Earlier text: WILLIAM MILLERAn esteemed subscriber writes:—
“I am in union with the principal doctrines which it (the Review) advocates, (especially the Life and Death question;) but whether I shall ever practically embrace the Lord’s Sabbath, time must determine. As I am far advanced in years, (74,) former habits I find hard to overcome; when brought in contact with a numerous progeny, which the Lord has permitted me to rear up; all of whom are striving to get into the kingdom, and meet on the first day of the week to worship God. One half are Adventists, the other half still remain with the Baptist sect, of which, in former years, we have all been members. I feel desirous to obtain an inheritance, on the New Earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, and could I be made fully to believe, that none but those who ever have, and at the present day do, keep the seventh day of the week as a Sabbath, would ever enter the Kingdom, it might produce a feeling which I have never been able to realize. ‘He that regardeth the day, regardeth it to the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. Let every one, or man, be fully persuaded in his own mind.’ Rom. xiv, 6.” We had supposed that the views of Sabbath-keepers relative to the salvation of Christians who have not in ages past observed the true Sabbath were generally understood. We do not say that none but those who have kept the Sabbath in times past, will be saved, or that there are no Christians at the present time, who do not as yet observe the Rest-day of the Lord. Notwithstanding the Sabbath has been a truth from the beginning, various causes have combined to shut it from the church and bring it into disuse. The church has passed a long sojourn in the wilderness. Rev. xii, 14. The saints and laws of the Most High have been given into the hands of the little horn of the Man of sin. Dan. vii, 25. And it would be unreasonable, as well as unscriptural, to suppose that during all this time there were none, enveloped though they might be in the gloom of error, who were the Lord’s servants and accepted of Heaven. Wherefore accepted? Because they followed the best light they had. We feel safe therefore in saying that whoever walks up to the best light he has, though some plain truths may still be hidden from him, is nevertheless doing all that can be required of him. But when further light comes, it becomes his duty then to follow that light. If it is rejected, then comes sin and condemnation. If that rejection is persisted in, what else can be expected but finally the withdrawal of the favor of Heaven. This is a natural conclusion from the teachings of Christ. Let us go back in imagination to the days of the Saviour. We will suppose some aged and venerable Israelite meets one of the disciples, and says, Am I to suppose that none but those who believe on this new personage whom you call Messiah, can be saved? Are all sinners who reject him? Are there none who can claim the favor of Heaven but you his followers? Our Lord himself gives the answer in these words: “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin; but now have they both seen, and hated both me and my Father.” John xv, 22, 24. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” Chap. iii, 19. This rule can but be regarded as universal in its application. If rejecting the truth of their time, brought condemnation to the Jews, rejecting special truth of the present day will condemn the people of this generation. We almost feel like offering an apology for any remarks on Rom. xiv, which has been so often, and so thoroughly discussed. Yet so long as people are unsettled on it, or think that the Apostle here gives a rule by which they can regulate their observance of the divine Sabbath, so long we feel justified in repeating what we think is the true meaning of this scripture, till our views shall be fairly and scripturally met. And we first do well to follow the example of the eunuch with Philip, and seriously inquire, Of what day speaketh the Apostle? Of the seventh day which is the Sabbath of the Lord our God, or of some other day? If the seventh day, or Sabbath, is here referred to, it is very singular, 1. That there is nothing said about it, or that it is not particularly mentioned. 2. That no reference is made to the Decalogue of which the Sabbath commandment is an important part. 3. That the Apostle should talk in the SAME VERSE about EATING, with which the seventh day as the weekly Sabbath never had any connection. 4. That the Apostle should give such liberty to the church to treat one of the Commandments of God, unless that Commandment had been repealed by as high authority as enacted it. But if Paul is here speaking of the feast days of the Jews, it is very natural 1. That he should introduce it in such a discourse, the subject of which is meats and drinks and the ceremonies of the Jews, of which these special days constituted an important part. 2. That he should suffer every man to follow his own persuasion; since the law which regulated these feast days was abolished by the death of Christ, and the sincerity of the individual alone remained to be considered. If any day was conscientiously observed as doing God service, the observer was accepted; and if another according to greater light, considered that the gospel required no such observance, he was equally accepted. We anticipate that the question may here be asked, if it was right to observe those days and ceremonies, since they were abolished? and why did not the Apostle prohibit their observance, instead of permitting each one to follow his own conviction? In reply we might ask, if it was right for Paul to circumcise Timothy, since circumcision of the heart had then taken the place of the outward rite? Rom. ii, 29. Yet he did do it, on account of the Jews that he might get access to them; for all knew that his father was a Greek. Acts xvi, 3. As he says, I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 1 Cor. ix, 22. In this light we are disposed to look upon Rom. xiv, 1–6. As long as the Jewish converts could conscientiously, in the increasing light of the gospel, observe meats and feast days, they were suffered to do it; for though the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile was broken down at one blow by the death of Christ, the wall of prejudice between the Jew and the gospel had to be worn away by slow degrees. If any stress is laid on the term “every day,” in verse 5, and the inference is drawn that every day must include the seventh, and therefore the seventh is brought down to a level with all other days, we reply, that the same expression is used in Ex. xvi, 4, where the Israelites were commanded to gather a certain portion of manna every day; and yet they were expressly forbidden to seek for it on the seventh day which was the Sabbath, as then they would find none; [verse 26,] and those who went out to gather it on the seventh day were plainly rebuked for so doing. Verses 26, 29. From this we learn plainly that the Lord has reserved the seventh day to himself—“My holy day,” Isa. lviii, 13—and that the term “every day” in both Exodus and Romans refers only to the six days of the week which are given to man for his secular employment. If it is still urged that Rom. xiv, 6, must refer to the seventh day or Sabbath, we will test it further. The Sabbath commandment is one of the ten, and whatever rule will apply to one will apply to the whole; whatever liberties may be taken with the fourth, may be taken with any of the rest. We will therefore take Rom. xiv, which is so often applied to the fourth, and test its application on some others: One man thinketh he may not steal; another thinketh he may steal anything. He that stealeth, stealeth to the Lord; and he that stealeth not, to the Lord he doth not steal. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Will any one say that this is not a just conclusion from the premises assumed? It certainly is. The fourth Commandment contains a positive precept to keep the seventh day; the eighth, a positive prohibition of stealing: if we are to be persuaded in our own mind in regard to one, why not in regard to the other? There can certainly be no rule presented why we should be so partial as to single out one commandment and subject that to change, and not the others. We hope that our aged friend may yet be led to practically embrace the “Lord’s Sabbath;” that he may be found in his declining years and gray hairs honoring the Lord his God by keeping the fourth as well as the rest of his Commandments; and then, though all his numerous family still continue to disregard that Rest-day which God has set apart for man, they will not at least have it to say that the example of their father sanctioned them in it. In last week's REVIEW we gave a part of the communication from M. H., with our reply; we will now give the remainder. The writer thinks we have been in error on other points besides the time to commence the Sabbath, and wishes to point out one of the many as follows, and thus correct us by the Word. Well, as the Word is our standard, we will see who will be corrected by it on this point. M. H. “I would like to notice one. Not because it is the only one, but because it dwells upon my mind just now. It is concerning the bride, the Lamb's wife. They say it is the New Jerusalem. But what saith the scriptures? “Isa. liv, 5, says, when speaking of the church, ‘For thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, the God of the whole earth shall he be called.’ Now the city has never been redeemed, or ever will be, yet the persons or things there spoken to is redeemed by the Holy One of Israel. In Rev. v, 4, we learn who the redeemed are.” REPLY. In order to understand “what saith the Scriptures” on this, and other points, scripture must be compared with scripture; and where we have in the New Testament an inspired explanation or application of Old Testament scripture, we should receive it, and seek for no other exposition or application of the text. As we prize the Divine Mind above human wisdom, we shall do this. The apostle Paul, by inspiration of God, applies the prophecy of Isaiah referred to above, to the New Jerusalem. Gal. iv. He first says, “For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. But he who was of the bond-woman, was born after the flesh, but he of the free-woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; (testaments, margin;) the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” Verses 23-26. An allegory is “a figurative discourse, implying more than is literally expressed.” The Apostle has in this chapter applied the figures of the allegory which he introduces. Abraham's two wives represent the two Jerusalems; Agar, the bond-woman, represents Old Jerusalem, or, as Paul says, “is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children;” while Sarah, the free-woman, represents the New Jerusalem above, which is free. His two sons represent the natural seed of Abraham, and the children of God. Ishmael, the son of the bond-woman, represents the children of Old Jerusalem, who are in bondage with their mother; while Isaac represents the children of the New Jerusalem, the children of promise. Paul continues: “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, [in Isa. liv,] Rejoice thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not; for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” Verses 26-28. Here Paul applies the prophecy to the New Jerusalem, which our correspondent applies to the church.157It will be seen that the church is represented as the children, and not the mother, or bride, in this great family, while the New Jerusalem is called the mother. Christ is the “everlasting Father” of his people. Isa. ix, 6. When the marriage of the Lamb shall be consummated, and Jesus “returns from the wedding,” [Luke, xii, 36,] to the joy of the waiting ones, and raises from the dead, and changes to immortality, all the children of promise, they will follow their Lord up to the Father's house of many mansions. John xiii, 33-38; xiv, 1-3. Then the whole family of God in earth and heaven, Father, Mother and children, will be gathered together in one. To say that it is the church that is addressed, [Isa. liv,] of whom it is said, “Thy Maker is thine husband,” is equivalent to saying that the “Jerusalem above” is the church, for Paul makes them the same. This idea of the bride will go much better with those who believe that the immortal souls of all saints who have died are now in glory “above,” “free” from the body, than with those who do not believe in the translation of invisible, immaterial souls; therefore there can be no church above as yet. M. H. “Again see Jer. iii, 14, ‘Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you,’ &c. In verse 18, the Lord calls upon them to acknowledge their iniquity and disobedience. He then tells them that he is married unto them, and will take one of a city, or two of a family, and bring them to Zion. Therefore it will be seen that the bride is brought to Zion, or the city.
“See also Eze. xvi. Here the Lord speaks of having made a covenant with his people. In verse 9 he says, They became his. But we see by reading the whole chapter that they brake his covenant and leaned upon the arm of another. Hosea ii, 19, 20, is much to the point. In the first chapter, and the first part of this, the wickedness of the followers of God is portrayed. They departed from the Lord, and delighted in others. Then he (the Lord) causes her (the church) to return to him. He also tells her what he will do if she returns to him. ‘I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and loving kindness, and in tender mercies: I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord.’ Some will doubtless object to these scriptures having reference to the church. We will notice who composes the espoused hereafter.” REPLY. We do not object to the application of the text last quoted, to the professed people of God. The relation of man and woman, united by the marriage covenant, has fully represented the union of the people of God with their Lord, ever since the days of righteous Abel. Granting this, however, we cannot admit that the marriage of the Lamb has been going on for near six thousand years! That event is at the END, and nowhere else. To apply these texts in the Old Testament, as well as the New where the figure of marriage is used, to the “marriage of the Lamb,” would produce darkness on this subject most profound. What the marriage of the Lamb is, we shall notice hereafter. M. H. “We have noticed some of the Old Testament scriptures. Nor is the New Testament silent on the subject; for in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. We rejoice that our witnesses are faithful ones. When John the Baptist commenced his work, many came to his baptism and thought he was that Prophet which had been promised. He denied this, and told them that he was not he, but was sent before him, &c. When Jesus and his disciples came into Judea and baptized, many more came to be baptized of them, than came to John. John's disciples marveled at this; hear his answer. John iii, 29. ‘He that hath the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiced greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled.’ Christ is here called the bridegroom, and those who came to him the bride.” REPLY. The witnesses are indeed faithful and true; but unfortunate for the position of our correspondent, they do not testify on the point at issue. They have nothing to say in regard to the marriage of the Lamb, or in determining who the Lamb's wife is. True, John used the figure of bridegroom and bride to illustrate the relation of Christ and those who came to his baptism. That Christ is here represented in his relation to his followers by a bridegroom, and his followers by a bride, is true; but that He and they are here called the bridegroom and bride is not true. No one believes that the event called the marriage of the Lamb, took place more than 1800 years since. M. H. “Paul, in 2 Cor. xi, 2, when writing to the church, says, ‘I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.’” REPLY. In regard to 2 Cor. xi, 2, we inquire, Did the “marriage of the Lamb” take place in Corinth? And could it be said in Paul's day, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready?” Or, did Paul only wish to represent by marriage the union which he had effected through the gospel between Christ and the church at Corinth? Judge ye. M. H. “Also in Eph. v, 23-33. Paul here shows the relation that existed between a man and his wife, and then says in verse 23, ‘For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church,’ &c. The foregoing scriptures teach plainly, I think, that the church is the bride, and she who is espoused to Christ. It embraces all believers of every age and clime. See 1 Cor. i, 2. ‘Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon our Lord,’ &c. Here we see that the espoused, or church, is composed of all who in every place call upon God.” REPLY. Please turn to Eph. v, and read from verse 22, and it will be seen that Paul's subject is the relation and duty of man and wife to each other. This is illustrated and enforced by the relations of Christ and the church. Those who suppose that Paul is here defining who the Lamb's wife is, are greatly mistaken; for that is not his subject. He commences, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” Verse 22. “Husbands, love your wives.” Verse 25. It is, indeed, an excellent subject; but has nothing to do in determining who the Bride would be in the great Marriage, which is in connection with the end. M. H. “I am aware that there is one, at least, seemingly objection to be urged, found in Rev. xxi, 9, 10. The angel says to John, ‘Come hither, and I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.’ Here John has a promise to see the bride, and is shewn the city. We learn in 1 Thess. iv, 17, that the saints are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And in Zech. xiv, 5, the Lord is said to come, and all his saints with thee. Is it at all strange that John should see the city coming? Doubtless the bride was with the city descending to take the kingdom, and to possess it for ever, even for ever and ever. This to me seems what the Scriptures teach on this subject. There are other points which I would like to notice at some future time, in which I fear the brethren, (or some of them at least,) depart from the teachings of the Word or Bible. Such as the desolation of the earth, and the time of the setting up of the kingdom, &c. O brethren, let us be cautious, let us beware lest we be found fighting against God. Let us receive what he reveals to us in his Word.” REPLY. We doubt very much whether the plain declaration of Rev. xxi, 9, 10, is disposed of to the satisfaction of even our correspondent. This is not a figure, but a matter of fact declaration, yet the effort is made to explain it away, and make the text teach just what it says nothing about, while the figures in the texts we have examined are treated as though they were declarations of literal facts. Hear the angel as he addressed the beloved John. “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.” Did the angel shew John the church? Ans. No, he shewed him something else. What did he shew him? Let John answer. “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.” John then goes on and gives a description of the city, its wall, gates, foundations, most precious stones, &c., and does not refer to the church till we come to verse 24, where it is said, “And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it”—light of the city. We join in the inquiry of our correspondent, “Is it at all strange that John should see the city coming?” And answer, not at all strange, after having so plain a promise from the angel. Angels don't disappoint people. But that the church was in the city, and that John was viewing the church, while he reports what he saw of the city, is a difficult item of theology which our correspondent has to speak into existence from nothing. The text says nothing about the church being in the city when John saw it. The whole chapter is silent on the point, and the Bible nowhere teaches that the church will be in the city when it descends from God out of heaven. What a sad departure “from the simple teachings of the word!” It is much easier for us to believe the recorded testimonies of the angel, and of John, than to believe what is not written. By referring to last week's paper it will be seen that M. H. speaks freely and well upon the Word, and the importance of following its plain teachings, and adds, “But frail, erring mortals, refuse to be guided by its light, seeking for counsel to other sources for light and wisdom. Are we even now walking in this light? It is to be feared that many of us are enshrouded in error's night, and why is this but because we do not search the Scriptures? And if we do, is it not rather to seek for proof to substantiate our peculiar theories, than to find what they teach? I fear it is even so.” We really think that these expressed fears are not groundless, and in our application of them would be as definite as Nathan when he said to David, “Thou art the man.” The principles laid down are excellent, but our correspondent has departed from them. If such liberties be taken with the Word, we see no difficulty in adding another to the one hundred and one existing “theories” of a probationary age, after the Second Advent. Those texts which teach the destruction of all wicked men at Christ's coming can be disposed of in the manner our correspondent disposes of Rev. xxi, 9, 10. That is, they mean something else and not what they say. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB.
By James White
There are two things, or events, which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, illustrate by the marriage covenant. They are, first, the union of the people of God in all ages with their Lord; and, second, Christ’s reception of the Throne of David in the New Jerusalem above. There is a class of scriptures in the Old, as well as the New Testament, designed to set forth the union of God’s people with their Lord, in which marriage is introduced as an illustration of that union. This union has existed for near 6000 years, and those texts which illustrate it by marriage, do not apply to the marriage of the Lamb at the end, any more than to Louis Napoleon ascending to the throne of France. The marriage of the Lamb is one event, to occur at one particular time, and that time is just prior to his second coming; for when he comes, he returns from the wedding. Hear the admonition of Christ to those who are waiting for his second coming: “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will RETURN FROM THE WEDDING,” &c. Luke xii, 35, 36. Then the event called the marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven, before the Lord comes to give immortality to the waiting ones, and to raise the righteous dead. This proves that the church is not the Lamb’s wife. As the scripture is most definite, there can be no mistake what the bride, or Lamb’s wife is. Said the angel to John, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” John then testifies that he shewed him that great city, “the holy Jerusalem.” This being in harmony with all the texts referring to the marriage of the Lamb, and the events connected with it, settles the question beyond all doubt that the New Jerusalem is the bride, in the marriage of the Lamb. The New Jerusalem is also represented as the mother. Paul says, “But Jerusalem which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal. iv, 26. And not stopping to discuss the question whether the new birth ever applies to conversion, we would say that beyond all doubt, the resurrection of the just is represented by birth, as being born again. How appropriate, then, is the view that the marriage of the Lamb takes place before the children of the great family of heaven are brought forth at the resurrection of the just. We have already intimated that the marriage of the Lamb was Christ’s reception of the Throne of David in the New Jerusalem above. That city will be the metropolis of the kingdom, and Christ will reign on a throne in the metropolis, and nowhere else; hence when he receives the throne, he receives the city as the capital of the kingdom, therefore the city is called his bride. This event is the subject of extensive prophecy, which we will notice next week.
J. W. Religious Books Among the People.
“If,” said the late Daniel Webster to a friend, “religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in this country, and the people do not become religious, I do not know what is to become of us as a nation.” And the thought is one to cause solemn reflection on the part of every patriot and Christian. If truth be not diffused, error will be; if God and his word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain the ascendancy: if the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will; if the power of the gospel is not felt through the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation and misery, corruption and darkness, will reign without mitigation or end.—Christian Almanac. From the Church in Alden, Ill.
BRO. SMITH:—The Brethren and Sisters in this place feel it a privilege and duty to address a few lines to you. It is a pleasure, and we trust with profit that we read the Review as it comes weekly, laden with truth from the storehouse of our righteous Lord. We are few in this place, but by the grace of God we will make no compromise with those who rebel against the Commandments of God. Believing the soul-thrilling truths that the Lord is at hand, that the last merciful warning is being given to call out and prepare God's servants to stand in the battle of the great day of God Almighty, we live in a time when we need to be more watchful and prayerful that we enter not into temptation, and stand firmly on the promises of God, believing that the Lord is willing to give his Holy Spirit to those that ask it, and that he has spoken in these last days by the Holy Ghost for the comfort of his saints. Extracts.
By Ellen G. White
Bro. Smith:—I have received some interesting letters from Christian friends that are too good to be lost. The following are extracts. E. G. W. Bro. J. Barrows of Irasburg, Vt., writes:—“Through the blessing of God we yet enjoy a degree of health. In view of the great goodness of God, I have abundant reason to humble myself under his mighty hand. I want a part with God’s humble, suffering few. At times the way looks so straight and narrow, I am left to fear lest I shall fail of the Kingdom at last. I do thank God although the way is straight, it is just right. I do want to be squared by his Word. The little church in this place is evidently on the rise. My prayer is, may God speed on his message until the church is perfected, and brought into the unity of the faith. The Third Angel’s Message will go with a loud cry. The honest jewels will be searched out, and fitted for the second casket. I do feel truly thankful that the way is opened that you can be released from the cares of the Office. There are none of us who can realize the burdens you have had to bear. I understand that thirty of our Brn. are going West in the Spring. I hope they will all move just as the Lord would have them, then all will be right.” Sister Barrows writes:—“I praise the Lord that he has given me a place with his dear people. Was it not that he does bestow grace upon the weakest of his children? I should faint by the way; but it is sufficient even for me, and I feel that there are none that have more reason to praise his holy name. The truth is indeed precious to me. I believe it will yet triumph, and those who love it and walk in it will come off conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ. We could weep before the Lord to hear of your afflictions, and then we could rejoice to know that the Lord was still raising you up to send out light and truth to his scattered people. We are thankful to God that he has chosen those that are faithful to raise the warning voice of the Third Angel’s Message. That such as have an ear to hear may yet get ready for the great and terrible day of the Lord. I have much to overcome to be prepared to enter the pearly gates of the New Jerusalem, and behold the lovely Jesus that has done so much for me. I mean to strive with all my heart to do his blessed will. The Lord has been good indeed to us. We should be glad to meet you once more here. If denied the privilege, when parted friends, each other greeting, shall meet in the saint’s happy home, I hope to be there. O, I dare believe I shall be one of that happy number.” Bro. J. Martin, of Bath, N. Y., writes:—“I pray the Lord to still bless and comfort you, strengthen and heal you, and give you much grace to bear up under all your trials. We are equally interested for Bro. White. We always mean to remember you in our prayers. We are glad to hear that Bro. White is re-gaining his health. The Lord bless you both, and your family. By the help of the Lord we will stand by you and help you what we can. We will not say, Be ye fed, and clothed, and warmed, and not lift our finger to help. I was reading how God gave orders for his servants, under the old ministration, to have the first fruits of all the harvest. And it seems now as though some hated to let them have even the gleanings. I hope such will have the spirit of sacrifice soon. We are thankful for the instructions and admonitions we have received.” Bro. F. Wheeler writes:—“I feel still to sympathize with you and your companion in all the trials and toils of the way. With regard to myself, I can say that my interest, both for the present and future world, seems identified with the Third Angel’s Message. I have been much encouraged of late, and am endeavoring to give myself anew to the Lord. I was detained in my visit to Ashfield over two Sabbaths by the snow and wind, but it was no small time. One sister of the Baptist church came out decided on the Sabbath, and commenced keeping it. Another poor soul that had never enjoyed religion gave good evidence of conversion to God, and fully resolved to keep all the commandments.” Sister Mead, of Buck’s Bridge, N. Y., writes:—“My heart was made glad to hear of the freedom and victory you have obtained. I am glad you are where you can be free. When I realize how good the Lord has been to me, my heart melts in gratitude to him. My health is comfortable, for which I have reason to be thankful. I have of late known what it is to be brought very low by disease, and then trust alone in God. O, the promises are sweet, and I have, and do lean upon them. I am glad Bro. White’s health is better. It does seem as though the Lord would raise him up and give him health to have a part in his work. I do believe it. The church here is trying to rise and be one. We do believe that the Lord will take care of the precious ones.” Sister Hutchins, from Barton Landing, Vt., writes: “By the grace of God, my interest and sympathies are still strongly united with those that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. And at times I dare believe that my love for the precious and soul-cheering truths of the last message of mercy is gradually increasing. Almost every thing that passes around us, speaks the coming of the ‘Just One’ near. And when this truth comes home to my heart, the response is, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. O to think the Christian’s hope is so soon to be realized, is indeed comforting. The City that Abraham looked for, that hath foundations and a locality, will be the abode of the saints in a little while. The thought that those who endure to the end are going to see Jesus in all his glory, and hear the blessed words fall from his lovely lips, ‘Children, come home,’ encourages me to be faithful and to toil on cheerfully in the service of the blessed Saviour. I can but be made a partaker of the joys of the righteous, if I can share with them in their inheritance, it seems to me I can bid trials and suffering a hearty welcome. Yes, I feel that I will willingly endure all that God in his providence sees fit to call me to, if I can but enjoy the smiles of my dear Saviour amid it all, and then when our conflicts are all ended, our trials o’er, receive the palm, the robe and the crown.” “At times I think I have some sense of my unworthiness of a place among God’s people. O that I may so live and so act as not to bring a wound upon the precious cause of truth. The earnest desire of my heart is to know and do my Master’s will. And my confidence is strong in God that if I keep humble and seek earnestly to know my duty, God will guide me, and strength will be given equal to my day; for God has promised this, and his word is not yea and nay, but yea and amen. My heart says, Praise the Lord. I will praise him with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned his righteous judgment.” “It rejoices my heart to know that the cause is rising, and that God’s people are taking hold of the work with renewed courage. Though our trials have been severe for some time past—Satan has worked hard to destroy us, yet the promise is, not one kernel of wheat shall fall to the ground. Those that stand firm are sure of victory.” “We have felt to sympathize with you in your sore trials, and our prayers have been that God would abundantly bless and sustain you, and deliver you out of the hand of all them that rise up against you. Our hearts have, and do still beat with love for you. We remember you for your works’ sake, and believe God will remember not only your toil and labor for him, but all the hard sayings which unrighteous men have cruelly heaped upon you, and will reward every man according as his work has been.” Bro. O. Nichols, of Dorchester, Mass., writes:—“I cannot doubt we are under the Third Angel’s Message, although the ‘loud voice’ is yet future. But one thing is certain, we have ‘the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus,’ and we are in ‘the patience of the saints’—the trial of our faith and patience. We have had no temptation to doubt the two former messages; the time message of the first angel was right, it has accomplished its office for which it was designed. “But I am hoping for a change soon. It has seemed sometimes that the work of our High Priest in the Most Holy is nearly ended, and that all the scriptural light on the Commandments of God has been developed, and the way is preparing for the going forth of the ‘loud voice’ of the third angel. Will not this take place when our High Priest shall come out of the Most Holy unto the altar of incense, [Lev. xvi, 18; Ex. xxx. 10.] to finish the antitypical atonement? Here, we think, will be the great cry, and time of praying and confession of sins and errors, as was never before. The ‘smoke of incense’ has a meaning, or purpose. The burning of incense over the mercy-seat immediately preceded the atonement in the Most Holy. The rising cloud of incense signifies a special time of prayer, when the prayers of the penitent with their confessions ascend to heaven. Rev. viii, 4; Luke i, 10. This is proof against the shut door of mercy, before the time of the antitypical atonement shall end. But when our High Priest shall come to the antitypical altar of ‘perpetual incense,’159[Ex. xxx. 8.] we believe the great cry will be felt as never before. “The year past has been one peculiarly trying to our faith and patience. But we think the darkest time is past. Since the Press has been removed to Battle Creek, and more particularly the Conference there in Nov. last, we have felt encouraged. The Review is rising.” Sister Morton, of Ft. Atkinson, writes, Jan. 27th, 1856:—I received your letter with pleasure. I was anxious to hear from you for I was fearful that the Review was sent to me and taken out of the Office and not given to me. “I was not mistaken. It was so; but I have got them now for which I am very thankful. The Review was taken out of the Office by others who like to see its contents, but have ordered theirs discontinued. I cannot find words to express what my feelings were on reading your letter. I thought of the many things I had heard said about ‘the visionists’ as some of the remnant are termed; of the sore trials which they are passing through, and I was bathed in tears; then the cheering words of the Apostle came into my mind, ‘Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal; the Lord knoweth them that are his.’” “Yes, dear Sister, the Lord knows who are striving to do his righteous will. Mortal men may be deceived, but Jesus knows all about us. We need not fear whilst we can say, Lord I am thine, not my will, but thine be done. “Sometimes my faith has been almost overthrown when I have witnessed the crooked course of some of those who profess to believe they are now living under the sound of the last message of mercy that this world will ever hear.” “I have not a doubt but what we have got the truth in the main. We may be in error on some points, but in regard to the principal points we need not fear. For one I cannot give up the Sabbath. I am as positive that the seventh day is the Sabbath, as I am that there is a God; and the keeping of the first day of the week as sacred rest, heathenism to the greatest extent. I feel to thank God for his abundant mercy to me, in showing me his precious truth; and my unwavering confidence in the truthfulness of our position. “You speak of consecrating ourselves anew to God and his service. This is absolutely necessary if we would grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. I think I do realize at times the necessity of giving up every thing for Christ. I know I must if I would inherit the heavenly kingdom.”