p. 190 | COMMUNICATIONS by Joseph Bates

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 13, 1856

COMMUNICATIONS.

By Joseph Bates

From Bro. Bates.

BRO. SMITH:—I wrote you last from Waupun, 13th inst. From that to the 18th. I spent in Ripon and Ceresco; much of the time in Bro. W. Hargrave's family. Our Sabbath meeting was with them and two other families in the vicinity who also profess to keep the Sabbath. We had an appointment to preach on First-day in the school-house, where a controversy had been going on between a Methodist and a Universalist minister, whether the Bible taught a general judgment to come. The Methodist occupied the forenoon with the affirmative. In the afternoon the house was free for me, and I gave them the Third Angel's Message. I was there in the evening and heard the Universalist review his opponent, and declare against what was called a general judgment, or any judgment except what men received during their natural lives. He then opened the way for remarks. We endeavored to show from John v, 11; 2 Pet. iii; Matt. xxv; Rev. xx; Acts xvii, that there was not only a judgment right before us to come, but also afterwards an execution of the judgment, and exhorted him and his hearers to the subject matter of the Third Angel's Message to prepare us for that great and solemn event. He closed up the meeting by daubing my testimony with Millerism. In conversation with him after meeting he manifested a willingness to examine some of our publications for further light on his theory respecting the judgment, &c.

February 19th, came to El Dorado. Here we were pressed to hold meetings in the school-house, especially by Eld. D. P. Hall, who steadily opposed us whenever liberty was given, especially if our subject interfered in any way with the Age to Come. When liberty was withheld to save confusion and distraction, then the cry of sectarianism would come up. After closing the ninth lecture on First-day evening, Eld. Hall, called upon the congregation to notice that the time had not come yet to give the Third Angel's Message which I had been giving them, neither would the seven last plagues destroy all the living wicked when they came. He then appointed a meeting for the Wednesday evening following, to show that the First Angel's Message had not yet been given, but it belonged to the gospel of the kingdom, yet to come.

When the above named meeting convened, the doctrine of the Age to Come was presented to the congregation. After a very lengthy discourse of more than three hours, he spoke of the Angel's messages and said he would preach on them at another time. He here remarked that the First Angel's Message was the introduction to the everlasting age.

The main, or chief point which he propounded was, that at the second appearing of the Saviour he would set up his kingdom on the earth in connection with the immortal saints, and reign on the earth during the 1000 years. He further stated that this reign would be in the midst of many kingdoms. That is, many of the heathen, and the twelve tribes.

When liberty was granted, we asked if there was any person in the congregation that could remember one passage of Scripture which had been adduced in this discourse, to prove the reign of Christ on the earth during the above-named 1000 years? One man replied, "we shall reign on the earth." Rev. v, 10. All can see that the passage here named has no reference to beginning, or duration of time. Eld. H. attempted to explain, but gave none. If this question which is stated to be of such vast importance, and is to continue one thousand years in the future, why cannot its advocates produce one thus saith the Lord for its foundation? Eld. H. appointed Sabbath, 2d. inst., to give his reasons why the First Angel's Message had not been given.

There are some here that are not fed with this doctrine, and have been in deep trial with regard to their duty, and are now preparing to move away where they can enjoy themselves without such distraction of feeling. Eld. H. has also stated publicly in our meetings that the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, is not a symbol of the United States. Neither is the Sanctuary being cleansed. The New Jerusalem is to be built upon the earth; and there is no personal Devil.

We do not pen these statements because of any personal enmity we have against Eld. H.; we wish it were different. But we think the church should understand these public statements of one of their professed teachers.

We have spent two Sabbaths here. We now think of going to Baraboo in the morning.

JOSEPH BATES.

El Dorado, Fond du Lac Co., Wis.