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Many good and strong things were said in be
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During the Session of the
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The Clarendon street church, Boston
of which Dr. A. J. Gordon has been pas
tor 20 years., has 1000 members. A re
ception was tendered the pastor on his
20th anniversary.
On the 50th anniversary of Rev. Rus
sel Conwell’s birth-day, the announce
ment was made that tho floating debt of
$35,000 of Grace Temple, Philadelphia
was paid.
There have been recently, 14 added to
the church at Bentonville, Ark., 13 to
Salem church, Montgomery, 16 at Beagle
Kansas., 18, at Winchester, Ind., 50, at
Warrenton. Mo., 17, at Pleasantville,
Ind., 12, at Linton, Ind., 9, at Zion Hill,
1nd.,18, at Mt. Pleasant, Ind., 42, at
Terre Haut, Ind,, 15, at Spring Garden,
Mo.
Among the curiosities to be exhibited
at the World's Fair is a pack of cards
made from human skin, once the proper
ty of Chief Geronimo of the Apaches.
‘•Cards made from human skin;” that
sounds savage, brutal, merciless. But
yet how much less so in fact is it than
cards the instruments of human vice,
cards the price of the human soul! Tho
inherent cruelty and curse of gambling,
—there is nothing which can intensify
that, —that is the last extreme and worst.
Many have thought that the air and the
water carry in them germs of impurity
and disease only when warm; but tho
truth is that frozen water is not pure,
nor is the air pure when cold enough to
freeze it. So: it is not “emotional reli
gion” alono which brings with it danger
of corruption, of error, of death, but this
danger cleaves also to religion without
emotion. As well the formal and tho
frigid as the impulsive and enthusi
astic may he carried away by worldly and
evil influences. Both in the sphere of
nature and the sphere of tho frost
J. n 4a. janvey da&iy .poison/**
One of the literary journals, writing a
criticism of a recent work on the Bible,
betrays its own want of fitness for the
task, when it speaks of “the author’s
manner as lending much charm to chap
ters with such unalluring headings, as
‘Paul and the Second Advent,’ ‘the
Apocalypse of John,’ and ‘the Author
ship of the Fourth Gospel.’ ” Unallur
ing, indeed! The idea is almost grotes
quely ludicrous as coming from the pen
of any one who affects competency, in
mind or heart, for the critical treatment
of theological and biblical literature. For
every student of such matters must see
that these headings involve pivotal ques
tions —questions on which the gravest
and the highest issues for the individual
believer and the whole household of
saints largely turn. Hence, they are, in
themselves, of thrilling interest, and he
•who does not have this has no right to
speak.
The rich man learned at last what to do
with his eyes, but he learned it too late.
He learned to “lift his eyes up,” but it
was after he had been driven away in his
wickedness—driven into hell. Ah, if he
had only learned, while clothed in pur
ple and fine linen and faring sumptuous
ly every day, to lift them upto God, to
see the Judge of all the earth as seeing
him and taking knowledge of his follies
and his sins, it might have been that he
had never perished: he might have been
drawn a.way from his wickedness here,
and carried by the angels into heaven at
his death. O sinner, lift up your eyes,
and behold the Sovereign of the universe,
the Saviour of the lost, the Sanctifier of
the believing: behold the heaven whose
door is open for you, even you, surely
you, and struggle to enter before it is
closed and closed forever to shut you
out.
How relentlessly fashion extorts money
from its votaries, how lavishly those who
serve the world must lay gold and silver
on its altar, and therefore how imperi
ously the claims of temporal things set
themselves between the cause of Christ
and the means necessary for its mainten
ance, —all these appear from the state
ment of Miss Mary L. Bisland in the “Il
lustrated American:”—“One of New
York’s smart social set remarked the
other day that no woman who pretended
to keep well in the swim could dress her
part under less than five hundred dollars
a month.” And can it be that in a world
where such things are possible from so
cial rivalry or personal vanity, there can
be any doubt whether the 1,180,681 white
Baptists of the South, shall, through loy
alty to Christ and pity for souls, raise
this year a permanent centennial mission
fund of $250,000 ? How little, how ex
ceeding little is that a month for each
one of us! And will wo not give it ?
In the recent work, the “Memories of
Dean Hole." the Dean justifies tho opin
ion held by Dr. John Brown as to “the
soporific quality of the doctrinal sermon.’
He says: “Not that he faltered in his
faith, because he knew that the best of
Christians may be overcome by an expo
sition of sleep, when lulled by a monoto
nous drawl, numbed by a frigid dullness,
dazed by insoluble problems, or exhaust
ed by vain repetitions." Os late years,
we have met with a number of references
to the inferiority of tho Episcopal pulpit,
its comparative lack of eloquence, in Fin
land and America; but wo nover dream
ed that its lulling, numbing, dazing, ex
hausting qualities were quite as bad as
the Dean makes them. Perhaps, as what
the English call “a sporting parson,” he
is less than just to his more serious
brethren, and slightly colors or even dis
colors their advocacy of tho doctrines to
which they have given a deeper thought
fulness and a higher reverence than he.
J lie f Ijristian SlnOcr.
Remarks of Dr. I.R. Branham at the
funeral of Rev. C. M. Irwin. Pub
lished by request.
I have had an unusual experience
to-day, having stood by the coffins of
two departed friends.
One, a woman, suddenly out down
in the midst of her responsibilities
and of her usefulness, like a full
blown rose clipped from its stem in
the richness of its beauty, and in tho
sweetness of its fragrance.
The other, a man who had almost
reached four score years, his physical
strength nearly exhausted,and his ac
tive work done, yet, lingering long
amid the scenes of his earthly labors,
as if loath to leave them, is gently
gathered to his fathers, like a shock
fully ripe and ready for the garner.
It is concerning Bro. C. M. Irwin,
that I am to speak.
I had known him more than forty
years. In 1852 a close acquaintance
began.- Through his influence, to
gether with that of Thos. J. Burney,
John B. Walker and N. G. Foster, I
was induced to leave my native place
Eatonton, and take a position, as
teacher, in the Georgia Female Col
lege, at Madison, Ga.
Bro. Irwin was then pastor ot the
Baptist church at Madison, and a
trustee of the college. It was there
that the ties of friendship and Chris
tian love which bound us together
were formed, and which grew strong
er, and more tender, as years passed
on.
I speak of Bro. Irwin as I knew
him, and as his life, work, and char
acter impressed me.
He was a man of decided princi
ples.
His impulses, though strong, rare
ly overmastered him, being subject
to reason and grace. His actions
were controlled by well settled prin
ciples, and conscientious convictions
of duty, based upon the calm decis
ions of a sound judgment. His
mind once made up, he stood firm.
Whether in politics, morals, or reli
gion he occupied no uncertainground.
Though modest and unobtrusive in
*all Jhese matters,/jet, to fin ’• out
where he stood, one had but to ask
him.
He was a true friend.
Change in circumstances, made no
change in his friendship. In pros
perity and in adversity, it was. the
same. The tender word, the sympa
thetic tear, the fervent prayer, the
helping hand, were the ready out
ward manifestations of the real feel
ings of his heart. I speak from per
sonal experience, for he was my
friend.
He was a consistent Christian.
His faith was firmly fixed in Christ.
It was the purpose of his life to obey
his commands, and to make his pre
cepts the guide of his conduct.
To him “to live was Christ.” His
object in his daily walk before the
world, was to exemplify the power of
the grace of God upon tho heart and
life, that those who were brought in
contact with him might take know
ledge of him that he had been with
Jesus, that he might commend tho
Saviour of sinners to those around
him, and bring them to a saving
knowledge of the truth.
He was a preacher sound in doc
trine, practical in his application of
truth, and a pastor, sympathetic, and
successful.
He was not what tho world
calls an eloquent preacher, and yet,
attimes, when deeply moved by tho
impaitance of his subject, and by his
interest for tho salvation of his hear
ers, I have heard him rise to the
point of eloquence. Ho not only
had power to convince, but he, also>
had power to pursuade, for ho was
instrumental in bringing many to
Christ.
He looked well to the wants of his
flock, feeding the young with the
sincere milk of tho word, and the
more experienced with the “strong
meat of tho Gospel,” thus “rightly
dividing tho word of truth, and giv
ing to each his portion in due sea
son.”
Ho was a strong advocate, and a
brave defender, of the faith as held
by Baptists. He was an earnest and
liberal snpporter of every Christian
work, and especially of the enterpri
ses undertaken and prosecuted by his
own denomination.
As years came on apace, and
strength ’began to fail, so that he
could not pursue the work of the min
istry and pastorate with his accus
tomed vigor,he didnot cease to labor,
ATLANTA, GA., THURSDAY. MARCH 16,1893.
but sought such fields as his ability
enabled him to cultivate. In Sunday
school and mission work he render
ed efficient service, at the same time
preaching the Gospel as opportunity
offered.
He did not “think the victory won,
nor lay his armor down,” until death
had relaxed his grasp upon the Sword
of the Spirit, and sent him into the
presence of the Lord, the righteous
Judge, to receive his crown.
To such a man, after having led
such a career of usefulness and con
secration in the service of his Master,
death had no terrors. Having the tes
timony of his life, I ask not for his
dying words to assure me of a peace
ful end, or of a happy immortality-
It was with him as David said,
“Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil; for thou art with me; thy
rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”
Notice these words. It was the
valley of the shadow of death. Often
the word dark is made to qualify
valley. But it was not put there by
David. There was no darkness in
that valley. It was the valley of the
shadow of death. A shadow tells
of the presence of light, for there
can be no shadow where there is no
light.
It was the shadow of death, not
real death itself. Nothing can be
; more harmless than a shadow. Not
even the shadow of a real serpent
can hurt. It has no deadly fang, or
poisonous sting. The shadows cast
by overhanging clouds, are fleeting
and harmless, and arc signs of tho
sun that ever shines above them.
Besides, valleys are generally the
most lovely spots of earth. They
abound in rich soil, limpid streams,
beautiful flowers,luxuriant
multiplied forms for life, and every
thing needful or its support. Though
there may be lurking dangers, yet,
with a competent guide and a power
ful protector, the traveller will pass
throngh it, not only unhurt, but re
freshed and reinvigorated.
This valley of the shadow of death
fs ’N't to bs th» »'ul2ihgylaci <Jb
Christian. He does not even stand
still there. He walks, and walks
through it. The stillness of the body
left behind it is no indication of the
condition of the spirit which has de
parted from it. That is inanimate
matter and returns to dust. The
spirit has no further use for that
house, beautiful, honorable, “fear
fully and wonderfully made” as it
was. It now lives and moves, walks,
in its spiritual, immortal, glorious
body, through the valley of the
shadow of death, and “returns to God
who gave it.”
No evil is feared. The Good Shep
herd is with His sheep. His rod sup
ports and defends him. His staff,
or crook, holds him as he passes over
difficult places, and guides him in the
path of safety. No wonder there
was the absence of all fear as Bro.
Irwin started from this side the val
ley. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace whose mind is stayed on thee•,
because he trusteth in thee.” Calm
ly he committed himself; to the
guidance of Him who had promised,
and, no doubt, he walked safely
through to the other side.
“He that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live again.
He that liveth and believeth in me
shall never die.”
So it will be with every one whose
life “is hid with Christ in God.”
In that valley tho Christian leaves
all the evils of body, mind and heart-
He comes out of it clothed in immor
tality.
He is forever done with weakness,
decay and anxiety, because he is for
ever free from sin.
“And there shall be no more death,
neither sorrow, nor crying, nor any
more pain ; for the former things are
passed away. And he will wipe
away every tear from their eyes.”
A few words of warning to fellow
sinners.
Wherever there is a shadow, there
must be a corresponding substance.
Therefore, if there is a shadow of
death, there must be a real death.
It is the substance, tho real death
that hurts. It is the poison infused
into the soul by tho sting of real
death, sin, the sting of death, that
causes spiritual death, ending in eter
nal death, unless healing comes
through the look of faith upon an
uplifted Saviour.
Edgefield Baptist church S. C. is
without a pastor.
For the Christian Index.
Tho Student of the Old Testament
will no doubt be impressed with tho
fact, that God in his dealing with
the Children of Israel did carefully
and persistently prevent affiliation
with surrounding nations. lie pro
vided for them a form of civil gov
ernment different from all other
peoples. He gave thorn a moral code
peculiar in its teachings and bearings j
quite unlike that of any other nation.
They were debarred from all social
intercourse with the tribes about
them.
It is not material for the purposes
of this communication to inquire into
tho divine phylosophy for this re
markable fact in Jewish history.
There is another fact touching the
Jews—that the Student of the New
Testament has learned with great
pleasure and special profit. It is,
that the prominent historic incidents
of God’s Old Testament people were
so strongly typical and illustrative
of God’s New Testament people.
Paul in his first letter to the Church
at Corinth and in the 10th, Chapter
recounts—lst, that he would not
have the Corinthian brotherhood
ignorant, that the fathers were under
the cloud, past through the sea and
were immersed into Moses, 2nd. They
ate the same spiritual meat: drank
the. same spiritual drink—of that
spiritual rock which followed them
which was Christ. 2nd, That with
many of them, God was not well
pleased, they were cast down in the
wilderness. 4th, Now these things
have become types to us.
But again—this Apostle to the
Gentiles goes further and commands
that we become not idolaters, nor
commit whoredoms, nor grieve Christ
by temptation as did the Children of
Israel, who fell in the wilderness.
That we should not murmur and
perish by the destroyer. “Now, ali
these things happened to them as
types,’’and their history so carefully
preserved was written for our admo
nition, “on the wc.rds of.vhe ages
are come.” The t Apostle says,
''-Ji inese tnin£fq’—the historic
facts of the Jews, all of them, were
types written for us, for our lessons,
for our admonition. I may safely
assert, that every historical fact of
record in the Old Testament is typi
cal of corresponding fact in the new
dispensation.
Is there an intelligent Bible reader
who believes that the history of the
brazen serpent raised in the wilder
ness by Moses to cure the bitten
Israelites has no further significance
than a simple knowledge of that inci
dent? On tho contrary, the fact is
not only recorded, but the whole
transaction was pre-arranged and con
sumated ; that it as a type of Christ
might be shown to them, “On whom
the ends of the ages are come.”
In other words, the glory of the
Old Dispensation is the typical rela
tion it sustains to tho New Dispensa
tion. That is glory enough.
In further support of this view the
same Apostle says : Ist, Cor. 9th—-
9th, For in the law of Moses, it is
written, you shall not muzzle the ox
treading out the corn. Does God take
care of oxen ? Or does he command
this chiefly for our sakes ? For our
sakes certainly it was written. This
command was originally given chiefly
for us, primarily for us, secondarily
for the Jews. The oxen of the Jews
should eat the grain as they were
treading it out, for God so commands,
but this Divine Command has a high,
er and a more glorious reference to
the support of tho gospel ministry
during the Christian dispensation.
Paul again, says: Rom. 15-4.
“Now, whatever things were written
aforetime, were written for our in
struction.” Tho writings of tho Old
Testament are hero referred to; and
tho fact asserted is, they were pri
marily written for the Church at
Rome and for all subsequent New
Testament Churches, that we, fol
lowers of Christ might have hope by
reading and studying the instances
of patience and comfort found of
record in tho history of the Jews in
the Old Testament.
Now, Dear Index.—ls your many
readers should agree with me, then
I desire to recur to the first proposi
tion. Why did God so carefully and
persistentlyjrcfuso to allow bis people
under the old dispensation to affiliate
with the tribes, nations and peoples
by which they were surrounded from
the date of the Decalogue to the
coming of Christ? This question I
desire to answer, but it would make
this communication too long for your
paper. If desirable, I may attempt
the answer at some future time.
J. G. McCall.
For the Index.
THE HIDDEN MANNA AND WHITE
STONE.
BY 8. G. HILLYEK.
“To him that overcometh I wiU
give to eat of the hidden manna, and
to him I will give a white stone, and
upon the stone a new name written
which no man knoweth saving he
that receive th it.” Rev. 2, 17 th.
The texts presents to us a double
promise. First the “hidden manna,’’
second, “the white stone.” Both
terms are metaphors. Let us con
sider each in its order.
God gave to the Isrealites, in the
wilderness, literal and visible manna.
Upon this they subsisted during all
their long and painful journey to
wards the promised land. And it
seemed, to their senses, to come
down to them out of Heaven, that
is, it was God-given bread. But
while it sustained their natural lives,
and thus enabled them to accomplish
their pilgrimage, yet it did not give
them immortality. Its effect was
only that of ordinary food. Jesus,
speaking of the manna, to the Jews,
said; “Moses gave you not that
bread from Heaven,” (it was God
who gave it;) but my Father giveth
you the true bread from Heaven.
Your fathers did eat manna in the
wilderness and are dead. This is
the bread that cometh down from
Heaven, that a man may. eat thereof
and not die.” See John G;3O, 49,50.
Erom these words it is manifest that
the literal manna of the wilderness
served a double purpose. First, it
furnished the Israelites literal bread
upon which they could live. Second,
it became an appropriate type of
another bread which, by and by,
should really come down from Hea
ven. We are not left to conjecture
whom the manna of the wilderness
Wo*pntended tp typify. Jesus clear
ly makes It point to himself. He
says: lam the living bread which
camo down from Heaven; if any
man eat of this bread, he shall live
forever.”
We cannot fail to notice the re
semblance between this promise and
the one sent to the church at Ephe
sus. The latter presented Jesus to
us as tho “Tree of Life.” Tho former
presents him to us as the “Living
Bread, which camo down from
Hoaven.” Thb idea common to
both, and which is the point of re
semblance between them, is, that tho
saint must live by Christ. Both teach
this fundamental truth. But there
is a difference between them. Fol
lowing the analogies already pointed
out in a previous paper, between the
literal trte of life that stood in
Adam’s garden, designed as a uni
versal panacea to protect man’s phy
sical constitution from all causes of
decay and the meatphorical tree
which “stands in tho paradise of
God,” we may conclude, that, when
Christ is called tho “Tree of Life,’’
the prominent idea suggested by tho
figure is, that he comes to us as a
healer. True the idea of nutrition
is not excluded, but healing is cer
tainly the leading thought. And
this fnnetion was most signally illus
trated by his works. He went about
healing all kinds of diseases, and, in
some cases, even raising the dead to
life. Thus he showed his complete
control over man’s physical nature.
But his healing virtue was not limit
ed to the relief of mere bodily in
firmities. He cast out devils, and
restored the raving maniac to right
reason; and he announced forgive
ness, to the penitent soul, burdened
with a sense of sin,—the most fatal
of all maladies. Verily Jesus is tho
great physician.
But in the text before us, Jesus is
presented to us as the “hidden
manna.” According to this figure,
Jesus sustains to tho soul a relation
analogous to that which manna—or
any wholesome food—sustains to tho
body. While tho idea of perpetuat
ing life is by no means excluded, yet
the leading thought, in this figure, is
nourishment. And this implies
growth, development, progress. It
is Jesus who supplies this nourish
ment. To the young convert he gives
the “sincere milk of the word,” that
he may grow in grace and in (know
ledge ; and to the more advanced ho
supplies tho stronger viands of divine
truth that they may be strengthened
and developed more and more in the
progress of their Christian experi
ence. There seems to be no assign
ed limits to that progress. He who
feeds on Jesus, shall secure, not only
an endless existence, but an ever
continuing progress in the perfection
of his being till “he shall be made a
partaker of the divine nature” and
“befitted with all the fulness of God.’’
All this is involved in the eating of
the “hidden manna.”
But why call it “hidden ?” Fol
lowing a suggestion given us by a
recent writer in the Examiner, this
question is easily answered. I cannot
give his words. But he set me to
thinking, and I was able to see the
appropriateness of the term. The
manna, which fell in the wilderness,
was visible and tangible, and served
only to sustain the body, but the
manna on which the Christian feeds,
is invisible and intangible. It is
something which he appropriates,
not through his bodily organs: but
by the affections of his spiritual na
ture. The invisible Christ is in the
Christian’s mind as an object of
knowledge, in his thoughts, as a sub.
ject of meditation, and in his heart
as an object of love. The manna
represents this indwelling Christi
and the chamber of the heart in
which he dwells is a secret chamber.
When the soul appropriates Christ
by faith, and finds peace with God,
and rejoices in hope of ultimate
glory, that soul is conscious that
Jesus is the source of these trans
porting affections. They bring to
the Christian an experience which is
exclusively his own. No man gave
it to him, and none can take it from
him, or share it with him. Hence it
may well be called the “hidden
manna.,’
We now pass on to the second
part of the promise,—“the white
stone” with the “new name” which
none can read but the one that re
ceives it.
I think the learned are agreed, that
jlohn (lorrowpd the figure .of a white;
stone from a custom which prevailed
among the Greeks in some of their
judicial proceedings. This was es
pecially true at Athens. The courts
often comprised a number of Judges.
In criminal trials, they expressed
their judgment by dropping into a
box, a black or a white stone. A
black stone meant condemnation;
the white stone meant acquittal. If
the white out numbered the black
stones, the accused was acquitted.
But if the black prevailed, he was
condemned. In the light of this ex
planation I think we can understand
the promise.
The white stone, according to the
above explanation, denotes an ac
quittal. But this implies that he to
whom it is given, has passed through
an experience which bears some an
alogy to a judicial trial. And is not
this true of every true Christian ?
The function of the Spirit, in dealing
with the sinner, is to convince him
“of sin, of righteousness, and of judg
ment.” In this process, the sinner is
brought face to face with the de
mands of God’s moral Law, He is,
as it were, put upon trial. The Holy
Spirit enters up against him the bill
of indictment, and summons consci- 1
ence to prove his guilt. Destitute
of all personal righteousness, he finds
himself amenable to the “judgment,”
and* liis condemnation would be in
evitable ; but at this cricis, in deep
penitential sorrow, he throws himself
upon the mercy of the Judge. At
this point, aided by tho Spirit, ho
takes hold on Christ as his Savior,
and being justified by faith, he finds
peace with God. This sense of jus
tification is a sense of full and freo
acquittal; and its significant syrnbo
is the “white stone.”
But we learn that the white stone
had a name stamped upon it. In this
it differs widely from the white stones
used in earthly courts. They had
on them no name, and they meant
that the accused deserved acquittal
because he was innocent. Not so
with the sin nor. In the process of
his trial, he was found guilty,—but
his faith in Christ was imputed to him
for righteousness, by virtue of which,
ho was not only forgiven, but actual
ly justified, or acquitted, just as if he
were truly not guilty. And for as
much as the name of Jesus is in
separably associated, in the experi
ence of every Christian, with his
justification before God, it
was eminently proper that the white
Brother Minister,
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VOL. 70—NO, 11 .
stone, —the symbol of his justifica.
tion—should be represented as bear
ing upon its face that precious name.
Why is it called a new name ? I
suppose it is because it so appears to
the penitent believer. In one sense,
there is perhaps no name on this
earth, more widely known than the
name of Jesus. And yet, every
Christian knows that it became to
him a new name, in the day when
first he felt Jesus’ blood applied “to
cleanse his soul from guilt.” Never
till then, did he know its sweetness
or its power. And hence the last
clause of the text is verified. It is a
name which no man can rightly know
or adequately appreciate, until he
himself receives it by sincere and
loving faith.
Thus I have endeavored to explain
the hidden manna and the white
B tone.
73 Wheat St., Atlanta.
For Tho Index.
BINDING AND LOOSING.
When Jesus asked tho disciples
“whom do you say I am,” and Peter
answered “thou art the Christ, the
Son of the living God,” among other
things Jesus uses this language,“And
I will give un to thee the keys of the
kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever
thou shalt bind on earth shall be
bound in heaven; and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.” The way I have
usually beard this passage interpre
ted is substantially, that Christ pro
poses to give the keys into the hands
of the church. The keys are the
rules or laws laid down for the gov
ernment of the church and its mem
bers. That the promise is that rati
fication shall take place in heaven of
the acts of the church. This inter
pretation does not seem correct, be
cause laws for the government of
God’s people bear no resemblance in
their functions to keys; and again, it
is to be presumed that each church
in every case coming before it, acts
in accordance with what it concieves
to be the law or laws governing.
Yet different churches act. different
ly under similar circumstances at
times; at times criticize adversely the
acts of another, and sometimes re
verse even their own acts. It can
hardly be that heaven has pledged
itself to sanction the fallible acts of
such fallible bodies. The inspired
writers condemed some of their ac
tions, and Jesus through John, on
Patmos, condemed instead of sane
tioning some of their acts. Yet this
passage, if the interpretation is cor
rect, furnishes no exceptions, but
says “whatsoever thou shalt bind on
earth shall be bound in heaven.”
Keys are instruments for locking
or unlocking doors or openings by
which ingress or egress may be had
to an inclosure. The kingdom of
heaven is an inclosure from which
man in a state of nature is shut out.
The gospel proposes to open the way
for man’s entrance. The keys of the
kingdom of heaven then must he
that which opens the way for this
entrance, for Jesus evidently used the
word which conveyed his thought,
for he was neither ignorant or care
less in such use. He is addressing
Peter by name, and uses the singu
lar pronoun every time, showing
that what was promised was to Pe
ter individually. The passage seems
clearly to invest Peter with the high
privilege of opening the doors of in
troduction to the rights and privi
leges of the kingdom, (not tho work
of regeneration, which is “from a
bove,” and precedes an entrance,)
but a visible entrance.
Let us see if the facts do not har
monize with this meaning to the pasj
sage. The disciples were forbidden
to do anything but wait from the
time the commission was given until
tho descent of the Iloly Spirit. When
the Spirit descended] Peter became
the speaker of the occasion. His ser
mon was effective. Numbers who
had demanded the death of Jesus,
were now convinced they had cruci
fied the Christ. They cry out in ag
ony “what must we do,” evidently
meaning what must be done to get
tho benefits of the kingdom of their
now recognized Messiah or King.
Peter authoritatively answers, “Re
pent and bo baptized every one of
you, in tho name of Jesus Christ for
tho remission of sins, and ye shalj
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost,
For the promise is unto you, and to
your children, and to all that are a
(Continued on third page.)