two great hosts—the unfallen and loyal, and the fallen and lost, with Satan at their head. 12. The Whole Conception of the Godhead—trinity' yet unity— omnipresent yet not pantheistic; infinite and eternal, yet exercising providential care over all creatures, however minute and events how- ever trifling. These are a few specimens of the wealth cf the mines of thought which in the Holy Scripturesjnvite exploration and yet defy exhaus- tion. Not one of all these magnificent- themes finds treatment in uninspired writings except as first suggested here, and therefore with- out this unique and unrivalled Word of God, the race would have been left in midnight darkness as to these and all co-related truths. Who shall even glance at such topics and still say that no such reve- lation from God was needed.
A Series of Soul-Winning Studies.
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"HOW TO PRESENT CHRIST TO MEN." By Rev. Robert A. Hadden.
1. Why Present Christ to Men? P P P ERIL OF THE LOST. 2 Cor. 5:11. P pRESENCE OF THE LOST. John 4: 35; Luke 10:2. RECIOUSNESS OF THE SOUL. Mark 8: 36. P o s s i b i l i t i e s o f t h e s o u l . J o h n i : 4 0 ; 4 : 4 - 4 2. P P P ROFIT OF THE WORK. Acts 2:47; 11: 19-21; 15:3; P 2 Tim. 1: 6. P RIVILEGE OF THE SERVICE. 1 Cor. 4 : 1 ; 2 Cor. 5:20; P 6 : 1; Jas. 5:20. P LEASURE OF THE SERVICE. 1 Thess. 2:19-20. l\ The Peril of the Lost. 2 Cor. 5:11. It is a self-evident proposition, a fact that cannot be successfully controverted, that Christians in general either do not really believe what they profess to believe, or they do not take their belief seriously. We profess to believe all that God has spoken in Divine Revelation. Were this really true the activity, the zeal and the passion of Christians for the lost in every community would know no bounds save those of physical limitations. What does Divine Revelation teach concerning those who are not "in Christ" by faith in the finished work and the faithful Word of the Son of God ? (1) The Position of the Lost. (a) They are Dead in Sin. Eph. 2: 1 cf. Col. 2:13. (b) They are Alienated. Enemies by Wicked Works. Col 1 -21 - cf. Titus 1:15-16; Rom. 5:10. (c) They are Under Condemnation. Jno. 3:18; cf Rom 8 1- Jno. 5:24. (d) They are Under the Wrath of God. Tno. 3:36: cf 2 Thess 1:8-01; 1 Th. 1:10. (e) They are Destined to Perish in the Lake of Fire. Rev 20" 15 cf. Jno, 3:16. (2) Our Profession. Christians profess to believe all this; nevertheless the manifesta- P p
tion of any great desire, zeal or activity for the winning of the souls of men is not much in evidence throughout the professed Church of God. Profession is one thing, passion and practice quite another. A°T>ny of soul, on the part of believers, over the condition of those who are unsaved; intense, prevailing prayer for the careless and in- different are manifestations seldom seen or heard, at least, m the place of public prayer; earnest devotion to the business of presenting the message of salvation and. the invitation to be reconciled to bod, while not a lost art by any means, is, however, the exception and not the rule among believers. . „„ A steeple-climber under the influence of liquor a few months ago filled the streets of Los Angeles with a wondering, gaping crowd as he like a fly climbed from window to window and from basement to roof on the exterior wall of office buildings; from dizzy heights the climber performed foolish antics and gave out maudlin expressions from perilous places; citizens and public officials alike regarded the whole performance in the light of a passing entertainment until the poor fellow fell at last and was gathered up a mangled, broken mass, dving in agony a few hours later. At the scene with its sequel, many fainted while the blood of the coldest men was stirred to give ex- pression deploring the foolish act and waste of life. Our hearts need to be stirred by the vision of the peril of lost men sinking to eternal suffering and sorrow with perhaps but one opportunity—the oppor- . t u n } t y of this present moment—to present to them the claims of our V Lbrd and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2. The Presence of the Lost. Jno. 4:35; Luke 10:2. Fverywhere about us are teeming multitudes of men without Christ God, salvation or hope (Eph. 2:12). When our Lord was on earth He found men in the place of worship and out of it, at wedding feasts and at funerals, on the streets, on the highways, at the dead of night and even at the last moment on the cross; He seized the oppor- tunities that thrust themselves upon Him. Your opportunity may ap- pear today in the person of the grocery-clerk, the peddler, the mail- carrier or the collector who may stop at your door—it may be his last opportunity (Gal. 6:10). 3. The Preciousness of the Soul. Mark 8:36. Though the wealth, of the world be placed in a glittering heap great and" high as a mountain-top piercing the very clouds; the value of a soul for whom Christ died and rose again, is of infinitely greater value. . The world's wealth is elusive, hard to gain and hard to retain; here, however, is an opportunity for the humblest of God's children to gain an enduring, eternal enrichment.. (Dan. 12:3.)
4. .The Possibilities of the Soul. Jno. 1:40-42; 4:4-42. The soul won may be a poor, rough, uncouth, uncultured fisher- man like Peter, but who knows the possibilities of a man possessed and inspired by God as was Peter? This man won by another humble believer, became a mighty apostle and the winner of multitudes Time would fail, to tell the story of Paul and Apollos, Timothy and Philip w J ^ w l ™ / ?} t h / e a r , y f a t h e r s - oi Luther, Melancthon < £ and T n r \ i r f i e I 1 ' ° f F i n n C y a n d S P u r ^ o n , Hammond, Moody! and a host who themselves were won by humble workers and in turn were used to win thousands for Christ. 5. The Profit of the Work. (1) Problem Solved, "How to Reach the Masses." Luke 14-23 Multitudes in this land never hear the Gospel; church bells ring but the music in the invitation passes unheeded by the mass of men. How to reach this multitude has become one of the great problems of the modern church. D. L. Moody affirmed the solution laid in the answer l o re ac h the masses, go to them." But one in every 365 of this world s population professes to be a Christian, this meaL that everv i e s e Jd r '"rh I " ' ft? m C S S a g e t 0 3 6 4 ° t h e r individu'S before it cai be said, The church has given the Gospel to every man in this genera •J* (2) Provides a Speedy, Substantial, Solid Growth in the Mem- bership of the Church. Acts 2:37. Hand-picked fruit is the best fruit • a dozen Endeavorers may gather scores in the course of a year or even m a month's time. One hundred members of an Eastern church of S a i t i e n°exi c n " 0 ^ 1 0 ° ***»< W e r e ^ d e d b v confess an 6. The Privilege of Service. Entrusted with the stewardship of the mvsteries of ToH rt r 4:1), commissioned to be an ambassador of Tesus Ch r lt fZ Cor S 8 ? we are co-workers together with Him (2 Cor. 6 : 1 ) T a ^ ^ s s e l vice. Thanksgiving for this unspeakable privilege should fill the heart of every Christian worker. 7. The Pleasure of the Service. 1 Thess. 2:19-20. The Christian who has not known the joy of winning a soul for the Lord Jesus has missed an inexpressible blessing»there is nothing this side of heaven that will produce such a thrill in the heart as this service; nor will it cease with the close of our work on earth, when the Lord Jesus shall come and our gathering unto Him has taken place, then shall we joy and rejoice in the satisfaction that those whom we have won for Christ are with us in His glorious presence. Triplets of the Trial of Our Lord. By J. H. Sammis. Trial. Ecclesiastic. • ,, T i a ,„ Before Annas, " L e d Him away to Annas first. —Jno. 18.13. Before Caiaphas, " S e nt Him bound unto Caiaphas "—Jno. 18:24. Before Sanhedrin, " L e d Him into their Council."—Luke 22:66. Before Pilate, " A n d led Him unto Pilate."—Luke 23:1. Before Herod, " He sent Him to Herod.''-^Luke 23:7 Before Pilate, " S e n t Him again to Pilate."—Luke ¿ 6 - . l l . Charges. Ecclesiastic S a c r i l e g e , " H e would destroy the temple."—Matt. 26:61. Magic, " Bu i ld it in three days."—Matt. 26:61. Blasphemy, " H e hath spoken blasphemy."—Matt. 26:b5. Civil 1V1 Disturbing Peace, " S t i r r e th up the people. "—Luke 23:5 ~ Inciting rebellion, "Forbidding to pay tribute.' —Luke l i . i . Treason, " Sp e a k e th against Caesar."—Jn. 19:12. Denial. To the First Maid, " H e saith, I am not."—Jn. 18:27 To the Second Maid, " I do not know the man."—Matt. ¿b.7l. T o the Man and the Crowd, "Began to curse and to swear. — Mk. 14:71.' . - Triplets of the Trial of Our Lord. (Con't.) Group of Mockers. Of High Priest's Servants, " A n d the servants did strike H im . "— Mk. 14:65. Of Pilate?s Soldiers, " A n d the soldiers said 'Hail' King ' " -7-Jno. 19:2. Of Herod's Men, " A n d Herold's men . . . set Him at naught."— Luke 23:11. 6 Messianic Mocking. As Prophet, "Prophesy, who struck tliee?" As King, "Ha i l, King of the J e w s . " - J n o. 18:25, 6. | c r °own i I ? !' ( Scepter ) 29. As Priest, '.'He saved others."—Matt. 27:42. Messianic Claim. Of Prophet, " I came to bear witness of the truth."—Jno. 19:37. Of Priest, " F a t h e r, forgive them"—intercession.—Luke 23-34 Of King, " I am a King."—Jno. 19:37. Justification. By Pilate, " I find no fault in Him.'.', Triple ILuke23-4 I I Luke 23:14 ) By the Thief, " H e hath done ; nothing amiss."—Luke 23:41. By the Centurian, "Certainly this was a righteous man."—Luke 23:47. Crucifixion. Of Jesus, " A n d it was the third hour, and they crucified Him."—Mk.l5:25. Of the Penitent Thief, | " A n d with Him . . . two Of the Impenitent Thief. j thieves."—Mk. 15:27. Supernatural Portents. The Darkness (Realm of air, Eph, 2:2) " Th e re was darkness "— Luke 23:44. The Earthquake (Realm of dead, " g r a v es were opened") "great earthquake."—Matt. 27:51, 52. The Rent Veil, (Realm of Life, Heb. 10:20), " T h e veil was rent."—Matt. 27:51. Pr i ef Thoughts For Busy Teachers. International Sunday School Lessons By J. H. Sammis Comment "Pith and Pivot" By T. C. Horton. LESSON FOR JANUARY 1, 1910. are also by popular, choice, 1 Sam. 11:15, 2 Sam. 2:4, 5:3, I Kings 1:39, 40, 12:1. III. Descent of the King. Ch. 11:43. It was from David the Hero, through Solomon the Wise. He inherited, how- ever, neither the valor of the one, nor the sagacity of the other. Pedigree counts on the cattle market. But per- sonality and moral free agency are more than heredity. The noblest of at- tributes they often occasion the ig- noblest of creatures. The loyal David begat the regicide Absalom; the Wise Solomon the fool Behoboam. This makes chaos in the registers. Charac- ter is not an inheritance, it is an achievement and a conquest. It takes as good a man to wear as to win a crown; to retain as to gain a fortune. A n an may be born with a gold spoon in his mouth and live to eat porridge with a wooden one. Bed blood, not blue blood " t e l l s ." You. can't make the kingdom on your infant baptism, nor win this world or the next on the qualities or fame of your forebears. But One Father begets sons in His own likeness, and even they work out their own salvation, Phi. 2:12. IV. The Description of the Kingdom. Behoboam fell heir to an empire. His fame filled the world. It commerced from Britain to India; from the Nile to. the Euphrates. Its wealth was pro- digious. Its capital " b e a u t i f ul for sit- uation, the joy of the whole e a r t h ," a city of palaces, with a temple "exceed- ing magnifieal," the shrine of the sym- Election Day in Israel. I. The Divine Design for Israel. The key was, " Y e are my witnesses," Isa. 43:10. Obedience would have produced phenomenal prosperity. All nations would have said, "Come ye let us go up to mountain of Jehovah. . . . He will teach us of His ways and we will walk in His p a t h s ," Isa. .2:3. The ">Qjieen of Sheba saw the wonders and weiVt up to learn " t h e name of the L o r d ," 1 Kings 5. The federate king- dom was strangely short lived. In em- bryo under Saul, it was born and reared under David; matured under Solomon and began tys decline. The doom of Bclshazar befell his suceesssor, " P e r e s , " thy kingdom is divided, Dan. 5:28. The Church's call is, " Y e shall be witnesses?" Acts . 1:8. Obedience would have brought 'the millennium. But she, too, was divided, and her testi- mony marred. As with Tudah revivals have affected the Protestant section, but the world's belief waits on " t h a t they all may be o n e ," Jno. 17:20, 21. But no effective unity can be found around the calves of Bethel and Dan. The only bond is the Old Jerusalem Gospel. II. The Day of Election. Israel came to Shechem, famous in early history, to make Behoboam king. They should have gone to Jerusalem had they a whole heart to make him king, 1 Sam. 5:1. God elected and elects kings, Ex. 3:16, 1 Sam. 9:17, Rom. 13:1. But kings bol, supernal, of the Presence of the Lord. Added to all were the " s u re mercies of Da v i d ," the Everlasting Covenant of Kingship. What a fortune to waste in one headstrong moment! Every man is heir to unspeakable glory and before him opens the broad way to the " F o o l 's P a r a d i s e ," and the narrow one of self-denial, i. e. denial of self, the way to that which has promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. V. The Demand of the People. En- vious of Judah the northern tribes will- ingly yoked under Saul, were slow to bear, and ever restive under the yoke of David; it galled them under Solomon, and they refused to wear it unmitigated under his son. Solomon built but they had hewed the stones and cedars. His state was magnificent, but they had paid the most of the bills. True, Gideon threshed wheat in secret through fear of Midianite invaders, and Philistines laid an embargo on the possession of swords and smithies in Israel, Jdg. 6:11, 1 Sam. 13:19, 20. But they had forgot- ten that. To sit unmolested under one's vine and fig tree did not compensate for heavy levies of tribute and service by kings who made peace possible, but lived luxurious, while the people mere- ly had enough. It is a good deal so un- der our kings of finance. Wealth is relative and it is not unreasonable that the people who bear the yoke should share the proceeds proportionately. In the long run it must be compromise or revolution. VI. The Disagreement of Doctors. The king called a council. But he'd no thought of concession. It was a fool's council on a foregone conclusion. Inveterate obstinacy sought flattering concurrence, and a show of reason. Young fools want no serious advice," said a youngster, " i t ' s c h e a p ." " T h a t ' s my business to g i v e ," said his senior, " i t ' s your business to do what you will with i t . " Advice the fruit of experience is the most expensive commodity. The old men had " g o od politics." " B e k i n d " to them they said, "please t h em ," " s p e ak good words," f s e r ve them and they will serve you f o r e v e r ." " S e r ve them." " B u t to every man and nation Gomes the moment to decide." That is the science of government. The divine right of kings is the divine right of serving. Government exists for the people, not the people for t he government. Kings have been the parasites of history. King craft has been graft-craft. The Charleses, the the Georges, the Louises, of the past have followed Rehoboam; the Manuels, Czars, and Sultans of the present are hastening after. We in America have an elephant and a tiger "fighting for the c r own ," the one with a houdah of " m a g n a t e s" on his ,back; the other with his claws ever in ' ' t he spoils.'' The advice of old men,, my boy; may be " c h e a p ," but that of the fellows that "know a thing or t wo" is costly. A French aristocrat was asked, ' ' What shall the people e a t ? " He said " G r a s s ! " When the sans coulotte fed the guillotine they stuffed his mouth with straw. Behoboam answered the people " r o u g h l y ." VII. The Disruption of the Kingdom. The electors stoned the king's messen- ger and their response was ' ' To your tents, O I s r a e l ." The deed was done. Behoboam might wish he had followed the wisdom of the wise, but it was top'' late. The house was divided again'st itself. Total ruin was only a question of time. The stick was broken. But God is a healer of breaches and the day comes when " t h e stick of Eph- rajm, and the stick of J u d a h " will grow together and the former shall not envy the latter, nor the one vex the other, Eze. 37. VIII. Behoboam was spared a mili- tary catastrophy and the loss of the- remaining tribe, by the interference of the prophet who arnounced that it was of the Lord. He is Lord over all. He punishes high looks, and brings the lofty people low. Bye and bye He will set His king on His Holy Hill Zion. A king who will wear the crown, be- cause He Himself did bear the yoke. Though exalted above every name, He is " k i n d , " He " s p e a ks g o o d" to the people, He " s e r v e s" them, and they shall " s e r ve Him f o r e v e r" for His " y o k e is e a s y" and His " b u r d en is l i g h t ," His goad is neither whip nor scorpion, but Love. What shall be done to the people that will not have Him to reign over them? Luke 19'27. Pith and Pivot T. C. H. Israel is beginning to have her harvest. She sowed to her fleshly desire for a king, departed from Jehovah, and is reaping her reward. Three periods of probation, 40 years for each of the three kings, proved the instability of the kingdom and human governments all a failure. Democracy must be superceded by theocracy before peace will prevail. Solomon had a thousand wives and one son, and he was a fool. The father was too much married, and though he had time to write proverbs, he had failed to' train up his child in the way he should go, Prov. 22:'6, and Rehoboam had never learned that "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall," Prov. 16:18, and that ''A prudent man dealeth with knowledge, but a fool spreadeth his folly," Prov. 13: 16. Had he listened to the coUnsel'of the wise men he would have learned that "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." Prov. 12:15. Had he looked to God instead of conferring with flesh and blood, how different it might have been. Jas. 1 : 5; Jer. 32:19. , Rehoboam played a bold game of bluff, but the people had the underhold and threw him hard. He was shorn of his power in short order. B,ehind the scene is the hand of Jehovah—"This thing is of me." God had said to Solomon, "Forasmuch as thou hast not kept' My covenant and My statutes, I will sure rend the kingdom from W e . " Kings 11: 11-13. Gold and silver were as plenteous in Jerusalem as stones, 2 Chron. 1: 15, but the people had to pay the price. That Rehoboam was left to sit upon the throne of Judah, was clue to the promises made by the Lord to David, 2 Sam. Z.: 12-13, and not to any ability of his own. Rehoboam had no hold upon the hearts of the people, played poor policies and lost through lack of love. Had he sweetened his spirit he might have saved his sovereignty. You can fool and rule the people for a season, but the worm will turn. God restrained the rashness of Rehoboam and left-him a remnant to rule. He is the safest sovereign who steadfastly serves. Many a man has lost his kingdom through lack of kindness. LESSON FOR JANUARY 8, 1910. was " N e b a t , " " c u l t u r e ." - If Jero- boam's disposition was his cultivation he is deservedly linked with the man " w h o made Israel to s i n ." Zeruah, " l e p r o s y ," was his mother. Leprosy is the symbol of idolatry with which Jeroboam infected the nation. Parents have great responsibility. There is more in the bringing up of children The Man Who Did Things. T Kings 12:25; 13:6. I. Jeroboam the Man. ' 1. His Origin. His name, " En l a r g er of the People." was synonymous with " R e h o b o am ." The names were mis- fits. Each should have been " P e l e g ," for " i n their days the land was di- v i d e d" (I Chron'. 1:19). His father than in the bringing forth of them. 2. His Ability. Contracted to forti- f y Jerusalem he was " o n to his j o b ." He was ( ' industrious, better, ' ' a man who did things," I Kings 11:28. Sol- omon set him " o v er the whole house of J o s e p h" (11:28), the tribe of Eph- raim, chief of the ten. This gave him great influence. 3. His Treason. " L i f t ed his hand against the k i n g ," 11:26. That he "does things" is no sign that a man is trustworthy. Ability, like heredity, does not guarantee stability. An able man is valuable or dangerous as he is good or bad. , Character as well as capacity should count in promotion. When the king backslid in piety he lapsed, too, in wisdom. A clear con- science is a sensitive test of character. Solomon should have seen the dynamite in this "mighty man" and not have placed the bomb that split the king- dom where it could do so much damage. 4. His Conceit. Young men who can "do things" can hardly stand being pushed on. They get the " b i g h e a d ." Instead of grateful ?ea) for their ben- efactors they grow discontent, disloyal. Deeming themselves ill-paid, they be- come slack, or dishonest, or branch out for something better, and usually come to grie*. If the boss gives you a boost, young man who does things, do better, stand by, be loyal. You'll get your desserts. Don't force things. The due time will prove the best time. Jeroboam concluded that he could king it better than Solomon, and Pro- ceeded to pervert the tribes over which his royal benefactor had set him. 5. His Incentive. " I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to t h é e ," 11: 29-39. The favors of heaven impel a man forward in good or ill as he is right or evil minded. David's anoint- ing to displace Saul brought out all the good and great that was in him. Loy- ally, magnanimously, he bided God's time. But Jeroboam took matters into his own hands, he went ahead of God, and fell into the snare of thé devil. " H e lifted up his hand against the k i n g ," r H:26. The dull glow of trea- son in hie breast was fanned into flame by that" breath of heavenly promise that should Imve cooled his ambition with divine patience. God meant it for good, he changed it for evil. Not many are able to endure the favors of Providence. XI. JEROBOAM THE KING. 1. His Policy. (a) Political. He " b u i lt Shechem." That is, he fortified it to be a safe, he beautified it to be a fit, seat of his government. He " b u i lt P e n u e l ." He constructed a stronghold at a strategic point at the fords east of the ojrdan. Thus does the man who can do things with worldly wisdom. But he forgets that " e x c e pt the Lord builds the house . . . . except the Lord keep the c i t y ," Psa. 127:1. Jacob at Penuel "prevailed with the a n g e l ," there he was crowned a Prinee with God, having power with men, Gen. 32: 24-32. It is the man of prayer who can do things. Jeroboam built even at Pen- uel in vain, (b) Religious. Jerobo- am's religion, like his politics, was a matter of policy, part of his politics. A principle common with men who "do things." David "inquired of the L o r d ," but Jeroboam "said in his heart," 12:26: "Now shall the king- dom return to the house of David." Could not God who gave it keep it? But he could not feel that God had given, what by conspiracy he had tak- en; he could not feel that God would keep, since he had done things wrong- fully. There is a sweetness in receiv- ing, and an assurance in possessing, that men who take things out of God's hand into their own never have. "If this people go up to sacrifice at Jeru- salem, then shall the heart of this peo- ple turn a?ain to their Lord, even to Rehoboam," v. 27. Note the guilty conscience between the lines. His crown was already a thorny one, for he knew that he was an usurper and a robber. Ah! that he had let the Lord do things. He altered the worship: (1) Its Principle; " H e made two calves of g o l d ;" God had forbidden graven images. (2) Its Place; to Bethel and Dan; God had forbidden any save Jerusalem. (3) Its Periods; he put the Passover in the eighth month; God had exclusively fixed the seventh. (4) The Priesthood; God had specified the fam- ily of Aaron; he " ma de the lowest go up to Jerusalem," " h e re is some- thing less crucial, less repugnant to en- lightened reason, better adapted to the altered conditions of the 20th cen- t u r y . " _ 2. His Rebuke. The prophet came up on him in the act of sacrilege. He denounced his wickedness; he an- nounced his coming downfall; he with- ered his impious and outstretched arm; he shattered his altar; he scattered its unhallowed fires; and, then, mingling mercy with judgment, restored the arm, and gave him a respite. The man that could do things had gone too far. He had tQ learn that there was but One Arm that could do things, and ' ' that without Him' he could do' nothing." The moaern gospôl is a withered arm; there is no saving power in*its:cross; there is no meeting point in its, house of" nigh placés, its' lofty " m a t u re m'ind; " therè is no sheltering blood in us p'assover; only thé word of the I'rophet can restore the withered arm. (the " f a g - e n d s ") of the people priests." (5) He built " a house of ixigh places;" the temple at Jerusalem alone was the appointed house. All this we are told " h e devised out of his own heart." (rod repudiates all such " will worship,",Col. 2:23. By all this Jeroboam did not profess to forsake Jehovah, but to approach Him in other ways. This has a present day application. Men offer us a new Bible, a new Cross, a new Gospel, a new Christ. They say that they are Christians presenting truth from " n ew view points." They say: "These be thy gods that brought thee up out of Egypt." But we who have got out of. Egypt know better.' These doctrines are not what brought the world out of paganism, nor our Souls from death unto liíé. They,'too, make " p r i e s t s" " o f the fag-ends," of Ger- man-tutored candidates for pastorates and professorships, whom God never did and never can set apart for His service. Xhey say " I t is too much for you to Pith and Pivot - T . C. H. NTwenty times it is stated in the Scriptures that Rehoboam made Israel to sin. The shadow of his sin ¡is cast pver two and a half centuries, and culminated in the final captivity. v Rehoboam was a practical politicial. He used what the world would call good judgment in conserving the interests of his kingdom. He was not an idolator at heart. He reasoned that it would help mat- ters and hurt no one if he kept his people at home, What difference does it make anyway, so long as the people worship God; when or where or how they worship? Why is not Eddyism, Spiritism, Theo$ophy or Russellism as good as .orthodoxism ? Why .not use symbols as the Romanists do? There is one good reason, and that is given by God. Rehoboam violated God's command, Ex. 20: 34. He added to God's Word,. Deut. 4 : 2; he failed tp do what God com- manded, Deut. 12: 32. He created a new center for worship. He designated a new feast in place of the atonement. He made a new order of priests, and assumed to himself the office of Mediator. God seeks worshippers, Jno. 4:23. He ! has established a center where He will meet His people. Man could not plan a meeting, place for God. God has one Mediator—"The Man, Christ Jesus." -1 Tim. 2: 5. "No man cometh unto the Father but by Me." John'14: 6. God's center is Jesus Christ ; the Temple which was destroyed and raised again the third, ]ohn 2:20. His glory is manifested alone in that temple, Heb. 1: 3, 2 Pet. 1:7, Rev. 21: 22. God has one Festival; It is the Lord's table, where the broken body and.shed blood are the emblems, 1 Cor. 11:23, 26. Anything and everything is idolatrous which comes .between God and man,—temples religious rites, ceremonies, good works and gifts, are all an abomina- tion uirt© the Lord God, unless they have for their center Jesus Christ crucified, risen, glorified and coming. All systems are idolatrous which fail to magnify His Christ and His" Word. "Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; Fear before Him all the earth." Psa. 96: 9. LESSON FOR J VNUARY 15, 1910. late this young king in the irrepressible conflict for righteousness. IV. THE FORTIFICATION OF THE LAND. Asa, too, could do things. Like Jero- boam he strengthened his defences. " T r u st in the Lord and keep your powder d r y . " Jeroboam did the latter, Asa both. He, too, built, but he built on the Rock of Ages. Faith and works are two hands and we should lay of God with both. He built promptly while the land is yet before u s . " " I n time of peace he prepared for w a r . " We should f o r t i fy our souls against the-' evil day. V. THE BEATIFICATION OF THE LAND. They sought the Lord and He gave them rest. They dwelt in peace and prospered. The same course would beatify any land. " M e n forsake their own mercies." It is as clear to all as sunshine, that national obedience to the laws of God, strict righteousness, and the square deal, in all departments of public and privatte life, would guarantee temporal prosperity, almost eliminate crime and poverty. But what if Chris- tian grace, and purity ruled in the heart? Nothing ife stronger proof of in- veterate and universal depravity among unregenerate men than their rejection of God's conditions of properity. VI. THE ENUMERATION OF THE HOST. Five hundred and eighty thousand valiant men rallied round trh* throne of- this pious monarch, with " t a r g e t s ," talj shields, " s h i e l d s ," smaller ones, " s p e a r s ." and " b o w s . " Benjamin, in' whose portion Jerusalem portly stood The Acts of Asa. I I Chro. 15:1-15. Bead 14:1-15. I. THE INAUGURATION OF ASA. Rehoboam, Abijah, and now Asa reigned in Judah. Reared in a corrupt court, ruled by Maachah, a miserable idolatress devoted to vile religious rites and symbols, Asa proved, notwith- standing, a devout and energetic serv- ant of the Lord. It is a great praise to any youth that he remains pure and true in a profligate and immoral en- vironment; how more so when in a pub- lic position he takes an uncompromising stand against the corruptions of poli- tics, society, and religion, with a full consecration to his God. II. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF ASA. " H e did good and r i g h t ." These the crown jewels of princes, are true graces of true men. Not the victories, not the conquests, not the state, not the "suc- cesses" of a prince; not athletics, not scholarship, not the popularity of a youth, but benevolence and righteous- ness are glorious. III. THE PURIFICATION OF THE LAND. Pagan sanctuaries and their vile sym- bols Asa abolished, before the sight of Him " w h o is of too.pure eyes to be- held iniquity.". Similar orgies not in the name of religion are going on around us. Our government is not ab- solute, but could do much, and will be responsible for net doing,, to, do away with the abominations of the saloon,, the lewd play, the obseene print, the brothel. But individuals, especially Christians, young and old, should emu-" is herb identified with Judah, though some of its territory and populace were with Israel. VII. THE INUNDATION ETHIOPIAN " T h e enemy came in like a flood," but " t h e Lord lifted up a standard against h i m ." Zerah, with more than a million men, invaded the land. Some- times the Lord brought in the foe to chastiie his people; sometimes to glori- f y His name and punish them. Zerah came and .Jehovah glorified His name and vindicated His justice to the wick- ed and His faithfulness to the godly. The Battle of Maresha. Against this great host flushed with victory Asa led his valiant forces. The foe was two to one, with the addition of chariots. Napoleon held that " God was with the strongest battalions." God taught him better at Moscow. Most decisive battles of history have .left the victory with the few, as at Mpreh, Jgs. 7:1; Marathon, Ipsus, ete. Asa reckoned Jehovah of Hosts as in- finitely more than a million of men. When the pilot of a olden conqueror pointed to the superior number of the enemy, he replied " A n d for how much do you count me?" He reckoned pray- er a better weapon than spears and bows, and a better defense than targets and shields. True, God is with the strongest battalions but these are they with the God of battles on their side. "Concerning the work of my hands com- mand ye m e . " Isa. 45:11, said the Lord, so Asa issued his orders for the charge. " P r a y er gave him authority over leg- ions of angels and chariots round a b o u t ," the chariots of God are twen- ty thousand, even thousands of an- gels." T"sa. 68:17. The king was in command of a Dreadnought that day. See how he prayed: (1) He called on his God; there is no heir) in another; (2) He called Him " J e h o v a h ." His covenant name; (3) He glorified His power, " Tt is nothing with T h e e ;" (4) He prayed short and to the point, " H e l p u-s!"; (5) He reminded Him of their covenant part in Him, " O u r G o d ; " (6) He toid Him they were re- lying on Him, " W e rest on Th e e ," and (7) That they staked the honor of His Name, " I n Thy Name we g o ; " (8) He got out of the way and left God and Zerah confronting one another, " L e t not man prevail against Thee." If it were not irreverant we would say that God " w a s up against i t . " Their peti- tion was within the limits of the cove- nant and they had heartily fulfilled the conditions of it. There could be but one issue. Jehovah took up the gaunt- let, Zerah, his host, his stores and his conquered cities fell into the hands of Judah, who triumphed with great spoil. VIII. THE COMPIiETED REFORMA- TION. The Message of the Prophet. (1) A principle stated, in three equations: " w i t h H i m " equals " w i t h y o u ; " " s e ek H i m " equals " f i nd H i m ; " " f o r- sake H i m ' ' equals ' ' be forsaken.'' Good New Testament doctrine. (2) The principle illustrated. " T h e proph- et. sketched their history. They had adopted false gods; Jehovah has no fel- lowship with idols; it followed that He forsook them and they were without the true God. Pagan worship is super- stition; it needs no "teaching" priest; they had none; it is immoral and con- trary to reason and they could not en- dure the law. There is nothing but trouble for them who are without God, without instruction, without law or gospel. When men turn again to God they find Him gracious. (3) The prin- ciple inculcated. " B e ye strong there- fore (in the Lord) and get the reward of it. (4) The principle vindicated, (a) " A s a took courage." It takes courage to fight sin within or without, against the prejudice of the flesh, or of the people who find it pleasurable or profitable. But Asa had courage to do things, and he made a clean sweep of all the abominations, and reinstatement of the holy service of the Lord, (b) The weak and timid came out of hid- ing; residents of the northern tribes immigrated into Judea, and there were all tne joys and consecrations df a great revival. And what a blessing a true and f ar reaching revival is some of us know. This generation has not seen one! Would to God they might, (c) They renewed the. oath of alle- giance to the King Eternal and Invis- ible. And He renewed His covenant favors; Peace smiled upon them. Pros- perity took up its residence among them, and they vindicated the assur- ance for the Lord was with them while they were with Him. Asa excélléd Jer- oboam, in doing things, for he brought the Lord down from heaven to dwell with men. Pith and Pivot—T. C. H. The lesson today is of house cleaning,— a good thing for a nation, a community, a church, a home or an individual. The natural order of events is evinced by the accumulation of a good deal of rubbish It was spring time for Judah when Asa came to his own. The four- teenth chapter gives an account of the outward-reformation'of the Kingdom and the peace and prosperity which followed ; the fifteenth chapter r.ecites the inner reformatiofi which touched the heart and lif £. of Judah. It came about through the Word of the Lord, and this was the soul of the message: "The Lord is with you.while you are with Him." When Asa heard these words, he became bold and went to work with a will, house-cleaning, and it was pretty thoroughly done. He removed his mother from being queen, and cut down her idols. What a pity he stopped at the high places. He was ^ good man nevertheless, and we praise Him for doing so well. The lesson is a simple one. Christian men need to keep in> step with God, ''How can t\yo walk together except they be agreed." Amos 3:3. We would like to have God come down and walk with us- would like to have Him bless our plans and smile on our scheme' We must i change our thought about the whole matter. We need to go to work and clean up our own house,—then tackle the church. If there is to be any measure of spiritual prosperity and power, we must get at the foot of things. We will no doubt find much that needs to be thrown out on the rubbish heap. Companions will have to. be cut; rebel ways renounced; worldly pleasures put in the fur- nac'e; unholy desires and. unlawful ambitions forsaken. We may have to use the knife,-to sever some domestic and social ties so that with cleam garments we may walk as Enoch did with the Lord. If things are not "doing" with us, it is because we have forsaken the Lord and our houses are unclean. If we walk in the light as He is.in the light, we will'have fellowship in suffering, service and glofy. When we thus walk with Him, others will forsake their evil ways, and go with us. Let us abide in Him. "When we walk with the Lord In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way." " f LESSON FOB JANUARY 22, 1910. 34; 16:2, 19, 26; 21:22; 22:52; I I Kings 33:10, 29, 31; 13:2, 6, 11; 14:24; 15:9, 18, 24, 28; 17:21, 22; 23:15. What an emphasis! His sin was the " c a l v e s ," and they were prolific of sins. Kings and judges of.the earth take heed. Be- tween our lessons a few years, but how much evil! We must read, too, be- tween the lines. The dullest imagina- tion may see there untold sorrows, op- pression, cruelty, vice, diseases, deaths. Jeroboam made his exit. He went out with the doom of his race ringing in his ears. " T h e Lord will bring evil on the house of Jeroboam—cut off—take away —as a man taketh away dung," 14:10. Paul thought the best without Christ but ' ' dung.'' What of the moral worst and waste f A stinking thing. Man alive! Clean up before you go down with eternal doom sounding in the ear of death, and a harvest of sin increasing from age to age. It is as true of wrath as of grace, "A l wa ys more to follow." III. THE FIRST FRUITS OF THE HARVEST. " Na d a b, the son of Jeroboam, began to r e i g n '' and his reign was soon ended. It was a bad record. (1) He did evil. (2) He walked in the steps of a bad father. (3) He caused others to sin. And all " i n the sight of the L o r d ," whose eyes are in every place, behold- ing the evil and good," the Nadab's and the Asa's. The summer was soon ended, Jer. 8:20. The scythe of Baasha mowed him down with " a l l that b r e a t h e d" of "Jeroboam, 15:29. " N ow the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book cf the Chronicles of the Kings of I s r a e l ?" The unabridged edition will be opened "Wh en the sun grows cold, and the books of the Judgment Day un- f o l d ." IV. ANOTHER CROP. Baasha, his ripening took longer. For twelve years he (1) Did evil (2) In the sight of the Lord, (3) and walked in the heaten track, .(4) and led Israel with him. He had been ( I) raised from the dust, (2) made a prince, (3) but followed Jeroboam instead of Je- Harvesting Jeroboam's Sowing. I Kings 16:15-33. I. GENERAL REFLECTIONS. The Bible is a Beacon. It shines on the sea of history; not only oh to the horizon of its beginning, but on across the untraversed future. " Wh a t has been shall b e , " said the Preacher, Ece. 3:15. As we say "H i s t o ry repeats it- self. ' ' For like. causes bring like ef- fects. The same moral character, the application of the same moral princi- ples, will produce the same moral con- sequences in the future as in the past. The Bible, all history and biography,. show us how diverse causes worked in the past, that we may adopt the one or the other with understanding of what we may expect. Like causes, like effects; moral causes, moral effects. Not identical in form, as with mechan- ical and chemical forces, but of the same nature, good or evil. Worldliness, selfishness, inordinate ambition, injus- tice, immorality, lasciviousness, must in the long run, produce personal, social, political, moral, or material deteriora- tion, misery, poverty, wretchedness, war, violence, crime and death, more or less widespread as they flow from pri- vate or public personal sources. The reverse as certainly follows the opposite aets and principles. The Bible excells other history and biography as light on the path of life as its instances are de- signed, selected, and applied for moral and spiritual guidance. Its tales are. all " t o point a moral." It is sorrow- ful and suicidal—the failure of nations, families and individuals to throne the Bible in the seat of pre-eminent author- ity in state, school, home, and heart; or, to return to our figure, to set the Beacon on the highest peak to fill its mission of saving men and nations from going to pieces, with the loss of all on board; on the same old rocks of sin and folly. II. JEROBOAM'S JUDGMENT. " T h e sin wherewith Jeroboam caused Israel to s i n ," I Kings 14:16; 15:26, 30,
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