THE printer of the first edition of Foxe's Book of Martyrs was John Day, who was an Ernest Christian man as well as an eminent printer. His press was employed in printing books designed to promote the Reformation. He died in 1584, about a century after the birth of Martin Luther.
It was usual for printers to have their "signs," and also their "marks." The marks were often very expressive, and a reproduction of some of them would be, especially with an explanation, exceedingly interesting. John Day's mark was characteristic of the man and the great movement which had already aroused the continent of Europe, and stirred England and Scotland from north to south. It was practically expressive of the day-spring of the Reformation. The rising sun was depicted in the background, shedding his early rays around, and upon a man lying apparently asleep in the foreground, who was being seized and shaken by another man, who was uttering the rousing cry, “Arise, for it is day!”
This was happily true: the darkness of Popish dominancy was passing away, chased by the light of God's Holy Word and Gospel teaching; and the voice of God's faithful servants was sounding forth, arousing the slumbering people to behold and walk in the Light of Life. The day of salvation had come, and the true Church of Christ in every land was bidden to arise, shake herself from the dust, and put on the beautiful garment of salvation.
In every succeeding age, as in all those that preceded it, there has been need for this cry, “Arise! arise!" and ever and anon the faithful watchmen on the walls of Zion have lifted up their voices to arouse the slumbering ones among the followers of Christ. There is often an insensibility as to the dangers of the times; the peculiar forms in which evil and error shape their attacks, and urge their destructive forces; and, also, the presence of opportunities and means of aggression on the positions, the forces and territories of the powers of darkness.
The appeals and warning cries of many writers and preachers of former days are hushed in the silence of death, but the arousing calls of some have been handed down, and are still repeated in their priceless hymns.
There are three hymns of this character among those by John Rist (1607-1667). The first is addressed to the world at large:
“Awake, thou careless world, awake!
That final judgment day will surely come;
What heaven hath fixed no time can shake,
Time never more shall sweep away thy doom.
Know what the Lord Himself hath spoken
Shall come at last and not delay;
Though heaven and earth shall pass away,
His steadfast Word can ne'er be broken."
The second is an appeal to the “faithful band” to prepare for the coming of the King:
"Arise, the kingdom is at hand,
The King is drawing nigh;
Arise with joy, O faithful band,
To meet the Lord most High!
Ye Christians, hasten forth,
With holy ardor greet your King,
And loud hosannas to Him sing."
The third is a call to the church to awake to her high privileges, and seize the opportunities which the day brings for work for God:
“Rise, O Salem, rise and shine!
Lo, the Gentiles hail thy waking;
Herald of a morn divine,
See the day-spring o'er us breaking,
Telling God has called to mind,
Those who long in darkness pined."
Every revival of true religion has produced an awakening, and when some have been awakened, they have sought to awaken others. Thus it was at the building of the second temple at Jerusalem. The spirit of the prophet Haggai was stirred by the message which the Lord gave him to deliver to the people, and as he faithfully delivered His message to the heads of the people, " the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God."
There is work to be done now in building up the spiritual temple of God's church, gathering together the outcast and wandering, the lost and perishing, and building them into "the holy temple of the Lord, upon the foundation of "—that as the foundation laid by—" the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner-stone." Christians must be astir. There is work to be done; arise and do it in the strength of the Lord! Go in the might of His call! “Work while it is day, for the night cometh!"
We need, in many cases, to seize hold of sleepy churches and drowsy Christians, and cry aloud in their ears, “Arise, for it is day!”
"Arise, and let us, night and day,
Watch for our Lord, and study o'er His word,
And in the Spirit ever pray,
That we be ready when His call is heard;
Arise, and let us haste to meet
The Bridegroom standing at the door,
That with His servants evermore,
We too may worship at His feet."
R. S.