Earlier text: VINDICATION OF THE TRUE SABBATHOur Faith and Hope.
By James White
TEXT: "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." 1 Pet. 3:15. THE text first suggests a preparation of mind and heart. "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts" are the words of the apostle. To sanctify is to set apart. We are to set apart the Lord God in our hearts as the supreme object of our love and worship. The first commandment demands that we should have no other gods before the living God. The text also suggests a preparation of mind by study. "Be ready" says the apostle, "be ready always." This is the duty of the minister in the pulpit, at the wayside, or when mingling with his friends at home or abroad. But this epistle is addressed not only to those who are especially called and prepared to preach the gospel, but to the whole church of Christ. The apostle addresses his epistles as follows: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. Grace unto you, and peace be multiplied." 1 Pet. 1:1, 2. The most important book to study is the sacred Scriptures. Next the writings of truly learned and good men. The more the minister knows, if it be sanctified knowledge, the better can he do his duty as a minister of Christ. The learned Adam Clarke said that a Methodist minister should know everything. We do not, however, regard it absolutely necessary that a minister should be very learned to qualify him to preach the gospel. Christ chose as his first apostles a large proportion of ignorant and unlearned men. There was but one Paul among the early apostles. He was a profound scholar. He says, "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." 1 Cor. 1:26. The apostle charges Timothy in the most solemn manner to preach the word. He says, "I charge thee, therefore, before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word. Be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." He in this solemn charge arraigns his son in the gospel before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and in view of the solemn judgment, to preach the word of life. He also appeals to him in the following language: "But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Timothy was acquainted with the word. Paul continues: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Tim. 3:14-17. The apostle also charges his son in the gospel: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15. The people demand reasons. Assertions without reasons would do better in the dark ages of superstition and error. The spirit of the age leads men of mind to investigate; and it is of the highest importance at the present time that in matters pertaining to eternal life men should investigate closely. Various novices in the things of the Spirit of God can make assertions, but it is the duty of those who hold, and especially those who teach the last message upon which the destiny of the millions hang, to study the reasons which constitutes the basis of their faith and hope. Seventh-day Adventists, who have the work before them of meeting the popular theology of the age, have felt the importance of education, hence have established a College at Battle Creek, Michigan, the first object of which is the better cultivation of the minds of our young men to enter the ministry. We do not hold that it is necessary in every case to spend four years in taking a collegiate course, and then to study theology three years more, making a seven years' drill which is supposed to be necessary by our more popular churches. But a few years devoted to the study of those branches which will discipline the mind, and acquaint them as far as possible in the languages in which the holy Scriptures are written, is highly important to the men who go out to preach and to meet the talent of the popular clergy. A few such men as writers, as editors and critical debaters and reviewers seem indispensable to a cause like this; while the majority of our preachers may be men of sanctified common-sense, taken from the farm, the workshop, the counter, and the school-teacher's desk and may be giants in the word of God by setting themselves apart to the ministry and the cause of God. The apostle says, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." 1 Cor. 1:17. Paul was one of the most eloquent men of his age, and although before Felix he used language which led the governor to state that much learning had made him mad, yet when preaching the gospel, he clothed the word in language that the common people could understand. The Bible is one of the simplest books in print. There are very few words hard to be understood in the blessed book of God. Who ever thought to take a copy of Webster's or Worcester's dictionary with them as they sat down to read a chapter in the Bible, that they might learn the definition of the hard words? No one, from the very fact that the hard words are not in the Bible. The truth of God, clothed in the simple words of the Scriptures, is most powerful. There is a fitness in things. We never like to see the figure of the cross upon which Jesus died in agony, whether it be brought out with the brush of the artist or the skill of the one who uses the simple fabric, ornamented with artificial roses, and hung with ribbons. Rather let the representation be brought out in plain, simple colors, more fitly representing that cross on which the Redeemer gave his life for a lost world. The people are becoming tired and disgusted with the popular style of preaching. It may be learned; the speaker may be eloquent; but his sermons are simply philosophical addresses. They please, but do not touch the heart. The people worship in a stylish church, dressed in all the fashions of the age, and the minister, as described by a delicate pen, "walks all around the ten commandments with a velvety tread, without touching the sins of the people." There is nothing that so leads men to settled infidelity concerning the Scriptures as this fashionable preaching, differing so widely from the plain language of the Bible, and also from old-fashioned religion as exemplified in the lives of Luther, Whitefield, and the Wesleys. The present is an age of fables. Paul, pointing down the stream of time to our day, says: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they 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. 4:3, 4. True, there were false teachers in the days of the apostle, and there have been ever since his day; but the apostle points forward to the time when these teachers should abound. He even uses the figure of heaps, as though there were very many of them. And he has not cited our minds forward to the time when they should abound without definitely locating this period. This he has done in the following language: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false-accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such turn away." 2 Tim. 3:1-5. The apostle states that teachers of fables will abound in the last days. These days, he says, will be perilous. He does not refer to the perils upon land or sea, the failure of banks, and the present perilous condition of the public confidence; but the perils are in matters pertaining to eternal life. For after enumerating eighteen sins, he locates them with the sins of those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. The apostle does not here oppose form, for in another place he says: "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." Rom. 6:17. He does not object to the form, for he thanked God that the church at Rome had been obedient to the form delivered to them. He objects only to the denial of the power of godliness.
J. W. Great Britain.
By James White
THE united kingdom of Great Britain, embracing England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, besides Australia, New Zealand, and many of the islands of the sea, is a vast field for labor. And the fact that the millions of people of these countries speak and read the English language, makes them a better field of labor for American missionaries with publications in the English language than those countries where the French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Swedish, and other languages are spoken and read. We have missionaries in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark, and Egypt, and publications in the French, German, Danish, Swedish, Italian, Spanish, and Holland languages. And already not less than one hundred thousand dollars has been raised to support these missionaries, publish books and papers in these languages, and to establish a press in Switzerland. But up to this date we have done very little for Great Britain and those countries under her majestic rule. Are we not making a mistake in neglecting those countries where the people speak our language, while sending American born missionaries to those countries where they labor under great embarrassments in consequence of not being able to speak and write other languages as readily as their mother tongue? We do not for a moment question the providence of God in sending Elder Andrews and Bourdeau to Europe, and in the expenditure of one hundred thousand dollars as aforesaid. The fruits already seen both in Europe and in America fully justify what our American brethren have done. But in reference to what we have done for the people of other tongues, and what we have not done for Great Britain, may it not be said in the words of the Master: "These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Matt. 23 : 23. The Seventh-day Baptists have a small church in London, England. W. M. Jones, pastor. Brother Jones has published several numbers of a monthly sheet entitled, The Sabbath Memorial. The Seventh-day Baptists sent Elder Wardner to Great Britain as a missionary, but for certain causes which need not be named here, division and discouragement came upon the few who observed the Sabbath, and Elder W. was called home. The doctrine of Seventh-day Adventists, through our publications, and the brief visit of Elder Andrews, have taken a strong hold on those who revere the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Both Brethren Jones and Wardner circulated many of their tracts and of ours which have had their influence to prepare the way for more concentrated and efficient labor by an experienced American missionary. And as there is a general expectation among the discouraged few in England and Scotland that we are to send them help very soon, the present autumn is evidently the time to strike. We therefore earnestly recommend that Elder J. N. Loughborough attend our General Conference the first of October, and that he be sent to Great Britain by the Conference. We also recommend that Brother Joseph Smith, an Englishman by birth, who has spent several years at the Battle Creek College, go with him. There are two others from Battle Creek now in Switzerland, who were born in England, and who could labor as missionaries with Elder L. to great advantage. As publishing can be done in England much cheaper than in America, Elder L. should commence immediately upon his arrival to reprint our tracts and smaller pamphlets. And if there are reasons for raising ten thousand dollars to establish a press in Switzerland to publish in other tongues, ten-fold stronger reasons exist for the establishment of a press in England to re-print our works in the English language that they may be circulated throughout the united kingdom, and wherever her majesty's rule extends. A few years since the opening of a mission to Australia received considerable attention from our people, and C. C., of San Francisco, pledged one hundred dollars; but no missionary has been sent because that province is not the place to commence. When the work is fully established in England, a thousand avenues will be opened to scatter the light through Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and the islands of the sea. Let the one hundred dollar men get ready. If Elder L. goes to England the coming autumn, we shall see the press established in less than two years. This should be done under the supervision of W. O. White before his return from Europe. There are now in the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists thousands who were born in England, Scotland, Ireland, or Wales, who left tens of thousands of relatives and friends behind when they came to America. When a mission shall be opened in Great Britain, then will be the time for these to correspond with their friends, send their publications, and call their attention to what is being done in their own land. The doubting Thomases may think this too great a work to be accomplished in so short a time; but they should understand that we as a people have ever been behind the opening providence of God, as we evidently are in reference to a mission in Great Britain. And let it be borne in mind that but few have seen the necessity of "broader plans," until those plans have been laid, and put in successful operation. When Elder Canright was with the writer in the Rocky Mountains five years since, our mind was greatly exercised relative to publishing on the Pacific coast. Here we wrote certain articles entitled, "Broader Plans," and as we stated our plans touching the establishment of the press in California to Elder C., he gave close attention to every word until we had finished, and then replied in substance as follows:— "Well, Brother White, that sounds well to the ear, and I shall be glad to see it, if it is ever accomplished; but I do not see how it is possible. It will take a long time to accomplish so great a work. It has taken more than twenty years to establish the Review Office at Battle Creek, Michigan." This was the discouraging view taken of the matter by one of our most energetic fellow laborers, who has ever been among the very first to second immediate action for the execution of plans on a broader scale. But the work that has been accomplished during the past five years in the incorporation of the Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association at Oakland, California, according to the laws of that State with a capital of $40,000, embracing lots and publishing buildings in the very heart of Oakland, Cal., the most beautiful city on the globe, and now having a population of forty-five thousand, has exceeded our expectations and plans a hundred fold. In the brief period of five years a business has been built up that calls for two large cylinder presses, and four job presses to do the outside book, music, and job work, besides the SIGNS OF THE TIMES which has a circulation of nearly 10,000, and our own book work. We have also added a complete bindery. And very recently we have added electrotyping, stereotyping, and the manufacture of the Scotch type which has been in use both at Battle Creek and at Oakland since the Pacific Press has had an existence. More has been accomplished in establishing the Pacific Press at Oakland, and in building up the cause on the Pacific coast during the past four years, than was done at Battle Creek in establishing the Review and Herald Office, and in building up the cause everywhere in a quarter of a century. Time is short, and as the time draws near for the great work to be cut short in righteousness by the "loud cry," and the 144,000 to be sealed waiting for the Son of man in glory to gather his people who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice to carry forward enterprises for the advancement of the work, will be executed in a single year which took a quarter of a century at the beginning of our work. Therefore, in view of the shortness of time, and wide door that is opened before us by the providence of God and the rapid increase of the work, it must be evident to the friends of the cause that a mission should be established in Great Britain immediately, and that before 1880 the press should be in active operation in England with a capital sufficient to do as complete business in the line of printing and binding as is now done at Battle Creek and at Oakland. We close by saying that in view of the great work before us, and what God has done for us in the past, and the confidence we have in the willing hearts of our people to furnish the necessary means, we have full confidence in the229accomplishment of this great work within the time aforesaid, and may God add his blessing, and put into the hearts of his people the spirit of Caleb and Joshua, "We are able" by the help of God, to enter upon this work at once, and with his hand upon us to accomplish it in his good time. This subject will be laid before the General Conference for the action of that body, when the matter will be more fully set before the friends of the cause and pledges of means will be circulated for $100,000 to be paid in installments before the first day of January, 1880. GENERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
JAMES WHITE, Chairman. The Sabbath.
By James White
HOW WE ENJOYED IT IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
WE have no house of worship here, only our own hired rooms, neither have we a church, only the one composed of three members, Elder Canright, the writer, and our daughter. But the God we worship is not confined to the large assembly within walls. Said the Master, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst." Once the places of worship were at Jerusalem or at the rival sanctuary in Samaria. Jesus said to the woman at the well, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him." John 4:21, 23. In the sanctuary of the first covenant, God placed his name, manifested his glory, and there held converse with the high priest relative to the welfare of Israel. Daniel prayed with his windows open towards Jerusalem. But in this present dispensation, while the sanctuary and the priesthood are in heaven, the Lord promises to be a little sanctuary to his people wherever they shall be scattered. The Divine Presence goes with the people of God where they go, and remains with them wherever they are, whether scattered over the mountains or in the valleys. Guardian angels watch over them, ready to bear their petitions to heaven with the velocity of thought. When Daniel was praying for his people, Gabriel came to him and said, "At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth." Dan. 9:23. The commandment that came forth was the order to Gabriel from Him who hears prayer, to go down and instruct the prophet. Here is evidence that as soon as the man of God who was greatly beloved was upon his knees, and had opened his mouth in prayer, the angel was by his side. Here in these mountains we have time to reflect and pray to Daniel's God, and how glorious the thought that we may here unite our prayers with those of our brethren from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and in the Old World, and as quick as thought they center at the throne of God, and angels are sent from our prayer-hearing Father to return the answers. The God we worship is by no means confined to earth's courts. In the language of Whittier, we worship him
> "For whom the heavens are small." On sixth-day, July 12, which was the day to prepare for the Sabbath, we went to the city of Black Hawk to purchase supplies. When entering the city, we encountered one of the most terrific thunder and hail storms that we have ever witnessed in Colorado. The water, black with dirt, came rushing down the mountain sides in a hundred rapid streams between the houses into the main street, and down into the creek below. As we had a covered carriage we suffered only from that which came in at the open sides of the carriage, but we were forcibly reminded of the necessity of winter clothing, gum coats and blankets, and umbrellas. We reached our home at Rollinsville just as the king of day was dropping behind the mountains. We were chilled by the cold rain, but notwithstanding this, Elder Canright and the writer walked one mile up and around a mountain to a beautiful lake. There, where all nature seemed hushed excepting the distressed scream of a disturbed robin, and the coarse notes of a night-hawk flying above us, we bowed in prayer upon the bare, hard rocks. The heavens above us were now clear. A beautiful Colorado sunset was fast fading, and it seemed to us that the Master who called us into the gospel field in youth was looking down upon us with love and approbation. Angels seemed very near to us as the distant mountains echoed our prayers as they went up to heaven. God heard our prayers for Jesus' sake, and gave us his rich blessing. Although Rollinsville is a very quiet place, and the house is now quiet on account of the severe sickness of Mrs. Rollins, yet we chose to ride out into Boulder Park, there to read, pray, and take our second meal. And after spending the day in harmony with the divine precept, we returned to Rollinsville. As the sun was sinking behind the mountains we again walked out to the lake where we had enjoyed a season of prayer at the commencement of the Sabbath, and there our prayers were offered to God with thanksgiving for the blessings of the Sabbath which was then taking its departure. Thus passed a good Sabbath in the Rocky mountains.
J. W. Visit to the Prison.
By Ellen G. White
SUNDAY, June 23, by invitation, I visited the prison, in Salem, Oregon, in company with Brother and Sister Carter, and Sister Jordan, who took me there in her carriage. The superintendent and warden of the prison were introduced to me. When the time arrived for service we were conducted to the chapel, a room made cheerful by an abundance of light, and pure fresh air. At a signal from a bell, two men opened the great iron gates by means of a lever, and the prisoners came flocking from their cells into the chapel. The doors were securely closed behind them, and for the first time in my life, I was immured in prison walls. I had anticipated seeing a set of repulsive looking men. In this I was disappointed; many of them seemed to be intelligent, and some appeared to be men of ability. They were dressed in the coarse, but neat striped prison uniform, their hair smooth, and boots brushed. As I looked upon the varied physiognomies before me, I thought: To each of these men has been committed peculiar gifts or talents for use, and not for abuse. All before me, from those who had occupied conspicuous and important positions in the world, and in the church, even those who had been most lowly and obscure, have been entrusted with some talents, whether of wealth, station, influence, kindly sympathies or affections, they were given from the heavenly treasury, and were to have been used for the glory of God, and the benefit of the world. The men before me had despised the gifts of heaven, and had abused, and misapplied them. Some of the convicts manifested a forced unnatural cheerfulness. But many, especially the older men, looked exceedingly sad and melancholy. Before me were youths of tender years, and the hardened, gray-haired sinner, all under the bondage of the law, because they had transgressed its statutes. As I looked upon young men of eighteen to twenty and thirty years of age, I thought of their unhappy mothers, and of the grief and remorse which was their bitter portion. Had they done their duty by their children? Had they not indulged them in their own will and way, and neglected to teach them the statutes of God, and his claims upon them? Many of those mothers' hearts had been broken by the ungodly course pursued by their children. When all the company were assembled; Brother Carter read the hymn. All had books, and joined heartily in singing. One, who seemed to be an accomplished musician, played the organ. I then opened the meeting by prayer, and again all joined in singing. I spoke from the words of John: "Behold, what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God; therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." I exalted before them the infinite sacrifice that the father made, in giving his beloved Son for fallen men, that they might through obedience be transformed, and become the acknowledged sons of God. The church and the world are called upon to behold and admire a love which thus expressed is beyond human comprehension, and even amazed the angels of heaven. This love was so deep, so broad, and so high, that it filled the holy angels with amazement, and language in which to describe it, failing the inspired apostle, he calls upon the church and the world to behold it—to make it the theme of contemplation, and of admiration. I presented before my hearers the sin of Adam in the transgression of the Father's express commands. God made man upright, perfectly holy and happy; but he lost the favor of God, and destroyed his own happiness by disobedience of the Father's law. The sin of Adam plunged the race in hopeless misery and despair. Every successive generation upon the earth have degenerated physically, mentally, and morally. Sin with its terrible curse corrupted the world, and almost obliterated the image of God in man. But the wonderful, pitying love of God did not leave men in their hopeless, fallen condition to utterly perish. He gave his well beloved Son for their salvation. He who was the brightness of God's glory, and the express image of him took man's nature, to suffer affliction, scorn and hatred of the very ones he came to save. Christ entered the world, his divinity clothed in humanity; he passed over the ground where Adam fell; he bore the test which Adam failed to endure; he overcame every temptation of Satan, and thus redeemed Adam's disgraceful failure and fall. The sons of men gave way to the indulgence of appetite, which set on fire their passions. They became violent, basely corrupt, and hardened. Their thoughts and acts were evil, and God finally visited his wrath upon the children of disobedience, and washed the earth of its moral pollution by a flood. But God acknowledged the few on earth who were righteous. Noah and his family were saved. In the midst of his wrath and retributive justice God remembered mercy, and left not the righteous and faithful to perish with the wicked. When the earth became peopled again, sin once more spread abroad over the land. Wickedness covered all nations like the pall of death. Satan compassed the ruin of thousands through temptation to indulge appetite. He has ever thus sought to pervert the senses of man, weaken his moral power, and make him the slave of appetite; he then gains control of him, and uses him as his agent in practising crime, and all manner of wickedness. We see, at the present day, great lack of discernment in regard to right and wrong, and an absence of principle. We may trace this lamentable state of things to the general indulgence of perverted appetite, which excites the baser passions, and urges its victim on to excesses of every kind, and finally to crimes of every degree. Intemperance of any kind will enervate a character originally firm, noble, and independent. His fine sensibilities will be blunted, his conscience will become seared. He will form bad associations, evil communications will corrupt his good manners. One false step leads him to another, which may be fatal, and he becomes the tool of Satan. Men plunge into wild license and reckless dissipation, and call it freedom of action, when they are in veriest bondage to the most cruel tyrant who knows no compassion for the wretched victims he allures to ruin. When the world was filled with iniquity God lifted up his standard against Satan by sending his Son to the world in the likeness of sinful flesh. Christ bridged the gulf that sin had made, which separated earth from heaven, and man from God. I then referred to the long fast of Christ in the wilderness. The sin of the indulgence of appetite, and its power over human nature can never be fully realized except as that long fast of Christ when contending single-handed with the prince of the power of darkness is studied and understood. Man's salvation was at stake. Would Satan or would the Redeemer of the world come off conqueror! It is impossible for us to conceive with what intense interest angels of God watched the trial of their loved Commander. Jesus came from heaven to earth, assumed man's nature, and was tempted in all points like as we are that he might know how to succor those who should be tempted. Christ's life is for our example. He shows in his willing obedience, how man may keep the law of God, and that transgression of the law, and not obedience of it, brings him into bondage. The Saviour was full of compassion and love; he never spurned the truly penitent, however great their guilt; but he severely denounced hypocrisy of every sort, he is acquainted with the sins of men, he knows all their acts, and reads their secret motives; yet he does not turn away from them in their iniquity. He pleads and reasons with the sinner, and, in one sense,—that of having himself borne the weakness of humanity,—he puts himself on a level with him. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Man, who has defaced the image of God in his soul by a corrupt life cannot, by mere human effort, effect a radical change in himself. He must accept the provisions of the gospel; he must be reconciled to God through obedience of his law and faith in Jesus Christ. His life from thenceforth must be governed by a new principle. Through repentance, faith and good works he may develop and perfect a righteous character, and claim through the merits of Christ the privileges of the sons of God. The principles of divine truth received and cherished in the heart will carry us to a hight of moral excellence we had not deemed possible for us to reach. "And it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure." Here is a work for man to do. He must face the mirror of God's law, discern the defects in his moral character and put away his sins, washing his robes of character in the blood of the Lamb. Envy, pride, malice, deceit, strife, crime will be cleansed from the heart that is recipient of the love of Christ, and cherishes the hope of being made like him when we shall see him as he is. The religion of Christ refines and dignifies its possessor, whatever his associations or station in life may be. Men who become enlightened Christians rise above the level of their former character into greater mental and moral strength. Those fallen and degraded by sin and crime may become but a little lower than the angels through the merits of the Saviour. But the influence of a gospel hope will not lead the sinner to look upon the salvation of Christ as a matter of free grace, while he continues to live in transgression of the law of God. When the light of truth dawns upon his mind, and he fully understands the requirements of God, and realizes the extent of his transgressions, he will reform his ways, become loyal to God through the strength obtained from his Saviour, and lead a new and purer life. Those who overcome in the name of Jesus will stand about the great white throne, with crowns of immortal glory, waving the palm branches of victory. They will be sons of God, children of the heavenly King, their lives running parallel with the life of God. The joy of the Lord will be their joy, and no shadow will ever darken their heavenly home. Said Christ, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." While mercy lingers, I beseech you to make the most of the probationary time left you, in preparing for eternity, that life may not be an utter failure, and that in the time of solemn scrutiny you may be found with those who are accepted of God, and are called the sons of God. Canton Vaud.
By John Nevins Andrews
I HAVE now been with Brother Bourdeau in Canton Vaud two weeks, engaged in an entirely new field. We have attempted to carry on meetings in three villages. In one the way is for the present closed up; in the other two we think the prospect is quite good. In Orbe we hire a hall in a hotel; in Valleyres we have the hall of the commune, that is to say, the town hall, and the syndic, the officer who has the control of the hall, permits us to use it free of expense. We have had at V. about eighty hearers, while at the National church there are ordinarily only two or three men and a few women who are regular attendants. So if we can do any good in V. the National church ought not to complain, seeing it has no power to do anything in that place. At present the people seem to be much interested. In Orbe we have about the same number of hearers as in V. We have sold in this place more than thirty francs' worth of books, and as other subjects are introduced calling for other books we shall sell many more. But in this village the opposition is very bitter. The ministers have commenced to preach against us, and one of them yesterday spoke in a very bitter manner. The syndic of Orbe has sought to shut us out of our hall in the hotel, and even to compel us to leave the village. But all our arrangements were legal, and our passports gave us such advantage that he was obliged to desist in his efforts to drive us away. Now the effort is to prevent our hearers from coming to our hall. We hope that this opposition will be in the main ineffectual. Brother B. will remove his family to this place immediately, and we intend to make an effort in all the villages in this vicinity as far as it is possible.
J. N. A.
Orbe, Vaud, July 3, 1878.