The Bible Standard November 1907

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VOL. 28. No. I!. TWOPENCE.UCKLAND, N.Z., NOVEMBER, 1907.

m o n t b .

HE HAG-UE CONFERE CE has brought

: 1 its si ttings to a close, and the inquiry

now presses, "What are the results

achieved? If ow have these long discus-

sions by national representatives affected

the grave matters which relate to the

peace of nations? At the outset, there

was no intention to reduce armaments, that the burdens

which fall so heavily upon the peoples might be lessened.

'I'he Iiuuulard states "that it is evident that not a single

Power, except Great Britain, had the smallest intention

of parting with any fraction of its

rights that might prove useful in

an emergency of war." But surely,

we say, there would be anxious

endeavour on the part of the representatives that war

might be stripped of some of its horrors; but, no, even

this phase of the subject received scant attention; "all

proposals to mitigate the horrors of war were regarded

with general suspicion." The one occasion of boasting,

as it is given by the President of the Conference, is the

creation of International Prize Courts! This is the

chief monument of the Conference. From this our

readers may gather that, though men may talk loudly

of the desire for peace, they are still convinced that the

nations must keep armed to the teeth, and, though the

various representatives may meet together, professedly

in the interests of peace, yet they are not prepared to

take a single step towards securing it. They intend that

all the preparation and paraphernalia of war shall be

perpetuated, and their chief desire is to fix rules and

regulations to be applied when they "play the game."

So much for the rule of humanitv ; and yet men-poor

fools-still believe they can so improve matters that by

their efforts the golden age shall break upon the world!

\tbe 1bl1Qlle

conterence.

Max Pem berton, the novelist, writing upon the question

of the suppression of the gambling rooms at Monte

Carlo, and asserting that thousands of tragedies in all

parts of Europe are directly traceable to these places and

associations, says, "I am convinced that the suppression

of Monte Carlo would prove a more practical and nobler

work for humanity than the advancement of impossible

propositions at the Hague Peace Convention."

The epidemics' affecting the physical state of the

people of the Dominion are passing away, and now the

inhabitants are, perforce, to be afflicted with a visitant

which, under the name of Socialism, professes to show

the way of escape from social ills,

and how to bring in a better and

happier state of things. If we

class this under the name of epi-

demic, it is because it has come so suddenly into pro-

minence just recently in our midst, and because it has

claimed a great deal of attention without any apparent

cause for the extraordinary interest displayed. At the

Baptist Conference recently held at Auckland an even-

ing was devoted to the discussion of the Church and

Labour. Two of the ministers who spoke evidently be-

Iievc that it is the duty of the Church to undertake social

reforms, and one of these gentlemen "felt that if the

Church could not assist in putting matters to rights,

then he would be done with her." Another speaker

thought that Socialists and the Church had "the same

ideals." At the Anglican Synod an evening was devoted

to the subject. At this meeting Mr. Ben Tillett, the

Socialistic agitator, was a speaker. The speakers at the

l3aptist Convention seemed to imagine that it was the

duty of Socialists and the Churches to join hands forthe attainment of human betterment, but the Socialist

representative at the other meeting plainly said ''he

had worked with religious men, and on religious bodies,

and had come to the conviction that the Church and

Socialism were antagonistic." We believe his witness

to be true, and all attempts to show that the Church can

unite with it can but serve to degrade her from her true

position, and drag her into a sphere where her high

duties and privileges will be forgotten, and her true mis-

sion destroyed.

\tbe Socialistic

l6ptbemtc.



THE BIBLE STANDARD. NOVEMBER, 1907.

Nearly all the speeches assumed that it was the duty

of the Church to undertake social reform, and that, as

social reform had not come, she was to blame. The

S~cialist boldly said, "The Church has had two thousand

years to do the work, and has not

accomplished it; it is time it gave

place to some other force." The

one idea common to both meetingswas that the Church was a failure. Here, at all events,

was a point of agreement. But is it? Is anything a

failure if it is doing the work it was designed to accom-

plish? The notion which obsessed all the speakers was

that it was the work of the Church to accomplish social

reforms, and to purge the world of evil. Whether they

thought such cleansing should come by changing en-

vironment, or by improving the individual morally by

conversion, or Church tuition, all agreed that the Church

was intended to do the work. If so, we are quite in

agreement with Mr. Tillett that she has failed, and that

there is no prospect that she can ever attain the end.

But was it intended that the Church should undertake

and accomplish this cleansing of the Augean stables?

Obviously we cannot take the opinion of the Socialist on

this point, nor can we admit the authority of Bishop

Ncligan and his associates to determine the matter.

~ onconformity has many principles which we endorse,

but on this matter of the true function of the Church we

cannot admit its right to speak, save as it affords some

evidence better than mere assertion. The source of

knowledge is the New Testament, and thence only can

we derive our knowledge. If it teaches that it is the

work of the Church to purify the world, and change en-

vironment by social reforms, then we will say most cer-

tainly the Church has failed. But it is as certain as

the New Testament exists, that it never asserts these

things as the work of the Church. Its express purpose

is to "call out a people" to win men to accept the Lord-

ship of Christ. Tt affirms that thc better state of things

can come only as it is inaugurated by Divine power, by

the overthrow of human government, and hv the estab-

1 ishment of the Divine; that the golden age will come

bv God's direct intervention, and that man's efforts will

not help in the least. As he cannot save himself, so he

cannot save humanity. God can save man unto eternal

life, and He will inaugurate a better state for the world.

If the question be asked, why has He not done so ere

this? it is sufficient to reply that the present boasting"

to which we have listened in the last few days indicatethat man has not yet learned the lesson of his own in-

competency and impotence. That the Church is weak

is true enough, but that the work it was intended for is

being done is certain, the New Testament being our

guide. Why, then, should it be so readily conceded to

the Socialist that it is a failure?

5 s < tb rts ttantt )]a 3failllre ?

As a matter of fact, Socialism is an association of

persons who are in utter antagonism to the Christian

faith. As one has recently written, "Latterly the re cog-

nised leaders, such as Belfort Bax and others, seem to

have thrown off all disguise, and

to write and speak on economic

and social questions as though it

were impossible for a man to ap-

prove of: municipal tramways without first repudiating

the Apostles' Creed." The speeches of Ben Tillett to

which we have listened contained in them an underlyingbitter, unreasoning opposition to Christianity. Whv?

Supposing it has failed to do what he imagines, unwar-

rantably, that it ought to have done, is that a reason

why it should be hated? No; the reason for 'the hatred

is deeper than that. It lies in the fact that the Gospel

proclaimed by the Church declares man to be a sinner,

whoever he is, and wherever he is found, and that his

only hope of salvation lies in the work and merits of

Jesus Christ. No Socialist cares to be put on that level;

it makes too little of him. So, as one way of asserting

himself as a fine fellow, and capable of effecting his own

and the world's regeneration, he opposes Christianity,

awl holds that it is a failure. He is no failure, of course,but on that opinions differ.

U be Sotlrce oftbe <tbarge.

One little test of the value of Socialism may be ap-

plied from the drink question. Tt is held by the advo-

cates of temperance for the individual, and prohibition

for the State, that thc prevalence of the drink habit, in

addition to many other evils, is a

direct cause of poverty. But you r

true Socialist will have no such

doctrine; he affirms that it is pov-

erty that causes the drink habit. This will suit a large

number of persons in this Dominion splendidly; and if

Mr. Tillett would remain here for a time, he wouldprobably have the offer of a good engagement from the

«Trade" to stump the country in its interests for the next

election. The statement that poverty causes drink may

possibly be accepted by sonic, when uttered in the slum

neighbourhoods of London, or other British towns, bc-

cause there tho complex and long-existent conditions

make it difficult to separate cause and effect, save always,

of course, t11<1tit Is easy to trace tile life storv of ind i-

viduals. But in this land it is perf('dly absurd for a

man to stand before an audience and affirm that poverty

causes drink. Twenty vcars ago it was the common

thing to say that "young New Zealand does not drink."

It was a rare thing to see a young man under the influ-

ence of liquor. But times of prosperity have come, work

is plentiful, wages arc high, and )'01111gNew Zealand

drinks! Is poverty the cause? H ere we a re able to

separate the conditions, and we affirm that the man who

says to us that poverty causes chink must wilfully shut

his eyes to the fact that it is drink which has brought

into existence nearly all the poverty which may be in

this land, and that, so long as the "Trade" continues,

poverty is its product. That Socialism should be at the

present stage so closely favourable to the interests of

liquor, bodes ill for it as a helper in the moral uplift of

UestingWattles .



NOVEMBER, 1907. THE BIBLE STANDARD.

humanity. That its advocates should publicly say, "1

drink beers and liquors," is to cite an example which will

do more towards leading astray the foolish youths cap-

turcd by the eloquence and imaginary pictures than all

their reasonings and appeals will accomplish for good.

The Pope has again asserted the old claim of supre-

maey over the State, and it is well that Protestantsshould know this. The tolerance which says, Let a

man be of what religion he pleases, is quite right, but

that tolerance cannot allow that

the religion should permit him to

yield to a foreigner the allegiance

which is due from him as a citizen

to the State. Gne phase of this reasserted claim comes

prominently before us in a Decree recently promulgated,

and which comes into force at Easter-that in future

Catholic marriages are invalid everywhere unless cele-

brated in the presence of a priest. with two witnesses.

How this is to be brought into agreement with the laws

of 0111' own Dominion does not appear. What of ourMarriage Acts? arc they to be over-ridden in this man-

ner? A priest in New Zealand must be duly authorised

by the State before he can perform a vaiid marriage

ceremony. His ecclesiastical standing gives no efficacy

to the ceremony. For the time being, when the marriage is

performed. he is a State official, and that portion only of

the service which is prescribed by the State is the por-

tion which gives the validity to the marriage. It is in-

teresting to know what our authorities will say upon this

matter, Yet another phase of this marriage custom is

-that when a district has been without a priest "for an

entire month" Catholics will be considered validly mar-

ried "if they express their consent in the presence of twowitnesses." How wi 1 1 this decision stand in our Law

Courts? Will it legalise the children, and give them

right of inheritance'! This decree shows that the Papacy

is slow to learn, nnd would, jf it could, still continue to

over-ride the rights of people.

Ube Jl)apac~ant> < t t \ ' ! U 1aw .

Iloccntly a writer in the Auckland Herald rccoiu-

mended the obtaining of "some elementary manual of

biology and a students' microscope, and devote one hour

every day to the study of biology," and affirmed, "1 will

venture to say that in three

months' time they will no more

believe in the creation of Eve fromAdam's rib than 1 do." It may

be useless to say to such a person that there are persons

who possess these articles, and arc students of the sub-

ject, who Yet believe in the Bible account of creation;

but it is certainly in place to say that it would be very

much to the purpose if the writer had come down from

his stilts and given some idea how this sweeping con-

clusion can be reached. This reminds us of some simi-

lar assertions of physicists concerning the effect of the

sun's heat upon the earth's surface, and the estimates of

geological time based on the assumption that the

Science oersus

=Science.

material of the earth was self-cooling. Prof. Lankester,

at the last meeting of the British Association, said that

"the discovery of radium had shown that the material is

not self-cooling, but self-heating, and that the restric-

tions of geologists and biologists are <lone away." 'I'he

fact is, that these "scientists" lack sufficient foundation;

as one has said, "Build a very large house on a very

small under-pinning, and it will soon go down. Scien-tists have been building too much theory on too little

fact. They make a little one-storey discovery, and then

build a sixteen-storey theory. Of course, it does not

stand."

An American writer, reviewing this change in

"science," says, "We are told so often that science has

upset the Bible and sent religious belief in pursuit of

the proverbial kite, that it is worth while to know that

the principal thing which science

has been upsetting is science

itsel f. Each new di scove ry 0 f

any importance sends a lot 0(

other alleged discoveries to a graveyard already

overcrowded with dead theories. A pretty large

part of the Laplace theorv was hung upon the belie f that

the earth was cooling and the sun coolinz and evcrv-

thing else cooling except politics and the pursuit ~f

money. The scientists had almost persuaded us that

the time would come when we should be compelled to

build a fire to keep the sun warm. But with such an

upsetting of all the calculations of the physicists' in

five years, what is likely to happen to their theories in

a 'thousand million years?' The probability is that

there won't be enough of them to hang 'the shadow of a

recollection upon. The nebular theory may yet becomeso nebular that the most powerful imagination will not

be able to discover a trace of it in the whole region of

scientific hypothesis. And, also, what is the use of get-

ting out a new book every spring and fall to tell the

world that science is upsetting religion? When science

gets through upsetting itself it will be time enough to

take stock of the remains."-H'ible Siuden; and 'I'eaclicr.

lIlpsetting tbe18tble.

• • •

"In a Chinese village the people wanted to win the

favour of the god in their temple. 'I'hey gave a large

amount of mone,", and marched in procession for sev-

eral days, carrying the idol, and thought he would be

verv kind to them. Soon after, a woman that went to

worship was sure that he leaned forward to listen to her,

and others began to notice the same action. They were

expecting great things. One morning they found the

idol on the floor. Where he had stood was a bamboo

shoot. '1ihe root had come into the temple from outside;

a sprout had sprung up, and, growing fast, it had first

tipped the idol, and then overthrown and smashed it.

In this way the people lost their faith in the god, and

some of them came four miles to hear preaching about

the true God."




causee ano curce fo r tb e 1J3lnes.

"Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thon

disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him,

who is the health of my countenance, and my God."-

Ps. xliii. 5.

THE causes and cures for "the blues" are many. The

causes outnumber the cures, judging by the frequencyof suicides, unless the latter are classed among the cures,

which seem to be unnecessarily drastic remedies. True,

they put the victim where "the wicked cease from troub-

ling" and where "the weary are at rest," but it is only for

a time; "for we must all appear before the judgment

seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done

in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it

be good or bad" (2 Cor. v. 10). We cannot evade this

reckoning day by self-destruction. God has a way of

putting us there after death. It is to be hoped that no

such serious turn of affairs as this is contemplated.

Likely the blues may be caused by ill-health of some

sort-the liver may be on a strike or boycott againstmaterials furnished it to get out its work on time and

in quality to suit. Well, take something for it besides

laudanum, prussic acid, or cyanide of potassium. Kill

the disease, but save yourself. If you have an incurable

disease as far as man's power is concerned, wait God's

time for His cure, if you have to wait until the resur-

rection day; it will pay you, if you do have to suffer here

awhile.

But many troubles are largely magnified or imagin-

ary. If a love affair, do not blowout what few brains

you have; no, not for the best girl that ever lived; and

vice versa, the girl for the fellow. In the latter case

she may feel more like doing it after she gets him, if she

did feel as though she should die beforehand if she did

not get him.

If married, stick to your wife; be brave and help her

like a man to fight life's battles while life lasts. Don't

croak, or be coward enough to quit and leave her alone

in the struggle; and if she dies first, give her memory a

decent respect, if worthy, and ten chances to one it is.

But, if single, do not wrap yourself up in a bundle of

femininity and think there is no one else in the world,

because she may go back on you, and then you will feel

like rushing to an apothecary's shop or hardware store

for means to assuage your grief. Don't do it; it's a big

world, and "there's just as good fish in the sea as was

ever caught." Ditto, girls. Ditto, fellows, and likely

better.

John Henry, don't shoot because Nancy says no. There

may be a good reason why she won't have you. Look in

the glass, or in the Bible, or into both. Consult the un-

biassed opinion of a candid third party, and remedy the

defects. May be vou are saturated with tobacco. If I

were it girl I would marry my tobacco by buving it at a

grocerv store-and giving it away to some farmer for an

insecticide, or it disinfectant for his cow-stable (after

the cows were at a safe distance) !

If your troubles are of a spiritual character, on ac-

count of your sins, it is a good sign; and the only thing

to do in this case is to consult "the Great Physician,"

who came into the world looking after just such as you.

He said: "They that be whole need not a physician, but

they that are sick" (Matt. ix. 12). If you are sin-con-

victed and sin-sick, you are just the subject for His

treatment; and if you will confess your sins to Him, Hewill be just and faithful to forgive them and to cleanse

you "from all unrighteousness," no matter how black (1

John i. 9). One said anciently, who was troubled that

way but was forgiven and cleansed: "As far as the East

is from the West, so far hath He removed our transgres-

sions from us" (Ps. ciii. 12). "He brought me up also

out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my

feet upon a rock and established my goings. And He

hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our

God" (Ps. xl. 2, 3). That new song which He will put

in a forgiven sinner's mouth is the best cure for the blues

and prevention for suicide that was ever known. Try

it. Don't boom the undertaker's business by addingyourself to his subjects.

Get out of yourself and into Christ, and the blues

will vanish. Cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness; look on

the bright side of things, for "there is no cloud, however

black, but has a silver lining." Enter into others'

troubles to help them, and you will be surprised how

quickly yours will disappear. The main trouble is,

folks have become so "selfish" and such "lovers of their

own selves" and so "proud" in these ''last days" (2 Tim.

iii. 2) that they cannot stand losses and humiliation in

society. If they enjoyed religion and the favour of God.

all this trouble caused by the pride of life would slide

off or over them like water from a duck's back.

Note.-Since writing the above 1 find in one issue of

a Boston paper the accounts of five suicides, and still

they come.-C. E. Oopp , Lawrence, Mass.

•• •

Did not Jesus Christ say, "No man hath ascended up

to heaven?" He did (John iii. 13). What right has

the Babel-tongued theology of this age to contradict the

Christ? Did He not say, "All that are in their graves

shall hear His voice and come forth?" Who, then, will

say they are not in their graves at all? Did He not say,

"They shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the

just?" Why, then, say that saints are recompensed when

they die? The New Testament never contradicts the

Old Testament.-G. H. Wallace.

Take time to commune with God. Care will be

lighter, work easier, plans wiser, and life more success-

ful if you take a little time to rest in the secret place

of the Most High. Even in the rush of work, with

others about you, if the heart is in harmony with God,

you can let the heart speak to Him; and quickly, like a

heavenly magnet, you will feel the Divine touch.-H. L.

Hastings.



'NOVEMBER , 1907. THE BIBLE 'StANDARD.

Ube ~rtcelessness of f1Dan

Lwi' men speculate as they will on man's origin and

place, let them expound the stages of development by

which he has attained his present structure and power,

this much, at least, is clear about him, clear on the face

of God's Word-that he is a being whose rescue frommoral evil is held on high to be worth the agony and the

bloody sweat, the cross and passion, the precious death

and burial, the glorious resurrection and ascension of

the Son of God. His sacrifice is the eternal witness to

the truth that man at his very worst is worthy of being

ministered to from heaven, and at a cost which defies

expression in terms of our earthly sacrifices.

If you are tempted to think meanly of man; if, face

to face with the dark facts of his vice and frailty, all the

fine things that poets have sung of him and prophets

have forecast, seem to you but a hollow mockery, then

remember that there is a judgment above yours; remem-

ber that however little you can see to honour or admire,there must be in each one something of infinite value,

since God would fain redeem each for Himself by an in-

finite sacrifice. The humblest personality is glorified by

this thought of redemption, and you cannot stand before

a human being, no matter what his race, his creed, or his

character, without being in the presence of one whom

God loves, and for whom Christ has died.-Canon

Duclcuiorih,~ ..

U be lD t"lne .lE~pnt·gatOl'.

"And He that sitteth on the throne said, Behold, I

make all things new."-Rev. xxi. 5.

The day of true celestial liberty,

The era of a liberated world,

Of chains for ever broken, has not come.

The sword of truth with its mute edge hews down

The falsehoods of the ages everywhere;

Yet still they rise again. 'I'he old soil, still

Fruitful in ill, retains its poison-roots,

And yields a harvest of yet deadlier growth.

And yet I know that ill shall have an end,

And time's disorder into order rise.

'I'he deluge that has covered this fair globe

With its disastrous waters shall ere longBe (hied, rolled back from off a suffering soil,

And pent up in the caverns whence it came.

These sifting winds of earth shall sink in balm;

The strife of nature shall at length be still,

'I'he storm-song sink into a dying fall,

And the chafed air breathe only summer-peace,

All life's entangled knots unravelled then;

The inky stains, in millions dropped L1pon

The once fair page of this unblemished earth,

Sponged out by Him who made it fair at first!

-Dr. Boner, in "My Old Letters."

'~"~"---0--"~"~'CV~cJ

JEchoes from

~.~~~~35HUMANlrry'S DEAD LEVEL.

"For there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall

short of the glory of God."-Rom. iii. 22, 23.

IN a recent address I placed before you some things

which I named "The Unchanging Verities," and con-

trasted them with the "changing sanctions of modern

.Theology." I now wish to call your attention to a mat-

ter which is a condemnation of much current teaching,

and of immense importance to us all. I know well that

the phrase chosen as the title of this address will not be

acceptable to men generally, and that they will say that

he who uses such a terrn.is out of date, behind the times,

and needs the stimulus of modern thought to redeem

him from his fossilised state. But such remarks I can-

not help, and do not heed very much. If I can justify

my utterances by sound argument and incontrovertible

facts, mere ridicule and empty sneers will not trouble me.

At the outset, I desire to be perfectly clear as to the

place where the dead level of humanity appears. I know

quite well that there are differences in men. I know

that if this audience were sifted we could not all be

placed on one plane in many things. 'I'here are differ-

ences in mental and spiritual attainments, as there are

differences in physical powers; but these are not matters

of greatest importance to us in regard to questions whieh

pertain to religion, and that is our theme. Matters be-

longing to man's religious responsibility and hope are

the most important which can engage attention, and

they stand as such in every land and clime. Every new

religion, or phase of thought which professes to provide

man with a hope for the future, is a witness to this in

common with the old and established forms of religious

thonght and teaching in all lands. The new teaching

claims the right to set aside the teachings accepted by

myriads as true, and to replace them by other teachings

supposed to have the unquestioned authority of reason

and science. It is held that humanity has climbed

steadily upwards from low forms of life, through higher

and hi.gher organisms, to our present state, and that we

are still progressing towards an inconceivably grand and

permanent condition. Without entering here and now

into any examination of the modern theory of evolution,

we will view man as he is. I again say that I admit the

fact that there are differences between men, but in the

sphere where this new theology professes to be effective

there is no distinction.

My text asserts the plane on which humanity's dead

level lies. Whatever may be the varying quantity and

quality of man's mental capacities and abilities, this



NOVIWBEB, 1907. THE BIBLE STANDARD.

reply, "we knew that it must believe in soul-immortality."

This is the only ground it has to rest upon, for if that

be not true, this new theology is the most hopeless thing

that ever came before men. The entire statement is

noteworthy for its vagueness. We require a definition

of this word "soul" as used by these advocates. It is

surely worth while that those who boast so loudly of their

scientific position should exemplify their science by giv-

ing llS a clearly understandable definition of this "soul"

which is said to be immortal, and to be a "ray" of the

universal consciousness. TiU this is done we are in

doubt what to do with it. Is it intended that we should

helieve that as a "ray" it will some time be reabsorbed

into the universal consciousness, or that, having existed

as a ray, it is going to shine on for ever "on its own?"

As a scientific religion, this new abortion does not com-

mend itself, for it starts out with an assumption; and

no attempt is made to prove it, or to give it a reasonable

semblance.

I am prepared to assert that the acceptance of this

dogma of the immortality of the soul has closed the eyes

of men to the actual dead level of humanitv. Great

wealth, great powers of thought and imagination, may

separate men from their fellows, but when death lays

its hand llpon them all are upon one common level.

Hich and poor, ignorant and learned, lie down together,

and all the powers of scientific attainment or qualities

o f moral greatness will not hinder this end, or yield any

difference within its domain. There is no difference.

Wila t in this ))CII' teaching can change this ? Nothing,

and it suggests nothing. Its talk about a "soul" is vain

emptiness. 'I'here is no such thing to carry on a person-

ality when the man has returned to the grave. What

can remove man from this "dead level?" There is notthe hint of suggestion in anything offered by this New

'rheology.

But this Hook 01' Goil, so contemptuously cast aside,

has a message which bears in it a full answer to the ques-

tion, "Can that state be changed?" It has often been

said that the Bible touches man at every point of need,

and at this grave and important point it has words of

hope and beauty to say. It accompanies man from birth

to death, and in agreemcnt with all known facts it holds

that "man returns unto d list;" that there is no thought,

device, wisdom, or knowledge in the grave, "whither

thou goest." But it does not end its ministry there. It

proceeds to tell that Christ gave Himself a ransom, thatHe died, and rose again, and that at His girdle hang the

keys of Death and Hadcs ; and it declares that the grave

shall be opened, ani! the powcr of death shall be broken,

and the buried dead shall come forth. It unfolds a

plan which puts before men of the present the possi-

bility of an entry by resurrection into a life which shall

know no ending. As it recognises humanity's dead level

as a sinner and as a mortal, so it provides a wondrous

and a gracious plan by which SIN MAY BE FOR-

GTVEN, and THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED.

There is no other religion, and no other form of religion,

which recognises these two facts, and provides such a

way of escape from a doom en tailed by nature, and de-

served by sin. Let men speak as they will about the

elevation of human ity, unless they recognise the facts

concerning the true level of man as a mortal and as a

sinner before Gorl, there is little hope that the teachings

will avail. Let us who find how plainly the Word speaksupon these themes, resolve that its proffer of escape from

these evils by the grace and the power of God shall be

received by us with grateful, loving hearts, and that

henceforth we live upon that plane of hope and assur-

ancc which is the "rightful dwelling-place of all who

accept the Lordship of Christ and yield Him obedience.Notes of an Address at West Street by the Editor.

•• •

<!bU l'cb auo 1k in g()oll l.

How few Christians understand the difference between

"the Church" and "the Kingdom of God." We speak of

the work of God's Kingdom, meaning thereby foreignmissions. Is that really the work of the Kingdom?

WeH, it stands in a certain relationship to the Kingdom,

but, properly speaking, it is not. It is the work of the

Church to build the body of Christ, the temple of Gou,

with its living stones, among every people under heaven.

The Church is not called to create the conditions of

the Kingdom in our days, no more than the German

Empress is called upon to direct the politics of the Prus-

sian kingdom. She has to educate the royal family, but

she is a lady of far too much sense to interfere in poli-

tics.

Has the Church nothing to do with the Kingdom?

Certainly the building of God in living stones stands inorganic connection with the glorious future Kingdom.

But it is concerned with the children of the kingdom,

the completion of the royal family, with the dynasty

who wilJ rule the Kingdom, not with the production and

development of those conditions which appertain to the

Kingdom. Let everything be in its own order. God

is following ,1 plan, in spite of the Babylonian confusion

amongst us. This confusion came by careless dealing

with God's Word, discerned dogmatically and not

"pncumatically," by drifting into the stream of Greek

philosophv and science, forcing God's Word into human

rnbric, instead of following the plain directings of the

Spirit. Men have adopted a scientific misuse of God's

Word instead of a spiritual use.-Prof. Stroeier.

• • •

A happy man or woman is a better thing to find than

a five-pound note. He or she is a radiating focus of

good will, and their entrance into a room is as though

another candle had been lighted. We need not care

whether they could ·prove the forty-seventh proposition;

they do a better thing than that, they practically demon-

strate the great theorem of the livableness of life.-R.

L. Sieoenson:



168

TABLE OF CONTENTS.


PAGE

THE MON?'H ,. .. .. .. .. .. 161-163

CAUSES AND CURES FOR THE BLUES 164

THE PRICELESSNESS OF MAN .. 165

THE DIVINI£ EXPURGATOR .. .. 165

ECHOES FRO]\( WEST STREE'I' .. .. 165-167

CHURCH AND KINGDOM •• 167

ASSOCIATION NOTES .. .. . .... .. 168

THE MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF THF; CREA'l'ION .. le9-171

THE HOME CIRCLE-TALKS ON ETEHNAL LUE" 172 1"3

My OLD BIBLE •• .. .. .. .. .. .. :: -1~3

LETTERS TO A YOUNG FRIEND ON THE STUDY OF PROPHECY 173-17<1

CHURCH AND MISSION NEWS. .. 174-175

CHHIS?'IAN BAND 175

MISCELLANEOUS 176

• C b~ 6 ibl~ Standard . ~r '-<Jj}.Y

MONTHTLY ORGAN

0" THE

ntw Ztalan d E oa ng tllstlc an d Publication J ls so tlatlon .

EDITED BYGEORGE ALDRIDGE.

ASSISTED BY SPECIAL CONTRfBUTIONS,

The Editor wishes it to be understood that, while he exercises S gcuerul super-

rteton ever the articles and Correspondence appearing in the STAND.UW. responsi-

bility for sentiments expressed rests upon the individual writer.

Beeociation noree.

We learn from Bro. King, of Timaru, that our aged

Sister Fairburn has fallen on sleep, She has been a

faithful member of the Church, and regular in her at-

tendance at the meetings, and she will be greatly missed

by the little band of believers meeting at Sophia Street.

The funeral service was conducted by Bro. King, and

she was laid to rest in 'the sure and certain hope of a

joyful resurrection.

A wire from Waihi brings us the gladdening news

that on Wednesday, October 23, six persons obeyed theLord in baptism. The work in this town has been long

and faithfully sustained without visible result, but at

last the hearts of the workers have been cheered by this

accession of numbers, first to the Lord, and then to

His people. May the good work thus begun continue,

and the little cause in Waihi grow to be a centre whence

shall continually go forth those influences which shall

tell for God and goodness. We rejoice with our breth-'

ren, and pray that rich blessing may rest upon those who

have thus openly given themselves to the Lord.

The new meeting-house at Helensville is now almost

completed, and we are asked to announce that (D.V.) it

will be opened for worship on 10th of this month. Sat-urday (9th), being a holiday, it is proposed to have a

gathering of the brethren and friends. A public meet-

ing will be held in the Foresters' Hall, where tea will be

provided that evening.' (Should the holiday be post-

poned to -Monday, the gathering will take place on that

day.) The collectors who undertook to receive dona-

tions towards the cost of the building wish to aclmow-

ledge the various sums received by them, and to take this

opportunity of tendering their grateful thanks to all who

have assisted in the good work. May God add His

blessing to what has been accomplished, and will yet be

done, for our Master in Helensville. The following are

the sums received '-Gift, £50; 'I'imaru, £6; A.S., £5;

West Street, £2 12s. 6d.; T.L.W., £5; RL., £1; J,O., £1;

C.F.G., £1; L,W., £1; D.D., £1; O.J., £1; F.S., £1;

T.D., £1; F.E., £2; L,W., £1; M.S., £1; Helensville, £1;

J.E., £1; J.A., £1; Glorit, £1; Wellsford, £1; Hoteo N.,

14s.; H.C., 10s.; F.B.H., 10s.; F.B., 10s,; Friend, 10s.;H.C., 10s.; T.H., 10s.; Savings, £1 3s. 6d.; Pennies,

128. 6d.; Takaka, 7s.; J .L., 5s.; Oamaru, 5s.; C.C" 5s.;

J.W" 5s.; A.A., 5s.; E.P" 5s.; W.H., 5s.; A.G., 5s.;

K and E.H., 4s. 6d.; J.H., 3s. 6d.; Sister S., 2s. 6d.

Total, £94. Who will make up the even £100?

During the annual meetings of the Auckland Sunday

School Union an interesting meeting was held in West

Street Church. A visitor from Wellington gave an ac-

count of a large infant Sunday School conducted in

Wellington. 'I'he speaker gave illustrations of black-

board and sand-table methods there used to instruct and

interest the children. He succeeded in imparting to

his audience of larger growth some valuable ideas of the

possibilities which lie in these methods, and we can well

believe that the Sunday Schools of this province will

benefit largely by the instruction then imparted to the

teachers. The sand-table has been in use in the infant

class at West Street, and it has proved a helpful adjunct

in the teaching, but Mr. Tiller opened up possibilities

of instruction with the blackboard which we have no

doubt our teachers will avail themselves of. We have

most important truths to teach to the children, and we

must use every possible aid that the lessons we desire to

impress on the young and plastic minds may not be lost.

A clipping from the Scotsman informs us that "the

Thirtieth Annual Conference of the Conditional Immor-

tality Mission was opened in the Church of Baptised

Believers in the Gospel of the Kingdom, Edinburgh, on

September 3rd. At the outset, the attendants numbered

a hundred, but the evening meeting on the same day saw

a large increase of interested persons. . 1 \ 1 1 ' . Jas. Dowie

said, in the course of an address on 'The Longing After

Immortality,' 'though the immortality of the soul was

generally regarded as a Christian doctrine, it neverthe-

less had to be admitted that it was nowhere stated in

Scripture. A favourite contention was that the doc-

trine was assumed throughout, being abundantly evident

from the light of nature and reason. This view was

well expressed in Addison's Caio, where the deathless-

ness of the soul was based upon "this pleasing hope, thisfond desire, this longing after immortality." It was

an astounding fact that many thinkers in the present

day wcre satisfied with the same inconclusive arguments

which had to suffice in the days of Julius Csesar, while

many were eagerly turning to dark: seances, spirit photo-

graphy, and the like, as affording some glimmer of hope

that death might not end alL But if we were content

to derive our knowledge from the Bible, we should find

its teaching to be immortality or eternal life through

Christ alone - conditional, and not inherent, immor-

tality.' "



NOVElIIBE:R, 1907. THE BIBLE STANDARD. 169

U:be !I0oeatc accounr of tb e creanon.

(Continued from Page 155.)

]£AUil day hitherto God has produced noble and excel-

lent things, but we do not read of the creation of any

living creatures till the fifth day, of which verses 20 to

23 give account.

Fifth Day.-"And God said, Let the waters swarm

with swarms of living creatures, and let fowl fly above

the earth in the open firmament of heaven." Vegetable

life was before, animal life now. Life is not the matter

out of which animals were formed, as say some scien-

tists; nor is it true .that matter produces life. Equally

false is the doctrine of "spontaneous generation." God

produces life by the word of His power, whether for fish,

fowl, beasts, cattle, reptiles, or man. It is God who

originates all. "And God created the great sea-monsters

and every winged fowl." Here, in a secondary sense,

with great propriety, is used the word "created." Its

use here is perfectly consistent, for God here brings into

being that which did not previously exist, even though

from pre-existent materials.

But a contradiction has been discovered by certain

critics. They point out that chap. ii. 19 intimates that

fowl were made out of the earth, whereas Gen. i. 20

shows them to be made out of the waters. If these

cavillers had been at the trouble to look at the marginal

reading as well as the text of the common English Bible,

their difficulty would at once have been removed. The

text is certainly dubious, but the margin removes any

doubt as to its meaning, and the revised version boldly

corrects the text, which reads: "and let fowl fly above

.the earth." Those who hold the inerrancy of Scripture

do not say that a mistake cannot creep into a transla-

tion. But the marginal note served as an antidote to

this small inexactitude, and there is no excuse for any-

one having fallen into so stupid an error as to think

there was contradiction between chaps. i. and ii. of this

book. What this verse teaches is not that the waters

brought forth fowl, but that God said: "Let fowl fly in

the firmament," without giving us any statement as to

how God produced them. Certainly the waters did not

give them birth (read carefully verse 21), for we know

from chap. ii. 9 that they were produced out of the

earth. How often are men's objections to Biblical truth

founded upon their own careless misconception.*Sixth Day.-On this clay were two creative acts.

(1) 'I'he formation of beasts, cattle, and creeping things.

(2) The production of God's master-piece, "God created

man in His own image.'" Out of the earth sprang these

living creatures. Not that the earth had in itself any

such prolific virtue as to produce these animals, or as if

God gave a creating power to it. It was by the immedi-

ate exercise of Almighty power that each species was

*An unfortunate slip of the pen is recorded in the first twolines of page 138, which should read, H .( 5) fish are generated

from the waters, and fowl from the earth."

called into being conformable to the ideas of them in the

Divine counsels concerning their creation.

We note that "beasts of the earth and cattle" were

made on one and the same day." This is a stumbling

block to many geologists. They say: " . 1 : "otso, the beasts

were made long centuries before the cattle;" and this,

they declare, is proven by their colossal remains, which

in a fossilised state are found in certain strata of the

earth, in which strata their remains were enclosed many

ages since. By "beasts" the geologist understands those

animals monstrous in size and strength, such as the

Megalosaurus, the Iguanodon, the Megatherium, the

Palreotherium, the Dinotherium, all of which were, in-

deed, immense creatures, whose fossilised bones may be

seen in our museums. As it is quite certain that no such

species has existed on the earth within the last 6,000

years, therefore Moses has erred in coupling together

"beasts and cattle." And, moreover, as by "beast" is to

be understood these monsters of a bygone age, the sixth

day of Moses (if the creation account be true) must

necessarily mean a sixth age of undefined duration.

Now, all this is pure nonsense. It was in a previous

condition of things before the awful catastrophe that

caused our earth to be "without form and void" that

these creatures lived and had their being. Concerning

such period we know absolutely nothing; there is no

revelation, and it is impossible to know anything. That

these monsters once existed no one doubts; every school-

boy has seen pictures of the skeletons of these "fearfully

and wonderfully-made" creatures. But they have no-

thing to do with this Adamic earth. Moses makes no

reference whatever to them; most probably he knew no-

thing about their existence. What the beasts and cattle

referred to in those verses are is easily ascertained by a

reference to chap. ii. 19, 20, where we read that God

brought representatives of all the beasts and cattle that

He had just made to Adam, who gave them all their

names. And so disappears another of those wonderful

objections to the Mosaic narrative which so perplexes

the minds of some.

The great work of creation is now approaching its

close. The second part of the sixth day's work is the

creation of man. "And God said, Let us make man in

our image." Matthew Henry well says: "That man

was made Jast of all the creatures, that it might not be

suspected that he had been, in any way, a helper to God

in the creation of the world: that question must be forever humbling and mortifying to him, 'Where wast thou,

or any of thy kind, when I laid the foundations of the

earth?' (Job xxxviii. 4). There is a striking difference

between what here occurs and what went before. It is

only when man is about to be made that God says, "Let

us." God, as it were, sits in council on the creation of

man. Compare the account of the physiologist who

declares an ape to be his progenitor and the Mosaic ac-

count of God creating man in His own image. Which is

the more noble? Which is the more degrading? Of

no other creature is it said, "Let us make." "Light be,"



170 THE BIBLE STANDARD. NOVEMBER, 1907.

said God, and light was. He comm.uuled, and it

was done. Rut here is a preliminary consultation, as

if the moment for which all the rest was but preparatory

has at last arrived. Man was to be a creature diverse

and superior to anything yet made. 'I'here are

those who, in this phrase, "Let us," see the three

Persons of the Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-

who here consult and concur in the production of the

master-piece. As has been said, "We are baptised into

the name of thc Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matt.

xxviii. 19) with good reason, for to that great name we

owe our being."

"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness."

What can be further from development, or what is called

evolution, that strange theory which sees in the history

of all things a development from simplicity to com-

plexity, a gradual advance from a rudimentary condition

to one that is of a higher character. Such an idea is

altogether foreign to the writer of the Book of Genesis.

Let us be of the same mind as that poor shepherd of

whom Luther speaks, who said: "I, looking upon this

toad, consider .that 1 have never praised God as I ought,

for making my first parents comely and reasonable crea-

tures, instead of in the image and likeness of a croaking

toad, which otherwise 1 should have resembled." Man

was by creation made like God. The two words, image

and likeness, denote the likest image, the nearest resem-

hlance to God of any of the visible creatures. Man was

to represent God here below, and must be a worthy rep-

resentati ve, one of noble mien, of high mental parts,

\V e need not stay here to lay bare the absurdity and

falsity of the claims of those who say that natural im-

mortality became man's possession because he is made in

the likeness of God. Just as reasonably and truly can

it be claimed that omnipotence, omniscience, omnipre-

sence are part of the natural attributes of man as that

immortality is. Of course, we know the first three facul-

ties, or powers, arc not possessed by mankind. And it

is equally certain that neither Scripture nor Physiology

know _anything of any inherent immortality which is

resident within the mortal human frame. This is an-

other scientific ancl theologic blunder from which the

inspired Moses is preserved. The phrase, "likeness and

image," is used concerning the son of Adam. -We read,

"And Aclam begat a son in his own likeness, after his

image" (Gen. v. 3). And so the image and likeness of

God has been handed down generation after generation,and we possess it to-flay. Two thousand years after the

formation of Adam, God, through Noah, forbade mur-

der, because "in the image of Goel was made man" (Gen.

ix. 6). And the meaning of the worcl "likeness" is quite

plain; for instance, we are told that Christ was "made in

the likeness of men, was found in fashion (or shape) as

a man" (Phil. ii. 8). Again, "Thou shalt not make an

image, the likeness of any form in heaven above, or on

earth beneath" (Deut. v. 8). There is no mystery about

the meaning of this phrase if we will only allow that

Moses meant exactly what he wrote, which was plain

matter of fact, without hidden or occult significance.

Am 1, then, in actual bodily form, like unto God.

Generally speaking-speaking broadly (for there may

be, doubtless are, differences in various details-there

are limitations connected with the human frame that

cannot in any way aflcct tile Divine Being) and with

deepest reverence we reply, "Yes, for the Book of Gene-

sis says so." But this invol ves Anthropomorphism-

that is, the representation, or conception, of the Deity

under human form, with human attributes and affec-

tions! Very well, so be it. Moses declares that man

was made in the image and likeness of God. And what

Moses means by this I gather from his further statement

that Seth was made in the image and likeness of Adam.

Now, whatever that second statement means, the first

must be in harmony with it; if not, then this phrase is

a riddle that no man can explain.. I can refuse to give

credence to the simple statement of Moses, and so end

the difficulty, but if I accept the words of Moses in their

literal sense, as 1 do the words in Gen. v. 3 and Phil, ii.

8, [ am shut up to one conclusion. (See, also, by wayof illustration, "images of mice," 1 Sam. vi. 3). "Whose

image is this? And they say unto him, Cresar's" (Matt.

xxii. 7).

But is it not derogatory to the Divine Nature and

degrading to the Godhead to even suppose that the Eter-

naJ One has form and shape such as the creature He has

macle? What saith the Scriptures? Surely God has a

face (Matt. xvii. 10), a back (Ex. xxxiii. 23), an arm

(Job xl. 9), a right hand (Ps. xcviii. 1), fingers (Ex.

xxxi. 18), feet (Ex. xxiv. 10), eyes (Amos ix. 8), ears

(James 1'. 4), mouth (Numb. xii. 8). God has-been

seen (Ex. xxiv. 10), ancl heard to speak (Ex. xx. 1),

and given instructions in writing (Ex. xxxiv, 34; 1

Chron. xxviii. 19). God has breath and nostrils (Job

iv. 7; Ps. xviii. 15), a soul (Jsa. xlii. 1), and a spirit

(lsa. xl. 19). And we reael of God's love, hatred, jeal-

ousy, anger, vengeance, compassion, long - suffering,

power, justice, truth, and mercy; of God rewarding His

friends and punishing His enemies-attributes of God

which are part and parcel of a human nature, qualities

inherent in and inseparable from the being who was in

the image and likeness of God. What are we to say of

this collection of parts and qualities which are attributed

to our God? One writer says, "The old and still too

common idea that in the lineaments and erect figure of

man is to be found the 'image of God' is actually offen-sive and painfully revolting to those who realise that

G o r l is a Spirit. What constituted the Divine image in

Adam was not his outward appearance, but his intellec-

tual and moral capacity. Intellectually and morally,

that Divine image was enstamped upon him; he had

capacity for knowledge and holiness. And, besides, he

was gifted with 'an immortal soul,' which invests man

with a dignity denied to all lower creatures. The im-

mortality of God, however, is an eternity of past and

future, whereas ours is one of the future only." '-IVe

leavc it to our readers to draw their own conclusion as to



NOVEMBER, 19 07. tHE BIBLIt STANDARD.

the significance of the words "in the image and likeness

of God," though we cannot forbear to add that we think

Moses' astonishment would know no bounds if he could

be aware of the theological gloss that obscures the sub-

lime simpl icity of the revelation which God gave him.

The Bible declares that God in outward manifesta-

tion is such are we are. To say that it is "a mere figureof speech" when the eyes and the ears of the Lord are

referred to is to us a lack of common sense and a refine-

ment of spirituality which we utterly repudiate. God

is a Spirit. True. But has a spirit no form or shape?

And can we conceive of anything more noble and Godlike

than a perfect man? Has not God a throne in the

heavenly places, awl does He not seat Himself there-

upon." Do not angels in lowly attitude stand in the

presence of God (Luke i. 19)? 'This strained spiritu-

ality, which accuses us of "gross materialism," robs ns

of all hope of ever seeing the face of God, for they say

God has no face, He has no parts; therefore, for ever He

can onlv be the invisible Spirit pervading all things. If

this is true, to all intents and purposes there is no God;

we have no "Father" in heaven, whose children we are,

and whose likeness we bear; and the Book of Revelation

has lied to us when it promises, "H is servants shall see

His face" (xxii. 4).

We do not now enter into the question as to whether

or no the creation of man in the first chapter is identical

with the more detailed account of Adam and Eve in the

second chapter of Genesis. 'I'his floes not enter within

the scope of the present paper.

"And God saw ererything that He had made, and, be-

hold, it was very good." 'Ne have here God's approba-

tion of and satisfaction with the completed work of the

six days. There was no fla \V or defect; the glory and

goodness and beauty and harmony of it all appeared on

review. 'I'he work was perfect-a demonstration of

God's personality and perfection. God, who began to

build, showed Himself well able to finish.

The first three verses of Genesis ii. form an integral

part of this marvellous and interesting history. And

therein are we told how God "rested on the seventh day

from all His work which He had created and made."

Such is the Mosaic account of the week of creation.

Only "in part" (1 Cor. xiii. 9) is made known to us this

wondrous story. Only the barest outline is revealed.

Men of the world may ridicule and contemn what is

here set forth. Even religious men may so twist and

contort one section of the narrative as to leave us with a

Godwho has neither form.substance, nor parts,and whom

we shall never see. But be it ours to take the place of

learners, and with confidence hearken to and receive

these words of that prophet to whom God spake "face to

face as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Ex. xxxiii. 11),

(PI we are assured that this testimony came not of the

invention of man, but that Moses "spake from God, be-

ilLg"moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter i. 21).

Rotorua. O. CRISP BROWN.

A gospel diluted means truth polluted.

The presence of Gorl means the absonce of danger.

,Yhell II fact i'lpeaks none art' wise enough to refute

what it savs.

Christian penreiR the tranquil] ity of: a mind in har-mony with Ooel.

Cultivatethe social virtues of a elrild and you have

made it possible for manhood to roach its full develop-

ment.

"What a beautiful silver lining that cloud has!" "I

cannot see it," replied her companion. "Ah! but yon

are sitting in the shade of the trec; come out bere."

Dear friend, can you see no silver lining to your dark

cloud? Go ahead a little, perhaps just a few steps, and

YOU will see the Sun of Righteousness shining on the

gloom, and transforming it into light and beauty.-B.M.S.

"Every worldling is a hypocrite; for, while his face

naturally looks upward to heaven, his heart grovels be-

neath on the earth; yet, if I would admit of any discord

in the inward and outward parts, J would have a heart

that should look up to heaven in holy contemplation of

the things above, and a countenance cast down to the

earth in humiliation. This onlv dissimilitude is pleas-

ing to God."

Learn to make up your mind promptly. If you

should wait to look at a question from every possiblestandpoint you would never reach a decision. Some

people are so anxious to weigh all the arguments in the

case that they spend most of their lives in a hesitating,

undecided attitude. Teach yourselves fo grasp quickly

the main points that deserve consideration, and from

these to make up vour minds. You will make mistakes

now and then, but no mistake is so fatal as the habit of

vacillation and indecision.

If we are to walk with God, we must go nowhere that

Christ will not go. 0, how many venture beyond the

territory in which they ought to walk, and they wonder

why they have not the enjoyments of religion! Theygo where Jesus will not go. "Blessed is the man that

walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." Christ is

not there. "Nor standeth in the way of sinners." Christ

is not there. "N or sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

Ohrist is not there. If you would walk with Ohrist,

. keep out of all evil company, of all evil associatious, keep

from all evil places-from eyery place you cannot go in

the spirit of Christ, and where, if He were upon earth,

you might not expect to meet Him. If yon go out of

the territory where He would not go, you need not ex-

pect to flnd Him.-Ex.



1 7 2 THE Br13LE STANDARD. NOVEMBER, 1901.

Cb~ f i o m ~ £jrd~.r~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~x±x~~~, •••••••••••••••••••• 0 •••

Talks on Eternal L ife.

No. VIII.

I have tried to consider this question

of oaptism from the view-point whichyou took at our last conversation, andIf I do not fully endorse all you said, Iruust yet confess that there is an unex-

pected harmony revealed. Like mostother Uhristians, I have believed that

the Church began at Pentecost, and Iconfess that there have been certain pas-

sages which I have had to "spiritualise"in order that they should agree withthat idea. On this matter of baptism

there have been difficulties which I didnot pretend to understand.

I become more and more convincedthat the closer we abide by Scripture

fact and language the nearer shall weget to the mind of the Lord, and if wefollow the teachings of the Word in the

order in which they are given, and donot force into them more than they say,we shall be better able to ani ve at justand true conceptions concerning them.On this matter of the history and rela-

tionship of baptism some things have

been unwarrantably assumed and plainfacts have been ignored, and hasty andunscriptural conclusions have beenreached, and these have had the effectof dividing Christians from each other.

Careful reading of the "Commission,"WIth an equally careful reading of themanner in which the apostles began to

carry it out, has shown the "national"

bearing of the message and the ordin-ance, and its relation to the "remissionof sins."

Do you consider that your conclusionis borne out by the further incidents inwhich baptism is mentioned?

Most decidedly. Those who unitedwith that first company did so in thesame manner, and received the sameblessing. They were baptised, and re-

ceived the girt of the Holy Spirit, theCommission and Peter's answer at Pen-tecost being the proof. Note also that it

is said "the number of the disciplesmultiplied in Jerusalem exceedingly,and a great company of the priests wereobedient to the faith." The terms ofthe Commission tell how the people be-

came "disciples," and the obedience ofthe priests must have been an obediencemanifested in the appointed way. Letme furthcr udd, that there is nothingto suggest that these officials forsooktheir temple duties, and ceased to bepriests. As the first believers "con-tinued steadfastly with one accord inthe temple," so also these priests wouldcontinue their ministrations as occa-

sion served.You consider, then, that at this stage

there was no reference in baptism toChurch standing and privileges as we

now enjoy them?That is the position. These believers

were Israelites called out upon the ac-ceptance of Jesus as their Messiah.There was no change in their worship,or in their standing as Jews. Thegreat change was that they had receivedthe guarantee of the remission of sins,and possessed in the gifts of the Spirit,the earnest of the Kingdom, of whichthe ascended J-esus was the rightful

monarch."Ve learn that after the persecution

which followed the martyrdom of Ste-phen there was a proclamation of theWord in Samaria, How does your viewof the apostolic teaching and of baptism

hold under these changed conditions?You will observe that there is no ex-

tension of the message until the rulersat Jerusalem have decided against the

reception of it. When that decision isreached, then there is the proclamationin agreement with the orders given, "Mywitnesses in all Judea and Sa-maiia." But there is no change in themessage. Philip preached "the Christ,"i.e., he proclaimed, as Peter had done,

the facts which proved the Messiahshipof Jesus, and he declared the same termsto those who would accept Him. Thatmessage was accompanied by the mani-fested "powers" which were the creden-tials of the preacher, and the evidencesof the truth of his utterances, as werethe "tongues" at Pentecost to the dwel-lers at Jerusalem. They believed Philip,and "were baptised, both men and wo-men." When the apostles come downfrom Jerusalem these Samaritan be-

lievers who have obeyed the commandreceive the same powers as had alreadyenriched their brethren in the Judeanmetropolis. They thus become one com-pany with them, marked in every senseby the same characteristics.

May we not, however, say that thebaptism of the Ethiopian treasurer wasof another order, and had special refer-ence to the church standing of the pre-sent?

Why so? There is nothing in thestory as I read it which would suggesta difference. That he was a Gentile maybe conceded, but that he must have beenat least proselyte is evident from thestatement that he "had come to Jeru-salem for to worship," and that on hisjourney he read the book of the prophet.

Isaiah. Philip preached unto him Jesus,and we have no warrant to suppose thathe preached differently to the eunuch

than he had done to the Samaritans, toWHomHe .•ad proclaimed the kingdom

of God, and the name of Jesus. Thereis nothing in the story which would

suggest such a change as would of neces-sity bring in the gospel of grace as byDivme warrant is now preached.There is yet another incident belong-

ing to this early apostolic ministrywnich requires a little explanation. Irefer to the conversion of Cornelius.That is a very significant story.

Sometimes it is asserted that theapostles were neglecting their duty innot carrying their message to the Gen-tiles, and that Peter here received asharp reprimand for such neglect. Nosuch idea can be found in the narrative.The fact appears that special divineinterposition was needed on both sides

ere the message could be presented. Cor-nelius was a dweller in the land ofIsrael, conversant with the recent factsof the life and ministry of Jesus (Actsx, 37), but having no place with regarr'to them, because he was a Gentile. ButGod would show that Gentiles residenti11 the land of Israel were also to berecipients of the blessing to be sent to-His people, and the lesson is impartedill this story. "The stranger sojourningamong them" should share their bless-ing. The preaching is heard with atten-

tion and with faith, and God sealed themessage by the gift of the Spirit, a factwhich Peter thus notes, "received the

Holy Spirit as well as we." These arebaptised, the whole context showing thatthe act was in all respects the same as

that for the Jew, the only difference be-ing that the participants were uncir-cumcised, and that the bestowment ofthe Spirit preceded the act of immer-sion. Here the family of believing Gen-tiles become united with the believingJcws awl Samaritans in waiting for theMessiah, joining in an assembly which,

from its constitution, its conduct, and

its submission to apostolic rule, ma,y beconsidered to be a beginning of theKingdom. It is worthy of note thatthere appears to be no further additionof such persons under the ministry ofthe apostles from Jerusalem, for it isthis case which Peter cites as occurring"a good while-ago" when the Conferenceis held which had so important a bear-

ing upon Gentile converts not residentin the land of Israel.

. There is one matter which is some-

what perplexing to me, and that is, thatwhereas the Commission expressly com-

mands that this baptism should be "inthe name of the Father, and of the Son,

and of the Holy Spirit," yet there isno instance in the Acts where this is

done. "Baptism is always in the nameof the Lord Jesus." Why the change?One writer, in ca.lling attention to

this matter, says "the apostles them-selves never obeyed this command, andin the rest of the New Testament thereis no hint as to its ever having beenobeyed by anyone." He further adds:"It is difficult to s.uppose that therewould have been this universal disre-gard of so clear a command if it hadever been given, or if it ever reallyformed part of the primitive text." Ifthe passage in Matthew must stand,then it is supposed it refers to a comingdispensation, in which the formula shall

be used. But is this view necessary?Or, rather, shall I not say that any fu-

ture national preaching must take upthe message which was begun by theapostles? It is hardly likely tha.t theapostles preached a message which be-

gan under the authority of the Messiah,and was presented to Israel that is notin harmony with the terms' of the Com-mission under which they served. Whereis the necessity for the supposition thatany of the instances contravene theterms of t<le Commission? Remember-

ing t~at these men were sent forth bythe Risen Lord, that they received theirmarching orders from Him, and acted onHis authori ty, it seems fittin < Y that inthe historical accounts of the~· labours



NOVEMBER, 1907·., THE 'BIBLE STANDARD. 173

the name of the One who sent them

should he recorded, without at all af-

fecting the question of what actually

occurred in the act of baptising, It is

thus the matter presents itself to me,

and till some stronger reasons are urged

than yet appea,r Isee no reason to find

a difficulty.

Do you propose to examine all the

recorded incidents regarding baptism

in reaching your conclusions?

Tt would certainly repay us, but I

think enough has been said on this as-

pect of baptism. and I should like to

have a chat with you on the question

as it anpears in the ministry of Paul.

But this must he. deferred till we meet

n.zain,

(;ro be continued. )

My Old Bible.

'I'hounh the cover is worn.

And the nages :ue torn. .

And tbousrh places hear traces of tears;

Yet more nrecious than gold

Ts the Book worn and old,

That can shatter and scatter my fears.

Whe'n I prnverfu llv look

In the precious old Book

Ma nv pleasures and treasures I see;

Mn nv tokens of love

From the Father above,

Who is nen rest and dearest to me.

This old Book is my guide,

"I'is a friend by my side,

Tt will lighten ann brighten my way;

And each promise I find

Soothes and gladdens mv mind

As Iread it and heed it to-day.

To this Book Iwill cling,

Of its worth I will sing,

Though great losses and crosses be mine;

J.~orT cannot despair,

Though surrounded by care,

While possessing this blessing Divine.

EDMUND Prr,UFANT.

Wh.at Kind of Fruit TheyBear.

We have a class of bright-eyed. rosy-

cheeked boys; we love them dearly. and

-rmnot endure the idea that one of them

shall ever fa ll into the power of the rum-

1 '1 end. One day, pointing to a tree in full

bloom, we said .

"What fruit will that tree bear this

vea r?"

. "Annles." cried every voice.

"And next year 1""Apples."

"And the next, and the next?"

"Apples, apples."

"Right every time! But what makes

vou think it will always bear apples 1

Whv not peaches or pears 1 They grow

on trees and have blossoms quite like

these."

"Oh, but this is an apple tree and they

a.lways bea r apples."That is true.

And those mm-shops; they bear idle-

ness. drunkenness, sh a.me, ruin, and

death; and they never bear anythingclee !

L e t t e r s t o a Y o u n g F r i e n d o n

t h e S t u d y o f P r o p h e c y .

LETTER IX.

THE PROPHECIES OF HOSEA,

My DEAR FRIEND,

The twelve prophets whose writ-

ings close the book of the Old Testament

were call ed of old "the lesser or minor

prophets," not because their prophecies

are of less importance th an those of the

four greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah,

Ezekiel, and Daniel, but for the reason

tha.t the written reports of their prophe-

cies are shorter in comparison. It was

in the reign of Jeroboam U. that Hosea,

Amos and ~Jonah prophesied in the king-

dom. of Israel. while Joel at the same

time testified in .Iuduh, and Obadiah de-

livered his message to Edom. Isaiah

followed a few years later. Micah began

his office in the following reign of Jot-

ham. King of .Inda.h, while Nahum, Ha-

bakkuk and Zepharriah prophesied in thetime of Jotham's grandson, the good

king Hezekiah. To them succeeded Jere-

miah Ezekiel and Daniel. Last of all

came: ;fter the return of .Tudah from

cantivitv in Babvlon. the prophets Hag-

gai. Zechariah and Malachi.

W~ l}lu.st bear in mind that in the

da.vs of the prophets the Hebrew nation

--the descendants of Ahraham-vwere di-

vided into two kingdoms. the northern

kingdom of Israel and the sonthern king-

dom of Judah. each with its own king.

The one was called the'kingdom of Israelbecause it consisted of all the people of '

Israel except two tribes. The smaller

ki nsrdorn was that of Judah, to which

wa;ioined the tribe of Beniamin (2

Ohron. xi. 1-12). The cause and rootof this division was the envy and jeal-

ousv of the tribe of Ephraim (Is. xi.

13)'. The eldest son of Jacob (Reuben)

had lost his birthright because of a great

sin (Gen. xxxv. 22; xlix. 4), and his

hirthright was given to .Ioseph (1 Ohron.

v. 1. 2), and passed on to his younger

son Ephmim (Gen. xlviii. 20). But God

chose David from the tribe of .Iudah

(Gen. xlix. 10; 1 Chron. v. 2) to be the

Ruler, and this was always g'al! and bit-

terness to the proud descendants of the

son of .Iosenh. During the first seven

years of David's reign only .Iudah ac-

knowledged him as king (2 Sam. ii. 11).

and it was only after "a long war" (2

Sam. iii. 1) that "the tribes of Israel"

vielded allegiance, and David reignedover the whole nation (2 Sam. v. 1-3).

But when Rehoboam, the weak grandson

of David, ascended the throne, the am-

bitious Jeroboam, of the tribe of Eph-

rairn, "a mighty man of valour, who was

chief of the house of Joseph" (1 Kings

xi. 28). raised the standard of rebellion,

with the result that the ten tribes

elected him "King over all Israel; there

was none that followed the house of

David but the tribe of .Fudah (and Ben-

jami n ) only."

Now, in order to create a vital dis-

tinction between Israel and .Iudah, Jero-

boam devised a most subtle scheme. To

have allowed the people to go to Jerusa-

lem to worship .Ichovah in His temple

would have been to run the risk of their

returning to the line of David as being

the kings of God's appointment. To pre-

vent this, .Teroboam set up a great sys-

tem of rival worship. During his exile

in Egypt he had there seen nature wor-

shipped under the form of a calf. He

adopted this form of worship, and. mak-

ing two golden calves, recommended Is-rael to worship God under this visible

form. using the very words that Aaron

did long years before in the wilderness

(when temporarily he went astray),

"These be thy gods, 0 Israel, which

brought thee up out of the land of

Egypt." And he set the one calf in

Dan (in the north"). and the other in

Bethel (in the south). As the Priests

nnd Levites remained faithful to the

dvnastv of David and the worship at

.Iorusalem. he made other priests not of

the line of Aaron (2 Ohron. xi. '13-17) ,

Then. while he gratified the people's love

of idolatry, he decked it out with all the

forms of worship which God had ap-

pointed. The three great festivals their

solemn assemblies the new moo~s andSf\bb~ths. the daily sacrifice, the burnt

offen~g. the meal. drink, thank, peace,

freewrll and sin-offerings, all were re-

ta.ined. A grand temple was erected at

Bethel. they had hvmns and instrumental

music. they paid tithes, and were served

by fnlse nricsts and urouhets. Tt was a

ceremonin.l religion rezulated after the

Mosaic stvle. and mn lntained bv the civil

arrthor+tv. But all this outward show

was rotten at the core. A calf could not

he the symbol of a nerso nal God and

besides. God had forbidden man thus t~

worshin Him. and had. moreover, corn-

mnndeo Tsro.el to worsh in at the .Ieru-

sn Iam T'emnl«. the nhce which He had

annoirrtod. This worshiu of the calf is

reneateolv en lled "the sin of -Ieroboamwherewith he made Tsrael to sin." . .

Israel's seuarate existence was bound

u.n with that sin of .Terohoam. Tt clavo

to them throughont their historv. and

none of their kin«s dare give it uo.

God bore with them for two centnries

and a,-l,nlf. senoimr them renes.ted warn-

ings bv the nronhets. but all in vain.

And tllPn. in merciful seve riv. the sepa-rate lcin adom. of Tsrn el wa s bronrrht to

an end. and God declared that it should

never be restored (Hosea i. 4-7; Amosv. 2).

'I'houoh Israel. under -Teroboam. thus

turned from God. vet Gon did not at once

abandon them. An old nronhet, whose

name is not !riVfm-who tIle verv dav he

nronhes ied was killed bv a lion~an-neared and !rave a message to the king.

Then followed the nronhet Ahi inh, who

foretold the death of Jeroboam's son.

.Tehu was the next nronhet (1 Kings xvi.

7). who was snccpedprl hv Eliiah and

Elisha. .Jonah-who was sent to Nine-

veh-followed next (2 Kings xiv, 25).

And thm. in ra.nid succession. came

HORea' and Amos onrl Micnh. Tt was

HORea who (iplh'('red the final warning

to Israf'l which. beinz llnhpeoPd. ended

the long shllggle het.w"pn GOO'g mercy

nnd TsrRPl's love for idolatrv. The mercv

was despised. it was withdrawn. and

illngment. took its plncf'-a judgment



I74 THE BIBLE STANDARD. NOVEMBER, 1907.

that has lasted 2,500 years, for Israel

is still scattered and lost among the

nations. It is only "tile remnant of

Joseph" (Amos v. 15) that in the latter

day wiIl-with Judah-be restored.

Hosea must have prophesied for nearly

seventy years. Evidently he was called

by God. as was David. Samuel Jeremiah

Daniel. when about 'seventee~ years of

n!!f'. He belong-ed to the northern king-

nom (most Iixelv was of the tribe of1i;nhraim). and c"ommenced his ministrv

in the reign of .Ieroborrm H .. one lnmdrerl

o nrl f ftv venrs nftf'r the revolution of

the triheR 'under Jproboam T. ~711en he

lwg~n to nrophesy tll(' ki n-rdom of Israel

wn s mighty. powerful. f0~rrd abroad.

possessed n lnrgp stnnding a rrnv. was

vorv rich. find had extended its kingdom

right a.wnv to Damascus. .Teroboa m II.

"'0." ono of the gre"test of their kings.

"nil reirmed 41 ye~.rs. Tt was iluring

these nrosoerous tin'eR that :Hosea be-

gon his mission After the death of

.Ieroboam camp the darkest neriod in the

history of the kingdom of Isrn el. Jero-

hoam was followed lw his son Zecha r iah.

who rpignE'n for six months. and was

rvuhl ielv sla in hv Rhn1111m.·wllo. becom-ing king. rpignE'd for one month. and who

in turn wn s slain bv Manahem. who died

o nn turnl dr-a th "ftpr a rpiQ"nof 10 veo rs.

Dig son Pelcah iah sot on the throne for

two ven rs. and was killpd bv Poknh. who

'\'n~ "l:" in rr ill R::Il11nrin for 2"0 veo rs. H p .

too. rne+ 0 violent den th. heing murdered

hv Hoshea , the last of the kings of

Israel. wllose f>lte it was to be taken cap-

tive hv Sha lmanesn r. king of Assvria.

ond. in " forcism land. was "bound in

prison." from whence he never returned.

Ho~(>" thE' nronhet livf'rl to see the ful-

filment of his prophecies. Disaster fol-

lowed disaster. Hp saw the golden calves

sent as " present to the Assyr ian kin~-

their chosen gods con Id neither deliver

the people nor themselves. He was

"live when flamaria. the capital city, fell.

the tribes, with Ephraim at their head.

carried ilway to Assyr!a, and the land

left desolate find ruinod. Then, in his

01(1ngc. he sat him down and wrote this

hook which we cn ll "Hosca ." showing the

mora I corruptions of Israel. their re-

ligions nnfa ihf ulnes«. and the judg-

ments which God said should befall them.

.\ lso is recorded here some of the Iarnen-

lations. find the beseochings, and the

loving elltreaties of that God who is

"slow to anger and plenteous in mercy."

.\ long ancI heavy service was it for

(:O(]"" prophet, who, from the first, knew

Ihat his mission would fail. so far as the

Ihon present salvation of Israel was con-

cerned. All was in vain. If he spoke

to the kings-they were scorners anddrunkards (vi i. 5); if he warned the

pricsts-c-thev were murderers and un-

clean in their lives (vi. D ). And as for

the people. their prirle (v. 5) and their

treacherv (Y. 7). their idolatries (xiii. 2),

find their great wickedness (x. 15) caused

ihem to shut their ears to Jehovab's

words, while they gave ready credence

to the false prophets, of whom there

were many (iv. 5; see also 1 Kings xxii.

()-28). The whole nation, from king to

IW''''tr. 'was rotten. Anarchv and law-

l(>~~~ess preva iled, and the' prophet's

voice was drowned amid the tumultuous

licence of the times.

The full and complete record of these

long years of faithful testimony is with

God on high_ These fourteen chapters-

which comprise the book-are but a corn-

pend ium of the prophet's message from

Uod to lsracl. This is all that has come

to us of a ministry that lasted nearly

seventy years.

In my next I hope to give you a brief

exposition of these prophecies of Hosea.

Your friend,CARPUS.

~JIt ~

C h u r c h a n d M i s s i o n N e w s .

1 11 1 ..-IIL...illh~"'illL...>IlIL. lit~""********~*~*~*~*~*f*i~~iAUCl{LAND.-The prevalence of in-

fluenza and la grippe during the last few

weeks has been the cause of rather

smaller audiences than usual.

Sunday, September l st : Sunday School

Anniversary. nn account of which ap-pears elsewhere. Bro. Laurie Wilcock

presided at the morning meeting, and

Bro, ErneRt Aldridge g'tve an address,

touching UpOIl the Sunday School, its

work and its teachers. and for their en-

couragement spoke f rom 2 Thessalonians

ii. 14 and 15. ,Yitlt us in fellowship,

Sister Ho ll is, of Tuuka u. In the "even-

ing Bro. AId ridge gave an address to

parents and scholars. "Of Such is the

Kingdom of !-Tea,·en.';

Sunday, 8th: Bro. \Yild presided, and

spoke from John's Gospel, ii. 35. In the

evening. Bro. Aldridge being too ill with

influenza to deliver his discourse en-

titled "Children's Perfect Pra.ise," his

place was I'cr~' efficiently supplied by

Bro. E. £\Idridge, who addressed the au-dience. and Bro. L. Fa.lkner, who gave

a suitable address to the scholars.

Sunday, 15th: Bro. Aldridge presided.

Bro. G. A. Green gave an address and

ex hortn.uon Iroiu 2 Corinthians v. Witl:

us this morning, Bro. and SiR. Williallls,

of Northern Wui roa, and Sis. Hew in of

Te Aroha. In the evening Bro. Aldri'dge

commenced a series of addresses 011 "The

Acts of the Apostles," pointing out that

the first chapter contained the su.licnt

points which close the four Gospels:

Matthew, the Resu rrection of Christ:

Mark, the Ascension; Luke, the Promise

of the Holy Spi ri t , -Iohn, the Second

Coming of Christ.

Sunday, 22nd: Bro, Dixon presided;

Romans xii. In the cvon ing the secondof the series of addresses on the Acts.

2ud chapter, "Thc Ambassador-s ~Ies-

sage." Peter's creden tiu ls proved that

he was more than an ordinary preacher.

A large number of Jews from man v dif-

ferent parts were impelled to go to "Jeru-

salem; the noise heard drew a special

audience, to which Peter discoursed and

in answer to thei r accusation, referrecl

them to their prophet Joel, "This isThat."

29th: Bro. C. B. King presided; J ude

xx. 21. In the evening the third of the

series of the Acts, third chapter "No

Other Name" (iv, 12). '

Sunday, October 6th: Bro. White pre-

sided, and spoke from Mark xi. 22,

··Have Faith in God." In the evening,

to a fai r audience, a telling discourse

was delivered on Acts v. 20, "All the

Words of This Life."

Sunday, isu.. Bro. Laurie Wilcock

presided, and gave an exhorta.tiou from

2 'I'im. v, 8- With us in fellowship, Bros.

Sheldon, of Tuakau, and Jessop, of Bom-

bay. In the evening the fifth of the

series was delivered, "GamaIiel's Coun-

sel " (read Acts v.) .

Sunday, 20th: Bro, Wild presided;

~latthew xvn i. 2 and 3_ The discourse

in the evening was upon "Tr aini ng the

Child: Principles and Character" (Heb.

ii. 24). The principles instilled into the

mind of Moses when quite young formed

his character in after life.

At the Bible Class on Wednesdayeven-

ing, August 28th, the abso.rbing topic of

the "Hinderer and the Hindrance" was

dealt with. The exposition was highly

appreciated. The portion of Scripture

read was 2 Thessalonians Ii. 5 to 1l.

Wednesday. September 4th: Scholars'

annual tea.

11 th: The Bible Class was resumed and

readings in Thessalonians (for the pre-

sent) concluded. A very profitable even-

ing was spent in dealing with the sub-

ject of "Christ's Coming for His Church

Before the Mi llenniurn."Wednesday, 18th: What is considered

a very difficult passage of Scripture was

taken for this evening's study, entitled

"The Fire" (2 Peter iiL). The lecturer

"aid: When one begins to read an epistle,

he should ask himself tbe question, "Who

wrote it? Why did he write it! To

whom was it written?" This second

"pi~tlp. as th" first, was written to the

dispersion. Paul also wrote to the dis-

persion in the epistle to the Hebrews.

On Wednesday evening, 25th, Bro, AId-

ridge began a short series of lectures on

"The Bible Doctrine of Election, Choice,

Selection." According to the West-

minster Confession of Faith, all those

who are not elected are reprobated, but

there is no basis for this in the Scrip-

tures. Beginning with Adam, and fol-

lowing on to Abraham, Noah, Moses.

Duvid and others of the Old Testament

selections, the lecturer showed that God

not only chose men to fufil His designs,

but also localities where they should act-

Edpn, Palestine, etc., Israei as a nation,

Seth before Cain, Jacob before Esau , the

la tter received a. blessing, but not the

birthright blessing. Passages from the

New Testament were also quoted to show

the continued choice.

Wednesday, 9th: The two precedingweeks' lectures were summarised, and to

show the purposcs of this sixteen pas-

sages of the Old Testament were referred

to, and ten in the New Testament. Many

others could have been cited, but this

was considered sufficient.

Wednesday, 16th: This evening the sub-

ject before the Class was "The Kingdom

and the Church." The difference between

the two was clearly shown by many dis-

ti nguishing points. The importance of

rightly dividing the word of truth was

also impressed upon the Class.

Last month's Church News was too

late for press. W,G,



NOVEMBER,1907. 'l'HE BIBLE STANDARD. 175

TJIAMES.-Since our last report, we

ave held our Annual Church Business

Ieeting, and, taking all things into con-

-dera.tion, we have much to be thankful

:01', and some to sorrow over. vVe are

grateful that our finance has kept up so

well, the offerings for the year being

two or three pounds below the previous

year, and, considering the amount raised

for repairs to church property, as wellas repainting the building, we are grate-

ful matters are as fair as they are.

When the balance-sheet was read by our

worthy Treasurer, a small credit was

shown, while £5 will cover the liability

on the repairs account. While we have

lost a number by removals from the

Thames. we have received two into fel-

lowship, one by immersion and one pre-

viously baptised. The following were

elected as the Diaconate for the ensuing

vear r-e-Bros Robinson, Gubb, Graham,

Vercoe, Targett, and A. Morgan, and we

pray that this year may be more sue-

cessf'ul in every way.

Then we have bp-en favoured by a visit

from Bro. G. A. Green. who spent one

Sunday with us, and we all appreciatedhis presence.

Our Sunday School Anniversary was

held on last Sunday in September. In

tile afternoon the Superintendent (Bro.

L. Gubb) distributed some forty prizes

for regular attendance (i.e., attendance

for 47 up to 52 Sunclays). and quite a

number secured the 52 mark. Bro. Tay-

101' gave the address in the afternoon.

A t night the church building was well

filled to Ileal' the Rev. L. M. Isitt, who

rrave a splendid address on "Beauty:

Personal Beauty, Character Beauty, and

Holiness Beauty." These were vividlv

presented, and,' we believe, will be long

remembered by those who heard. The

sp('('ial hymns were sung by the children

with considerable feeling and power.Much credit is due to Bro. E. Sherlock

in this matter, also to Miss A. Morgan

(organist) and Bro. C. Sanders and the

orchestra, On the following Tuesday,

October l st, the Children's Tea was held.

find the teachers are to be congratulated

on the manner in which this was car-

ripel onto All work cd splendidly. Then

the Entertainment followed-singing,

reciting. d ialoguos. An went with a

swing. find were mucb enjoyed. The

chu n-h wa s f'ull. The general verdict

was "The hest programme we have yet

had." We trust the coming year will

he one of great success. and that the

teachers will see some good results for

u.ll thoi r care and wa.tchf nlness oyer the

voung ones. for without doubt thc Sun-

day School teachers are deserving of

ever." praise and help for their gift of

time, labour and constant endeavour.

'fAPu.-TI,e services here are held as

'<ua l, and Hro. Taylor has been there

the first Sunday of the month, although

the roads and weather have been rather

unpleasant.

MATATOKE is visited the second Sun-

day in the month, and the services are

appreciated, and we hope many may yet

be led to Christ our Redeemer and com-·

ing King. E..C.M.,

WAIHr.-Our little meeting has been

plunged into deepest grief by the sad

and unexpected death of our young Bro,

Alfred , T . D. Walker. Although not

actually meeting in fellowship with us,

he was an active worker in the cause,

always at his post at the evening meet-

ing, and rendering sweet music with his

flute, on which he was an expert player,

He was also secretary and a teacher inour little Sunday Rchool. He has been

with us so long, and his open and candid

character has endeared him to us all, so

that we had all learned to love him.

His sudden death has eome upon us like

a thunderclap. Last Sunday, 6th inst.,

he wn s with us. apparently in health

and strength. Sunday night he was

taken ill: on Monday morning he was

removed to the hospital and operated

on for aPDendi~itis. Not making sa.ti s-

factory nrozress. another operation was

nerformod on T'hursdav. after which 0111'

vounz brother gradnallY sank, and at

7 p.111.fpll on sleen in ChriRt in thr- sure

and ('prhin 1101)Pof a glorionR resu rrec-

tion to liff' and immortality.

On Rlln(by. th0 J:lth. Bro. Foster ad-ilr(>RSQ(1hp school children on our QTP'It

10RR.a nd every child nresent knew they

hnil 10Rt a cle~r friend. Tn the evening

Bm. 1"o<t!'r g'!"(' an Tn Memor-inrn ad-

(1I'('.s. noirrti nz out the fn ith in which

0111'Y01111'!broth!'r lived and in which he

died. Bro Fovter touched 1111011the

nohle elionwt('r which had made him a

~redit to the ns rents who had reared

him. The whole address was most

touelrino. and stronglv annen led to till'

hf'"rt< of thORP nresent. and was brought

to a conclusion hv nn anneal to those

nresent to ally themsplves to our great

and blessecl R'Ivionr. Wl'0 now is the

might" Connueror over ilpoth. and who

will on the resurrection 11101'ng~thpr n11

His faithful ones horne into the iovs of

Bi_ everlnstinrr kingdom. . .

",,'e have h(,pn chpprprl nncl stronsrtb-

pnpcl bv fhe nt.tenil"n0C "t our lit.tlr-

meetinrr for the h,,0n1.:in!! of hread of onr

Bro. nnd Ris. N!'ttlinQ'hn111. from whom

'1'0 <'xn0~t to !!'pt 111u('h svmpathv "nrl

lJ01p i'l the :\fn.tpr'~ work. D.T'.

Life's Twilight.

(By H. R. PAL1IfER.)

\ Vhen the quiet eve, approaching,

Summons all to sweet repose,

Hearts with toil and care o'erburdened

Glallly greet the daylight's close.

Sweet the rest fr0111toil and striving,

Rich or poor, or sad, or gay,

Sweet the dreams of brighter morning,

Chasing gloom of night away.

So wlu-n life's last hours are ending,

And i.ne twilight glow appears,

'Vhen our burdened souls are growing

Weary of life's hopes and fears,

Sweet to think of Faith's to-morrow,

Far exceeding brightest dreams,

Sweet the thought of rest eternal,

Borne upon those morning beams.

ilC H R IS T I A N B A N D . r ixsv:~

,~I

~t

AUCKI.ANJ).-On September 30th the

Band, for the second time this session,

had the opportunity of bringing their

Scr iptu re difficulties and seemingly con-

flicting passages to our Bro. G. Ald-

ridge. who had the privilege of answer

ing the many questions brought. Many

passages, when read by themselves, seem

to convey no reasonable solution. but

when th~ light of other Scriptures is

brought to bear upon them they convey

to our minds much knowledge and en-

lightenment. clearing away the mist of

darkness that lies about tbem. So it

was with the Band on question nigllt-

the difficulties vanished under the lirrht

of God's Word. when rightly divided.

\,n" - ,y " a ll hp willinrr to let the Divino

light shine into our hearts, that we may

11P of the (lay. "PlItting on the breast-

nln j;p of fn ith nnd love. and for a helmet

the hope of snlvrition."

October 7th: A paper was read by Bro.

fT . Aldr+d ze on "Christ as .Jurlge." 1'11"

reader went into a very detailed ac-

rorrnt of the different indgments, show-

ing us from many Scr-ipf.ures that Go(l

1I'001ld nunish the wrong-doer and re-

ward the good. tile first portion of

Christ's work being to reward those who

arp in Christ .Tesus. when He shall come

with the sound of a trump and the voice

of an archangel. Then thr- nations must

be dealt with. when He comes with

power and great clorv to execute judg·

ment on them who know not God and

who obey not the Gospel of our Lord

.Iesus Christ. and. finally. the greatwhite throne judgment. when all that

"re in their graves shall hear His voice

and shall con;'f' forth to bo judged, every

man according to his works, life for the

doors of good: find cl0:lth for tllf' doors of

evil. "True and righteous are Thy judg-

ments, 0 God."

October lIth : "Solomon's Temple" was

the subject of a paper written by Bro.

E. Wilcock, who gave a lengthy account

of the splendour of King 80101110n'8 rule,

und how Israel as a nation became

powerful and prosp<'rous, reaching to the

noonday of their greatness in that reign

of peace. The great temple was built by

Solomon, who sought the aid of friendly

nations to hei p hi", in his work to bring

the cedars from afar. and make thestones ready at the qun rries. so that the

sound of ha nuner was not heard 011 the

bu ild ing. MU"h gOlll wa« used to beau-

tify the temple, built a Iter the pa.ttcrn

showed by God to David, with the mercy

Heat and the iuysterious cherubi ms. Af-

ter the house was finished there fol-

lowed a season of great rejoicing, be-

cause the house was built for God to

dwell in, and when the people saw His

glory they bowed with their faces to the

ground and worshipped the God of I~-

ruel, whose mer('y cndu rcth for ever.

C.C.




Seem in g jfatlures. ~be : 1 l 3 t b l e $tanbarb.RECENTLYa man prospecting in the mining regions, of Arizona

found a remarkable natural bridge. It-span's a deep canyon,

forty-five feet in width. The bridge is made of a great aga-

tised tree that lies ncross the gorge. Scientific men say that

many ages since this tree was prostrated by some terrific storm,

and fell across the canyon. By the effects of the water and of

time it has passed through many stages of mineralisation,

and is now a wonderful tree of solid agate. And there it lies,

making an agate bridge, over which men may pass from side

to side.

This tree seemed to be a failure when that day, in its prime,

it was broken off by the storm and hurled to the ground. But

instead of being a failure, to what nobler use could it have been

put than thus to become a bridge of agate, to stand for ages,

and on which countless human feet may walk across the chasm?

This fallen tree is an illustration of countless human lives

which have fallen and seemed to fail, but which in time have

proved to be bridges, over which others can walk to honour,

success and triumph.--Selected.

• • •J l3 e lRea t'l} ?

LET us wait for the Bridegroom. He knows His own time

best. He will come again at -the right time-neither too soon

nor too late. Sin and crime dread His coming; love cries

out at His delay. Neither will change His purpose. His surereturn is decreed in the eternal counsels, and the time is no

doubt set. To an hour and a day the Bride knows it not. If

in any sense He knew not in the days of His earth-life, doubt-

less He knows it now. No doubt He longs for it to come. For

from that hour on, on through eternity, the future of Jesus is

wonderful and glorious. Shall we he with Him through all

the eternal days? Hope whispers, Aye! But it reads, "Be ye

ready." Ours should be the thrilling answer of the Scottish

warriors: "Ready, aye, Ready!" Church of God, dost thou

respond to the Bridegroom's call ?-Gatherecl Gems.

• • •H ncboret'l to tbe 1Roc~.

READERSof Darwin will recall the description he gives of a

marine plant which rises from a depth of one hundred and

fifty to two hundred feet, and floats on the surface of the water

in the midst of the great breakers of the western ocean. Thestem of this plant is less than an inch through; yet it grows

and thrives and holds its own against the fierce smitings and

pressures of breakers which no masses of rock, however hard,

could long withstand. What is the secret of_this marvellous

resistance and endurance? How can this slender plant face

the fury of the elements so successfully, and in spite of storms

and tempests, keep its hold, and perpetuate itself from century

to century? The answer has leaped to every lip; it reaches

down into the still depths, where it fixes its grasp, after the

fashion of the instinct that has been put into it, to the naked

rocks; and no commotion of the upper waters can shake it

loose.

When a man has deep and inner clingings to God, when

the roots of his life go down and take hold on God, mere sur-

face agitation and pressures will not overcome him. He may

he floated here and there within a given sweep, like a plant

bosomed on the sea, and there may be times when it is very

rough, and the strain is great, but he will survive it all andpreserve nis integrtty.e+D«. P. A. Noble.

• • •Silence that IS eoieen.

IT ,is easy for one to poison a person's mind concerning an-

other. There is measureless ruin wrought in the world by the

thoughtless speaker. Characters are blackened,. friendships

are destroyed, jealousies are aroused, homes are rumed, hearts

are broken. L'et us never take up an evil report and give it

wing on breath of ours. Let us never whisper an evil thing

of another. We know not where it may end, to what it may

grow, what ruin it may work. Words once spoken never can

be gotten back again. We had better learn to Keep the door of

our lips locked, and say no evil of anyone. This is the silence

that is golden.-Selected.

The Bible Standard can be ordered direct from the 'I'reasurer,

lI1R. ALEX. PAG I' " lI1urdoch Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland.M d.

Price per ann urn, post free .. 2 GSingle copies 0 2

BOOK STEWARD-E. H. FALKNER, Queen Street.

AGENTS FOR rme BIBLE STANDARD:

NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland-lI1r. Hancock, Bookseller, Queen Street.

Wellington-H. J. Barraclough, Myrtle Crescent.

Dunedin-lI1r. Lawrence, Hope Street.

Kaiapoi-Mr. James Holland.

Rangiora-Mr. Wm. Smith, South BrOOk.

New Plymouth-lI1r. Fred Goodacre, Courtney Hoad.

East Oxford-lI1r. A. England.

Thames-Mr. C. Sanders, lI1acky Street.

'I'imar u=-Mr. H. H. King, Stafford Street.

Tinwald, Ashburton-lI1r. Shearer.

Waihi-Mr. Joseph Foster.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Adelaide-"lI1r. C. Gamble, lI1agill Road, Stepney.

NEW SOUTH WALES.

Sydney-lI1r. H. Cropp, Mitchell Street, Kogarah.

Oommunications to the Editor to be addressed: GEO. ALDRIDGE

Brentwood Avenue, Mount Eden. Telegraphic Address, ••RockyNook.'o

All communications to the Association and orders for Bible Standardto be addressed to the Secretary and 'I'reasurer lI1R. ALbJX. PAGE,Murdoch Road, Grey Lyrm, Auckland.

CHURCH OF CHRIST

Huld servtces as under:

AUCKLA ND-West Street,

Sunday, at 11 o'clock a.m., Fellowship Meetln~6.45p.m., Preaching Service.

Sunday School at 2.45.Wednesday evening, Bible Class at 7.41).

R;vangelist'. address-Geo. Aldridge, Brentwood AvenueMount .Eden.

Secret.ary-c-W. Gibson, Ponsonby Road.

ROSKILL HALL-Sunday at 11 a.m., Fellowship Meeting.

DUNEDIN_Oddfellows' Hall. Stuart Street.Sunday at 11 a.m .. Fellowship and Meeting.Evening Preaching Service, 6.30.

Secretary's Address- S. Laurence, Hope Street. Dnnedin.

HJ<JLItNSVILLE-Foresters' Hall.

Sunday Morning, Fellowship MeetingSunday Afternoon, Sunday SchoolSunday Bveulng, Preaching.

Church Secretary, R. M. Cameron.

I'n AMF1i\.-Pnll en Street Lecture Hall.

Sunday at 11 a.m., F'cllowahlp Meeting.Evening Service at 6.30.Sundnv School at 2.30.Bible Class every Wednesday evening at 7 H I

Evangelist-E. H. 'I'aylor, Bowen Street. Parawai.Secretary-Chas. Sanders, Mackav Street, Thames.

WATHI-'l'he Miners' Union Hall.Sunday 11a.m. Fellowship Meeting;

,. 2.30p.m. Sunday School.Sunday Evening. at 7. A Public Hible Add res e,

Church Secretary-D. Donaldson.Evangelist-Joseph Foster, Waihi.

l'lM ARU-Sophla Street Hall.

Sunday, at 11 a.m .. Fellowship Meeting.1'f'"retary's Address-H. H. King, Stafl'ord Street, Tlmaru

ADELAIDE. S.A.-Druids' Hall. Beula.h Road. Norwood.Secretar-y's Address-Georg-e G. Gamble, MagiJl Road, Stepney,

Adelaide. S.A.

Printed by THE BRE1'1' PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY. Short-land Street, for the New Zealand Evangelistic and PublicationAssociation. and nubllshed hv W. A. SMITH. Selwyn Road, Mt.Aibert, NOVEMBER. 1907.

Documents

The Bible Standard November 1907