2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but Yahweh weigheth the spirits.

People in Christ's day were the same as they are now—there were genuine men and women, and there were some decided frauds. Christ could do what we cannot do—he could discriminate between the one class and the other. He did so by divine intuition. His varied treatment of these classes was solemnly instructive.

To the sincere and upright he was kind, sympathetic, communicative. To the make-believes he was cold, angry, and oftentimes strangely silent. When he did speak his utterances were terrible:

"Ye hypocrites, ye generation of vipers."

What is the lesson? Christ lives; his character, authority, and power are unaltered. Ere long, his friends and his foes are again to confront him. Loving words and crushing words will once more be heard from his lips. Pause! We have to appear before Christ. He is to speak to us. Are we his friends or his foes?

For the answer, let us search our hearts. If hypocrisy is lurking there, let us root it out. We all have the power to do this. Let us be open-minded with Christ, seeking to hide nothing. Christ will show no mercy to shams. A penitent publican is more endurable in his eyes than a self-righteous scribe or Pharisee.

The men and women who please Christ—who need not fear the outcome of an interview with him—are those who look upon God as a reality, and commune with Him as such, who recognise and confess their much unworthiness, and whose constant aim it is to grow better.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, June 1902

19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

God's children are unquestionably poor—poor in means, in position, and especially in what the world calls education and culture, but this need not distress them. It is more their good fortune than their misfortune to be thus circumstanced. Let them remember the words of Paul,

"Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called."

Also the words of Christ,

"Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes."

Truly has God richly comforted his children in their poverty. What they lack now, His word tells them, they will have in abundance by and bye. Just a little while and then that day of indescribable perfection. Solomon excelled in wisdom, wealth, and lustre, but the saints will far outshine him. They are to be made like Jesus! What unfathomable glory!

But until he appear it is their duty to "quietly wait"—not to envy the rich, nor to strive to attain to their wealth, their position, their influence, nor their scholarly acquirements.

Yes, the poor, "rich in faith," are those whom God has an interest in and a love for. This interest and love will be openly and palpably visible when Mary's prophecy is fulfilled—

"He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exhalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent empty away."

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, June 1888

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

The Blessed

The Seed of the Kingdom had been sown in the whole Roman Habitable by the apostles. Ecclesias had been planted everywhere, and wherever they existed they embodied principles subversive of the existing order of things; for if their doctrine prevailed in its purity, converting all the world, as our clergy vainly imagine it is to do, both governors and governed, Judaism and paganism, would of necessity have been abolished; and if perverted and traditionised, it would still be inimical to the existing order.

A corrupted gospel would only intoxicate its believers. This was the condition of such men as Origen, Dionysius, Cyprian, Lactantius, Eusebius, and such like. Like the people and clergy of our day, they had acquired too much light to continue pagans, but not enough to become Christ[adelph]ians. They became CATHOLIC POLITICIANS.

If there had been no true Christianity, they would have continued pagans; but the truth being established, there existed a basis out of which flesh and blood could evolve a system of abomination agreeable to its own diabolism. This, as we shall see, had attained considerable development in John's period of exile. It was a powerful element in the "the things which do exist," that is, contemporary with John.

Many professors were intoxicated; and when they no longer had the apostle, and the faithful men that overlived him, to keep them in check, iniquity broke loose, and gave an impetus to human affairs, and a direction to their policy, which ultimated in the establishment of a system of spiritual prostitution, variously denominated Catholicism, Romanism, Protestantism, and sectarianism, as at this day.

But blessed is he that understands the Apocalypse, gives heed to, and observes narrowly the things which have been written therein, for it is utterly impossible for such a man to be imposed upon by any of these.

He could as soon become a Mohammedan, as understanding, and honestly believing what he understands, to become a pious professor of any of the churches of what is absurdly enough styled "Christendom," and to imagine thereby that he was a Christian in faith and practice.

The teaching of the clergy is opposed to, and subversive of, the Christian faith, and therefore, from alpha to omega, at variance with the doctrine of the Apocalypse in faith, hope, and practice. Blessed is the man who, instructed by its teaching, is delivered from the dogmas and commandments of the craft.

Eureka 1.2.5.

23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips.

It is that which proceedeth out of the mouth by which the character of the inward man is in a great degree determined. A man whose mouth speaks the wisdom of the Deity, gracious words, and blessing, and whose conduct is in conformity with what he speaks, is one whose heart is right with the Deity, and from which no blasphemy can find utterance:

"the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment"

(Psa. 37:30).

Eureka 13.12.

28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

Oh! the unkindness of some men

They will search out, magnify, and publish to the four quarters of the globe, the failings of their neighbours; but for their neighbours' good traits they have no eyes, no ears, no tongues.

Why this unkindness? It may arise from envy, or spite, or the mere love of scandal. But, whatever the cause, the practice is utterly wrong, for God has forbidden it.

"Speak not evil one of another" (Jas. 4:11). "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people" (Lev. 19:16).

It is wrong, for it is thoughtless and cruel. Have we not all failings? Is it not as a rule a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Who would wish their own weaknesses to be advertised to the world? Can we be other than pained if we find that such is being done? Surely there is enough sadness in our midst without our adding to it through an unlawful use of our tongues.

It is wrong because it is productive of untold evil. It turns good into bad feeling. A prating tongue tempts even exemplary men to hate and anathematise.

Let those who are given to the pernicious habit of scandalising break it off, for, if persisted in, it will unquestionably imperil their salvation. But we may say, "My motive is good in the tales I tell." Then to such an one these remarks are not addressed. But let us be sure about our motives. Let us not forget that an infallible judge has yet to test them. No motive will be accounted acceptable unless governed by consideration, kindness, and love.

Bro AT Jannaway

The Christadelphian, March 1905

32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

People of violent temper sometimes console themselves with the thought that it is soon over, and then they are all right. That may be as regards how they feel themselves. But what about others? Wounds are made that do not easily heal, and love is checked that does not easily revive. Stand over temper as your worst enemy. When you feel it stirring, run away or at least be silent. Solomon well says,

"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down and without walls."

The Christadelphian, March 1898