June 13, 1899

“The Sermon. Daniel and Revelation” ^{1Bible lesson given at General Conference, Tuesday, 8 A.M., February 28.} The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 24, p. 372.

The Great Subjects to be Preached—The Coming of the Lord—The Sanctuary—The Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus.

A. T. JONES

THERE are two additional views of the books of Daniel and Revelation that I think ought to be given before the study is closed. One thought, which, though not directly a particular subject, but on the subject, is the wrong use so often made of that expression of the twelfth chapter of Daniel, “Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” I hope we shall get around, some of these days, to where we shall use that in its true meaning, and not always in the false meaning. Although people may travel, in luxurious ease and with great rapidity, from country to country, and from place to place, and thereby increase their knowledge, yet most of the knowledge that is increased by that means is not knowledge at all. But the scripture by that means is not knowledge at all. But the scripture does not mean that, anyhow. It simply says they shall thoroughly search (of course the book which is under consideration), and by that means knowledge shall be increased.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.1

[L. R. Conradi: That word occurs several times in the Scriptures, and the text in which it is are Jeremiah 5:1; Amos 8:12; and Zechariah 4:10; and those three texts give more light than does anything else.]ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.2

Brother Waggoner has, I think, thirteen different translations of that clause. Will you read some of them, Brother Waggoner?ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.3

[E. J. Waggoner: Here is one in English (Winter’s translation): “Thou, Daniel, close the words and seal up the book until the time of the end, till many have searched diligently, and knowledge shall be increased.” The French of Segond reads: “Thou, Daniel, hold secret these words, and seal the book until the time of the end; then many shall read it, and knowledge shall be augmented.” The Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian are about the same: “Seal the book until the time of the end; many shall search diligently in it, and knowledge shall be increased.” The German, two renderings about the same: “Many shall search through it, and find understanding.” The Hebrew itself gives that idea. The word which in our version is rendered “to and fro,” translated, means “to run through or over a book,” “run through or search through the book diligently.” I have two or three other renderings; and every one, including the Vulgate and the Septuagint, gives the same idea,—seal the book until the time of the end; and when the time of the end comes, they will search, and find knowledge.]ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.4

[L. R. Conradi: In Amos 1:12 is carried the idea that the wicked shall search for the Word, and can not find it; just as now the righteous find it. The same word is used in both places.]ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.5

[E. J. Waggoner: I have the Vulgate rendering: “Seal the book until the appointed time [literally, the “statute time”]; many shall go through it, and science shall be multiplied.”]ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.6

[M. C. Wilcox: Another rendering is: “Give sedulous attention to these things.”]ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.7

Let us be the ones who will do that, instead of throwing it off, and applying it to those who are traveling about so much.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.8

You can see, from the sketches that we have had of Daniel and Revelation, that when we do thus run to and fro, when we do search these books through and though, knowledge will be increased. Knowledge has been increased to us, in the days that we have been studying these books in this Conference. How much more will it be so when we thoroughly study these books, when the Spirit of God himself will open these things. The book of Daniel was written for our time, and the Lord will himself, through his Spirit, reveal its meaning to us. Perhaps I had better read right here something which occurs to me now, in a promise for just this time, relating to Daniel and Revelation together, of course:—ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.9

“‘I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day,’ he says,—the very Sabbath which was instituted in Eden. He was keeping the Sabbath; for God had created only one Sabbath, and that was to last through eternal ages. This Sabbath was a wonderful Sabbath to John. He says: ‘I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia.’ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.10

“Suppose our teachers and students should have more to teach and write in regard to those things which are now to be fulfilled, and which concern the eternal welfare of souls. Suppose that pen and voice should give meat in due season to the old and the young, to saints and to sinners. Let the many things that might be said to awaken the church from its slumbers be spoken without losing any more time in dwelling on these things which are not essential, and that have no bearing upon the present necessities of our people, or upon the ignorant who know not the truth. Read the first three verses of Revelation, and see what work is especially enjoined upon those who claim to believe the word of God.... When the eyes have been enlightened with the spiritual eye-sight, then we shall see altogether clearly.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.11

Brethren, that is a fine promise. Listen further: “The things of time and sense that now attract attention will lose their value; for there will be disclosed to men eternal interests. As God made known his will to the Hebrew captives, to those who were most separate from the customs and practises of a world lying in wickedness, so will the Lord communicate light from heaven to all who will appreciate a ‘Thus said the Lord.’” God will make know to men eternal interests. You will have something bigger, something more interesting, and something more substantial to look at and think about when that is so. What promises these are!ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.12

“To them he will express his mind.” When I come to you, and say I am going to express my mind to you, you expect me to talk plain to you, do you not? You expect me to “put it straight.” Now God says to these folks that are most separate from the things of this world, “to them he will express his mind.” That suggests again the same thought that we have had before,—that we are to “catch the very ideas of the Man of Calvary,” and express them. He expresses his mind to us, and we express it to others.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.13

“Those who are least bound up with worldly ideas, are the most separate from display, and vanity, and pride, and love of promotion, who stand forth as His peculiar people, zealous of good works, to these He will reveal the meaning of His word. The very first exhibition of God’s power to the Hebrew captives was in showing the defective wisdom of the great ones of the earth. The wisdom of men is foolishness with God. The magicians revealed their ignorance of the light before the Lord revealed His wisdom as supreme. The wisdom of human agents who had misappropriated their God-given talents, God showed to be foolishness.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.14

Now let us glance through the book of Daniel, and see what is there that must inevitably be preached. To what does the second chapter of the book of Daniel bring us?—To the establishment of God’s kingdom, the coming of the Lord, the end of the world. What does the seventh chapter bring us to?—To the same thing. The eighth?—The same thing. The eleventh?—The same thing. Then the one great subject of the book of Daniel is the coming of the Lord and the end of the world. Then that is what will be preached as certainly as the book of Daniel is studied and preached.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.15

Now let us go into the book of Revelation. In the very first chapter, seventh verse, the word rings out, “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him.” To what do the seven churches bring us?—To the coming of the Lord. To what do the seven seals?—To the coming of the Lord. The seven trumpets?—The coming of the Lord. And the three messages with all their complications?—The coming of the Lord. And the seven plagues?—The coming of the Lord. And the book closes with the word, “Surely I come quickly.” Then what is the one great thing over all other things that is taught in the books of Daniel and Revelation?—The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you can not teach these books without teaching just that thing.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.16

Now first, to preach the coming of the Lord and the necessity for it. We are to preach salvation to sinners, to those people who are lost in sin and wickedness. This is right, and something we have got to do. Yet this alone could have been done as well a thousand or fifteen hundred years ago as now, but there is now a double reason that man should be saved from his sins, and that is because he must be saved from destruction at the coming of the Lord, which is now so near. So you see there is an additional reason, which we must give to the people who are in sin, why they must repent and be converted. If I can be instrumental in calling a sinner to salvation, and saving him from being burned up at the same time, that would be a double salvation, would it not?—It would be, in this sense. That is where we are. We are calling people to be saved from sin, and from being burned up at the coming of the Lord.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 372.17

“Editorial” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 24, p. 376.

WHEN the Lord appeared to Moses, and called him to go to Pharaoh, and lead out the children of Israel from Egypt, “Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.1

“And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shall say.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.2

But still Moses refused, saying, “O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him who thou wilt send.” Then as Moses would not trust the Lord’s promise to be with his mouth, and to teach him what he should say, the Lord chose Aaron to be the spokesman.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.3

Then he said to Moses, “Thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his outh, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.4

This being the Lord’s arrangement, and that at the express wish of Moses, was right all around. And so long as Moses should hold strictly to that arrangement, all would be well: for it was the way of the Lord.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.5

And so long as Moses held strictly to that arrangement all was well. But, alas! Moses swerved once from that arrangement, and failed. Once, at the waters of strife, he did not wait to speak to Aaron, that Aaron might speak to the people; he did not use Aaron as his mouthpiece; but “spake unadvisedly with his lips,” saying, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.6

Now if Moses had let the Lord have his mouth, as the Lord desired, at the first, so that the Lord would have been with his mouth and taught him what he should say, Moses would never have spoken thus unadvisedly with his lips. But when he held back his mouth from the Lord, then there was only himself to use it, and he was sure to use it wrongly. One lesson therefore in this is, Hold back nothing from the Lord, give him absolutely all for him to use, if you would be kept from sinning.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.7

On the other hand, if Moses, having caused the Lord to make the arrangement of supplying in Aaron a mouth for him, had held sacredly to the arrangement which the Lord had made, even then he would never have spoken unadvisedly with his lips; for in that arrangement the Lord was with his mouth and with Aaron’s mouth. And, indeed, it is plain enough that if Moses had taken the time to pass through the lips of Aaron his words, he would not have used the hasty words that he did speak. Another lesson, therefore, from this record is that, when by your distrust of the Lord you oblige him to adopt another plan with you than the one which he first chose for you, then the only way of faith and righteousness for you is in following in absolute and sacred strictness the way which you have obliged him to take.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.8

It would have been far better for Moses to let the Lord have his mouth, with all the rest of him, according to the Lord’s original plan. And so it is now and forever with everybody.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.9

“Whosoever... forsaketh not all that he hath, he can not be my disciple.” The merchant man seeking goodly pearls must sell all that he has to buy the field.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.10

“Divine or Devilish—Which? And Which Is Which?” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 24, p. 376.

IN studying and making plain in these columns the apostasy of the Republic of the United States, we shall present some of the statements and proposed arguments which represent the attitude of the nation to-day toward the fundamental principles of the nation.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.1

In order that the full significance of those statements may the better be seen and appreciated, we must first examine on their merits the fundamental principles of a republic, and of this republic especially.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.2

A republic is strictly a government of the people. Such was the government of the United States; for the very first words of the very charter of the government itself are, “We, THE PEOPLE of the United States.... do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” And it was Abraham Lincoln who, speaking of this nation, so well defined a republic as a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” The government is the people, and the people govern themselves; they govern themselves by themselves; and they govern themselves by themselves for themselves.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.3

But who are the people?—It is each individual man; it is “we, the people.” Each person himself, so far as he is concerned, is the people. If each person excludes himself, and says that something else is the people, then where are the people?—There are no people.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.4

Then when it is the people who govern themselves, and each person is the people, who is it that governs?—Each person governs. But whom does he govern?—Himself. For who does he govern?—For himself. Each governs himself, by himself, for himself. It is simply self-government.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.5

That is the principle of republican government; that is the Christian principle; and that is the principle of the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among which are”—they did not enumerate all of the m; but for the purpose for which they were working, they enumerated these—“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.6

“That to secure these rights,“—whose are the rights?—Each person’s. Where did he get them?—From God. He received them from the Creator; then they rest between him and the Creator only. how to secure these rights to the individual,—not to give them to the individual, nor to give them to certain ones, nor yet to secure them to certain ones; but to secure them to those to whom they already belong, and who already have them; that is, to all men, who are created equal, and who are endowed by the Creator with these unalienable rights,—this is what governments are instituted for.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.7

“To secure these rights governments are instituted among men.” Who institute the government?—The people. What for?—For themselves; to secure the rights that they have, not because of government, not because of society, but because they are simply men in the world, and because God made them men. “Deriving their just powers”—their just powers, mark it—from whom? Who made the government?—The people. What was the government made for?—For the people. Then where did the government get its power?—From the people who made it; and each man is the people. “We, the people.” Therefore the statement that “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,” is also God’s truth.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.8

Thus the Declaration of Independence embodies the truth of Christ for men and nations in the world; for this principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, is the very idea of the government of God; for, though God is a king, eternal and omnipotent, and so is the only one in the universe who could indeed be an absolute monarch, yet he does not, and he will not, govern a single soul without the consent of that soul; and that consent upon free choice given, and upon free choice maintained; for thou a person chooses this minute to be governed by the Lord, yet the Lord will not hold that person that that choice the next minute without that person’s consent. Therefore it is written: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 24:15. It is a service that is chosen each day. “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17. God will govern no one against that one’s will. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:19. “If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not.” John 12:47.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.9

Thus the two great principles of the Declaration of Independence and of the Constitution—the fundamental principles of the government of the United States—“all men are created equal and are endowed with certain unalienable rights,” and “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed”—are the very principles of the truth and the government of God. This nation was planted by the Lord to enlighten the world with these mighty truths. For this nation to apostatize from these principles is directly to separate from God, who planted the nation; and such national apostasy can only be followed by national ruin.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.10

“Editorial Note” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 24, p. 376.

NOW as a fair and true indicator of what is being preached and indorsed by the great majority in this nation to-day, please consider the following: On Sunday, April 30, 1899, there was held in Central Music Hall, Chicago, a mass-meeting to protest against the policy of imperialism which is being employed by the United States, especially in the Philippines. In this meeting the fundamental principles of the nation, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, were appealed to.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.1

That such a meeting should be held at all was deemed by many to be highly disrespectful to the President of the United States, disloyal to the government, and the speeches treasonable. And in order to clear Chicago from such a stain, there was immediately started a movement, supported by the great dailies of the city, to hold three mass-meetings which should fitly represent Chicago’s respect for the President, her loyalty to the government, and which in numbers, character, and sentiments expressed, would be a proper rebuke to the other mass-meeting. Accordingly the whole week was spent working up enthusiasm; and on Sunday, May 7, the meetings were held—the principal and most representative one in the Auditorium.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.2

One of the speakers at the Auditorium was Dr. P. S. Henson, pastor of the leading Baptist church in Chicago. His speech was reported verbatim in the Times-Herald of the next morning. And in his speech Dr. Henson spoke of the Declaration of Independence as follows:—ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.3

And so to-day there are those that wave the Declaration of Independence in our faces, and tell us that the thing to do is to deliver over those islands of the archipelago in the East to the people who are their rightful masters; for “all governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.” So wrote Thomas Jefferson. Do you remember that the Lord said to Joshua, “My servant is dead”? And so Thomas Jefferson. I do not believe that a live president in the year of grace 1899 is just as much of an authority as a president that lived and died a hundred years ago. I am no worshiper of a saint just because he is dead. Let the dead bury the dead. As to that hallowed document that declares that all governments drive their just powers from the consent of the governed, if that is to be literally construed, THERE NEVER WAS A GREATER FALSEHOOD PALMED OFF BY THE DEVIL UPON A CREDULOUS WORLD. It is not true of the government of God.—Chicago Times-Herald, May 8, 1899.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.4

And that speech was made and received as representative of the properly patriotic sentiment of this nation at the present time; and as a proper and sufficient answer to all those who, upon the basis of the Declaration of Independence, protest against the conduct of this nation in the Philippines and toward the Filipinos.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.5

Further comment we reserve till next week, except only to say that when about forty-five years ago a United States senator pronounced the term “all men” in the Declaration, “a self-evident lie,” rather than a self-evident truth, Abraham Lincoln remarked upon it that “if this had been said among Marion’s men, Southerners though they were, what would have become of the man who said it? If this had been said to the men who captured Andre, the man who said it would have been hung sooner than Andre was. If it had been said in old Independence Hall, seventy-eight years ago, the very doorkeeper would have throttled the man, and cast him into the street.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 376.6

And what would have been done in those times with the man who had declared of the statement of the Declaration as to governments deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that “there never was a greater falsehood palmed off by the devil upon a credulous world.” We do not say that what they would have done with him is what should be done with him; we have nothing to do with that one way or the other. We mention this merely to call attention in an impressive way to the vast change, the total revolution indeed, that has been wrought in the sentiment and character of this nation between the times of ‘76 and our own time. As Abraham Lincoln said of that other statement, so must it be said of this one. The spirit of ‘76 and this spirit are utter antagonisms, and the former is being rapidly displaced by the latter. And what is this latter spirit but the spirit of apostasy?ARSH June 13, 1899, page 377.1

“Editorial Notes” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 24, pp. 377, 378.

THE sixth annual banquet of the Associated Press was held in Chicago, Wednesday night, May 17. It was attended by one hundred and two of the leading editors in the United States. Mr. St. Clair McKelway, of the Brooklyn Eagle, made the opening speech, in which he said:—ARSH June 13, 1899, page 377.1

“There is no newspaper which believe that we are in Porto Rico ever to get out. We are there to stay. There are none which believe that we are in Cuba to get out—soon. I think we will stay there about as long as Great Britain will stay in Egypt; and Great Britain will stay in Egypt about as long as the Anglo-Saxon has a habit of staying where he settles down.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 377.2

We do not think there is any basis whatever for doubting the correctness of this statement. And yet Congress declared that “the people of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free and independent.” Of course the Philippines were put with Porto Rico and Cuba, by the speaker; and he closed with these words:—ARSH June 13, 1899, page 377.3

“The higher races will school, or harness, the lower ones to the work of the ages, and American newspapers should not captiously forget that fact in their long outlook on events.”ARSH June 13, 1899, page 377.4

“Will harness the lower races to the work of the ages!” How does that sound from a nation built upon a declaration of self-evident truths, and inalienable rights of mankind? Yet the temper of those who sat at the banquet and heard the speech was shown by an immediate vote that “every word uttered by Mr. McKelway be printed and sent over the country by the Associated Press.” Developments are exceedingly rapid now. Watch them.ARSH June 13, 1899, page 378.1