Review and Herald, Vol. 11, No. 19. (3/25/1858)

Review and Herald

Mar 25, 1858

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 25, 1858

THE TWO WITNESSES.

By Editor

WHILE this is confessedly a difficult subject, there are specifications enough given, we think, to guard us against adopting views which are either very extravagant or ultra concerning it. We acknowledge the validity of that rule which forbids our pulling down a man's house over his head, without giving him a better one in its stead; but when we see persons erecting an unwieldy superstructure upon no foundation but the sand, have we not a right by all means to induce them if possible to "leave off to build," before the work shall have progressed so far as to involve them in the ruin of its "fall." "The issue of a false theory" says Nelson, "can but be disastrous."

We shall therefore be permitted to reason negatively on this question—to endeavor to refute a theory without establishing another in its stead. Perhaps this is all we need to do until some good reasons shall be given for departing from the view already adopted by the majority of expositors. And in order that our remarks may be understood, it will be necessary to state the views with which we are at issue. They are in brief as follows:

That Christ and the Church are the two witnesses of Rev. xi.
That the time for them to finish their testimony is yet future.
That then they are to be slain, literally; that is, that the saints are all to be put to death.
That their dead bodies are to be three days and a half, literal time, unburied, during which men will rejoice over them, making merry and sending gifts one to another.

That at the end of three days and a half, they are to be resurrected, and immediately thereafter "ascend up to heaven;" which takes place when the Lord comes, and the saints are changed and caught up to meet him in the air.
That the earthquake which then occurs is identical with that which helps swell the unprecedented woe of the seventh and last plague. Rev. xvi, 18.

The reasons urged for these positions may be also briefly summed up as follows:

The term, witness, is often applied to Christ and the church.
The witnesses are said to be the two olive trees; [Rev. xi, 4;] and the church is called an olive tree, and so is Christ.
The wonders wrought by Moses in Egypt and by Elijah in Canaan, are referred to as fulfilling the specifications of verse 6, viz., "These have power to shut heaven that it rain not in the days of their prophecy; and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues as often as they will."
It is claimed that the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit, and makes war upon the witnesses and overcomes them, is the Two-horned beast. In support of his putting the saints to death, appeal is made to Rev. xiii, 15, which says that the image should cause that as many as would not worship it should be killed.
Christ is slain in his people, or in other words is "spiritually crucified" in Sodom and Egypt. Verse 8.
The three days and a half during which the witnesses lie dead are literal days.
They have no connection with the second woe.

With every single position above taken, and with every single reason urged in their defense, we join issue.

1. It is generally admitted by Advent believers, that the Revelation, is a revelation of Jesus Christ; that he sent and signified it by his angel to his servant John, and is himself in many places, the speaker. A reference to chap. xxii, 15, will illustrate: "Blessed are they that do his commandments." Christ speaks, and refers to his Father's commandments. So it is all through. It is the same "great voice as of a trumpet," saying, "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last." "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things." "Behold I (Jesus) come quickly," &c. So in chap. xi, 3: "And I (Jesus) will give power unto my two witnesses." The witnesses therefore are those that testify concerning Jesus Christ; but he himself affirms that he bears not testimony concerning himself; therefore he is not one of them. God is never represented as the speaker in the book of Revelation.

2. The argument that is based on the application of the term, witness, to Christ and his people, falls to the ground in view of the fact that the same term is applied to other objects besides them. For instance, God is often called a witness. Jno. v, 37; Mal. iii, 5. Good works are a witness. Jno. v, 37; x, 25. The conscience is a witness. Rom. ii, 15. The Holy Spirit is a witness. Jno. xv, 25; Heb. x, 15; 1 Jno. v, 6. The Scriptures are a witness. Jno. v, 39. The simple fact therefore that the term, witness, is applied to Christ and his people proves nothing, since if it proves anything it proves too much. This point then resolves itself into this one question: What are preeminently pointed out by

the Scriptures as the witnesses of Jesus? The only Scriptures existing in the days of our Saviour, were the books of the Old Testament; yet Jesus told his disciples to search the Scriptures, for they testified of him: the word rendered, testify, being the same as in many other places is rendered, to bear witness. John v, 37. And again, Jesus told his apostles that he would send the Comforter, who would testify of him, and they should also bear witness of him. Why? The reason follows: because they had been with him from the beginning. They were therefore qualified to bear witness of him. John xv, 26, 27. Aided by the Holy Ghost they have left their witness on record, as embodied in the New Testament. But there is no man now who can bear witness of Jesus in the sense of John xv, 27, for the reason that no one has seen him and been present with him.

3. The witnesses are called the two olive trees; but we find no testimony that Christ is ever called an olive tree. The church is indeed so called in Jer. xi, 16, and Rom. xi, 17; but the connection of these passages with Zech. iv, is yet to be shown. Paul calls the Gentiles, an olive tree [Rom. xi, 17,] but no one would think from this of calling them one of the witnesses.

4. The witnesses have power to shut heaven that it rain not, to turn water into blood, and smite the earth with all plagues, &c. When do they have power to do this? The Testimony is that it is during the days of their prophecy. What are the days of their prophecy? They must be the 1260 days of verse 3; for no others are brought to view. A reference therefore to the days of Moses and Elijah as a fulfillment of these specifications, is about as foreign to the subject as could well be made.

5. The beast that makes war upon the witnesses and overcomes them is the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit. What beast is this? The same as is brought to view in chap. xvii, 8: "The beast that thou sawest was and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit." By the previous verse we learn that it is the beast that carries the woman—the blasphemous beast with seven heads and ten horns. Is this the Two-horned beast? No Sabbath-keeper in his right mind can believe it. Then it is not the Two-horned beast that wars upon the witnesses.

6. The "days" of verse 3 are acknowledged to be prophetic, meaning 1260 years. How is it then that the same word, days, in verse 9 comes to mean literal days of 24 hours each? A reason must be given for so abrupt and sudden a turn of the language. It is evident that the same kind of time is referred to in both instances. The witnesses prophecy 1260 days, and then lie dead three and a half days. If one period is prophetic so also is the other. But the fact that the three days and a half are prophetic, is fatal to the theory under review; as no one can claim that the dead bodies of the saints will lie about the country unburied three years and a half; for the Scriptures allow but one year after the close of mercy's last message, for the execution of the plagues. Isa. lxiii, 4; Rev. xviii, 8.

7. The earthquake of verse 13, cannot be the same as brought to view in Rev. xvi, 18, 19; for in the former only a tenth part of the city falls, there are slain of men only seven thousand, and the remnant give glory to God. In the latter, the city is divided into three parts the islands flee away, men blaspheme God, and the remnant are slain by the sword of him that sits upon the horse. Chap. xix, 21.

8. From the prophetic style of the chapter [Rev. xi] it is evident that all that is said concerning the witnesses takes place before the second woe ends. The second woe ended in 1840. Subsequent to that date then we cannot look for a fulfillment of what is said of the two witnesses.

But it is urged that the saints will all be put to death from the testimony of Rev. xiii, 15 which reads as follows: "And he (the Two-horned beast) had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed." But we read right on in verse 16, "And he causeth all both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond to receive a mark," &c. Now are we all expecting to receive the mark of the beast? By no means; yet it says that he causeth all to receive the mark. Hence we see that the verb, cause, may be limited. And when therefore we read in verse 15, that he should cause some to be killed, which Wakefield renders, "Give orders that they should be killed," &c., we think the decree may be limited in its effects; and that the saints are to be delivered from it will appear from the following positive particulars:

1. They are to get the victory over the beast and his image. But, says one, it is not getting the victory over the beast to be passively delivered out of his hands! Admitted. But is it getting the victory over him to fall beneath his power? By no means; no more than we get the victory over death when we die. But let us suppose that when the beast attempts to enforce his decrees against us, when our enemies come against us in a transport of fury, to utterly exterminate us from the earth; suppose then that we can exercise so much faith and are clothed with so much of the power of God, that their arms palsy before us, and their weapons fall from their hands, that they cannot stand in our presence, and that one saint can chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight, [Deut. xxxii, 30.] would not that be getting the victory over them? Verily. And that such will be the case with us we have no reason to doubt, but much to believe. See Experience and Views p. 17.

2. Paul says plainly that we shall not all sleep. His words are, "Behold I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." 1 Cor. xv, 51. Testimony so plain and positive as this can neither be set aside nor evaded. To say that it means that we shall not all be asleep is an evasion of the most glaring kind. The text does not say that, but, we shall not all sleep, fall asleep; the verb being in the same construction as the following one, we shall be changed. Now if we are actually reduced to a state of death, if it is for no more than five minutes, we sleep as really as though it was for five thousand years; and Paul's declaration proves a failure. But we do not believe his word will fail; we do not believe that we shall all sleep.

3. Paul declares that some will be alive and remain. "Then we," says he, "which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them, (the resurrected righteous dead.)

We close the testimony here, not because there is nothing more that might be said, or because there are not many more absurdities which necessarily attach themselves to the theory under consideration, but because we think enough has been offered. Eleven objections have been noticed each one of which is fatal to its existence. With one more consideration we leave the subject.

It is claimed by various persons who are just now originating and endeavoring to promulgate new views, that this is the way to get the "gold;" that the gold is some new truth to be developed, which we are to obtain by receiving it and acting upon it. But let us candidly answer for ourselves one question. Is the gold which we are commanded to obtain, a theory of the truth, or has it any connection with truth? We are now represented as poor and destitute, without the gold; we do not possess it. If then the gold is truth, it follows that we are yet destitute of truth—a summary way truly of throwing the Third Angel's Message and its kindred subjects into impenetrable shade. But again, if the gold is some new truth to be developed, it follows that there is truth yet to be brought out, which compared with the truth we now possess, is as gold compared with nothing. For, mark, we are without the gold yet, but we are to obtain it by the reception of new truth. This is the theory. But do any of our readers believe that there is truth yet to be developed, of such vitality and importance, that, compared with the great truths of the Third Angel's Message, the Sanctuary, the Sabbath, the Coming of the Lord, &c., it is as gold compared with nothing? The thought is unworthy of any believer in the Third Message. We do not say that there is no new truth to be brought out from time to time; but when the time comes for its development, it will appear in such force and beauty, that the church will be ready to yield to the one and acknowledge the other.

We apprehend that our poverty consists of a lack of spiritual graces rather than a theory of truth; and we think therefore, that, if there were more strenuous efforts after vital godliness, and less speculation upon doubtful and uncertain points, we should find ourselves more rapidly obtaining the true riches which will enable us to stand before our Lord with confidence at his appearing and kingdom.—Ed.

"NOW OR NEVER."

Now or never! now or never! Let the maxim ne'er depart, 'Tis the watchword that forever Should inspire each manly heart; For, if justice must be rendered, On the wrong that's done to thee, That no malice be engendered, "Now or never!" let it be.

Now or never! why to-morrow, If the deed be good to-day? There may lurk an age of sorrow In one hour that's thrown away; It is better to be doing, For the future who may see? And delay may lead to ruin— "Now or never!" let it be.

Now or never! now or never! When grim poverty appears, Do the best of your endeavor To assuage the mourner's tears; For a time may come, thy measures May be meted out to thee, Would ye give from out your treasures, "Now or never!" let it be.

CONDITIONS OF SALVATION. No. 3.

By M. E. S.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine," &c. Everything written through the dictation of the Spirit of God must necessarily be harmonious, otherwise we would make the Holy Spirit sometimes a lying one, and no longer holy; also the Scriptures given by its inspiration would become contradictory and hence unprofitable. But Paul says they are profitable, and "God is not the author of confusion." 1 Cor. xiv, 33. Hence Bible testimony, regarding any one point of doctrine, will harmonize; the mysterious, being explained by the plain teachings. We will now proceed to consider New Testament evidences regarding the kingdom of God, endeavoring to find out the harmonious teachings of New Testament writers.

Many take the position that the kingdom of heaven, and kingdom of God, as brought to view in the holy Scriptures, is a "kingdom of grace," set up at Christ's first advent. I would ask such, were the patriarchs, prophets, and saints who lived previous to that time, excluded from the grace? i.e., the free favor of God? If he has been King of his Church only since the first advent, who governed his Church previously? God indeed is King and has been from all eternity, as he says, [Isa. lxvi, 1.] "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool;" but he is no more ruler of his Church in this age, than any other; he no more reigns over the righteous than the wicked; for "he is a great King over all the earth." Ps. xlvii, 2. None, I think will contend that this is the kingdom of promise for which the disciples were admonished to seek; [Matt. vi, 33;] since they were already in this kingdom and could not therefore seek for it. Let us see if the New Testament can be harmonized with the view that the kingdom of heaven is the Church, and has existed more than 1800 years.

Matt. xiii, 24-30, 36-44. Here, "the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field"—i. e., the Church according to modern theology. But lo! "while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat." The Saviour says, [John xv, 1.] "I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman." Then it is his place alone to engraft branches. "Ye (disciples) are the branches," and we may be sure he will have no hypocrite among them; even the true branches, when they cease to bear fruit, he takes away; but here the enemy comes and engrafts tares; will the husbandman scruple to cut them off any more than he does the fruitless branches? But in this instance, he tells his servants, who come inquiring whether they may gather them up, to let them grow lest they should root up the wheat with the tares.

We see at once the vine and field cannot be the same. Then what is represented by the field? Jesus tells us, verse 38, "The field is the world, the good seed are the children of the kingdom."—(Not that they are really possessing the kingdom, for Paul says, [Rom. viii, 17.] "If children then heirs." Now an heir is an expectant to an estate, not an actual possessor.) "The tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the Devil." He first introduced sin into the world. Verse 41. "The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity." "Out of his kingdom," i. e., the territory of his kingdom, the world, or the field in which the tares were sown, that are here gathered out. There will be none in the literal kingdom which do iniquity; for, says Paul, "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, (right doing,) and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." That is, these are attributes of the kingdom.

Verse 43. "Then shall the righteous shine forth (when? after the harvest, which is the end of the world,) as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." This parable we see is not introduced to represent the kingdom of God after it is established, but to show the probationary season given to man as preparatory to the kingdom [verses 31-33.] The kingdom of heaven likened to a grain of mustard seed; and verse 33, the leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till the whole was leavened, we conceive represent the same thing; not the Church, however, evangelizing the world, till the whole become converted. The parable already noticed sufficiently confutes this idea.

At the time of harvest, which is the end of the world, there are tares which are to be gathered and burned; hence the whole world could not have been previously christianized. Nor can it mean the kingdom itself, for nothing will enter there that in any way defiles, and consequently needs leavening. 1 Cor. vi, 9, 10; Eph. v, 5. "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of God and of Christ." What then is represented by the parable under consideration? Doubtless the "word of the kingdom," [verse 19,] in other words, the gospel and its influences. What answers to the three measures of meal? We answer, the three dispensations in which the gospel has been proclaimed: the Patriarchal, Mosaic and Christian. The people of God in two measures have already been "leavened," and but little time now remains for the completion of the third.

Verses 44-47. The kingdom of God is like treasure hid in a field, and like a pearl of great price, to secure which a man sells all he has. So will one leave all worldly interests and pleasures to obtain an inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Verses 47-52. This parable of the net is the same with that of the wheat and tares. Chap. xi, 12. "From the days of John the Baptist, until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Why since his days? Because the kingdom of God began then to be especially preached. We think the latter clause of this verse is synonymous with Luke xiii, 24.—"Strive to enter in at the strait gate." Literally, agonize, because the time is short, and many will seek to enter in and shall not be able, "when once the Master of the house has risen up," &c. Macknight renders this passage, "Force your way through the strait gate," which sufficiently explains the text under consideration, showing the earnest endeavors that must be made in order to secure an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Luke xvi, 16. "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." This passage is so nearly like the preceding that it requires little comment. We see, however, if it proves an establishment of the kingdom, it proves too much for modern theology, which teaches that Christ set up the kingdom, not John. (We will presently notice passages which show when the kingdom is established.)

Matt. xvi, 28. "Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." This declaration of Jesus was verified

"after six days." [chap. xvii, 1.] when he took Peter, James, and John and brought them up into a high mountain, and was transfigured before them. There was Jesus, the King, Elijah the representation of the saints who should be alive at Christ's second coming, and would be caught up as he was, [1 Thess. iv, 17.] and Moses, representing the resurrected saints. This however was the kingdom in vision, ("tell the vision to no man," &c., verse 9.) It was not that they were actually to see Jesus coming in his kingdom, for then all the holy angels should accompany him. Matt. xxv, 31.

Matt. xxi, 43. "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Jesus was here addressing the Jews, who were the literal descendants of Abraham, David, &c., to whom the promise of the kingdom (we have seen in previous numbers that they received nothing more,) was especially given. Being such, the kingdom, or rather the hope of the kingdom (since they could transmit to their posterity to no more of the inheritance than they had actually received) would be theirs by natural descent; but they, forfeiting their title to it by sin and rebellion, Jesus tells them it (the hope which was all they had) should be taken from them nationally and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, doubtless referring to the call of the Gentiles.

Luke xviii, 21. "The kingdom of God is within you." Would those who believe that the Church is the kingdom of God, be willing to take the position that it was within the hypocritical Pharisees? The margin reads, "among you," see also Doddridge, meaning the elements of the kingdom. The earth or territory of the kingdom, Jesus, and some of his followers were all there among the Pharisees.

Luke vi, 20. "Blessed be ye poor; for yours is the kingdom of God." When is it theirs? Says James, [chap. ii, 5.] "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him." Then it is a subject of promise to those who love God, and are consequently already in the kingdom, according to popular teaching.

Matt. xi, 11. Is the least member of the Church greater than John the Baptist, of whom Jesus said, "Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he?"

Matt. xii, 28. "But if I cast out Devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you." Satan, being expelled, they were prepared to become the disciples of Christ and heirs of the kingdom, which, however, it was impossible for them at that time to enter, according to 1 Cor. xv, 50. "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;" neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. How then were they ever to possess it, since they were here flesh and blood? "Behold, says Paul, I show (explain to) you a (or the) mystery; we shall not all sleep (die, says Macknight) but we shall all be changed."

Verse 53. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Until this change is effected (which is at the last trump, verse 52) Paul teaches us we cannot expect to enter the kingdom. This agrees with the testimony of Jesus, [Matt. xxv, 34.] "Then (when the Son of man shall come in his glory, verse 31) shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Also 2 Pet. i, 5-12. Peter here exhorts his brethren to give all diligence, endeavoring to add one grace to another, and thus make their calling and election sure. "For so," says he, "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Now what was the consistency of admonishing his brethren (who were of course in the Church) to growth in grace, in order that they might never fall, but obtain an entrance into the kingdom at some future time, if they were already in it? They could no more enter the kingdom again without first falling, than we could enter a room we were already in without first going out.

Col. i, 13. "Who . . . hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son," i. e., into the hope of the kingdom, otherwise this passage would contradict the above. Paul says he "calleth those things which be not as though they were." Rom. iv, 17. Rev. i, 9, may be harmonized in the same way. "I John who also am your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ." John was then in tribulation. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." Acts xiv, 22. He was also in patience. In the kingdom itself is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." There will be no tribulation and no need of patience.

Mark i, 15. "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," i. e., next in order; here means of universal monarchies. We find from Daniel, chap. ii, that there were to be five universal kingdoms upon earth: first, Babylon, followed by Medo-Persia; next, Grecia, then Rome, and lastly, the kingdom of God. Now in the time of the Babylonish empire, it could have been said, the kingdom of Medo-Persia is at hand, but not the Roman, since it was not the next in order. In the days of the Medo-Persian, the Grecian was at hand. So in the last or Roman which bore rule in the days of our Saviour, it might have been said in truth, "the kingdom of God is at hand;" but not before; (then we find this express declaration was not proclaimed previously;) but it will be truth till the Roman kingdom gives place to the kingdom of God. Has the Roman passed away? It has not; but exists at present in the divided form which was to immediately precede the setting up of the everlasting kingdom of God. Dan. ii.

Christ tells us when we may know that the kingdom of God is "nigh at hand." See Luke, chap. xxi. He follows down the chain of events from the time that Jerusalem was compassed with armies, (i. e., the Roman army under Titus, which trod down the city, and caused its inhabitants to be led away captive into all nations,) through the years 1780, and 1833, which witnessed the signs in the sun, moon and stars. He then passes on till the powers of heaven are shaken, and the Son of man is seen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then after introducing the similitude of the fig-tree, whose shooting forth proclaims the approach of Summer, Jesus says, "So likewise, ye when ye see these things come to pass (not before) know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand." We are now many years past the signs mentioned, consequently we can say to-day, "the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."

SELECTIONS.

“I Mark only the Hours that Shine.”

THERE is a sun-dial in Italy, with the above inscription upon it. It strikes us as a happy one, and quite suggestive. Well would it be if the children of men more generally did, what the sun-dial does; but they do just the contrary. Instead of “marking the hours that shine,” they mark those that do not shine; instead of noting the pleasant days, those of prosperity, they note the unpleasant, those of adversity; instead of enumerating their mercies, they count and dwell upon their trials; they look upon the dark side of life, not upon the bright side. And what is the consequence! Just what we should suppose it would be. Instead of being grateful, contented and cheerful, they are querulous, restless and sad.

We are not as when we were originally created, in a state of innocence. We are sinners. As such, we are treated much better than we deserve.—“Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” Instead of complaining at the evils which fall to our lot, those aches, pains, disappointments, and troubles which are inseparable from lapsed humanity, which others have suffered before us, and are suffering in common with us, for every heart knoweth its own bitterness, and “in Adam's fall, we sinned all,” we should compare our afflictions with our guilt, think of many good things, which, notwithstanding this guilt, we are permitted to enjoy, think of that better world where sorrow is unknown, “a long eternity of bliss,” prepare for it, and anticipate it, and, “mark the hours that shine.”

The Garment of Self Righteousness.

SOME years ago, a white man and an Indian were deeply convicted under the same sermon. The Indian almost immediately was rejoicing in pardoning mercy, but the white man was for a long time in great distress and almost despair, until at last he too found peace in God's forgiving love.

Some time afterwards, on meeting his Indian brother, he asked him, “How was it that I should be so long under conviction, when you found comfort so soon?” “Oh, brother,” replied the Indian, “me tell you: there come along a rich prince; he promise to give you a new coat; you look at your coat and say, ‘I do not know, my coat pretty good, it will do a little longer.’ He then offer me a new coat. I look at my old blanket; I say, ‘This good for nothing;’ I fling it right away, and take the new coat. Just so, brother, you try to make your old righteousness do for a little while, you so slow to give it up; but I, poor Indian, had none; so I glad to take at once the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Phenomena at New Haven.

DR. W. PORTER, gives in the New Haven Journal and Courier, an account of phenomena witnessed at the house of Dr. Stiles, in that city, of which the following were the principal:

“I asked if the spirit could place the table on the top of my head; it answered, Yes. It was then raised up by an unseen power, and placed, legs up, upon my head. . . . Then an article was thrown from the opposite side of the room across where we sat, which proved to be a horn, a part of an umbrella handle; then came another article whizzing by our ears, which was found to be a tin half pint measure, which came from a closet at least twelve feet from where we sat, and was thrown a distance of twenty feet; then came a chair from the further end of the room, passing over our heads, and rested on the opposite side of the room from where it was first moved. The above manifestations were seen by a dim light. The gas was then turned on so as to produce a brilliant light, and the question was asked, ‘Can you raise the table without our touching it?’ The response was, ‘Yes.’ The table was then raised by invisible power clear from the floor at least one foot, and there held, without any one being in contact with it. The question was then asked the spirit, ‘Can you dance?’ It responded by dropping the table to the floor, and rapping to indicate ‘yes.’ One then commenced to sing in a lively manner ‘Yankee Doodle,’ upon which the table commenced and continued to drum with its legs, and sounding every note very distinct until the tune was finished.”

A Criticism.

A WRITER who has been discussing the “ life and death” question through the columns of the Sabbath Recorder, gives the following stricture on Luke xxiii, 42:—

“‘Greek scholars’ tell us that the word “Semeron,” which is rendered, “To-day,” in our version, is not a noun, in the original, but an adverb, that it is used to give strength to the indicative form, and qualifies the verb say, instead of the verb shall be, and that the ‘little dot with a quirl to it,’ called a comma, (no part of inspiration,) should be placed after the word to-day, instead of before, in which case, the mighty argument in favor of a conscious existence after death, vanishes in a moment.”

Spiritual Strength Cut by Unbelief

By Burder

If the Roman army lost a single victory because the numerous mice that infested the country had gnawed their bowstrings, how many a victory has been lost by the soldiers of the cross, because the sinews of their spiritual strength had been cut by the sins of unbelief?—Burder.

Continue reading: REFLECTIONS ON THE SANCTUARY