The Vine of the Earth by D. Hewett

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 11, 1856

The Vine of the Earth.

By D. Hewett

DEAR BRETHREN:—We are beset by many on almost every side to vote at the next presidential election, who hold out as a great inducement to us the non-extension of American Slavery under the expected administration of Fremont. These principles at a superficial view may appear somewhat plausible, but test them by sound reason and Bible truth, and they will fall to the ground.

Firstly, these politicians do not pretend to ameliorate the condition of the poor slave, only that he shall not be sold and transferred into another State, that has been made out of a free Territory; but Slavery still exists in quite a number of States, and many of them very large, and there is still room enough for the poor slave to toil and be sold until great Babylon shall be destroyed, which is found dealing in slaves and the souls of men. Rev. xviii, 13.

Thus we see that voting will not effect anything; for the slave will not be liberated till the mighty angel sent from heaven does the work, breaks his chain, and lets him rise in triumph and leave his master in confusion.

My brethren, is not the world fast being bound in bundles to be burnt, and reaped by that fifth angel’s sharp sickle that shall gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, (secret societies and all political parties,) and cast them into the great wine press (seven last plagues) of the wrath of God. Rev. xiv, 17–20. O, my brethren, I hope that we shall not be found in these clusters, but with the 144,000, having our Father’s name written in our foreheads. Rev. xiv, 1.

I believe that all admit that the United States is symbolized by the two-horned beast, [Rev. xiii.] and will make more effectual laws for the observance of Sunday, (mark of the beast, verse 17,) and that no man may buy or sell, save he that has the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Dear brethren, it will be a dreadful calamity indeed to be found with any of those parties that break God’s holy and immutable law, and make an image to the beast, (Papacy,) that you shall not buy your daily bread, nor sell it to your starving brother, but must keep Sunday on the dreadful penalty of death.

The prophet Isaiah had a prophetic view of these times in the 8th chapter. The 12th verse reads, Say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid. We discover here a great confederated cluster of people with fear, perhaps about Kansas, &c. But, my brethren, what is our duty? Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Verse 13.

Please read the remaining portion of the chapter, and you will, beyond a doubt, ascertain that this point of chronology belongs to these days. Now is the time for us to act wholly for God, and have on the armor of God, and have our conversation in heaven from whence we expect the Saviour soon. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. Luke xii, 35–37.

My brethren, shall we spend our time in political campaigns to elect Buchanan or Fremont, when we so soon expect Christ in all the glory of his Father, and all the holy angels with him, when he shall sit upon the throne of his glory? Will not that be far better than a mortal president elected for four years? Christ is to be King over all the earth. Zech. xiv, 9. We find in Daniel [chap. ii, 44.] that the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Amen. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Dan vii, 27.

My dear brethren, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and run the (christian) race that is set before us, and look to Jesus and not to man, the Author and finisher of our faith. Where is the blessed Jesus? He has set down at the right hand of God. O may our treasure and our hearts be there. D. HEWETT.

Battle Creek, Mich., Sept. 7th, 1856.