DIED on the 23d ult., Richard T. Gould, little son of William Gould of Lawrenceburg, Ind., after four or five days illness, of scarlet fever. He was a very dear child to his parents. But they do not "sorrow as others who have no hope." They are full in the faith that he "will be brought from the land of the enemy."
RICHARD MORAN.
Lawrenceburg, Ind., May 27th, 1853.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS:—In regard to the past, I would say, that though quite young, I was in the messages of 1843-44, and have ever believed that they meant something. In all the scattering and dividing which followed the passing of that time, I gave but little attention to the subject till after the Washington N. H., conference last Fall. Since then an examination of the arguments of our position has fully decided me to go with the remnant, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. We now see where we are, and O the beauty and the harmony of God's Word! The more I look into our position, the clearer, more beautiful, and harmonious it seems, and not the least the past. We all now see the cause of our disappointment,—why the Lord did not come as we expected,—the work was not accomplished, the picture was incomplete, the Sanctuary was yet to be cleansed, and the third messenger give his warning.
I know that some ridicule the idea of a heavenly Sanctuary, &c., claiming that the earth, or the land of Palestine is the Sanctuary. But Moses being about to build a Sanctuary, was admonished of God to make all things according to the pattern showed him in the Mount, [Ex. xxv, 8, 9, 40; Heb. viii, 5,] which Paul says, [Heb. ix, 24,] were figures of the true. Now was the earth or the land of Palestine shown Moses for a pattern in the Mount? (!) Or was the Sanctuary which Moses built, a figure of the earth or Palestine? (!) Then, certainly, they are not the true Sanctuary of which that of Moses was a pattern. Now we have such an high Priest * in the heavens, a minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, [Heb. viii, 1, 2,] our mediator [1 Tim. ii, 5] and a propitiation for our sins.—1 John ii, 2. But we very much fear that those who look to the land of Palestine for the Sanctuary with no better mediator than can there be found, will come off minus an atonement when Jesus leaves the Most Holy Place.
The work is speedily and resistlessly moving on; the last link in the chain, the third angel's message, is being fast developed—the third and last step is being taken to warn the world of its condition, and the harvest is fast ripening for the sickle of Almighty God. I rejoice that at this critical time, when the Arch-enemy of mankind is abroad in the field with all his forces, to blind and deceive the nations, and making his last, desperate effort to hold them in error, till the unchangeable sentence is passed, "He that is filthy let him be filthy still," I was brought to see the glorious light of truth, and turn away from polluting the Sabbath, of the Lord, which a corrupt church and a wicked world are trampling under foot.
Truth seems clustering more thickly around us, and shining with a clearer light, as we approach the end; and if any have doubts in regard to what is to come, let them look to the past, and take that as a guaranty for the future; there we see chains of prophecy commenced, and now in the progress of fulfillment, and we have the sure Word of God where they will terminate, and it seems to me that one may as reasonably shut his eyes at noon-day, and deny that there is a sun in heaven, as to deny them. That the days of time are numbered and almost finished is written out in unerring characters, all about us. The sun, moon, and stars have proclaimed it; the political agitation of the world at the present moment, proclaims it,—and the mockers and blasphemers of the last days, proclaim it. Enough has been given to awake people to their situation, and there are now left them but two alternatives; either to arouse themselves and give heed to the third angel's message, and refuse the mark of the beast, or be aroused by the wrath of God, to drink the unmingled cup of his displeasure; and that, soon: "For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry."
Yours in that "little while,"
Rochester, June, 1853. U. SMITH.