Earlier text: GOD KNOWSWe have no comments to make on the following article, which we find under the above heading in the July number of Our Rest, only to prefix, as a text, Rev. 14:8. One of the prominent signs of the times just now is the constant declension of the church. Taking it as a body, do we not see a rapid falling away from that simplicity and faith which characterized the church of the apostles’ days? Do we not see, indeed, the very counterpart of the seventh and last church addressed by our Lord through his servant John? (Rev. 3:14–21.) And if it be true, as some of our best expositors teach, that the seven churches of Asia to whom the letters were addressed actually represent, in type, seven stages of the church’s history, then the last one is a faithful delineation of the church’s condition just before our Lord’s advent. Did you ever read the description? It presents two leading points, which are charges against her. 1. She is neither cold nor hot, but is lukewarm. 2. She claims to be rich and increased with goods. And how true is this picture of the church of to-day! The burning zeal of her first love is departed, yet she is not cold; she has a form of godliness, but lacks the power thereof. The vast machinery of church colleges, seminaries, missionary enterprises, Sunday and week-night services, festivals, fairs, theatrical entertainments, etc., moves on, but the propelling power, we fear, is not altogether the Spirit of God. The spirit of the world has, to a large extent, taken possession of those who control the affairs of the church, resulting almost in a complete paralysis of every part of her system. Displaying much wealth, her real condition is nevertheless “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked,” in the judgment of Him before whose eyes all our actions and thoughts are visible. What a sad picture is this of the condition of one who should be wholly separate to the service of Him who gave His life for her. And how it makes us tremble when we remember that this good but despised Lord, this great Judge of the world, is about to separate the Bride from the world, and take her into His presence above, preparatory to the fiery judgments which will sweep over the earth with unabated fury until the wicked are purged out of it. Where will this worldly church stand then? Oh, that now these giddy, thoughtless, pleasure-loving professors might heed the timely admonition of the loving Saviour, and buy of him gold tried in the fire, to enrich themselves with; white raiment to cover their nakedness with; and the Lord’s eye-salve to enable them to see. One of the characteristics of the last days, given by the apostle Paul, was, that men should be “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.” 2 Tim. 3:4. And that this is true of the present generation is evident, when we think for a moment how whole communities are stirred in their foundations by the mere occurrence in their midst of a rowing match, a horse race, a foot race, or some other senseless performance. Think of 80,000 people congregating to witness the outcome of a rowing match, as was the case a few weeks since in England, and of tens of thousands of dollars being paid as entrance fees to witness a foot race in New York. Will men, even those professing Christianity, pay out their money so freely, or give their time and labor so readily to the cause of Christ, out of a heartfelt love of God? No. Yet, let some one propose a grand carnival in which worldly show, pride, and love of pleasure can have free scope, and these same Christians (!) will be foremost to offer their services, and do all in their power to make it a success. And this love of pleasure and worldly excitement has reached such a climax of late, that many of these professors do not even wait for the frivolous excuse of “church needs,” but lend their services as performers to theatrical managers, just as any courtesan or libertine would, for the amusement of the world in general. In this way, the far-seeing manager, who has an eye to business, is enabled to announce the names of leading singers and organists of various churches on his show-bills, and thereby give a sanctified air to his den of iniquity. An exhibition of this kind has lately been given in the principal cities of our land in connection with a silly play, entitled, “Her Majesty’s Ship Pinafore”—a play which has not even the redeeming feature of a good moral at its close, nor anything of an elevating character in it from beginning to end. It is the veriest trash and silly nonsense ever written, and yet the walls of our city have for over a week been posted with great show-bills, announcing the First Appearance in Public of the Chicago Church Choir Company, in H. M. S. Pinafore! The windows and walls of nearly every drinking and gambling den in the city have been adorned with hand-bills, telling the loafers, infidels, and devil-serving men who congregate there, that “the leading members from the best church choirs of Chicago” were going to perform their parts at a theater, which is crowded on Sunday and week day, to witness the demoralizing performances of a lot of actors whose morality is more often questionable than otherwise. They were informed that the organist of Trinity church would have the musical direction of the opera, whilst the principal characters of the play would be sustained by Mrs. Faulk, of Temple Sinai and Union Park Congregational church; Miss Bartlett, Contralto of the church of the Messiah; and the Basso of Plymouth church (Congregational); the Tenor of Trinity Episcopal church; The Baritone of Trinity Methodist Episcopal church; together with a grand chorus of one hundred trained voices, selected from other church choirs and singing clubs. Just imagine the effect such announcements must have upon a crowd of worldly-minded men, who fear neither God nor devil. They see the church—the professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus—flocking in crowds to perform and witness the performance of a “light comedy” in one of the devil’s churches, and next day going with sanctified air and holy countenance to sing the Lord’s praises in his holy temple (so-called). Methinks if the Lord himself were to enter there, he would drive out with a whip of cords all such mocking worshipers, as polluters of his place. But while we realize the depths to which the church has fallen, and how seldom, if ever, she thinks of the return of her Lord, yet we are far from being discouraged. We remember that it is all in keeping with what he said should come to pass, and is one of the signs of his near approach. Our hope is not in man, but in the God of Israel, in whom is everlasting strength. We appeal, therefore, to those whose hearts beat in unison with the teachings of Christ, and who really love his appearing, to stand aloof from the frivolities and glaring worldliness which characterize the church at the present time. Do not suffer yourselves to be drawn away nor enticed by the many temptations surrounding you, but stand firm, and discourage, by both your actions and speech, every attempt to drag the church into still closer communion with the world. Heed not the jeers of scoffing professors, listen not to the seducing speeches of the tempter; but remember the meek and lowly Jesus, to whom all power has been given in Heaven and on earth, and remember that he has no pleasure in those things which the world loves, but hates them. Every attempt to forward his cause by a co-partnership with the world will prove disastrous, and instead of aiding the conversion of the world, will end in the demoralizing of the church, and finally in the loss, soul and body, of all who persist in following such a course. TO-NIGHT
By Mrs. Eliza Jones
There is sadness in the twilight,
There are shadows ’mid the trees,
There are murmurs coming softly
From the willows on the breeze;
But a feeling softer, sadder
Than the gloaming evening light,
Is the faint and weird misgiving,
Would I dare to die to-night? Then the chime of far-off church bells,
Stealing softly through the air,
Tolling slowly, tell me sweetly
Of the altar and of prayer.
If I kneel and raise my eyelids
To the twinkling stars so bright,
Would they tell me in their sparkle
It were well to die to-night? How I love to hear the story
Of that home for sinners blest,
Far away in realms of glory,
Where some day we all may rest.
Oh, to pierce the space and see it
In the gloaming evening light,
Then to hear the summons loudly
Bid us welcome there to-night! Kneeling low in humble prayer,
Could I, dare I, hear it now?
With my eyelids wide unclosing,
See my Saviour as I bow;
Hear that welcome, “Good and faithful,”
Enter now the joys prepared,
The home eternal in the heavens,
That thy Lord and Master reared. Methinks ’twere well to hear the summons,
While the prayer of faith should rise
Swiftly ’mid the evening shadows,
Till it reached the glorious skies,
Kneeling while our prayers had risen
To the throne of heavenly might,
And the angels opening Heaven
Bear us swiftly thence to-night. Stay! dare I alone with prayer
Stand before the Judgment throne?
Must I not here fight temptation?
Work, to win and wear a crown?
Lips might shrivel through long praying,
Hands and feet through kneeling blight;
That would not win Heaven’s favor,
Were we called away to-night. Up and work! the grain is ripening,
Waiting to be garnered home,
And the poor and sad are crying
For the light of truth to come.
There’s a time for prayer and praises,
Time to battle for the right;
Now ’tis ours to search the by-ways,—
Dare not ask for Heaven to-night. When the grain all home is gathered,
All the church in season fed,
Wandering spirits seeking Heaven
To the healing fountains led;
Then if deepening twilight shadows
Gather o’er my fading sight,
I will close my eyes and whisper,
Well! thy will be done to-night. SHORTLY after Robert G. Ingersoll was defeated in his race for governorship of Illinois, he was one day boisterously and blasphemously proclaiming his infidelity on board of a railroad train between Chicago and Peoria. After being for some time offensively voluble, he turned to a gentleman near him and defiantly demanded, “Tell me of one good and great public result that Christianity has ever accomplished?” The gentleman, not wishing to open an argument with the boaster, hesitated to answer. The train had stopped, and all was silent in the car. Just then an old lady of eighty years, who sat just behind Mr. Ingersoll, touched his arm with trembling hand, and said, “Sir, I do not know who you are, but I think I can tell you of one glorious thing that Christianity has done.” “What is it, Madam?” said Ingersoll. “It has kept Robert G. Ingersoll from being governor of the great State of Illinois.” If lightning had that moment flashed through the car, the effect would not have been greater. Ingersoll turned literally pale with rage, and remained silent. The grand old woman lies under the prairie daisies now, but her courageous act “smells sweet, and blossoms in the dust.” [Mr. Ingersoll had been very sure of a nomination by the republican party, which was equivalent to an election, but a strong remonstrance from a large number of ministers of the State compelled his rejection by the convention.—Ed. of the Golden Censer.] To distinguish between the different classes of elements by which the world is controlled, we speak of the physical world, the political world, and the moral world. In each of these divisions there was, according to prophecy, to be seen in the last days, an unnatural and abnormal condition of things, to indicate the approach of the last great catastrophe by which all three should be radically revolutionized, and a new order of things be introduced. The following is a description of the fearful condition of morals in Germany, where the glorious light of the Reformation first shed its cheering beams. What does it prove but that the Reformation has not been followed out, the advancing light of truth has not been heeded, and the inevitable moral declension has followed. We find the article in the Christian Statesman of June 19, 1879:— “Crime has increased during the last six years in Prussia from fifty to two or three hundred per cent; the imprisonments in Prussia, Hanover, and the Rhine provinces alone, (the statistics from the southern States, as Bavaria, Wurtemburg, and Baden, not being yet published,) have risen from 102,077 in 1872, to 133,734 in 1876, and the number to-day is reckoned at 150,000. The prisons are all full, and patriotic men are urging the formation of a penal colony on some island of the Pacific or section of western Africa. “A few months ago the chaplain of the Imperial family, Mr. Bauer, in a sermon preached before the emperor and princes, said, in words which we quoted at the time: ‘Affection, faith, and obedience to the word of God are unknown in this country, in this our great German fatherland, which formerly was justly called the home of the faith. On the contrary it really seems as if it were the father of all lies who is now worshiped in Prussia. What formerly was considered generous and noble is now looked upon with contempt; and theft and swindling are called by the euphonious name “business.” Marriages are concluded “on trial,” to be broken, if not found to answer. We still have a Sunday, but it is only a Sunday in name, as the people work during church hours, and spend the afternoon and evening in rioting in the public houses and music-halls; while the upper classes rush to the races, preferring to hear the panting of the tortured horses to hearing the word of God, which is ridiculed in the press and turned into blasphemy in the popular assemblies; the servants of God are insulted daily.’ The Berlin correspondents of English journals add: ‘The German clerical newspapers, Protestant as well as Catholic, are writing in a like strain.’ “The Christian Intelligencer says: ‘Berlin, with a population of a million, has only one hundred and ten ministers of religion, both Protestant and Roman Catholic, and the average attendance at each place of worship is below one hundred. House to house inquiries show that in the same city “in less than one house out of eighty is there any regular use or even possession of a Bible.” The state of religion and morals in the country is a cause of the greatest grief and anxiety to many of the best citizens. This social deterioration and increase of crime does not come from ignorance. Nor does the prevalence of immorality arise from a lack of artistic and æsthetic culture. Nor is intemperance the cause. The one chief reason for the degeneration of a once noble people is the substitution of skepticism for faith in the Scriptures.’” On “the spread of skepticism,” The Alliance of July 19, 1879 says:— “Rationalism is almost the national belief of Germany. France is full of infidelity. A large number of people in our midst will tell you that they do not believe in immortality. Skepticism is found on every hand. The fact no one, we suppose, will dispute. What has caused this state of affairs? Some thinkers tell us that Strauss and Voltaire and Paine and Ingersoll are responsible for it. That is nonsense. Strauss and Voltaire and Renan and Ingersoll are simply a part of the drift. Its causes lie deep in the history of religion. ‘What has been bears fruit in what is’—sometimes by direction, sometimes by indirection.” After feeling about for the cause of this state of things, and attributing it mainly to “human creeds,” which is good for the Alliance, it remarks:— “Be that as it may, the problem of how to deal with skepticism is the one that now most presses upon the Christian thinker.” The same paper also prints the following, which, although on another point, does not present a very pleasing picture:— “Chicago sits by her filthy river and pities Memphis because of its pestilence, and St. Louis because of its perspiration, but the day is not far off when the Garden City herself shall be pitied by the whole land, unless her sewer system be changed and her streets be cleaned. A plague more frightful than yellow fever is steadily marching across Europe. It is a disease that will grow apace on American soil. It is Asiatic cholera. We are building in Chicago a gigantic pile of masonry, buttressed by fraud and covered with criminal contracts, which will cost half as much as the whole expense of a sewerage system that would secure us health. But the stately pile will continue to rise, while our sluggish river becomes a Styx, and the very ground under our palatial architecture becomes a festering, pestilence-breeding mass. And by-and-by, when the violated laws of health revenge themselves, the religious press will record another visitation of Providence, while the more worldly and more sensible daily will chronicle the sad result of violated law.” 31.—IN THE MIDST OF THE WEEK.
1. How could Christ cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the midst of the week, if he was not crucified until Friday? 2. How could he then have remained in the heart of the earth three days and three nights? M. D. Ans. 1. The “week” in the midst of which the prophecy declared that the sacrifice and oblation should be caused to cease, was not a literal week, but a week of years, the last of the seventy weeks. This week commenced at the baptism of Christ in the autumn of A. D. 27. It extended seven years, to the autumn of A. D. 34. In the midst, or middle, of this week, that is, in the spring of A. D. 31, Christ caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease by his crucifixion. 2. There is no proof that the expression, “the heart of the earth,” in Matt. 12:40, means the grave; and we do not think that the “three days and three nights” are to be limited to the time during which Christ was in the tomb. How can we harmonize our belief that the day of the Lord in Joel 2:1, is the same as that in Zeph. 1:14 and 2 Pet. 3:10, when the word “afterward” is used in Joel 2:28; and that which was to happen afterward began to take place on the day of Pentecost? A. W. J. Ans. The words rendered afterward, in Joel 2:28, achari chen, “after this,” Kimchi says, are “the same as beacharith hayyamim, ‘in the latter days.’” It is so given by Peter when he quotes from this prophecy of Joel in Acts 2:17. Joel, like other prophets, takes up events in independent series. His prophecy is not consecutive from beginning to end. Having gone through with one line of thought, he goes back and takes up another. Thus in chapter 2:27 we are brought through to the eternal state. In verse 28, the prophet goes back and takes up additional particulars, or events of another kind, by saying, “And it shall come to pass in the last days,” etc. 33.—HOW LONG DID NOAH PREACH?
Where may I find, in the Bible, proof that Noah preached 120 years? J. G. H. Ans. There appears to be no direct proof for it, but several passages from which such an inference can be drawn. Thus in Gen. 6:3, it is written, “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” This is generally understood to be the limit of the time during which man was to be suffered to live, if he did not repent; and this time ended at the flood. Then it is certain that 120 years before the flood, God formed the purpose thus to destroy man if he should not repent. Now, did Noah preach and warn them of this coming judgment during all this time? The testimony of Peter implies that Noah so preached to them. 1 Pet. 3:19, 20: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved by water.” The argument on this passage is as follows: This testimony has its application in the days of Noah. The word “spirits” signifies the antediluvians, while they were yet in life. They were “in prison,” in the sense of being shut up under darkness, sin, and the threatened judgments of God. See Isa. 61:1, and Luke 4:18, for this application of the figure of a prison to those who are in darkness and condemnation. While they were thus in prison, Christ by his Spirit through Noah preached to them. During this time they were disobedient, and during this time also the ark was preparing. This would include the whole period of 120 years; for so long they were in this sense in prison, and so long they were disobedient. But there are some passages in Genesis from which a different argument may be drawn. Thus: Gen. 5:32: “And Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” From this it would appear that Noah had no sons till after he was five hundred years old. But he was only six hundred years old when the flood came. Gen. 7:11. And it might be inferred from Gen. 6:18, that God did not make his covenant with Noah and command him to preach the coming flood, till after his sons were born, nor till after they had grown up and married; for the Lord’s language to him was, “Thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.” This, however, may perhaps be reconciled with the idea that this was one hundred and twenty years before the flood, on the ground that God spoke by anticipation, mentioning that which was to come, as though it had already taken place. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, ATTENTION.
By S. Brownsberger
The coming College year, which opens Aug. 20, promises to be more prosperous and successful than any of its predecessors. A Commercial Department will be opened at the beginning of the College year, under the supervision of competent instructors, to receive all worthy persons who desire a thorough drill in Penmanship, Book-keeping in its different forms, in keeping T. and M., Church and Conference Records, together with special instruction in the various kinds of Practical Business; such as Banking and Manufacturing; also in Business Law for Business Men, Parliamentary Usages, etc. Much of this instruction is just what scores of young men and women in the ranks of S. D. Adventists need to fit them for a life of usefulness in the cause of God. Some who have the time and means, and are free to attend this school, will still hesitate and wait, perchance, for responsibilities to be laid upon them, before feeling sure that they shall ever need any such knowledge. There is now a great demand for this kind of education in all our churches, and no one feels this deplorable lack more keenly than those who have visited these churches to organize T. and M. societies and Sabbath-schools, and to see that all the church records are properly kept. God uses those to the best advantage in his cause, who labor and sacrifice most for its interests, and make ready to bear the responsibilities that must be borne by some one. Parents will do well to see that their children have this opportunity to prepare themselves for usefulness in the church, as well as simply to work farms, and trade, to get gain for physical comforts. One hundred dollars spent in one year's schooling may yield ten-fold more fruit in the37kingdom of God, than it would, were it invested in merchandise, or farms, or even otherwise in some branch of the cause. One thing is certain, we must educate our children for usefulness. This is, no doubt, the will of God. Who knows how he will use them? That should give us no anxiety. If we only consecrate them to God, and do the best we can for them, God will bless us in so doing, and use them to his glory. S. BROWNSBERGER. THE DAKOTA CAMP-MEETING.
By James White
The first camp-meeting for Dakota is in the past. And it can truly be said of this meeting that it has been a success. We reached the ground late, Thursday night, having traveled the last twenty-five miles in a stage-coach. In regard to this meeting, we notice the following facts of great interest:— 1. Its location. Sioux Falls, Dakota, is a beautiful village of sixteen hundred inhabitants, situated on Sioux River. One-fourth mile from the village is a wooded island of ten acres, formed by the divided river passing on both sides of it, and uniting again. The waters of this river are the purest of any of the rivers and creeks of the North-west, affording delightful opportunities for bathing, and for baptizing. The shade was complete; and by the free use of ice, the water was excellent. The island is owned by Judge Brookings, who gave the use of the ground. 2. The numbers in attendance. There were not less than two hundred brethren and sisters present on the ground. Fully one-half of these were Scandinavians. Besides the congregation tent, there were fifteen family tents, and fifteen covered wagons used as sleeping-rooms. When the brief notice of this meeting is taken into account, and that it was Dakota’s first camp-meeting, and that it was held at the commencement of harvest, the reader will be astonished at the report we give of the numbers in attendance. Nearly all the Sabbath-keepers in the Territory, excepting the Russian brethren, were present. We were glad to meet Bro. Richards, a German brother, whom we first saw in Wisconsin about twenty years since. At this meeting we received a bundle of the first number of the German paper. It should be widely circulated among the Russians in Dakota who speak the German language. Long have our German brethren waited for a paper in their language. Their turn has come at last, and the time for activity and sacrifice among them in giving it a wide circulation. It will be issued monthly as soon as practicable. This will depend upon the efforts of those who labor to circulate the German sheet. 3. The services. After our arrival, Mrs. W. and the writer did most of the speaking. Eld. Hanson spoke several times to the Scandinavians. But most of them could understand English, and therefore could enjoy all the services. Eld. Whitney spoke several times. His sermons are systematic and logical. His voice is deep, distinct, and agreeable. He never speaks more than one word at a time. His style of speaking is his best assurance from diseases of the throat and lungs. God give him the power of the Holy Spirit, and many souls in Dakota. The discourses of Mrs. W. and the writer were much like those we give at other camp-meetings. Sabbath afternoon, more than one hundred came forward for prayers. Sunday afternoon, Mrs. W. spoke on the subject of Christian temperance, when one hundred and ten took the strongest temperance pledge. Monday was a memorable day. Eleven were baptized, and the Dakota Conference was organized, the minutes of which will be given elsewhere. Several incidents of interest to the writer occurred during the meeting. Here we met a lady who attended a school we taught in Troy, Me., thirty-seven years ago. She was then a child only eight years of age. Her husband was at the meeting on the Sabbath, and went home, a distance of twenty miles, for his wife. We had the pleasure of the company of Mr. Staples, and that of his wife, Mrs. Rosetta Farington Staples, at our dinner table at the Dakota camp-meeting. We also met Mr. and Mrs. Noble from our native town in Maine. People push out West about in their line of latitude. We find many Maine people in Minnesota and Dakota, and they are generally staunch temperance people. Dakota is a promising field of labor. The people look healthy. Our brethren show a good share of intelligence. They made great sacrifices to attend their first camp-meeting. We go from this meeting to Boulder, Colorado. JAMES WHITE.
Beloit, Dakota, July 15, 1879. NOTE FROM ELDER ANDREWS.
By John Nevins Andrews
The chills and fever left me one week since, after a run of fourteen days. I think this attack has wrought a favorable change in my system. My appetite is in a measure restored. I am still obliged to keep my bed, but hope to be able soon to sit up a part of the time. The family of Bro. Loughborough have shown us great kindness. I deeply regret to bring this burden upon them when they have so many burdens to bear, but must think the special providence of God protected us during our rough passage across the ocean, so that this attack was not permitted to come upon me until I reached this good and quiet place. I have sought to make a more perfect consecration of myself to God while on this bed of sickness, and I really hope that the Spirit of God will specially come upon me before I leave this place. One circumstance which has just come to my knowledge gives me much encouragement. When we first began to publish our French paper, some one sent me the name of a merchant in the Turkish empire, who could read French. As he was the only person in that empire who received our paper, we continued to send it to him, though we feared that he cared nothing for it. Recently he has written that himself and several others have embraced the Sabbath in consequence of reading the paper, and that he desires to be baptized. So we see that the Lord is at work. Bro. Loughborough’s work seems to be making steady progress. There are some very encouraging cases, for which we feel to give thanks to God. Southampton, July 3, 1879. THE FIRST INDIANA CAMP-MEETING.
By S. H. Lane
This meeting will be held at Noblesville, Aug. 5-11. Eld. D. M. Canright and W. C. White will be present. We desire the presence of every Sabbath-keeper in central and southern Indiana. The point at which the meeting is located is a convenient one for all the churches in the central part of the State. The annual business sessions of the Conference and T. and M. society will not be held at this meeting, so the time will be devoted to religious services. A Sabbath-school convention will be held during the meeting, which will be conducted by W. C. White. The regular lesson for the second Sabbath in August will be recited. Let all come prepared to take active part in the exercises. The grove in which the meeting will be held is a beautiful one. Ample provisions will be made for all who attend. Let all be on the ground ready for the first meeting, Tuesday evening, Aug. 5. Come prepared to remain until Tuesday morning, Aug. 12. We expect to have several tents on the ground to rent, from $3.00 to $4.00 for the entire meeting. Let those churches who have none come prepared to rent. If you cannot do this, come, and we will provide for you as best we can. REDUCED FARE TO INDIANA CAMP-MEETING.
Have just received word from the Indianapolis, Peru, and Chicago R. R., and the Anderson, Lebanon, and St. Louis R. R., both of which run through Noblesville, that they will convey passengers to the camp-meeting over their lines at half fare. Tickets to be sold from Aug. 5-13. The Indianapolis, Peru, and Chicago R. R. issue this year certificates, which must be obtained and presented to the ticket agent at the station where the cars are taken. The agent will then sell tickets at half fare. The company will furnish me with the certificates, and I will furnish to churches as soon as possible; yet many individuals may be missed, therefore let all who desire to attend the meeting address me immediately at Noblesville, Ind., and state how many will attend the camp-meeting from your place, and we will send you the certificates by return mail. The Anderson, Lebanon and St. Louis R. R. will sell tickets during the meeting at half fare on the entire line. A very little boy had one day done wrong, and was sent, after paternal correction, to ask in secret the forgiveness of his Heavenly Father. His offense was passion. Anxious to hear what he would say, his mother followed to the door of his room. In lisping accents she heard him ask to be made better; never to be angry again; and then, with child-like simplicity, he added, “Lord, make ma’s temper better, too.” Do nothing to-day that you would be likely to repent of to-morrow. PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE.
By B. L. Whitney
HAVING spent the last three weeks in this Conference, I can report a good degree of interest in most departments of the work, so far as I have had opportunity to observe. There are five tents being used here this season, all of which I have visited. All these tents have a fair attendance, and with some the interest seems quite deep and general. There has been a great change in this respect during the past two or three years. While even that short time ago it was almost impossible in many localities to get a congregation of interested listeners, now nearly every locality furnishes a good field of labor, and many calls come in for help, that cannot possibly be filled with our present number of laborers. This change we believe is largely due to the influence of the tract and missionary work. We hope for a large increase of strength to this new Conference as the result of tent work the present season. The greater share of the brethren have adopted the tithing system as recommended by the General Conference, and as a consequence we find the Conference funds considerably increased. If all would do this according to the approved plan, the wants of the cause in this respect might be fully met. We are especially pleased to find that the company brought out during the past year has adopted this plan, and also provided themselves with the library of Sr. White’s writings. This shows that these points of truth and duty will be as readily accepted as anything else connected with our work when they are properly presented, and they are certainly good evidences of the genuineness of the work. The Sabbath-school interest is also receiving a good degree of attention. Nearly every company of Sabbath-keepers in the Conference have organized Sabbath-schools, and some of these are in a flourishing condition. We look for great improvement in this direction, however, as it is but recently that special attention has been given to this branch of the work. The Tract Society Institute held last spring at Wellsville, N. Y., has proved of great benefit in introducing better order and system into the work of the society. Some of the district officers especially have shown a commendable zeal in laboring to carry out the system in all the churches in their districts, which course will certainly result in a marked improvement in the condition of the society. The work is now under way of raising a Reserve Fund of $1000, for this Conference society. Lastly I mention the interest that has been taken in the Health and Temperance Association. Whenever we have presented this subject, the majority of the brethren present have signed the teetotal pledge, and we shall do the best we can to have this movement general throughout the Conference. While we see great room for improvement on all these points we have mentioned, yet we are thankful for the omens of good we do see, and take courage still to labor on to that end. May God abundantly bless the work. JESUS IS COMING.
By Eliza H. Morton
Dr. Brooks, in an address before the Prophetic Conference, told the following anecdote peculiarly illustrative of the importance of making the coming of Christ a practical, life-controlling fact:— “An old man had an only son who grew up proud and disobedient, and well nigh broke his father’s heart by running away from home. When he got to a great distance, he wrote to his father briefly thus: ‘You need not expect to see me for seven years. I have determined to seek my own fortune, and I have so thoroughly disguised myself and covered my tracks, that it is useless for you to hunt for me at all.’ The seven years rolled away, and at the end of the time the old man went twice a day, morning and night, to the trains as they arrived at the village. His residence was not far off, and when he heard the whistle he would put on his hat and go to the station. Winter and summer, in storm and in sunshine, in day-time and in darkness, never did that train arrive that it did not find that old man standing on the platform, patiently waiting. One bright, sunny morning, at ten o’clock, when the train arrived at the depot and the old man stood waiting, a great, strong young man descended from the steps, and in one minute the arms of the old man were around him, and the tears were running down his face as he said: “This my son was dead, and is alive again; was lost, and is found.” The burning longing in the old man’s heart was satisfied, and the promise of his son verified. Hope keeps the heart from sinking into despair. The hope of the church centers in the second appearing of Christ. The word of God says we need not look for his coming until the “man of sin” be revealed. The twelve hundred and sixty years of Papal supremacy are in the past, and we are now in the waiting time. Are our ears open to catch the far-off sound of the chariot wheels? Are our eyes fixed on the skies from whence the glory will come? The sons and daughters of the King should long for his appearing. The meeting time is near. Are we looking for the signal—watching for the train? Soon arms of love will enfold earth-weary frames. Are we ready for the rapture? The Crime at Pocasset.
By John Nevins Andrews
[The following is from the French paper Les Signes des Temps, under the charge of Bro. Andrews at Bâle, Suisse.] In the month of May last a terrible tragedy occurred in Pocasset, Mass. A man by the name of Freeman thought himself called to offer up his little daughter, aged five years, as Abraham offered up his son Isaac. Accordingly he killed the child, and poured out her blood as an offering to God. This dreadful crime made a great sensation throughout America, and those who were especially opposed to the doctrine of the near advent of Christ, have endeavored to make all believers in this doctrine responsible for this crime. A brief statement of facts will show how unjust this is. There are in America two denominations who bear respectively the names of Adventists and Seventh-day Adventists. The Seventh-day Adventists teach that all God’s commandments are binding upon mankind, and should be observed; and they therefore hallow the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord. The Adventists, on the contrary, almost all believe and teach that the commandments are abolished. There is therefore no denominational relation between the Adventists and the Seventh-day Adventists. They stand very much opposed to each other in their labor. Now this Mr. Freeman did not believe at all in the commandments of God. He had not even the most distant relation to the people known as Seventh-day Adventists. His name had never been heard of by them till it was made known by this great crime. It is but just to say that Mr. Freeman and the few associated with him did not belong to any church of the Adventists. They were a company of fanatics, acting solely on their own responsibility. Probably he pretended to be an Adventist, though certainly he never pretended to be a Seventh-day Adventist. It is only about two years since he was an avowed infidel. If the fact that the Adventists generally teach that the commandments are abolished, makes them responsible for this murder, then they must bear it; but most assuredly the Seventh-day Adventists, who affirm the perpetuity of the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” and that of all the other commandments, can never be made responsible even in the most distant degree for this crime. Our journal has been published three years in the city of Bâle. We have advertised in its columns a large catalogue of publications containing our religious views. The closest scrutiny of these publications will show that they teach only the principles of morality and virtue laid down in the ten commandments and in the Lord’s sermon on the mount. Southampton, England, June 27.