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Issued monthly by "The Bible Standard Publication Society," Lincoln.
•
EDITED BY
Geo. A. BROWN, Pastor of Mint Lane Baptist Church, Lincoln.

'fHE BIBLE STANDARD

is devoted to the exposition of Biblical Truth, especially the doctrine of Conditional Immortality, the literal Resurrection of
the Dead, the Final Destruction of the Wicked, the Signs of the Times, the Second Coming of Christ, and His Personal Reign on earth.

" The Wages oj Sin is Death; but the gift oj God is Eternal Life throuqh. Jesus Christ our LOTd."

No. 7. APRIL, 1878. Price Id.·

PEACE WITH ALL MEN INCOMPATIBLE WITH godly men was fast becoming extinct. The path of life was
FIDELITY TO CHRIST. blocked by religious teachers who ostensibly held the keys
of the gate ; they surrounded the entrance of the narrow
A Sermon by Geo. A. Brown.
way with a thousand unnecessary rites and commandments.
" Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth; Through the stately theological institutions they had founded,
I came nob to send peace but a sword."-)latt. x. 34. men must neec1s pass before they coulc1 be in the path
How strange this sounds, falling from the lips of Him whom leading to glory and honour and immortality. False in-
the Scripture calls the "Prince' of Peace!" When the terpretation given to Scripture had well nigh extinguished
angels heralded His birth, was it not of "peace" that they all hat was God-like and holy. And this false theology
sang, saying, "Peace on earth, good will towards men? " as become part and parcel of their nature. The mother
And did He not say Himself to His disciples, when about to sung it to her babe; it was learnt among the first lessons
leave them to go to the Father, "Peace I leave with you; of tenc1er childhood; the youth who would win the smile of
My peace I give unto you?" How can this declaration of the public eye must graduate therein at some school of
war, even of a sword, come from the same lips and heart Gamaliel. And this traditional faith and religion had so
that spake of peace? Does a fountain send forth water both far taken hold upon the convictions of the people, that they
sweet and bitter? 01' a tree bear two manner of fruits? had come to think that no other way was or could be right.
How can we reconcile this announcement of conflict with They had made void the commandments of God by their
Christ as the Prince of Peace? traditions. Such was the state of the Jewish Church when
The conflicting statements are seen to be in perfect Christ was born; and when in His manhood He entered
harmony as we recognize the fact that they are spoken of upon His mission-a lone Man! Unsupported by any body'
the Saviour in different relationships and as viewed from of men,-not ordained by man, nor holding in His possession
different standpoints. One-the proclamation of war-is a any document of credentials 01' authority from the schools of
view of the battle-field; the other-is the scene where theology-He stooc1,a Man of U'aT! A Man whose heart
victory is won. One is the war-cry; the other, the echo of was fired with holy and Divine truth! No weapon in His
the grand festal day, when the battle-ground is changed to hanc1 but the sword of the Spirit. And with this He
Paradise, and men's persons as well as hearts have been struck, and His blows were felt; for they fell with power
transformed, so that they wear the image of the Heavenly. upon the heads and hearts of those who had for many years
Christ's first advent inaugurated a great revolution in the been looked upon as almost divine.
religious system of his land and time. It brought the He-this Man of war-went from town to town, from
gloom of evening to the long day of reputed orthodoxy; and village to village, from mountain top to ship's deck, pro-
finally, settled many of its cherished beliefs down in dense claiming doctrines and principles antagonistic to sin and to
and eternal night. the erroneous religious system and tenets of His day. He
For years and centuries dogmas and forms had held the gave error no quarter; He claimed no friendship with
Jewish worshipper in captivity. Creeds were stereotyped' the sanctimonious Pharisees, for the sake of "peace."
and patented. And human theology had embedded truth Nay, otherwise; for the peace that had long lain on the
in the grave of tradition. Ligh is that once shone brightly bosom of a worldly and backslidden Church, He brake-He
had grown dim and gone out in death; and the race of ruthlessly brake! War was' proclaimed ; and with that lone
 50 THE BIBLE STANDARD.

Man-and illustrious warrior-has sprung up the greatest The Jewish nation is roused to ferocity and murder. The
controversy the world has known. heathens clamour and seek to destroy the Church of God.
And still the war rages, as severe as ever. Truth is not Prisons and bonds are tried as means of cure, to shut the
crushed, nor does she sue for peace. She yet holds up her mouths of these men. But, useless all! No incarceration
head in bold defiance. She presses her complete victory 'could seclude them, or prevent the spreading of their
here in this world; for the ground on which we tread is doctrines; and no threats of the worst that man can do
hers. The crown of honour and glory must alone deck her could succeed in getting them to promise that they would
brow; and then only will she stop the fight. She will not speak no more in that Name that created such dissension.
have peace till by herself she stands the vanquisher of 3,11 The complaint against the Apostles was that they" turned
her enemies. the world upside down." They did not agree with existing
Christ held out no flag of truce. He was stern in His religions. And not agreeing with the traditions and shams
denunciations of evil. In grave and emphatic words He of their day, they struck heavy and tremendous blows at
warned His disciples against the" leaven" of the Scribes these cheats and delusions. Great Diana of the Ephesians
and Pharisees, making allusion to their" doctrines." was openly attacked, as well as the inventions of that Church
This onslaught roused the lethargy of the religious that claimed the name of God as an authority for its
slumberer. It awakened the anger of the priesthood. They practices. The axe was laid at the root of the tree; and
found an enemy born in their very midst, fighting to over- they dealt unsparing blows at what only deserved to perish.
throw their beloved and cherished system. Apprehending Then raged with blind and wild-beast fury the worshippers
their danger, they determined, if possible, to C1'Ush the Man of these several systems, and they called in the civil arm
who dared to disturb the theological peace. against'the audacious Christians. In the pages of history
The conflict waxed hotter and hotter. The anger, malice we read of the dark and horsible deeds of cruelty perpetrated
and hatred of the human heart were stirred to their depths, by the pagans against the Jhurch, from the Emperor N ero
and the culmination is well known-it ended in blood! The down to Diocletian.
forces of the Rabbis, led by the treacherous Judas, took We might continue, and speak of the war and its progress
Jesus, and in the presence of a mob interspersed with high from that day to this; but enough. We see through all the
religious functionaries they crucified Him. But this was past ages that the principles and doctrines of Christ when
not completed until He had accomplished a work that faithfully proclaimed have caused a disturbance of the peace.
subsequent time has not been able to undo. He had won a It is true that the Church has at times fallen into a lull,
few followers, gained some hearts, made some impressions. and even sought the favour of the world, with an inglorious
And He died, leaving the world in a perfect uproar. . peace. The sword has remained in its scabbard, when it
Doubtless His enemies thought they had rid themselves should have been used in fidelity to Christ. She has sunk
of a great and dangerous pest when they saw their Foe a into a kind of half-and-half unionist, as in the days of
corpse; and hoped for a return to the peace of the olden Constantine. For the sake of peace, she said less and less
~I[ times. But such thoughts and hopes were destined to prove about the idolatry of the pagans until-natural result-she
delusive, and they are now to know more than ever the began to copy it, so that one could hardly discriminate
truth of Christ's declaration, that He came not to send between Christianity and heathenism. It was peace they
peace but a sword. wanted. But, like the Israelites of old, they rested in the
But a few' days elapsed, and they were disturbed by the wilderness only to make to themselves idols, and depart from
news, spreading with wondrous speed, that the Lord was the living God. Our Master had said, " Think not that I
risen from the dead! And, but a brief period from that am come to send peace on earth, I came not to
the Risen One armed His followers with a power against send peace but a sword." He meant this sword
which nothing could stand. His enemies could not resist to be used; and the Church for the sake of peace had
the Spirit which He gave them on the day of Pentecost. put it aside. It has frequently been so. But, friends, this
Astonished and confounded, they saw and heard the sword must be wielded by somebody to fulfil the words of
Heaven-endowed warriors of the cross. Unlearned men, Jesus, and when one class of men refuses to contend for
having the courage of lions, spake with unearthly authority, righteousness and truth, God raises up another who will
and won rebel hearts to the Royal cause. And the result of fearlessly and loyally carry on the war commenced by our
that one day alone, so successful was the siege, was the Divine Master.
turning over of three thousand men on the Lord's side! We live not in those days of fiery persecution. But is the
Now the warfare assumes a wider range and larger pro- battle over? No, no; let us realise it. Our age, as ages
portions. The twelve, within a few years, carry it into all of the past, demands our utmost energies for Christ. Error
lands. It is both of an aggressive and defensive nature. abounds=-is everywhere. And we must oppose it. We
 THE BIBLE STANDARD. 51

must be. its pronounced antagonists. This is a part of our THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS.
mission.
THE imagery of the parable is borrowed from the opmions
Talking of error, both in doctrine and practice, how it
of the heathen concerning Hades, or the invisible world, the
covers the ground! To-day it is in exaltation. The posts
state of the dead-which the Jews, in the time of the
of honour, the plaudits, the laurels, are all given to it.
Saviour's ministry had in part imbibed. There is sufficient
And truth-Divine truth-glorious, saving truth-is kept
evidence, both internal and external, to prove that the
down as much as possible, It needs manliness to take the
passage is a parable.
sword of the Spirit and go out to meet it. It requires valour
Dr. Whit by argues conclusively that the passage is a
and self-sacrifice in th~s holy war. For it will bring the
parable, and states that it was. not original with Jesus, but
same results as ever. It will raise against all who stand in
was quoted by him from some Jewish writings. "That this is
the ranks of the faithful in Christ the indignation and malice
only a parable, and not a real history of what was actually
and false witness of him who loves darkness rather than
done, is evident, 1st, because we find this very parable in
light.
the Gemara Babylonicum, whence it is cited by Mr.
But, alas! our heart is sad; for we discover a disposition
Sheringham, in the preface to his Joma; 2nd, from the
on the part of many to ingratiate themselves and live in the
circumstances of it, viz., the rich man's lifting up his eyes
smiles of the enemy. They seem to be holding out a flag of
in Hades, and seeing Lazarus in Abraham's bosom his
truce, and claim to have discovered neutral ground where
discourse with Abraham, his complaint of being tormented
they can dwell with opponents of the faith, in union, and
with flames, and his desire that Lazarus might be sent to
free of controversy. They will give up all distinguishing
cool his tongue ; and if all this be confessedly a parable
doctrines in which they are at variance with tho~e who list
why should the rest, VAhiC. is the very parable in the
to fables, just for the sake of peace. Unfaithful. This will
Gemara, be accounted istory?" (Wlntby, Note on
not do, brethren. God has given us truth that produces
Luke xvi. 29.)
discord, that breaks up societies that are based upon a false
Again, Archbishop Tillotson remarks, that 111 some
foundation, and it is our imperative duty to wield the sword
ancient MSS. the passage commences as follows: "And He
I
of the Spirit in the name of Him Who promises a grand and
spake a parable unto them, saying, There was a certain rich
glorious victory to them who are faithful.
man," &c.
This war will go on until the Prince of Peace shall come,
Dr. Hammond gives his unqualified opinion that this is a
and when He comes He shall hush the tempest with His
parable, in his commentary on the passage.
voice, and crush the wrong, exalting the true, the noble, the
Godlike. Then the grand angelic anthem shall be realized. The language of the venerable Dr. Lightfoot is strong and
" Peace on earth and good will to men," for Christ shall energetic. He throws the contrary opinion into ridicule.
reign from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the He says, " Whosoever believes this not to be a parable, but
·earth. Then shall error sink never more to rise, and truth a true story, let him believe also those little Friars whose
exalted shall sit enthroned never more to be trodden under trade it is to show the monuments at Jerusalem to pilgrims,
and point exactly to the place where the house of the rich
foot of men.
Then everyone who has fought the fight well, and over- glutton stood; most accurate keepers of antiquity, indeed,
come by the word of God, shall be praised by the Captain who after so many years, such overthrows of Jerusalem,
of their salvation, and being immortalized, shall in the such devastations and changes, can rake out of the rubbish
kingdom of God spend one endless day of peace; for to the the place of so private a house, and such an one, too, that
ends of the earth shall discord have died away. never had any being, but merely in parable. And that it
Let us in view of that time gird up, with all diligence, the was a parable, not only the consent of all expositors may
loins of our minds for opposition to error and unrighteous- assure us, but the thing itself speaks it." (Works, xii.
ness even to the end, not seeking peace on a false basis, nor 157,158.)
giving quarter to that that is against God and His revela- The learned and orthodox Dr. Proudfit very judiciously
tion; and may we be good soldiers now, that we may have remarks, " We are not to conclude that such persons (the
glory and honour, and incorruptibility then. Amen. rich man and Lazarus) actually existed, but they are intro-,
.. duced for the occasion, to urge more strongly the moral
intended." (Lecture on Parables, p. 190.)
'THEdoctrine of eternal misery appears first in " Clementina,"
a forgery by some unknown writer, about the middle of the We think that the above quotations will suffice to convince
2nd century. Until that time it seems to have been un- any unbiased mind that the ground is conceded that the
known in the Christian Church. Universal salvation was Rich Man and Lazarus is a parable.
first taught about one hundred years later. It may be said by our opponents, " We grant you that it
52 THE BIBLE STANDARD.

is a parable, but it must be established upon a literal fact." and large, is fixed between them; insomuch that a just
In reply, we would say that, "Such is not the case, for we man that hath compassion upon them cannot be admitted;
nor can one that is unjust, if he were bold enough to attempt
find many parables in the Bible which are not founded upon it, pass over it."
facts at all." Will our readers please read the parable
Now it is unmistakeably from this "Pharisaic doctrine of
found in the 9th chap. of Judqes, from the 7th to the
Hades that we have the Parable of the Rich Man and
15th verses?
Lazarus. The Pharisees did not', however, get the idea from
Taking for granted that you have read this parable, we their own Scriptures, but from the heathen philosophers.
would ask you if trees talk, or ,do they assemble themselves
The unanimous testimony of the Scripture writers goes to
together to appoint kings, and yet it is stated in this parable
show that lIades is a place of silence; it is u place where all
that" The trees went forth to anoint a king over them."
the dead are, (i.e., not living), it is therefore translated
This at once answers for an illustration that all parables are
many times into our English word [J1'ave. We will cite the
not founded upon facts.
following passages to prove our position relative to Hades :-
We now proceed to show that the Saviour referred in the
" What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?
parable, not to the views concerning Hades entertained by Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the qraue" (Hades,
the sacred writers, but to heathen notions of Hades which Sept.)? Psalm lxxxix. 48.
had been in part imbibed by the Jews,-not, however, to " For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the
aclmowledge the heathen fables to be well founded, but, by grave (Hades) who shall give thee thanks? " Psalm vi. 5.
the parabolic use of them, to set forth a train of interesting This passage affirms that ill Hades (for I now quote from
facts. the Greek version of the Old ~stament) there is no "re-
We now come to a very important enquiry, viz., Does the membrance" which is an attribute of conscious existence,
representation of Hades in the parable agree with the views and llO one gives thanks, and, therefore, affords conclusive
of the sacred writers on that subject. We answer that it evidence that it is a place of unconsciousness. But to make
does not, but agrees perfectly with the ideas entertained by this point clear beyond a doubt relative to the dead being
the Jews themselves concerning Hades. We will give you utterly unconscious in Hades, we quote Eccl. ix, 10. :
a quotation from J osephus on the Jewish belief of this " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
subject, and you will at once see that Christ drew His might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor
wisdom, in the grave (Hades) whither thou goest."
parable from their own theological opinions concerning the
WLitby says, that Shoel throughout the Old Testament,
state of the dead. But by no means does He sanction it by
and Hades in the Septuagint, answering to it, signify not a
using the same in parabolic form.
place of torment, or of the souls of bad men only, but the
Josephus says, "Now as Hades, wherein the souls of the
righteous and unrighteous are detained, it is not necessary grave only, or the place of death.
to speak of it. Hades is a place in the WOTld not regularly We have now brought before you the doctrine of Hades
finished, a subterraneous region where the light of this according to the Pharisee, who in turn had imbibed it from
world does not shine j from which circumstance, that in
this region the light does not shine, it cannot be but there the heathen philosopher and we have also shown you the
must be in it perpetual darkness. Scriptural idea of Hades which makes it a place of death and
," This region is allotted as a place of custody for souls, in and not of life. Which shall we believe?
which angels are appointed as guardians to them, who The learned Dr. Campbell gives the whole weight of his
distribute to them temporary judgments, agreeably to every
authority in favour of the supposition that the Jews Lad been
one's behaviour and manners. In this region there is a
certain place set apart as a lake of unquenchable fire, corrupted in their views by the heathen, and that the form
whereunto we suppose no one hath hitherto been cast, but of the parable was drawn from the heathen notions which
it is prepared for a day afore determined by God, in which they had imbibed. He says.
one righteous sentence shall deservedly be passed upon all
men. The just are now indeed confined in Hades, but not "It is plain that in the Old Testament the most profound
in the same place wherein the unjust are confined. For silence is observed in regard to the state of the dead, their
there is one descent into this region, at whose gate we joys or SOlTOWS, happiness or misery!"
believe stands an archangel with a host: which gate, when The opinion neither of Hebrews nor of the heathen,
those pass through that are conducted down by the angels
remained invariably the same. And from the time of the
appointed over souls, they do not go the same way, but the
just are guided to the right hand. This place we call the captivity, more especially from the time of the subjection of
bosom of Abraham. But as to the unjust, they are dragged the Jews, first to the Macedonian empire, and afterwards to the
by force to the left hand by the angels allotted for punish- Roman, as they had a closer intercourse with pagans, they
ment, no longer going with a good will, but as prisoners
driven by violence into the neighbourhood of Hell itself j insensibly imbibed many of their sentiments, particularly on
who, when they are hard by it, continually hear the noise of ,those subjects, wherein their law was silent. On this subject
it, and do not stand clear of the hot vapour (01' flame). Not of a future state we find a considerable difference in the
only so, but where they see the place of the Fathers and of
the just, even hereby are they punished j for a chaos, deep popular opinions of the Jews in our Saviour's time, from
 THE BIBLE STANDARD. 53

those which prevailed in the days of the ancient prophets. Parable? What fact did He intend to teach?
As both Greeks and Romans had adopted the notion, that We believe that He intended to point out the obstinacy of
the ghosts of the departed were susceptible both of enjoy- the Jews, their impending doom for having rejected their
ment and of suffering, they were led to suppose a sort of Messiah, also to show that the Gentiles (who had been
retribution in that state, for their merit or demerit in the beggars in the estimation of the Jews,) would be brought into
present. The Greek Hades they found well adapted to covenant relationship with the promises and covenants made
express the Hebrew Shoel. This they came to conceive as to Abraham I and the Jews would be cut_off, and suffer the
including different sorts of habitations for ghosts of different consequences of their obstinacy.
characters! Here we ask, on whose authority did the Jews The Rich Man. personifies the Jewish people, who were
believe that Hades was a place of disembodied souls? rich in religious privileges, being God's chosen, covenant
Answer.-On the authority of the heathen. It may be said people, as the Apostle Paul testified, when speaking of them,
that Christ must have sanctioned the Pharisaic doctrine of "To whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the
Hades, or else he would not have used it in His parable. covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God,
In reply, we say that if Christ sanctioned the Hadean and the promises, &c."-Roln. ix, 4, 5. "Their priests also
state, according to the Jewish belief at that time, then He were clothed in purple and fine linen," and served at the
plainly and pointedly went against the teachings of the Old , altar "every day." ~
Testament writers on the Hadean state. It was the special purpose of our Saviour to teach the
This we cannot for a moment believe to be the case, for if Jewish people that on account of their rejection of Him,
Christ sanctioned the belief of the Pharisee regarding Hades, they should lose their peculiar relationship to the gospel
then we have His sanction of it in its minutest particulars, benefits, and this and the torments they are represented as
just as they held it. suffering, very justly set forth their chagrin and envy arising
With the two side by side, there is no disputing this fact. from the reception of Christ by the Gentiles, and also their
And that makes it that all the dead are now detained down national overthrow, debasement, and sufferings for eighteen
under the earth alive, and this doctrine must henceforth hunched years.
become the ultimatum of all Christian faith as to the dead. By the beggar, the Gentiles are represented. In regard
Rejecting this, the objection falls to the ground that Christ to divine knowledge they had been poor indeed" when
sanctions it by using it to reprove these Pharisees. We compared with the Jews. They had no knowledge of God,
might as well accuse .Msop of believing that the birds and nor of His law! and they worshipped the idols which their
beasts actually talk because he makes them do it in his 'own hands had fashioned.
fables; and if any in his day really believed it, might he not By the death of the two individuals, is intended the change
be justified if he used their faith to impart unto them which was then about to take place in the circumstances of
important moral lessons by making the birds and beasts the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews were soon to be
talk wisely. deprived of their national privileges, because they had not
Indeed in this very connection, Christ founds a Parable made a good use of them, and were to be cast into outer
upon the dishonest conduct of an unprincipled steward, who darkness, and suffer the most tremendous evils that had
wasted his Lord's goods; and who, when he learned he was , ever befallen any nation. On the other hand, the, Gentiles
to be turned out of the stewardship, made a most dishonest were to experience a change equally great: they were to be
settlement with his Lord's debtors, cheating Him out of a brought to the knowledge of God, and of that Gospel which
large amount. was preached, originally, to Abraham. " To Abraham and
Shall we say that our Saviour endorsed this dishonesty his seed were the promises made."-Gal. iii, 16. In this
because he founds a Parable upon it, without even intimating way the Gentiles were to become children of Abraham.
that such conduct was wrong? " Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for '
In the Parable under consideration, our Saviour at once righteousness; know ye, therefore, that they which are of
reached them through their own distorted views of the state faith, the same are the children of Abraham."-Gal. iii, 6,7.
of the dead, with the most solemn and important of It is for this reason that Lazarus is represented as being
all truths. blessed with Abraham in Hades. He had embraced the
Mark with what consummate skill the Saviour handles faith of Abraham. Paul again says, speaking to the Gentiles,
these men, and turns the tables against them, by weaving a "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
Parable against them out of their own doctrine of Hades, and according to the promise."-Gal. iii, 29.
thus in the most effectual, if not the only way, forewarns The poor Gentiles were looked upon by the Jews with a
them of their personal and national impending doom. perfect loathing, such were not the characters esteemed by
What was the object,' then, of Jesus in uttering the those proud Pharisees. In their estimation, themselves, and
 54 THE BIBLE STANDARD.

not these despised ones, would be entitled to a place in own doctrine, the simple idea is a remedilessdoom, verse 27,
Abraham's bosom. Shall the delusive dream be broken? presents to us the appeal of the one representative, asking
Is there any way by which they can yet be reached? If so, Abraham to send some one to his five brethren. The five
this Parable must do it. Verse 22 speaks of the beggar brethren in the parable would indicate that this rich man
. dying and being "carried by angels into Abraham's bosom." had left behind him those related to him, related in the
Abraham's bosom, the Pharisees tell us, is that part of positions of life, standing together in these relations like
Hades at the right hand, set apart for the just, and that brethren, living as he had lived.
these were conducted down by the angels appointed over And now he desires to warn them of their danger,
souls, who are ever in attendance at the gate. That this Abraham is made to reply they have Moses and the prophets,
miserable beggar, this outcast of society, should be thus let them hear them. This brings us in the parable to its
honoured, was quite a different result from what these men, more'direct and personal application to these Pharisees who.
who trusted in themselves, conceived of the matter. were standing before Christ, and it is done with a masterly
Christ takes the very lowest to represent His character, of hand.
those whom the Pharisees looked upon as without hope and If they had failed to perceive its bearing up to this point
God in the world, and places the poor beggar in their they could fail no longer. The likeness has been drawn too
Hadean paradise. Could they other than see and feel such true to life for them not to see the;}selyes in it.
a reproof? And now, like the five brethren left a\ their father's house,
The rich man dies, and he too goes down to Hades, but they stand before the Saviour with the writings of Moses
not to that part of it where Lazarus was. But he can see and the prophets in their hands.
the place of the Fathers and of the just, and he cries to And will they hear them? Can they resist the subtile
Abraham to have mercy on him, this part identifies the rich element of truth that is stealing into their minds and
man as being a representative of the Jews, for none else reaching after their consciences? Shall not the writings of
Moses and the prophets suffice to convince them and break
could at that time call Abraham, Father,
down their un belief? Christ then makes the rich man to say,
How now is the whole scene changed, and changed to the "Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the
utter confusion of the Pharisees with no hope of relief. For dead they will repent." Is it possible to conceive of anything
in perfect accord with' their own faith of punishment in more touching than this a-plea put into the mouth of a
departed friend, that the very dead might be raised up to
Hades. This rich man their ideal of life, a mild type of warn comrades, who, though possessing the Scriptures, they
themselves was sent to the place of torment. In paid no heed to their teachings. And is it so that even this
doing this Christ designed to show them their false would avail nothing to reach such men. Alas! it was even
so. For the response was' that, "If they hear not Moses
position, .their fatal error, and break if possible the and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one
delusion that had possessed them, and borne them on to rose from the dead."
deride Him, and could they not according to their own belief In the last reply of Abraham to the rich man, we have the
see whither they were drifting, verse 25, presents a startling moral of the parable, for this assertion was subsequently
reproof. And not uttered by on(ewhom they hated, but made proved true, for Jesus did raise a real .Lazarus from the
dead! but the Jews were enraged at the miracle, and sought
to come by Christ in the parable in all tenderness from the to kill Him, because many in consequence believed. And
lips of Abraham .himself Could rebuke be more wisely thus they held out, until at lastthe picture so graphically
conceived, or more tremendously and deservedly given? drawn by the Saviour began to meet its fulfillment in terrible
fact, for their Temple was destroyed and they were scattered,
The Pharisees in their doctrine of Hades had fixed a
like autumn leaves before the wind, into all nations, they
chaos deep and large between the "just and the unjust." died to all their former privileges,died as a nation and from
So that if one felt to compassionate the tormented on the that time to this their land has been trampled down by
one hand or bold enough to attempt to escape from the Gentile rulers, and they have been suffering the severest
privation and persecution that could ever befall a people.
torment on the other, they could not "pass over it." Can And we have also lived to see the great and wonderful
anyone mark this continued and perfect correspondence change which from that' time passed over the Gentiles, they
between their doctrine of Hades and the parable, and have have been brought under the immediate blessings of cove-
nant mercy and to-day they rejoice.in the fact that they are
remaining a doubt as to the fact that the one was founded made partakers through Christ of the promise made to
upon the other? Abraham long years ago. In conclusion we would direct
In this impassable gnlf Christ now hangs them upon your minds to the opinion of Dr. Lightfoot on the subject-
he says: "The main scope and design of the parable seems
their own gallows, as Haman was executed upon his. He to be this-to hint the destruction of the unbelieving Jews,
showed them their hopeless condition if they continued their who, though they had Moses and the prophets, did not
worldly course and also continued their rejection of Him believe them-nay, would not believe, though' one (even
as a nation. Jesus) arose from the dead. For that conclusion of the
parable abundantly evidenced what it aimed at; if they hear
And he clinches the truth of it upon the very face of their not Moses and the prophets." .
 THE BIBLE STANDARD. 55

STANDING ALONE. stand approved of' Him Who hath bought him .with His
blood.
By H. L. Hastings.
For peace's sake he may concede much. For Christ's
THERE is neither virtue nor profit in standing alone, if OUl' sake he may endure much. But he must not forsake his
isolation is the result of our own disagreeableness, stubborn- Lord. He must not prove recreant to his trust. He must
ness, ugliness, or oddity. It is by no means certain that not see right trodden down and wrong exalted, and coun-
a man is out of bad company because no one else is near tenance the act. He may deny himself, but he must not
him; and his separation from others may be his fault deny his Lord. He may sacrifice his pleasure, but he must
instead of his duty. If his heart be sour and morose; if not violate his conscience. He may waive his opinions, but he
his hand be against every man in Ishmaelitish rage and must not forsake his faith. He may yield his preferences,
controversial impertinence; if he can agree with no one, but he must not abandon his principles. He may love his
and would change his own course if he saw anyone else brethren, but he must follow his M~ He may consent
agreeing with him; if he is alone as lions and tigers are to that which is expedient, but he must be steadfast for that
alone,-because they are too fierce and selfish to have which is right. He may respect man; he must obey God.
company,-then his loneliness is his sin against the Such a man, impelled by such influences, must some-
common ties of human brotherhood, against the sweet times stand alone. He knows the right, and he cannot
charities of Christian fellowship, against the unity of the join hands with those who pursue the wrong. He sees
"one .body" and against the communion of the "one the ditch, and he cannot follow the blind leaders who grope
spirit. " along its margin. He perceives the guile of' crafty men, and
But, notwithstanding all this, there are timea and cir- he cannot link himself with those who are dupes and tools.
cumstances which compel the servant of God to stand alone. He cannot strike hands with worldly policy; he cannot veer
The grace which has constituted him a son and heir of God; and vacillate with every changing wind; he cannot accom-
the Holy Spirit which has renewed his heart; the precious modate his principles to suit the times or to suit the tastes
faith by which he has been saved and purified; the blessed of selfish men; he cannot lend his influence to crooked
hope to which he has fled for refuge from the storms of policy, nor his countenance to covert iniquity; and so, by .
earth; the heavenly heritage which has weaned him from every principle of his new nature, and by every impulse
the world and made him but a pilgrim here ;-all these and which comes to him from above, he is compelled to stand .
. other things which distinguish broadly between what he was alone. He cannot strive or cry or cause his voice to be
and what he is. may prove sources of isolation in a world of heard in the streets amid the brawling clamour of a thousand
sin and among a race of sinful men. tongues; he cannot be a manof bitterness and jangling and
The Christian isolation is far from being a mere local disputation; he cannot mar the gentle charities of heaven
separation from the presence and occupations of his fellow- by rude contentions with the crafty, the designing, and the
men. His is no cloistered virtue, shunning the walks and bold ;-and hence he finds himself withdrawn from the
warfare of an active life; it is no separation from human unquiet clamour to walk in loneliness and obscurity, to
sympathies and fellowships and tears. It is no going 'out of strengthen his heart in patience and fidelity, to await the
the world into trackless deserts or lonely hermitages; nor is changes which may occur in ways unknown to him, and to
it passing by "upon the other side" when suffering abide the call of God and the issues of His Providence,
humanity lies stripped and wounded and weltering in its whenever or whatever it may designate his labour and
gore. But it is rather a separation from sin and from appoint his lot.
sinners in their sinning; a separation from craft and from the The man who is thus called of God, who listens to the
crafty in their craftiness; a separation from the blinded instructions of the Bible, the teachings of' the Holy Ghost,
multitude and from their blind misleaders ; a separation the voice of conscience, and the indications of D: vine
foreseen and foreshadowed by Him who hath chosen us out Providence, need not fear or faint, though he finds himself
of the world, Who hath said, "Thou shalt not follow the standing alone. The truth which is trampled down and
multitude to do evil," and Whose message to His people is, turned out of doors to-day, will soon be lifted up and
" Come out from among them and be separate, and touch welcomed back again. The Christ who was crucified on
not the unclean thing," &c. Calvary, amid taunts and scoffs and mockings, arises to
This is a separation to which any child of God may be reign on Zion, while all the ~ngels worship Him. To-day's
called, and from which everyone should be prepared. minority is the majority of the future; to-day's majority will
Much as he may love the fellowship of brethren or the be the shame and stench of days to come.
friendship of his associates, yet he must be prepared to He who for company's sake has fellowship with eLTOl',
sacrifice all, forsake all, and deny self, if thereby he may wrong, and sin, may find that living in Sodom is vexatious
 THE BIBLE STANDARD.

in itself, and may have to change his quarters at last with strengthened me, that by me the preaching might be fully
inconvenient haste; while he who, Abraham-like, consents known, and 1 was delivered out of the mouth of the
to be a pilgrim on the earth, shall know the purposes of his lion." And John, in exile on the rocky shores of Patmos,
heavenly Father, and shall view in distant safety the smoke beheld the opened heavens, and read the unsealed scroll of
of Sodoru's overthrow, or the tumult of Babylon's destruction. destiny, and saw the splendour of the golden city and the
He who is called of God to stand alone, may stand with- glory of the world to come as man had never done before.
out fear. With truth, he is on the strongest side; with Thus places of loneliness have become places of wondrous
right for his buckler, he shall withstand his foes; with God, blessing, and many who have reclined in solitude and dark-
he has more than a majority. All flesh is grass, and all the ness on .a wayside stone, have arisen to call their resting-
goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass place a Bethel because the Lord had there revealed Himself
withereth and the flower fadeth, but the word of God to them. "Let us then go forth unto Him without the
endureth for ever. What shall he fear who rests upon that camp, bearing His reproach." And in our weariness and
word? All things are working for his good, and all things solitude and tears, we shall find a preparation for work
are his. Tribulation and sorrow, trial or temptation, life or which God may yet set before us, such as nowhere else is
death,-all are his. His are the changes of time; his the found. Are you called of God to stand alone? Stand then
compensations of eternity. He need not fret himself where God would have you. Your trial shall be brief.
because of evil doers, or because of him who prospereth in Your triumph shall know no end. Held back from the pro-
his way. The momentary vantage is the presage of utter tections of men you shall be guarded by the angels of the
and inglorious overthrow, and temporary defeats culminate Most High. Restrained by the word and spirit of God from
in everlasting victories. Let but the humble Simon of fellowship with lfnrighteonsness, and error, and friendship
Cyrene be forced to bear the Saviour's cross, and his patent with the world, rou shall find sweeter friendship with the
of nobility is sure, and a fame wider than that of kings and Father and witli the Son, and the lost friendships of time
statesmen clings to him throughout the centuries of time shall be more than compensated by the sacred bonds that
and cycles of eternity. He who stands alone for God shall shall unite us for eternity. And when the weary years of
never lack for company. Though the thoughtless rabble toil and conflict shall be done; when the watchmen who
around him cannot see his sun-crowned head above the fogs so long have stood alone on distant towers and battlements,
and mists that blind their eyes, yet he shall have fellowship shall gather to the hill of God; when the separated ones
with God and with His separated people through all the shall see each other face to face and eye to eye: when the
years of time. He is alone, but God is with him. He is voices that have chanted the midnight lays of sorrow shall
alone, but angels guard him. He is alone, and yet he is uplift the awakening songs of everlasting joy; when all the
a member of that True Vine whose branches overspread the loneliness of saints in this poor sinful world is forgotten in
world. He is alone; what cares he for loneliness so long as the meeting, the reunion, and the triumph of the" general
he walks with God? assembly and church of the firstborn; when the hidden
Are you called to stand alone? What then? Did not mystery of all our sorrows is revealed, we shall rejoice that
Noah stand alone when he foretold the flood, prepared the it has been given to us to follow in the steps of Him Whose
ark, and escaped destruction? Did not Abraham stand heart was often lonely in this world, and Who once said to
alone, when he forsook his kindred and his country to be a His disciples, "Ye shall be scattered and leave Me alone,
pilgrim and a stranger on the earth? Did not J oseph stand and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me."
alone, when he was hated, sold, enslaved, and persecuted?
Did not Moses stand alone when he renounced the splendours THE EASTERN QUESTION: In the Light of Scripture.
of Egyptian royalty to share the fortunes of a race of slaves? Being a short examination of the Prophecies concerning the time of
Did not Caleb and Joshua stand alone, when all the con- the end; with a Word of Warning to the Church and the World'
to which is also appended, a copy of the Will of Peter the Great:
gregation bade to stone them with stones, because they Price Sixpence.
followed the Lord fully and brought no evil tidings from the GLASGOW: of the Author, Mr. DICKsoN, 46, Jamaica Street.
goodly land? Did not David stand dlone, when all the
Subscriptions for the "Bible Standard," with all communi-
hosts of Israel quailed before the giant of Gath? Did not cations relating to the Paper, to be addressed to the Editor
Elijah stand alone, when he confronted the prophets of Baal No. 2, South Park Villas, Lincoln. Subscriptions for singl~
on the summit of Mount Carmel? Did not the Hebrews Copy. 1/- per annum, or 1/6 post-paid; three Copiespost-tree
stand alone, when they braved the terrors of the fiery for 3/- Special arrangements made for quantities for free
circulation.
furnace? Did not Daniel stand alone, when he passed
through the lions' den? Did not Paul stand alone, when
Demas left him, when all Asia turned away from him, when
Mint Lane Baptist Church, Lincoln.
his own converts denied his apostleship, and when all The Pastor, Geo. A. BROWN, will deliver special discourses
forsook him and fled from the presence of his imperial on Sunday evenings, during the Month, on Prophesy relating
persecutor? Did not John stand alone, an exile on the to the time of the end and the Second Coming of Christ.
lonely shores of Patmos? And have not many of God's •
holiest, mightiest, truest, noblest sons, been called to this The Anniversary Services of the above Church were held
same loneliness, from age to age, from the beginning of the on Sunday, Feb. 17th, and on th . Tuesday following a
world until now? public tea was hel.d, at wl-:ichabout 500 friends were present;
And wh of all this? Noah, though alone, survived a afterwards a public meeting took place in the Chapel, when
deluged world. Abraham, though alone, had God for hIS the Secretary read over the annual report, which showed an
Friend, his Shield, and his exceeding Great Reward. Lot, increase of 120 members during the year, and that the
though alone, escaped the fires of Sodom's overthrow. finances of the Church were in a good condition. About
Joseph, though alone, - attained to the heights of earthly £150 was raised at these services, of which sum the Ladies
greatness, and still held fast the hopes of Israel as his own. of the Sewing Society contributed about £50.
Elijah, though alone, prevailed with God ill wonder-working
Printed by CHARLES AKRILL, Silver Street, Lincoln; and pub.
prayer, and at last rode heavenward in a car of fire. Paul, lished by "THE BIBLE STANDARD PUBLICATlON
though alone, could say, "The Lord stood by me and SOCIETY," at their Office, No. 24, Mint La.ne, Lincoln.