NOTES ON MEN AND THINGS.
By William S. Foote
WHITEWASHED HEATHENISM.—A writer in a late N. Y. Tribune tells us in a few (poetic) lines, that he has a friend in heaven, and wished to send her a message. First, he placed it upon "a small white cloud," but that "died in the crimson west." He then gave it to a lark; but "its pinions grew faint and weary," and there was another failure. Finally he heard a strain of supernatural music, and placing it upon the "music's outspread wings," it soared aloft, and he then knew that it had "passed through the golden gate." If our world was to have an age of superlative nonsense, it surely is the one in which we are living. BIBLE vs. MODERN THEOLOGY.—H. W. Beecher, in a sermon upon the subject of Religion and Politics, says: "And when the sun of Tuesday next (election day) shall go down, the sun of ages shall arise; the curtain shall fall upon one bad drama, and rise upon another one, glowing with new life and hope. After Tuesday next, I think it will be said that the wheel has passed the center, and from that time forward—aggression's fratricidal wrong? No; but justice, equity, truth, liberty, love, all of them are established forever!" But what says the Bible? "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. iv, 3, 4. In the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, &c. 2 Tim. iii, 1, 2. Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Tim. iii, 13. And while many, yea, multitudes, are giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, instead of seeking unto God for wisdom and useful knowledge, while the nations are getting angry, and the whole civilized world is apparently arming for a tremendous conflict, while the groans of the oppressed and down-trodden are increasing and calling aloud to heaven for vengeance upon the oppressor, while vice and immorality in every form is increasing throughout the world,—surely the reign of peace cannot yet be inaugurated. And what means this loud cry of "Peace and safety," if it is not in fulfillment of the prophetic word? 1 Thess. v, 3. "THE PRIESTS THEREOF TEACH FOR HIRE." MICAH III, 1.—A preacher in this neighborhood, on returning from his circuit, was asked what success he met with. "O," said he, "good, good. The people did not hesitate about giving me $300." It reminds us of the following anecdote: Two preachers, on meeting, entered into the following colloquy: "Brother," said one, "I had a dream about you the last night." "Ah," said the other, "what was it?" "I thought I saw you," said the dreamer, "in one of the streets of the New Jerusalem, upon your knees." "Praying, wasn't I?" "No, you was trying to scratch up some of the gold!" Is it any wonder that in these last days the great mass of professors of religion should be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, when so many of those whom they accept as teachers set the example? Query. Would it be improper to have such dreams about some who profess to be Sabbath-keepers? A CONTRAST.—"Pooh," said a neighboring professed minister of the gospel, "if you Advent people behave yourselves with decency and propriety, you will meet with no opposition or persecutions." It is as near the truth as many other things said, which are raked out of the dirt-heap of human reason and tradition, for the word of God tells us that "they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," and those that truly live thus, certainly "behave themselves with decency and propriety."