1906 16 She who anointed the Lord's feet in Simon's house showed more real love and more intelligence in divine truth than they who brought their hundred pounds' weight of sweet spices to His vacant tomb. The homage of their love was mistimed then, for He was not there, but risen; and no corruption was there to need the masking odours of rich perfume. "Storied urn and animated bust" will be of nothing worth to our beloved and revered who are put to sleep by Jesus, and await His coming to change the body of our humiliation into conformity with the body of His glory. But little acts of affection done for them today, while they are still with us, are really valuable, since they may perchance cheer their hearts in discouraging times with gentle reminders of loving sympathy and bright hope. EMETH.
The Chair of St. Peter.
H. Forbes Witherby.
1906 30 {London: Elliot Stock, 61 & 62, Paternoster Row.}
Not a few of our readers, at all versed in Ecclesiastical History, will be gratified with this interesting brochure. It has all the more point, because it is confined to tracing the alleged chair of the apostle Peter, through its development from post-apostolic times, and the evidence of the catacombs, the change of its associations under Constantine the Great, its rise all the more on the fall of the Empire, its medieval ambition, till its impious claim of infallibility for the Pope in 1870. There is a very constant and copious illustration of striking photogravures, with befitting comment which draws out the scriptural proof that the Romanist symbolism unwittingly tells the tale of its own deepening departure from, and antagonism to, the word of God. Yet it appears from scripture that the end of the apostasy will exhibit the Beast, as, not the high-priest, but, as head of the revived Roman empire, and the False Prophet as the soi-disant religious colleague reigning in the "glorious land," both to be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. It also appears from other scriptures that a wholly differing and opposed potentate the king of the North, or the Assyrian of the latter day, is destined to the same awful fate at a somewhat later epoch. See Isa. 10 : 12, Isa. 14:24-27, 30-33, Dan. 8:23-25, Dan. 11:40-45.
"Grace be with you."
1907 287 It is not without interest to observe how the apostle Paul closes all his Epistles with this desire of his heart.
And indeed, what can be more in keeping with the "grace and truth" that came by Jesus Christ, whose followers we are, that we should desire this encompassment in a world like this, and amidst the many distractions of Christendom?
It is not standing on our rights; for what rights have we? If our due deserts are rendered to us, what can the issue be but "the lake of fire?" But sovereign, unmerited grace to those who deserved it not in the least, has been manifested, and from first to last we are debtors to mercy. Where there is the due sense of this in the soul, we shall not be exactors but benefactors. We shall not demand, but be glad to serve, even as "the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."
Oh! how blessed to serve in all humility of mind, for we serve the Lord Christ, and the objects of His love and grace here below. The apostle could say, "I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory!"
Do we expect things to go smoothly? We are called to "forbear one another in love," and to see to it that we ourselves do not "fail of the grace of God."
May we, then, consider one another to provoke to love and to good works, and beseech, where called for, "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ." Our speech should be "always with grace" (this is the staple) "seasoned with salt." It is not good to have too much seasoning, but love never fails, and is never inconsistent with "love in the truth."
May His grace ever rest upon us for His name's sake, Amen.