A PERIODICAL FOR YOUNG AND OLD

WHAT DO OUR NEIGHBORS, THE MORMONS, BELIEVE?

In this our third and last article about the beliefs of the Mormons, we wish to give further evidences how the truth is misused or contradicted by them. In Psalm 85:11 we read, “Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.” The Mormons claim that in the 19th century this text has been literally fulfilled when Joseph Smith dug up the metal plates which had been buried in a hill in the state of New York. From what I have written about them, it is very evident that nothing but old heresies have been dug up by Smith and his followers.

The Mormons teach that the atonement of Christ ransoms all men from the effects of both temporal and spiritual death. They say that because of the atonement of Christ all are resurrected, all are brought forth in immortality. They don’t believe in a resurrection of all after life; no, they believe in resurrection at the time of one’s birth. According to the Mormons, immortality is a fruit of the work of Christ. They don’t believe that the soul of man is immortal because of its spiritual nature.

As mentioned, they believe that redemption from spiritual death is merited for all men by Christ. This means (according to the Mormons) that all men can be born again by obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel, as given in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and other latter-day revelations to the prophets of their church. Is regeneration not wholly and solely the work of the Holy Spirit? Thus they claim that man can climb up to eternal life. Is that the language of the Word of God? If immortality is the product of the work of Christ, then the eternal sufferings in hell of those who died in their sins is at least partly due to the work of Christ. If eternal life is the product of obedience to the laws and ordinances as proclaimed by the Mormons, then I can see why persons join that church. This kind of religion satisfies “self in putting at least a portion of the praise for man’s salvation upon man himself.

In their writings and teachings the Mormons do speak about grace. They preach “Salvation by grace.” But what do they mean by the word “grace”? I read in one of their books, “All men, by the grace of God, have the power to gain eternal life.” This is called salvation by grace coupled with obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Hence Nephi (one of their prophets) wrote, “We labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brethren to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God, for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” Is that the Biblical language about grace? Grace coupled with obedience….after all we can do? The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 11:6, “If by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace.” The Mormons even speak about the law of grace.

In 1852 the Mormon-apostle Brigham Young proclaimed as a doctrine that it was according to the will of God for men to have more than one wife at the same time. However, because of a law passed in Congress in 1862 the Mormons submitted after a long struggle to this rule set by the government. They believe in male Gods as well as female Gods, who bring forth sons and daughters for whom bodies will be available on earth in due time by means of human procreation. Mormons even believe that the Lord Jesus has been married and to more than one woman. One of their writers stated, “Christ has come to fulfill all righteousness, also the righteousness of the law, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Thus He saw His seed before He was crucified.”

Why did I relate these things to you in these articles? Is it because of a desire to ridicule the Mormons? For this I don’t have any desire; I wholeheartedly pity them. I loath the very statements about their doctrine which I have written down for you. I did it only to show you how far the doctrines of the Mormons differ from the doctrines taught in the Bible. I have found how ignorant our people in general are concerning the doctrines of other churches, and know of a case where one of our young people, brought up under the instruction of our church leaders, accepted the doctrines of the Mormons and left our church. I abhor ridiculing others with whom we differ in religious views, but only wish to instruct you so that you may be enabled to try the spirits whether they are of God and that “from all error you may be protected.”

Your friend.

Rev. A. Elshout

BIBLE QUIZ

Dear Boys and Girls,

Every Sunday morning in the church service we hear read the Law of God, as we find it in Exodus 20. Since you hear it so often, I am sure that you know it quite well and probably could even recite it for me. I thought that we would use the ten commandments in our quiz, each month using a different one. This month the first letters will spell out five words taken from the first commandment.

We have heard, or read, or seen pictures of the gods of heathen people, and have thought it quite strange that people would worship these things. But in this issue you will find a poem entitled “No God But Thee” which points out how that we also have many other gods in which we place our trust. We should ask the Lord to make room in our hearts for Himself, and that He might become our God alone.

Who was told to wash in Jordan, but said, “Are not the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel?”

Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should___________his voice to let Israel go?”

In what city was Gideon living when the angel of the Lord appeared unto him?

At the place called Babel the people wanted to build a________whose top would reach unto heaven.

When Sarah laughed at the promise of a son, the Lord said to Abraham, “Is anything too________for the Lord?”

When God gave the ten commandments, he said, “I am the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of_______”

Peter said unto Simon, the sorcerer, “_______therefore of thy wickedness.”

In the beginning_______created the heaven and the earth.

At the burning bush, the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen the_______ wherewith the Egyptians oppress

the children of Israel.”

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a _______by night, and said, “Ask what I shall give you.”

To what young boy did the Lord speak during the night hours?

Elijah said to the people, “If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if______ , then follow him.”

Who was the grandson of Adam, in whose days it is written that “then began men to call upon the name of the Lord”?

In the last verses of Ecclesiastes, Solomon wrote, “__________God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”

Who feared the Lord greatly, and hid 100 prophets in caves so that Jezebel could not find them in order to kill them?

Who said to her mother-in-law, “Thy people shall be my people, and they God my God?”

Of whom do we read that he “walked with God, and he was not; for God took him”?

The prayer of the publican was, “God be_______to me a sinner”.

In what city did the woman live who had a familiar spirit, to whom King Saul went before his last battle?

The answers to the September quiz are as follows:

“Search the Scriptures” John 5:39

Sergius Paulus — Acts 13:6–7

Elymas — Act 13:7–8

Accord — Acts 2:1

Rushing — Acts 2:1–2

Child — II Timothy 3:15

Habitation — Acts 1:15–20

Thessalonica — Acts 17:11

Herod — Matthew 2:3–5

Esaias — Acts 8:26–30

Shiloh — I Samuel 3:21

Cornelius — Acts 10:1–6

Robber — John 10:1

Inherit — Matthew 5:1–5

Prophets — Matthew 2:23

Tempt — Matthew 4:1–7

Understandest — Acts 8:28–30

Remembered — Exodus 2:24

Eunice — II Timothy 1:1–5

Straight — Acts 9:10–11

Answers were received from the following boys and girls:

John Bazen

Ellen Polderman

Linda Bleeker

Sandy Van Giessen

Gary Van Giessen

Randy Van Giessen

Tom Blok

Marilyn De Maagd

Curt Jenison

Neeltje Heykoop

Cornelia Heykoop

Gary Blok

Donna Zaremba

Denise Zaremba

Kay Meeuwse

Ruth Meeuwse

Carol Van Bemden

Mary Jean Vander Male

Lilly Ann Vander Male

Marinus De Vos

Janet Van Driel

Joyce Vanden Top

Judy VanDen Top

Gloria Van Den Top

Darlene Van Den Top

Eldon Van Den Top

Albert Van Grouw

Mark Meeuwse

Dan Meeuwse

Herlan Zomer

Harmen Vander Meulen

Martyn Anker

Teresa Vander Meulen

Frances Vander Meulen

Joyce Vander Meulen

John Blok

Bruce Blok

Janice Polderman

Ella Kieboom

Arline Kieboom

Henrietta Stapel

Rudolph Stapel

Janice Stapel

Sharon Bouma

Albert Bouma

Joan Spaans

Barbara Jane Van Bemden

Linda Kamp

Betty Kamp

Henry Kamp

Mary Kamp

Gordon Boluyt

Steven Boluyt

Ruth Ann Van Dalen(2)

Julie Rea

Joan Lugthart

Val Lugthart

Denise Stafford

Jerri Rea

Andy Korevaar

Alane Van Ravenswaay

Denise Van Ravenswaay

Gary Roozenboom

Abraham Korevaar

Louie Bouma

Lyna Bouma

Larry Greyn

Linda Greyn

Nina Greyn

Kathy Greyn

Vernon Greyn

Gilbert Greyn

Amy Kaat

Ruth Boerkoel

Neal Boerkoel

Kenneth Rus

David Greendyk

Marinus Slingerland

Esther Boonzaayer

Ruth Boonzaayer

Karel Boonzaayer

Maria Boonzaayer

Judy Slingerland

Cordy Vandenberg

Alida Greendyk

Nick Greendyk

Tom Greendyk

Marilyn Van Ravenswaay

JoAnn Van Ravenswaay

Esther Van Ravenswaay

Arie Vandenberg

Paul Vandenberg

Jeanette Vandenberg

Bobby Greendyk

Billy Greendyk

Bill Moerdyk

Carol Mol

Jim Mol

Jane Remus

Linda Remus

John Remus

Gary Kwekel

David Kwekel

Nancy Kwekel

Jim Van Giessen

Kathy Van Giessen

Barbara South way

Beverly Southway

Billy Van Wingerden

Kenny Van Wingerden

Arie Van Vugt

Arlene Wallenburg

Wanita Wallenburg

Carol Wallenburg

Steve Slotsema

Shirley Slotsema

Marcia Kros

Mark Van Zweden

Joan Van Zweden

Mariene Van Veldhuizen

Janet Van Zweden

Ralph Van Zweden

Mary Ellen Van Zweden

John Van Zweden

Cheryl Grisnich

Rhonda Grisnich

Peter Feyter

Wendy Grisnich

Joleen den Hoed

Arthur den Hoed

Kathleen den Hoed

Lisa Carlson

Dan Carlson

Judy Sweetman

Tunis Sweetman, Jr.

Janet A. Sweetman

Jenny Lee Sweetman

Mary Jean den Hoed

Rose Pluim

Jerry Pluim

Gloria Pluim

Wilma Oudshoorn

Billy Oudshoorn

Diane Oudshoorn

John Oudshoorn

Martin Oudshoorn

Carl Moore

Mary Beth Frens

Julie Frens

Sharon Frens

Marcia Hubers

Donna Marie Hubers

Helen Hubers

Hermina Faye Hubers

Rhea Stubbe

Hans Kuperus

Arlene Kuperus

Miriam Kuperus

Alma Van Beek

Anden Van Beek

Joann Van Beek

David Kuperus

Joanne Vande Waerdt (2)

Linda Vande Waerdt (2)

Wayne Vande Waerdt (2)

Gladys Van Bochove

Randy Vande Stouwe

Todd Vande Stouwe

Nancy Vande Stouwe

John Knibbe

Arnold Rus

Shirley Rus

Marianne Van Hoepen

John Van Hoepen

Barbara Sue Kamp

Richard Kap

Alice Moemp

Robert Kamrdyk

Debbie Kamp

Tom Kamp

Ruth Kamp

Marilyn Kamp

Billy Kamp

Peter Koppert

Christine Koppert

Bill Van Wingerden

John Van Wingerden

Janny Van Wingerden

Debbie Droogers

Billy Droogers

Nelly Koppert

Alice Koppert

Lawrence Overbeek

And again it’s time to answer our letters —

BARB VAN BEMDEN — Your letter is right on top, Barb, so we’ll start with you. We are real happy to have you join in answering the quiz. I checked them and they were all correct. How are you getting along in school?

JOAN VAN ZWEDEN — What subjects do you have in school this year, Joan? I suppose your homework is keeping you busy again. But it seems you were busy during the summer too. Do you remember when you started out in kindergarten?

JUDY SLINGERLAND — Our schools started on September 7, Judy, so I guess you had a head start. The summer did go by quickly. In the Bible we read that Job said, “My days are swifter than a post.” Do you know what that means? How is your mother? Be sure to say Hello to your family for us.

AMY KAAT — We are happy to have another new member in our list, Amy. I haven’t seen your new church as yet, but hope someday to come and see it, the Lord willing and we live. Do you live very far from your grandmother’s house?

JERRI REA — I am quite well, Jerri. How do you like school this year? Most teachers are quite nice as long as the boys and girls pay attention to what they are saying. Do you think that you would like to be a teacher?

GARY ROOZENBOOM — We have had several days of rainy weather recently, Gary, but the summer was quite dry. How far did you travel on your vacation? Did you catch any big fish in Lake Winnipeg? According to its size on the map, that must be quite a large lake.

HENRIETTA STAPEL — It was real nice to hear from you, Henrietta. I suppose you miss your sister now that she is off to school. Hail can be quite damaging at times. What a terrible storm that must have been in the land of Egypt when God sent the ten plagues upon them.- Do you know of any other severe hailstorm mentioned in the Bible?

LINDA REMUS — The season for swimming is past again, Linda. Do you like to swim? Was it a large zoo that you went to? It is surprising how many different animals there are in a large zoo. How many different ones do you think there are?

DENISE STAFFORD — It was in 1947 that I passed through New Mexico on a train, Denise. So you can see that it was a long time ago. Have you ever travelled to other states or into Mexico? Can you tell me who in the New Testament did much travelling, until he finally came to Rome?

RUTH ANN MARIE VAN DALEN — We were also very happy to meet you and your family, Ruth Ann. During the summer months we have an opportunity to meet quite a few of our young friends. Do you know how many miles you travelled while on vacation? I see I have two letters from you.

ALICE KOPPERT — Everyone in our family is quite well, Alice. How is school going? Do you find it more difficult than last year? I am sure it is quiet at home when everyone is off to school. Say Hello to your parents for us.

JULIE DENE REA — Has Mrs. Fariss moved away, Julie? I can imagine that you and your friends will miss her. How far do you live from the Carlsbad Caverns? I have read that many bats live there. Did you know that bats are also spoken of in the Bible?

PETER FEYTER — The picture we took of your family turned out real well, Peter. We are still talking about the nice trip we had this past summer. If you didn’t live so far away, I am sure we would try to come more often. But we hope it will be possible for you to visit us sometime.

JOHN VAN ZWEDEN — I suppose you also study about Patrick Henry, since your school is named after him, John. Do you take the bus to school? Do you spend quite a bit of time on your stamp collection? Stamp collecting is quite a nice hobby.

ARLINE KIEBOOM — We would like very much to pay you a visit in Sheboygan, Arline. But when that might be, I really don’t know. Are you taking organ lessons? It takes lots of practicing in order to play well.

MARTY ANKER — No, there is no Netherlands Reformed Church in New Mexico, Marty. They learned about the Banner of Truth from neighbors who were relatives of our church members. Perhaps all of us should be sharing our church paper with those about us.

RHEA STUBBE — It was nice to hear from you again, Rhea. Your answers were all correct. What is your teacher’s name? Almost all of the boys and girls seem to be glad that school has started again, but there are always a few who aren’t so happy about it.

MARY ELLEN VAN ZWEDEN — How are your grandparents, Mary Ellen? Be sure to give them our greetings. Do you like to get up so early in the morning? During the winter months it will still be quite dark at that time.

CHRISTINE KOPPERT — Did your aunt arrive home safely again, Christine? She probably had a lot to tell you about her trip. Have you ever seen your grandmother in Holland? I imagine she would like to see all of you.

JANE T. REMUS — How old were you on your last birthday, Jane? We hope that you may have many more of them. How are you getting along in school? You are probably wondering what marks you will be getting on your report card.

JANET VAN ZWEDEN — Your letter is the last one this time, Janet. Do you like school better this year than last year? Next month, the Lord willing, we hope to tell you about some books we are going to have for all of the boys and girls. Say Hello to your parents.

Again we want to thank all of you for the answers to the quiz and for the letters received. We hope a few hard questions won’t bother you and that you will just work a little bit harder to find the answers. May the Lord spare and protect each of us until we meet again next month, if all is well.

With Love,

Your friend,

“Uncle Garret”

BAD COMPANY

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” Abstain from evil companions. Many a young life has been ruined, and the first step towards it has been mixing with bad companions.

A father once taught his son a useful lesson on the danger of evil company. The boy was given to going about with other boys who did not walk in straight paths. His father, wishing to break him of the habit, one day brought him a basket of apples. He gave them to his son, who was very pleased with the present. Upon examination he found one amongst them which was rotten. He took it out, and his father observing him, said, “George, why take that one out?”

“Oh,” said George, “it will make all the rest bad.”

“Well,” said the father, “is it not possible that the good apples should make the rotten one like themselves?”

“Of course not,” answered George.

Then his father used the illustration to good purpose, pointing out how evil companions corrupt good morals. It was a lesson the boy never forgot.

HOW DO WE PRAY

I often say my prayers
But do I ever pray?
And do the wishes of my heart
Go with the words I say?

WORDS IN SCRIPTURE HOUSE

The word “house” in God’s Word signifies several different things. When David says, “Although my house be not so with God” (II Samuel 23:5), he means that his family were not so devoted to the service of God as he desired. House, in many other texts, also means family, as when Joshua says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He does not mean the stones of which his house was built, but his family that resided in it.

When the Lord says to the Pharisees, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses” (Matthew 23:14), common sense plainly shows that they were accused of wronging poor widows, imposing upon them and getting their property; they destroyed their houses as though they had been eaten up.

But “house” more generally means a place to dwell in. The body is the earthly house in which the spirit dwells ((II Corinthians 5:1). The grave is called “the house appointed for all living” (Job 30:23), because everyone now living must at last abide there, as in a house. The tabernacle and temple were called “the house of God” (Judges 18:31), because there God dwelt among His people by the signs of His gracious presence; and His glory appeared in the cloud and shone forth from between the cherubim over the ark. And also Jacob, when he set up the stone which had been his pillow, called the place Bethel, or the house of God, to signify that the Lord had revealed Himself in that place. The people of God are often called the church, as all believing in one Saviour, and one in faith and love; and so they are called the house of God, where He dwells by His Holy Spirit.

Solomon was astonished at the condescension of God, and he exclaimed, “Will God in very deed dwell with men upon the earth?” And it ought to fill us with wonder and gratitude that He has said by His prophet that every lowly spirit is the place of His abode, “For thus saith the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15). God overlooks the proud of the earth, so that He will not visit them with his mercy and grace; but the sinner that is humbled before Him on account of his sins, He not only pardons, but He dwells by His gracious presence in his heart.

Thus He is so great that He fills heaven and earth; and He is so condescending that He will dwell in the heart of every child that loves Him. How He dwells there is better felt than expressed; but all true christians know well the meaning of those words, “He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (I John 4:16). He that loves God and the people of God, God loves him and will dwell with him.

Behold the temple of the Lord!
The work of God, by men abhorred,
Appearing fair and splendid;
It lifts its head in spite of foes,
And though a hostile world oppose,
The work will yet be ended.

A building this not made with hands;
On firm foundations, lo, it stands! For God Himself has laid them;
The workmanship of God alone,
The rich materials of His own;
“Twas He Himself that made them.

He builds it for His glory’s sake;
Its solid frame no force can shake,
However men despise it;
And time, that other works destroys,
Against this in vain its power employs;
The work of God defies it.

From age to age His work goes on,
The stones collected one by one,
Ere long it will be finished;
And when He works His grand design,
The temple will for ever shine,
With lustre undiminished.

(The Friendly Companion)

NO GOD BUT THEE

There are no gods but one; yet
we A thousand things may take,
And set them on our spirit’s throne,
And thus a god may make..

That is our god, which most we love,
And which, would we possess,
Would make us all the fulness prove,
Of earthly happiness.

Pleasure or dross or selfish ease,
May be a god to me;
For thousands, Lord, bestow
on these The love they owe to Thee!
But how shall these our spirits cheer,
When care or sorrow’s nigh?
How can they bring the Saviour near,
When we are called to die?

Then rule Thou only in my mind!
Thine only let me be!
And, loving all men, let me find
No other god but Thee.

(Young People’s Magazine)

A LAST MESSAGE FOR

MY CHILDREN

My Dear Children:

Believing that God hath made with me, and with my seed after me, His everlasting covenant, to be a God to me and to my seed, I did in your baptism, and often since, and now do, before God and His angels, make a solemn surrender of you all into the hands of my God, and my father’s God, and of the God of your mother, and her father’s God, and in the presence of that God, and as ye shall answer at His second coming, I charge you —

1. To learn diligently the principles of our Christian and Protestant religion, from your Catechism, and Confession of Faith, but especially from your Bible. God’s Word hath a light and life, a power and sweetness in it, which no other book hath, and by it your souls must be quickened and live, or you must be damned forever; and the more closely you press the words of the Bible to your own hearts, and pray and think over them before God, you will find them the more powerful and pleasant. My soul hath found inexpressibly more sweetness and satisfaction in a single line of the Bible — nay, in two such words as these, “Thy God” and “My God”, than all the pleasures found in the things of the world, since the creation, could equal.

2. Give yourselves to prayer. Jesus hath said, “Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”

“I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” “The Lord is good to them that seek Him.” He is the hearer of prayer, and therefore to Him should all “flesh come.” The Lord, “the Father of the fatherless,” takes an especial pleasure in hearing the prayers of the fatherless young ones.

When I was left destitute of a father, and soon after of a mother, the Lord dealt so with me; and though I was too bent on childish diversions, the Lord on some occasions made prayer more pleasant to me than any of them. By prayer improve the Lord as your Father, consulting Him and asking His direction in all your ways, and seeking His blessing on your learning, and on whatever you do agreeable to His will.

3. Study earnestly to love, honor, and obey your mother, and to be a comfort to her. Much trouble hath she had in bringing you so far in the world, and much affection hath she showed you. She hath now a double charge and authority over you. The Lord now observes particularly what is done to her. Oh! for the Lord’s sake, do not dishonor her, or break her heart, by your disobedience and graceless walk; otherwise the Lord’s dreadful curse will light upon you, and ye will readily soon perish: for think what God hath said: Proverbs 17:25, “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him”; chapter 20:20 “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.”

4. Avoid as plagues every light, frothy and wicked companion. Be not a disgrace to me and a cause of damnation to yourselves, by keeping company with idle talkers, swearers, drunkards, tipplers, frothy or lewd persons. Scarce anything more infallibly brings persons to misery in this world, or to hell in the next, than loose and trifling companions — Prov. 13:20, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed”; chapter 28:7 “Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son; but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.” Never make any your companions with whom you would not wish to appear at the judgment seat of Christ and with whom you would not wish to live for ever.

5. Mind earnestly the infinitely important concerns of your eternal salvation. I hereby constitute the Addresses annexed to my Shorter and Larger Catechisms a part of my dying directions to you. Oh, ponder and practise them! Woe to you if, by your carelessness and wicknedness, you thrust the grace of God out from among my posterity! Ah! my dear young children, shall I at the last day have to echo my Amen to Christ’s sentence of your eternal damnation?In order to stir up your concern about eternal things, let me beseech you to read Boston’s Fourfold State, Pearse’s Best Match, Rutherford’s Letters, Guyse’s Sermons to Young People, Alleine’s Alarm and Baxter’s Call, but beware of some legal directions in the last two. Read also the lives of Elizabeth Cairns, of Archibald Alexander, and especially the lives of Thomas Halyburton, James Fraser and James Hogg. Perhaps, also, my Journal may be useful to you; but above all, read the Book of Inspiration.

6. Never affect conformity to the vain and vile fashions of this world. If you do, you disobey God, and hazard the ruin of your own souls — Rom. 12:2. “Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”; James 4:4 “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

7. Never marry, nor take one step towards marriage, without much serious and solemn consultation of God, and patient waiting for His direction. By means of rash marriages was the old world defiled; and it was partly on this account that it was drowned, Gen. 6. In consequence of following these examples, Esau’s posterity were cast out from the Church of God to all generations, Gen. 26: 34 & 35; Judah’s family was disgraced and killed, and it is to be feared that his two sons perished, Gen 38; not only Jehoshaphat’s family, but even the kingdom of Judah was almost ruined, II Chron. 21:22. How dreadful for your own souls, and for those of your children, if you take into your bosom an unconverted lump of wrath! For the Lord’s sake let no beauty, no affability, no wealth decoy any of you into this dangerous snare, which may exclude the grace of God from your family till the end of time.

8. If the Lord give you families and children, bring them up for God. I have essayed to point out your duty in this respect, in my two sermons at Whitburn and Inverkeithing which were printed; I pray you seriously to peruse these, and to comply with the advices given in the same.

9. Set the Lord always before you as your Saviour, Witness, Master, Pattern and future Judge. David said, Psalm 16:8, “I have set the Lord always before me: because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” It is the command of God, I Cor. 10:31, “Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

10. Adhere constantly, cordially, and honestly to the covenanted principles of the Church and to that testimony which hath been lifted up for them. I fear a generation is rising up which will endeavour silently to let slip these matters, as if they were ashamed to hold them fast, or even to speak of them. May the Lord forbid that any of you should ever enter into this confederacy against Jesus Christ and His cause!

This from a dying father and minister, and a witness for Christ.

John Brown

THE GREAT FLOOD

Before the world was very old,
(As in the Holy Book we’re told,)
Sin, which by Adam’s fall began,
Had overspread the race of man.
The earth, once made so pure and fair,
So free from sorrow and from care,
Now teemed with deeds of strife and blood,
For evil took the place of good.
The Lord in wrath, resolved to bring
A deluge over ever thing.

Now Noah was a righteous man,
Who, midst the sin on every hand,
Walked purely in his Maker’s sight,
And all his footsteps ordered right.
To him the Lord gave forth command,
And made him fully understand,
How he should build a spacious ark —
A kind of floating ship, or bark,
Of gopher-wood, with stories three,
And a window out of which to see.

At length when all was done, we find
God said, “Let beasts of every kind,
With bird, and fowl, and creeping thing,
Enter the ark; for thou shalt bring
Both male and female in with thee,
And all thy favored family;
For seven days only shall pass by
Before the windows of the sky
A flood of waters shall pour forth,
Destroying life upon the earth.”

So Noah did as God had said;
And to the ark’s safe refuge led,
Some beasts by sevens, and some by twos,
According as his order was.
Then entered, with his sons, and wife
Leaving outside all human strife.
And then, to make protection sure,
The Lord himself made fast the door.

For forty days the rain did fall,
Covering the earth and mountains, all.
Thus every living creature died; —
Only the ark, and those inside,
Floated in safety on the tide.
Then, slowly, did the floods subside,
Until the mountain tops were seen,
With trees, and Olive branches green;
And soon, the wondrous vessel sat,
Secure and firm, on Ararat.

Noah sent forth a gentle dove,
The type of peace, and heavenly love;
But she returned; for on the ground
No place of refuge could be found.
Again he sent her, when, at e’en,
She brought an olive branch so green;
So Noah knew the earth was dry.
And when again he bade her fly,
She came no more to seek his care,
But made her dwelling-place elsewhere.

At length came forth, at God’s command,
Noah, and all his numerous band.
And first, remembering all the good
The Lord unto his house had showed,
He built an altar to His name
And made pure offerings on the same.

The Lord then gave this promise sure :—
No more, while sun and moon endure,
Shall man be punished with a flood;
And lo! my bow is in the cloud,
To man a never failing token,
My promise shall remain unbroken.”
And now, dear children, when you spy
A rainbow stretched across the sky,
Thank Him, who thus His word makes good
Never to send another flood.

Submitted

IN GOD’S SIGHT

One night long ago a man went out with his little boy to steal some corn. Before taking the corn he looked in all directions to see if anyone was watching him. He was about to fill his bag with corn when the little boy suddenly whispered, “Daddy, you forgot to look up.” This timely rebuke brought the father to his senses.

God is in heaven! Can He see

When I am doing wrong?

Yes, that He can; He looks at thee

All day and all night long.

THE DUTY OF CHRISTIAN CHILDREN

“Know thou the God of thy father. “I Chronicles 28:9

“My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. “Exodus 15:2

Every parent who has the knowledge of God desires that his or her children would obtain that knowledge too. You are here called upon by the Word of God to seek to know your father’s God. You know what God your father worships, but you do not know Him. You are here commanded to come to know God for yourself. It is not enough to believe that your father knew God and that God did many things for him. “Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace.” This knowledge is life eternal.

How are you to obtain this knowledge? See how Solomon came to know Him. Solomon continued to worship in the way that his father had taught him to worship, and it was while thus engaged, that God appeared to him and spoke to him. The Holy Spirit of God uses the written and spoken Word of God to speak to us, and you are to use these means to find the God of your father. It is a big thing to claim to know God. Beware of easy ways to the obtaining of this knowledge. There are many religious teachers who will make it very easy for you to come to the knowledge of God, but you are to wait for the Spirit of God to reveal Him unto you. Conversion is God’s work. When I say you are to wait for God, I do not mean that you are to sit back and do nothing, but what I mean is that you are to wait at the Word and prayer until you know that God is speaking to your soul. God makes Himself known in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit alone can show this Person to the soul. “Know thou the God of thy father,” and not God as you or someone else imagines Him to be. And when you come to that knowledge, seek to say with Moses, “My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”

—Rev. A. E. W. MacDonald (Y.P.M.)

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