FROM

THE

MILLENNIAL HARBINGER.

SERIES III.

VOL. VI.	B E T H A N Y,   V A., SEPTEMBER, 1849.	NO. IX.

      THE universe consists of the living and the lifeless. The lifeless exists by the living, since all things proceeded originally from the one living and life-giving Deity--from Him who "hath life in himself." The lifeless exists also, not only by the living, but for it--for the glory of him who created it--for the use of the living which he has created. [494]

      The lifeless can impart no life, since it does not possess it. Every where in nature it is the living that imparts life. In vain would we attempt to produce the humblest plant without the seed which encloses within its woody husk the mystery of life. That seed has transmitted from age to age the animated germ formed by the first plant that grew. It is that living archetype alone which has power to appropriate to itself the unorganized elements of material nature, and to evolve the living organization to its just proportions. Yet it is the lifeless which is made on earth the basis and the sustenance of the living. The animal may have fed upon the plant, but the plant has derived its sustenance from the lifeless materials of the inorganic world, and yields, in its own death, these elements to the living.

      It is in religion as in nature, not only that the living proceed alone from the living, but that life is sustained by death. The seed that germinates is the word of God that lives and abides forever. It is the Spirit that quickeneth. "As the living Father hath sent me," said Jesus, "and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." Yet this "bread of heaven" is He that died that he might give life--this living food is the flesh and blood of a crucified Redeemer.

      How like the work of God that Death should bring forth Life! 'Twas he who created the world out of nothing. 'Twas He who brought light out of darkness. How appropriate that He should bring life out of death! This was the work of God. This was the mission of Jesus. He came to abolish Death; to destroy, through death, him that had the power of death, and to bring life and incorruptibility to light. How glorious the triumph when the enemy is not merely conquered, but compelled to act as a friend until the hour of his destruction! How inconceivable the power, wisdom, and goodness which can thus reverse extremes and reconcile opposites; educing salvation from ruin; life from death, and incorruptibility from the grave!

      Jesus died. He belonged to both the lifeless and the living; and of these great classes must all be members. The living shall become lifeless:--again, the lifeless shall become the living. It is the struggle of Life to conquer Death, and this was the combat and the victory of Jesus! And this too is the contest, and, through Him, the triumph of his people. As the germ, touched by the life-giving light of heaven, struggles through the darkness of the cloud, and lifts itself aloft towards the skies, so the awakened soul springs up to meet and enjoy the vivifying influences of the Sun of [495] Righteousness. How joyful are His beams! How grateful His invigorating power! How glorious His light of life! How ennobling to contend thus against death, and thus with Jesus to wage a warfare against the powers of darkness! How noble the enterprize which the Christian shall thus achieve, and how vain the triumphs of earth's proudest conquerors when compared with the victory of Life over Death--the rescue of the ransomed from the grave!

      Earth's conquerors have fought to live upon the scroll of earthly fame. That moth-eaten scroll contains their names alone! They triumphed by means of death, and pyramids of skulls have been their appropriate monuments, or the cold and lifeless marble, crumbling beneath the touch of Time, and vainly endeavoring to record, by a defaced intaglio, their works of slaughter. Their monuments but record that they have perished, and these monuments shall perish with them! But the monument by which Jesus is here remembered, commemorates the destruction of Death's power; the victory of Life; the conquest of eternal joy and renown. This monument is not a proud mausoleum, a stately obelisk, a sculptured pillar. This loaf--this cup of blessing--these appropriate elements, lifeless, but life-sustaining, speak of Him who became lifeless that we might live by Him. It is in these that faith beholds that celestial manna; that living food; that bread of Heaven, which gives life to the world, and sustains the soul amidst the conflict against the powers of death. And these sacred emblems shall continue to publish in every land, and amidst all the nations and tribes of earth, the dying love and life-giving power of Jesus, until Death itself is swallowed up in victory.

R. R.      

[The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, 6 (September 1849): 494-496.]

      Robert Richardson's "Communings in the Sanctuary--No. X" was first published in The Millennial Harbinger, Third Series, Vol. 6, No. 9, September 1849. The electronic version of this meditation on Hosea 13:14 has been produced from the College Press reprint (1976) of The Millennial Harbinger, ed. Alexander Campbell (Bethany, VA: A. Campbell, 1849), pp. 494-496. Its first book appearance was as Chapter VII. in Communings in the Sanctuary (Lexington, KY: Transylvania Printing and Publishing Company, 1872), pp. 54-59.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

 Page       Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 494:    HOSEA XII. 14. [ HOSEA XIII. 14.
 

      The following differences in the text of the meditation are noted from its first publication in The Millennial Harbinger to its first book appearance in Communings in the Sanctuary:

 Pages      The Millennial Harbinger [ Communings in the Sanctuary
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 494 / 54   I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will
               redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O
               grave, I will be thy destruction. [ "I will ransom
               them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from
               death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be
               thy destruction."
            HOSEA XIII. 14. [ --HOSEA xiii: 14.
            THE universe [ THE universe
            the one living and life-giving Deity--from Him who "hath
               life in himself." [ the creating power of God.
 495 /      Every where [ Every-where
            encloses [ incloses
     / 55   these elements [ those elements
            He that died [ he that died 
     / 56   'Twas he who created [ 'T was he who created
            'Twas He who brought [ 'T was he who brought
            He should [ he should
            abolish Death; [ abolish death;
     / 57   opposites; educing [ opposites, educing
            ruin; life [ ruin, life
            lifeless:--again, [ lifeless; again, 
            victory of Jesus! [ victory of Jesus;
            And this [ and this,
            too is [ too, is
            contest, and, [ contest and,
            through Him, [ through him, 
            cloud, and [ cloud and
            towards the skies, [ toward the skies,
 496 /      His beams! [ his beams!
            How grateful [ how grateful
            His invigorating [ his invigorating
            How glorious [ how glorious
            His light [ his light
            enterprize [ enterprise
     / 58   monuments, or [ monuments; or
            power; the [ power, the
            Life; the [ Life, the
            loaf--this [ loaf, this
            blessing--these [ blessing, these
            elements, lifeless, [ elements--lifeless,
            life-sustaining, speak [ life-sustaining--speak
            manna; that [ manna, that
            food; that [ food, that
            bread of Heaven, [ bread of heaven,
     / 59   until Death [ until death
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
e_stefanik@msn.com

Created 18 June 2000.