Quite a Battle by Uriah Smith

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · May 23, 1854

Quite a Battle.

By Uriah Smith

In an account in the Harbinger for May 20th of meetings at Chicago and Crane's Grove, Ill., the writer, [J. C. Bywater,] says :

"Bro. Collins labors hard and constant, and his labors are blessed to the conversion of souls, and the stability of the saints. He has had quite a battle to fight with Mr. Bates and Moses, on the one hand, and Bro. Collins, Jesus and Paul, on the other, but Judah's Lion prevailed, and truth triumphed."

As this account reads, it stands thus: Collins had quite a battle to fight on the one hand, with "Moses and Mr. Bates," and he had quite a battle to fight on the other hand with "Jesus Paul and Collins!" It seems then that "Mr. Bates and Moses Jesus and Paul" were all on one side and all agreed. Well, so they are; and this account would be all right, were it not that in the melee, we have the wonderful spectacle of Collins vs. Collins. A house divided against itself, says the Saviour, cannot stand. But in this case, pray tell us who is Judah's Lion that prevailed?

Perhaps the writer meant, though he has not so expressed it, that "Mr. Bates and Moses" were on one side, and "Collins Jesus and Paul" on the other. Well, looking at it in this light, we have Jesus and Paul arrayed in battle against Moses!! This is placing them on rather a different footing than is generally represented in the sacred record. What became of "Moses" when "Judah's Lion" prevailed, the writer saith not!!

U. S.