YESTERDAY I came home from a long journey and was much rejoiced to find the Advent Tidende for March; for this journal is very precious to me and full of blessings. It contains such valuable doctrines and at the same time uses every opportunity to warn against sin; to point out the necessity of thorough repentance and of living faith and a holy life, that we may prepare for the coming kingdom. Especially have I become interested in seeing that the principal burden of this journal is to present the holy commandments of God unchanged, the Sabbath with the rest. I discover that we have long wandered in darkness relative to this important subject. Alas! how we have abused and disregarded the precious law of God in exchanging his commandments for the doctrines of men.
The Lord be praised that he has borne with my ignorance and unbelief so long and not cast me away, but has at last given me an opportunity to learn his holy will. It is now clear before me as the sun at noonday, that the great Creator himself has blessed the seventh day and appointed it to be the Sabbath for his people throughout all generations; and that the Scripture nowhere teach that God has changed, much less abolished, his holy Sabbath. Since the beginning of this year, I have therefore remembered the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
I am also much rejoiced to see that God's waiting people scatter so much light on the prophecies. The nearness of the second advent of our Saviour cheers my heart, strengthens my faith, increases my love, and quickens the blessed hope. Your zealous labor to scatter rays of light on this important subject has supplied a want in our midst which has been long felt. My Baptist brethren very seldom touch this important subject. It is well known that they pass by the prophecies, and especially the Revelation, in a certain cautious way, as though they were afraid to be burned. And I speak nothing but the truth when I affirm that I have learned more concerning the meaning and fulfillment of the prophecies from a few copies of the Advent Tidende (only eight numbers), than from eighteen volumes of Den Danske Evangelist (the Danish Baptist monthly).
I am no longer a member of the Baptist church; but think, by what I have learned from your publication, that I have fellowship with my dear brethren beyond the great ocean. I desire to obtain a good supply of all your Danish publications, and also some Swedish, to sell and scatter in this country. I will send the pay as soon as they are sold if you can wait so long. With much love, I remain your brother in Christ.
N. S. MELKJER.
April 4, 1874.
The writer of this letter has been an active preacher and colporter among the Baptists in Denmark for many years. I am acquainted with many of his friends in this country, who testify that he is a talented and pious man. I have corresponded with him for some time past, and find that he understands the Danish language well and is a good penman. Our Danish brethren in Neenah have sent him books and tracts to the amount of $5.00 to commence with. I have learned of two other families in Denmark who have recently embraced the Sabbath. One of them worked on the highway, and had to give up his employment in order to keep the Sabbath. This is no small thing in that country, where thousands of the laboring class work hard, and yet they cannot supply their families with sufficient food. Nevertheless, the Lord will take care of his people, bless his truth, and move his own cause forward to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord.
J. MATTESON.