“31-35) kingdom than Israel. He proposed to him a kingdom embracing all the nations of the earth, and that he should have the control of all these, and be able to bring in the blessed reforms which were designed of God, only one condition being insisted upon, viz., that whatever kingdom or rule or authority might be established must recognize Satan. The adversary thus seemed to see what he thought a favorable opportunity for consummating his original plans, for we cannot suppose that his original intention was to gain control of a dying and depraved race, but that he much rather would be the lord or ruler of a highly enlightened and well-endowed people. He was willing, therefore. to -ee carried into effect all the gracious work which God had designed, and willing to reform himself and to become the leader of reform, provided only that he should be recogmzed as having the chief place of influence in connection with mankind. It was after this manner that he wished our Lord to do worship or reverence to him-—to recognize his influence and co-operation in the work, and not for a moment can we suppose that he expected him to kneel before him and to worship him as God. Our Lord’s reply to this last temptation shows that it fully awakened him to a realization of the fact that there was no real reformation at work in Satan’s heart; that he was till ambitious, self-seeking. as at the beginning of his downward course; and he realized that to even discuss the matter further with one who had thus avowed his real sentiments vould be disloyalty to the Father. and hence his words, “Get thee hence, Satan”—-leave me; you cannot co-operate with me at all; my work is in full acveord with the absolute standard of the divine will; T can be a party to no program contrary to this, however alluring some of its features might be in promising a speedy conquest of the world, and a speedy establishment of a reign of righteousness and blessing and an avoidance of personal suffering; I cannot serve two masters; 1 ean only recognize the one supreme Jeliovah, as Lord of heaven and of earth, and therefore could not recognize you in any position of authority except as the great Jehovah would appoint you to it, which T know he would never do, so long as you are of the present ambitious spirit. I am operating along the line of the declaration, “Thou shalt worship [reverence| the Lord thy Gad, and him only shalt thou serve.” We may readily discern that this temptation of our Lord vas but a sample illustiation of such as beset his followers all along the narrow way. from the same source, directly or through agencies. Satan through his various mouthpieces is continually saving to the saints, Here is a more successful way of accomplishing your object than that which you are pursuing, a more successful way than the Lord’s way. Bend a little; make compromise with the worldly spirit; do not hew too close to the line of the word of God and the esample of the Lord Jesus and the apostles; you must be more like the world, in order to exert an infuence—mix a little into ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, Pa polities, and a good deal into secret societies; keep in touch with the fads and foibles of the day, and above all things keep any light of present truth under a bushel,—thus alone ean you have influence and accomplish your good desires toward men. But our dear Master assures us that we are to be faithful to the Lord and to his plan, and let things work out as best they may along that line; and that we may rest assured that in the end the Father’s plan not only is the best but really the only plan for accomplishing his great designs, and that if we would be associated therein with him as colaborers, it must be by recognizing him as our only Master, and with an eye single to his approval. Our Lord’s utter refusal of every other way of carrying out his mission than the one which the Father had marked out, the way of self-sacrifice, the narrow way, was indeed a great victory. The adversary left him, finding nothing in him that he could take hold of or work upon, so thoroughly loyal was he to the very word and the spirit of Jehevah, And then, the trial being ended, we read that holy angels came and ministered to our Lord—doubtless supplying him with refreshment such as he had refused to exercise the divine power to obtain for himself. And such we may recognize as being the experience of our Lord’s followers: with victory comes a blessing from the Lord, fellowship of spirit, refreshment of heart, a realization of divine favor that makes stronger for the next tria). Another lesson here is that temptation does not imply sin. As our Lord was tempted “without sin” so may his brethren be if they follow his example and with purity of heart, purity of intention, seek only the Father’s will. Sin could only come through yielding to the temptation. But let us not forget that hesitancy after the wrong is seen increases the power of the temptation. And we may note here that while Satan is tempter, endeavoring to ensnare us into wrong paths and wrong conduct, God is not so; “he tempteth no man” (Jas 1:13), and even tho he permit the Adversary and his agents to beset his people, it is not with the object of ensnaring them, but with the opposite object, that they may by such trials and testings be made the stronger, developing character through exercise in resisting evil. Let us remember too for our strengthening, the Scriptural assurance that God will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to resist and cvercome but will with the temptation provide also a way of escape. To avail ourselves of this provision requires mercly faith, and the more we exercise our faith in such matters the more of it we will have, becoming stronger in the Lord and in the power of his might; and thus by divine grace and under the Master’s assistance we may come off overcomers—conquerors. and more than conquerors, through him who loved us and bought us with his own precious blood.—2 Cor. 12:9; 1 Cor 10:13; Eph. 6:10; Rom. 8:37-39. A LITTLE WHILE A little while with weary feet to tread the narrow way, A little while, the trme will not be long, A little while the sinle-~ One to follow day by day, 4 little while to suffer and be strong. A little while with faltermg tongue to testify for God, A little while to suffer scorn and shame, A little while with voice and pen to spread the truth abroad, A little while to glonfy bis name A little while with humble faith to wage the goodly fight. A little while, grasp firm the two-edged sword, A little while, Satanic hosts shall all be put to flight. A little while, then, trust thou in the Lord, A little while, a little while, Oh, let this be our song, A little while, lay not the armor down; A little while, a little while, the strife will not be long, A little while, and we shall wear the crown! ~——GERTRUDE W. SEIBERT. Vor. XXI ALLEGHENY, PA., FEBRUARY 1, 1900 No. 3 THE PEOPLE THAT KNOW THE JOYFUL SOUND ‘Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.”—-Psalm 89:15 Salvation is the joyful sound. as the poet has well expressed it.” saying: “Salvation! O the joyful sound, What tidings for our race! Deliv’tance for the world is found Through God’s abounding grace,” This joyful salvation sound is the Gospel, as declared by the angelic messengers——"Good tidings of great joy, which shall he unto all people.” But alas, how few have heard this joyful sound! Ags mentally we glance over the sixteen hundred millions of the world’s population, we find that even the most extravagant claims would show that not one-fifth of the whole *"Poems anp Hymn or Dawn No 255 have ever heard these blessed tidings; the four-fifths are totally blinded by the god of this world, and see nothing and hear nothing of God's grace. And the matter has been as bad as this, or worse proportionately for six thousand years. How we should rejoice that under divine providence we were born in lands where the light of truth sends forth at least a feeble ray, and where many are not totally deaf to “the joyful sound!” Yet coming to civilized lands, we are surprised, almost appalled, at the gross darkness which beclouds the minds of the people of so-called Christendom, and by the dimness of vision and dullness of hearing of the vast majority in these most favored parts of the earth—of the majority of those whose lines have fallen unto them in pleasant places comparatively. Mentally we see nearly two-thirds of the so-called enlightened [2568]
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