Chapter XVI. Miscellaneous Subjects.

Woman’s Freedom.

The Scriptural right for women to labor in the gospel as exhorters,

teachers, preachers, etc., is questioned by many. To deny women such a

privilege is contrary to the Christian spirit of equality, and a serious

obstruction to pure gospel light. We (male and female) are all one in

Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28. In the kingdom of grace man and woman are on an

equal footing so far as concerns the work of God. To explain some texts

that seem to prohibit women from laboring in the gospel and to prove

positively to you that women did so labor in the morning light of the

church, we will transcribe an article written by Bro. Geo. Cole, and which

appeared in the Gospel Trumpet.

“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church

which is at Cenchrea.” The church at Cenchrea was a local congregation or

assembly. Phebe our sister—that this personage was a woman, no one

disputes, and she was a servant of the church. Servant-_diakonos_,

translated servant in the following texts: Mat. 23:11; Mark 9:35; John

12:26; Rom. 16:1. Translated deacon in Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 12.

Translated minister: Mat. 20:26, 28; Mark 10:43, 45; Rom. 15:8; 1 Cor.

3:5; 2 Cor. 3:6; 6:4; 11:15, 23; Eph. 3:7; 6:21; Col. 1:7, 23, 25; 4:7; 1

Thes. 3:2; 1 Tim. 4:6; Rom. 12:7; 2 Cor. 8:4; Mat. 25:44; 2 Cor. 3:3; Heb.

6:10; 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:12; 4:10, 11.

The extensive use of this word _diakonos_ in the New Testament readily

determines its meaning. That Paul conferred upon Phebe the church title

“_diakonos_” is unquestionable, and as such it means minister or deacon.

Liddell and Scott’s lexicon comments on _diakonos_ as used in the New

Testament as follows: A servant, waiting man or woman, minister, a

messenger, a minister of the church. Any one can see the above definition

covers all the ground of elder. I will offer a few proof texts. “He that

is greatest among you, shall be your servant [_diakonos_].” Mat. 23:11.

“Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister

[_diakonos_].” Mat. 20:26. “Ministers [_diakonos]_ by whom ye believed.” 1

Cor. 3:5. “Who also hath made us able ministers [_diakonos_] of the New

Testament.” 2 Cor. 3:6. “Thou shalt be a good minister [_diakonos_] of

Jesus Christ.” 1 Tim. 4:6. “In all things approving ourselves as the

ministers [_diakonos_] of God.” 2 Cor. 6:4. “Whereof I was made a minister

[_diakonos_].” Eph. 3:7.

Thus we might swell the testimony that _diakonos_ was the common term used

in the New Testament signifying the ministerial office of minister, elder,

preacher, etc. Therefore the evidences are in Phebe’s favor that she was a

minister or elder rather than a deaconess. If we consider Paul’s

commendation of her standing and the sending of his Roman epistle by her,

as having some weight, this certainly favors the above conclusion.

Prophecy.

_Propheteuo_—to prophesy publicly, to expound, to preach, etc. There were

certain prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, as Barnabas,

Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul or Paul. Acts 13:1. They were public

expounders of the Scriptures. Prophesy—to speak, to edify, exhort, and

comfort. 1 Cor. 14:3. A few examples: Zacharias filled with the Holy Ghost

prophesied. Luke 1:67-79. Compare this prophecy with Mary’s words in Luke

1:46-55. “They spake with tongues and prophesied.” Acts 19:6. “And Judas

and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many

words, and confirmed them.” Acts 15:32. “Mystery of Christ which in other

ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto

his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” Eph. 3:4, 5. Prophets were

set in the church. “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets.” Eph.

4:11. “And God set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily

prophets.” 1 Cor. 12:28. And there were certain prophets and teachers in

the church which was at Antioch. Acts 13:1.

Thus we see the prophets were identical with or a constituent part of the

New Testament ministry; and it only remains for us to prove there were

women prophets in the church and we have women identified with the

ministry. Example: Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven. “And

the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.” Acts 21:8,

9. “But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered

dishonoreth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.” 1

Cor. 11: 5. If there were no women prophets it were foolish to give

directions for them while praying or prophesying.

Joel prophesied, “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I

will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your

daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your

old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I

will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” Acts

2:17, 18. We observe first, men and women were placed on equality as

prophets: second, this was to be a characteristic feature or mark of the

last days, or last dispensation; third, this was being fulfilled at that

time, at Pentecost, as women were present. Acts 1:14. All were filled with

the Holy Ghost, and spoke with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4.

Paul speaks of the whole church coming together into one place. 1 Cor.

14:23. This includes both men and women. He says, “But if all [men and

women] prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one

unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all,” ver. 24. In verse

31 he says, “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and

all may be comforted.” This was an extended privilege to all, though not

expected of all, as we see in 1 Cor. 12:29: “Are all prophets?” Paul

expressly mentions those women which labored with him in the gospel. Phil.

4:3. See Rom. 16:1, 3, 7, 12. “Labored in the gospel.” “Elders ... labor

in the word and doctrine.” 1 Tim. 5:17. This was exactly the kind of work

that Paul was doing, and those women labored with him in the gospel. “In

the gospel” signifies here, evangelizing, spreading or preaching the

gospel, etc. Let us not confound ordinary testimony with prophesying. A

person must have the gift of prophecy in order to prophesy: and it is this

gift that constitutes a person a prophet. Proof texts, Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor.

12:10, 28; 14:1, 3, 6, 12, 29, 39; Eph. 4:8-11. And we have before proved

that women did possess this gift, hence were prophetesses or public

expounders of the gospel, and hence they have a constituent part in the

ministry, and as such are just as much elders in the church of God as men.

Silence In The Church.

“Let your women keep silence in the churches.” 1 Cor. 14:39. “Let him keep

silence in the church.” Ver. 28. If these scriptures had no contexts to

explain them we would all be silenced in the church. The context to the

last quotation reads thus. “But if there be no interpreter, let him keep

silence.” This makes it clear. Context to the first reads, “For it is not

permitted unto them to speak: but they are commanded to be under

obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything, let

them ask their husbands at home.” What kind of speech is forbidden?

Ans.—Asking questions in the church to learn, interrogative speech in the

public congregation. The law did not prohibit women being prophets or

prophesying. See Deborah, in Judges 4:4-14. Miriam, Ex. 15:20. Anna, Luke

2:36. If the law did not prohibit women prophesying, Paul did not call in

question the obedience of the law to prove that point. Thus the context

explains itself without further comment. Does not the character of Jezebel

“which calleth herself a prophetess” disapprove of women prophets? Rev.

2:20. No! no more than Satan’s ministers transforming themselves into the

ministers of Christ would disapprove of the entire Christian ministry. The

counterfeit proves there is a genuine. This is conclusive proof in itself

that there were true prophetesses in the church in those days.

“Teach nor to usurp authority over the man” (1 Tim. 2:12), is offered in

argument against women prophets. Such argument betrays ignorance in the

nature and spirit of prophecy. A woman filled with the Holy Spirit,

prophesying, speaking unto men to edification, exhorting, and comforting,

is not usurping authority over any one.

The Resurrection Of The Body.

_This chapter appears in Gospel Trumpet, written by H. F. Jackson._

1. Abraham. “Accounting that God was able to raise Him up, even from the

dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” Heb. 11:19.

2. Moses. “Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush,

when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the

God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all

live unto him.” Luke 20:37.

3. Job. “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at

the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this

body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and

mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed

within me.” Job 19:25-27.

4. Isaiah. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they

arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of

herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isa. 26:19.

5. Daniel. “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall

awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting

contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the

firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever

and ever. But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and

stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” Dan. 12:2, 3, 13.

6. Hosea. “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem

them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy

destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” Hos. 13:14.

The Doctrine Derided Among The Greeks.

“Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics,

encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He

seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto

them Jesus, and the resurrection. And when they heard of the resurrection

of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this

matter.” Acts 17:18, 32.

Paul’s Defense Of The Doctrine.

“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among

you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” 1 Cor. 15:12. “But if

there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if

Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also

vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have

testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be

that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ

raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in

your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise

not at all?... and why stand ye in jeopardy every hour?” 1 Cor. 15:13-18,

29, 30.

Death To Reign Until The Resurrection.

“The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” 1 Cor. 15:26.

The Resurrection Of Christ Ensures That Of His Followers.

“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most

miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the

first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came

also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in

Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the

first-fruits: afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” 1 Cor.

15:19-23.

Christ’s Promise To Raise His Followers.

“And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he

hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the

last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which

seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will

raise him up at the last day.” John 6:39, 40.

The Order Of The Resurrection.

1. The dead will first be raised. “But I would not have you to be

ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,

even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and

rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with

him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are

alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which

are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,

and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the

dead in Christ shall rise first.” 1 Thes. 4:13-16.

2. Living saints will be caught up. “Then we which are alive and remain

shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in

the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one

another with these words.” 1 Thes. 4:17, 18.

The Glory Of The Consummation.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we all shall be

changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for

the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and

we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and

this mortal must put on immortality.... Then shall be brought to pass the

saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where

is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin;

and the strength of sin is the law.” 1 Cor. 15:51-56.

The Mosaic Law.

There is recorded in the Old Testament the account of God giving a law to

govern his people Israel. This is called a covenant, and was to serve as a

schoolmaster to lead its subjects to Christ. This law was a shadow of good

things to come; that is, it contained types and shadows of something real

in the blessed day of gospel grace. The blood of the animals that was shed

could not take away sins, but is typical of the blood of Jesus, who in the

end of the world appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

There is no power in the blood of animals to redeem man from sin, but we

are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without

blemish and without spot. The unblemished lamb offered in sacrifice under

the Jewish economy was typical or a shadow of the spotless Christ, slain

for the sins of the world. The types and shadows of the law all center in

Christ. When he the substance is come the shadow of necessity vanishes

away. When the shadow meets the substance the shadow has an end. The

redemption which we have in Jesus not only redeems us from sin, but also

from the bondage of the Sinaitic law. “But when the fulness of the time

was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to

redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of

sons.” Gal. 4:4, 5. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,

being made a curse for us.” Gal. 3:13.

There is no salvation to be obtained by the observance of any part or the

whole of the law of Moses including the ten commandments. Salvation or

redemption is only found in Christ and the gospel. “Neither by the blood

of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy

place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Heb. 9:12. “For what

the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending

his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in

the flesh.” Rom. 8:3. It is not through the law we obtain salvation, but

through the gospel. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it

is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew

first, and also to the Greek.” Rom. 1:16. “Wherefore lay apart all

filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the

engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” Jas. 1:21. “Being born

again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,

which liveth and abideth forever.” 1 Pet. 1:23. In Rom. 1:16, Gal. 3:26,

Rev. 5:9, and many other texts, we learn that all are accepted by God unto

salvation through Christ. This necessitates an end of the law, since the

law is given to the Jew only. There is no shift or revision made of the

law in Christ to include both Jew and Gentile; it is simply done, and the

gospel succeeds.

The apostles very clearly and decidedly teach an abolition of the ancient

faulty Sinaitic law. Paul says, “Having abolished [destroyed—Webster] in

his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in

ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man so making peace.”

Eph. 2:15. The enmity here spoken of is the enmity or separation made

between the Jew and Gentile by the Mosaic law. This law of the Jews stood

as a partition wall between the Israelite and the Gentile world. In Jesus

this wall was torn down, and the Gentile as well as the Jew was offered

salvation. In verse fourteen Paul says, “For he is our peace, who hath

made both one [Jew and Gentile], and hath broken down the middle wall of

partition between us.” The Jewish ordinances and laws that stood as a

mighty wall between the Gentile and the Jew were broken down and all the

world of every kindred, nation and tongue was given equal rights under an

entirely new order of things.

The coming of Christ was the fulfilling of the law. The law was only given

to serve until Jesus came. When he came its object or purpose was

fulfilled and had an end. “But before faith came, we were kept under the

law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore

the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be

justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a

schoolmaster.” Gal. 3:23-25. This is plain, positive language. After faith

or Christ has come we are no longer under a schoolmaster, which is the

law. This accords with Rom. 6:14: “For sin shall not have dominion over

you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

As we have before mentioned, the law did not deliver us from the power of

sin; but after grace came by Jesus Christ we are not under the law, but

under grace, and where sin once abounded, that is, had power or dominion,

grace now much more abounds; therefore sin has no dominion over us. In

Rom. 7:4 the apostle tells us we have become dead to the law by the body

of Christ.

In the seventh verse, still speaking of this law, to which we become dead

by the body of Christ, he quotes one of the ten commandments, thereby

teaching us that by the body of Christ we are no longer under the

ten-commandment law. The ten-commandment law simply as the ten-commandment

law is no more in force and effect than if it were never given. Some of

the principles embodied in the ten commandments are embodied in the New

Testament. These are in effect, not because they are principles of the ten

commandments, but because they are principles of the New Testament. Must I

as a Christian refrain from committing adultery because it is forbidden by

one of the ten commandments? We answer, No. But as a Christian in this

dispensation of the gospel I must refrain from such acts because it is

forbidden in the New Testament. We must live in the spirit of the gospel.

We could live without violation of this seventh commandment, and yet

commit adultery according to the New Testament and be wholly destitute of

the grace of God. Jesus says that “whosoever looketh on a woman to lust

after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Mat.

5:28. The salvation of the gospel removes such unholy desires from the

heart.

“Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For

it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other

by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondmaid was born after the flesh;

but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for

these are the two covenants; the one from mount Sinai, which gendereth to

bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and

answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal.

4:21-26. Here the apostle uses the two sons of Abraham allegorically. They

represent the two covenants or testaments. See margin. The one by the

bondmaid he uses to represent the testament or covenant given from Sinai.

The one by the free woman, the covenant given by Christ, or the New

Testament.

The apostle goes further and tells us what disposition to make of the two

sons or testaments. “Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the

bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with

the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the

bondwoman, but of the free.” Gal. 4:30, 31. The mission of the Sinaitic

law is completed. It has finished its course. We are in the glorious

freedom of the New Testament. Paul adds in the next chapter, “Stand fast

therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not

entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Ver. 1.

He speaks further of the two covenants in the eighth chapter of Hebrews,

and says, “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no

place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he

saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new

covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not

according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I

took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they

continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.”

What was the covenant that God made with Israel when he led them out of

the land of Egypt? It was the entire law given at Sinai, including the ten

commandments. Whoever would here make a division in the covenant, and say

only the ceremonial law is included in the covenant mentioned in these

texts simply makes the assertion to sustain some adopted views of his

creed. There is no foundation here for any division. This first, covenant

is the whole covenant, and it was faulty. In verse thirteen he says it

waxeth old and is ready to vanish away.

Continuing in the ninth chapter the apostle speaks of the ordinances of

the first covenant, which stood in meals and drinks and divers washings.

Ver. 10. These ordinances of the first covenant were imposed upon them

until the time of reformation. We are to understand by this that at the

bringing in of the reformation they “vanished away.” In the Colossian

letter he mentions those ordinances together with some others as being

blotted out at Calvary. We will quote his words: “Blotting out the

handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,

and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” Col. 2:14. In the

sixteenth verse he tells us what ordinances were blotted out: “Let no man

therefore [since they are nailed to the cross] judge you in meat or in

drink, or in respect of a holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath

days.” The Jew was denied by the law the privilege of eating certain kinds

of meat. Such restrictions were nailed to the cross, and since Calvary

nothing is “common or unclean.” Their holy days and solemn assemblies at

certain stages of the moon find no place in the New Testament. The keeping

of the Sabbath as commanded on the tables of stone was also nailed to the

cross, therefore let no man judge us or bind these things upon us.

The Sabbath of the ten commandments had its mission. It was a shadow of

good things to come. It was typical of the rest which is found in Jesus.

Of all the types and shadows of the Sinaitic covenant, none is more

beautiful than the keeping of the Sabbath. It foreshadows the rest or

peacefulness of Christ’s kingdom. Jesus says, “Come unto me, all ye that

labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon

you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find

rest unto your souls.” Mat. 11:28, 29. The Old Testament prophets beheld

the rest that was to be obtained in Jesus: “And in that day there shall be

a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it

shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.” Isa. 11:10.

That the seventh-day Sabbath kept by the Jews is the Christian day of

worship is a heretical doctrine, being taught at the present day. To make

clear to your understanding that the Sabbath of the ten-commandment law is

not the Christian day of worship is our object in showing you it was only

a type. If it was a type then certainly when we have reached the antitype

the type has an end. Since the Word of God is so plain we feel confident

we can make it clear and comprehensive to you. We will first quote from

Heb. 4:4-11: “For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this

wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.” (See Gen.

2:1-3.) “And in this place again. If they shall enter into my rest.” See

third verse. “Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein,

and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day, after so long a

time, as it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your

hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have

spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of

God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his

own works, as God did from his. Let us labor therefore to enter into that

rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.”

We now wish to briefly review this quotation. In the fourth verse it is

said that God rested on the seventh day from all his works. This is

recorded in Gen. 2:1-3. This is the “place” that the seventh-day rest is

spoken of. But this day of rest is only a shadow of another day of rest.

He speaks of another day. See seventh and eighth verses of quotation; also

Psa. 95:7, 8. “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart.”

“For if Jesus had given them rest,” Rotherham says, “For if unto them

Joshua had given rest.” See also margin of common version. Joshua led the

children of Israel across the Jordan into the land of Canaan. This land is

also typical of a restful state in the kingdom of grace. Had Joshua given

them rest he would not have spoken of another day of rest. But they did

not enter into his rest, therefore there remaineth another day of rest to

the people of God. What day is it? It is the gospel day. The marginal

rendering of the word “rest” is the “keeping of a Sabbath.” “Hence there

is being left over a sabbath keeping for the people of God.”—Rotherham.

Like as God did cease from his own works and rest on the Sabbath, and as

the Jews kept it strictly as a day of rest, so we in Jesus find rest and

have ceased from our own works. It was all works under the law, but we

have ceased from such works in Jesus. Therefore the Jewish Sabbath day of

rest only typifies the blessed rest of the day of salvation by grace, and

not by works.

Under the New Testament we keep as one of the early church fathers has

said, “The day on which our Lord arose.” The writings of church history

frequently make mention of Sunday (the first day of the week) as being the

Christian’s day of worship in commemoration of the resurrection of our

Lord, in whom we are a new creation. The weekly meeting together of the

Christians as recorded in the New Testament was always on the first day of

the week. See Luke 24:33; John 20:19, 26; 1 Cor. 16:2; Acts 20:6, 7. There

is not one text in the New Testament recording a Christian meeting on the

seventh day. Here are four texts recording meetings held on the first day.

The Sabbath, as well as the whole of the ten-commandment and ceremonial

law finds an end when we have come to “another day”—the day of salvation,

wherein we are a new creation. 2 Cor. 5:17.

We will close this subject by quoting 2 Cor. 3, beginning at verse five:

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of

ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able

ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit: for

the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of

death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children

of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of

his countenance; which glory is to be done away: how shall not the

ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of

condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness

exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in

this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is

done away is glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing

then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as

Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could

not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: but their

minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken

away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in

Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their

heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be

taken away.”

It is with reluctance that we refrain from comment on the above, however

we believe the abolition of the whole Mosaic system to be so plain to

every unprejudiced heart as to render comment unnecessary.

Good Works.

Christians possess a light; they are “children of light,” and are

commanded to “let their light shine.” How can Christians shine the light

of the gospel and of God? By their good works. Jesus says, “Let your light

so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your

Father which is in heaven.” Mat. 5:16. God has ordained that in Christ we

should perform good works. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ

Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk

in them.” Eph. 2:10. By the apostle Christians are exhorted to be careful

to maintain good works. “This is a faithful saying, and these things I

will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God

might be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 3:8. Then adds, “These

things are good and profitable unto men.”

We have proven by the Word elsewhere that salvation from sin is not

attained by good works alone, but after we are saved by grace we retain

the grace by a strict and faithful performance of all Christian duties.

The first neglect to perform a known duty is the first step the Christian

takes on his return to the “beggarly elements of the world.” We are

commanded to “search the scriptures.” By looking into this perfect “law of

liberty,” and conforming our lives to the glorious truth taught there, we

will be led into the beautiful walk of Christian virtue and duty. “All

scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,

for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man

of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” When a

house is “thoroughly furnished” we understand it is furnished in every

room up-stairs and down. The Scriptures are given us that by searching

them and receiving of their corrections, reprovings, and instructions we

may be furnished in every department of our capabilities with good works.

If man obeys the voice of the inspired Word of God he will be “a vessel

unto honor, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto

every good work.” Christians should be rich in good works. “That they do

good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to

communicate.” 1 Tim. 6:18.

Saints should be fruitful in good works. “That ye might walk worthy of the

Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing

in the knowledge of God.” Saved people in some texts of Scripture are

likened unto good trees. They are a tree that is abounding with the fruit

of every good work. Christians are admonished to be ready to every good

work. “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to

obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.” Titus 3:1. They should

be established in them. “Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even

our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation

and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and stablish you in every

good word and work.” 2 Thes. 2:16, 17. They should abound to all good

works. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,

always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good

work.” 2 Cor. 9:8.

The apostle prayed that they should be made perfect in every good work.

“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,

that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting

covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in

you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ: to

whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Heb. 13:20, 21. This is a most

precious text. “Working in you” in the margin is rendered “doing.” All the

good things a Christian does is not him doing it, but it is God doing it

in him, so he is not found going about telling what he has done.

Saints should provoke each other to good works. “And let us consider one

another to provoke unto love and to good works.” Heb. 10:24. We know of no

better way to provoke others to good works than by setting a good example

before them. All their good works should be done in wisdom and meekness or

humility. “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him

shew out of a good conversation [or conduct] his works with meekness of

wisdom.” Jas. 3:13.

The people of God do not adorn themselves with gold and pearls and costly

array to appear beautiful, “but with good works.” 1 Tim. 2:9, 10. What can

be more lovely than a character beautified by the ornaments of every good

work in the meekness of wisdom? Glory to the name of Jesus! My soul feels

like crying. “Lord, work more of thy good works in the hearts of thy

people.” Man’s works shall be brought into judgment. “For we must all

appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the

things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be

good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10. “For God shall bring every work into judgment,

with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl.

12:14.

That will be an awful hour when we are called before the tribunal of God

and there have to unfold to the incomprehensible One our true character.

Oh, what will it be worth in that day to hear him say, “Come, ye blessed

of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of

the world: for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and

ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye

clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came

unto me.” Mat. 25:34-36.

Christian Giving.

The cheerful giving of our worldly goods to help the needy or for the

furtherance of the cause of Christ is a work very commendable in the sight

of the Lord. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also

sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not

grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is

able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, having all sufficiency

in all things, may abound to every good work: as it is written, He hath

dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth

forever.” 2 Cor. 9:6-9.

To quote from the writings of a Christian friend will be sufficient on

this subject, we think, to enable the reader to see the beauty and

blessings in giving unto the needy and the cause of Christ as unto the

Lord.

“We find both in prophecy and in the New Testament much about giving. In

Amos, chapter four, we read, ‘Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are

in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,

which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. The Lord God hath

sworn by his holiness.... I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all

your cities, and want of bread in all your places: ... also I have

withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the

harvest.... I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens

and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees increased, the

palmer worm devoured them.... I have sent among you the pestilence, ...

yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord.’

“Dear ones, has such been your experience? Have your crops failed in this

manner, and suffered for want of rain? Let us read further: ‘Return unto

me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said,

Wherein shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye

say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed

with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all

the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and

prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the

windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be

room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,

and he shall not destroy [corrupt, margin] the fruit of your ground;

neither shall your vine cast her fruits before the time in the field,

saith the Lord of hosts.’ Mal. 3:7-11.

“Bring in the tithes and offerings, that God may be pleased with you, and

bless your labors that they be profitable. Before we proceed further, let

us notice what offerings are accepted with God. ‘But to do good and to

communicate [share] forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well

pleased.’ Heb. 13:16. To whom shall we communicate, or with whom shall we

share? ‘Let him that is taught in the Word communicate unto him that

teacheth in all good things.... And let us not be weary in well-doing: for

in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’ Gal. 6:6-9. Here is one

class. Share with those who teach you in the Word. ‘Distributing to the

necessity of saints: given to hospitality.’ Rom. 12:13. Distribute to

needy saints, and God will never let you come to want for so doing. There

is yet another class. ‘As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good

unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’

Gal. 6:10.

“We will now look into the New Testament Scriptures to see what God has

promised there. These are Jesus’ own words: ‘Give, and it shall be given

unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running

over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure ye mete

withal it shall be measured to you again.’ Luke 6:38. Surely if any one is

needy, he had better begin giving and receive the hundredfold. No danger

of coming to want with such a promise from the great God hanging over you.

Move out and no longer fear; for ‘my God shall supply all your need

according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’ Phil. 4:19. ‘Yes,’ says

some one, ‘you ministers and gospel workers can depend upon God for what

you need, but we must work for what we get.’ Will you please turn to Phil.

4:9 and read on down very carefully. You will see that Paul was writing to

them concerning giving; telling them how once and again he had received

their gifts, and how he is still encouraging them to give more. He says,

‘Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your

account.’ Ver. 17. And that he had received ‘the things which were sent

from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing

to God.’ [Giving to the poor and needy, or sending the gospel to those who

sit in darkness, is an odorous sacrifice to God. How beautiful! The

remembrance of our deeds of charity and hospitality being a sweet odor

unto God must make such offerings a delight—_Auth._] Then he gives them

this great promise that God would supply all their needs. He was not

talking to preachers at all, although we can rest upon this promise, but

to the church at Philippi. And the same Lord is rich unto all who call

upon him. Praise his name!

“Now, you who are at home laboring in temporal things, and can not go

yourselves to minister the Word of God to others, just let go of

everything and get down before God and ask him how much you can give to

help this work along. Here is an opportunity to do good to all men. And

‘as ye have therefore opportunity, do good unto all men,’ then you can

take these promises for your own and depend upon God to supply all your

needs. You can and need to be just as much given up to God, and just as

dependent upon him as the ministry is. Who will help now, by means and

prayers, to send the gospel to every creature and every land?”

Good works do not cease with giving. There are many opportunities for all

to do good that God might be glorified. Even the poor will find many

opportunities for doing something that will benefit some fellow creature,

exalt the name of Jesus and bring a blessing to their own soul. There are

the sick and the discouraged to be visited and prayed with. There are kind

and sympathetic words that need to be spoken to lighten the burden of some

weary heart. All around us are opportunities for loving deeds and good

works that can be done as unto Jesus, which are precious treasures being

laid up for us in the glory world.

Eating Of Meats.

Many are the arguments on this subject from the pulpit and the press, from

the wise and not wise; and many have been deceived and led to believe that

to eat or refuse to eat certain kinds of meat is a duty they either owe to

themselves or to God. Many professed gospel preachers spend much time in

discussing this subject of meats, and would have their followers believe

that the eating of certain kinds of meat is an offense against God, and

through their selfishness and ignorance endeavor to prove their arguments

from the law of Moses, which was absolutely done away with when Christ

died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. I have no more

to do with the law of Moses than I have with any law that has been

repealed by the last act of Congress. It is disannulled and taken away by

the one that succeeds it. Paul says, “Christ the end of the law for

righteousness to every one that believeth.” Rom. 10:4.

The law was merely a temporary form of government until Christ should

come, to whom the promise was made. It served as a schoolmaster to bring

us to Christ, but when Christ came we were no longer under a schoolmaster.

Gal. 3:19, 24.

“Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by

the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Gal. 5:4. “That no man is justified by

the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by

faith.” Gal. 3:11. “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.”

Gal. 3:13. These scriptures show plainly that the law of Moses can not be

taken as proof of the righteousness which Jesus Christ established; for,

says the apostle, “The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by

Jesus Christ.” John 1:17. So then the law was neither grace nor truth as

regards matters pertaining to you and me.

The New Testament Scriptures settle most questions beyond all doubts, and

leave no room for discussion. Paul speaks very lightly of this matter of

eating meats, and his language shows it to be of no importance whatever.

He says, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall

destroy both it and them.” 1 Cor 6:13. “For the kingdom of God is not meat

and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Rom.

14:17. The apostle means to set forth the idea that the kingdom of God has

nothing to do with meat and drink, and such trifling things as dieting

ourselves is not taken into consideration. But the kingdom of God is

righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; it is a spiritual, not a

physical existence. I may eat all kinds of meat and be in the kingdom of

God or I may eat no meat and be in the kingdom of God.

Christ said, “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him

can defile him; but the things which come out of him.... Are ye so without

understanding also? do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without

entereth into the man it can not defile him; ... because it entereth not

into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught,

purging all meats.” Mark 7:15, 19. “That which cometh out of the man, that

defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil

thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,

wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,

foolishness: all these evil things come from within and defile the man.”

Mark 7:20-23.

Paul says, “Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let

not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received

him.” Rom. 14:3. “I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is

nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be

unclean, to him it is unclean.” Rom. 14:14. And again, “Let no man

therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or

of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.” Col. 2:16. Paul says, “The

Spirit speaketh expressly [notice he says the Spirit speaketh

_expressly_], that in the latter time some shall depart from the faith,

giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: speaking lies in

hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to

marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be

received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For

every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be

received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the Word of God and

prayer.” 1 Tim. 4:1-5.

Now note carefully the apostles language. Those who forbid to marry and

command to abstain from meats are classed with those who hold forth the

doctrine of devils, and speak lies in hypocrisy. It is the doctrine of

devils to say that any meat is unclean; for said he, God created them and

they are his creatures. Then he goes on to say to Timothy, “If thou put

the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister

of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine,

whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Tim. 4:6. If any kind of meat is

offensive to me, there is no law either natural or divine that says I must

eat. I have a right to abstain from it if I choose. It is no sin for me to

do that, but I have no right to say to others, It is a sin for you to eat

pork or any other kind of meat.

The Sin Against The Holy Ghost.

“Wherefore I say unto you. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be

forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be

forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man,

it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost,

it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world

to come.” Mat. 12:31, 32.

“Verily I say unto you. All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men,

and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: but he that shall

blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger

of eternal damnation: because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.” Mark

3:28-30.

“And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be

forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it

shall not be forgiven.” Luke 12:10.

From these texts of Scripture we learn that all manner of sin is

pardonable, save one, the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. There is no

crime too great, or sin too deeply dyed to be forgiven, except the one

designated in these scriptures. Well might it be asked, What is that sin?

It is evident that the Holy Spirit (which is the same as the Holy Ghost)

is no more supreme or important than others of the trinity; so therefore

why should all blasphemy against the Father or Son be pardonable, and the

blasphemy of the Holy Spirit be unpardonable. The answer will be found to

lie in the nature and office work of the Holy Spirit, as being different

from that of the Father or Son. Of course the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

are all one; yet they might well be considered as three, when we speak of

their respective offices. The Father, the grand author of all good, the

Creator of the world, the one who holdeth all things in his control, the

designer of the glorious plan of redemption of fallen man. The Son, the

one on whom that redemption depended, who only was found worthy to open

the book and loose the seals of the divine plan, and thus make salvation

possible. The Holy Spirit, the one who, after the Father and Son had

perfected their work, was sent to reprove the world of sin, of

righteousness, and of judgment. He it is that strives with men by way of a

kind of inherent knowledge, testifying to them of salvation’s waters

flowing free, and that they should forsake sin and plunge therein. By the

Holy Spirit is God’s way of manifesting himself to men, convicting them of

sin, righteousness, and judgment. True, as Paul says, God “hath in these

last days spoken unto us by his Son;” but notice, it is “_hath spoken_.”

The Son has done his part, we have his words on record, and he is at the

right hand of the Father; and he has himself said that he would go away,

that the Comforter (Holy Spirit) might come. And now we are living in the

special dispensation of the Holy Spirit.

The sin against the Holy Ghost, as it is commonly called, is also known as

the “unpardonable sin,” and the “sin unto death.” See 1 John 5:16. As we

before said, the answer to the question, Why is it unpardonable, lies in

the very nature of the Holy Spirit’s relationship to man. Are we to

suppose that it is some sin too heinous to be forgiven? or that God has

decided that this sin is one that bears too heavily against his

willingness to forgive? or, in other words, that his great love is not

sufficient, were it weighed in the balance with this sin? Nay; that is not

the light in which it is to be regarded. This is a sin that is different

in its effects from other sins. It is one by which man unprivileges

himself to be saved. He disconnects himself, so to speak, from all

possible operations or strivings of the Spirit of God with him. He might

blaspheme God, or the Son, and it would be the same as any other sin. But

he blasphemes the Spirit whenever he takes action against (and casts out,

so to speak) that inherent principle in him which tends to draw him to

God. By so doing he places himself outside the realm of possibilities, as

regards his own salvation: for he severs all possible communication from

God to him, unless it be what is manifest by the presentation of awful

fear of approaching damnation.

It will be seen that in committing this sin a man by choice wilfully

places himself in such a position, in reference to the inner dictations of

the Spirit, that the latter is killed or destroyed. He can blaspheme God,

and the convictions of the Spirit in him be unaffected, save that

continual so doing might lessen them; but when he blasphemes the Spirit—it

being so interwoven as to be, in a sense, a part of himself—he involves

his own soul, by taking a stand against himself, as it were, thereby

unfitting and unqualifying himself to be further affected by the Spirit.

He drowns, dissolves, annihilates the inner strivings of the Spirit.

If we examine carefully the quotation from Mark, we see by verse thirty

that the reason Christ said what he did about blasphemy against the Holy

Ghost was because certain scribes said he had an unclean spirit, and cast

out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. Now whether they thereby

committed the blasphemy of the Spirit, we do not know; but from Christ’s

words that followed, a strong inference could be drawn that they did. It

was at least a close step to it, and depended on the degree of inherent

knowledge they had that Jesus was the Christ. If they did it ignorantly,

it was not blasphemy.

In the sixth chapter of the Hebrews, verses four to eight, the apostle

speaks of such as have been partakers of the Holy Ghost, and were

enlightened, etc., who, if they shall “fall away,” directly disinherit

themselves of the privilege of being renewed unto repentance, and “crucify

_to themselves_ the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” By

so doing they virtually do violence to the Spirit’s convictions to such an

extent that they blaspheme the Spirit. We are persuaded that Paul here had

no reference to a person being overcome of the devil in some great

temptation so as to commit sin, while at the same time the soul protests

against sin. That would not be _falling away_ (as here meant) from the

love, neither the faith of God. Indeed, it is the very love of God, as

well as the Spirit’s convictions, that causes such a one to have immediate

sorrow for the sin committed, and causes the soul to quickly flee to God

again. But what the apostle meant by “falling away” was to forsake the

Lord, give up the faith, walk no more in the truth or with God’s children,

and be content to live in sin. But take notice of the standard which he

gives, from which “falling away” may be considered. He says, “those who

were once enlightened,” had “tasted of the heavenly gift,” were “partakers

of the Holy Ghost,” had “tasted the good word of God, and the powers of

the world to come;” if such fall away—forsake the Lord and choose to live

in sin—they soon become incapable of being affected by any manifestation

of the Spirit or any inducement held out to them—a deplorable, lost

condition! bearing only thorns and briers! whose end is to be burned! Now

we ask, Who ever saw any one come back to God who was content to remain

away from God, after having had the experience described in Heb. 6:4, 5?

We have seen some who exactly correspond to the description Paul gives

here, but we have never known any such to come back to the truth. May we

use this, as the apostle intended it, as a warning against unfaithfulness

to God.

In Heb. 10:26-29 the apostle makes mention of the same conditions, only in

a different way. Here he speaks of _sinning wilfully_ “after that we have

received the knowledge of the truth.” Of course, all sin, to be sin, is

done more or less wilfully; but the apostle can not have reference to a

sin committed on account of a spiritual lack, while the soul meaningly

presses on in the race for God. We know that such a sin does not unfit one

to become pardoned again, the Holy Spirit is not blasphemed, and therefore

the sacrifice (Christ) still remains, to which the soul may flee. To “sin

wilfully” here means more, as is unmistakably implied in verses

twenty-eight and twenty-nine. He illustrates by one who despised Moses’

law, as though he now means one who is despising the law of Christ; and he

explains himself in verse twenty-nine, where we see he has reference to

one “who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the

blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and

hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace.” Here “sin wilfully”

comprehends the blasphemy of the Spirit, and he evidently means, by the

term, a wilful turning again to a life of sin, a deliberate giving up of

the faith, and choosing sin instead. This is also used as a stimulus to

the saints to exhort one another, and neglect not the assembling of

themselves together, or the provoking unto love and good works, etc.

From these two places in the Hebrews it might be supposed that to be in an

unpardonable condition a person must have once been saved. But the apostle

in both places is necessarily addressing saved people, and holds up such a

condition as a warning against unfaithfulness. He deals in what is

applicable to them. But this does not prove that a man who has never known

the way of truth may not also place himself where he is unpardonable.

It is safe and Scriptural to take the stand that a person is pardonable so

long as he is capable of being sorry for his sin, for God’s sake, or of

having a real desire to love and serve God. The promise and privilege is

to “whosoever will.” This is as broad as broad can be, and whoever wills

can know assuredly that salvation is for him, not withstanding the

disputations of the devil to the contrary. In Heb. 12:16, 17 one would

infer from the apostle’s illustration of Esau that a person can be in a

condition where repentance may be earnestly desired, even with tears, yet

impossible to be found. But genuine repentance is not implied here. The

margin has it, “He [Esau] found no place to change his mind,” instead of

“no place for repentance.” A person may commit the unpardonable sin and

still desire to change his condition or lot; he may through fear of

eternal damnation desire rather the position of a Christian: but he never

repents, he can not repent, it is not “in him” to repent, he will not meet

the conditions for salvation, and no one can get him to do so. He may

bewail his condition and stand in dread of the judgment, from a feeling of

selfish protection; he may be sorry for his sins as a criminal may be

sorry for his crime when he is sentenced to be punished: but he has no

inclination to godly sorrow; in fact, the spirit of the man and the Spirit

of God are incompatible; he has placed himself where the Spirit of God can

in no way bring itself to bear upon him. Oh, how awful is such a state!

But he is not conscious of any awfulness from having offended God; his

awfulness proceeds from a sense of his being eternally lost. The only

impulses that might draw such a one to seek the Christian state are those

of the selfish kind, just as a man may desire salvation from a belief that

it would be conducive to his selfish interest. A person will never get an

experience of salvation through such motives; and in the case of the one

who has committed the blasphemy of the Spirit, he may have such motives,

but he can never have the genuine kind, or in other words, be drawn of the

Spirit. Such a sin need not be prayed for. 1 John 5:16. It is certainly a

sin unto death.

In conclusion we would say that the unpardonable sin is not to be regarded

as some particular sin, singled out from all others, as though it were

some form of murder, lying, or stealing, more heinous than the rest. But

it lies in the nature of the sin committed, as affecting the relationship

with the Holy Spirit. A person may have committed a whole list of the

blackest crimes, and yet not have committed the unpardonable sin; or vice

versa, a person may have a good standing in point of morality, and yet

have blasphemed the Spirit, and severed himself from all possibility of

repentance. We would say to every despairing soul seeking salvation, that

if you are capable of having the least godly sorrow on account of your

sin, or a real, inward desire to serve God, you can rest assured that you

have not committed the unpardonable sin. If you feel the Spirit of God

telling you that you ought to be saved, then salvation is for you. The

unpardonable sin deprives a person of the desire to will to love and serve

God and obey the truth. So in the language of Scripture we continue to

hold out the blessed invitation—“Whosoever _will_, let him take the water

of life freely.” Amen.

The Conscience.

When we behold the mechanism of man, we are made to exclaim with the

Psalmist, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works;

and that my soul knoweth right well.” Man is so constituted as to

experience a feeling of joy when a desired object is obtained, or a

feeling of disappointment if it is not obtained. When danger approaches he

intuitively seeks to avert it, and experiences a feeling of gladness if he

succeeds. Among the elements of man’s moral nature the highest and most

important, perhaps, is the conscience. Conscience is a principle which God

has placed in man’s moral being to teach him what is right and what is

wrong. Some have said that conscience is the “voice of God in the soul.”

It is a voice that is inaudible to the ear, but we feel it speaking in us,

saying, “This action is right,” or, “That action is wrong.” We believe

that Solomon was referring to the conscience when he said, “The spirit of

man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the

belly.” Prov. 20:27.

Where there is no known law, conscience becomes our guide and the standard

by which we are judged. For proof of this we will quote Rom. 2:14, 15:

“For when the Gentiles, which have not a law, do by nature [a kind of

intuitive knowledge of right] the things contained in the law, these,

having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which shew the work of the

law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and

their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another.” In

many circumstances of life we have no written law of God to guide our

actions, consequently must be directed by reason and conscience, which are

highly analogous. To be perfectly and properly directed by the conscience

necessitates a close walk with God. “Keeping in touch with God” is God in

our conscious being, impressing us with proper actions, and leading us in

the right way, and showing us the relationship existing between the pure

soul and the Deity. Where there is no written law of God to direct the

actions in a certain circumstance, those who experience a close connection

with God will always act the most wisely; because the “candle of the Lord”

(the conscience) is a light in them, impressing them with feelings of

right in the matter.

The conscious principle in the moral nature suffered greatly in the fall

of man, and is seriously impaired by violation of the known laws of God,

or laws of conscience. There is a beautiful harmony between truth and a

correct conscience. Obedience to the truth is always approved by an

unimpaired conscience. When a known truth is violated, a searing influence

is introduced upon the conscience, which grows with every violation, until

the conscience becomes seared as with a hot iron. Dangers of delusion lie

in the fact that after a succession of violations, the conscience becomes

so morbid that it fails to be a correct judge of action. After a time a

man can violate a plain truth without experiencing any sting of

conscience; therefore he concludes his actions are right, because he

experiences no condemnation, though they are in opposition to the truth.

There is great beauty in the thought, and gratification in the knowledge,

that by obedience to the truth we can obtain a sound moral condition,

whose conscientious principles are so acute that there is a timely warning

at every approach of error.

To possess a purged, pure, and undefiled conscience is our privilege in

the economy of grace. See Heb. 9:14; 1 Tim. 3:9; Titus 1:15. To possess an

unimpaired conscience and then so meet all our obligations to God and man

is to have a conscience void of offense. What implicit confidence we can

have in God when in a normal moral condition, and have an uncondemned

heart. Enoch walked with God and had the witness (consciousness) that he

pleased the Lord. What can bring greater happiness to the heart of man?

The man who, having an undefiled moral being has a conscience void of

offense toward God and man, experiences a satisfaction and a happiness

unsurpassed by any mortal being.

The Two Families.

The Scriptures talk of two classes of people on the earth. The inhabitants

of this globe are by the Word of God divided into two great families. One

family is termed the righteous, and the other the unrighteous. One is the

godly, the other the ungodly. One is the holy, the other the unholy. The

righteous family is likened unto or called sheep, the unrighteous family,

goats. Mat. 25:32, 33. They are interspersed throughout the earth. When

the Son of man is come they shall be separated. One family shall be

admitted into an eternity of bliss, the other into an eternity of

punishment. One family is represented by a good tree, the other by an evil

tree. In the parable of the sower the Savior likens one family unto wheat,

and the other unto tares.

Since there are two families there are, of course, two fathers. God is the

Father of one of these families (2 Cor. 6:18), and Satan is the father of

the other, John 8:44. These fathers are sometimes called masters. “One is

your Master, even God.” Now every individual on the globe is either in

servitude to one or the other of these masters—never to both. “No man can

serve two masters.” “His servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin

unto death or of obedience unto righteousness.”

The Scriptures so plainly locate the dividing line between these two

families that all can very well know to which family they belong. Those

who are born into God’s family do not commit sin. 1 John 3:9; 1 John 5:18.

Those belong to the devil’s family who do commit sin. 1 John 3:8. This is

very plain. None need be mistaken. Those who do not commit sin are the

wheat or good seed, and are children of the kingdom. Those who do commit

sin are the tares or children of the wicked one. Mat. 13. Those who do not

commit sin have their names written in heaven. But those who sin do not

have their names written there (Ex. 32:33), therefore are not members in

the family of God.

It is said that some people are mistaken as to which family they belong,

but it is “not every one that saith, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the

kingdom of heaven.” God’s family are righteous, they are holy, they are

pure, they are saints. Satan’s family are unrighteous, they are unholy,

they do not believe in purity, they commit sin. The Savior has gone to

prepare a place for his own so that where he is there they may forever

be—glory! glory! Those who live and die in sin can not go to that pure and

happy place. John 8:21. Dear friend, get ready. Live a pure, holy life and

spend an eternity in the blissful presence of our dear Redeemer. God bless

you, is my sincere prayer.

The Two Ways.

This earth is only man’s transitory home. He lives here a few years, then

goes to an eternity. There are two abodes or dwelling-places for man in

that eternity. One is called heaven, the other is called hell. One is a

place of peace and joy, the other a place of torment and woe. One place is

called eternal life, the other is called eternal death.

As man enters upon his journey of life two ways are set before him. Deut.

30:15, 19. One way leads to heaven, and is called the way of life and

good. The other way leads to hell, and is called the way of death and

evil. The way to heaven is denominated the holy way, where walk the

redeemed. The ransomed ones go singing on this way with crowns of joy upon

their heads. This way shines more and more, brighter and brighter, as it

nears the end.

The way to hell is denominated the way of the transgressor. It is a hard

way. There is no peace there, no rest. The darkness becomes more dense,

and fears increase as it nears the end. The way to everlasting life in

heaven is called a narrow way. Mat. 7:14. There are few that walk this

way. The way that leads to destruction is a broad way. Mat. 7:13. There

are many who are walking in that way. Dear reader, will you not choose the

way of life and make heaven your eternal and happy home?

Conclusion Of Part First.

We have now reached the conclusion of the first division of the Gospel

Day, namely, The Morning. We have not given the reader our opinion, or our

interpretation of the Scriptures, but we have given the pure, simple Bible

truths as taught by Christ and the apostles. It is not our doctrine, but

the doctrine of him that sent us. What we have taught is in perfect accord

with the Bible, and who can gainsay it?

To believe, experience, and live the truths of God’s Word is to be a light

in the world. To disbelieve any part, to come short of any part in

practical life, is to be to the same extent in darkness. Christ was a

light because he was the Word. The early church and apostles were a light

because they believed, experienced and practised in life the whole Word.

The Bible was written in their hearts as well as in the book. The Bible

never changes. God never changes, the nature of faith and grace never

changes, and true gospel light never changes. What created light in the

first century of this Christian era will create light in any other

century, and nothing but what was light in the primitive days of

Christianity will be light at any other time. Whatever may be claimed to

be light, if it is not the light of Christ, is a false light.

May God help people to see the true light. Oh, glorious light of the

morning! Christ and his church in all humility, gentleness, spotlessness

and love. In their lowly, inoffensive walk with God, holy, harmless,

undefiled, unblamable, separated from and unspotted by the world,

persecuted, rejected, and despised by men. Enduring all without a murmur,

contented in any and every circumstance of life; counting everything joy,

glorying in tribulation, patient in imprisonments, in stripes, in tumults,

in hunger, in fastings, in necessities, in afflictions, in distresses,

always rejoicing. When reviled, they reviled not again; when they suffered

they threatened not, but showing all meekness and gentleness unto all men,

loving and praying for their enemies, feeding them when they hungered and

giving them drink when they thirsted, preaching the gospel without money

and without price, led exclusively by the Holy Spirit, having power with

God over devils to cast them out, to heal the sick and lame, to restore

sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf, to give speech to the dumb,

and to raise the dead. Wonderful light of the gospel morning! Dear reader,

we invite you to look upon the picture. See it in its beautiful

transparent effulgent light. Pure as heaven, holy as a band of angels,

peaceful as the silent, flowing river, harmless as the gentle dove, in a

oneness equal with the holy trinity, and conquerors of sickness, sin and

Satan. Such was the pure virgin bride of Christ—the church—when she was

the light of the world.

O Moon—so fair in the rosy morn,

Reflecting the light of Christ—the Sun,

So spotless and pure in robes of white,

Beautiful, wonderful city of light.

PART II. THE NOONDAY.

Or,

The Doctrines Of An Apostate Religion Obscuring The Gospel Light.

The prophet Isaiah said. “The morning cometh, and also the night.” Isa.

21:11, 12. A dark night succeeded the morning of this gospel day. Jesus

said to his disciples, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun

shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.” Mark 13:24. The

tribulation here spoken of was the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the

city of the Jews, by the son of Vespasian, A.D. 70, in which eleven

hundred thousand persons perished. Josephus says of this time, “The

sufferings indeed of the devoted inhabitants are such as humanity shudders

to contemplate, and over which pity is glad to throw a veil.” This is the

tribulation of which our Lord spoke. The darkening of the sun and moon was

the fading away of the gospel light.

About the year 96 A.D. the writings of the New Testament were closed. From

that time we have only history to tell us of Christianity and its light in

the life of men. That the noontime of this gospel day was dark, is

unquestionable. To ascertain as near as possible the date of the close of

the morning light and the beginning of the dark noonday we must resort to

history. No one can rightly object to this. We assure you we will extract

nothing that will conflict with the inspired and infallible Word of God.

Where the Word of truth is silent and we can gain information from

authentic history it must certainly be proper and right. Historical facts

only verify and explain the truthfulness of the Scriptures.

Chapter I. The Date Of The Beginning Of Noonday.

Sabine’s Ecclesiastical History.

In speaking of Constantine’s expedition to Rome in the year 311, when

there appeared supernaturally a cross above the sun, he says: “During the

vicissitudes in the state, the church exhibits nothing peculiarly great.

Among the common people there were doubtless many truly devoted in the

spirit of their mind, and among them many that loved the divine Savior

above life itself; but among the bishops and pastors nothing like what we

saw in the past century. Indeed the principal events in the internal

department of the church are rather more to its disgrace than its honor.”

Speaking further of this time in another chapter he says: “The pagan

temples were pulled down or converted into Christian churches: the

exercise of the old priesthood was proscribed and the idols destroyed;

elegant structures for Christian worship were raised, and those already

erected, enlarged and beautified; the episcopacy was increased and honored

with great favors and enriched with vast endowments; the ritual received

many additions; the habiliments of the clergy were pompous, and the whole

of the Christian service at once exhibited a scene of worldly grandeur and

external parade. What a mighty change! But a short time since, and

Christianity was held in sovereign contempt: now she is a favorite at

court, and the companion of princes. Alas! such is the change, that it

scarcely affords ground for triumph. The kingdom of our God and his Christ

is become a kingdom of this world, and the church of Jesus reduced to a

mere worldly sanctuary. The glory is departed, the gold is become dim, and

the fine gold is changed.

“Indeed prelatical pride had been rising very high for a century before

this. The pastors had forgotten their Master’s instruction. ‘Be ye not

called Rabbi: for ye are brethren.’ Lord bishops and archbishops and all

the spirit of such distinction had been long enough upon the advance to

congratulate such an emperor as Constantine. The materials for a hierarchy

having been prepared it was no difficult thing for a set of worldly-minded

bishops, countenanced by a prince, to put them together. Under all these

circumstances, real religion was not likely to be bettered by such a

reverse in external affairs, and so the event proved. The ancient contest,

which was for the faith once delivered unto the saints, declined apace,

and a strife for worldly honor, fleshly gratification, and spiritual

dominion substituted in its stead.”

Such was the true condition of things in the year 311. Surely there had

been a change, the kingdom of God had become the kingdom of the world, the

glory was gone, strivings for worldly honor, fleshly gratification, and

spiritual dominion had taken the place of “striving for the faith once

delivered to the saints.” What a change from the humble, self-denying,

flesh crucifying days of Christ and the apostles. Truly we can say

sometime before this the morning light had dimmed and died, and darkness

intervened. The historian does not fix this date (311) as the beginning of

the dark noonday. (The reader already begins to see, no doubt, why it was

dark at the noontime.) He says in a preceding chapter, “About A.D. 264, a

considerable stir was made by Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch. ‘Great

was the falling off in this church since the renowned Ignatius. The

principles of Paul were exceedingly loose, and his practise was

correspondent.’ He rejected the divinity of the Son and substituted his

own reason for the light of the Spirit. The way in which he lived fully

proved that he was a man of the world.”

The historian proceeds to tell more of this bishop’s wicked life. The

Scriptural qualifications of a bishop are, blamelessness, the husband of

one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to

teach; “not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but

patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house,

having his children in subjection with all gravity.” 1 Tim. 3:3, 4. The

seventh verse adds: “Moreover he must have a good report of them which are

without.” Such a bishop must be, in the very strictest sense, to be a

light in the world. Here was a bishop, of perhaps the strongest Christian

congregation in the world, almost everything to the contrary. How true the

Savior’s prophecy: “The moon shall not give her light, and the stars of

heaven shall fall.” Paul, of Samosata, became so wicked he was deposed

from his office and became a “fallen star.”

Sabine speaking of divisions and their causes says: “In this century the

general church was rent in twain. This century also produced a train of

other officers (beside bishops and deacons), such as subdeacons, who were

all to the deacon what the presbyter was to the bishop; acolytes, persons

to attend at service time on the ministers; ostiaries, doorkeepers;

readers, men who were appointed to read the Scriptures in public;

exorcists, officers of weak and superstitious appointment, whose business

was to pretend to expel the devil from the candidate for baptism. All

these encroachments and changes mark, strongly mark, a great decline in

the spirit and power of primitive Christianity.”

All of these things, and many more similar ones, were occurring in the

latter part of the third century.

In the year of our Lord 248 Cyprian was ordained a presbyter in the church

at Carthage. Ten years later he laid down his life for Jesus. It is said

of him that he “displayed a benevolent and pious mind and evinced much of

the character of the Christian pastor in the affectionate solicitude with

which he watched over his flock.” In epistle eleven he says: “It must be

owned and confessed that the outrageous and heavy calamity which hath

almost devoured our flock, and continues to devour it to this day, hath

happened to us because of our sins, since we keep not the way of the Lord,

nor observe his heavenly commands, which were designed to lead us to

salvation. Christ our Lord fulfilled the will of the Father, but we

neglect the will of Christ. Our principal study is to get money and

estates; we follow after pride, we are at leisure for nothing but

emulation and quarreling, and have neglected the simplicity of faith. We

have renounced this world in words only, and not in deed. Every one

studies to please himself and to displease others.”

This account of professed Christianity at this time by Cyprian is

confirmed by the testimony of Eusebius, who was nearly contemporary with

him. “Through too much liberty they grew negligent and slothful, envying

and reproaching one another, waging, as it were, civil wars among

themselves, bishops quarreling with bishops, and the people divided into

parties. Hypocrisy and deceit were grown to the highest pitch of

wickedness. They were become so insensible as not so much as to think of

appeasing the divine anger; but like atheists they thought the world

destitute of any providential government and care, and thus added one

crime to another. The bishops themselves had thrown off all concern about

religion, were perpetually contending with one another, and did nothing

but quarrel with and threaten and envy and hate one another: they were

full of ambition and tyrannically used their power.”—_Eusebius’ History_,

Book VIII, Chap. I, as quoted in _Jones’ Church History_.

Ruter’s Church History. (Third Century.)

“With the opinions, the Christian teachers had adopted the habits and

manners of the philosophic school. They assumed the dress of the pompous

sophist, and delivered the plain doctrines of the gospel with strained and

studied eloquence.”

“This season of external prosperity was improved by the ministers of the

church for the exertion of new claims and the assumption of powers with

which they had not previously been invested.”—p. 52.

“Several alterations in the form of church government appear to have been

introduced during the third century. Some degree of pomp was thought

necessary to render so singular an institution respectable to the minds of

a gross multitude who are only capable of judging from external

appearances. As their numbers increased their labors became proportionally

greater, and it was necessary to provide assistance and more agreeable to

good order to assign to each his proper function. Inferior ministers were

therefore instituted, who derived their appellations from the office they

filled.

“These ministers probably derived their emoluments, not merely from the

precarious bounty of the society, but from a certain proportion of the

fixed revenues of the church. The principal of them had obtained before

the close of this century the possession of several considerable estates,

which had been bequeathed or presented to the church. The external dignity

of the ministers of religion was accompanied by a still greater change in

its discipline. The simple rules prescribed by the apostles for the

preservation of good order in the church branched out into so many

luxuriant shoots that it was difficult to recognize the parent stem.”—p.

53.

“A regular form of discipline began to take place during the third century

in every matter which fell within the cognizance of the church.” p. 51.

Following this, Ruter gives an account of the penitents seeking salvation

who had to proceed step by step. The first degree was to prostrate

themselves in the avenues of the church building. Here they were called

_flentes_. In the second degree they were allowed to enter the building

and hear the sermon. Here they were called _audientes_. In the third

degree they were allowed to unite in prayers offered in their own behalf.

Here they were called _genuflectentes_. In the fourth degree they were

allowed to approach the altar and were called _consistentes_. In the

taking of these degrees the penitents were compelled to appear in

sackcloth and ashes, and in some places the men were obliged to shave

their heads and the women to wear veils. The duration of their penitence

was regulated by the bishop. He could make the time of taking these

degrees short, or extend it to any length. This was called an indulgence.

This is shocking in the extreme. Where in the humble acts of Jesus and his

apostles do you hear of such an order of things? Truly at this time the

sun was darkened, and the moon did not give her light, and the stars had

fallen. How true now appears the prophecy of Isaiah: “The people of thy

holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have

trodden down thy sanctuary.” Isa. 63:18. Jesus says, “Lay not up for

yourselves treasures upon the earth,” and Paul says to the bishop to be

“not greedy of filthy lucre”; and Peter says, “Taking the oversight not

for filthy lucre’s sake”—and here before the close of the third century we

find the bishops coming into possession of large estates through the

revenues of the church, and as Cyprian has said of the bishops of this

time, “Our principal study is to get money and estates.”

We have before us Mosheim’s Church History. In speaking of the internal

history of the church in the third century he says that “the bishops of

Rome, Antioch and Alexandria had a kind of preeminence over all others,

and particularly the bishop at Rome.” There was a change in the form of

government and this change was followed by a train of vices. “Many of

those who had the administration of the church affairs were sunk,” he

says, “in luxury and voluptuousness, puffed up with vanity, arrogance and

ambition; possessed with a spirit of contention and discord. They

appropriated to their evangelical function the splendid ensigns of

temporal majesty: a throne, surrounded with ministers, exalted above his

equals, the servant of the meek and humble Jesus.... The titles of

subdeacons, acolythi, ostairii, readers, exorcists, copiatæ, would never

have been heard of in the church if its rulers had been assiduously and

zealously employed in promoting the interest of truth and piety by their

labors and their example.” He gives an account of the trouble in the

church of Rome between Cornelius and Novatian, in the year 250, who were

aspirants for the Roman See.

Eusebius tells of the increasing vices, schisms, quarrelings of the

bishops, of their greed for money and preeminence in the last half of the

third century. In speaking of the bishops and pastors who had the

administration of church government in the year 260, he says: “But some

that appeared to be our pastors, deserting the law of piety, were inflamed

against each other with mutual strifes, only accumulating quarrels and

threats, rivalship, hostility and hatred to each other, only anxious to

assert the government as a kind of sovereignty for themselves.” Then he

adds, “As Jeremiah says, ‘The Lord in his anger darkened the daughter of

Sion [the church or moon], and hurled from heaven to earth the glory of

Israel.’ ”

By this we learn that Eusebius would place the darkening of the church, or

the beginning of the dark noonday, near the year 260 A.D. Quotations could

be transcribed from Coleman, Marsh, Waddington and others, in which they

all place the close of the morning light and the rise of the apostasy or

dark noonday between the years 260 and 280 A.D. To our knowledge, Joseph

Milner is the only non-contemporary historian that fixes the date to any

definite time. He says, “I know it is common for authors to represent the

great declension of Christianity to have taken place only after its

external establishment under Constantine. But the evidence of history has

compelled me to dissent from this view of things. In fact we have seen

that for a whole generation previous to the persecution, few marks of

superior piety appeared. Scarce a luminary of godliness existed, and it is

not common in any age for a great work of the Spirit of God to be

exhibited but under the conduct of some remarkable saint, pastor and

reformers. This whole period as well as the whole scene of the persecution

is very barren of such characters. Not but that many precious children of

God suffered in much patience and charity. But those who suffered with

very much of a different spirit, found no pastor to discountenance their

self-will and false zeal: a sure sign that the true spirit of martyrdom

was less pure than it had formerly been. Moreover the prevalence of

superstition on the one hand, and the decay of evangelical knowledge on

the other, are equally apparent. Christ crucified, justification purely by

faith, and the effectual influences of the Holy Ghost, ... were ideas at

least very faintly impressed at that day on Christian minds. It is vain to

expect Christian faith to abound without Christian doctrine. Moral and

philosophical and monastical instructions will not effect for men what is

expected from evangelical doctrine. And if the faith of Christ was so much

declined (and its decayed state ought to be dated from about the year 270)

we need not wonder that such scenes as Eusebius hints at without any

circumstantial detail took place in the Christian world.”—_Century IV_, p.

31.

After searching history we find no objection in making use of the year 270

A.D. as the date of the _beginning of the dark noontime_. Milner says at

this time, “Scarcely a luminary of godliness existed. The great

luminaries, or lights, were eclipsed and darkness reigned. Some of our

contemporary writers have fixed upon this year as the date of the rise of

the beast power, which created this darkness.” “The real papacy was set

up, not at the Nicene Council, A.D. 325, as some affirm; but we find vivid

traces of the very same beast authority as early as A.D. 270.”—_Biblical

Trace of the Church._ In the city of Nice in Bithynia, A.D. 325, was held

what is called “The First General Council.” There was present at this

council the Emperor Constantine, as the historian says, “Like an angel of

God exceeding all his attendants in size, gracefulness and strength, and

dazzling all eyes by the splendor of his dress, showing the greatest

humility, seated in a chair covered with gold.” There were present at this

meeting three hundred and eighteen bishops, and a number of deacons and

subdeacons, amounting in all to two thousand and forty-eight persons. Here

was drawn up a creed, declaring to be the only true and orthodox faith. It

bears the title of Nicene. This creed was at once confirmed at Rome by two

hundred and seventy-five bishops, and was the setting up of the Roman

hierarchy. This council can not however with propriety be said to be the

true setting up of the beast power. Nearly all the forms and doctrines of

this creed had been observed and taught by the bishops and pastors for

several decades. The most sensible date, and most consistent with

revelation, _for the bringing in of the dark noontime of the gospel day is

A.D. 270_. We feel confident that no one can rightfully object to us

making use of this date for this work. Those who do so must do it through

prejudice or ignorance.

Chapter II. Scriptural Predictions Of An Apostasy.

Who has not wondered, as they read of the Savior’s and the apostles’

warnings of “false teachers,” grievous wolves, delusive powers, and

deceptive lights, what it all could mean? These things certainly are not

without meaning. Jesus says, “And many false prophets shall rise, and

shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound the love of many

shall wax cold. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets,

and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were

possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Mat. 24:11, 12, 24. The Son

of God foretells the arising of false prophets and teachers. He tells us

how they may be known. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in

sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know

them by their fruits.” Mat. 7:15, 16.

By the pen of the apostle John we learn something of the fruit of these

false, deceiving prophets. “For many deceivers are entered into the world,

who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver

and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which

we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever

transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He

that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the

Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him

not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed: for he that biddeth him

Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 7-11. The fruit of a false

prophet is a false doctrine. A doctrine in opposition to the plain, simple

doctrine of Christ is the principal characterizing feature of a deceiver.

The doctrine of Christ is light. All who abide in the doctrine of Christ

are a light in the world. Any doctrine contrary to the doctrine of Christ

is darkness, and its propagator, a deceiver and an antichrist. This same

apostle in his first letter, cautions us to “try the spirits [and

doctrines], whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone

out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that

confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every

spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not

of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that

it should come; and even now already it is in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3.

We feel like it would be justice to the reader to here explain how we can

confess that Christ is come in the flesh, and how we can deny that he has

so come. That this does not refer to his personal coming in the flesh, as

a sacrifice for sin, is evident. But few but what confess that Christ was

here in the flesh as recorded in the Gospels, yet many of them are not of

God. Jesus says, “We will come unto him and make our abode with him.”

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?” “For ye are the temple of

God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will

be their God, and they shall be my people.” “At that day ye shall know

that I am in the Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” John 14:20. That day

spoken of is when the Holy Spirit would come and teach them all things.

That was at Pentecost. Then they knew that Christ was in them. This then

is Christ come in the flesh.

Now it is not every one either that confesses by the word of mouth that

Christ dwells in them that are of God. A Scriptural confession is not by

word only, but by the deed, or life. Every one who confesses by their life

that Christ is come in the flesh or dwells in them must and will abide in

the whole doctrine of Christ, and live just as he lived. Such a one is of

God, and is a light even as Christ was a light. Whoever rejects any of the

Savior’s doctrine, and does not, and will not, experience and practise it

in his life, the same is an antichrist, however much he may profess to be

of God. Try all doctrines and spirits by the doctrine of Christ, is the

infallible rule.

The Prophecy Of Paul.