New York, 1925
Last evening, Dr. Tucker continued his teachings on the book of Revelation at the First Evangelical church, taking for his lesson the eight chapter.
"The first angel blew his trumpet," said Dr. Tucker, "and with the blowing of the first trumpet, judgment is brought upon things agricultural. Judgment falls upon the fields, horticultural and agricultural, and reduces the yield about one-third. See how very near famine you are. My God knows how to send a famine when He is ready.
"The next angel now sounds the trumpet, and this time judgment falls upon the aquatic, and the sea is touched by this judgment. A great meteor falls into the sea and turns its waters into blood. One-third of the fish die. With one-third of the fish dead and the sea itself a stinking mass, the ships are imperiled. One-third of the ships went down the bottom of the sea.
"The third angel sounds. Judgment falls upon things astronomic. The sun is reduced one-third its heat; the moon is reduced one-third. I tell you this old earth is greatly controlled by those heavenly bodies, and when God reduces them one-third look at the condition that exists.
"Another angel sounds. There is heard screams of an eagle. He cries, 'Woe, Woe, Woe!' three times. How could an eagle's scream be heard over the whole earth? If you had asked me ten or twelve years ago, I could not have answered you. I can now. The whole world is joined together by ether air waves. if man's voice can be carried by means of ether air waves, then an eagle's voice can.
"The fifth angel sounds. There was a great cloud of smoke, and out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth. They had tails like unto scorpions and there were stings in their tails, and their power was to hurt men five months, when nobody can die. I am telling the truth, for this book says, 'In those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it.
"Someone says, 'I want a God of love.' You have had Him. Look to Calvary. 'God so loved the world.' This world is dying because it has rejected love. A greater love hath no man than to give his life.
Sunday will be the last day Dr. Tucker and his party will be in Olean, and it is expected that the church will be crowded at all services.
Sunday morning at 10:30 o'clock Dr. Tucker will hold children's service. Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, Dr. Tucker will continue his lecture of last Sunday afternoon on the "World Map." Sunday evening the service will start at 7 o'clock instead of 7:30, as usual. The subject will be "The Greatest Question Ever Asked and Answered in This World."
—Olean Times, Olean, NY, April 4, 1925, p. 9.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sabbath Day, Sermon Topic
Utah, 1932
Willmonte D. Frazee delivered his third address, on "The Temple of God," last night at the America Legion chateau before a large, attentive audience. The fact that God is the creator of all things through His Son, was presented as a reason why the angel of Revelation 14:6,7 should be heeded. It says, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him that made heaven and earth . . ."
The memorial of creation was studied quite thoroughly and its relation to "God's eternal law," as Frazee calls it. The statement in the heart of the law declared the seventh day Sabbath to be the memorial of creation. The commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
Mr. Frazee reminded his audience that since time eternal the seventh day had been God's holy day, and that Saturday is the seventh day according to any calendar, dictionary, or encyclopedia. He referred again to the ark in the temple in heaven that contains the law of God as the standard of judgment.
The institution of the Sabbath in Eden was read from the record in Genesis 2:1-3, and in Mark 2:27-28 was found as follows: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; wherefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."
The speaker invited his listeners to join him today to getting the blessing out of the day that God has put in it for man. He announced the services to be held in the chateau this morning, Sabbath school at nine-thirty and preaching service at eleven.
For tomorrow night was announced, "The United States in Prophecy." In the preliminary, the nurses will again demonstrate another simple home treatment, and Mr. Frazee will give a short talk on the prohibition issue, "Wet or Dry."
—The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Ogden City, UT, June 11, 1932, p. 2.
Willmonte D. Frazee delivered his third address, on "The Temple of God," last night at the America Legion chateau before a large, attentive audience. The fact that God is the creator of all things through His Son, was presented as a reason why the angel of Revelation 14:6,7 should be heeded. It says, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him that made heaven and earth . . ."
The memorial of creation was studied quite thoroughly and its relation to "God's eternal law," as Frazee calls it. The statement in the heart of the law declared the seventh day Sabbath to be the memorial of creation. The commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work . . . For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it."
Mr. Frazee reminded his audience that since time eternal the seventh day had been God's holy day, and that Saturday is the seventh day according to any calendar, dictionary, or encyclopedia. He referred again to the ark in the temple in heaven that contains the law of God as the standard of judgment.
The institution of the Sabbath in Eden was read from the record in Genesis 2:1-3, and in Mark 2:27-28 was found as follows: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath; wherefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath day."
The speaker invited his listeners to join him today to getting the blessing out of the day that God has put in it for man. He announced the services to be held in the chateau this morning, Sabbath school at nine-thirty and preaching service at eleven.
For tomorrow night was announced, "The United States in Prophecy." In the preliminary, the nurses will again demonstrate another simple home treatment, and Mr. Frazee will give a short talk on the prohibition issue, "Wet or Dry."
—The Ogden Standard-Examiner, Ogden City, UT, June 11, 1932, p. 2.
World War I
1915
While it may not be possible to say which one of the seven vials of wrath the angel of Revelation is emptying on the earth, it seems to be pretty certain that this war is one of them.
—Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston, WV, Nov. 17, 1915, p. 4.
While it may not be possible to say which one of the seven vials of wrath the angel of Revelation is emptying on the earth, it seems to be pretty certain that this war is one of them.
—Charleston Daily Mail, Charleston, WV, Nov. 17, 1915, p. 4.
Views of Evangelist on the Book of Revelation — What He Said
1903
Wight on Bible
Third Series of Union Studies Began Tuesday at the Baptist Church
The third series of union Bible studies under the direction of Mr. Wight begun yesterday afternoon. By way of a short review the lecturer called attention to Christ who is represented in the tenth chapter of Revelation as a mighty angel standing with one foot on the land and one foot on the sea. It is quite characteristic of human nature to want to stand in with those who have great influence. Surely then it is the part of wisdom to be on the most intimate terms with Christ, for full power is given unto him in heaven and in earth. Christ's attitude in this picture is that of ownership. This will indeed be his attitude when he comes again. Some Christians are saying these days that they don't want Christ to return while others are saying that they don't believe he will ever come back anyway. But he will come just as he said he would when his time comes. If we want to have an influential person as a friend of ours we better trust in Christ. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes" — even merchant princes.
In the evening Mr. Wight took up the twelfth chapter of this book. The chapter opens with the wonder of the woman which appeared in heaven clothed with the sun. This was shown to be all Christendom united as it will be at the time of the second coming of Christ. The man child of which the woman was delivered was shown to be typical of those who are prepared to go into heaven when the Lord comes for his own. It is easy to identify the man child from the fifth verse, which says that he shall rule all the nations with a rod of iron. From other parts of the Bible we are taught that those who are the overcomers during the time when these things occur, will sit with Christ in his throne and shall rule with him. Moreover we are taught in the book of Ephesians of the oneness of the believer with Christ.
In being delivered of the man child the woman was in pain. The reason is evident. The woman represents Christendom, not as we see it to-day but as it will be after the union of churches, evidences of which are seen on every hand even to-day. We see it in the commercial world where the watchcry is Combination. We are seeing the formation of great trusts. We are seeing it in the international affairs. Great nations are combining against other great nations. We see this thing also going on in the religious world and already there is a good beginning toward the federation of the churches. As these great corporations are being formed even, there is great distress in the industrial world as seen in the endeavor of the working men to resist the cruelties of corporations and vice versa.
This same thing is beginning to be seen in the churches which are made up of spiritual and worldly people. The worldly are distressed because of the presence of the spiritual in their midst. The godly element in the churches are pained, because of the presence of worldliness. There is no agreement between these two elements, therefore there is being felt distress. In our day too, we are seeing the godly pastors being distressed because of the worldly people in the church, and many of them having to go elsewhere because they are faithful to God. On the other hand we are seeing pastors who are catering to the worldly in the churches, and this worldly thing on the part of ministers is distressing to the spiritual people. The church cannot remain half godly and half worldly and Christ has made provision for taking the godly element out of the professed church and out of the world at his second coming, which taking away is typified by the birth and flight of the man child.
These lectures are free to all in the lecture room of the First Baptist church at 3 o'clock every afternoon and at 7:30 in the evening.
—Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, Jan. 7, 1903, p. 8.
Wight on Bible
Third Series of Union Studies Began Tuesday at the Baptist Church
The third series of union Bible studies under the direction of Mr. Wight begun yesterday afternoon. By way of a short review the lecturer called attention to Christ who is represented in the tenth chapter of Revelation as a mighty angel standing with one foot on the land and one foot on the sea. It is quite characteristic of human nature to want to stand in with those who have great influence. Surely then it is the part of wisdom to be on the most intimate terms with Christ, for full power is given unto him in heaven and in earth. Christ's attitude in this picture is that of ownership. This will indeed be his attitude when he comes again. Some Christians are saying these days that they don't want Christ to return while others are saying that they don't believe he will ever come back anyway. But he will come just as he said he would when his time comes. If we want to have an influential person as a friend of ours we better trust in Christ. "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes" — even merchant princes.
In the evening Mr. Wight took up the twelfth chapter of this book. The chapter opens with the wonder of the woman which appeared in heaven clothed with the sun. This was shown to be all Christendom united as it will be at the time of the second coming of Christ. The man child of which the woman was delivered was shown to be typical of those who are prepared to go into heaven when the Lord comes for his own. It is easy to identify the man child from the fifth verse, which says that he shall rule all the nations with a rod of iron. From other parts of the Bible we are taught that those who are the overcomers during the time when these things occur, will sit with Christ in his throne and shall rule with him. Moreover we are taught in the book of Ephesians of the oneness of the believer with Christ.
In being delivered of the man child the woman was in pain. The reason is evident. The woman represents Christendom, not as we see it to-day but as it will be after the union of churches, evidences of which are seen on every hand even to-day. We see it in the commercial world where the watchcry is Combination. We are seeing the formation of great trusts. We are seeing it in the international affairs. Great nations are combining against other great nations. We see this thing also going on in the religious world and already there is a good beginning toward the federation of the churches. As these great corporations are being formed even, there is great distress in the industrial world as seen in the endeavor of the working men to resist the cruelties of corporations and vice versa.
This same thing is beginning to be seen in the churches which are made up of spiritual and worldly people. The worldly are distressed because of the presence of the spiritual in their midst. The godly element in the churches are pained, because of the presence of worldliness. There is no agreement between these two elements, therefore there is being felt distress. In our day too, we are seeing the godly pastors being distressed because of the worldly people in the church, and many of them having to go elsewhere because they are faithful to God. On the other hand we are seeing pastors who are catering to the worldly in the churches, and this worldly thing on the part of ministers is distressing to the spiritual people. The church cannot remain half godly and half worldly and Christ has made provision for taking the godly element out of the professed church and out of the world at his second coming, which taking away is typified by the birth and flight of the man child.
These lectures are free to all in the lecture room of the First Baptist church at 3 o'clock every afternoon and at 7:30 in the evening.
—Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Dubuque, IA, Jan. 7, 1903, p. 8.
Entering That City
1902
"And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of children of Israel." Revelation 21:12.
It comes to me like an inspiration that one day I shall enter that city. Can you say it? Your children are going in, your parents are going in, your husband is going it, your wife is going in; are you going in? It is a great joy to know that the things that bring us the representations of heaven are so substantial. Some people tell us that heaven is a state, not a place. What then did Christ mean when He said, "I go to prepare a place for you," and what again when He said, "In My Father's house there are many mansions?" What is the doctrine of the resurrection? Is that only the spirits of men are raised? This is not our teaching. There must be some place for the resurrected body. When Christ went out with His apostles to Bethany and a cloud received Him out of their sight, He arose bodily from their presence. It is certain, absolutely certain, that heaven is a place.
What Is Heaven?
It is a place of overpowering brightness. Everything that ever came from thence tells us so. Chariots so bright that the only thing to which they could be likened was fire. Angels with faces shining so that men must veil their eyes before them. Moses and Elias so surrounded with glory that the three disciples were overcome with the vision on the mount of transfiguration. The walls are like a great jewel, the streets of pure gold and every single gate a pearl. You know the brightness of one little gem as it sparkles on your finger, but O! the wonderful thought that every gate is a pearl, and the day will come when we may go sweeping through the gates if we will. God has done everything that He could do, and our entering in now rests upon ourselves. But the brightness of heaven, aside from the presence of Christ, is not due to the gates, nor to the walls, nor to the streets, but to the presence of those who have been redeemed. — Rev. Dr. J. W. Chapman.
"And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of children of Israel." Revelation 21:12.
It comes to me like an inspiration that one day I shall enter that city. Can you say it? Your children are going in, your parents are going in, your husband is going it, your wife is going in; are you going in? It is a great joy to know that the things that bring us the representations of heaven are so substantial. Some people tell us that heaven is a state, not a place. What then did Christ mean when He said, "I go to prepare a place for you," and what again when He said, "In My Father's house there are many mansions?" What is the doctrine of the resurrection? Is that only the spirits of men are raised? This is not our teaching. There must be some place for the resurrected body. When Christ went out with His apostles to Bethany and a cloud received Him out of their sight, He arose bodily from their presence. It is certain, absolutely certain, that heaven is a place.
What Is Heaven?
It is a place of overpowering brightness. Everything that ever came from thence tells us so. Chariots so bright that the only thing to which they could be likened was fire. Angels with faces shining so that men must veil their eyes before them. Moses and Elias so surrounded with glory that the three disciples were overcome with the vision on the mount of transfiguration. The walls are like a great jewel, the streets of pure gold and every single gate a pearl. You know the brightness of one little gem as it sparkles on your finger, but O! the wonderful thought that every gate is a pearl, and the day will come when we may go sweeping through the gates if we will. God has done everything that He could do, and our entering in now rests upon ourselves. But the brightness of heaven, aside from the presence of Christ, is not due to the gates, nor to the walls, nor to the streets, but to the presence of those who have been redeemed. — Rev. Dr. J. W. Chapman.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
A Long-Ago Business Woman
1935
One curious fact always pops into my mind in connection with Lydia, Paul's first European convert, and a business woman. That is the persistence of women's commercial activity in her native city of Thyatira. It will be recalled that Thyatira was one of the "Seven Churches of Asia," addressed by John in the Book of the Revelation. It is an inland Turkish town; and when I visited it, I was struck by the extraordinary proportion of women in the market place as merchants. It seems as if today a large part of the business of Thyatira is managed by women.
Lydia's line was Tyrian purple dyes and cloth. That links her to the interesting relics which a traveller may find outside of both Sidon and Tyre — the great heaps of tiny murex shells, from which the famous Tyrian purple was extracted, one drop from each shell. This was the royal color; and in a robe so dyed, Jesus was mockingly arrayed at His trial.
Because of the fame and value of Tyrian purple, the trade in it had spread over the whole Roman world. So it was at far Philippi that Paul found Lydia, the dealer in this precious dye. To many students of the New Testament, Lydia's name is the outstanding one in connection with the City of Philippi, a case of a woman's stealing the fame of the city of Philip of Macedon, and his greater son. Alexander, conqueror of the world.
—Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, Sept. 6, 1935, p. 8.
One curious fact always pops into my mind in connection with Lydia, Paul's first European convert, and a business woman. That is the persistence of women's commercial activity in her native city of Thyatira. It will be recalled that Thyatira was one of the "Seven Churches of Asia," addressed by John in the Book of the Revelation. It is an inland Turkish town; and when I visited it, I was struck by the extraordinary proportion of women in the market place as merchants. It seems as if today a large part of the business of Thyatira is managed by women.
Lydia's line was Tyrian purple dyes and cloth. That links her to the interesting relics which a traveller may find outside of both Sidon and Tyre — the great heaps of tiny murex shells, from which the famous Tyrian purple was extracted, one drop from each shell. This was the royal color; and in a robe so dyed, Jesus was mockingly arrayed at His trial.
Because of the fame and value of Tyrian purple, the trade in it had spread over the whole Roman world. So it was at far Philippi that Paul found Lydia, the dealer in this precious dye. To many students of the New Testament, Lydia's name is the outstanding one in connection with the City of Philippi, a case of a woman's stealing the fame of the city of Philip of Macedon, and his greater son. Alexander, conqueror of the world.
—Daily News, Huntingdon, PA, Sept. 6, 1935, p. 8.
City of Akhisar Hides Ancient Thyatira
1964
Calkins Concludes Tour
[ORIGINAL] EDITOR'S NOTE: Today's report by the Reverend Harold Calkins, pastor of the Temple City Seventh-day Adventist Church, concludes an exclusive series on his visit this summer to the sites of the seven ancient cities addressed in the New Testament Book of Revelations. Continuing his studies toward a doctorate in New Testament, Pastor Calkins and his wife this summer joined 18 other members of an extension class conducted in Europe by Andrews University, Michigan.
Thyatira, the last of the seven churches of Revelation which we visited, is still a living city, known today as Akhisar. Because the old city is buried under modern residences, there has been almost no excavation of the area. A few years ago when the hospital was built, they discovered an old sarcophagus with the name "Thyatira" in the epitaph.
At another location some walls and foundations of Roman and Greek buildings have been unearthed showing that the town does date back before Christ. Some of the stones from the ancient buildings have been used to build the walls of houses found there today.
The vessels of a potter mentioned in Revelations 2:27 are a well-known item here since many potters still make clay pots and water jugs in and near the city.
As a commercial city Thyatira seems to have been prominent, judging from the Greek inscriptions which speak of many trade guilds to which every skilled worker belonged. There were woolworkers, linemakers, tailors, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-dealers and bronze workers. These labor organizations were incorporated, owned property, made contracts and had sales representatives in other cities. Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:14) the seller of purple, represented the dyers guild at the Greek city of Philippi. It can readily be seen that business and labor in this city was more highly organized 1900 years ago than it is today.
The countryside around Thyatira is much like Southern California. The land is flat and fertile. Unlike most important cities of ancient times, there is no acropolis, or fortified hill, at this town. In early times the city was a fortress town controlled by either Pergamum or Sardis, to protect them from invaders from the East or North. Hence it was controlled first by one power, then another, until the Roman peace prevailed and removed its importance as a military base.
The raising of grapes, tobacco, grain and other agricultural products provides a livelihood for the people. If there were technical know-how and ambition, this region could produce more than enough for their own needs. But most of the work is still done by hand with the burro and camel working side by side with the women and men as burden-bearers. Some of these people carry unbelievably large loads on their bent backs, from furniture to large bundles of weeds which almost hide the person carrying them. The weeds are used to make a little hut for shelter from the sun. Later when dry, they are fed to the goats or used for kindling to build a little fire. Agriculture and much of the daily routine differs little from the customs of 1900 years ago.
—Arcadia Tribune, Arcadia, CA, Dec. 24, 1964, p. 22.
Calkins Concludes Tour
[ORIGINAL] EDITOR'S NOTE: Today's report by the Reverend Harold Calkins, pastor of the Temple City Seventh-day Adventist Church, concludes an exclusive series on his visit this summer to the sites of the seven ancient cities addressed in the New Testament Book of Revelations. Continuing his studies toward a doctorate in New Testament, Pastor Calkins and his wife this summer joined 18 other members of an extension class conducted in Europe by Andrews University, Michigan.
Thyatira, the last of the seven churches of Revelation which we visited, is still a living city, known today as Akhisar. Because the old city is buried under modern residences, there has been almost no excavation of the area. A few years ago when the hospital was built, they discovered an old sarcophagus with the name "Thyatira" in the epitaph.
At another location some walls and foundations of Roman and Greek buildings have been unearthed showing that the town does date back before Christ. Some of the stones from the ancient buildings have been used to build the walls of houses found there today.
The vessels of a potter mentioned in Revelations 2:27 are a well-known item here since many potters still make clay pots and water jugs in and near the city.
As a commercial city Thyatira seems to have been prominent, judging from the Greek inscriptions which speak of many trade guilds to which every skilled worker belonged. There were woolworkers, linemakers, tailors, tanners, potters, bakers, slave-dealers and bronze workers. These labor organizations were incorporated, owned property, made contracts and had sales representatives in other cities. Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:14) the seller of purple, represented the dyers guild at the Greek city of Philippi. It can readily be seen that business and labor in this city was more highly organized 1900 years ago than it is today.
The countryside around Thyatira is much like Southern California. The land is flat and fertile. Unlike most important cities of ancient times, there is no acropolis, or fortified hill, at this town. In early times the city was a fortress town controlled by either Pergamum or Sardis, to protect them from invaders from the East or North. Hence it was controlled first by one power, then another, until the Roman peace prevailed and removed its importance as a military base.
The raising of grapes, tobacco, grain and other agricultural products provides a livelihood for the people. If there were technical know-how and ambition, this region could produce more than enough for their own needs. But most of the work is still done by hand with the burro and camel working side by side with the women and men as burden-bearers. Some of these people carry unbelievably large loads on their bent backs, from furniture to large bundles of weeds which almost hide the person carrying them. The weeds are used to make a little hut for shelter from the sun. Later when dry, they are fed to the goats or used for kindling to build a little fire. Agriculture and much of the daily routine differs little from the customs of 1900 years ago.
—Arcadia Tribune, Arcadia, CA, Dec. 24, 1964, p. 22.
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