EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. OFFICE OF MANFORD'S MAGA ZINE. Chicago, Ill., No. 774 W. Van Buren St., to which all letters should be addressed, for the present. REV. T. H. TABOR, Editor and Publisher. THE MAGAZINE. TERMS OF THE MAGAZINE are the same as usual, $1.50 per annum. NO DISCONTINUANCES until all arrearages are settled. AN APPEAL. We are We are obliged to make a special ap peal to our friends who are in debt to us for the Magazine. We are in great need of the amount that is our due. suffering from your neglect. Many of you have had the magazine at our expense since January, 1886, and yet have paid us nothing. Our ability to furnish you our magazine without pay, has its limits, as you must know, for it costs ready money, and we have nearly reached that limit in your case. We now make an appeal to you as Universalists, on the ground of simple honesty. Will you not hear and respond to this appeal at once. We have sent you bills and written letters, but no reply has come to us. Will you not answer this call? BETTER THAN THE ANGELS. One of the most cheering promises contained in the Scriptures, is contained in the statement that in the resurrection men shall be as the angels of God in heaven. And if Jesus Christ was simply a man, we know not how anything more than this can be expected of him, or claimed for him. But the author of the epistle to Hebrews, certainly claims much more than this, for he says: "He was the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Heb. 1: 3-4. What was the more excellent name inherited by Christ? St. Paul gives this important information where he says: 'God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil. 2:9, 10. It is very evident, therefore, that the name of Jesus was the more excellent name, to which the entire universe are to bow. And it is because he has been given this precious name, that he is called better than the angels. For we are told, that unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come. And St. Peter assures us that Christ has heavens, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him. 1 Peter 3: 22. gone into the It need not surprise us, therefore, that angels are represented as the servants of Jesus-that they announced his birth, and proclaimed his resurrection. Or that he should say when he was arrested, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels." Showing that he only needed to ask to have them by thousands for his defense. The superiority of Jesus Christ to angels, is referred in many places incidentally, as when St. Paul says: that angels cannot separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. How any one can suppose that Jesus was simply a man, with these statements of Scripture before him, is more than we can tell. For it is evident, that he is better not only than the angels, but much better than men. St. Paul plainly suggests his superiority to men in the commencement of his epistle to the Galatians, where he says, "Paul an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead." And it is because of our faith in the superiority of Jesus Christ and his final triumph, that we sing: "All hail the power of Jesus name! Let the angels prostrate fall; And crown Him Lord of all." THE WONDER OF ALL WORLDS. It has been truthfully said that our Lord Jesus Christ is the wonder of all worlds. We find this statement in the life of Dr. Justin Edwards, and it is followed with four distinct specifications. "First, the object of Christ is wonderful. It was the salvation of the world. Second, to accomplish this object, his work was wonderful. He lived a life of poverty and died for his enemies and murderers. Third, The effect of his work was wonderful. The earth trembled, rocks rent, graves were opened, and even his murderers confessed that he was the Son of God. The third day he arose, and laid aside his grave clothes, and went out to his disciples and said, 'Behold it is I.' He showed them his hands and his side, and said, 'Peace be unto you. All pow er is given unto me in heaven and in earth. As my Father hath sent me, so I send you.' Fourth, His present state is wonderful. I beheld and lo, in the midst of the throne of the elders, stood a lamb as it had been slain; and they fell down be fore him and sang, Thou art worthy. Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God.' And ten thousand and thousands of thousands cried, 'Worthy to receive power and riches, and wisdom and strength. And every creature in heaven, on earth, and under the earth cried bless ing, and honor and glory; and the four beasts said, Amen. And all heaven bowed down before him."" After so much that is wonderful in the life, the work, and the expectation of the Son of God, would it not be most wonderful of all, if he should fail in his work Having all power given him in heaye and in earth, and a name that is above every name, at which every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess, that he is Lord. Would it not be supremely wonderful if some should forever refuse to bow to him, or even confess that he is Lord? EDITORIAL JOTTINGS. We publish the seventh and last chapter of Mrs. Billings' story, of "Aunt Lois and Her Family," in this number of our Magazine. Many of our subscriber have read this story with great interest. and it will suggest a way out of difficulty to some, who are left in dependent cr cumstances, with none to care for them -One of the greatest helps to a person in trouble, is the suggestion how he ca help himself, and encouragement to make the effort. -We hear men speak of Jesus as the natural son of a Jewish peasant, born out of wedlock. But Peter and John cal him "thy holy child Jesus" Acts 4:27. And it is a remarkable fact that he never expressed regret or penitence for any thing that he had done, and never asked for forgiveness. On the contrary, he boldly challenged his enemies, saying: "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" -It is sometimes said that Jesus must have been simply a man, or he could not be an example for men. But this does not follow-for men are commanded to be perfect, as their Father in Heaven is perfect, and surely God is more than a man. -George Gilfillan says when speaking of Hebrew poetry, "that each flower is rooted in truth, and that the poetry is just fact on fire." -The converted Pagan, expressed the want of the world, when he said, "We want men with hot hearts to tell the love of Christ to us." If there was more such preaching and less about Robert Elsmere, John Ward, and My African Farm, it would be better for the world. But out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. -It is well to remember, that nothing makes a man so contented in old age, as an experience gathered from a wellwatched past. -The man who refuses to recognize or worship the personal God, usually ends by worshiping himself or some human being as frail as himself. -Our Magazine is late this month, for reasons beyond our control. A look at our remittance list will explain a part of the reason to those who are in arears. -We have failed to publish the notices of several conventions and church meetings, and simply because the notices were never sent to us. They should have appeared last month. -All want the cream of life, without even the trouble of skimming; and the great fight now is, who shall drink the skim-milk, which nobody wants. -Some task, some burden, some cross, each one must carry; and there must be something done in every true and worthy life, not as amusement, but as duty, not as play, but as work. -The pain of discipline is short, but the glory of fruition is eternal. -True love ennobles and dignifles the material labors of life; and homely services rendered for love's sake, have in them a poetry that is immortal. -Dr. Norman Macleod said on his death-bed: "How dreadful it would be if a God of hate ruled the world; how he could torture us all! Let us thank God for his love." COMING TO CHRIST. There is no one subject connected with human welfare, that is deemed of more importance, or concerning which there has been more said by those professing religion, than there has upon the absolute need of men's coming to Christ, in order to be saved. This has been the great burden of the ministry for hundreds of years -to persuade men to come to Christ, and put their trust in him. But notwithstanding all the labor performed, and all the interest manifest upon this important subject, still the great majority of professing Christians have not been blessed with a clear view of the grandeur of our Saviour's invitation, or of the number that will at last comply with that invitation. Indeed they seem determined to use every means in their power, to deceive themselves upon this interesting and important subject, and appear to think that salvation will derive importance and worth from the meager number who will be permitted to enjoy it. But the Gospel was declared in the days of its purity, to be glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. And Christ was very definite in his state-. ment of the extent of the gospel invitation and its result. First, the extent: concerning this he said, "The Father loveth the Son and has given all things into his hands." (John 3: 35.) "As thou hast given him power over all flesh." (John 17: 2.) "The spirit and the bride say, And let him that heareth say, And let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely." (Rev. 22:17.) The come. come. persons are few, indeed, who question the universality of our Saviour's invitation; for nearly all believe and declare that all men, without a single exception, may be saved if they will; for all are invited to come. But what will be the result of this wide-spread invitation? Let the Saviour answer this important question, for he was doubtless prepared to answer understandingly. He said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 11: 37.) And he goes on and gives the reason why all that the Father had given him should come to him, and declares that it is because God will have all men to be saved. (John 11: 38-30, and 1. Tim. 2:4.) He also declares, that all were given him for this express purpose: "As thou hast given power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him." (John 17: 2.) This was the object of his mission, and he spoke of having finished this work. Again he said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12: 32.) Dr. Adam Clarke thinks that our Lord referred in this language to the ancient fable, that Jupiter had a chain of gold, which he could at any time let down from heaven, and by it draw the earth and all its inhab. itants to himself. See Clarke's notes in loco. In the above language our Saviour plainly declares how many shall come to him. The number is all the Father had given unto him-all flesh-all men. And this agrees with the account given in other Scriptures. Hence we read, "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come." (Ps. 65: 2.) "All the en is of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before him.” "Wherefore God also hath (Ps. 22: 27.) highly exalted him (Christ,) and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow; of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2: 9-11.) Professor Stuart has said upon this last text, that "things in heaven, earth, and under the earth, is a common mode of expression among the Hebrew writers for the universe;" and he asks, "What can be meant by things in heaven, that is, beings in heaven, bowing the knee to Jesus, if spiritual worship be not meant?" And I would ask if every being in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth, are to render Christ spiritual worship, what more can be asked of them, or wished for them? Thus the Scriptures plainly teach, that all flesh-all men-all beings in heaven, in earth and under the earth (God only excepted,) shall surely come to Christ. And the result is, that he will save them to the uttermost. (Heb. 12: 25.) For as Dr. Clarke has said, "He is able to save from the power, guilt, nature, and punishment of sin (not from the punishment of sin, for that would be saying that it is not necessary) to the uttermost, to all intents, degrees, and purposes; and always, and in and through all times, places, and circumstances; for all this is implied in the original word." See Clarke in loco. "The uttermost completeness here God's ample word makes known, Of man through Christ restored and saved: Of man complete in him." THE AUTHORS OF THE PSALMS. We are sometimes told, that it is not possible that David was the author of the Psalms, because he was a man of blood. We are not acquainted with any author who even claims that David wrote all the Psalms. So many of them however, are believed to have been written by David, that it is customary to speak of them as the Psalms of David. Of the one hundred and fifty Psalms comprising our collection, sixty-eight are ascribed to David, in the Hebrew inscription. And a number of those that have no name prefixed in the title are supposed to have been written by him, though critics differ in opinion as to how many are really his. According to DeWette, the the number is seventy-four; Kennicott says sixty-six; De Rossi says sixty-seven; Rosenmuller and Eidhorn say seventy-one; and Hegstenberg says eignty. OUR PERIODICALS. The value of a religious paper or magazine to parents who are rearing children can never be told until we know the real worth of an upright moral life. And how influential such a life is for good in this world. And it is for this reason that we urge every Universalist family to be sure to patronize and read the periodicals of our own church, as a religious duty—and to be sure to teach their children and the young who come under their influence, to patronize and read our religious papapers and magazines, for they are indispensable to our life and prosperity. If they have no taste for such reading, it is very evident their education is incom. plete that they need to cultivate a taste for such reading as a moral duty, that is indispensable to the moral health of the world. Whatever reading tends to fill the imagination with pictures of impurity, vice and crime, may safely be pronounced pernicious-no matter how the crime may be punished-no matter what lesson the writer may claim to teach. Hon. Gideon Haynes, who was warden of the Massachusetts State prison for eighteen years, says, in speaking of a young man sent there for burglary: "The wonder was how a young man so respect. ably connected, and possessing such ability as he had, could fall into such a course of life. But the mystery was soon explained. An examination of his room showed that he had been a great read-r of 'yellow-covered literature.' He had collected a vast quantity of this vile trash -and had read it until he had become completely poisoned by it-and ruined for life." And the warden adds: "Here in the midst of 555 criminals-let me record my solemn protest against admitting into families, or reading this pernicious class of literature. No possible good can be derived from it-untold harm and misery have resulted from its perusal." The way to prevent the sowing the seeds of vice, is to occupy the field by filling it full of the seeds of virtue and truth. But I have often been surprised and pained to see how little interest parents take in supplying their children with reading that is clean and healthgiving, that will exert an influence to deepen their love for virtue and truth, and strengthen them for the entire race of life. Some parents seem to suppose that the secular newspaper with the price current, and the daily news, is all that is needed to educate a family. Others suppose that if they have taken a religious magazine for a few months, they are abundantly supplied for all time to come, and that their children will be perfectly educated in morals, if they have access to the secular papers, a few religious monthlies, and the public schools. The religious wants of such families are very few and easily met and our church has but little to expect or hope from such families in days to come. The rush from such homes on Sunday morning, is not for the Sunday-school, or the church, but to see the last sensation. And yet many a family thus reared and edu |