ally hundreds of other passages which tell of a future time of blessing for the twelve tribes of Israel. God knows where His scattered Israelites are. The memorial light and the twelve loaves were before His face continually for them-kept there, notice, not by the people themselves, but by the high priest. God will yet remember Israel and choose Jerusalem (Zech. ii. 10-13) through Him of Whom Aaron was a feeble type, and all for His own name's sake, not for their righteousness. Ezek. xxxvi. Chapter xxvi. tells of the blessings Israel could have had long ere this through obedience, and of the five great series of punishments that were to come—alas, have now come-for disobedience. This chapter of woes is a literal outline of the history of Israel. Compare the Old Testament history, and on down to their scattering at the destruction of Jerusalem. The last chapter of Leviticus is simply a reflection of the covenant history of Israel thus far. They had taken upon themselves a special vow before Moses (Ex. xxiv. 7), and being unable to fulfill it, being very much "poorer than Moses' estimation" (compare chapter xxvii. 8 with Ex. xxxii. 19), they had been thrown back upon Aaron the priest's ministry-one of mercy and grace compared with that of Moses, which stood for absolute righteousness. This truth is beautifully brought out in McIntosh's "Notes on Leviticus." The great feasts of chapter xxiii. should be especially considered. They constitute one of the richest dispensational studies in the Bible. The passover is Christ crucified, with its call to holiness of life in the feast of unleavened bread (compare 1 Peter ii. 25; 2 Cor. v. 17). Then, on the morrow after the Sabbath, our "first day of the week," the feast of the firstfruits shows the resurrection of Christ (see 1 Cor. xv. 20-23). Then comes the feast of weeks, the fiftieth day after-called in later times Pentecost. We all know what this means (Acts ii. 1-4). The leavened loaves signify the church, in itself not good (Rom. vii. 18), but made acceptable through the sin offering (Lev. xxiii. 19). These three feasts were in the first part of the year; the last three in the latter part. The interval corresponds to the present dispensation, the first set of feasts referring to the first coming of Christ, with His death and resurrection, and the establish ment of the church, the heavenly people; while the last set refers to the salvation and blessing of His earthly people, Israel, at the end of the present age. The feast of trumpets sees them awakened by their future trouble (the great tribulation) to seek God. Hos. v. 15; Deut. xxx. 1-3; Isa. xxvi. 11; Ezek. xxxvi. 37. The day of atonement shows them afflicting their souls on account of their sins against their Messiah (Zech. xii. 10), and their forgiveness (xiii. 1); while the feast of tabernacles reveals them exulting in the glad kingdom of glory yet to come to them on the earth. Zech. xiv. 16; Psa. cxlvii.; Jer. xxxi.-xxxiii.; Isa. ii. 2-4. The word for atonement in the Hebrew signifies to "make propitiation by expiation"that is, to satisfy or appease God's holy wrath against sin by suffering to the utmost its penalty. This is what Christ did for us. We first see this idea of atonement—namely, of expiatory sacrifice-in Abel's accepted offering (Gen. iv. 4, cf. Heb. xi. 4), then in Noah's altar and offering (Gen. viii. 20), then in the passover lamb (Ex. xii.), where God first an nounces the fact that it is the shed blood that enables Him to deal with His people in mercy. We find the principle further exhibited in the great offerings of Lev. i.-v., especially in the sin and trespass offerings. The heart of the whole subject is now laid open in this great atonement chapter, Lev. xvi. In every detail of this chapter, except that of offering the sin-offering for himself, Aaron is seen as the type of our great High Priest, first in his atoning work in general, and then in the application of it to Israel in particular. The spotless righteousness of Christ in His work is seen in the linen dress of the high priest-linen symbolizing righteousness (Ps. cxxxii. 9; Rev. xix. 8; cf. 1 Cor. i. 30)—and that Christ does all the work of atonement Himself is seen in the lone priest officiating throughout. See especially verse 17. The goat for the Lord, which was to be slain, and which really made the atonement, because atonement is made only God ward, tells of the shed blood of Christ gaining for us access into the holiest of all (Heb. x. 19, 20), on the ground of His full satisfaction to God for our sin. The second goat, led away to an uninhabited, or, better, "a cut-off land," shows us most beautifully the result of the atoning sac rifice of our blessed Saviour-our sins put away forever (Heb. ix. 26), and remembered no more (Heb. x. 17, 18; cf. also Isa. xliii. 25 and xxxviii. 17). The burning of the body of the first goat without the camp shows Christ in the place of the curse for us (Gal. iii. 1o), enduring the dark fire of God's wrath upon sin, for He was "made sin for us" (2 Cor. v. 21), and "bore our sins in His own body on the tree' (1 Pet. ii. 24), the place of the curse (Gal. iii. 13). God punished Him instead of us (1 Pet. iii. 18; 1 Cor. xv. 3), for He had laid on Him our iniquities (Isa. liii. 6). His righteous Father hid His face from Him on the cross (Matt. xxvii. 46), for God cannot look upon sin (Hab. i. 13), and Christ really had sin upon Him there. Though not His own sin by commission, it was indeed His by indentification. He had taken our place there. He was treated just as we must have been. He was visited with the awful wrath of an infinitely holy God against sin. Not only death as we think of it, but judicial separation from God's favor, real banishment as an accursed thing from the light of His face into the fearful outer darkness that sin must have, was what Jesus bore for us on Calvary. Though but for a little while, indeed, yet His experience of God's wrath was none the less real and terrible, infinitely beyond all human thought. The darkness about the cross (see Matt. xxvii. 45) was but a dim outward suggestion of that awful reality into which Christ went for us. It is only shallow souls that see in the sacrifice of Calvary simply a great example of devotion to high principles or a wonderful pattern of devoted love. Christ left us an example, surely, in His death, as saith the Scripture in 1 Pet. ii. 21; but that same passage tells us that the suffering was for the purpose of saving us. "Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example." A man crosses a field in the snow, to reach his house: he leaves his footprints, but his purpose was to get home. The example Christ left is secondary; the sacrifice is primary. When men come really face to face with a holy God they see the need of the great sin offering. (See Ps. li.; Job xlii. 6; Isa. vi. 5; Luke v. 8; xviii. 13.) The two great pillars of the truth are the person of Christ and the work of Christ-His present divine humanity and His finished work of atonement. Every modern teaching may be tested to purpose by these two questions: "What think ye of Christwhose Son is He?" and "Must the Son of man be lifted up?" Judged by this rule all the modern esoteric delusions of Satan, such as Christian Science, Spiritualism, Theosophy and Neo-Buddhism, are seen at once to belong to the pit; for each and all they deny that Christ has a real body, Luke xxiv. 36-43; and that His death was an expiatory sacrifice. 1 Cor. xv. 3. But we must close with a remark about the dispensational bearing of the day of atonement. The high priest gone into the sanctuary with the blood-that is Christ after crucifixion going into the holiest of all in heaven with His own blood, now to appear in the presence of God for us, His church (Heb. ix. 12, 24). But by and by He will come forth again, to pardon Israel, to send away their iniquities forever, according to the new covenant yet to be made with them. (See Heb. viii. 8-12.) Thus the scapegoat has a peculiar application to Israel. (Compare Zech. xii., xiii. and Micah vii. 18-20.) All hail the day when Jesus the Great High Priest shall come forth from the heavenly sanctuary! See Heb. ix. 28, with the context. LESSON XIII. Review of Genesis, Exodus and Leviticus. I. Review all the chapters, by name, and think through the contents of each chap ter. II. Review the books by topic names. III. Review the key-thoughts and keywords of these books. In these three steps, seek, of course, to make any changes that increased familiarity, new light, or better arrangement may bring. Go over these books thus till all is thoroughly easy. IV. Note the progress, in the three books, of the unfolding before us of the great doctrines of the Bible. One of the very best ways to study the Bible, is to take up some great line of truth at its beginning, that is, where it is first stated in the Bible, and trace it on through the whole book to the end. In no other way, indeed, can any great truth be thoroughly mastered, or really, in its fulness, be comprehended; for, as we have said, and I trust are beginning to find for ourselves, the Word of God is a progressive revelation, the general rule seeming to be that each book takes us deeper into the truths it sets forth than the preceding books have done. Every book thus pre-supposes all those which go before it, and prepares the way for all that come after. It will be seen at once, then, that the proper way for a spiritual mind to approach the study of any of the great doctrines of God's Word is not with a great logical scheme or skeleton, outlined according to the demands of man's carnal reason, however valuable such a method may be for the mere mental grasping of the subject considered; but in simple, submissive faith to begin with the subject where God begins with it, and just as He begins with it, and follow His development of it, under the guidance and teaching of His own blessed Spirit. A learned theological treatise, in entering upon the examination of the doctrine of God, will generally discourse at the very outset, on the idea of God and the proofs of His existence. The Bible does not begin in this way. Its first words are, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Of course, you have right in these words, God's being, His eternity, His infinite intelligence, His omnipotence and His sovereignty. But the Bible does not start out to prove or explain God's existence, as man's "finished treatises" do. It begins with this quiet, but absolutely tremendous sentence: a very voice from heaven. It is evident from this beginning that the Bible is not primarily an appeal to the carnal but to the spiritual mind; and, withal, not an argument, but a revelation. In other words, in the Bible God is not seeking to establish before men His existence or Godhead: this is the office of the book of nature, Rom. i. 18-21; nor to discover to them their moral responsibility: this is the work of their own consciences, with the law written in their hearts, Rom. ii. 14-16; but His first and chief purpose toward man in His Word is to instruct unto salvation and sanctification those who will hear with simple hearts of faith what He has to say, receiving it as living truth because He says it, and for no other necessary reason. To others than babes the things of God are hidden. Matt. xi. 25, 26. To those who will not become as little children the kingdom of heaven is closed and the word of God is a snare. "Hear ye and give ear: be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains; and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride." Jer. xiii. 15-17. So pleaded the weeping prophet with the hardened apostates who had gone beyond the power of prayer and mercy. Jer. xi. 14; XV. I. The secret of their death was their pride. The seat of pride is the heart, the very center of the being, Mark vii. 22 (though its occasion may be birth, person, accomplishments, position or prowess,-anything, in fact) and all pride is the deadly enemy of spiritual advancement. "Pride must die in you or nothing of heaven can live in you." Now, of all kinds of pride, none, I believe, is more commonly the great obstacle to progress in the study of God's word than intellectual pride. Our fallen, or carnal minds crave knowledge to gratify them, and we naturally tend to satisfy them in our study even of the blessed word of God. And every new acquisition of knowledge, thus made, simply increases our stock of pride. See 1 Cor. viii. 1. There are three kinds of carnal lusts, bodily, mental and spiritual. The first are readily understood; of of the latter we need not now speak, but do we realize the power of the second class? We have felt it necessary to bridle our lower passions, and some of us may have discovered the danger of spiritual self-gratification; but have we consented to have our minds, our thinking faculties, brought under the power of the cross? In no sphere does the saved man hold out so long against grace as in this. He can submit to God's righteousness; he can yield himself to God's sanctification; he can trust himself to God's providence; but he must of course do his own thinking! What has his own independent reason been given him for, if not to use? We answer, to be crucified. Next to self-righteousness, self-wisdom is our most deadly foe. It has not been given to us by God, but has been received from Satan. See the third chapter of Genesis: "Ye shall be as gods, knowing." "Kill reason, and believe God!" Martin Luther used to cry. It is blessed to know that while our carnal reason must die, it is not necessary for us to attempt to put it to death in our own strength; but that we may enter at once, by faith, into the death of Christ, (into which we have, through our faith in Him, been already baptized, Rom. vi. 3,) and reckon it crucified, have no confidence in it, Phil. iii. 3; 2 Cor. iii. 5; x. 3-5, and begin to use another mind, the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 16. Such themes as God; Christ; the Holy Spirit; Man; Satan; the Angels, fallen and holy; Sin; Salvation; Faith; Prayer; Heaven; the World; Hell; the Resurrection; Judgment; God's Great Covenants with Man; the Purpose of the Ages, should be followed up as one goes through the Bible. A good note-book, with such subjects written at the top of its different pages, will become a great treasure shortly as each new development of the truth is noted and recorded. Of course, some of the topics will have to be subdivided, but this will not be hard. For example, Christ may be studied as Prophet, Priest and King. Under His Priesthood the Melchizedek and the Aaronic orders must each be considered. trace truths thus right through the Bible is one of the most delightful and most profitable methods of study. To PERSONALIA. Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Lowe, of Philadelphia, have been engaged in evangelistic services in Steelton, Pa. Rev. Robert F. Y. Pierce spent the month of February in work in Boston and vicinity. Rev. J. V. Rosewarne closed a successful work in Blue Rapids, Kan., February 13th. He begins a series of meetings in Irving, Kan., about the middle of March. Rev. E. P. Hammond has recently been holding children's meetings in the Ruggles Street Baptist church, Boston, under the auspices of the Evangelistic Association of New England. Rev. W. S. Nickle devoted the month of February to work in Iowa Falls, Iowa, where his meetings were well attended. Rev. C. W. McCrossan began a series of union meetings in Watertown, S. D., on February 27th. Rev. Wm. E. Geil is spending several months abroad in travel and in study. He expects to return to America the latter part of August. Rev. Robert Layfield is reported as having had a good work in Oklahoma, O. T. Thirtyfive united with the church cn confession of faith as the result of the meetings. Rev. H. Cordner has had a successful work in West Branch, Iowa. Great interest was awakened and accesssons to the local churches are reported. Rev. W. A. Bodell closed a two weeks series of meetings in Kenton, Ohio, the first of February. Revs. Connally and Struble recently conducted meetings in Oil Springs, Ont., and are now engaged in a work in Williamstown, Mich. Rev. Sam'l E. Mitchell assisted local pastors in a series of meetings in Winchester, Kan., in the month of February. Rev. James Lyall, at the united invitation of the M. E. and United Evangelical churches of Naperville, Ill., conducted special services in that place in the month of January. Rev. Thomas Needham has been engaged in evangelistic work in the southern states during the winter. Mr. Needham's addresses on Prophecy and the Second Coming have been greatly blessed and have awakened deep in terest. Rev. W. D. Lukens and Mr. Alexander Caldwell conducted union meetings in Ovid, N. Y., during the month of February. Both of these evangelists have recently given their entire time to evangelistic work, the former having resigned from the active pastorate of a church in Watkins, N. Y., and the latter having given up a business position to do Christian work. Rev. C. N. Hunt, of Minneapolis, has engagements for the coming spring as follows: Wabasha, Minn., March 15th to April 5th; Lancaster, Wis., April 10th to May 1st; Hayward, Wis., May 1st to 18th; Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, May 20th to 25th; Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 26th to June 1st; Brandon, Manitoba, June to July. Major D. W. Whittle has accepted invitations to spend the month of April in Virginia. After the first of May he expects to spend some time in Northfield, Mass. America and left me in charge of her work. I wish you could see for yourself what a great work the Lord has done through our sister; you and the readers of your magazine would rejoice to have a part in it. Since October 26th more than 200 baptisms have taken place as the results of conversions of the widows in Pandita's homes. A week ago at the Sunday service fully a dozen more requested prayer and expressed a desire to become Christians. There are still a large number who have not openly accepted Christ. But we claim all these, fully believing that they will come to believe on Him and be saved. I enclose a receipt for the draft. The receipt of a donation of $25.62 from the Margaret Strachan Home of New York is acknowledged in our receipt column to Pandita Ramabai's work. The letter accompanying this contribution adds an interest which greatly increases its value in the light of the sacrifices it has cost, being in some instances a literal "widow's mite" - the giver's all. The friend who sends us the contribution writes: "The girls of this home and a few friends have joined in sending you a check for twenty-five dollars and sixty-two cents towards Pandita Ramabai's fund for saving orphans and child-widows in India. One of the girls insisted in giving every cent she had, and another wished to subscribe because she felt from experience what it was to suffer from the pangs of hunger some time ago. The money is the result of self-denial acts, and is given willingly and gladly for the Saviour's sake. Please tell the noble lady that we are praying for her work. "Your's sincerely, "MARIA SIBThorpe." Receipts. The following contributions have been received by the editor of the RECORD OF CHRISTIAN WORK for the objects specified, up to March 5th. The Cuban Famine Fund: No. 1. O. P. S., New York City.. No. 5. L. F. H., Cattaraugus, N. Y........... Chicago Bible Institute: No. 2. T. C., Colo.... No. 3. Mr. and Mrs. A. P. F., Mass.... No. 4. E. W. B., New York... Pandita Ramabai's Work for India's Child Wid ows: $ 100.00 5.00 $ 105.00 12.00 4.00 1.00 15.00 17.50 35.00 5.00 35.00 53.00 35.00 17.50 1.50 H. A. G., Wooster, O. "In His Name," Chicago.. F. E. H., New York Mrs. M. L. B. R., 20.00 17.25 1.00 35.00 5.26 87.50 25.62 $4670.03 The following is the list of the Margaret Strachan Home contributors: Superintendent, $17.50; Miss A. C., $2.00; Dr. E. I., $1.00; Mrs. F. S., $0.50; Miss G., $0.25; A Friend, $0.11; L. R., $0.16; A. S., $0.05; A. L., $0.10; M. K., $0.10; M. M'K., $0.25; T. L., $0.10; A. H., $0.10; A. H., $0.05; M. J. C., $0.25; M. M., $0.35; J. V., $0.05; A. D., $0.05; N. McG., $0.20; F. H., $0.35; M. S., $0.05; W. C., $0.10; B. D., $0.25; E. D., $0.25; F. W., $0.20; H. V., $0.25; M. M., $0.10; K. S., $0.35; M. M., $0.15; B. B., $0.50. |