THE ITINERANTS' CLUB.

THE GOSPEL OF THE MINISTER'S VACATION.

Ar first view it may seem strange to speak of the minister's vacation as a Gospel, and yet there is a sense in which our Saviour himself taught this truth to his disciples. In the sixth chapter of Mark we are told that he "called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits." He further commanded them that they "should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse." Then follows the martyrdom of John. After he had been laid in the tomb Jesus gathered the apostles unto him and said, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." It has been noticed that "the twelve, who are generally called 'disciples,' are here given the name which describes their official work instead of their discipleship, and that the occasion-the only one in which the name is used in Mark -is one in which they were returning from that apostolic work.”

This direction to rest given by Jesus to the disciples is suggestive of the topic at the head of this paper. First, the apostles were weary, for we are told that they reported to Jesus "both what they had done, and what they had taught." And this condition of the apostles may fitly be applied to the preacher's service to-day. His life is a toilsome one. Much physical labor is involved in the performance of the duties of the pastoral office; so many families are to be visited, and so many interests are to be looked after. The modern minister is a kind of executive officer, with a multitude of things on hand that are toilsome to the flesh. When to the performance of these duties there are added the exacting labors of the Sabbath, involving the preparation of two sermons each week, and the intellectual toil cognate thereto, in keeping abreast of the thought of the age-there results great intellectual weariness. Perhaps the minister's spiritual neglect of himself, growing out of his care for others, makes him at times an exceedingly weary man. There is, therefore, need of a rest.

We may notice, further, the Saviour's invitation, in view of these conditions. "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while." In other words, "Take a vacation." Where the desert place was has been much discussed. Swete says: "The rendezvous was, therefore, close to the lake, probably near Capernaum. The boat took an easterly course, and they landed perhaps a little south of Bethsaida, on the edge of the plain now known as 'el-Batîhah,' a part of the old lake basin... sown two or three times during the year. . . and grazed by the buffalo herds. . . in its northwestern part . . . covered with ruins." Perhaps we have never thought of the apostles' vacation, but

it is clear that at the suggestion of Christ they did have a short one. The relief of a weary body is often the best thing for people who have weariness of soul. When one is tired out physically he cannot see clearly and appreciate fully many of the most important and delicate interests. So the apostles went out into a desert place to rest. This applies in an equal sense to the minister of to-day. The call is equally to them: "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place." It is presumed that the Saviour meant, 66 Change your environment, surround yourselves with new associations." No doubt they had been preaching in the cities where the masses of the people were gathered. The best place for them to rest was in a desert place, amid green fields and mountains and by rivers, where they could look upon nature in all its beauty. It is presumed this means that, if a minister lives in the country, it would be rest for him to go to the town or to the seashore where something is going on, and that in the change of scene there will come a change of thought and a recuperation of body and soul.

"Rest

But the vacation suggested by the Saviour was not a long one, a while." Rest only after work, the vacation only to last until one has recuperated. It does not say how many days and weeks. The need is different in different persons. Some people seem to imagine that they are to rest all the time, but the suggestion of Christ to the apostles was not this. Each one should adapt his vacation to his particular needs.

Nor did Christ leave his apostles to go to their rest alone. He was with them. He said, "Come ye," and the subsequent history shows that he was still the center of their company, even while they were taking a respite from their more public labors. The minister in his vacation must never forget to take Christ with him. Christ is always with and in his people, but they must aim in their leisure to have him with them as a conscious presence. There is danger lest, when off duty in places of recreation, ministers, as well as people, forget that their walk and "conversation" should be such as "becometh the Gospel of Christ." The church at home has sometimes been put to shame by the thoughtless conduct of its representatives abroad.

It is further to be noticed that even in this vacation the apostles were not free from the obligations of their position. It seems in this case that "they departed into a desert place by ship privately." But the people saw them go, and "many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him." So well known was Jesus that he could not escape from the crowd, and though he and his disciples had gone into a desert place even there the people followed them. And, even there, Jesus did not regard himself or his apostles as relieved from the obligation to do good. When he saw the multitude he had compassion on them, "because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things." In order to provide for the wants of the crowd in a desert place he further performed the notable miracle of feeding about five thousand with five

barley loaves and two fishes. That they were in the country, and in a desert place, is evident from the fact that he commanded them all to "sit down by companies upon the green grass." It is also a remarkable fact that the Saviour, who, out of his abundant power, could provide by a miracle for five thousand, saw to it that nothing was wasted. For it is said that "they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes." In this resting place, even in the munificence of his own divine power, his disciples recognized the economies of life. His miracles of helpfulness were not wasteful, but wise and thoughtful of the assistance of those in need. So the minister's vacation of to-day is to be a time of rest; but he should never forget that opportunities for doing good are all around him, in the city and in the desert.

It is clear from this passage that there is a Gospel of vacation. When the minister, after months of labor and anxiety in his arduous calling, lays aside his work for a little season and rests, he is in harmony with the teachings of the Master, and when he returns recuperated physically, mentally, and spiritually for his work, he may indeed feel that he has enjoyed the benefits of the Gospel of vacation.

PHARAOH, AN INSTRUMENT OF GOD'S MERCY.—Rom. ix

In the Version of King James this passage reads: "For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." The Revised Version differs slightly from this as follows, "For this very purpose did I raise thee up, that I might show in thee my power, and that my name might be published abroad in all the earth." This is a verse concerning which much discussion has arisen. By some it has been understood that God called Pharaoh "into existence" (Beza), in order to exhibit his wrath toward Pharaoh and thus make Pharaoh an example of God's dealings with the impenitent. Something similar to this in its general bearing is the interpretation of Augustine, "I have stirred thee up to resist "— as if God had purposely instigated Pharaoh to disobey his commands, in order thereby to show his power in his punishment. These interpretations do not seem to be borne out by the context or by the study of the passages as found in the Old Testament Scripture. The Hebrew is found in the Hiphil, and means simply "to cause to stand," "for this purpose have I caused thee to stand." In close harmony with this is the Septuagint rendering, "For this cause thou hast been preserved." Calvin is not out of harmony with this general view, who renders it substantially, "I have brought thee forward and laid this part upon thee." Neither the Hebrew nor the Septuagint of the Old Testament passage justifies the interpretation, "I have called thee into existence." It is better to follow the Hebrew in general, "For this reason have I maintained thee in thy position;" or the Septuagint, "Thou hast been preserved."

"That I might show my power in thee" has been rendered "that I might make thee see my power." This is followed by a coordinate clause, "that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." The purpose, then, for which Pharaoh was raised was to make God's power known and his name sacred wherever this incident in the history of Pharaoh, especially in connection with its application in the Epistle to the Romans, is proclaimed. Pharaoh had resisted the successive plagues, which were intended to bring him to repentance for his persecution of God's people. With every resistance Pharaoh is said to have hardened his heart more and more, until finally the last plague led to his permission to allow the children of Israel to go. Afterward he again became obdurate and pursued God's people until he was overthrown in the midst of the sea. Thus, wherever the story has been told, it has been a demonstration of God's power and a proclamation of God's name. The whole history of the plagues in Egypt is a history of supernatural manifestations which are afterward affirmed in this quotation of Paul in the Epistle to the Romans. It shows God ruling in the affairs of men, but ruling also in the spirit of benevolence. The accompanying verse affirms his mercy, and not his wrath, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." Pharaoh was not called into being in order that he might be punished for a disobedience which he could not help, but he was maintained in his position that thereby this manifestation of God might be more widely diffused and more generally proclaimed among men. The whole conception of the passage is of divine mercy, rather than of wrath.

DISCRIMINATION IN THE USE OF CHRISTIAN LITERATURE.

THE age is a literary one. The articles produced every year would fill volumes. Christian literature is specially abundant, and its influence is amazing. That line of thinking, either in science or art, in theology or philosophy, which dominates the choicest literature, dominates the mind of the young. Perhaps we do not appreciate at its full the influence of the great publishing houses, and especially that of the foremost magazines and papers, on the thought of the age. Just here lies a point of danger. The publishers of literary productions of all kinds, whether Christian or non-Christian, are anxious to increase the financial results which proceed from their business. Hence, they study the tastes of the people, and produce that which they think will be acceptable to the largest body of their readers. The modern biblical criticism, or if one prefers to call it, the literary criticism which is now in vogue, derives its prominence in part from the fact that it is constantly promulgated in the literature of the country, especially in encyclopedias and periodicals. Thus, wherever one turns for information, he is likely to fall in with the critical method and ideas which are most likely to meet with favor from the greatest number of readers. Hence the school of thought in theology

or criticism which dominates the choicest literature of the country will exert a lasting impression upon contemporary ideas.

Every cause that would reach the best results for itself must do so by providing for its students a suitable literature. Modern destructive criticism would surely have perished at its birth but for the hold it got on the thought of the period through its literary productions. Professor Green, in his Introduction to the Old Testament, remarks concerning the eighteenth century, quoting from Alexander: "The Bible now began to be studied and expounded as a classic, with reference merely to the laws of taste. Upon this principle the great work of Eichhorn was constructed, the first complete introduction to the books of the Old Testament, the influence of which has been incalculably great in giving an infidel character to modern German exegesis." Referring to the question of exegesis, the influence of DeWette and Meyer has been very marked in spreading one kind of exegesis, while that of Hodge and Ellicott has been effective in influencing thought in a different direction.

It is important that ministers read the best books. They have not time for inferior productions, so many of which proceed from the press. The best literature cannot be irreverent. It is not wise to read books, however elegant in diction or scholarly in expression, that treat sacred things without a due appreciation of their importance. No such writer can have an adequate comprehension of the great problems with which the minister has to deal, and hence the reading of his works will be a waste of time. Nor can one read with advantage books that are onesided only, even if not unfair. On all great subjects there must be differences of opinion among the most trained minds. It is only superficial people who attend to one side of the subject exclusively. All great Christian problems of to-day should have a fair hearing.

This is true of the great biblical problems which agitate the minds of so many thoughtful ministers and people. The presumption, however,

for the Christian minister must be in favor of that which is handed down by the scholars and thinkers and devout men of the past. It can only be set aside in his thinking by arguments that are absolutely convincing. And this is one of the dangers of a part of our modern literature on these subjects. This presumes that the new view is necessarily the right view, and does not give adequate attention to those who in the centuries past have reached conclusions which are now regarded as traditional. It must always be remembered that a tradition may have had at its beginning a genuine historical basis. The new literature must not displace the old, and both should receive fair and honest consideration by the thoughtful minister of the Gospel. It is not well to follow any human master exclusively. Lexicographers are not infallible. Students often turn to a lexicon to ascertain what is the precise meaning of a word, and do not always remember that if the word represents a controverted matter a lexicographer may be unconsciously biased by his preconceived opinions, even when intending to be most fair.