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    December 3, 1885

    “Vain Customs” The Signs of the Times, 11, 46.

    E. J. Waggoner

    In an editorial on “Infant Baptism,” in a recent number of the California Christian Advocate, we find, among others equally sound, the following ‘argument” for that practice:-SITI December 3, 1885, page 728.1

    “Is it not an assumption almost amounting to impudence, to be told that infant baptism has no foundation whatever, when its history is so prominent and its practice so general through all the ages? Can it be possible that a small portion of the church has all the truth, and the rest of us, constituting a vast majority in every century, has [sic.] none at all?”SITI December 3, 1885, page 728.2

    Before answering this question, let us have a few figures. The population of the earth is not far from fourteen millions of people. Of this number about 480,000,000 are Buddhists and followers of Confucius; about 230,000,000 are barbarous tribes that practice fetichism,-the very lowest form of heathenism; something over 120,000,000 are Mohammedans, and about the same number are Brahminical Hindoos. Less than 400,000,000 our nominally Christian, of this number nearly 300,000,000 are members of the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches, leaving only a little over one hundred million of so-called Protestants of all denominations, including infidels, etc. That is, over seven hundred million people, one-half the population of the earth, are heathen, and less than one-third of the inhabitants of the earth have even a knowledge of the religion which teaches that there is one God, and of Jesus Christ whom he sent.SITI December 3, 1885, page 728.3

    Now we might answer the Advocate’s question by the Yankee method of asking another: “Is it not an assumption almost amounting to impudence, to be told that” the worship of images “has no [Biblical] foundation whatever, when its history is so prominent and its practice so general throughout of the ages?” Can it be possible that a small portion of mankind has all the truth, and that the rest, constituting a vast majority in every century, has none at all?SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.1

    We have stated that of the so-called Christians, only one-fourth are Protestants. The rest believe in purgatory, prayers to and for the dead, and various other things which the Advocate considers pernicious. Is it not “an assumption almost amounting to impudence,” for a few Protestants to oppose the doctrine held by so large a body of “Christians,’ many of whom are skilled in all the learning of the schools? Hear what the Catholic Dr. Eck said, over three hundred years ago, to Luther, who was opposing the presumptuous claims of the pope:-SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.2

    “I am astonished at the humility and diffidence with which the reverend doctor undertakes to stand alone against so many illustrious Fathers, thus affirming that he knows more of these things than the sovereign pontiff, the councils, divines, and universities! .... It would no doubt be very wonderful if God had hidden the truth from so many saints and martyrs, till the advent of the reverend father.”SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.3

    Just compare this paragraph with the first one quoted. We might almost accuse the Advocate of plagiarizing from the learned chancellor of Ingolstadt. If the Advocate’s argument for infant baptism be sound, then Dr. Eck’s sarcastic remarks proved the fallacy of Luther’s position; and the same argument proves that paganism is the only true religion! We have no sympathy nor respect for that sort of argument.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.4

    Let us turn the tables. The Bible says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Infants are not capable of belief; but since they have committed no sin, they are saved by virtue of Christ’s atoning blood, without belief. If they die in infancy, they never have any personal knowledge of sin. No one who does not or cannot is a subject for baptism, according to the Saviour’s testimony. Now we ask, Is it not an assumption which is even worse than impudence, for men to say that infant “baptism” is a Christian ordinance, when in the whole Bible there is not a syllable in favor of it? We claim that the presumption is all on the side of the seeming majority; for one man with the Bible to sustain him, may without presumption withstand the world.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.5

    If numbers and custom prove the correctness of any theory or practice, then all error must be correct. A few hundred years ago everybody believed that the earth was flat. According to the Advocate’s reasoning, the earth at that time was flat; but since the time of Galileo it has gradually been assuming a spherical shape, until, now that nearly everybody believes it to be round, it is quite round, being only a little flattened at the poles! And this is no more absurd than that the most common argument for infant “baptism” and Sunday-keeping.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.6

    So true is it that the majority of people are, and always have been, in the wrong, that whenever we hear a person quote custom in favor of any practice, we at once decide, (1) That he as nothing better to offer, and (2) That the practice is, without doubt, wrong. We so decide because many hundred years ago, the prophet of God declared that “The customs of the people are vain” (Jeremiah 10:3), and inspired statements are true in all ages of world’s history. E. J. W.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.7

    “Comments on Psalm 15” The Signs of the Times, 11, 46.

    E. J. Waggoner

    “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Psalm 15:1.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.8

    This is certainly a most pertinent question. If a person desires to go to a certain place, his first inquiry will be as to how he is to get there. Now there are few persons who do not have a desire for eternal life; few do not entertain a faint hope, though often without reason, that they will at last by some means have an entrance into the holy city. Then the question of the psalmist should be constantly on their minds; that is, they should constantly be searching for an answer to it. That no one will enter Heaven by accident; no one will dwell in the “holy hill” without knowing positively by what means he got there. As surely as the joys in the presence of the Lord are real, so surely are the steps to them real. “We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.9

    Fortunately, we are not left to grope in darkness for the way to Zion, nor need we be at a loss to know when we have found it. The inspired psalmist has answered his own question. Let us then examine it together. Here is the first part of the answer:-SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.10

    “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.” Psalm 15:2, 3.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.11

    The first clause seems to cover it all: “He that walketh uprightly.” We hear a great deal nowadays about “crooked” dealings. The way that leads to life is too narrow to allow any “crooked” person to walk in it. Every one in it must be upright. Reader, do you realize what that means? Do any of us fully appreciate what it is to do right? It is simply to “keep straight” all the time; to be upright; to not deviate at all from a perfect standard. It is to “make straight paths for your feet,” and to walk in them continually, and not simply occasionally. The great reason why many professed Christians make so little progress in the Christian life, is that they have so low a standard of Christianity.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.12

    What is the proper standard? John says: “He that saith he abideth in Him, ought himself also so to walk even as he walked.” 1 John 2:6. Christ is the perfect pattern. He is the way and the truth. He “did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.” 1 Peter 2:22. This was because the law of God was in his heart. Psalm 40:8. Then if we would walk “uprightly,” as Christ walked, we must also have the law of God in our hearts; for David says of the one who has the law of God in his heart, that “none of his steps shall slide.” So if one wishes to know how much the law of God requires of him, let him examine carefully the life of Christ. In his life we see a living exemplification of the law. But if the law requires a walk like that of Christ, if perfect obedience to the law’s requirements makes a man like Christ, then certainly the law will condemn the one whose life is not like Christ’s. If we deviate from the pattern which Christ has set, then we are condemned. Surely it is no small thing to be a Christian. But the psalmist has specified some things.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.13

    “He that ... speaketh the truth in his heart.” Outwardly a man’s deportment may be correct; his morals may be fully up to the standard of the very best society, and yet he may be a gross violator of the law, and may be more guilty before God than one who sins openly and recklessly. “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” But no one must fall into the error that he can keep the law in his heart, and break it openly. Many have fallen into this error; for this is just what they mean when they talk about keeping the law in spirit and not in letter. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh;” and as a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he.” A man may keep the law outwardly, and violate it really, in his heart; but it is an utter impossibility for any one to keep the law in his heart, and violate the letter of it. So if a man keeps the fourth commandment “in his heart,” if he keeps the spirit of that commandment, he will keep holy the seventh day of the week, and no other.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.14

    “He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.” Verse 3. Webster gives the following definition of the word “backbite”; “To censure, slander, reproach, or speak evil of, in the absence of the person traduced.” Notice that according to this definition, backbiting is not necessarily speaking falsely against an absent one; the things said may be true, and yet it may be backbiting. It is speaking evil of a neighbor that is condemned. This is still farther shown by the expression, “Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor.” If a man commits a sin, that is a reproach to him; for Solomon says that “sin is a reproach to any people.” Now if one neighbor has actually done wrong, and we take up his case and make it a subject of conversation, criticizing it of course, we are backbiting. This of course does not include those instances in which a man’s case is considered by those in positions of authority, with a view to reclaiming him, or of preventing him from leading others astray.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.15

    If it is a sin to speak evil of one when the things uttered are true how much worse must it be when the reports are false? The ninth commandment says: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” This does not mean simply that we must not swear falsely against him in court, or that we must not at any time tell what we know is not true; but it means that we must not tell what we do not know to be true. The man who hears something to the detriment of his neighbor, and repeats it to others, not knowing that it is true, is guilty of bearing false witness, as well as of taking up a reproach against his neighbor. The ninth commandment means a great deal more than we are apt to think it does. And so it is with all the commandments. They are, indeed, “exceeding broad.”SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.16

    Here is a safe and simple rule to follow with our fellowmen: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” He who does this fulfills the whole law, so far as it relates to man. That means that we must be as careful of our brother’s reputation as we would be of our own. When we are about to repeat some thing to the detriment of any one, stop and consider whether we would like to have him repeat such a thing about us. If this rule were followed, it would shut out a great amount of gossip and slander.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.17

    For there is such a thing as going to extremes. There are proper times to speak about another, even to tell things that are to his detriment. In a court of law, a man must witness to the truth, that justice may be done. So, also, the proper authorities in the church are to be notified when a brother persists in wrong-doing. This is in the interest of good order and discipline. The Bible says: “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him.” Leviticus 19:17. He who covers up wrong in another, neither trying to restore him nor informing those who could restore him, becomes a “partaker of other men’s sins.” Here is another specification:-SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.18

    “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord.” This does not mean that we are to despise and shun sinners, nor that we are to be uncivil to anybody. We are to show “all meekness unto all men” (Titus 3:2), and we are to be like Christ, who came to save that which was lost. While he hated sin, he was the sinner’s friend, and he sought their society, not for the sake of their society, but that he might do them good. But a “vile person,” a reprobate, is not to be esteemed. Remember that the text does not discriminate. It does not say that you must despise a vile person if he is poor, but that you may honor a reprobate who is wealthy. That is the way of the world, but it is not the Lord’s way. If society would adopt as a rule the fourth verse of this psalm, it would very soon be purged of a terrible load of corruption.SITI December 3, 1885, page 729.19

    “But he honoreth them that fear the Lord.” One of the special requirements of an elder is that he be “a lover of good men” (Titus 1:8); and one of the sins charged against the people of the last days is that they are “despisers of those that are good.” 2 Timothy 3:3. There is to be no discrimination; the poorest and most ignorant man, if he is a God-fearing man, is worthy of more honor that the profligate prince or millionaire. There is no honor that a man can receive that will outrank the honor which God gives, in imparting his grace to the humble. “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23, 24.SITI December 3, 1885, page 730.1

    “He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent.” By comparing this text with Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 23:35-37; Deuteronomy 23:19, 20, we see that the entire prohibition of taking usury was only from brethren; from strangers it was allowable to receive usury. This was no injustice; for extortion or unjust gain is expressly condemned everywhere. We are commanded to do good to all men as we have opportunity, but “especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10. It is just for a man to receive reasonable compensation for means which represents his own labor; still the Bible clearly teaches that a man must not be a taker of usury, that is, that must not be his business. It is almost impossible for a man to engage in the business of money lending without taking advantage of the necessities of others, and thus violating the command to love his neighbor as himself. This is why we are positively forbidden to exact usury from the poor. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” 1 Timothy 6:9.SITI December 3, 1885, page 730.2

    “He that doeth these things shall never be moved.” Let a person live fully up to the 15th psalm, and he will surely have eternal life. He who does so, will be a perfect man; he will fulfill all the law. “Why,” says the objector, “you don’t take Christ into the account of all.” Not so fast. We said that the one who should carry out the regulations laid down in psalm 15 would have eternal life, and in so saying we only echoed the words of the inspired writer. But who can fulfill them? Says Christ, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. The unrenewed man would find it an utter impossibility to do what is required. Even his best endeavors would come so far short of the standard as to sink him into perdition.SITI December 3, 1885, page 730.3

    More than this, supposing that it were possible for a man to do in his own strength what is required; where could the person be found who has ever come anywhere near the standard? With the exception of Christ, no such person ever lived on earth. Then how much profit could one derive from his future good deeds, even if he could perform them? Not a particle. The blood of Jesus Christ, and that alone, can cleanse from sin. He whose sins are forgiven is a new creature in Christ, and it is not till then that he can perform works that are acceptable to God. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10. E. J. W.SITI December 3, 1885, page 730.4

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