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Review and Herald, Vol. 25, No. 21.

The Seven Seals

Review and Herald

Apr 25, 1865

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 25, 1865

The Seven Seals.

By James White

“AND I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and on the back side, sealed with seven seals.” Rev. v, 1.
A sealed book is one whose contents are hidden. It was said to Daniel, “Shut up the words, and seal the book, till the time of the end.” Dan. xii, 4. See Isa. xxix, 11.
The book with seven seals symbolizes God’s purposes, to be unfolded during the Christian age on loosing its several seals.
The entire fifth chapter of Revelation seems to be a grand introduction to the subject of the seven seals which is given in the sixth chapter as follows:—
Verses 1, 2. “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts, saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”
This armed warrior, riding forth conquering and to conquer symbolizes the victories of the gospel as preached in its purity and power by Christ’s first ministers. The white horse denotes the purity of faith and life of the primitive church.
Verses 3, 4. “And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.”
The red horse denotes blood and carnage, and has reference to those times of persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ, covering much of the period called the ten persecutions.
Verses 5, 6. “And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.”
The black horse denotes darkness and error, the opposite of the gospel in its purity, symbolized by the white horse. The events under this seal cover the period of the apostasy, from Constantine A. D. 313, to the unlimited rule of the Papacy A. D. 538. On this seal Wm. Miller, Lectures p. 181, remarks as follows:
“When the church became connected with worldly power and wisdom, she lost her purity of doctrine and practice, and adopted in her creed, maxims and principles congenial with the natural heart, and forms and ceremonies for show and parade, rather than the humbling and cross-bearing life of the followers of Jesus. The balances denoted that religion and civil power would be united in the person who would administer the executive power in the government, and that he would claim the judicial authority both in church and state. This was true among the Roman emperors, from the days of Constantine until the reign of Justinian, when he gave the same judicial power to the bishop of Rome. The measures of wheat and barley for a penny, denote that the members of the church would be eagerly engaged after worldly goods, and the love of money would be the prevailing spirit of the times.”
Verses 7, 8. “And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”
The rider upon the pale horse is named Death. Hell, the grave, followed with him. The symbols under this seal denote great persecution, and martyrdom of the church. The period of this seal cannot be mistaken. It must have been during the unlimited, unrebuked, unrestrained, persecuting reign of the Papacy, from about A. D. 538, to the commencement of the sixteenth century when the reformers began their work of exposing the corruptions of the Papal system.
Verses 9, 11. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.”
It seems proper that a period of time should be given to the events under the fifth seal the same as to those under the other seals, which time, it may appear from the following remarks, was from the rise of the reformation to the time when civil power was taken from the Papacy.
1. The souls under the altar were not in Heaven when John had this vision, from the fact that they had not been born. Neither can we suppose that this scene takes place in Heaven. A. Barnes says:
“We are not to suppose that this literally occurred, and that John actually saw the souls of the martyrs beneath the altars—for the whole representation is symbolical; nor are we to suppose that the injured and the wronged in Heaven actually pray for vengeance on those who wronged them, or that the redeemed in Heaven will continue to pray with reference to things on the earth; but it may be fairly inferred from this that there will be as real a remembrance of the wrongs of the persecuted, the injured and the oppressed, as if such prayer were offered there.”
2. The scenes which John was viewing were upon the earth, hence, in the absence of proof that any other altar is meant, it seems a necessary conclusion that John saw the place of slaughter of the church of God by Papal Rome, where the earth has drunk up the blood of martyrs, under the figure of an altar of sacrifice.
3. These slain are represented as crying to God to have their blood avenged on them that dwell on the earth, the same as the voice of Abel's blood from the ground, Gen. iv, 9, 10; or the cry of the stone from the wall, and the answer of the beam out of the timber Hab. ii, 11; or the cry of the hire of the laborer, James v, 4. If it be said that these souls must be in conscious being in Heaven in order to cry, then we reply, that Abel's blood, the stone and the beam, and money, are also conscious, as they are all represented as crying. But really, if these souls are in Heaven in participation of fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore, why are they represented as crying for vengeance on those who cut short their mortal life with all its woes, and hastened them to the enjoyment of the perfect bliss of Heaven?
4. The Scriptures sometimes attribute life, action, intelligence, and personality, to inanimate objects to show how God regards those connected with those objects, hence the unconscious slain are represented as crying from beneath the altar of Papal sacrifice. Justice, long trampled in the dust, now cries for judgment and vengeance on the Papacy which had spilled the blood of the church of Jesus Christ. Luther and his associates were imbued with the spirit of this cry which went up from the earth that had drunk the blood of millions of the martyrs of Jesus, and they exposed the corruptions of the Papacy which trembled before the reformers, and in A. D. 1798 was stripped of its civil authority. Thus the blood of the martyrs was avenged on those that dwelt on the earth. This has no reference to the final judgment and punishment of the wicked; but refers to the change in the condition of the Papacy. “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” Chap. xiii, 10.
5. White robes were given to every one of them. They had been denounced by the Papacy as vile heretics, and executed as such, and thus their characters had been robed in darkness. But the Reformation exposed the crimes of the Papacy, turned the scale, vindicated the cause of the holy martyrs of Jesus, and clothed them with white robes. Hence, the sermons, the prayers and the songs of praise of the Christian church since the great Reformation have held these millions of the slain for Jesus' name, forth to the world in spotless purity.
6. They were to rest yet a little season, until their fellow-servants and brethren should be killed as they had been. Let it be particularly noticed that it is the same that cried, that rests.If it be justice that cried, as has been shown, then it is justice that rests, or is stayed for a little season. We stated that the opening of this seal commenced when the reformers began to expose the Papacy, and vindicate the cause of the martyrs. But the cry of justice was not answered at once. Time must be given to bring about these grand events. Their cause must rest for a little season. For notwithstanding the influence of the Reformation, the Papacy clothed with authority to punish heretics, did put to death more of the followers of Jesus. This done, the little season, or the period of the fifth seal, closed.
Verses 12-17. “And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; and the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand.”
The events of the first five seals have been described in a style highly figurative; but with the sixth seal there seems to be a complete change to the narration of literal facts. The events under this seal are,
1. A great earthquake, which, probably, was the great earthquake at Lisbon, in 1755, in which 30,000 persons were killed. The Encyclopædia Americana states: “It extended from Greenland to Africa and America.”
2. The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, which was the same as the darkening of the sun, Matt. xxiv, and was fulfilled in the wonderful dark day of May 19, 1780. See Exposition of Matt. xxiv, to be had at the Review Office, Battle Creek, Mich.
3. The moon became as blood. The night following the dark day, the moon, when visible at all, looked like blood.
4. The stars of heaven fell unto the earth, which is the same as the falling stars of Matt. xxiv, and had a wonderful fulfillment Nov. 13, 1833, as described by John, of which thousands now living were eye-witnesses.
5. The heavens will depart as a scroll when it is rolled together. This is in the future, to be fulfilled when the voice of God shakes the earth, also the atmospheric heavens. Heb. xii, 22-27; Joel iii, 16; Jer. xxv, 30, 31; Rev. xvi, 17.
6. Mountains and islands will be moved out of their places. The voice of God that shakes the heavens will also shake the earth. Mountains will be thrown down, and islands sunk. The earth’s surface will be so broken up as to prepare the way for
7. All classes of the lost to hide in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains from the burning glory then being manifested of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. They have witnessed the shaking of the earth, the casting out of the rocks of the mountains; all hope of mercy is gone, and they desire and pray that some rock or mountain may cover them from the awful glory of God and the Lamb. They are still looking forward with dreadful fear to the coming of the Son of man, and inquiring, “Who shall be able to stand?”
We have followed the events under six of the seals from the first advent of Christ down past the three great signs of his second advent, namely, in the sun, moon, and stars. Here the sixth chapter of the Revelation closes, and the prophetic chain is broken off by the introduction of the sealing of the 144,000, the subject of chapter vii, which fact locates the sealing in our time. Hence we find the declaration in reference to the seventh seal, the last link of this prophetic chain, in
Chap. viii, 1. And when he had opened the seventh seal there was silence in Heaven about the space of half an hour.
This, doubtless applies to the second advent of Christ, and marks the period from the time that he leaves Heaven with all the holy angels with him, Matt. xxv, 31, till he returns with all the saints resurrected and changed. All the heavenly harpers being absent, there is said to be silence in Heaven. J. W.

My Bible Tells Me So.

WHEN, faint and weary with the strife, Temptations to o'ercome, I long to leave this toilsome life, And lay me down at home; Then sweetly comes this thought to me, Whate'er betide, I know That as my day my strength shall be; The Bible tells me so.
When sin brings clouds of doubt and fears To spread before my eyes, And faith grows weak, and scarce can pierce Those clouds to reach the skies, My heart cries out in trembling tones, Oh! whither shall I go? "Come unto me, ye weary ones!" My Saviour tells me so.
Yes, I will come, I'll trust thee, Lord, The needed strength to give; Oh! let me never doubt thy Word; I'll trust thee while I live, And should I lay me down to die, I need not fear to go; I have a home beyond the sky, My Bible tells me so.

War and the Sealing.

By James White

THE ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-FOUR THOUSAND.

The entire seventh chapter of the book of Revelation, which speaks of the sealing of the 144,000, is brought in parenthetically between the sixth and seventh seals—the sixth chapter closing with the specifications of the sixth seal, and the eighth opening with the seventh—hence the chronology of the sealing is fixed in our day.
Chap. vii, 1-3. "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
On these verses we briefly comment as follows:
1. The four angels we understand to be four of those heavenly messengers which excel in strength, into whose hands God has given the control of the four winds.
2. The four corners of the earth may refer to the four points of the compass, embracing the whole.
3. The four winds represent the elements of political strife and war. See Dan. vii, 2; Jer. xxv, 32, 33.
4. To the four angels it is given to hurt, as well as to hold.
5. The hurting by the blowing of the four winds relates only to the results of war. The seven last plagues constitute no part of it, as the plagues are given into the hands of seven angels, chap. xv, 1, 6, 7; xvi, 1; xxi, 9, but this work is in the hands of four angels.
6. The ascending angel represents a special message; and as his work comes in after the signs of the second advent of Christ, mentioned under the sixth seal, we conclude that the sealing is identical with the work of the third message of chap. xiv, 9-12.
7. The seal of the living God, as shown in our publications, is the Sabbath of the fourth commandment.
8. The angel bearing the seal ascends from the rising of the sun. Whiting's translation. We do not suppose that locality is here meant; but that the message, represented by the ascending angel, would come up like the rising sun. The morning sun seems powerless. As it rises, its rays increase in strength, until it reaches the heat and dazzling power of the noon-day sun. The third message, bearing on its front the Sabbath of the Lord, arose in obscurity, its first teachers being penniless, uneducated men, and the positions taken by them were exceedingly unpopular and crossing. But the work has gradually moved on, gaining strength by every effort put forth by its true friends, and its future power, light, and glory, are symbolized in chap. xviii, 1-5.
9. Let it be observed that the sealing is in the same territory as, and in close connection with, the hurting by the blowing of the four winds. This is seen in the fact that the four angels are invoked not to hurt till the servants of God are sealed. This scene at present applies to our own country. To apply the hurting to the French Revolution of 1848, and the Crimean war of 1854, and then locate the sealing work in North America, is absurd. Here, in our own land, the hands of the four angels are loosening, and the winds of war and strife are blowing. Should this war continue and increase, the proclamation of the third message would be seriously hindered. Already [summer of 1862] our brethren in several States have been forced to suspend that labor in consequence of the military excitement.
10. The blowing of the four winds hurts the earth, the sea, and the trees. The present war threatens to seriously affect the agricultural interests of our country, Joel iii, 9, 10, also the commercial.
Again we see the hurting of the earth, the sea, and the trees, in the destruction of property by the land forces, and by the navy. While this work goes on, thousands are called into the army who would otherwise listen, at least, to the voice of truth; and those who remain at home are to such a degree excited as to the welfare of their sons, husbands, and brothers, in the service, and their country, that they are unprepared to listen to, and investigate, the great facts of the message.
11. There must be a time of comparative peace in which the sealing work will be accomplished. How soon that will be—how far the Southern rebellion will be pushed in fury, and the North rise in its strength and greatness—to what extent military movements are to hinder the proclamation of the message in this and other countries—is known only to Him who has the destiny of nations in his hands. It may be the purpose of God to bring the nation, stained with the crime of slavery, low in the dust, and greatly humble his people, that in the time of peace many may readily receive the message, and in unity and love obey it. The hurting angels hold the four winds that the servants of God may be sealed. When a time of comparative peace shall come, then will the sealing work move on in earnest. The message will forget its feebleness and will swell into the loud cry.
Verses 4-8. And I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand, of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalm were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manesses were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabolon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Some do not see how those of the twelve tribes can be sealed in our time. But is it not as difficult for them to see why the apostle should address his epistle to the twelve tribes? "James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." James i, 1, 2. This Christian minister is addressing his Christian brethren, and not the Jewish tribes. How is this?
Again, the names of the twelve tribes are on the twelve gates of the new-earth city. "And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God; and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." Rev. xxi, 10-14. This is not a Jewish city, but Christian, for in its foundations are the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; yet on each one of its twelve gates is written the name of some one of the twelve tribes. How can this be?
Paul's figure of grafting may assist to a correct understanding of this matter. Rom. xi. The tame olive tree represents believing Israel. The twelve branches were broken off because of unbelief. Through faith in Christ the wild olive cions are grafted into the tame olive stocks, and thus the twelve tribes are perpetuated in the Christian age.
There is nothing on the earth to show the distinct tribes of the Israel of God. We cannot point to twelve denominations as constituting the twelve tribes; neither to any geographical divisions where they are located. Let us look to the heavenly sanctuary,where the work of organizing the army of Heaven is going on. Under the former dispensation the sanctuary and ministration of the priests were at Old Jerusalem. There the tribes of the Lord assembled. There were their records. The Christian sanctuary, and priestly service of Jesus Christ are in Heaven. And there are the records of all who are grafted into the great olive-tree of the faithful, in twelve grand divisions. A soldier belongs to company A of such a regiment, of such a division, of such an army. Here is but a faint representation of the order of the organization of the great army of Heaven during the present dispensation, which in the immortal state will stand upon the sea of glass, and in twelve vast columns march through the twelve gates into the city of God.
Verses 9-12. After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen.
This vast company are probably the saved from every nation, kindred, people and tongue, raised from the dead at the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Verses 13-17. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Here we think, attention is again called to the 144,000. It is said of these that they came out of great tribulation, which, probably could not be said of all who will have part in the resurrection of the just at the second coming of Christ. Those who suffer with Christ will reign with him. All true Christians will suffer on account of their faith either mental or physical agony; but this falls below the great tribulation of the 144,000. These live in the midst of the perils of the last days, in the time of the blowing of the four winds, and when "evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth; and the slain of the Lord shall be in that day from one end of the earth, even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered nor buried." Jer. xxv, 32, 33. The 144,000 live on the earth in the time of trouble such as never was, and their deliverance is from out of it. Dan. xii, 1; Jer. xxx, 7. In battling for truth against the errors and spiritual wickedness of the times, in the work of overcoming the world, the flesh and the Devil, that they may be sealed with the seal of the living God, they become worn with care, anxiety and mental agony. Add to this the fact that they are to be on the earth to witness the result of the seven last plagues on those who have not the seal of the living God, Eze. ix, 2-6; Ps. xci, and we have the sum of great tribulation.
The 144,000 will know most by experience of the sufferings of Christ, hence are represented in the immortal state as being nearest to the slain Lamb. They will be to him a special treasure. They will be next to the throne, and the Lamb shall lead them. In chap. xiv, 4, they are spoken of after their redemption, as following the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
J. W.

Non-Combatants.

By James White

THEIR DUTY IN REFERENCE TO THE PRESENT WAR.

"I EXHORT therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim. ii, 1-4.
The sacred Scriptures teach that Christians have duties to perform which relate to both earth and Heaven. And while the Bible dwells particularly upon the great danger of neglecting heavenly things, it does not fail to point out the Christian's duty relative to the affairs of this world. "Render therefore," said Christ, Matt. xxii, 21, "unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
The Apostle very definitely states the duties of Christians to pray for civil rulers, that important results may follow—
1. He exhorts that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for them.
2. He gives this duty prominence. "First of all," says he, let this be done.
3. The burden of prayer is stated to be, "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
4. The result "is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." The great object then of the prayer which should go up to the throne of grace from every Christian heart, is that men may be brought to a saving knowledge of the truth.
The Apostle does not here teach that prayer should be made for the conversion of all kings and all those that are in authority. Their conversion is not the great object he now has in view. But he exhorts that prayer should be made for them, that those who have enlisted under the Prince of Peace may lead quiet and peaceable lives.
War is not in harmony with the spirit which the New Testament especially teaches should be manifested by the disciples of the meek and lowly Saviour. The spirit of war overruns the spirit of true piety, and hinders the progress of Christian truth and holiness in any country where both exist. And unless the especial providence of God favors the cause of non-combatants, in case of drafting men for the service, they are liable to be brought where military law will demand of them what they regard a violation of the Higher Law. These, doubtless, are some of the reasons why the Apostle makes it the first duty of Christians to pray that they may be able to lead quiet and peaceable lives, and not be hindered in their efforts to bring men to a saving knowledge of the truth.
Bible history presents instances where humiliation, fasting, and prayer, have moved the arm of Omnipotence to dispose the hearts of those in authority to favor the cause of the just.
The prophet addresses his captive people in Babylon, as recorded in Jer. xxix, 7, thus—"Seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."
Jesus taught his disciples the duty of prayer relative to their escape from Jerusalem, at the time of its destruction. "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day." Matt. xxiv, 20. And is it not possible that the impressive petition of the angel, Rev. vii, 3, "Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads,"—symbolizes earnest prayer on the part of God's loyal people, at the present period of this dreadful American war?
To this point we would call particular attention. If the present be the period for the message to go forth which bears upon its very front the Seal of the Living God; if the four angels have at this time been loosing their hold of the winds of political strife and war, so that they are now blowing, and if the ascending angel with the Seal of God, symbolizes the rising, spreading message of the third angel, which has taken a strong hold upon the hearts of thousands of men and women at this time, then may we not conclude that the earnest petition of the ascending angel represents the united prayer of all interested in the message, for God, in the execution of justice and judgment upon our nation for the high crime of slavery, to so manifest his power, as to speedily bring to a close this terrible war. Upon this point we wish to speak with becoming modesty, but cannot leave it without stating that the foregoing suggestions are our settled convictions. We certainly think it worthy of the immediate attention of all our people.
The present condition of our country calls for fervent prayer from all those who, like Jacob, have power with God, through faith, to prevail in prayer. Can those who are striving to be loyal to the Constitution and Laws of High Heaven come nearest to the throne of grace? then let them, in the name of Jesus our merciful High Priest, come with humble boldness and fervency in this time of the nation's agony.
Hundreds of thousands of brave men have entered the service, and have suffered, and bled, and died upon the field of battle, in hospitals, and in Southern prisons. Oh! the sum total of human agony which has been wrung from the nation! This causeless rebellion of those whose hands were stained with the sin of slavery, has caused this tide of woe to flow onward for nearly four years! Great God! when will it cease?
"The weapons of our warfare," says the Apostle, 2 Cor. x, 4, "are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." But no American Christian, however spiritual may be the weapons of his warfare, should feel that he has no other interest in this war than to clear himself from its responsibilities and liabilities by only paying a trifling sum into a safety insurance treasury. He has really as much interest in this old world as any man. Although it has been sadly changed from its primeval glory by the curse, and by the flood, and has been rent by inward commotion, and has waxed old like a tattered garment, and has been crimsoned by war and bloodshed, and everywhere is seen resting upon it the blight and mildew of sin, yet here he must stay and act his part, until the Prince of Peace shall come and reign.
Seventh-day Adventists believe that they have committed to them a message that is yet to shake the world, and bring out of it a consecrated people, loyal and true to the God of Heaven. The triumphant closing of this grand work, they believe is symbolized by the angel of Rev. xviii, 1, 2, "having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory." To be permitted, in the providence of God, to lead quiet and peaceable lives in this time which is marked in prophecy as a special period of war, and act a part for God in the promulgation of his burning truth, attended with power and glory, is an exalted privilege. For this let every believer most fervently pray. God rules and reigns in Heaven and on earth. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever he will. Proverbs xxi, 1.
The apostle exhorts that "giving of thanks" also, be made for those "that are in authority," as well as "supplications, prayers, and intercessions." Every Christian citizen of the free North can thank God that he lives under the best government in this revolted and sin-cursed world. It is true that we suffer the terrible results of war. And how far the government is responsible for many wrongs connected with the present war, is a point we do not now propose to discuss. But in our opinion, it would be about as unreasonable to charge the war in Heaven at the time of the revolt of Satan and the angels who fell with him, upon Michael and the loyal angels, as to charge this war upon the present administration. It is also true in the history of this war, that very many of the most terrible and heart-rending disasters and sufferings of the North have resulted from the conduct of northern pro-slavery traitors.
Christian citizens of the free North can give thanks to God for religious freedom secured to them by the government. Christ's first ministers were slain for preaching and believing Christ, and the resurrection of the dead. The millions of holy martyrs sealed their testimony with their blood. Christian friends, we should gratefully compare the present with the past, and let our fervent thanks go up to Heaven.
As a denomination of non-combatants, Seventh-day Adventists should give thanks to God for the provision made by government for the exemption of non-combatants from bearing carnal weapons, on conditions specified by law.
In view of the foregoing, we recommend our people that prayer and giving of thanks for those in authority constitute a proper portion of their Sabbath and other seasons of public worship, and also of family and private devotions. And besides this, we recommend that the second Sabbath in each month be especially set apart to fasting and prayer, in view of the present terrible war, and the peculiar relations which non-combatants sustain to the government, that they may still enjoy liberty of conscience, and lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.
J. W.

Labor and Lasting Wonders

LABOR is the parent of all the lasting wonders of this world, whether in verse or stone, whether poetry or pyramids.
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