A friend has sent us a copy of the Cambridge News, published at Cambridgeboro, Penn., which contains the synopsis of a discourse on the Sabbath, preached by Rev. Wm. Grassic, of that place. After showing the origin of the Sabbath, its place in the decalogue, its sacredness, and the fact that Christ did not abolish it, but that “Jesus left the Sabbath a more solemnly binding and sacred institution than he found it,” he proceeds as follows:-SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.1

“Come now to the apostles. While under the special influence of the Holy Ghost, planting churches, carrying on revivals, starting missionary enterprises, they changed the time of observance from the seventh to the first day of the week. We believe they were divinely inspired to make the change, and yet wisely directed to make no public decree about it”!SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.2

Well, now, here’s a conundrum. If the apostles were inspired to make the change in the Sabbath, and yet were “wisely directed” to keep the fact from the public, how did the Rev. Wm. Grassic find it out? We take it for granted that he was not there to see for himself, since what he tells about must have happened fully eighteen hundred years ago. How did he learn of this change? How did the fact leak out? As Mr. Grassic admits, the Scriptures are utterly silent respecting the change.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.3

Just think of it! The apostle divinely directed to make a change in that institution which God had made and sanctified at creation, and which he had made known at Sinai in thunder tones which shook the earth, and yet cautioned to tell nobody of the change! The statement is so absurd that it refutes itself. The fact that ministers of the gospel are driven to such shifts to account for the present Sunday observance, is sufficient evidence that such observance has not the slightest sanction of inspiration. The Lord does not work in so underhanded a manner. We are told that he will do nothing without revealing his secret unto his servants the prophets (Amos 3:7), and he makes known his will to the prophets in order that they may tell the people.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.4

Notice also that Mr. Grassic claims expressly that the change of the Sabbath was not effected in the days of Christ, but that he “left the Sabbath a more solemnly binding and sacred institution than he found it.” Then if, as he claims, the apostles had made the change, they would have gone directly contrary to the teaching and practice of Christ. If this claim were true, whom should we follow? Should we follow Christ, or the apostles? He, of course, would have us follow the apostles, and thus we see that in order to find a basis for Sunday observance, men are willing to ignore Christ. We do not propose to ignore either Christ or his apostles, for all taught the same thing. They never presumed to do more than to follow their Master. “The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.5

One point more: Mr. Grassic tells us that the apostles were “wisely directed to make no public decree” about the change of the Sabbath. That is to say that there was no command given for the observance of Sunday. Now read Webster’s definition of superstition: “Extreme and unnecessary scruples in the observance of religious rites not commanded.” Then according to the common usage of language, and Mr. Grassic’s own admission, we must conclude that the observance of Sunday is nothing but superstition; and the more rigidly its observance is enforced, the more superstition is evinced. How much better it would be to follow the plain commandment of God, even though the world oppose, than to ignore Christ and the Bible in an attempt to find an excuse for following the custom of the multitude. It seems to us that thinking people should need no stronger proof of the falsity of the claims of Sunday, than the excuses which its devotees put forth in its behalf. W.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.6

“The Lord’s Prayer. Forgive Us Our Debts” The Signs of the Times, 13, 17.

E. J. Waggoner

“Forgive Us Our Debts, as we forgive our Debtors.”SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.7

This may be called the crowning petition in this wonderful prayer. In the beginning of these comments we said that this prayer is only for those who have given themselves to Christ,-who can truly say “Our Father.” This proves that still more plainly. We do not mean that it is for none but those who are perfect, but that it is for those who have surrendered themselves to the Lord that he may work in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure. To be able always to pray understandingly and from the heart, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” is something that can be done by but comparatively few who profess to be Christians. The one who can do it is in possession of the greatest of all Christian graces-charity; for “charity suffereth long, and is kind,” “is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil,” and this is the way we would be to have the Lord deal with us.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.8

A great many people think that they are of a forgiving disposition when they are not. When they have done wrong, and someone takes revenge on them, they think that they are deserving of considerable credit if they can take it patiently; but they think that they are perfectly justifiable in harboring harsh thoughts, at least, if they are injured without cause. This is indicated by the common saying, “If I had done anything to deserve this treatment, I would not say anything; but I have not done anything, and I won’t stand it.” That is as far from the forgiveness that our Saviour taught, as the east is from the west. “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” 1 Peter 2:20.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.9

It has been truly said that to forgive is divine. Certainly it is not human. Human nature knows nothing of forgiveness. Human nature stands upon its dignity, and says, “I’ll have my rights; nobody shall trample on me with impunity.” But the divine Son of God, who did no sin, and in whose mouth was found no guile, “when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” 1 Peter 2:23. You who say, “All I ask is simple justice; I demand only my rights,” how would you fare if you should go immediately after such an assertion and repeat the Lord’s prayer, and the Lord should take you at your word? Who could stand if the Lord should mark iniquity? Suppose the Lord should give you simple justice,-just what you deserve, and nothing more,-what would be the result? Not only would you be deprived of eternal life, but your present life would not be continued for another moment; for there is not one of us who deserves a single blessing from the hand of God; “it is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” Lamentations 3:22. There is in us no good thing; we have all gone out of the way, and are unprofitable (Romans 3:10-12); now when our rights have been invaded, and we cherish resentment, we cannot utter the Lord’s prayer without asking the Lord not to forgive us. What a terrible thing it is not to have a forgiving spirit.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.10

Nor can we avoid the consequence above indicated, by refusing to use our Saviour’s prayer. Whether we ask or not, we shall be forgiven just as we forgive. Says the Saviour: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14, 15.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.11

We have said that forgiveness is not natural to the human heart. Only to the extent that one is partaker of the divine nature, can he exercise true forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is the standard for us. Says Paul: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32. No one can know how to forgive, unless he knows how God forgives; and nobody can fully understand how God forgives, until he has felt in his own soul the fullness of divine pardon. It will be worth our while to note a few texts which show how God forgives, so that we may know what spirit we should have. Let us read a few texts:-SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.12

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” “We love him, because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:9, 10, 19.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.13

We have heard it claimed that we are not required to forgive an offender unless he asks for forgiveness; that until he repents and begs for pardon, we are warranted in holding him off. But the above texts convey a different idea. We are to forgive as God forgives. Now suppose that God had made no movement towards the salvation of rebellious men until they humbled themselves before him; there never would have been any salvation for men. It is only because of his love for us while we were rebels, that we are enabled to come to him. He was under no obligation to mankind; the obligation was all on the other side; yet he took the initiative. God loved the world. He harbored no malice or enmity in his heart, because he had been insulted, and his laws trampled upon, but was filled with love and pity for poor, erring mortals. It grieved him to think that man would pursue a course that would inevitably end in his ruin, and he made the way easy for him to return to his allegiance, and begged him to come and be forgiven. The same spirit should actuate us. No matter how much we may have been misused, we are not warranted in entertaining the slightest feeling of enmity toward the offender. On the contrary, we should have such love for him that our only feeling would be that of sorrow that he should pursue a course so detrimental to himself. The thought of the personal injury we have sustained should be lost sight of in the thought of the greater injury which the offender’s course will bring upon himself. It is not natural for us to do this; we can do it only when we are partakers of the divine nature.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.14

It may be said that God does not actually forgive men until they repent. This is true; but he desires that they shall receive his pardon, and therefore, so far as he is concerned, he has pardoned them. All that is lacking is for them to accept the pardon which he offers them; if they will not, he is clear, and the responsibility of their ruin rests upon themselves. God could not actually pardon an unrepentant sinner, for the reason that when he pardons it means far more than when we forgive. If a man has maliciously injured us, and we forgive him, it makes no difference with his guilt; but when God forgives the sinner, his guilt is by that pardon taken away; and it is evident that God cannot take away the guilt of a man who has no desire nor intention to abstain from his sins, but who is determined to retain his guilty practices.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.15

This brings us to another feature of forgiveness. It is very common for people to say that they can forgive but they cannot forget. That is not true forgiveness. The man who does not forget the injury, will brood over it until the bitter feelings will come up again with more than their original force; the harsh feelings are not put away, but only smothered for a time. The man who does not forget an injury done him, has never really forgiven the offender; he has not allowed love for the erring one to eclipse all thought of the injury done to himself, and without this there can be no forgiveness such as God exercises toward us. Divine pardon is justification; God pardons the believer in Christ, by imputing his righteousness “for the remission of sins that are past.” The pardoned one is as though he had never sinned; where there was nothing but guilt before, God beholds nothing but righteousness,-righteousness put there through his own wonderful love. Then if we forgive as God forgives, we must regard the repentant offender as though he had done nothing against us. We must forget that he ever injured us. We must treat him and regard him as though he had done us nothing but good instead of nothing but evil.SITI May 5, 1887, page 262.16

The man who forgives in this manner is a true disciple of Christ, because no one can do this unless he has experienced, and does at the time experience, the blessing of divine forgiveness. It is not enough that we have once been forgiven; we must have a vivid sense of the love of God toward us now, if we would not forgive as we ought. Under these circumstances the most difficult thing in the world to do, becomes the easiest. Because when we realize how sinful we are, and how much God has forgiven us, it seems a small matter in comparison to forgive the petty wrong done us by a fellow-man. When we contemplate the magnitude of our sin against God, all the wrongs that all men may have done to us, sink into insignificance. We think that the servant who had received a free gift of ten thousand talents from his lord was mean and ungrateful because he would not give his fellow-servant one hundred pence. If he had any sense of what had been done for him, he would have told his fellow-servant to keep the paltry sum, and would have thought no more about it. So if we have any just sense of God’s love to us, we cannot fail to exhibit corresponding love to our fellows. W.SITI May 5, 1887, page 263.1

“Back Page” The Signs of the Times, 13, 17.

E. J. Waggoner

We call the attention of our readers to the above list of camp-meetings. These are but the beginning of the many that will be held this year. Others will be added to this list, as soon as the time and place of holding them are determined. There is considerable prejudice in many quarters against camp meetings, but all who are situated so that they can attend any one of these meetings, will find it to their interest and profit to do so. At all of them visitors will be welcomed and provided for.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.1

Of the meetings just held in Oakland, we have space for but few words. It was more largely attended, and was in many respects the most interesting, of any ever held here. The Spirit of the Lord was present, as many can testify. That much good was done there cannot be the slightest doubt; we pray that its effects may be permanent. Important steps were proposed and voted, looking to the advancement of the work. These will be set forth next week in the reports, which, owing to the shortness of the time, could not be furnished for this week’s paper.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.2

The friends of the cause in the North Pacific and Upper Columbia Conferences, should not fail to attend camp-meeting this spring. In addition to the strong preaching force sent by the General Conference, Brother F. M. Morrison, of the Pacific Press, will attend both these meetings for the purpose of giving instruction to those who wish to engage in the work of canvassing. He is a practical canvassers and teacher, and will render efficient service in this branch. We shall be greatly disappointed if some who think themselves incapable of work, do not at these meetings resolve to give their entire time to it.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.3

In the Independent of April 7, President Washburn, of Robert College, Constantinople, said of the situation in Bulgaria:-SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.4

“There seems to be a general impression that we shall have no war this year.... But thus far, from the standpoint of Constantinople, I can see no evidence that the danger has passed. Nothing has been settled. Every cause of war which existed two months ago exists still. Preparations for war are still going on as vigorously as ever, and the relations of Russia with Austria, Turkey, and England are no more friendly. In some directions they are more strained. If the Czar feels that he is ready for war this spring, it will come.”SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.5

In his report to the Roman Propaganda, concerning the Knights of Labor, Cardinal Gibbons contrasts the religious devotion of the working classes of this country with the religious hostility of the same class in foreign countries, and says that the Catholic workmen of America “are intelligent, instructed, devoted sons, ready to give their blood as they give their means,” for the support of the church. As the Observer says, if this assertion means anything, it means that the Pope’s minions in this country are ready to fight for him if need be; that they never become so devoted to any society, not even to their adopted country, that they would not fight at the call of one who blasphemously professes to be head of the church. When it is too late, some who are indifferent now, will realize that while Roman Catholicisim is nominally a religious system, it is primarily a political power, bent on destroying everything that it cannot rule.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.6

The Christian at Work tells us that “fasting is peculiarly an Old Testament institution, and as out of place as we are told new wine is in an old wineskin.” Yet Christ, in the sermon on the mount, said: “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:16-18. And while this institution of the Bible-both Old and New Testaments-is summarily set aside, Papal holidays, such as “Holy Thursday,” Good Friday, Easter, Christmas, Sundays, etc., are coming to be generally observed. Alas for the exchange of real Old and New Testament religion, for those things which are not commanded!SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.7

“Falsifying the balances by deceit,” is one of the most common things nowadays. An experiment was recently made in Brooklyn, N. Y., with a view of ascertaining whether the coal dealers of that city were in the habit of defrauding their customers. Eighty-two tons of coal, bought of several dealers, were weighed after delivery, and only sixteen of them were of full weight. The remainder showed short weight, some to the amount of thirty pounds, and some as high as three hundred and twenty-six pounds. It is not to be supposed that Brooklyn coal dealers are very much worse than coal dealers in other cities, or that coal dealers are worse by nature than other men; but iniquity abounds, and it is with feelings of sadness only, that we recognize the fact that the great majority of men feel no compunctions of conscience against defrauding when they are reasonably sure that they will escape detection. Thank God that there are still many honest men in the world; and since we cannot judge the motives of any, we should labor in love for the salvation of all.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.8

The following, which has just appeared in an Austrian paper, is very significant:-SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.9

“The Vatican favors the following conditions for a reconciliation with the Quiritual: 1. The Pope will advise the royal archducal and ducal families of Naples, Tuscany, and Nicodeaux to renounce all claims to sovereignty in favor of the Holy See. 2. The Pope will crown Humbert king, granting him and his Catholic descendants territory alone in Italy. 3. The king will govern the whole kingdom with full temporal rights, but will acknowledge the Pope as suzerain and pledge himself to rule according to the dictates of the church. 4. The king will reside at Rome. 5. Territory, including Leonine City and part of the Tiber shore, will be allotted permanently to the Pope, with absolute ruling and proprietary right. 6. A special convention will be concluded, fixing the amount Italy shall pay to maintain the Papal household.”SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.10

That means the absolute supremacy of the Pope over all Italy, the king being nominal ruler, but really the Pope’s vassal. Whether or not Humbert is really for peace on these terms, remains to be seen, but that he will sooner or later accede in order to get the Pope’s assistance in some difficulty, as Bismarck has done, there can be no doubt.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.11

A bill restricting railroad traffic on Sunday has been passed by the Connecticut Legislature, and has received the governor’s signature. Hereafter no trains can be run for any purpose whatever between 10:30 A.M. and three P. M. Before and after these hours only mail trains, or those required for public necessity, for the preservation of freight, will be allowed to run. The law also prohibits the landing of freight from sunrise to sunset on Sunday. We have serious doubts as to its being enforced.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.12

“The Pope in Politics” The Signs of the Times, 13, 17.

E. J. Waggoner

The Pope, though nominally without a vestige of temporal power, keeps up most assiduously the forms of civil sovereignty, and his influence is stronger to-day than it has ever been since his temporary overthrow in 1798. When he was elevated to the Pontificate, Leo XIII., was not supposed to be possessed of any great political ability; but he seems to have inherited all the instincts and traditions of the “holy office,” and he has certainly shown himself to be a master in diplomacy; for, though without a foot of territory that he can call his own, or a single subject who rightfully owes him civil allegiance, he is recognized as a sovereign and treated with on terms of equality by almost all the powers of earth, not even excepting the Turks, the traditional enemies of Rome, and the Chinese, the disciples of Confucius.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.13

But the end is not yet; for, if we may trust the newspaper reports, the crafty Leo will soon appoint a nuncio to the United States! At first thought this seems hardly credible; but stranger things have happened, and in view of the honors shown by this Government, some months since, to the Pope’s delegates who came to Baltimore to confer upon a citizen of this country a princely title and a Papal decoration, it is to be feared that a nuncio would be received at Washington. It is true that such an action would be most ill-advised and unfortunate; but as the Roman Catholic vote in this country is sufficiently large to at least render probable the defeat of any man or party particularly obnoxious to “the church,” it is not likely that the President would have the moral courage to refuse to receive a Papal minister, should one be appointed.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.14

But whether the nuncio comes just now or not, the Papacy is erelong to make its power felt as never before in American politics; and how easily this may be done is well exemplified by recent events in Germany. However, if Protestants were true to themselves and to their professed principles, we would have nothing to fear from the intrigues of Popery, but with Romanism on the one hand, and National Reform on the other, we may well tremble, for when the two unite, as they will erelong, for the destruction of our free institutions, religious liberty in this country will be a thing of the past.SITI May 5, 1887, page 272.15

April 21, 1887

May 12, 1887