SUPPOSE a man is convinced that he is called of God to preach. He could not turn a deaf ear to this impression without doing violence to his conscience, and, in his own view, disobeying God. He feels that a woe would rest upon him if he did not preach the gospel, and that a curse would rest upon all his endeavors if he left this duty unfulfilled. Here, then, is one evidence of his call.
But this is not enough. We may frequently mistake our motives. We may overrate our capacity. We may thus run before we are sent. Hence we frequently see men in the ministry who have manifestly mistaken their calling, and who are useless as preachers, while they might have been very useful in some other situation. What, then, in addition, is needed, in order to assure a man that he has not mistaken the voice of God in this matter?
I answer: In the next place he lays his convictions before his brethren, who know his walk and conversation. He asks them to tell him, in the fear of God, whether or not their convictions correspond with his own; whether or not they in truth believe that he is called to undertake this work. They are bound to take up this subject with solemn deliberation. They do wrong if they do not employ all the means in their power to come to a right decision. They must hear him preach, until they are able to form an opinion of his gifts, his knowledge of the Scriptures, and his aptness to teach. If, after a sufficient trial, they can not be convinced that the brother possesses ministerial gifts, they must honestly tell him so. He may then conclude that he has mistaken his duty, and that with a good conscience he may devote himself to some other calling. It was well that it was in his heart to build the temple of the Lord, and he shall have his reward, though the Master sees fit to commit the work to another. If, on the other hand, his brethren are convinced by their knowledge of his Christian character, aptness to teach, and acquaintance with the Scriptures, that he is called to the ministry, this union and harmony of his convictions with theirs may assure him that he has not mistaken the voice speaking within him, but that it is his duty to devote himself, either wholly or in part, to the ministration of the Word. . . .
It will be seen, from what I have said, that the act of a church in licensing a candidate, is one requiring grave and serious consideration. It is a matter of great consequence, both to the candidate and to the church of Christ. To him it frequently involves a change in his whole course of life, and a new direction to all his energies. If he enters upon a calling for which he has no adaptation, his life is, for the most part, thrown away. When a Christian brother asks our advice on a subject of so much magnitude, we are surely bound to give him the soundest and most deliberate opinion in our power. To the church of Christ it is a matter of moment. To advise a brother to leave his present field of usefulness, and enter upon another, for which he has no adaptation, is to throw away an important helper, and burden the ministry with a brother who, in that situation, can render it no service.
But this is not all. The brother asks for our conviction as to his call to the work of the ministry. When we vote to grant him a license, we deliberately say that we, in the fear of God, believe him to be called by the Holy Spirit to this work. We can not say this in truth, unless we have taken means to ascertain his qualifications. We can not say it in truth, unless, having taken means to ascertain the facts, we have arrived at this deliberate conclusion. If we have arrived at the conclusion, we shall with pleasure make it known to our brother. If we have not arrived at it, we can not say that we have, without incurring the guilt of falsehood. It may give us pain to disappoint the expectations of a brother. This, to be sure, we would gladly avoid, but we can not make a lie about it. We can not say that we believe one thing, when in our hearts we believe the opposite.
Such seems to me to be the nature of the obligation under which we are placed in the act of licensing a candidate for the ministry.—Francis Wayland, in Western Recorder, Dec. 1, 1910.
An Answer to Prayer
By H. W. HERRELL
H. W. HERRELL
The following incident came under my personal observation. Thinking it might be an encouragement to others, I will relate it:—
One of our brethren, who has a large apple orchard, found one year that he had promise of a large crop. Being short of ready money with which to pick, pack, and ship the apples, he scarcely knew what to do, as all the farmers for miles around had all the apples they could attend to, and those who worked by the day could get plenty of work where they could work Saturday too. Under these circumstances, and as, from a human standpoint, it seemed almost impossible to get any help, he and others made the matter a subject of prayer, asking that the Lord would send a purchaser for the entire crop.
After praying daily over this matter for a week or two, a gentleman (not an Adventist) who already had more than he could attend to with his own apple crop, which was very large, came seven miles to see the brother, and told him he would give him so much a barrel for the apples, delivered at a certain depot.
After accepting the offer, the weather became very warm, and the apples began to decay. Accordingly, the brother wrote the gentleman that he would sell the crop at a very low figure, which, had it been accepted, would have been greatly to the advantage of the buyer, but quite a loss to the seller. The gentleman would not agree to this, but suggested that as neither of them could exactly determine the amount of the crop, they let the contract remain as first made. This was agreed to by the owner.
The time for apple picking came, and to the brother's surprise, upon counting the men and boys who came to work, he found there were twenty-three there, and the man who had charge of the packing had to come over five miles every morning to work, besides losing the Sabbath each week.
After the apples were all gathered, I received a letter from the brother, in which he said the crop had turned out far better than any one had expected, and he thanked the Lord for his blessing and help.
Surely we should praise our Heavenly Father for his goodness and mercy. He is ever ready to help us; what we need is more faith and a childlike simplicity in asking him.
Vienna, Va.
Adding to Others’ Happiness
By George S. Merriam
A LITTLE thought will show you how vastly your own happiness depends on the way other people bear themselves toward you. The looks and tones at your breakfast table, the conduct of your fellow workers or employers, the faithful or unreliable men you deal with, what people say to you on the street, the way your cook and housemaid do their work, the letters you get, the friends or foes you meet,—these things make up very much of the pleasure or misery of your day. Turn the idea around, and remember that just so much are you adding to the pleasure or the misery of other people’s days. And this is the half of the matter which you can control. Whether any particular day shall bring to you more of happiness or of suffering is largely beyond your power to determine. Whether each day of your life shall give happiness or suffering rests with yourself.—George S. Merriam.
Interest Children in Their Work
WHAT harm thoughtless parents and friends do our work by the injudicious way in which they refer to school! “You poor things! It’s too bad that you can’t stay out and play,” says a foolish aunt. A mother allows her child to listen while she criticizes the teacher, the work required, or the school building and equipment. Even the newspapers take a hand. A leading New England daily appeared on the morning in last September when the public schools opened, with a cartoon representing the little red schoolhouse with the head, body, claws, and tail of a dragon, and the children fleeing in terror before it. Teachers are by no means guiltless in this matter. If any of us have fallen into this error, let us make a fresh start. We should heartily believe that what we are requiring of each pupil is really adapted to his nature and his needs, and so likely to prove interesting to him; and then we should aim constantly to arouse in him a sincere liking for the work in hand.
A high-school teacher of physics found that a certain topic proved very difficult to successive classes, so she fell into the habit of introducing it in this way: “To-morrow we begin — such a subject. It is very hard, and you will have to give extra time to the preparation.” But each year’s class balked at it, as their predecessors had done. Reflecting one day on the value of a right mental attitude toward work, she recognized her error and changed her tactics. “To-morrow,” she said, “we take up the most interesting part of our subject,” and she related a story or two of the experiences of scientists to prove her point, closing with, “I am sure that you will find it equally engrossing.” To her joy the class plunged heartily into the work, and without pressure put forth the extra effort needed for its mastery. We should aim to develop not only a liking for each school duty, but also a belief in power to perform it.—Ladies’ Home Journal.
The Prevention of Typhoid Fever
By Alfred B. Olsen
ALFRED B. OLSEN, M. D.
Typhoid fever is a dirt disease, a typical example of the preventable diseases that ought to be done away with entirely. Strict cleanliness, public and personal, is the essential weapon in the warfare against typhoid fever. Notification, quarantine, isolation, and disinfection are the most important means of insuring the necessary cleanliness.
The bacillus typhosus is the offending microbe, and its invasion of the alimentary canal produces the disease; that is, provided the soil is favorable, and the victim of the invasion is not able promptly to destroy the germs before they gain a foothold and begin colonization.
Drinking Water
One of the most common means of infection is through our drinking water, and most epidemics of typhoid fever are believed to be water-borne.
For example, there was an epidemic in Maidstone, England, in 1897, when 1,847 cases of typhoid fever occurred in the course of a few months. This epidemic was traced to the pollution of the water-supply by a colony of hop-pickers who suffered from typhoid fever.
More recently the town of Lincoln, England, was attacked, and there were about nine hundred cases, the cause of which was believed to be due to the pollution of the Witham.
To insure safe drinking water, it is necessary to distil or boil it before using. This applies not only to drinking water, but to all water used in the kitchen in the preparation of vegetables and other food and the cleaning of the dishes.
Milk
There is no evidence that cattle suffer from typhoid fever, and consequently if milk becomes the carrier of typhoid fever, it is due to a local case of the fever among the dairy hands, or to contact with typhoid-contaminated water. For fifty years or more milk has been recognized as a disseminator of typhoid fever. The milk may become infected with the germs through washing the cans or other milk-vessels, or through diluting the milk with contaminated water. Flies, too, may infect the milk. Furthermore, direct contact with the course of infection is possible through carelessness in failing to wash the hands properly, or through other means.
To prevent the transmission of typhoid by milk, see that it is Pasteurized before being used.
Oysters and Shell-Fish
The oyster has long been supposed to be an agent in the transmission of typhoid, and the case against it has been proved. In the mayoral banquets at Southampton and Winchester in 1902, there was in each case an epidemic of typhoid fever among the participants, and the infection was traced to the oysters. Some of the cases ended fatally.
Consider for a moment the habitat of the oyster. It is a natural scavenger of the sea. It thrives on sewage, and not infrequently oyster-beds are planted in the vicinity of the sewage outflow for the purpose of providing the oysters with nourishment. Of course, as long as the sewage is free from the bacillus typhosus, the oysters will be comparatively harmless. Nevertheless they can not be considered wholesome.
The safest way to treat oysters is to let them alone; then there will be no chance of their transmitting the fever.
What is true of oysters is also believed to be true of mussels, cockles, and other shell-fish, all of which are none too particular in their feeding. If they become contaminated with sewage containing excreta of typhoid patients, there is real danger in eating them.
Watercress
It must be obvious to any one that if the stream in which watercress is growing becomes contaminated with typhoid excreta, there is danger of transmitting the microbes. Great care is necessary to maintain the purity of watercress beds; for it is quite impossible to free the cress from the germs of disease by washing.
Flies
The time has come when we should recognize in the fly an implacable foe to health and life. The old-fashioned idea that the fly is an interesting insect, and quite harmless, is altogether wrong. The fly is a veritable pest, and every possible means should be taken to destroy the insect, and to keep it out of the home and away from food. The problem is a difficult one, but much can be done by burning as much rubbish and waste matter as possible, and by keeping the garbage receptacle a good distance from the house, and having it emptied regularly two or three times a week. As soon as the garbage-can is emptied, it should be scalded with boiling water and thoroughly rinsed. It should be kept covered always.
Flies have been known to transmit the germs of typhoid as well as of dysentery and other microbic diseases.
Drain Effluvia
There is a common belief among the laity that sewer-gas is a direct cause of typhoid fever. This may be true, but if9so, the cases are rare. Still, small particles of the sewage may get into the air of the sewer, and so spread disease; and every precaution ought to be taken to prevent its gaining access to the house. The breathing of the sewer-gas at any time interferes with the appetite, lowers the vitality, brings on headache, and becomes an important predisposing cause of typhoid fever and other diseases.
Perfect sanitation and good drainage are essential in the prevention of typhoid.
Direct Infection
A not uncommon mode of infection arises through direct contact with the sick-room and the patient. For this reason efficient quarantine and isolation are required in order to prevent the disease from spreading among other members of the family or the neighbors. The visiting of typhoid patients should be prohibited.
Locality
Typhoid fever is associated with overcrowding, poor ventilation, and filth, hence it is not only more prevalent, but also more fatal, in the large towns and cities than in the country. But it is by no means confined to the poorer classes; for it is met with in all stations of life.
Typhoid Carriers
It has recently been found that patients who have suffered from typhoid fever may continue to carry the germs for weeks, months, and even years afterward, and thus remain a source of infection. Such persons are known as “typhoid carriers.” Although typhoid carriers are fortunately not very common, yet the very fact that it is possible for a convalescent patient to carry the germs in the system for months and years, is of the greatest significance. It is a wise precaution in the case of convalescing typhoid patients to have the excreta examined, to ascertain that they are free from the germ, and to keep the patients under medical observation until this is the case.
Treatment of Excreta
One of the most efficient means of combating typhoid fever is the proper treatment of the excreta. The stools should always be received in a vessel containing a strong disinfectant agent, and then they should be burned if possible. If they can not be burned, they should be well mixed with a strong disinfectant, and later buried where they can not possibly drain into any well or watercourse. Soiled linen should be promptly soaked in five-per-cent carbolic acid before washing. The nurse attending the patient should invariably wash the hands in an efficient disinfectant, and change the clothing before leaving the room. All possible precautions should be taken to destroy the germs at their source, and thus prevent the further spread of the disease. Such a course entails the most scrupulous and scientific cleanliness possible, but this is essential to success.
Child Training
LUTHER BURBANK, the plant wizard, thinks most of the lawlessness and corruption start with the early experiences of the child. He says: “Be dishonest with a child in word or look or deed, and you have started a grafter. Grafting, or stealing,—for that is the better word,—will never be taken up by a man whose formative years have been spent in an atmosphere of absolute honesty. A child knows instinctively whether you are true or dishonest with it in thought as well as in deed; you can not escape. It may not always show its knowledge, but its judgment of you is unerring. Its life is stainless, open to receive all impressions, just as is the life of the plant, only far more pliant and responsive to influences. Upon the child before the age of ten we have an unparalleled opportunity to work; for nowhere else is there material so plastic.”
The Word of Praise
“What’s wrong?” said the paper-hanger, snappily, at his end of the telephone. All day he had heard nothing but complaints, and one man of his force was home with a sick mother, and the rest were so driven with work that the paper-hanger fairly scowled into the receiver.
Then the clerk saw his face change. Over his worn countenance flashed a look of rest and satisfaction. “Thank you, ma’am,” went his answer. “It’s very kind of you. We’re much obliged. We’re very glad.”
“Big order?” asked the clerk, as the paper-hanger turned to him.
“Better than that,” said the proprietor. “I can get orders any day, but I never got the like of this before. Why, it’s that Mrs. Brown whom we had such hard work to suit over the shade of green for that sitting-room, and she just called up to say that she’s delighted with it, and that everybody admires our work. ‘Nothing wrong,’ says she, ‘all very nice, indeed, and much obliged for the great pains you took, and thought you’d like to know we’re enjoying it so much.’ Well, she is a lady, and no mistake.”
Appreciation for a kindness shown, whether it is a business kindness or a friendly one,—and the two are not far unlike,—is due from every one of us, and is as true debt as that of money itself. It can not take the place of an unpaid money debt, but neither can cold cash in any degree take the place of genial appreciation expressed in plain words, such as every one of us has at his command. It is far more rare than gold, far more lasting than gold in its effects. He who fails to give it freely fails in justice as well as in generosity.—Selected.
The Triumph of Enthusiasm
EVERY great and commanding movement in the annals of the world is the triumph of enthusiasm.—Emerson.
Our Day Will Dawn
“THE world says the Christian is unpopular and uninfluential. He is now, but in the next age he will be popular. David was not popular in the beginning. He had no followers but cripples, paupers, outlaws, and others in disgrace; but there came a time when all Israel and Judah followed him. Thus it will be with us; our hour will come; our day will dawn. Let us wait patiently for it.”
Honan, China
By F. A. Allum
F. A. ALLUM
We take this opportunity of communicating to our brethren in the home land some news of the way the Lord is blessing our work in this province. It is now seven years since the third angel's message was first preached in Honan; and as we see the way the Lord has blessed the efforts that have been put forth in the past, we can not but praise him, and take courage for the future.
BELIEVERS ATTENDING THE HONAN, CHINA, GENERAL MEETING AND BIBLE INSTITUTE
We began our annual Bible institute, Oct. 20, 1910, and it lasted until November 14. November 8-14 we conducted the general meeting for the North Central Mission Field, which was held in Cheo Chia K’o, Honan. The general meeting was indeed a blessed time. The Spirit of the Lord came near, and hearts were touched and sins confessed.
At the general meeting, the program was as follows: From six to seven in the morning, prayer-meeting, with different leaders appointed; from eight to nine, a preaching service; from nine to ten, a series of meetings on methods of labor. The following subjects were presented at these meetings: “How to Preach;” “Our Attitude Toward Believers of Other Missions;” “How to Encourage New Converts;” “How to Canvass for Our Periodicals and Books;” “How to Reach the Heathen;” “Organization and Gospel Order.” Different ones were appointed to lead out in the discussion of these important topics. Twenty minutes was allowed each leader, the rest of the time being taken up with the discussion of the subjects by our Chinese brethren, who discussed the topics presented in an excellent way, manifesting a fine spirit and good common sense. We had another preaching service from eleven to twelve. A meeting for outsiders was held from three to four in the afternoon; also meetings for the women at the same hour, led by Miss Pauline Schilberg.
From four to five we had committee meetings daily, those present being members of the North China Committee and a committee of five Chinese brethren elected by the Chinese believers. Together we discussed everything in connection with the native work. This was a great help to our Chinese brethren, and was a practical training in gospel order and organization, and helped the Chinese brethren to shoulder burdens and understand the work better than they have ever done before.
From seven to eight each evening a consecration meeting was held, at which we endeavored to present such subjects as would lead the believers to seek a closer connection with God. We presented the matter of the canvassing work, and received a hearty response, each of the evangelists promising to sell one hundred copies of our Chinese paper each month. Thus our evangelists alone are planning to sell a thousand copies a month. Then we presented the need of all our church-members taking the monthly paper. In a few minutes over sixty names were handed in for yearly subscriptions. Thus the paper will now go to every home where there is a Sabbath-keeper in Honan. This will certainly be a source of strength to the work there.
At our Bible institute, which was held for three weeks, we had an attendance of over seventy. At the general meetings there was an attendance of over one hundred seventy. On the last Friday of the meeting, eight persons were buried with their Lord in baptism. Only one of these has ever been a baptized member of another mission. All these candidates were carefully examined, and had been keeping the Sabbath for over two years. Including those baptized at this meeting, we now have in Honan fifty-nine baptized Sabbath-keepers. Eighteen of these were added to the church this year. We probably have in Honan, in addition to those baptized, over one hundred fifty who are classed as hsioh iu (inquirers). Some of these will shortly be baptized. Thus we can see that the work is onward. The great difficulty we have to meet is the need of foreign workers. May God send more workers into his harvest-field.
The services of the general meeting were conducted by Dr. H. W. Miller, Brother Esta Miller, and the writer, the women's meetings being conducted by Miss Schilberg. During the meeting, Elder O. A. Hall preached his first sermon in Chinese, exactly one year from the date of his arrival in China. He did splendidly, especially as we consider the heavy burdens that he has been carrying since his arrival, in connection with the treasury work of the Cheo Chia K’o station. Sister Hall also took her first meeting for the women, and she did equally well.11
At present the Mandarin Training School is located at Cheo Chia K’o, until permanent quarters can be found for it. Dr. Miller, director of the North China Mission, is temporarily located at Cheo Chia K’o, in charge of this school. Our hearts were made glad to see twenty bright young men in training here. Dr. Miller has done good work, and we all feel of good courage as we see these Chinese in training. It is the first time, in our mission work in Mandarin China, that one man has been chosen to devote all his time to this definite effort, and we are sure it can not but bring grand results. Dr. Miller is assisted by Miss Schilberg, who, in addition to having charge of the women’s work, is also conducting a school for girls. She has an excellent command of the language, and is deeply in love with her work.
In concluding this article we wish to cite two instances which show the wonderful power of the message on the lives of those accepting it. The first case is that of my language teacher, a man of whom I have written before, telling how his wife bore witness to the genuineness of his conversion. Since then he has passed through a season of intense trial, which would certainly shake the faith of any one who was not indeed a true child of God. Not long after he took his stand for Christ, while he was away on Chih Kong Shan Mountain teaching Brother and Sister Hall, he received word of the death of his boy. This was a heavy blow, but still he remained faithful, and hastened home to assist his wife in their time of trouble. He had no sooner arrived than his wife was stricken down with what we suppose to have been cholera, and died within a few days. This was a terrible trial to our brother, but he has remained true to God through all. At the general meeting he was one of the eight whom the writer had the privilege of baptizing. Since returning from the meeting, I have received word from him telling that one side of his face has been stricken with paralysis, so that he can hardly speak. But he is still of good courage, and although he has lost his wife, his child, and now almost lost the power to speak, he is still trusting in the Lord, and is of good courage. This is an example of faith that we may well copy.
The second case is that of a young man named Chang Ia Dong, who held a position in the post-office at Kai Feng Fu, the capital city of Honan. He became interested in the truth through literature which we sent him from Cheo Chia K’o, and for over a year we received letters from him and answered the same, teaching him all the truth that we could in this way. Finally, one day we received all the literature that we had ever sent him, without a note of explanation, and we concluded that he had lost all interest in the message. But in spite of this, and the prejudice which others sought to rouse in his heart against the message, this young man has come into the truth, and there is every prospect of his becoming a substantial worker. He is now attending the Mandarin Training School, and assisting Dr. Miller in the dispensary work. Thus we see that although this man sent back all the literature that we had ever sent him, yet he could not get away from the message itself.
There are many other instances we could relate, but we must conclude for this time. We pray God to stir up the hearts of our brethren and sisters in the home land, that we may have the men and the means necessary to carry this message to China in this generation. The harvest is ripe, but the laborers,—O, how few they are! Many provinces in China could be entered to-day if it were not for the fact that we are hindered by the fewness of the foreign workers. For two years the writer has been under appointment for Szechuen, to open that province to the message, but he is unable to proceed because we are unable properly to man the stations we have already opened. The same is true of the north. Dr. Miller is waiting at Cheo Chia K’o until reinforcements arrive. O, how long must these waiting millions continue to wait before they hear the last warning message!
“If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?” Prov. 24: 11, 12.
Cheo Chia K’o.
A Light Kindled in Dark Venezuela
By Rose V. Lane
MRS. ROSE V. LANE
IN the heart of dark Venezuela, a field which but a few months ago was as yet unentered, a light is now kindled. Very little need be said concerning the spiritual condition of the place, which is wholly Catholic. We find here, as do our workers in other Spanish fields, a most deplorable condition. Idolatry in all its forms flourishes. Man, the masterpiece of God's creation, is bound down and held in the darkness of superstition, fearing to open God's Word and search its pages. “We are too ignorant to read the Bible,” the people say; “the priest must read it for us.” This is what they are taught.
They have never realized that God created all men equal, and gave to each talents to be put out to usury. Our hearts ache as we see their condition and realize their great need. But praise be to our great Creator, these chains of darkness can be broken. God has a people to be gathered out of this modern Sodom. We sense our responsibility as ambassadors for God in this heathen land; and we also rejoice that it is our privilege to bring to these souls the light of present truth, which we trust may, in God's own time, lighten many hearts which are now in darkness.
We can see evidences of God's working power among us. On coming here, we now had but little knowledge of the language. It was necessary, therefore, to make language study our first work, with the study of the field and the customs of the people. We were here but a short time when we had made many friends, among whom is a Spanish professor, who is teaching us the language. We are now making fair headway, and trust that soon we may be able to speak freely with the people.
We realized that we had entered a difficult field, and that to move slowly was to move wisely. Therefore we did but little, believing that God, in his own good time, would reveal to us just how, when, and where we were to begin. This he has done. We had been here four months when one day a man came with some lumber. On passing through the house, his eyes fell upon the old prophetic chart, which we had hanging in a conspicuous place. He inquired, “What do these things mean?” Elder Lane at once made an attempt, in broken Spanish, to explain to him, reading from the Spanish Bible.
The man listened attentively, and, saying very little, went away. About two hours later he returned, bringing with him a second man to hear the story. My husband again explained as fully as possible the wonderful truths of God's Word, impressing upon them the importance of studying to know for themselves. They then left, expressing their thanks for what they had heard. The following morning the second man returned with a third, who was anxious to see the wonderful chart, and hear the story connected with it. This brought vividly to our minds the text in Hab. 2:2: “And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”
By this we felt the evidence sufficient that the time had come to begin active work. So we arranged for Bible studies in the home, inviting these men to come. They said, “Yes, and we will bring others with us.” Thus the work has started in Venezuela. Though but babes in the use of the language, we felt confident that the same Spirit which had directed these souls to us would also direct in the presentation of the Word. This has been our experience. Much freedom has been given in the use of the language, and God has wonderfully blessed. These men have been faithful, and through their efforts the numbers of interested ones are increasing. At this writing, nine persons have accepted the message,—four adults, one youth, and four children. One man gives fair promise of becoming an active worker in the cause he now loves. He is at present anxiously waiting for some of our Spanish literature, that he may help in spreading the message. Is not this encouraging? We believe that God will raise up others here to engage in this work. Many are becoming interested, and we hope soon to see a strong company here who will keep the commandments of God.
*Caracas.
Editorial
By Editor
“As thou goest step by step, the way shall open before thee.” So one translation renders the Hebrew of the first part of Prov. 4:12.
ONE step at a time; light given and walked in, and then more light; that has been the progressive experience of many, who look back with thankful hearts at the pathway over which the Lord has led them into this advent message.
At the time when the early advent believers, before 1844, were preaching the second coming of the Lord, the late Elder R. F. Cottrell was an observer of the Sabbath, having been brought up in that way, in more or less close association with the Seventh-day Baptists of western New York. He heard the judgment-hour cry of 1844, but it did not appeal decidedly to him. He saw that there was something yet lacking in the practise of those who were preaching that first message.
IN a letter to the REVIEW of Nov. 25, 1851, he announced his decision for the threefold message of Revelation 14. Of his experience he wrote:—
My early education was such that I have believed in the personal appearing of Christ, according to the Scriptures, from my youth. In 1843 and 1844, I heard the solemn cry, “The hour of his judgment is come,” and though I felt no disposition to oppose it, and thought I loved his righteous appearing, yet I was not disappointed when the time passed by. I saw the proclaimers of the advent in darkness in regard to the commandments of God, and bowing to an institution of the Papacy; and perhaps this was the reason I did not believe. But since I have heard the message of the third angel, which was since the commencement of the REVIEW AND HERALD, I have reviewed carefully the whole movement, and the solemn inquiry in my mind has been, Was it from heaven or of men? After some nine months’ careful and cautious examination, I have just arrived at the decision. I believe with all my heart it was from heaven. . . . I greatly rejoice that when “the temple of God was opened in heaven,” his children on earth saw, by faith, “the ark of his testament.”
FOR many years, until his death, Elder Cottrell was a frequent contributor to the REVIEW, excelling in short articles that helped to open the Word. While he rests from his labors, still, in some of our best hymns, his voice sings among us—
“The wonders of redeeming love.”
One of his Sabbath hymns, at least, has been translated into the Chinese, and away in that far land, Chinese believers in the blessed hope sing of—
“The God that made the earth,
And all the worlds on high.”
Those who have wrought in the seed-sowing and then fallen asleep in Jesus, now rest from their labors; but truly their works do follow them, and the influence of their lives is winning souls to the truth.
