Part 7

As a religious body, the work we have undertaken has not changed, but is the same now as it was forty years ago, as manifestly right as ever. We have undertaken to restore the gospel to the people; the ancient order of things; the religion of Christ itself, as it came from the Lord. We have gone up to primitive ground, apostolic ground, where the first followers of the Lord stood, and aim to practice in all things, as they did; have all things as they did; have all things as they had—the faith, the practice, and the worship, without anything added or taken away. The Lord has blessed the undertaking with most wonderful success. From five to six hundred thousand have heard, believed and been called together, and united on apostolic ground—made unspeakably happy in the Lord. We have been made free, in the highest sense, from all the trammels and fetters of men, from sins, from all error and superstition, and are servants of the Lord.

We have now a plain work—simply the work of the Lord and no other. We have nothing to preach but the gospel, nothing to believe but the truth of God, nothing to do but the will of God, and nothing to hope for only what is promised in the word of God. Our work is not new and untried, but old, well tried, and nothing can stand before us. We have truth and righteousness to maintain—sin and the world to oppose. We can make no change only at our peril—no departure without losing all. We started simply to be the people of God, and to give ourselves unreservedly to the Lord. We can not turn away from God, from Christ, from the gospel, from the law of God, from the Church of God and the people of God, without utter ruin. We can not turn away from the religion of Christ itself and not be lost. We have nothing else. Shall we, then, hold on to our God, to our Lord Jesus the Christ, to our Bible, the gospel and the law of God for the saints? Shall we hold on to the entire revelation from God to man in all its parts and as a whole? Most unequivocally the great masses among us intend, by the grace of God, to do this.

We need not stop to count members, to see whether it will be popular or unpopular, whether a majority are going on, or going back. Every true man is going on, and is intending to stand with every other true man and fight the good fight of faith. We stop not to see how many or how few are going ahead, nor how many are turning back. We would rather have been saved with the _few_ in the ark than lost with the _many_ who were drowned in the flood; to have been with the _few_ who crossed Jordan than with the _many_ who fell in the wilderness, and would rather be with the _few_ that shall find the narrow way and pass the straight gate to the enjoyment of life, than to be with the _many_ who tread the broad way that leads to destruction. We are now making the record on which these great matters will turn. Let us enter the field this year in the faith, with more determination than ever, and push the cause at every point; stand up all along the lines of the King’s army, every man in his place, presenting an unbroken front to the enemy, and unitedly move forward on the opposing ranks before us with a persistence, decision and determination that will command respect. Encourage the true and valiant, strengthen the weak and feeble-minded, stand by the faint-hearted and comfort them. Let there be no sympathizers with the enemy, none scheming mutiny, none demoralizing the forces, no deserters and no cowards. All stand firm and true, and move on in faith, “the full assurance of faith,” with power and courage, and the Lord of hosts will be our Lord—the King of saints will be our King. Let all men see that we have a right cause, and that we know _it is right_, and that we never intend to give it up, but that we intend to fill the world with the doctrine of the cross, make the Bible the power in this country. It is the book, the one book, the only book, setting forth the one religion for all peoples on all the face of the earth, and for all time. We can admit no rival to that book, nor any other that subverts or sets it aside, but are the settled and determined enemies to all others as _divine authority_. It is the _supreme_ and the _absolute authority_. Rally to the book, men of God, and stand by it. You have the book that all admit to be right. Be true to it and show yourselves worthy of it, and the God of peace will be with you.

WE ARE A MISSIONARY PEOPLE.

It will not do to conclude that we are not a “missionary people.” It is useless to reason against facts. That we have risen, and, in opposition to the established bodies of people in the different parties in this country, successfully planted the cause in the best parts of the country and among the most effective and intelligent people, and, in less than two-thirds of a century, made it one of the most formidable and powerful bodies in the land, and swelled the numbers above that of any Protestant parties in the United States, excepting the Baptists and Methodists, is now a _matter of fact_. This has been done and is now in history. A people “not a missionary people,” and not an _evangelizing people_, have never done the like of this. We are to-day going ahead and spreading more rapidly than any people in this country that depend on turning people to the Lord to augment their numbers. We say nothing about a people that count their infants as members of the church, and exclude nobody for disorder.

RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS.

The resurrection of Lazarus was like the healing of the sick, giving sight to the blind, and other miraculous benefits, only _temporary_. They were only restored to health in their mortal state, and liable to be afflicted again. The resurrection of Lazarus was only his recovery from death for the time being, and he was liable to die again. No doubt he did die again. But Jesus rose to die no more. Death has no more dominion over him. Those thus raised up _temporarily_, or simply raised up to what they were before they died, were not counted where Christ is spoken of as “the first-fruits of them that slept,” “the first-born from the dead,” etc. They were raised to immortality and died no more. The body was sown a mortal body, but raised immortal, or raised to die no more.

This, we presume, is the solution of the matter, though but little can be said, with any point, for or against it. It is, however, the ground on which we satisfy our own mind. It is one of the matters left a little obscure, and but one on which nothing of importance depends. The view we take of it obviates any apparent discrepancy between the passages above referred to. The word “begotten,” in “the first-begotten from the dead,” should have been _born_, as the same original word is elsewhere. A bare resurrection only raised a man to what he was before he died, and left him as liable to death as he was before he died; but the resurrection of Christ and those who rose after he rose was more than this. The body was sown a mortal body, but raised immortal, or to die no more. It was a complete and final deliverance from the grave and from death—the final triumph over death and him who has the power of death.

FINE CLOTHES.

A preacher pays a poor compliment to his brain when he tries to attract public attention, as a _preacher_, with fine clothes. A dancing master can vie with him in that line, whether the fine clothes are paid for or not. In the same way the preacher that must have a gorgeous temple, like Romanists and pagans, to attract the people and draw them out, and his choir of singers and organ, to discourse music for the saints, pays a poor compliment to his brain and his ability as a preacher, and a poorer compliment to the worshippers who have to be thus _drawn out_. It is virtually a surrender to the world, and an acknowledgement on the part of the preacher, that he has no confidence in the gospel, or his ability to preach to attract the attention of the people, draw them out, or turn them to God when they are drawn out. The church that resorts to such artifices to draw the people out, virtually acknowledges that she has no influence to _draw_ the people out; that the preacher has no influence to _draw_ them out; that _their_ gospel and worship have no power to _draw_ them out; but they have found out what will _draw_ them out. A fine temple of show, extravagance and folly; a popular choir, an organ, ice cream, strawberry festivals, musical concerts, church fairs, etc., etc. These will draw. Certainly they will. But what becomes of the preacher, the gospel, the worship and the church? What becomes of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and all that is divine?

Christ had not “where to lay his head.” What does that prove? Not that his followers should not have where to lay their heads, or that preachers should not; but, if following him and serving him should reduce them to such destitution that they would not have where to lay their heads, they should bear it patiently and not murmur, remembering that their Lord and Master had not where to lay his head.

“Christ traveled on foot and preached.” What does that prove—that preachers must _always_ travel on foot? Not at all. The Lord did not always travel on foot. What then? That a preacher should travel on foot if need be. We have traveled on foot to preach and would do it again before we would give up preaching. We, therefore, take the cars, steamboat, stage, private conveyance, any means most convenient.

SUBTLETIES ABOUT IMMERSION.

But, now, why this constant higgling over _immersion_? Why this continual getting up some kind of smoke about it, mist or confusion? It is the right thing—the precise thing the Lord commanded. Why, then, try to get up confusion about where it was obtained? Why not condemn faith because we did not obtain it from the right people? It is the _right thing_, but then a man obtained it in a _sectarian church_. Ought he not to throw it aside, and obtain faith from the right source? Then, where did a man get the gospel? Did he get it in a sectarian church? Must he therefore throw it aside? Where did he get his Bible? Must he throw it away because he got it from sectarians. There is but one safe rule in all this, and that is to hold on to that which came from the Lord, the right things, no matter where we found them.

We have not set out merely to see how radical we can be; to see how far we can differ from all men, but to separate the human from the divine—that which did not come from God from that which did; and when we find a man with the right book—the Bible—we accept it without inquiring where he obtained it. When we find a man with the gospel of Christ, we accept it, no matter where he obtained it. If he has the right repentance we accept it without any regard to where he obtained it. In the same way in regard to the immersion and everything else. Has he the right things—the things of God?

Why start these subtleties about immersion, and confuse the public mind in regard to it? Why not get up difficulties about the prayers, the communion, the repentance, the faith, or something else? We are not trying how many difficulties we can find, but trying to clear the way, and show all men that there is a safe and practical way to union, to oneness and happiness, both here and hereafter. We desire to emerge out of the darkness, confusion and misunderstandings of our times, and walk in the clear light of heaven. Whatever is right we accept, and whatever is not right we aim to set it right. That which has gone before our time is beyond our reach, and we leave that to the Judge of all the earth, who will do right. We desire to open the way for the living and those yet to come. Let us study the things that are practical and that work for peace, and the Lord will open our way to the highest usefulness and happiness in this life, and to all he has for the redeemed in the life to come.

ALL THINGS COMMON.

The community of goods or common stock was a _voluntary thing_ and not _required_, as is clear from the language of Peter to Ananias and Sapphira. Alluding to the possession he sold and the proceeds of the sale he said: “While it remained was it not thine own? and after it was sold was it not in thine own power?” Acts v. 4. There was no compulsion to do what he pretended he was doing—that is, _giving the whole_—no law requiring it. This case appears to have ended the whole affair. We find no more account of it, but clear allusions to liberality, to the rich and poor, etc., showing that it was not continued. There is no question but that some of the first Christians received the impression that the coming of the Lord, the resurrection of the dead and the end of the world were at hand; and the unbounded love of the gospel inspired in their hearts for God and man led them to regard their possessions as nothing. They did not believe they would need them, nor did they see the state of things that would result from their course.

Not only so, but there may have been a providence in it, as their city was soon to be destroyed and they “led away captive among all nations.” The main thing we need is the fact that it is not required of us. It ended at once and was not enjoined nor continued.

DELUDED.

We can not conceive how people could be more completely deluded, than to be so turned away from the promise of God, than when the Lord says, “He who believes and is immersed _shall be saved_,” he can not rely on the words, “_shall be saved_,” but can rely on an uncertain class of feelings reached in an exciting meeting without a promise of the Lord. The apostle commands inquirers, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and _you shall receive_ the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Here is a sure promise from God: “_You shall receive_ the gift of the Holy Spirit.” These people can not or _will not_ rely on _this promise_, but will rely on a peculiar state of feelings without one shadow of evidence that the feelings are from the Lord, or intended to assure any of pardon.

Members of the church should read their Bibles in their families and to their children, and worship with them, and teach them what worship means, and if they do not do it they will be held responsible in the great day. We must never stop but cry aloud and spare not, till this ignorance is out of the land. We exhort brethren, no matter where they may be scattered, to read the Bible, explain it to your neighbor, and be not poor, helpless creatures waiting for somebody to send you a preacher, but go at it and read the Scriptures, and show your neighbor how to read them, and where to read, to learn the way of salvation. Circulate other reading calculated to show them the good and right way. Be alive and awake to the work—read about it, pray over it, and do all in your power to counteract ignorance and superstition.

REFORMATION A SUCCESS.

It is true, also, that “God’s word, as the only rule of faith and practice, is as much set at naught by the religious world to-day as it was fifty years ago,” and more too; and there is nothing so unpopular with the masses of the people, and some _called brethren_, as precisely the apostolic way; and the Reformation is not a failure either. Our reformatory movement was right, and is still right. It needs no modification, but needs to be faithfully and honestly carried out. No reformatory movement can ever get in ahead of it. It went back to the divine fountain to find the truth, and not something _like it_, that could be _proved by it_. It went back to the Bible itself, and not to something _like it_, or something that can be _proved by it_. It went back to the religion of Christ itself, and not to something _like it_, or something that can be _proved by it_. This was no failure. The attempt was to go back to the Lord himself; to his own Book, his own religion; and those who attempted this, and _did it_, made no failure. They found the Lord, his Book, and his religion, and found the salvation of the Lord. There was no failure in all this. This movement has been in the world about sixty years, or about half as long as Noah’s mission lasted. Noah found the salvation of the Lord for himself and family. There was no failure in his case.

WHAT WE ARE FOR.

We are for the kingdom of God, and for all that pertains to it, but not for the _kingdom of the clergy_, either as manifested in the Papacy or among Protestants; nor are we enlisted to get up a _new kingdom of clergy_. We will never give our influence to establish any new kingdom of clergy, or recognize any old one. The people of God are _free_. They do not belong to the clergy. The congregations of the Lord are free, and not to be manacled down into human confederations and their great work ended in an insignificant sect. The day we agree to be banded together into some kind of general confederation of congregations, under a conference, convention, or we care not what you call it, we become an insignificant sect, a denomination, a christian sect, and will be nothing more forever. _Ichabod_ will be written on us. But that day _will never come_. Mark that. We hope that none among us will ever make the experiment, but if they do, they will simply land in faction, to dwindle away and die.

But, we have come to a crisis, and, it is predicted, we will soon come to nothing if we do not do something. We intend to _do something_ and are _doing something_, but not forming ecclesiastical confederations to bind burdens on the necks of the people, nor scheming to get _clerical power_. We have come to no crisis. The few scheming men that have so fully demonstrated their aim, have come to a _crisis_ and to a _complete defeat_. But that will not produce any perceptible jar in the movements of the hosts of Israel. That is a mere circumstance. The Lord’s hosts are in motion and the work is going on. Why stand with a human figment in view, when we have stupendous matters of fact before our eyes? Look into the columns of our publications and see the reports that come up every week from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, and from the North of the Dominion of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and tell us what of the crisis? The men in the field at work have come to no crisis and to no panic. The Lord of hosts is with them, and they are not to be turned aside from their work.

Read the accounts of churches established every week, the houses for worship built, the preachers coming over from the ranks of Babylon, as well as private members, and the vast acquisition to their numbers from the world, and then tell us what of the crisis! Go into the field and _go to work_, every man, in faith and hope and love, and win souls to Christ, and the Lord of hosts will be with you, and good brethren will come up to the help of the Lord and support you. But if we continue the schemes that are now confessedly _failures_, or devise new ones, we will dry up the fountains of liberality till we can do nothing. The children of God will give money to convert and _save sinners_, but they will not give money to _build up a hierarchy_.

A SUGGESTION.

We are not inattentive to the suggestion that we are wearing ourselves out in holding protracted meetings, and that we should devote ourself wholly to the management of the _Review_. We have thought of this matter much, both before and since we saw the suggestion, and find it not so easy to determine what ought to be done. The tendency is to find pleasant positions, occupy them, and go on easily and smoothly; to settle down and preach for churches, get professorships in colleges or high-schools, edit papers and evangelize the world by _proxy_. In other words, the popular idea is not to _go_ but to _send_ some one to preach the gospel. If we were to sit down in our editorial chair, at home, and write the most stirring articles about the great work of evangelizing the world and urge men to go, we fear they would inquire, “Why do _you not go_?” We aim to be an example—to go ourself, as we urge others to do. We see no other way to give force to the appeal to others to _go_.

The demand for preaching is such that we can see no possible way to excuse any man that can go. We have, therefore, rather concluded to _go while we can_.

When we shall go hence, we desire that any who may refer to us may see that while we said _go_ we also _went_.

We are perfectly aware that we could, in some respects, make the paper better to devote our entire attention to it; but, that we could, in every sense, give it the _spirit_ and _power_ that we can when we are in the field and among the people continually, we still hold in doubt. We desire to do all we possibly can for the cause, while it is to-day.

ANNIHILATION—FUTURE PUNISHMENT.

There is nothing about “the final annihilation of the wicked,” in the Bible, nor “the final annihilation” of anything. The talk about the “annihilation of the wicked,” no matter whether “final” or not, is mere outside talk, as nothing of the kind is found in Scripture. We can see why a man should want information about a country or a place where he intends or expects to go, but why any man should always be talking about a country or place to which he does not intend or expect to go, we never could see. There is one thing clear, and that is, that any term used in Scripture to describe or express the destiny of the wicked beyond the judgment, is such as to deter any man from desiring it, no matter whether figurative or literal. It is equally certain that no man will ever be saved by explaining to him all about the meaning of the terms applied to the destiny of the wicked, nor will a constant study of these terms, and talking about them, qualify any man for heaven.

Some of these terms are figurative and some of them are literal. In some instances it may be difficult to determine whether a term is literal or figurative, but in some it is not difficult. It is clear, however, that whatever terms are used, they all apply to the same things. Such a phrase as “beaten with many stripes,” we doubt not, is figurative, and so is “gnashing of teeth.” But “punishment” is literal, no matter in what it consists. No matter what term is applied to it, nor whether literal or figurative, the idea of “punishment” is always in it, always present. No matter _how_ they will be punished, what the means of punishment, or of what the punishment will consist, there is still the reality—the punishment. This is what the Lord calls “everlasting,”—“everlasting punishment.” See Matthew xxv. 46. “These shall go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternal.” In the original we have the same word (_aionion_) for “eternal” and “everlasting.” In the same sentence the Lord uses the same word to express the duration of the punishment and the duration of the life of the righteous, and there is as much reason, and no more, for concluding that the “eternal life” shall terminate, as that the “everlasting punishment” of the wicked shall cease. At the same time that the righteous enter into life, the wicked “go away into everlasting punishment,” and the same word, in the same sentence, in the lips of our Lord, expresses the duration of both; and we have just as much respect for an expositor of Scripture that undertakes to prove that the state of glory shall cease to exist as for the expositor that undertakes to prove that the punishment shall cease to exist, no matter whether he be called Restorationist, Universalist, Soul-sleeper or what.