ARRIVAL OF OUR FRIENDS FROM AMERICA.
By John Nevins Andrews
Bro. and Sr. Ings and Sr. Sisley have made a safe and prosperous journey to Switzerland. I met them in London, and accompanied them to Bâle. Their arrival will enable us to set up a printing office, and to do all the work upon our paper except the press work. We shall also be able now to make up our own tracts. When in London we selected the things necessary to use in making up our tracts, and a few things for the work of type setting. But as we have a supply of type, the expense for the compositor’s room will not be heavy. With about $100 we can purchase the things which we selected in London, and as soon as these are received we can take all our work into our own hands except the press work. We hope after a few weeks to be able to make this change, and we trust we can save something on the cost of our paper and our tracts, and at the same time have our work done better than at present. We bid these dear friends a most hearty welcome. Their presence is cheering, and their courage and interest give us new courage to press onward in the work. We will render them all the assistance in our power to make rapid progress in the French language, and we believe that they will not fail to do this. God grant that this new move may be crowned with his special blessing, and that it may accomplish great good in the advancement of the work. I must not omit to speak of the great kindness shown to us in London by Bro. and Sr. Jones and Bro. Barber. They could not have done more than they did. Eld. Jones took unwearied pains to aid us in the many matters of business which we sought to investigate. We owe him a debt of gratitude which we shall not forget. In consequence of the delay of one week in the arrival of Bro. Ings, I had the privilege of uniting in worship with the Mill Yard church on two Sabbaths. These were to me very precious seasons. This is the oldest organization of Sabbath-keepers now in existence of which we have knowledge. There are many sacred memories connected with this ancient church. May the efforts which Bro. Jones is making to bring many to the observance of the commandments of God, be greatly blessed of Heaven. While in London, I listened to a very remarkable discourse by Mr. Spurgeon on the sin of ignorance. I never heard the law of God set forth with greater force and clearness as the supreme and perfect rule of right, and as the standard according to which all human actions must be estimated either as good or bad. He said that the transgression of the law of God is sin even when committed ignorantly. He added: “Perhaps there is some commandment that you and I are ignorantly breaking, but our transgression is a sin notwithstanding our ignorance.” If the printed report of this sermon when it appears is found to be faithful to the speaker, I shall take pleasure in sending it to the REVIEW. I also listened to a very solemn discourse upon the day of Judgment by Dean Stanley in Westminster Abbey. His text was Rom. 13:12: “The day is at hand.” The Abbey was thronged with people, and they gave the most earnest attention to the word spoken. Mr. Stanley spoke principally upon the character of the Judgment, but he also expressed the idea that it is an event at hand. Bâle, Dec. 11. J. N. ANDREWS.