No.~.

VOL.

10.

. AUCKLAND,

N.Z., F~BRUA.RY,

1890.

'THREEPENCE .

rifi~~~~if5?f5ilHE

preparation of a paper to be read

before this Conference is no easy matter, and the essayist in. so doing is wishful to bring a subject of special interest before those who belieye}n , Now there, are thousands of Christians living to-day 'Life in Christ' views. whose hopes are centred on the Lord Jesus, but whose eyes It is from Paul's Enistle to Titus that I take the title are blinded regarding His coming again. His coming to of the subject. It ~eads: 'For the grace of God hath them is a~ death, or, as they believe, the death of the bod)'. appeared, teaching that denying ungodliness and worldly They do not understand the words of the Lord Himself: lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this "Where I go ye cannot come' (John xiii. 33). They fail present world, looking for that blessed hope and the altogether to realise the doctrin~ of-the resurrection. Accordglorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus ing to their theology there is no need for one, and no room Christ' (Titus ii. 12, 13). It is this 'blessed hope' for a Second Advent. The Bible -terms of language are of Christ's return for which the early Church 'waited,' spiritualized to ~uch an extent that, instead of being a book .' watched,' 'looked for,' and' hasted unto,' expecting His so easy to understand that-a child could grasp its meanings, return at any, moment : during their lifetime., Their it is one 'of mystery and seeming contradiction, and readers attitude was one of expectant desire, and the .Christian do not see their dependence on the Lord Jesus for etornallife .. Church of to-day, if f,titl~ful, will be found in like attitude They 'are never-dying creatures, already possessing that -that of a constant preparedness for this event. Seeing principle of immortality that only belongs to God. When that the Lord has tarried so long, and that we live the body dies, they still live on, ascending to an aerial sphere eighteen hundred years nearer the time, should not the somewhere beyond the sun, moon, and stars. This to them Church be more than ever ready for His coming 1 It will is the Lord's coming and this the kingdom where eternity perhaps tend to. brighten our ofttimes wavering faith, and is spent in a blissful round of adoration aud praise. How strengthen our weary hearts, to be reminded of our blind, how mistaken these thousands are when the position as individual Christians or as a part of the waiting Scriptures speak so distinctly how that all future life is Church. dependent on the Lord's return. Does not this show the To the individual Christian, especially he who holds great power the 'god of this world.' has even oyer the 'Life in Christ' views, the Second Advent means every- the members of the Church 1 thing, 'not merely a deliverance from sin, or for rest from As to the prospects and hope' set before' .the Church of toil, or for an entrance into the kingdom, all .of which are greatly to be desired, but it is the return of an absent God, they far transcend our finite expectations. ' Eye hath ~ Friend, one whom we love, with whom we trust our -nob seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart eternal life, for , He is our Life" (Col. iii. 4) j it is 'hid in of man, the things which Goel hathprepared for then:)V I understand and Him' (Col. iii. 3). He is' an Elder Brothel' whose love for love Him' (1 Cor. ii, 9). phrase 'the Church of God' as being 'all those us was stronger than death,-J esus, the same yesterday, " Paper read at the Seventh Annual Conference,and published whether they be Jew or Gentile, bond or fre by request, female. They are all members of the body
>

to-day, and for ever,-the chiefest among ten thousand, and the altogether lovely. To be like Him, to see Him as He is, to walk with Him, to worship Him, to serve Him, to be partakers of His glory and sharers of His kingdomoh,' what a grand prospect! what a blessed hope! How can we refrain, even riow.vfrom songs of adoration, as we hail in the near future this glorious event!

18

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

[FEBRUARY. 1890.

\ j/

Himself being the Head. If Christ's, then Abraham's one, .and should incite us- to greater earnestness and seed, and heirs according to the promises.' Not :by any perseverance in our work as members of a small section of means do I believe that every member of the Church is a the Church. There is plenty of work for all. No idlers or member of Christ's body: the majority nowadays are drones should be found in the Lord's vineyard. Our merely professors. vVe are most plainly taught by the fidelity to God and to our fellow-man should be firm, our Scriptures that evil and sin will predominate in the latter morality irreproachable. We must cultivate patience, days, and it requires no great attention to see how correct watchfulness, sincerity, brotherly love j in fact, our converthose predictions are being fulfilled in our day: instead sation and manner of life should testify OUl' complete of the world becoming better and mankind living readiness to be 'clothed upon' with that' changed' body righteously, iniquity and wrong-doing abound, and the which we shall receive when that' blessed hope' becomes a Church, by worldly conformity, is already 'lukewarm,' fact and' we are ever with the Lord.' Oh that we all may careless, and apostate. As the spirit of worldliness has remain steadfast in the faith, 'holding fast the hope unto crept in, the hope of Ohrist's return has been crowded out. the end,' for there is 'a great,' a 'rich reward' 'laid up,' What was once a body of earnest, humble-minded, watching 'kept in store 'for us 'who love the appearing,' who are Christians has now grown into a vast system of ritualism, , waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the where religious bigotry reigns supreme, where men' profess body,' 'a crown of life,'. of 'righteousness,' 'glory,' and godliness but denying its power,' are' lovers of pleasure more 'incorruptibility,' 'reserved in heaven' for those whom the than lovers of God,' 'choked by the cares and pleasures' of Master' finds watching,' to be presented spotless, without a seductive worldly influence. It is fashionable and highly blemish--to be heirs of God, 'joint heirs with Christ,' 'to respectable to belong to a popular, especially if wealthy be glorified together with Him,' to be 'made kings and This is only church. When we take into consideration the state of the priests unto God,' to 'reign on the earth.' Our hearts Church ~t11dthe many doubts and erroneous doctrines part of 'the future or a glorified Church.' which are unusually prevalent in the Church of to-day, grow lighter as the days go by and the time draws near. does not the question of our Lord seem very applicable to We claim to have light, to be 'children of the light.' 'Let these times when He asked, 'When' the Son of Man us not sleep as do others, but' let us watch and be sober.' cometh, shall He find faith on the earth l' (Luke xviii. 8). If I and the rest of the members of this Church have this One of the most dangerous inclinations of the Church of 'purifying hope' abiding within us, then our Church will to-day is, in my mind, that of the section which worships as be one of those ever listening for that glad midnight cry', God the Creator, but which rejects in great measure the 'Behold the Bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet inspiration of the Bible. They take out all that borders on Him.' the miraculous. The Divine Incarnation, miracles, and As to Christians fixing dates and times for the Lord's resurrection of Christ are regarded as traditions, emanating coming, I think that is wrong. No signs except the state from the excited minds of a few hero-worshippers, who morally and spiritually of the world are given-' not even were prompted by affection and desire to immortalise the the angels know of the day or hour.' Paul writing to the name and life of the best man that ever lived. Christ to Church at Rome warned them, saying, 'It is high time to these (many are good men and women) is an example of a awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than perfect moral life. They take His holy life as a standard when we first believed. The night is far spent and the of excellence, but nothing more.. Then again there is day is at hand.' Oh, how we long for the dawning of Universalism, a doctrine unscriptural, which in its evil that day 1 Do not our hearts beat quicker and our effect causes man to think lightly of sin, believing that in desires intensify as we cry, 'Come, Lord Jesus, come process of time even the vilest and unrepentant creature quickly l' will eventually be saved. With that theory we in this Church have already been made conversant. Those who have ~top ~ttnggling. not read Townsend Storr's paper given at the last English WE have read of a man who thought he could not live Conference of the C.I.M. Association on 'Universalism: unless he kept himself alive. He was afraid his breath 'Vhereill True and Wherein False' will find it worth would stop if he did not keep it going by his own efforts, perusal, as it deals with this phase of modern. belief. It is and he tried so hard to keep breathing that he nearly my opinion that these and kindred fallacious theories are strangled in the effort. His family, in great alarm, called all the results of the common error, viz., the wrong con- in a physician, who, seeing at once the difficulty, called ception of the nature and destiny of man. You may think upon him peremptorily to stop trying to breathe. 'I shall die if I do,' gasped the poor man. 'Die, then,' exclaimed I am digressing from the subject, but I wish to put the the doctor, 'but STOP l' The poor man, overborne by the present state of the so-called Church of God in all her word of authority, obeyed, and the moment he stopped worldliness and general unreadiness in contrast with what trying to breathe his breath came easily and without effort. should certainly be her attitude to God, and her position in . So it is with many souls who are panting for eternal life. They are in a terrible struggle' trying to believe,' as though relation to the world regarding this principal event. it were a difficult thing to believe that God is true. They What a different picture could be given if the Church as need some authoritative voice to cry, 'Stop trying to a whole was the watchful, faithful virgin waiting (,1' her believe! Believe, simply BELIEVE, ani the victory is yours Lord, the Bridegroom. This 'blessed hope' is a practical on the instant.

FEBRUARY,

1890.]

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

19

'lEctot}1 JUt Jllong tire iine.

(Uoncluded.}

-"'AS DEAR YE RECEIVED CHRIST SO WALK IN HIM.'

reader, are you mourning over repeated failures and lack of spiritual power 1 Just as you went to the Saviour at first, when you felt altogether helpless and undone, and cast yourself upon His compassion, trusting Him to save you from 'the wrath to come,'-just so, confessing your utter impotency in the Christian warfare, definitely put. your case into His hands, trusting Him to help you to abandon everything that is 'doubtful' in your daily life j to deliver you from evil, saving yon from your sins j and to fill you with His Spirit. It is the prayer of the writer that all who read this little book may be made 1n01'e like Jesus. More like the Master in the manliness of His uncompromising spirit, never parleying with sin, but waging a holy war against every form of evil j more like Him in the meekness of His subjection to His Father's blessed will, delighting to do that will, content to suffer that will, ready to say with Him, even amidst the darkest shadows of His Gethsemane experiences, 'nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.' More like Jesus in the beauty of His holy life, going about doing good, considering not Himself, but weeping with those that wept and rejoicing with those that rejoiced, and stooping even to wash the feet of His lowly disciples. And yet again, more like Him in the tenderness ~nd enthusiasm of His compassion for the erring and the unsaved. He to whom were present 'the wrath to come' and' the glory to be revealed,' wept over those who would not go to Him' the Way, the Truth, the Life j' and shall we be found content to go to the better land alone, wrapped up in spiritual selfishness and practically saying-' Let the wicked go to perdition if they will l' Rather may we be found, watching for souls more than they that watch for the morning-ever in the attitude o! looking unto Jeans, for the supply of every need; looking upon J esus, that we may be transformed into the same image j and looking for Jesus and the great day of His appearing.
, Aa some rare perfume in a vase of clay Pervades it with a fragrance nob its own, So when Thou dwellest in a mortal soul, All heaven's own sweetness seems around it thrown. 'The eauI alone, like a neglected harp, Grows out of tune and needs Thy hand Divine. Dwell Thou within it, tune and touch the chords, Till eve1'y note and string shall answer Thine.'

to sleep j to rob him of his full assurance j to lead him on to doubt his personal interest in Christ j to foster the belief that the good and the bad will all eventually arrive at the same end j to get the believer so absorbed in the pursuit of wealth j so entangled in this world's schemes, that he has scarcely any energy left for things which are spiritual and eternal j this is Satan's plan in these easy-going times. Let us then beware j put on the whole armour of God and fight with all our might against indifference, infidelity, and sloth. ' Consider Jesus, that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against Himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in I your souls. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.' Consider what He left for us-what heavenly delights j what glorious scenes j what saintly fellowship, Consider what He endured :-poverty and loneliness j shame and reproach j anguish at man's selfishness, unbelief. and blasphemy j and death on the cross. And now-what prayers He offers j what a glorious home He prepares for l those who overcome. Let us, therefore, 'endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus Christ.' Press on in the teeth of all antagcnism-c--to-morrow the recording angel may have to seal his roll of honour, and vain will be regrets upon the eternal scene. G. H. P. Ch1"istchunh.

I Christian

Qmatching.
, 'What I say unto you, I say unto all, 'Watch:

watching for the morning, The night is long and dreary; I have waited for the dawning, Till I am- sad and dreary; I am watching for the morning, When the sons of God shall show All their beauteous adorning, So dimly seen below. I'm a stranger and a sojourner, A pilgrim on the earth; A sick and lonely mourner, Few own my noble birth. But I'm watching for the morning, . Oh, when will morning come, And I chan~e the rude world's scorning, For the fellowship of home?
AM

Then, beloved, having gained the victory over our inward foes, lot us carry the war right into the enemy's camp.
TO ARMS, BROTHERS, TO ARlIfS!

'To the help of the Lord against the mighty!' We are not called upon, like our fathers, to 'take with joy the spoiling of our goods j' to endure imprisonment j to con. front wild beasts in the arena ; or to suffer death at the stake. Perhaps indeed a time of fiery persecution may yet be needful to rouse the church from this dull lethargy. r~he devil suits his wiles to every age. To lull the

They call me strange and gloomy, But, oh, they little dream Of the hopes that fill my bosom, For I am not what I seem. I am watching for the morning, When He who for me died, In triumphal state returnins-, Shall claim the Church HIS Bride. The~ often find me weeping, ,~ hen I cannot tell them why; For they know not the deep meaning Of my spirit's sympathy; I am watching for the morning Of a bright and glorious day, That shall hush Creation's groaning, And wipe her tears away. The earnest expectation Of all nature is abroad, Waiting' the manifestation Of the true sons of God; And I'm watchin~ for the morning That shall set the captive free, And shall turns the chains of bondage Into glorious liberty. F. WHITFIELD,

B.A .

. 0 '
1::. ~

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THE BIBLE STANDARD.

[FEBRUARY,

1890.

~catlt an QEnemg.

'The last enemythat shall be destroyedis death.'-I '''thy do we mourndepartingfriends, Or shake at death's alarms? "I'is but the voicethat Jesus sends To call them to his anus.' IT is evident that the apostle and the poet are out of harmony here. Oil and water you can unite by the use of an alkali; but it then ceases to be oil and water, it is soft soap. And when you have united the apostle's teaching here and elsewhere with much poetic public sentiment that is going, by the use of a sort of theological alkali, you have no longer sound Scripture nor pure poetry; it is soft soap. . And the pity is, that people are continually soft-soaped in this way. How very like that other sentiment offered in the garden of Eden this poetry is ! ' Ye shall not surely die. :1<'01' God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil' (Gen. iii, 4, 5). Here the serpent had had already learned the art of mixing truth with error to make it go down, and attempting, as now, to cite divine authority to back it up; but it was reserved to a later day to get the lie set to rhyme and metre. 0 subtle enemy! As much as to say, Give me the making and singing of your hymns, and you may have your dogmas and your doleful preachers and I will come out on top! And alas! in too extensive a manner he has got botb, Plainly it was not the same spirit that inspired botli apostle and poet here; the apostle was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God, and the poet was guided by popular sentiment, and for all that, might have been a Christian and worthy of salvation, not knowing any better. But' the true light now shineth ' on that matter. On this ground will accept the poet, and reject his poetry; ana not attempt to unite it with divine inspiration. . But the apostle is not out of harmony with himself or with the other Scriptures; there is a connectedness in all his teaching with all other Scripture. You hear him speak of death in one breath, and then in-the next comes not popular poetic delusion, but the grand divine sequel, 'rIlE

whom Paul 'Yas no mean sample, knew what it meant, if folks do not know to-day; and he charged King Agrippa Cor.xv.26. that he knew, too, when called before him for teaching nothing else. But, you say, did not Paul say, that' to live is Christ, and to die is gain' ~ Yes, he said just that (Phil. i. 21). But who was Paul doing business for 1 That is the question to determine before you attempt to place the credit of his transactions where he would have them. It is Christ, Chriet, Christ in all the preceding verses, which is the overwhelming thought of the apostle, and the gain to his gospel which shall OCCUl' through all the varied preaching of others whether in pretence or truth, sincerity or contention, or by his own life or death. What business have we now in this little verse to switch off to Paul's gain in it? ' Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death,' he says in the former verse and breath. Shall we believe him ~ Who knows-but that Saul of Tarsus was stung to the quick when he beheld, as a member of the the Sanhcdrim, the angelic face of the martyr Stephen on trial for his life; and when at his execution his clothes lie at his feet, and he heard that heart-cutting prayer, so much like that of the Son of God, 'Ln,y not this sin to their charge.' Maddened with conviction, as stubborn sinners al ways are, he stuffed his pockets with papers from the high priest, and set off, post-haste, for Damascus, determined to put an end to the whole soul-harrowing affair. Well, he needed no more argument; only to be laid out with divine power on the way. And who knows but that; in Cresar's court there were those whom :Paul's death brought to Christ, whom his arguments could not ~ He implies it. Then let the gains ill Paul's transactions be applied where they belong, to the magnifying of Christ. Paul will get his crown 'at that day' when' all who love his appearing'. get theirs. And, bear in mind, this is where Paul refers to his future destiny and speaks of himself as he had a right to do.when' he had 'finished his course' (2 Tim. iv. 6.--8). He is a poor reader and student of the apostle Paul who does not see through all his writings his own total selfabnegation, and the elevation of Christ as the s-ummwn bonurn. of loyalty . He fought the good fight of faith all his life, and had no time to devote to garlanding the enemy with roses. Some seem to think to-day that the way to defeat this enemy is to bury him with -poetry and flowers. But we believe with Paul in running the sword of the Spirit through him. Show up the hideousness of death and the glory of the gospel of Christ in the literal resurrection of our loved ones. 0 cruel monster, tyrant, death! with what a ruthless stamp thou hast trodden out the life of the innocent babe and the pure-minded maiden! Ay, thou hast a greedy, covetous eye upon 'a shining . mark.' Respect for no one high or low thou hast, but tearest sinew from sinew and bone from bone with a slow process when it best suits thy devilish' greed; and dashes to pieces in an instant when it propitiates thy fiery passion. ' What thou doest do quickly.' Thy Waterloo

wc

RESURRECTION.

Did the apostle' shake at death's alarms ~ Not a bit of it. Show me a braver soldier! What was the secret of his bravery ~ That it was the voice that Jesus sends to call him to his arms? Not that. "Vas it that he t.!lought that death, instead of being a cessation of life, would be a continuation of it on a grander scale 1 No, no. He always cites the resurrection as the goal of hope and the spur of courage, Says he in this chapter; 'If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me if the dead rise not ~ let us eat and-drink, for to-morrow we die' (verse 32). Evidently he makes his courage, self-denial, and sufferings depend upon the outcome of that glorious event. And it is useless to attempt to make. the resurrection mean anything. else but the re-living and re-standing of the dead. The Jews, of

FEBlWAH,Y,

1890.]

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

21

no need for that institution of which our Lord said, 'Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness '~ How Mr Hudson can conceive for a moment that the 'master in Israel' ought not to have been ignorant of , Christian baptism such as is generally believed in' (infant sprinkling no doubt) I do not know, for most assuredly the passages he quotes have no reference to such an institution whatever. In Isa. lii. 15, the word' sprinkle' should be 'startle,' or 'astonish,' or 'surprise,'aswhenaman dashes water in one's face (vide Hinton's Hist. Baptism, p. 159), while the whole of the passage itself, as also Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, refers to Israel, gathered and dwelling in peace and safety in that land which was given to their fathers by God, who says in verse 2S, 'Ye shall be my people and I will be your God.' I believe with Mr Hudson what J'ames (L IS) says about true Christians, viz.: 'That they are begotten again To THE EDITOR OF THE BIBLE STANDARD. by the Word of Truth,' and have been to the trouble of EAR SIR,-The concluding sentence of Mr looking up a few different authorities on the several passages quoted by him, which I submit as under, merely Hudson's letter in this month's Standard, remarking that there is a great difference in the law of . gives me cause to rejoice and courage to try nature between a begettal and a birth. and make my (I had almost written our) John i. 13. Wilson's Emphaposition' better and clearer) than seems to have' been the R.V. Rotherham. A.V. tic Diaglctt, Born Begotten Born Begotten case in the paper itself. Re our Lord's intentional teaching 1 John iii. 9. on the subject of the kingdom, I will only say that, as it Born Begotten Begotten Begotten presents itself to my mind, and from what I understand by 1 John iv, 7. , Begotten Begotten Born Begotten the term kingdom, in no sense of the word whatever can the 1 John v, 1-4. gospel dispensation be looked upon as the kingdom of God; Begotten Begotten Born Begotten 1 Peter 1::.....23. nor indeed, except in comparatively few instances, is the Begat Brought us forth Brought us forth ~egab gospel of the kingdom preached during the present gospel James i. 18. dispensation. Born Begotten Regenerated Regenerated Mr Hudson seems to be staggered at the thought that The original is the same in most of the passages. our Lord should express surprise at Nicodemus, 'the We think then, t4at we are justified in saying that the teacher of Israel,' not understanding the doctrine of the change which takes place in a person's heart and life, when. resurrection. But why ~ Did not Abraham prove his he turns from vice to virtue, from sin to holiness, from the belief in this doctrine, when, ,vith knife in hand and up- world, the flesh and the devil to God, is a begettal dtther than a birth (or as 1 John iv. 7, R.V. puts it, 'Everyone lifted arm, he stoodready to slay that son in whom all the that loveth is begotten of God and Imoweth God'), and that promises centred 1 Did not Job understand it when he the foregoing passages all go to prove it. Such being the uttered the- words, 'Man lieth down and riseth not; till the. case, we know of no second birth (other than baptism), heavens be no more he shall not awake, or be raised out of except that which our Lord experienced when He rose from the dead, and which we hope to experience also when his sleep' 1 Or again, when he said, 'The worms destroy , death with us is swallowed' up in victory,' in like manner. this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God'1 Did not', In conclusion, lest-there should be any misunderstanding Isaiah understand it when he said, 'Thy dead shall live; of the last few words of my paper (and NIr Hudson's remy dead bodies shall arise and the earth shall marks in italics in paragraph two, and again in lines one mist forth the dead' ~ (chap. xxvi, 19). Did not Daniel and two of second column, .lead me to think there is, for assuredly I did not say that the resurrected body would understand it when he wrote, ' Many of them that sleep in never be seen), I would say that I do not believe for a the dust of the earth shall awake,' etc. ~ (chap. xii. 2).: moment that our future form or body will be one of invisiDoes not David show his faith in the resurrection in many bility. Nay, verily, I believe that it 'will be as real and as of the Psalms ~ Surely, with all these worthy ones for his tangible as was our Master's (vide Luke xxiv. 39, 40) after instructors, it was no wonder the Master expressed surprise His resurrection; but that, like Him, we shall also 'have power to assume such a state (Luke xXIV.31) when occasion that this' teacher of Israel' should be ignorant upon such arises. . a subject. Pauf, the Apostle of the Gentiles, withthesame Trusting that my reply will not exceed the limit of your writers for his guidance, was not by any means ignorant of space and patience, and that it will succeed in its mission, .. the doctrine of theresurrection. (Vide Acts xvii, IS-31 and yours in faith, F. B. HUGHES. 1 Cor. xv. 16, 17, IS.) Mr Hudson tells us he is a Gilbert Street, AdelaiclIJ, Methodist preacher of fifty-six years' standing; does this December 31, 1889. fact supply the sequel to his objection to my position, when P.S.-As I onlvreceived the Bible Standard on the lSth I say that the water birth is the immersion of adult inst., I could not possibly answer in time for January's believers in baptism? Does he shy at the water, and see number.-F.B.H. shall soon be turned upon thee, thou cruel fiend; our vVellington cometh apace! Glistening scimitars and rattling blades herald thee thy doom; and ere long, the Mighty Conqueror, Christ, mightier than thou, sl~all plant His standard of conquest here. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that. is written, '"Death is swallowed up in victory. 0 death where is thy sting ~ 0 grave where is thy victory?' (1 COl'.xv. 54). 'FOl' this purpose was Christ manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil' (1 John iii. S).-C. E. Copp in' WQ?'ld's Crisis:'

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[FEBRUARY,

i890.

parts of Scripture itis said, 'He that believeth on the SON HATHeverlasting life.' By which we are not to understand that in physical person incorruptibility is now received by the saints, or that the vitality that never flags has' begun !1clieber.G ftnb Jjmmot'hllity. to energise their persons: but that having received God's promise they do possess in that promise the thing promised, o ~ake it further evident to you that immor- everlasting life. God says, after the same manner of speech, tality does not inhere in man's nature, let me to Abraham, concerning the land of promise, 'Unto thy bring before you the relation in which early seed HAVEI given this land,' etc., but at that time he had saints and eternal life were placed in regard no 'seed' to give it to j yet God spake as though the fact to eac ot er. were accomplished, for He intended to do it j and this purThe primitive Christians regarded this life as stored for pose only required time for its verification. And again, them in the Christ. Their faith was-' this life in His even before Isaac was .born, God said to Abraham, 'A I spake Son.' This you may read in 1 John v. 11. They believed father of many nations HAVJ<: made thee,'-God that God had indeed given to them eternal life j but that according to His unalterable purpose of things beforehand, He had deposited it for them in the Risen One at His own as though they were already in existence. Also, on the side right hand. Hence they did not consider: or teach that the of Old Testament saints, there was the same strong faith in power 01' virtue of deathlessness was in themselves. For God which enabled them to speak of God's promises as fulthis reason too they did not trust in themselves. But they filled while as yet hundreds of years intervened between looked away from earth to heaven-away from themselves them and their fulfilment. For example, thus speaks Isaiah :-' Unto us a Child is BORN unto us a Son IS GIVEN,' j to Jesus Christ. They had no hope in themselves-they saw no germ of immortality in their own natures j their etc. But we know it was hundreds of years later when hope was in Him whom God has given to have life in Him- Christ was actually born. And so does the believer say self even as He has Himself j who, being raised by the that God has given Him in the Christ now eternal life, Spirit of the Father, liveth after the power of an endless although as yet this eternal life is not in receipt. He has life. The life that is in Him they looked upon as theirs, promised, and will perform j He will not go back j He will already given by the Father, to be bestowed upon them in not deny Himself: and because of this Divine faithfulness, due time. Hence, with them, it was not self that gave the believer rejoices in possession j as a poor man is satisfied them the eternal future, but Jesus. He was their ali / It that he is provided for when he holds but the promissory Clearly then, eternal life was 'J'esus only' in regard to immortality as to every note of his affluent neighbour. was considered by the early Christians to be a life in other good gift. The Father had deposited it for them in the virtuous Ohrist, and out of His own vitality they promise. But where, was the need of such a promise if expected to receive j for they realised that perpetuity, or there was virtue in nfa'n sufficient to enable him to abide for ever 1 Then was the promise a superfluity. endless vitality, was not in their own natures. The early saints did not consider that eternity 'had taken To this eternallife"they also held (lod's promise. Hear how some of them wrote of it, 1 John ii. 25 :_ hold upon them, that immortality had made them its This is the PROMISE that He hath promised lIS, even eternal prisoners j their doctrine was that they were in faith to lay hold upon it, that they were to appropriate and make it life.' their own with a boldly believing hand and heart. And And Paul, in 1 Tim. iv. 8 :'Bodily exercise profiteth for a little time: but godliness is why do so, but for the self-evident fact that if they did not profitable unto all things, having PROMISEf the life that now is, seize it, according to God's good pleasure, it would not be o theirs ~ That is, in other words, they would not be and of the life that is to come.' immortal. . Thus Paul writes to his son Timothy, giving And 2 Till. i. 1 :him the following counsel (1Tim. i. 12) : Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according 'Fight the good fight of faith, LAYHOLD eternal life, where. on to the PROMISEf life which is in Christ Jesus.' o unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession Also in .LlfU1dock's 'l'mnslationfl'om the SY1'iac,Ja'si.12 :._ before many witnesses.' Blessed is the man'who endureth temptations; so that when And he further instructed him, concerning the rich, in he is proved he may receive a crown of life, WHICHGOD HATH 1 Tim. vi. 19, that they were to be l'ROMISED them that love Him.' to , Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the Thus they regarded eternal life not yet in actual inheri- time to come, that they may LAYHOLD eter~al Iife.' on tance, but considered themselves' as 'heirs' of it. They Such counsel-that they grasp life eternal-shows that held God's promise j and in trust of His faithfulness to fulfil it comes not to men without an effort, as an unsought His promise their faith made substance of that which they possession. Italso shows that it does not consist with the had in hope. They had it as you may have a sum ofmoney, natural man. when you have in your purse a promissory note for 10 And regarding immortality, virtually the same as eternal given you by some millionaire, who, you are sure, will not life, as a promise, held in faith and certain to all truefail to cash the note when it has matured. Hence, in some h~arted disciples, the early believers of the Gospel lived i1i

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RUARY,

1890.)

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

23

hope of this improved condition of being,-this regeneration promised. So Paul subscribes himself in a letter to Titus (i. 2) :-'Paul, a servant of God . . . IN HOPE of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began;'

immortality now, if possessed, would be entirely out of keeping with man's present relations and with earthly things, which are all perishing and evanescent. ,

And he speaks of all the saints thus, in Titus iii. 7 :, That being justified by His grace, we should be made ACCORDING TO THE HOPE of eternal life.
HEms

Now it is plain. that what is in hope is not in possession. , 'What a man hath, why cloth he yet hope for ~, We do not hope for what we have, but we hope for what we have prospect of securing. And the man who believes aright concerning eternity does not regard it as indispgnsably his, but as that which maybe the subject of his hope, through personal alliance to and faith in the Son of God. The fact that eternal life is placed as a matter of Lope precludes the possibility of its being a present possession. The early saints also regarded their possession of the spirit of holiness in this life-a separate spirit from that of the world outside, a moral disposition in harmony with God and that delighted in His law,--as the earneet of the life to come, leading on to it, resulting in Divine approval, which meant the reward of immortality: just as sin and a lawless disposition, in the case of Adam and of an ungodly world; meant and means the earnest of judgment and death. The pledge they considered themselves as now possessing; but not the gift assured by the pledge. Hence, as they only considered themselves as possessing the earnest df the life everlasting,-the spiritual qualifications that gave title to it and right to eat of the tree of life,-they did not hold that the plenitude of life, undiminishing, unending, as in God Himself, was theirs by creational right. Read the eighth of Romans, and there you will find much instruction respecting the spirit-earnest which is the Christian's in this present evil age. Look now, at one glance, at the way in which the early saints regarded immortality or eternal life. They thought of it as in Christ, hid with Him in His own person in the Heavens, and regarded Him as its giver, believing that when he their life should appear they would likewise be manifested with Him in the glory of an endless, incorruptible existence. Till then, they held fast the promise of it, made to them by Him who is not man that he should lie. By their faith they overreached mortality and seized it 01' their own. They rejoiced in sure and certain hope of it as brought to light by the Gospel which told of Jesus' own resurrection to a deathless state. And they were persuaded of their own heirship, because they found in themselves the pledge of this lie;-a condition of heart and manner approved of God, and promised the gifts of His grace. They did not pretend to have life in themselves; except so far as they 'had the Son' within them as, their reliance, and hoped in Him as their Almighty Saviour from death. 'rhus, I conceive, it is conclusively settled, settled beyond controversy, that 1'10 man is an inheritor of immortality; and that the best that can' be said of those concerning whom there is hope is, that they are heirs of the promise. Besides,

IN reading over the preface to the Revised Version of the Old Testament Scriptures, I found the following passage: , The Hebrew Slieol, which signifies the abode of departed spirits, and corresponds to the Greek Hades, or the outer ' world, is variously rendered grave, pit, and .hell.' Now the questiontwhiclicomeato myrnind, and which ought to have been considered by the revisers is this-Did the Hebrew writers use the word sheol in its primary signification or not 7 If they did, they surely did not mean to convey the idea that sheol was the abode of departed living spirits And as there is no mention made of dead. spirits in the sacred record, we must come to the inevitable conclusion that the revisers wished to sustain the old and favoured doctrine of soul immortality. They must find a place somewhere for the' immortal part' of man. In this case, however, it is rather unfortunate for the so-called orthodox theory and those who believe the Satanic lie, 'Thou shalt not surely die.' . . If the reader will turn to every passage where sheol. occurs, I think he can, without doing violence to the context, substitute the word gmve. The word sheol in Hebrew means grave, the place ot death, gravedom in general, a place of darkness, In conclusion, l~t me quote that often-quoted text, 'Theta is no work, nor device-nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave (sheo1) whither thou goest.' E. H. F.

Jl

~pUhtl 1!Rclltttedhm,

IT is admitted by Greek scholars that a fair and correct translation of Phi I. iii. 11 would read, 'attain to the resurrection from among the dead;' or, 'out from among the dead;' or, more literally still, 'out of the dead ones.' So the Diaglott has it. So the Pocket Commentary reads it, , from out of the dead;' and Prof. N. N. Whitting, 'attain to the resurrection from among the dead.' Canon Faussett makes the words equal to the sentence, 'the first resurrection.' The Greek eoxinastasin, nowhere else found, signifies out-rising, from ex, out from; and anastasis, rising again. The rfsurrection is to be universal, but while the' general resurree-tion' is a phrase not found in Scripture~ and a simultaneous resurrection is nowhere taught, the idea of a special resurrection of the good runs all through the Bible. It was this special, primary and distinguished resurrection that Paul earnestly and at all risks coveted, and his language implies that when he should rise from his grave, dead ones would still remain in their. graves behind him, and 'who most evidently would be the unblest and unholy who will live not again until the millennial reign is past (Rev. xx.).

24 i[~l ble
Our Blessed Hope Stop Struggling Victory All Along the Line Watching Death an Enemy
CORRESPONDENCE BiBLE CLASS-

THE BIBLE STANDARD.

[l1'lJiBHUAHY, 1890.

oQto ntents.
PAGE

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18 19 19

20
21

Believers and Immortality The Abode of Departed Spirits A Special Resurrect.ion ... Our Seveuth Annual Conference .. , Life and Immortality .. , Christ and Him Crucified ,.,
HO~lE CmcLE-

22
'23 23 24 26

27 ~:
"28 28 31 32

Burdett's Advice .. , A True Story of the Sea The Man That's Not For Sale Church and Mission News Our Book Table . Current Events

==~~====~~============== h$ ilt~. t'l"b~t_!t - THE, TREASURER'S BALANm~ SHEET showed

..,.... ,::.::c..,

coming year would be a time of progress, and with the prayer that Divine wisdom would direct, and the Divine blessing crown the efforts we put, forth. ~THE PUBLISHER'S REPQR'l,' referred to the. fact that during the year the Association. had been compelled to call attention to the serious financial burden which the, Association -carried in connection with the .publication of the Standard, that an appeal had been made which had resulted in relieving -us from immediate anxiety, and had encouraged -us-in carrying on this good work. The report referred- in grateful terms to the praiseworthy efforts which had been made by a few sisters of. the Auckland Church to secure -advertisemeuts for the cover of the paper, and expressed the hope-that othersin other places, where the paper circu-lated, would emulate their example. ' The agencies were referred to, and it was .hoped that larger numbers of the paper would be sold in ~a,ch,place, and that with them and with subscribers the rule would 9 that of prompt remittauce. In concluding his report, the publisher expressed his regFet that circumstances compelled his resignation 'of his office. , He had. served t~e Association for five years, but he now found that the time at his disposal was too short for the work whic,h the post 'entailed .

Monthly Organ of the New Zealand Evangelistic & Publication Association

EDITED BY GEO ALDR.lDGE.

ASSISTED

BY

SPECIAL

CON'l'RIBUTORS.

The Editor uiishes it to be im(le>'Stood that, while he exercises a general supervision rvei' the articles and correspondence appearing in the STAN-DAIWj responsibility for sentiments expressed rests upon the indIVi, dual writer.

that. the state of our finances was. more satisfactory than it has been any time during the past five years .. [Dllring the conference -and two following days sufficient donations came to hand-to entirely wipe off the debt, so that the incoming Executive commences the year free of debt.]

LcIThe J,rmmrl Qtonf.ecmce.

UR Seventh AnnuaLConference was held on January 2, and weare pleased to record that it passed off very successfully. Bro. Aldridge, a vice-presideu t of the 'Association, took the chair, 'as Bro. Wilcock was not well enough to undertake the duties. The minutes of the last year's .conferenee were read and adopted. The Chairman then delivered his opening address, which was mainly :a resume of the history of the Association during the seven years of its existence. A, telegram was 'received from the Timaru Baptist Church' expressing a wish for a happy conference and continued prosperity, THE SECRETARY'S REPORTgave a summary of the year's work. It regretted that mainly on account of lack of funds we had not been ableto proclaim the truth as \"ide!..l:as we could wish. It referred with satisfaction to the work done by Bro. Wilcock or his way up from:the south, and also to that done by Bro. 'I'aylor in Sydney. The report affirmed that we still retained the missionary spirit" and that when opportunity offered, and as funds were forthcoming, efforts would be put forth to send abroad the message of life only through Christ. Outdoor work has been commenced in. Auckland,ancl it is hoped that good results will follow, TIre report concluded' by 'expressing the hope that the

REPORT OF CHURCHES.-These were given by brethren from Thames, Hamilton, Auckland, and Sydney" and in each case, with 'the exception of -the Hamilton church, satisfactory accounts were given. Owing to being left without any 'brother to Iead -the meetings the Hamilton cause had steadily waned, until at the presentuime no meeting at all was held. ,The Secretary was instructed to write to the brethren and to ascertain whether they could not continue to keep together until such time .ae further effort could be made. l Letters from Dunedin and Adelaide, asking for a visit I from an evangelist, were read" and were freely discussed: It was resolved to reply to both requests that we could not accede to them at present. The following officers were elected as the Executive 'for 1890 :-President" George Sqnirrel.; vice-presidents, T. L Wilcock and E. H. Taylor ; secretary, E. Can; treasure!" v. T. B. Dines; -editor, Geo. Aldridge i publisher, J. M French; book eteward, E, H. Falkner; .committee, Brethren Jarvis,' Hamilton, Sheldon, Pain, Moore, Fletcher, .and Healey. After, lunch a goodly number of brethren and friends assembled in the .lower hall to hear the papers that were to be read, . Three -were given ; . one of these appearsin the present issue of the Standard. .All the papers were very favourably received, and provoked animated discussion. The first taken was a paper on .' The, Cessation of Miracles,' by -Bro, W. MUBro. The second was upon' The Blessed

FEBTIUAny,

1890.]

THE BIBLE STANDAHD.

25

,-

-Bopc,' read for the author by Bro. E. H. Falkner; and the third ! Our Position as' a People in Relation to Existing Denominations,' by Bro. -E. Carr. Great-care was evidenced . .In the preparation of these papers, and the manner in wliich they were received showed that the brethren were fully alive to the importance of the themes introduced by themA't 6.30 the annual tea was held, at which all the seats " were filled, and much sociability was shown. That is one feature of our teas which we rejoice -over. The brethren are brought together, and all barriers are broken down and the ice of reserve is melted, and we really feel of one family. At the after meeting Bro, Aldridge presided, and gave a short account of ilw work done at the conference meeting in the morning. Bro. E. Can was the first speaker called upon by the Chairman. He said .:- We are met hereut our Seventh Annual Conference, and we sec old faces again, and it gi ves us pleasure to see them, and to know that-they have with them _the hearts that -love thc Lord, and the brains that grasp the promises. If we-rejoice when we see these on whom we look on-these occasions, my mind goes forward to that time when we shall all be united in t-he presence of the Lord, The more I think of this prospect the more I enjoy it, and -the more I can bring the realization to my mind the more glorious it seems. What a work we have, as a people, to bring the truth to the _hearts of our fellow men, that they may rejoice in the Lord also. The Apostle said that he gloried in God. 'Ve can glory in God also, and say 'Our Father who art in heaven' ; we can say that He- has prepared abundant glory. 'Ve have no awful dogma to defend, but we can speak of the God of heaven who has sent His Son to save the world : to give life to 'whosoever will.' This is the truth that lifts the mind out of the depths, and puts it .upon the high level. As we think of this promise of life, and the glorious kingdom in which we may reign with Christ, is it not something to _make us resolve that we will hold to our Association, and aid in publishing the message wherever we can. Bro. C. Vv. Cropp, who has come over- from Sydney on a visit, was the next called upon. He expressed his pleasure in being with us, and gave a short account of the recent mission conducted in Sydney by Bro. Taylor, and voiced the determination of the little band in that city to- do their utmost to make the truths with which they were identified more fully known. Bro, E. H. Tnylor said that, although he had spent avery happy time in Australia, he was 'glad to be back again. He had spent a v~ry pleasant four months-pleasant partly because he had seen some dear relatives, and partly because he had the opportunity of putting the message of life in Christ before the p'eople of Sydney. He eulogised thebrethren in the Sydney church, who, although so few, had done so nobly. He spoke of some of the brethren who had - been in connection with U8 'on this side of the- water,' and specially mentioned Bro. Edgehill, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. This dear brother is makinghimself useful

Ion every occa-sion in speaking a word for Christ. _ On more

I than one occasion he has hired a hall and held a public

debate on the themes of man's nature and destiny. Bro Taylor also gave an account of his visit to Melbourne, and of the good work that is guing on there under the leadership. of Bro, G. A. Brown. Bro. C, Cooper was next invited to the platform. He said that his deepest sympathies were with the work of the Association. He had listened to the papers read that afternoon, and his heart had been thrilled with -the description given of the blessed hope. The work of the Association he thought was a work that none need be ashamed of, nay 'the hope' ought to inspire any man to stand before any company of men and give his proclamation concerning the future life, in which there would be 110 more poverty, nor wretchedness, but a manifestation of Divine power upon the earth. In the blessed hope every human want was supplied. Two phases of our work called for especial notice. First, in the nature of things, ours was an aggressive work. vVe have to go where it is unpleasant; we have to go into the enemy's camp. This phase of our work is a prominent one. Second, it is a constructive work. If we knockdown old superstitions we have to supply the grand truths that must take their place. But to do this effectually we must build up oursel ves in the word of God. The work cannot otherwise be carried on efficiently. He concluded his address by hoping that if spared another year we should heal' of a still further advance. Brothel' Becroft was the next speaker, and he referred ,to the report of the work which had been given from Sydney, and spoke of those whom he had personally known who had been alluded to in that report. He rejoiced in the news that was brought of Bro. Edgehill. Bro. King, of Onehunga, spoke last, and in a few felicitous sentences he gave thanks to those who had worked hard to make the tea so pleasant and successful, and' concluded. by a few words upon the influence which we' have upon each other, and the manner in which this could 'be utilized in making the truth more widely known. During the evening the choir rendered some choruses and anthems, and Sieter Dixon sang as a solo, ',How beautiful are the feet.' So ends our seventh year of work. If the -l\iJastertarries , and we are spared to meet at the close of another year, m_ay we have greater cause for thankfulness than that which has -gladdened our hearts this year.

True merit is like a river; the deeper it is, the less noise it makes. A law passed in the reign of Georgc Ill. still remains in force upon the New Jersey statute books: 'All women of whatsoever a.ge, rank, profession or degree, whether-maids 01' widows, who shall impose upon or induce to matrimony any of his majesty's subjects, by virtue of scents, cosmetics, washes, paints, artifice .or high-heeled shoes, shall incur the penalty of the law now in force against witchcraft and like misdemeanours. '

26
> ~

1'1Ili 'BrBLE S1'ANDARD. ~ife alt~ InnnorhtUtQ.

[irmBRUARY,

iS90.

to say that there is a marked discordancy between it and the Bible. This the following utterances will show.
'As by natural inheritance from Adam " all die," so by spiritual inheritance from Christ "shall all be made alive," and the argument, let,.it be carefully noted, does not refer to voluntary acceptance' of the Saviour.' '

I'

THE Rev. E. D. Cecil, of Dunedin, has recently delivered a series of sermons on the 'Characteristics of Christianity.' In one of these sermons, reported in the Dunedin Evening Star for December 28, 1889, we note a paragraph relating to the voice of Christianity on ' life and immortality.' We reproduce this-that our readers may see that we must not let our hands fall slack in the fight against error. So long as it is possible to find such serious misunderstanding of the Bible teaching on man's nature, so long must we protest against it. ,Ve comment upon this paragraph in dialogue because we thereby save space, and are able to point out errors with more directness.
immortality" be, even were it the only gift of Christianity.'

Cornment.-Yes, we note carefully that there is no personal voluntary acceptance of the Saviour that is prominent in Paul's argument at this point. But we also note these things: 1. That not a word is said of a ' spiritual inheritance through Christ. 2. The argument of Paul is directed to show that at some time, then future, and still future, 'man should be made alive.' It gives assurance of a future life through a resurrection from the dead, and thus A right royal boon to men would the assurance of "life and implies the mortality of man.
j

Comment.-Let us be clear on this matter. It seems from the after remarks that the speaker designs' his hearers to understand that they are already immortal, but that there was no certain knowledge of this until Christianity voiced it. Never was there greater mistake. The Bible message comes to mortal men; and emphasising that mortality, it offers to them the gift of eternal life. It is not the <le sign of the Word to tell men that they arealready immortal, but that immortality may be had on God's terms. The' assurance' which we may have is, that' Because I live, ye' shall live also;'

'That is not in hand at the time, but Paul is declaring in 1 Cor. xv. that as the race is mortal, so is it immortal.'

Comment.--No, we do not see that Paul is doing any such thing. He does not stultify himself. Only those who are believers in soul-immortality think that a man is at once mortal and immortal. In Ist Corinthians he argues, as we have said, to prove a resurrection, and towards the close of that argument he says, 'This mortal shall put on im1Jwytality,' and as he expressly distinguishes between the two states, in order of time, so must we.
'The promise of Christ to His disciples to give them eternal life does nob refer to immortality.'

C Turn where we may among the best and loffiesb thoughts of Comment.-Does it not ~ Then we have failed to underancient writers, it is indescribably pathetic to find how even Plato stand the Scriptures. We were about to give extended and Cicero, after clinging to every probability, are obliged to proof that our reading was right, but we reflected that Mr. confess the hope of immortality to be only a splendid guess, a Cecil gives his statement without any proof, and in view of great" perhaps." , ,

the many occurrences of-the term 'eternal life,' which our Comment.- We thank the reverend gentleman for the readers can find for themselves, we have no hesitation in admission that on this matter the great thinkers of the saying that immortality is the meaning of that term in past, who are reverenced so highly by the modems, had no everyone of its occurrences, notwithstanding Mr. Oecil's certain knowledge, that they could only' guess.' The glimmer of philosophy was all too faint to light up the dictum to the contrary.
Apart from any special promisee to those who accept it, yawning sepulchre and shed any lustre on the dark hereafter; they who lost beloved friends sorrowed as those who had no Christianity teaches that the dead are not dead, that their personalities are existing and conscious in hades, that they still hope." . Comment.-Yes, all this is true, and we may add that "liYe unto God," though no longer living unto us.'

the philosophy of the present is as helpless as that of the Comment.- ,Ve are fully aware that such teaching as this past in giving any assurance of a life beyond. is believed by, Christians, but we deny that it is the teachEven among pious J ewe the painful ambiguity is manifested in ing of the Bible. A Christianity which is permeated by the pitiful wailing of the Book of Job, a work belonging to the best Paganism teaches this, but the Bible does not teach anyperiod of Hebrew literature.' thing so foolish as that the dead are not dead. They are Cornment.-We do not find any ambiguity whatever in dead, for when the resurrection comes, it is the' dead' that the Book of Job as to the question of man's present nature, are raised. This strange remark made by the preacher or of his hope. -Iob and his friends agree that man is of reveals what is his belief on the nature ill man, and will the dust, and the patriarch has a hope of resurrection: fully account for our comment on the first sentence. But the voice of Christianity is without, hesitation, and is Personalities existing consciously in Hades ~ No, we think beyond poseibilicy of misunderstanding.' not. There is no evidence of such a thing in the Word. Cornment.-If .evIl'. Cecil would 'allow us to insert the Let us look at a few facts which the Bible reveals concernword' Bible' instead of the phrase 'voice of Christianity,' in'g this place : -we will gladly join him in this statement. Our reason for It is a place of death. the change is that we thus escape the charge or vagueness, C They shall be appointed a flock for sheol [hades ), death shalt be and that we go back to the fountain-source of Christianity their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in for the proof of our position. Further, if the preacher has the morning, and their beauty shall be for sheol to consnme, that there rightly utt~red the' voice of Christianity,' we are compelled be no habitation for it' (Ps, xlix. 14).
C

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FEBIWARY, 1890.]

THE BIBLE STANDAH,D.

0

27

It is a place of worms. . 'Thy pomp is brought down t,ohell (~ades), the wOl:~n~s spretui undel'.thee, and WOl'ms covel' thee (Iaa. XIV, 11; Job XVll,.13 16). It ~s a place of darkness. -. The land of darkness and the shadow of death, a: land of thick darkness ' (Job x, 21), , .
0

,It ~s a place of secrecy m:d += , Oh that thou wouldsb hIde me III sheol (hadesl j that thou , (J 0 b XIV. 13). xi wouldsb keep me seCI'et until thy wrath be past Let the wicked be ashamed, let them be silent in sheol (hades)' (Ps, xxi. 17). It is a place of utter unconsciousness. Whatsover thy hand findeth to do,'do it with thy might; for there is no w01'k, no)' device, norknouiledqe, no)' wisdom in the grave (hades) whither thou goest' (Ecel, ix. 10). 'With these passages before us we are able to determine whether there be room for the idea of living persons existing consciously in hades, It also reveals that character is perpetuated there; the conditions of existence are entirely different, and everything presents itself to disembodied souls in the fulness of its moral significance instead of its material aspect.' Comment.-How this can be possible in a place where there is no thought, wisdom, and knowledge, is beyond us to conceive. We think that here the preacher has been drawing upon his, or some other person's, imagination. But let us here remark that the Scripture knows nothing of any disembodied soul as being in hades. ,Ve have yet to see the passage which affirms the possibility of such a thing. Hades is the place to which the body and the person go. 'He who has been filthy here is filthy there; he who has lived a holy life enters that world ae holy and among the holy.' Comment.- Then we are to understand that in the view of Mr Cecil there is no immediate entrance to heaven, as popularly believed, and thn.t all go to hades, This' is an advance; let but the next step be taken that in hades all are unconscious, and he would be in agreement with Scripture. But if all are conscious in a hadean state, and all retain their moral characteristics, we cannot see what advantage the entry upon such a state will be to the believer. Certainly the language applied here by him does not refer to any hadean state, as can be seen by referring to the passage in Rev. xxii. 11. But the next remark made by Mr Cecil is sufficient to condemn from his own mouth his idea of consciousness in hades. 'Again, Christianity gives us hope that souls may find and .recognise each other there; but as sight and sound cannot assist, perhaps only those can become conscious of each other's presence who have intimately known the inner character, the invisible self.' Comment.--There. How much consciousness does he suppose there will be if there is no sight and sound? that is that these disembodied souls are both blind and deaf I If these senses are not operative in hades, it must be because the organ of sight and hearing are absent; then the other senses, which also depend for their existence on .material organs, will be absent. A pleasant prospect truly! A consciousness of this kind is not one to which we can look forward with any degree of hope. To us it seems very like death, so like that we prefer the real death to this other,

I ~nd unscripturai. one. A s~a~e of blind~ess and deafness lIS not an attractive o?-e to living ?ersons III the present, and it would be a saddening outlook If we must look forwar~l to it as our lot in a living death-state. Thank God the BIble reveals no such thing, It clearly teaches that death is a k sleep f rom wh'ICh t h e s1eepers sI 11 b e awas ene d' In th e la

morning. As the statement that the dead are conscious in 1 1 . th l' bl f f dd d b th lac es IS e on y ,... sem ance 0 a proo a uce y .e . preacher for man s present immortality, we dIsmISS It with the remark that it is a very slender foundation on which to rest so important a doctrine. Better far rest upon the positive statements of the Word, which are by no means few nor obscure on the mortal nature of man, and on the hope of immortality which may be realised through Christ. EDITOR. ----Qthdt lttt'b ~int Qtrudffe:b. WE shall never get right by socialistic theories, anarchical programmes, and a certain vulgar power of befooling the trustful classes: we can only get right by Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Of course, a proposition of this kind would be received with execration by socialists and anarchists of the baser sort, He who proclaimed this doctrine would be scoffed at with certain derisive epithets, and would be honoured by the brand of certain contemptuous criticism; yet the preacher, the teacher, the Christian, must never fold his flag as if in defeat, he must unfurl it and say still more sweetly and still more loudly, 'The world's only hope is in Jesus Christ and Him crucified.' What have we seen amongst persons who would under. take to work'tii'e economics of the age on the basis of other theories ~ We have seen tyranny of the worst description, selfishness that had been saturated in the very pools of corruption, narrow-miudeduess that could not take in the whole of any question, an obstinacy mistaken for firmness and a recklessness which was characterised as splendid generalship. I will have justice on all sides, I will hear every man's case, be he great or small; the beggar in the ditch shall have all the benefactions that justice can confer upon him, and the man who thinks for the world aad guides its affairs shall not be denied justice because he has acquired eminence. Do not listen. to the men that want to merely mechanidize life and rule it by schedule and stipulation: the only real security of life, joy, progress, and heaven you will find in J esus Christ and Him crucified, when properly interpreted. Christ will put all business right; Christ will pay every labourer his wages; Christ will sanctify the millions of the capitalist, and keep the richest man modest and humble within the environment of his life. The world can never be pacified, the classes- can never be united or reconciled, the balance of society can never be properly established except in connection with Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is not a mere doctrine, a section of metaphysical inquiry, a dreamy sentiment. that only leisurely minds can contemplate; this is the real force and the real secret of life and action. DR. J OSEl'H PARKER.

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THE BIBLE STANDARb.

[FEBRUARY.

1890.

I laugh and say' Pshaw!' and I can feel my cheeks getting a little hot. The fact is, I am ashamed that I ever wrote it, and I have half forgotten the article or letter that filled my soul with rage. I haven't been hurt, I haven't hurt anybody, and the world goes right along, making twentyfoul' hours a day as usual, and I am all the happier. Try .] TURN over the leaves of an old note-book, it, my boy. Put off your bitter remarks until to-morrow. the pages of which 1: filled half a score of Then, when you try to say them deliberately, you'll find years ago. On one page I find this note : that you have forgotten them, and ten years later, ah! how , My books are :1,11 wrinkled and filled with glad you will be that you did! Be good-natured,my boy. crumbs of maple and sumach leaves, with here and there a Be loving and gentle with the world, and you'll be amazed forgotten forest leaf clinging to the printed one. Ah, well ! to see how dearly and tenderly the worried, tired, vexed, some time I may kiss the wrinkled pages of my choicest harassed old world loves you.-Chicago Journal. book, while I think of the dear, white hands that laid the maple leaves in history or lexicon, and thank God that the page is wrinkled and the engraving discoloured.' And now, whenever I turn to that page in the note-book, OUH Brothel' J. G. Oarr, of the Auckland Church, who do you know, my boy. how glad I am that I wrote about the leaves as I did 1 There was no shadow of fear or dread decided SOlIJetime ago to try his fortune in South America, His journey homeward from over my little home then. There was no reason why I has returned to Auckland. the Argentine Republic has been marked by experiences should feel so tenderly towards the leaves and stems that stained and wrinkled my books, and ever kept me from which fortunately do not befall all who 'go down to the Thinking that it might interest our readers, using them for a week at a time, was there? Ah! indeed sea in ships.' we asked him to write a brief account of his trip home. there was. Indeed there was. Because love is better than books, my boy. Because your books, my boy, though you This he has kindly done, and we here insert it :-'I took passage in barque "Contest," bound for Melcrowd the Iiterary, treasures of the world upon your shelves, bourne with a cargo of maize !rom. Rosario, On July 6th they can never cl'eep into your heart as your wife will, we left the loading ground, and proceeded down the Rio some day, when you find the girl whom the gods have decreed shall crown your home. Because we should always Parana as far as the bar ~fal:tin Casea, where we Jay at hold the hearts that love us nearer to us than the petty anchor for 42 days, waiting for water enough to float over 'Ve had only half-a-mile to annoyances and little ills of this life. Because the quick, it into the Rio de la Plata. hasty word you speak in ill-temper 01' ungentleness to-day, go, but it was not until 28th Augustr that we were sailing on the Rio de la Plata, W~. dropped anchor off Buenos Ayres the same evening, and iay there until 4th September, our reason" for putting into Buenos Ayres being to land pilot. get stores, and new steward. 'Ve proceeded to sea at 8.30 p.m on the above date. As soon as our new steward got into working order he found there were not quite sufficient stores for twenty days. He told the captain this while Monte Video was in sight. The captain replied, " I guess there is enough for the cabin j the crew can have the maize." 'l'he crew were put on half allowance from the come back to you then. third day out. In the cabin we felt 110 stint until 29th Let me tell you how I 'write mean letters and bitter September, 'when all biscuits and flour were gone j coffee, editorials, my boy. Some time when a man has pitched rice, peas, barley, and sugar were also gone, and only about into me and' cut me up rough,' and I want to pulverize We passed Cape of Good Hope him, and wear his gory scalp to my girdle and hang his 301bs of meat were left. hide on my fence, I write the letter or editorial that is to on October 9th, in beautiful weather j and although the do the business. I write something that will drive sleep captain knew that we had 5,490 miles further to go he did The crew were beginning to look pinched from his eyes and peace from his soul for six weeks. Oh,' I not put in there. Our coal was dOJlOld him over a slow fire and roast him. Gall and and drawn, but we had plenty aft as yet. aquafortis drip from my blistering pen. Then, I don't mail done, and we were compelled to take down our fore royal the letter, and I don't print the editorial. There's always yard and cut it up for fuel also the skids of the boats and Towards the end of the plentyof=time to crucify a man. The vilest criminal is all the spare casks on board. Experiments entitled to a little reprieve. I put the manuscript away in month all hands on board were on maize. were tried by the cook to make it moro palatable for aft a drawer. Next day I lo~k at it. The ink is cold. I read such as fryinf( it in paint oil, cod-liver oil, and vaseline, for it over and say: 'I don't know about this. There's a good deal of bludgeon and bowie-knife journalism in that. I'll there was not a particle of anything to eat with it, nor was On November 4th the hold it over a day longer.' The next day I read it agail;. there anything save wafer to drink. my boy, leaves a sting in your heart to rankle half a century away. Because to-day, if I could, I would burn up every book there is in all this world just to feel the little hands that laid those leaves in the pages where I said they must not go, clasp themselves about my neck for one hour. Hold your tongue and your pen, my boy. Every time yqu are tempted to say an ungentle word, or write an unkind line, or say a mean, ungracious thing about anybody, just stop j look ahead twenty-five years, and think hotv it may

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captain decided to haul up northwards, hoping to sight a vessel, and failing that to make for Albany. Land wiis sighted on the evening of the 7th, but tlie captain not being sure of his chronometer, and being a stranger to the Australian coast, and no one on board having been to this port before, we could not find the entrance, sailing right by it. The captain decided to go on to Adelaide, distant 1,015 miles j but after sailing for a day and a half the wind headed us, and the captain decided to return and find Albany. On the 11th we saw a large steamer coming out between two headlands. She proved to be the" Cart.hage." We made for this point, and were soon at anchor, with Albany in sight. Our water just lasted us till our arrival in Albany. We got away from Albany 13th November, and arrived at Melbourne 3rd December, being warmly welcomed by Bros. MucNaught, G. A. Brown, and others.

.<!tlnm:h JtlebJ5.
AUCKLAND.-The last month h..asbeen crowded with events in our history. To begin our chronicle, we must mention the picnic held at St. Helier's Bay, when the Sunday School children, with their teachers, relatives, and friends, assembled in good numbers and spent an enjoyable day, only slightly marred by a shower. Then on the last Sunday in the year we had with us our Bro. E. H. Taylor, who has returned from his mission trip to Sydney, and Brethren VI. and H. Cropp, Bro, Taylor conducted our morning service, On the 2nd of January the Annual Conference was held, followed by the usual tea and public meeting. Our hearts have been gladdened by the fact that foul' young men have been immersed and have joined the church. Two of these are leaving the city in search of that employment which Auckland unfortunately cannot give. In the weekly Bible Class we have cornmenced the study of the theme, 'The Kingdom of God.' The meetings are now held in the lower hall, and we hope to see an increasing attendance to help in the study of this attractive subject. We regret that our sister Sanderson is leaving us. She has been an active member of the church, and has served us well as secretary and teacher in the Sunday 8cl100L We shall miss her very much. On Sunday, the 12th inst., llhe scholars of her class and the teachers made her a presentation, Sister Rennie J arvis expressing the feelings of sorrow, in which all shared, that one so active in the Lord's work and so much loved amongst us was going away. Sister Sanderson was united in marriage to Bro. Herbert Cropp, on Tuesday, .Iauuary 21, leaving soon attenvards by steamer for Sydney, their future home. Bro. T. L. Wilcock has returned to Auckland from the Thames. Although we are glad to see him amongst us again, we are sorry that the state of his health will not allow him to continue in the Held as a preacher of the gospel. 'Ve venture to express the hope that in essaying the resumption of a business life he may have a return of health and strength and material prosperity, and that he may be able to help forward the good work amongst us by an occasional address. THAMES. We clip the following from Thames Evening Star of January 8 :, A social tea was held last evening by members and adherents of the Church of. Christ in the Pollen Street Hall. It was of a two-fold nature.vviz., to welcome home thei.r pastor, ]VIr E. H. Taylor, after ail absence of over four months, and to bid good-bye to NII' L. Wilcock, who has so ably and efficiently filled Mr 'I'aylor's place (luring his absence, The attendance was not so large as anticipated, on account of the boisterous state of the weather; nevertheless a good number were present, and enjoyed a most excellent tea, provided by the ladies of the church. After the tables were cleared, a time of social reunion was spent in a most happy manner, music and singing taking a fail' share of time, Mr Taylor gave a very interesting account of his travels in New South 'Vales and Melbourne, interspersed with some amusing incidents connected with the series of lectures he delivered in Sydney. Altogether M1'. 'I'aylor's work in Sydney was a great success, quite a number being added to the church in that city. Mr 'I'aylor said that nearly all the New Zealanders he had met were intending to return as soon as things brightened again, which time he believed was "notfar distant; and he must confess a preference for New Zealand himself, after having visited wonderful Melbourne and magnificent Sydney. Mr Taylor closed the address with a hearty acknowledgment of Mr Wilcock's ability, and thanked him most sincerely for the assiduous manner in which the church duties had been carried out. Mr G. Henderson said that he bade Mr Wilcock a most regretful farewell, and felt glad that they had known him and learnt to love him, and trusted the opportunity might again come when he would pay the church a visit. While he was glad to welcome NII' 'I'aylor home and see him again in his place, he felt almost SOlTY that they could not have Mr Wilcock as well, . 111'V. H. Cropp also said that he had most fully enjoyed ' Mr Wilcock's ministrations; the purity of his language and the eloqence of his diction had forcibly reminded him of the prophecy of the Lord, who said a time would come when" He would restore unto the people a pure language." He earnestly thanked Mr Wilcock for having disabused his mind of some things, and hoped that his language, style, and manner of expression might be made the means in God's hands of winnin& many persons to the truth of God and the faith of Jesus. Mr: N. Robinson also in a short speech welcomedhome 1\11' 'I'aylor, and expressed his approbation of Mr Wilcock as a real social and aenial brother whom they would always feel had a warm place in their affections. NII' Christie said that he had great pleasure in taking part and saying a word congratulating the church on Mr Taylor's coming home, yet' thanking

C(ij;hc C#ll-1n timt'5 411:0t ~nr

HE stands six feet, a trifle more, Broad shouldered, eagle eye, He bravely swings his line to face Life's storm, without a sigh. His heart is tender as a child's; His love, it cannot fail; He's one of nature's noblemenThe man that's not for sale.

~nle,

They sent him once to represent His district, and 'tis said A lobbyist requested that He'd note the bill next read. He faced the polished gentleman With glare that made him quail : I pardon the mistake,' he said, , But friend, I'm not for sale.' A hundred thousand dollar church, Whose pulpit well be filled, Had an officialboard who were Eccentric and self-willed, They made a very trit.s request, "Which seemed could scarcely fail To move him, but hE! kindly said, , Brethren, I'm not for sale!' He's moving grandly on through life, And making tracks of white, His silver hair gleams like a sheaf, His scars are few from strife. He looks the devil in the face Until disheartened, pale, His Majesty, disgusted, says: , I've failed; he's not for sale.' Christian Advocate.

Subscribers are requested to note tha,t the office of PUBLISIJ~ER is nowhelcl

by

u-. J. .711'.

Ii'RE.NCII, ~fIome Street, Great .North Road, .

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to _iohom. a,ll subscriptions and 'orders . for the Standard Sh07;,Zcl e sent. b

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Mr Wilcock for his pleasant afid'\l'i:uning presentations of the Gospel of Christ. Mr. T. L. }ViI~ocl~ a pleasant manner thanked i:'n them for the good thing~thef ~,~~aid9f -him, and although he had thoroughly appreeiatec . t~ kindness, union, and brotherly love existent among the congregation, he also realised now more fuUy than ever that Mr ,Ta-ylm:was' the proverbigl right man-in the right .plaee, for he was not only their pastor but their friend, and he sincerely hoped that the future might. befraught with blessings more numerous and lasting than the. past 11a{been. As for himself, he should always look back wi h pleasure upon his stay here, and hoped to meet in the kingdom ofGod those to whom he had preached the Gospel. The audience sang, ': God he with you till we meet again." M1'.Taylor then pronounced the Benediction, which brought a very pleasant social to a close.' HIKUTAIA.-Bro. E. H. Taylor resumed his visits -to this settlement on Monday, January 13th. There was a good audience, and all gave Mr Taylor a hearty welcome home, The subject was from 2 COl'. ii. 1: 'But I determined this with myself.' 'Ve have to announce a most sorrowful beginning 'for the new year, viz., the death of Miss Christina McCaskill. . She has been a member of our Church for some years, and a ulOSt consistent and devoted follower of our Lord Jesus' Christ, and when we have visited her home no labour seemed too much for her to do so long as it 'added to our pleasure and comfort.' She was 6t splendid type of character, and all who knew h~r speak in the highest terms of praise of her kindliness of disposition, her self-sacrifice, and her willingness to help in any case of need. She fell asleep in Jesus on January 14th, at the residence of Mrs Richardson, North Shore, Auckland, and we laid her in the silent tomb at the Shortland Cemetery, Thames, January 16th, where she awaits thee resurrection morn in company with her beloved father and two uncles. Wha a blessed hope is ours of re-Iiving again when Jesus comes! It is a living hope, and although it causes us much sorrow to part from loved cues, yet we read with glowing anticipation, 'And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ~ for the former things are passed away.' This must apply to the present world or globe on which we live, unless heaven is a place 01 tears, death, sorrow, crying, and pain. 'No more' mdicates that these events will not again occur in the place where they once existed: so we know we shall see our dear sister again. , For we know there is one who her ashes will keep, And redeem her fair form from the grave. Let her rest-let her sleep where the lone willowsweep, And the blossomsof sweet summer wave. , Fare you well for awhile, faded star of our home; Sweetly rest from all sorrow and pain 'I'ill the Prince of the World in triumph shall come, And restore you and famiiy again." (2 'I'hess, tv. 13-16)_ E. H. T. SYDNEY.-Bro. 'I'aylor's mission has finished, to the regret of many of the people of Newtown, . Since last we wrote, Bro, Taylor took a trip to Melbourne for a fortnight, and on his return, during the few days he had to wait in Sydney for the New Zealand boat, he delivered his last lecture in the city, taking for his subject, , Why I believe the Bible.' The lecture proved very beneficial to both the brethren and the audience. There is such a lot of people in the world who do not know why they believe the Bible, and .when temptation comes in their way they fall because they have no foundation to stand upon. Bro. Taylor left Sydney on the 20th of December, having the blessing of knowinz that his mission to Sydney. had not been in vain, as some showed by their love to the truths and himself. We still hold our morning meetlncs at Newtown, and we hope soon to have an evening meeting, and also a Sunday School. 'Ve miss the faces of Bros. Cropp and Mrs Can from our meetings, they being at present in New Zealand for a holiday. The brethren are still standing up for the truth against all opposition, and still fighting hard to show to the world the errors of soul immortality, and the truth of life only in Christ. We hope, should it not be ourlot to see Bro. Taylor overin Sydney again, and also see our other brothers who are' in other parts of the world, we hope that we shall have such a happy meeting when the Lord shall descend from heaven with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. And what a meeting indeed that will be of the loved ones who long have been waiting for the Lord to be Kino' of the earth. We press onward, as Paul says, 'not as though I had attained, but that I m{Ly attaiu to the resurrection from the dead. ' Our earnest prayer 'is that we shall get strength from the Lord to fight' against the devil and his kingdom. MELBOURNE.-Bythe providence of Godwe are able to report progress. We are aimin$ to get into that condition whereby we can to a fuller extent' make our calling and election sure.' We believe this call only be obtained by exhibiting our love for Christ in the interest we have in our brother's welfare. May this spirit grow amongst us. The illness of Brethren Seal and Irvine has reminded us that we are still in the flesh. We are glad to 'sn,y_hat these t brethren are now recovering. OUI' fellowship meetings are still

char eterised by the spirit of brotherhood that pervades them; we .feel, that-it is good to be there, the presence of the Master is felt by "all. The evening meetings continue to maintain their attraction, for. large numbers attend to heal' our Brother Brown, who is now Ki 'ing us a series of addresses on 'Prophetic Truths of the Future,' ,.G.reat interest is being created by them in the forgotten theme;J Christ and His Kingdom.' We are able to take a firmer hold on the rock by the anchor of hope, by which our frail bark Faith can with more safety weather the storm of scepticism. The fifth of November, being a holiday, the members of the Church and friends had a picnic together. All enjoyed themselves, and the gathering helped to clear away any shyness that might be amongst us. The 8th and 13th of December were red-letter days in the history of the-doctrine of conditional immortality in delbourne, when we met in fellowship with our dear Brothel' Taylol\ who has been. assiduously and successfully' proclaiminz in Sydney the truths he loves so dear. We, who l13,veheard him in New Zealand, felt a thrill of pleasure in meeting with him and in listening to his admonitions to good words and works, and we hope that it will not be the last time we shall hear him amongst us. His evening lecture on 'Heaven, what is it, where is it, and when is it?' was listened to with rapt attention by a large number of the public. On the Friday following, the members of the Church and friends gave our brother 2, bon. voyage tea in the Centennial Milk Palace. A large number attended, and justice was done to the edibles provided. After tea, the company adjourned to the Assembly Hall for the after meeting. The platform was occupied l)y Brethren G. A. Brown, Taylor, King, Sievoright and Fairhurst, The chairman, Brother Brown, opened the meeting by giving out "Vhile the days are going by,' from Sankey's collection; he then deIivered an address, in which he said he had for over twenty years advocated forgotten. themes with all the energy and zeal he possessed, but had neglected the weightier matters of the law; but he thJ!'llked. d he had. now awakened to their solemn importance, foi ~<t ' by works of love to our brothers in Christ and the mmanity around us by hich we could keep Christ's commandments Pondobtain positions Of honour in that Kingdom he 101l~~d to see set up and .which he had determined to attain unto. lie then called on the guest of the evening, saying that he had laboured earnestly, both at home and abroad, to bring the minds of men to the knowledge of the truth, in which he was very successful. Brother Taylor, amidst applause, rose to address the meeting. In a Iengthy speech he mentioned the importance of keeping our m(;lll,thsc1ose,l,against speakin{j. ill of OUl' neighbours, for love thinketh no evil. One of the failmgs of humanity was to talk and tattle about our neighbours. What we have to say against another say to him and not to another who knows nothinl.( of the matter; if we do this we are the more likely to succeed in our communistic ideas. Believers are the salt' of the earth, not to convert all .iRto 'salt, but to preserve from rottenness. He had great pleasure in meeting in Melbourne so many brethren of the like precious faith, and he hoped, if ever he came that way again, to meet them again. It mattered not much to him what opinions a brother held as long as there was the hearty shake of the h~nd, and he was glad to say that Melbourne brethren were not behindhand in that. His heart had been gladdened whilst he had been amonzst them; he felt that they had sympathetic hearts as he grasp~d their hand in. the bond of love. He resumed his seat amidst the warm' Amens' of his hearers. Brother King in a short speech declared his stronz belief in the coming kingdom, and said that he aspired to royal cfignities which were within the reach of all believers, who might become kings and princes unto God jn Christ's kingdom, which should be set up under the whole heavens. Brother Sievoright in an earnest address contended for 'the king~om within yo.u,' which he believed would.be possessed by all be. lievers, for without tFe spirit of the kingdom, which was the aspiration to do right, 'the kingdom would be lifeless, and God's will would never be done on earth as it is in heaven. The speeches were interspersed by selections rendered by the choir. Brother Yearbury sang a solo, 'The Beautiful City.' A very interesti~g meeting was terminated by prayer. So ell~ed the first public meeting 1-"110Wn have been held by a Church in Melbourne holdto ing Conditional Immortality views.c-P. J. B.

By E. H. TAYLOR. HAVING received a hearty invitation from Melbourne to visit the -Church there, we returned from Oberon, where ourlast notes were written, to Sydney on Dec. 2, and on Tuesday, ord, we took passage in the s.s. Cintra for Melbourne, a well-appointed ship .of some 1,800 tons burthen, fitted throughout with the electric ligh~. It was a most enjoyable trip, enhanced by the fact that a gentleman from the Thames. was on board, with. whom we had very pleasant and social intercourse as well as an exchange of religio,:s views. The trip in our case was free, for a wonder, from

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sickness. Forty-eight hours after leaving Sydney we entered the to assist that cause when H. ,B. Murray was pastor of the Baptist On Friday, the 13th December, the mouth of the Yarra. We must observe that vast. improvements Free Church in that city. have been''made for shipping accommodation since our last visit Melbourne brethren had a social tea at the Bourke-street Milk eight years since. But it can never be such a .place as .Sydney Palace, at which time we. had the "pleasure of making the. It was. a most Harbour for water frontage. Great improvements' indeed have acquaintance Of a large number of the friends. been made, but we had great need of a scent botnle as the fans of enjoyable season, and it will be a long time ere we forget their of brotherly love, and their hearty our screw churned up the Yarra mud. All the passengers in- kindness, their expressions After. tea a public meeting was held in the voluntarily took a great fancy to show their handkerchiefs, and 'God speed.' were given. The subject chosen utilize them in the region of their inlet and outlet breathing Assembly Hall, wRe-c"l'tddresses tubes. Arrivina at the A. U.S.N. Co.'s wharf about eight p.m., by all was, 'Seel\,;_,r~.ftrstthe kingdom of God and his righteousour absorption of. eau-de-Cologne or something more abominable ness.' ,Bro..Bl'(ni,t~oke on the' 9hristian necessity for so doing"; was at an end, and we were in the heart-of Melbourne. The city Bro. SIevonght;~: 'The necessity of cultivating the pnnciptes has a charming appearance with its gas and electric lights, and of the kingdom in our own minds"; Bl:O.King, a fine, able, genial, .immensely busy traffic. 'Ve have not space, however, to describe and lovable brother, spoke on 'The necessity of making the kingthis advanced colony, and shall therefore content ourselves with dom prominent in our home teaching and living '; Bro, E. Taylor, remarks about those who hold like precious -faith to ourselves. on 'The strug~le for supremacy between the king of this age and On arrival at 213, Bonrke-streeb East, "v~rfound, 131'</. Geo.. A. the King of the coming age m man now.' How to thank the Brown on the look-out, wondering when we should turn up, while- Melbourne Church for their hearty reception and brotherly We can say, however, if the Lord tarry, upstairs in a nice room we found Bro. Geo. Yearbury leading- the kindness we know not. Church choir in its practice. We stepped in and had a chat with and health is~iyen us, we hope to be able to again visit for a more this estimable community. It has cheered our him and them. Same evening we met Bros. Payne, Andrews, and prolongedJ)~~ others. On Friday we saw .several brethren whose names we do hearts an 1Ijtreuf,fthenedour faith, given us a wider circle of not remembel:. On Sunday, at four p.m., we met with the brethren friends, 8.nd.aWenedour eyes to the vast fields open wr labourers for the breaking of bread. Some 40 odd were - 'present, among in God's vi:i:!.lf:yl).rd.Shall we not make strenuous efforts to We returned to Sydney by whom we noticed Bros. Brandt, Yearbury, Payne, Whitelock, proclaim the Ihng'dom nigh at hand? McKellar, and others known in Auckland. They send their kind the beautiful steamship A,l'Ctmac,and found on our arrival there remembrances to the Auckland Church. Bro, Seal was absent, that our brethren had arranged for a lecture in the city on Tuesday being on a bed of sickness, but is no~ improving, as also Bro. evening, December 17th, ina large hall in Elizabeth-street: subThe night was very wet, and Irving, of Thames, who is on the men~ain. The meeting was ject, , Why I believe in the Bible.' Nevera very hearty 'and enjOyab~e. 0 le, and 'we received a very warm consequeutly the audience not s -large as we anticipated. j;l1elessfor an hour and a half we enjoyed telling the people our welcome from ?ld brethren jnew.' .Bro. Bl:own presided, Tlw reasons for believing the Bible-because it was lJl advance, first, Church meets III the Asse . . Hall, m Collms Street, rather imposing structure, with its lorty spire and outward r,dornmen'!', {-of scientific research; second, of pre'lent sociology , third, of "Ve had a BIble class at but very neat and comfortable inside. In the evening we lectured history , and fourth, of theology. on "The Saints' Inheritance '~ to a splendid audience.; It 'beems. Newtown on Wednesday eve, and on' Friday we said good-bye to glorious to proclaim life and :!;J.yent.truths from' such a' centre of Sydney, feeling that the Lord had sent us there, and rejoicing Five days on the seas brought us Presbyterian effort as this Assembly Hall is. We can scarcely over its pleasant associations. tell of all the old faces and friends we met at this evening meeting=- back to Auckland on Christmas Day; and we must express our McNaught, Hewson, J enkins, etc., etc., and we felt- quite at home thankfulness to God for His preserving care during this prolonged (Home': what a sweet word, and as we in addressing them. The renewal of the old-time handshake and absence from home. the revival of friendships of years past has giyen a feeling of glad- think of this, we ask how much of the thanks and compliments ness to our visit. Here the brethren laboui' under the same we have received are due to the loved ones at home. Much, very And-now, afterspending a week among Auckdifficulty as in Sydney, i. e., living so far apart. This is the much, we trow. reason of their meeting at 4 p.m. on Sundays; and after the land friends, which we thoroughly 'enjoyed, we are again at home breaking' of bread those w ho have come in fromthe f;Jiburus_l"tire- at the Thames, where welove to be, among brethren we love and in to a room over the Milk Palace, in Bourke Street, and fliere enjoy w.ol'1E'ing a cause we love, and sincerely trust that, whatever the h a cup of tea together, provision being' made for this to take place v'i~ssitudes of life may be, wE>;;l,hall e able to continue working 10r the salvation of 'perishing man. . every Sunday afternoon. Some thirty thus associate between the , Labourers of Christ, arise, two services, and on the occasion referred to we had an entoyil,ble And gird you for the toil ! chat with Bros. King, J. L. Leary, M.A., Sievoright, Furlonrr 'I'he dew of promise from the skies (Dunedin), and others. The Declaration of Faith of this Cl\urcl~ Already cheers the soil.'. in Article 4, is slightly stronger than our New Zealand position, vlz., "'Ve believe baptism by immersion to be necessary to an entrance into the kingdom of God." The other articles are much the same. The Church Covenant reads as follows :-" We will endeavour, by divine grace. assisting ~s, Ist, to prove '.?~lrselyes, '" ---an example of the instructions contained in 2 Thess .. lll.",6-15. "I" <::2'rrl"l'~ .i~I''''llt.lll\5~'Ct'b (3'" mO'I-tox' 2nd, to watch oyer and edify one another in love, to help ~ C'5~..l" ,Qo.-H Cl iu ~in I:. dJ one another in sickness, and when any of our number may Is the title of a work recently issued by Bro. Neil, of Dunediu, suffer (tdversity at any time, undertalce to provide them with the 'Ye live in a world where mortality reigns; the thousand ills to necessaries of life, or make such l?rovislon as may be expedient." which flesh is heir should convince us that we cannot hope to And we must confess that this principle seems to be working well e.soil-pehem all. We are looking for the dawning of the day when t in practice here.. The Church contemplated starthig the issue of immortality shall be conferred, but while that day still tarries it an Australian journal with the new year, to be called the is well to make effort, when needed, to prevent death from crossina Christian Socialist. Bro. Brown has won the hearts, heads, our threshold. In this we may not succeed, but we believe-that t'O and pockets of those associated with him here, as well as having' many persons there would be a longer life if more attention were given his own. There is nndoubtedlyalarge field for labour here, paid to personal cleanliness, to a pure and healthy diet, and to also a great deal to be done ill>proclaiming the Lord's kingdom Nature's simple remedies, when remedies are required. In the nigh at hand. ' -book before us all these are insisted upon. The work is devoted In connection with the Church here it is also proposed to form a mainly, of course, ,to botanic remedies, the author claiming to "Commonwealth" or "Commune," somewhat upon the lines of belong to the botanic eclectic school, and in it are descriptions oj' the" Oneida Community" of Madison's County, New York. We herbs (many of which are illustrated by' coloured plates), and of have carefully read the Constitution, which is too lengthy to in- the manner in which to cope with the many ailments to which we sert in these notes, but from beginning to end it breathes a Christ- are liable. It is written in a simple, readable style.and claims to give Iike spirit. It is proposed to commence operations early in the the best prescriptions from former works on the art of healing, new year (1890).,and a good number are prepared at once to enter together with the results of the author's long and extensive expericommunal life in Victoria. It appears to us a bold step, but we ence. "~Inthe introduction our brother does not forget that to God scarcely know what men can do when they earnestly combine. belongs the prerogative of life. He says, 'We have one serious In the eyes of the world it may seem preposterous, but with the fault to find with most medical books, both botanic and regular, brethren interested here it appears as a Christian duty. namely, that the great source of blessing and healing is almost -We have. also had a long ta~k with our brothe~' B. Cass, sen., ignored, namely, God, who gives us all th~ng~ richly to enjoy and 'la~e of qhn~tchurch. !lIS son IS now at Kyneton, 111 ~usmess,.but employ to the benefit of one another. It 1.S right for \1-S use the to st.ill active 111 the Lord s work.. Another dear old friend we have [means, but we should never forget that hfe and death are in the filet, Mr C. F. Haines, late of Cheltenham, England, who worked hands of the Creator. We cannot close our introduction better sonobly.in the .interest of the Church there some ten or twelve than by reminding all that our faculties, means of 'knowledo'e years since, and wellwe know the herculean efforts he put forth experience. ~ood, medicine, and all that we naye. come 'from ;)u{'

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32

THE BIBLE STANDAltD.

[FEBRUARY,

1890.

Divine Benefactor, who, concerning the destiny of our race, has declared that in the aze to come, sickness and all unhappiness, even death itself, shifl be abolished for ever. Amen.' To our readers who desire to possess a work on herbal remedies, we have no hesitation in recommendinc this as being modern, able, cheap, and of New Zealand productio~l. The price. is five shillings-c-over 500 pages.

Qtmrent c:ttetU.l."
It will be noticed by our friends that we have room on the cover for a few more advertisements. Correspondents are advised that the editor of the BibleStandard will be from home during the month of February, , It is noteworthy that. an earthquake took place JIl Jal?:1l1, about Sef)tember 11th, which the Times, of October 18th, describes as "a vo canic convulsion a 11wm,tain being completely split in' two, and half oj it 'moved to s~me distance from. the other part. Owil~g to this the course of the river has been completely blocked up m places, forminsr lakes of which' the largest is stated to be twelve miles long." ". Ho\y' very like is this. to the d~s~ription given ill Zech, XIV. of the earthquake which shall divide the Mount oj Olives, and open a new waterway to the Dead Sea, and thence, probably, to the Gulf of Akabah.

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