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THE CAUSE IN ENGLAND

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 14, 1881

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 15.

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THE CAUSE IN ENGLAND.

By John Norton Loughborough

As LAST reported, we are well at work posting the SIGNS, and have now some tangible results to report. During the last month we have received over one hundred letters in response to papers sent out. Those writing express interest in the paper, wishing us success in our work. A goodly number have already subscribed for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES; some for three months, some for six months, and some for the entire year. From the many letters received, we give only a few extracts.
One person in Shropshire, writing to subscribe, says: “I can conscientiously say, God speed you in your efforts to spread the knowledge of spiritual truth and light. The copies of the paper you so kindly forwarded me are passed on (after perusal) to six different homes, among these two ministers of the gospel: hence you see they are not lost; so far from this they are sought with avidity. Pray continue to send them.”
Another, writing from Kent county, and subscribing for a year, says: “I have received four copies of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, and have read the contents with interest, and am disposed to continue to receive it weekly, as I consider it worthy of perusal. I do not profess to be religious, at the same time I am not biased against any religious cause which has for its object the welfare of man’s soul, and should this be the means of bringing another sinner to Christ, I shall have every reason to bless the sender of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES.”
Another writes from Lancashire and says: “I thank you for your kindness in sending me the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. I like it very well, but I cannot think how you found out my name. I enclose pay for the SIGNS, so send it on.”
Most of those who write commend the paper, and wish us every success, although all are not so circumstanced as to subscribe.
As an illustration of the work the SIGNS is doing, I will give an extract from a letter of one who, after reading, has given her heart to the Lord. It was written to a near friend of hers. She says: “You will be surprised to learn that my brother’s babe is dead, and you will be still more surprised to hear that I have been to see his wife to try to comfort her, and to advise her to look to the Lord Jesus Christ for peace. I knelt in prayer before I went, to ask the Lord to guide me and give me strength to overcome all enmity between her and myself, and to forgive us both for the past, and to help us to lead a better life. When I went to her house, she was very much surprised, I could see, but I felt happy to know that I had done the Lord’s will, to love my enemies and forgive them that trespass against us if we wish for forgiveness at that great day of the Lord. I spoke of the Lord Jesus to them, and they were both surprised and wondered, and so did I when I reached home, for how the words came into my mind to speak to and pray for them. The Lord was with me instructing me to do so.
“Pray for them that their hearts may be turned to the Lord Jesus Christ. I feel the comfort of looking to, and trusting in, the Lord. I have never felt so happy in all my life as I have of late. Oh, how I wish I had given my heart to him before. I only just begin to feel the pleasure of life. I have the Bible and have plenty of time to pray, and the will to keep the Sabbath day to the Lord. What a comfort to know that God sent his only begotten Son to redeem us. We can never be too thankful to the Lord for sending Mr. Ings to you, who gave you such good advice, and was the means of leading you to the Lord.”
Among all the good letters is found the following snappish card from London:
“335 Amherst Road, Stoke Newington, N., 19th March, 1881.
“SIGNS OF THE TIMES, Sir;—Send me no more of this ranting, dissenting trash. It is burnt by me immediately. Send me a subscription for Mr. Pelham, Dale, or Mr. Enraught, and you will be doing good. Do you read the ‘Church Union Gazette?’ Yours, etc. ——”
This is not the first time the burning argument has been tried against the truth. The king of Judah heard words of truth which the Lord sent to him through the prophet Jeremiah, “and it came to pass that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife and cast it out into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.” Jer. 36 : 23.
The burning argument was also tried at a later period in London, in the days of the bloody queen Mary, 1555 to 1557, when on a spot about three and a half miles to the south-west of the point from whence this bitter card issued, at Smithfield, directly in front of St. Bartholomew’s church, John Rodgers, John Bradford, and John Philpot were individually burned for what, I suppose, the church of Rome called their “dissenting trash.” They suffered for a principle, and that principle has lived to bless England to-day.
If I understand correctly the position of Messrs. Pelham, Dale, and Enraught, they are seeking to introduce forms of service into the church, that savor more of Romanism than of Protestantism. Rome has often used the fire argument, and I have no special desire to foster them or their dogmas. I am not a constant reader of the “Church Gazette,” but should it come to my table, I think I could read at least two copies without reporting “burnt by me immediately.” J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.