VOL. 16, No. 31 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, July 29, 1901. ONE PENNY THE ARABIANS. witnessing the numerous illustrative features of their descriptions, will heartily coincide with the foregoing BURCKHARDT, of whom it is said that he knew Arab quotation. And this may emphasise to us the neces- life and character better than any other European, sity of becoming informed regarding that strange traveller, made this remarkable statement : " The country and those peculiar people. There are many NA 5."---"--7 4,,\. , ,,-- ;,,,-.; • 'I NI\ ..W-'-;-<-:.'''-- ;,:": • A?,,p,,.: t-,----,.. A Group of Arabians. sacred historian of the children of Israel will never be passages of Scripture that are given an entirely new thoroughly understood so long as we are not minutely meaning when we understand the conditions that pre- acquainted with everything relating to the Arab Bed- vailed in the localities where they were written.. ouins, and the countries in which they move and pas- Arabia is one of the few countries on the globe ture." where the descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants Those who have had the pleasure of listening to have neither been extirpated nor expelled by invaders. reliable lecturers on Arabian life and customs, and of For the student of the Scriptures there are more 482 (2) THE BIBLE ECHO JULY 29, 1901 sacred and impressive associations connected with may reach us. And the truth that we learned yester- Arabia than with any other land save Palestine itself. day will not have to be discarded so that we may take Notice a few of the- important events that are re- on more truth to-day ; but we hold what came to us corded : The patriarch Job lived and suffered in that in the past so that we may all the more rapidly and country ; it was there that Moses, when " a stranger safely advance in still broader and more glorious fields and a shepherd," saw the burning bush, and received of expanding truth. his commission to lead the children of Israel out of In order to do this we must not allow prejudice to bondage; Elijah went to Arabia and found shelter bind us. We must stand before God so that the sun- from persecution ; this country was the scene of the light of His truth will fall fully and directly upon us. wonderful manifestations of God's power and provi- And as He fills us with truth we may know that the dence that followed the deliverance of the Israelites spirit of truth is also a spirit of unity. Hence we from Egypt, and accompanied them to Canaan. need not feel at all surprised to find that other individ- The name Arabia is derived from arabah, which uals have found the same truth that we have, and are signifies a desert plain or wilderness. The country is rejoicing in its benefits. Thus we go on from step to appropriately named, for looking at it as a whole, it is step in the power of truth, and through truth God one vast desert of arid and barren plains, intersected brings also unity. by chains of rocky mountains where the oases are to If we are seeking for a unity that will break down be found—the only really habitable portions. sectarian lines and make us all one, we should know The Arabians stoutly maintain that they are de- at the outset that such a desirable condition can come scendants of Ishmael, although there are grave doubts only through truth itself. And since the Saviour pre- of the correctness of this claim. The reason for their sents Himself to us, not only as the " Way," but also adherence to this claim is that they desire to prove as the " Truth," we should study to be all united in that they, as well_ as the Jews, are the seed of Abra- Him, and in Him alone. If we work on these lines, ham. Evidences are conclusive that the Arabs are we shall find ourselves united, every sectarian wall composed -of a variety of tribes of different lineage. that has stood between us having been completely These tribes are collected into different encampments, destroyed. But this result has not been argued into and are dispersed through the territory that they us. It has come through the unprejudiced study of claim. They move about from place to place accord- the teachings of Christ. A. 0. TAIT. ing to the inducements offered by the fertility of the different locations and the supply of natural resources. Having to constantly change their residence, the Arabs live in tents, as shown in the illustration. THE PROPER USE OF POWER.—No. r. Ai . who have given the matter careful thought, and have studied the question from a Scriptural stand- RESOLVE. point, will readily admit that no human being does anything entirely of himself. We are all dependent BUILD on resolve, and not upon regret, upon a higher power than ourselves for the life The structure of the future. Do not grope Among the shadows of old sins, but let principle that gives us continued vitality and conscious Thine own soul's light shine on the path of hope existence. Please notice a few divinely inspired And dissipate the darkness. Waste no fear utterances that have a bearing on this subject :— Upon the blotted record of lost years, But turn the leaf and smile. Oh, smile, to see A man can receive nothing, except it be given him, from The fair white pages that remain for thee. heaven. John 3 : 27. Prate not on thy repentance. But believe The spark divine dwells in thee. Let it grow, Then whatever strength of body or mind that a That which the up-reaching spirit can achieve man has comes from Heaven. It is well to remember The grand and all creative forces know. that whatever comes from Heaven is given for hea- They will assist and strengthen as the light Lifts up the acorn to the oak-tree's height. venly purposes. Here is a text right on this point Thou hast but to resolve, and, lo ! God's whole It is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His Great universe shall fortify thy soul: —Selected. good pleasure. Phil. 2 : 13. Thus, if a person wills to do anything, or does any- thing that is pleasing to God, it is entirely because of the operation of the p6wer of God in and through SECTARIAN LINES. him. And it stands to reason that God will never exercise His power through and upon a man except SECTARIAN lines are built up mainly by prejudice. for His good pleasure, and for the benefit of the man. We all claim to be seeking for truth, but when a truth comes to us, do we examine the truth for its own sake, In Him [God] we live, and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28. not asking, Is it in harmony with our sect ? Is it in He [Christ] is before all things, and by Him all things con- accord with what we have always believed ? sist. Col. I :17. We should not be continually changing from one I am the vine, ye are the branches : he that abideth in Me, thing to another by discarding what we hold to-day and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:, for without so as to take up some new thing to-morrow, but we Me ye can do nothing. John 15 : 5. should learn how to tell the flavour of truth. We These texts are sufficient to establish the principle should learn how to know the truth when we meet it, that we started out with. Many others of similar no matter what the vehicle or means through which it import might be quoted if necessary. JULY 29,1901 THE BIBLE ECHO (3) 483 Two points that should especially be noted in this service, and a shortening of his term of life. And yet study are these : r. All power that man possesses, the Lord of life and glory is compelled to co-operate whereby he may perform any act, comes from God. with the cruel sinner in bringing about those very 2. If man, in the exercise of his free moral agency, results. No wonder that He exclaims, " Thou hast permits that power to operate in his life in harmony made Me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied with the will of its Author, the results will be to the Me with thine iniquities." Isa. 43 : 24. pleasure of God. And that is the only way whereby The secret of a righteous life is to employ God- anything can appear in the life of a man that is accord- given power in harmony with the design and desire of ing to God's good pleasure. the Giver. Another point that should also be kept in mind is Next week we will take a study upon religious that God never contradicts Himself. With Him there beliefs and practices, and make an application of the' " is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." principles that have been considered in this article. Now let us make a few practical applications of G. W. M. the foregoing principles with a view of ascertaining the merit of certain existing conditions among the people of this world, or many of them, who profess to be believers in God, and adherents to the teachings of WHOSOEVER WILL. Christianity. As a matter of fact, all ought to bring every feature of their lives—mental, moral, spiritual, social, commercial and physical—in close review from " BEHOLD, now is the, accepted time ; behold, now the standpoint that we are considering.