WE found, in the books of Daniel and Revelation, the three great subjects of the Coming of the Lord, the Sanctuary, and the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. These three are the key-subjects in these books.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.1

Another thing that is in both these books is Babylon,—its nature, characteristics, and fall. In Daniel it is ancient Babylon, in Revelation it is the last Babylon: and unless we understand the Babylon in Daniel, we shall not understand the Babylon in Revelation. If we study the Babylon in Daniel, we shall find just the characteristics of the Babylon of the last times, and the things that will cause her fall. Another great thing that stands at the threshold of the book of Daniel, and also of the book of Revelation, is the character that will stand in Babylon clear through all the times of Babylon, and into the kingdom of God.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.2

All these things must be preached, because we are to study the books. The things that are in these books must be taught, and they must be preached. These are the great essential doctrines of the last days. Yet we are told that in giving this last message to the world, we are to go out into the highways and hedges, and are not to present doctrine as the prominent thing, but Christ first. When it is Christ first, it is Christ second and all the time, and nothing but Christ. Though this is all told us by the Testimonies, yet at the same time the Testimonies have never said that we are to despise the doctrine, nor to ignore it, nor even to slight it.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.3

The Spirit of Prophecy has repeatedly said that the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is the third angel’s message. It has also said that righteousness by faith is the third angel’s message in truth and in verity. And the law of God, the commandments, was put into this world to oppose everything that is contrary to sound doctrine. You know the passage (1 Timothy 1:5): “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.4

That is what the law was given for. Then we can not preach the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus without preaching sound doctrine. Yet the Testimony, speaking as it does as to doctrine, tells us something that we must learn. And at the same time we must be very careful that we do not learn something that the Testimonies do not tell; namely, that we have nothing to do with the doctrine, and that we can really despise doctrine, and that those who preach doctrine are proselyters, sectarianists, and all such like.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.5

There is much in this matter that we can study to profit.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.6

Any one who attempts to preach Christ, and at the same time slights, ignores, or despises doctrine, is not preaching Christ at all as Christ is.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.7

[C. P. Bolman: By doctrine, do you mean points in which we differ from other people?]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.8

Yes; it means that, because in all points of our faith, we do differ from other people. In straight up-and-down faith in Jesus Christ, we differ; for we have a deeper faith than they: if we haven’t, what good is there in our being Seventh-day Adventists?ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.9

The Testimonies have said that we must present Christ, and that if we present Christ as Christ is, those who receive him will receive the doctrine. Put the two things together: I am not to preach first of all the doctrine, but Christ only. But let every one bear in mind that when I do preach Christ as the Lord intends, people will receive the doctrine, even though I say not a word about it. The secret of this is that I must so preach Christ that all the doctrine is in the Christ whom I preach. And, brethren, we can so preach Christ. Indeed, we must so preach him, or else we are not preaching Christ. To preach half of Christ is not to preach Christ. To preach Christ is to preach him wholly; for “in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.10

Then we are to preach the complete Christ. Therefore, as that is the Christ alone whom we are to preach, we shall, when we preach him, preach all the doctrine in him whom we preach. But I can not preach the doctrine in my preaching of Christ, unless I am so permeated with it, so brimful of it, and the love of it, that I bubble over with it, that it oozes out of my every fiber. For if I shun the doctrine, and separate myself from it, and attempt then to preach Christ, those who receive what I preach will not receive in that the doctrine; for I shut it out. And when, afterward, they hear the doctrine from some brother of mine, it will be so strange to them that they will not know what to do with it. That is the difficulty.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.11

There are thousands of people to-day in the other churches who are preaching what they intend as the preaching of Christ, yet who despise the doctrine. Now if we do this thing, wherein are we different from other people? Methodists can preach Christ in that way: and many of them can do it better than can Seventh-day Adventists. Disciples, First-day Adventists, Baptists, and all the others can do this.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.12

[A. F. Ballenger: We must preach all that they preach, and all the rest that they do not preach, and preach it all with a greater power than they possibly can preach it.]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.13

I am coming to that, little by little. An immense truth and an immense falsehood turn right there, and are being worked right not in the United States: so that this is present truth. I want you to come face to face with that fact, and see where the turning-point is: so that you may void the danger, and turn to the right instead of to the left.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.14

The Baptists preach baptism,—Christian baptism, immersion. So do we. But we must not preach Christ without baptism. Again: there are the Congregationalists. Their particular phase of Christianity is the independence of each congregation. Each congregation is itself, so as to escape all lording or over-lording, and all episcopacy in the bad sense. The Baptists have that, too. Then there are the Presbyterians. Their great themes, in the form, are the absolute sovereignty of God and predestination. The Seventh-day Baptists have the Sabbath; they can preach that. The Methodists preach the Holy Spirit. The First-day Adventists have the coming of the Lord, and life only in Christ. The Dunkards have feet-washing. I need not run the gamut any further. But when you have gone clear around, how much have we, in point of doctrine, that is not somewhere among these? how much is left for us? Now if we despise and exclude doctrine, and think to preach Christ without doctrine, what is the use of our being here as an organization, or of our existence as a denomination.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.15

[Voices in congregation: No use at all.]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.16

Why not gather all those together in one grand combination, drop all denominational differences and all sectarian lines, and form them all into one great body, in which faith only in Christ, which is common to all, shall be recognized, and give that to the world? Is not that the very thing now proposed? Is not that what is to be done?ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.17

[Congregation: Yes.]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.18

They propose to drop all denominational and sectarian differences, and take the great things which are common to all, and form themselves into a federal organization: that is what they claim to be Christianity in its broadest sense.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.19

[E. J. Waggoner: They already have that in England. They have a creed in which all the non-conformist bodies can unite.]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.20

[S. G. Horton: They are distributing catechisms in this country containing that creed.]ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.21

Yes. You see articles in the newspapers of the day containing accounts of this catechism. That is the philosophy of it. If we are to preach just the things that they preach, without doctrine, we belong over there, with them.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.22

But there is a far better way. Turn to the right. We are to preach all the truth that they have, with the doctrine; and we are to preach it all in Christ alone. We are to preach the gift of the Holy Spirit, all the power of the Holy Ghost in the life, and all the purity of heart, that the Methodists preach, and a great deal more,—more deeply, more broadly, more highly, and more spiritually,—so that in our preaching these things to the most spiritual Methodist in the world, he will see that we have something more than he has, and he will say, “That brother has more than I have, and I want it.” And as he goes back into his own congregation, and does not find it, he will say, “I must go over there where they have it, and then I shall enjoy it, too.” We had an example of this in our Conference the other day.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.23

We are to preach baptism with a spiritual power, a spiritual life, that is deeper, broader, higher, and more spiritual than any Baptist in the world has ever yet dreamed of. When he sees that, he will come over. And we are to preach holiness, Christian perfection, in such a degree as it has never been preached since the days of the apostles, since Christ was in the world. Indeed, with no shadow of variance from the perfection of Christ, we are to preach this, always and everywhere. That will be more Christian perfection than any other denomination has. This is not to say that the denominations are not now loving the truth, and longing for all that is in Christ: it is only to say they will not find it aside from the third angel’s message, which we preach.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 424.24

(Concluded next week.)

“Editorial” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 27, p. 428.

YOU say that you very much desire to know more of the will of God.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.1

Very well. He himself also desires “that ye might be FILLED with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.2

You say that you very much wish that you might only walk worthy of the Lord.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.3

Very well, he also wishes, more than you can, “that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.4

You wish that you could only be fruitful in good works.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.5

The Lord also wishes that you should be “fruitful in every good work.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.6

You long for more power.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.7

Very well: the Lord earnestly desires that you may be “strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.8

He wants you to have all the power there is in the universe, so that you need never long for more; simply because there is no more.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.9

In other words, as he wants you to be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power, he simply desires that you shall be all-might-y in the way of righteousness. Colossians 1:9-11.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.10

Then when in all these points the Lord’s express desire is the very same as is your own, then what can possibly hinder you from having in all these things your heart’s desire completely fulfilled? What, except that you will not employ the means by which it shall all be so to you? What, except that you will not receive that which in all things he has so fully and freely supplied? For “his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.” 2 Peter 1:3. And in the Scriptures is that by which “the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:17.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.11

Would you be filled with the knowledge of his will?—Be filled with his word, for therein is the revelation of his will.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.12

Would you be strengthened with all might according to his glorious power?—Be filled with the word of his power, his powerful word, by which all things were created, and by which all things are upheld. Hebrews 1:3.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.13

But if you slight that word? if you are “so busy” that you can not find time to study that word? if you work so hard at other things that when you do try to study the word, you are too tired to study or to keep awake? if you will work harder at other things than you will to obtain the knowledge of God in his word? if other things occupy more of your attention than the word of God is allowed to? then what do all your wishes and longings amount to? How much sincerity is there in them? And why should you or anybody else think it strange that you do not know more of the will of God, and lack power, and do not walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing?ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.14

“By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.” Psalm 17:4.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.15

“Editorial Note” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 27, p. 428.

PROF. ARTHUR T. HADLEY was recently elected president of Yale University: and one of the things that it is “considered certain” he will do in the way of progress is to make a marked “decrease in the study of dead languages.” The vicious thing about the study of dead languages is not that they are dead languages; but that the vast mass of the literature of those languages, and especially that of “the classics,” is so essentially immoral. Any gain in intellectual development is far more than offset by the undermining of moral principle in the student.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.1

“The Example of This Nation” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 27, p. 428.

ONE of the surest tokens of the apostasy of the United States is that the example of the other nations is cited as a justification of the present course of this nation in the matter of its island possessions. For the United States to justify itself by the course of the other nations is to deny itself, and cease to be what it always has been, and become only as the other nations. No other state now in the world, or that ever was in the world, was founded as the United States was founded. Every one of these states was founded upon conquest, with appeal solely to force; and, with them, until this nation set the better example, the only question as to the doing of things, or in the doing of them, was, Have we the power to do it? As for any rights, or the liberties of mankind, or the principles of justice, no such thing was thought of. “The way in which governments generally obtain their power,” is excellently stated by Macaulay, thus:—ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.1

A nation of barbarians pours down on a rich and unwarlike empire, enslaves the people, portions out the land, and blends the institutions which it finds in the cities with those which it has brought from the woods. A handful of daring adventurers from a civilized nation wander to some savage country, and reduce the aboriginal race to bondage. A successful general turns his arms against the state which he serves. A society, made brutal by oppression, rises madly on its masters, sweeps away all old laws and usages, and, when its first paroxysm of rage is over, sinks down passively under any form of polity which may spring out of the chaos. A chief of a party, as at Florence, becomes imperceptibly a sovereign, and the founder of a dynasty. A captain of mercenaries, as at Milan, seizes on a city, and by the sword, makes himself its ruler. An elective senate, as at Venice, usurps permanent and hereditary power. It is in events such as these that governments have generally originated.—Essay on “Gladstone on Church and State.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.2

With the United States it was altogether different. This nation was founded upon self-evident truth and inalienable natural right; and its appeal in the beginning was solely to the principle, and the Author, of justice. It was only loyalty to these truths and to these rights, to justice, and to the Author of all, that forced them to separation from the mother country, and to the establishment of an independent nation. And when their declaration and defense of these truths and principles had proved successful, the purpose of the establishment of the government was declared in the fundamental law of the nation to be, “to form a more perfect union, ESTABLISH JUSTICE, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.” All idea of conquest is utterly excluded.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.3

To espouse self-evident truth, the inalienable rights of mankind, and justice; to submit, in writing, to a candid world the official statement of their claims; and to appeal “to the Supreme Judge of the world” for the rectitude of their intentions in it all,—all this was a new thing in the world: no such thing had ever been known in the history of the nations. And now for this nation to abandon or ignore these grounds of right and justice, and appeal to the example of the other nations, is only for it to abandon the supreme place that it has occupied in the world, and to become like all the other nations.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.4

And the other nations are recognizing this. The Manchester (England) Guardian of April 25, 1899, remarks as follows:—ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.5

The United States is the one modern nation which has laid any public formal claim to a character, and has openly professed on paper to have laid its foundations on the golden rule. General Butler used to say that he never had a happy day until he had got rid of his character. The American nation has not yet got rid of its character, and is consequently very unhappy at the turn events have taken in the Philippines. We envy its unhappiness at the idea of a brutal commonplace European conquest, and would do nothing to diminish it. If America is to recover its happiness and self-esteem, it must do one of two things. Either it must lose its character, like General Butler, or it must apply the “golden rule” of its own constitution to the problem of the Philippines.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.6

And, last winter, Hon. Carl Schurz, in his speech at the convocation of the University of Chicago, spoke as follows, on this point:—ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.7

We hear much of the respect of mankind for us having been greatly raised by our victories. Indeed, the valor of our soldiers and the brilliant achievements of our navy have won deserved admiration. But do not deceive yourselves about the respect of mankind. Recently I found in the papers an account of the public opinion of Europe, written by a prominent English journalist. This is what he says: “The friends of America wring their hands in unaffected grief over the fall of the United States under the temptation of the lust of territorial expansion. Her enemies shoot out the lip and shriek in derision over what they regard as the unmistakable demonstration which the demand for the Philippines affords of American cupidity, American bad faith, and American ambition. ‘We told you so,’ they exclaim. That is what the unctuous rectitude of the Anglo-Saxon always ends in. He always begins by calling heaven to witness his unselfish desire to help his neighbors, but he always ends by stealing his spoons!”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.8

Atrocious, is it not? And yet this is substantially what the true friends of America and what her enemies in Europe think. I mean those friends who had faith in the nobility of the American people, who loved our republican government, and who hoped that the example set by our great democracy would be an inspiration to those struggling for liberty the world over; and I mean those enemies who hate republican government, and who long to see the American people disgraced and humiliated. So they think; I know it from my own correspondence. Nothing has in our times discredited the name of republic in the civilized world as much as the Dreyfus outrage in France, and our conquest furor in America: and our conquest furor more, because from us THE WORLD HOPED MORE.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.9

No, do not deceive yourselves. If we turn that war which was so solemnly commended to the favor of mankind as a generous war of liberation and humanity into a victory for conquest and self-aggrandizement, we shall have thoroughly forfeited our moral credit with the world. Professions of unselfish virtue and benevolence, proclamations of noble humanitarian purposes, coming from us, will never, never, be trusted again. Is this the position in which this great republic of ours should stand among the family of nations? Our American self-respect should rise in indignant protest against it.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.10

What a picture that is, of the friends of the United States in other countries wringing “their hands in unaffected grief over the fall of the United States” from its high station before the world! There is, also, in connection with this, the serious consideration that when the United States thus adopts the principles of the other nations by taking their course as an example, those other nations will not “wring their hands in unaffected grief,” but will greedily grasp this as a strong confirmation of their example, and so will plunge deeper and deeper into the maelstrom of world conquest. Thus, whichever way the United States may go, it is, and will be, a world’s example even in spite of itself.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.11

So far, this nation has been what those who made it expected it to be,—the world’s example of justice in government—of appeal to principle, as to liberty, rights, and justice. By the powerful influence of this example with respect to things both civil and religious, the nations of the world have been forced away from the old, barbarous, and despotic course of force and conquest, and into at least an outward recognition of better things; and this because, if they did not show such recognition of justice, rights, and the liberty of the individual, the United States was an open asylum, to which the oppressed subjects of those nations would certainly flee. But now, when this nation abandons all that, and pursues abroad (and, by reflex action, at home) the precise course of the other nations; when the original principles of the nation are denounced as the greatest falsehoods “palmed off by the devil upon a credulous world;” and when appeal and allegiance to the original principles of the nation are denounced as treason, then what hope is there here for the oppressed of other nations? And, when the other nations find their course confirmed in that of the United States, even the formal recognition and limited practise of the principles of right, liberty, or justice, to which this great example has driven them, will be abandoned; and with this restraint removed, the condition of the peoples of the nations will be worse than before.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 428.12

Yet more than this: the influence which the example of the United States has exerted upon the nations has been a restraint for good: it has held the nations face to face with the divine principles of truth, of right, and of justice in governments; and when this restraint is not only taken away, but that which caused it is actually turned back into an open confirmation of the old course of force and conquest, regardless of right, liberty, or justice, the last state of those nations will be worse than the first. If it were so that the restraint were merely removed, the result could not but be bad; but, when the restraint is not only removed, but is changed into an active confirmation of the opposite, oh, then what but infinite evil can possibly be the result? And, in these times, when everything goes at the swiftest, it can, in the nature of things, be but a little while until the nations shall be completely engulfed in the floods of their own making: and these destructive floods not only let loose, but urged on and increased by this mighty example, set originally to infinitely better things, but now perverted to the evil course that has been the ruin of all former nations.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 429.1

Everything in the tide of present-day affairs speaks with a loud voice that the end of all things is at hand, and that the day of the Lord is near. “Get ready. Get ready. Get ready.”ARSH July 4, 1899, page 429.2

“Editorial Notes” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 27, p. 439.

THE revolt against “the classics” in education is extending. Leading educators in Germany, in Russia, and in France, are denouncing it as not only a hindrance to students, but an injury to society. The Russian professor says flatly that “classical studies have a pernicious and perverting effect;” leaving “graduates of classical schools at sea in practical life.” Educators on this side of the Atlantic are also awaking to this important truth. Professor Veblen, of the University of Chicago, maintains, in a book, that “the importance attached to the classics is due solely to an irrational desire to parade wealth and the ability to waste time and means on useless things.” Good! Let the good work go on.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 439.1

“Editorial Bite” The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald 76, 27, p. 439.

OUR readers will recall an article in these columns about a year ago, in which quotation was made from an article by Professor Hyslop, in the Independent, in which he offered “scientific” proof of the immortality of the soul. None will be surprised now to learn that Professor Hyslop has lately become a confessed Spiritualist. And such is the inevitable goal of all who accept “scientific,” or any other, proof of the immortality of the soul. The thing simply is not true; and it is impossible to prove what is not true. And no amount of proof can ever make true that which is not true. Such a course is fitly described by the Scriptures as that in which those who follow it are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” The true way, the way of truth, is to begin with the knowledge of the truth, which is Christ, and then go on ever learning in the knowledge of the truth.ARSH July 4, 1899, page 439.1

June 27, 1899

July 11, 1899

July 4, 1899

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, vol. 76

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