p. 5 | Review and Herald, Vol. 34, No. 1. (6/29/1869)

THE CALL TO THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY.

It is the prerogative of the Holy Spirit to call men to the work of preaching the gospel of Christ. Unless men are thus divinely called they have no business to meddle with the work. It is too sacred a work, and involves too fearful responsibilities for men to enter upon it who have no warrant from the Lord of the harvest. It is however manifest that very few of all who call themselves the ministers of Jesus Christ, are really entitled to that most honorable and sacred appellation. Many of the professed ministers of Christ have entered upon its solemn obligations, and its awful responsibilities, without ever being directed so to do by the voice of the Holy Spirit. Some of these persons were prompted to this step by vain ambition. The Christian ministry seemed to them the most promising path to distinction. Others entered upon the work because they expected to secure a handsome salary, and to acquire wealth in the business. Still others, because they hoped to live an indolent, self-indulgent life as the ambassadors of Jesus Christ. And even of those who have been truly called of God to the work, a very large part have lost sight of the sacredness of the calling, and though they have preached to others, they have themselves become castaways. When these several classes have been taken from the entire number of those who call themselves the ministers of the cross, there remains but a handful of faithful men. The Christian ministry, which is too sacred for self-seeking, unconsecrated men to even touch with one of their fingers, is nevertheless filled with men who have not the honor of Christ, nor the salvation of souls, but their own self-interest, in view. Such persons can never have the “well done” spoken to them. So far as any reward is concerned, they receive it all in this life; what comes at the Judgment will be the retribution of the evil servant; they shall be cut asunder, and appointed their portion with hypocrites and unbelievers, where there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. But how are we to determine who are really called of God to this great work? Doubtless there are tests that meet the case. The possession of gifts and graces adapted to the work must really furnish the proof of such calls.

1. God sends no man to preach to others till he is first soundly converted himself. Unconsecrated, ease-loving, worldly-minded, vain, impatient, self-seeking men, are not called of God to the ministry of his word.

2. Even those who are truly converted to God, and that do in singleness of heart devote themselves to his service, may not be suitable persons to fill the office of a minister of Christ. Such persons may have zeal without discretion. They may not be at all fitted to counsel, admonish, or instruct. If men have no aptitude to teach, if they lack caution, and prudence, we may well doubt their call of God to a part in this work.

3. Not piety alone, but good, sound, practical common sense is also indispensable. Men who are good for nothing else, are certainly of little worth as ministers of the gospel.

4. Nor does it appear that men who can do only some great thing, and are incapable of seeing or attending to things of comparatively small importance, are likely ever to be of service in the work of the ministry. The work of God is made up largely of deeds which make no display before men. Those who can take no interest in that which is to be seen and appreciated only by the God of Heaven, will never be fit to enter upon such things as seem to themselves of great importance. God never bids us do great things till he has proved us in those which are smaller. “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.”

5. Fluency of speech may be of great service to a minister of Christ. Yet this is by no means a decisive proof that a man is called of God to preach. If this gift exists without other gifts to balance it, it is a positive evil. Readiness of speech where there is nothing of value to communicate, inflicts a torrent of words, but gives nothing that edifies those who hear.

6. The men called of God to do his work must have singleness of purpose. They cannot under pretense of honoring God, and advancing his cause, seek their own honor or their own self-interest. They must not preach themselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord. Self will not stand out in their labors, but in the fore front of all their preaching will stand Christ and his truth.

7. Before God calls men into his work, he gives them humbling views of themselves. They are not prepared to go out in his employ till they have had their self-sufficiency removed. God’s strength is never made perfect with them except in their weakness. Paul preached at Corinth “in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.” But his preaching was in the “demonstration of the Spirit.” It would have been hard for him to tell whether he was most sensible of his own weakness or of the power of God by which he was sustained. Moses prayed God to excuse him, and to send a more suitable person. Jeremiah tremblingly shrank from the awful responsibility of his mission. “Those who are really called of God to the sacred ministry,” says Dr. A. Clarke, on Jer. i, “are such as have been brought to a deep acquaintance with themselves, feel their own ignorance, and know their own weakness. They know also the awful responsibility that attaches to the work; and nothing but the authority of God can induce such to undertake it.”

“How ready is the man to go, Whom God hath never sent! How tremblingly diffident and slow, God’s chosen instrument!”

8. When men are really called of God to labor in his vineyard, it may be said with safety, (1) That they have some good measure of genuine Christian experience. (2) That they have some knowledge of divine truth. (3) That they feel their own need of future help from him, and of more enlarged views of his word. (4) That they think soberly of themselves. (5) That they are fully determined that self shall die daily. (6) That they have in view the honor of God and the salvation of souls, as the grand object of their ministry. (7) That they have some degree of aptitude to teach. (8) And finally that they be inwardly moved of the Holy Spirit to this most solemn work. “Woe is unto me,” says Paul, “if I preach not the gospel.”

9. But even the most manifest call of God’s Spirit to this sacred work, does not excuse men from diligent and faithful efforts to prepare themselves for the work. Timothy was signally called to the ministry of the word. He had such advantages in personal intercourse and association of labor with Paul, as none of us possess. Yet Paul bids him use all diligence in the effort to prepare himself for the work. Thus he says: “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them, for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Tim. iv, 13–16. And again he says: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim. ii, 15. Those, therefore, who teach others must be diligent students of the Holy Scriptures themselves. They cannot pour out to others unless they continually renew their stock of good matter from the fountain head. The possession of great natural talents, or the special gifts of the Spirit of God, does not excuse men from a diligent, faithful effort to fill their own minds with the clearest knowledge of divine truth.

10. The minister of Christ must be a man of humility. If this excellent grace be wanting, he will be only a curse to those who share his labors. He must therefore be a man of real Christian experience, for if he be only a novice, i. e., newly come to the faith, he will be very certain to fall into the condemnation of the Devil.

11. Who, then, is sufficient for these things? Here is the most responsible and sacred calling that men can enter. Those who enter it must be men of patience, of humility, of self-sacrifice, of singleness of purpose, of consecration to the work, of prayer, of faithful study of the Bible, and fervent love for Christ, and earnest zeal for the salvation of men.

Not eminent talent, but genuine piety, good, practical common sense, a teachable spirit, a willingness to spend, and be spent, in the work, an unselfish heart, a mind ever desirous to learn the things of God, a willingness to labor faithfully where no display is to be made, a self-forgetful, disinterested spirit, a tender love for perishing men, and a genuine consecration to the service of the Redeemer, these are the real requisites for a minister of Christ.

Have we men of this class in our midst? Undoubtedly we have. There are a goodly number of those men in our ranks. We must call them out to enter the great harvest field. To meet the wants of the cause that are now very urgent, hundreds of these faithful men of God are needed. Isaiah heard the Lord inquiring who would go for him. He thought himself incapable of going to labor in so sacred a work. But when one of the holy beings before the throne had laid upon his lips a live coal from the altar, then he said, “Here am I, send me.”

Brethren, seek this hallowed fire. Consecrate yourselves to the service of God. Let your ear be set apart to hear the voice of God, and your lips to utter his words of infinite importance to perishing men. And here is your awfully solemn commission which you cannot execute or not, as you may choose, but which you must fulfill, at the peril of your soul. “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” If this awful commission be not faithfully executed, the blood of the lost shall be found upon you. And the great tribunal of the Judgment is to determine whether you have been a faithful minister of Christ, or a slothful and unprofitable servant. The decision will then be with the Judge of mankind. But the decision is now in your own hands. Shall it be, Well done, good and faithful servant? Or, shall it be, Depart from me into everlasting fire?

INGRATITUDE.

It is a very sharp trial to have to do for ungrateful people. The more you do, the more you may. They never think that what is done is of any value. Something much better ought to be done for them. They are not appreciated. Their mouths are full of complaints, and their hearts of dissatisfaction. Sometimes it falls to our lot to do for such persons.

There is one excellent result to follow from this. Nothing can so perfectly instruct us in the lessons of ingratitude as to have it manifested by those we try to help. We may see how wicked is such a spirit in ourselves. We are disgusted by this spirit in others when we try to help them. But how often do we exhibit the same spirit? Perhaps we do not allow this to manifest itself in respect to our fellow men. But how often is this the case in our feelings toward God. And how much worse is ingratitude toward him than toward our fellow-men.

When we murmur that things do not go to our minds, it is because that we are not grateful to God for his infinite mercies to us. Like ungrateful people that we try to help, we lose sight of all that is done for us in thinking of something that we still lack or that we want to have granted us.

It is a base and wicked thing to repay favors with ingratitude; yet we cannot absolutely desist from giving even in such cases. When we reach that point that we never act thus toward the Lord it will do perhaps to think of letting ungrateful people look out wholly for themselves.

Till then we need the lesson of the baseness of ingratitude to teach us to shun this Heaven-provoking sin. But our duty toward such is one of a very limited character. Relieve their present distress; but as they cannot be satisfied with what you do for them, give them the privilege of finding somebody else, created on purpose to wait on them.

Prayer

PRAYER is ever profitable; at night it is our covering; in the morning it is our armor. Prayer should be the key of the day, and the lock of the night.

REPENT.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Be zealous and repent. There must be a revival of the spirit of consecration and of sacrifice. The spirit of the world has been stealing upon us. Satan is striving to overthrow us. There must be a deep work of reformation with us, a struggling in prayer and a striving for the faith and consecration manifested in the early part of our experience in this message. The times are perilous. Who believes it? Iniquity abounds with the form of godliness, but the power is wanting. Why do we not have more power from God? Is he willing to do? Has he forgotten to be gracious? Does he not care for the interests of his bleeding cause? What is the hindrance? It must be with us. He will work for us and through us, if we will chasten ourselves and prepare for his work. If we do not do this, it is evident he will soon spew us out of his mouth, and give his work into the hands of those who will do it. Oh! how dreadful to be cast off now! But the threatening of the true and faithful Witness means just what it says. Oh! let us heed his counsel.

But what shall we do? What can we do that we have not done? We can heed the voice of God in the gift of prophecy. We have said we believed that God has spoken. But have we acted as though we believed? How slow to do. Did we heartily heed the testimony, and that unitedly, we should be a strong people. We should be like a well-disciplined army, formidable as the Macedonian phalanx, “terrible as an army with banners.”

If we will return to the Lord, we must return by the way in which we have departed. We must do the very things we have left undone. Heed the testimonies. Believe they are meant for us. When God speaks he will be heard. He must not be trifled with, but at our peril.

The greatest stumbling-block to unbelievers in the Bible is the conduct of those who profess to believe it. Hypocrites, that in their lives give the lie to their profession, are most abominable in the sight of God. The greatest disparagement and hindrance to the success of Bible truth is the conduct of those who say they believe, but do not; whose lives testify that the truth does not sanctify them.

We say we believe we are the people that ‘keep the commandments,’ and ‘have the testimony of Jesus.’ But where is the fruit? If we heed the spirit of prophecy which God has given us, we shall be cutting loose from the world, its spirit, its pursuits, its customs and fashions, and be truly a peculiar people, zealous of good works. But has there not been a growing conformity to the world? How slow to heed that which we acknowledge to be the voice of God. He must be highly displeased. Then let us return to the Lord, and rend our heart, and not our garment. Return by the way we have departed. The pillar of cloud and of fire will not point out the way, unless we follow it. Do the very things we have been taught. Not say, How far may I vary from it, and be accepted. Not say, Do you think this is essential to salvation? God has said nothing that is non-essential. If God has said it, do it. If you deny that God has spoken, depart from this camp.

We have often wondered when we have heard people acknowledge Bible truth, the Sabbath, for example, and then ask, Do you think it essential to salvation that I should keep it? Say they, If I knew it was essential to my salvation, I would keep it. Oh! what darkness and blindness of mind humanity is capable of! Cannot a person that talks, or even thinks, in that way know, without being told, that his heart is not right in the sight of God? Need we tell them that which is so self-evident?

Well, just such a position some occupy in regard to the testimonies of the Spirit. Some things they cannot see it their duty to do. A sister recently inquired whether I thought it essential to salvation to do what the Spirit had expressly spoken. Said she, If I knew it was essential to salvation, I would do it. I replied that when God spoke, he meant for us to obey. I have since thought that perhaps I did not do my duty, not telling her that her heart was not right in the sight of God. But did she not know it? Was there any need of my telling her a thing so evident? Perhaps this may meet her eye. I shall probably never meet her again in time. I know not her name nor place of residence. But if this reaches you, dear sister, let me tell you that as long as this is your position, you are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. Know for a certainty that when you say (as you did), or even think, you would obey God, if you knew it was so necessary that you could not be saved without it, that your heart is not right in the sight of God. Every one ought to know this without being told. It is willing, cheerful obedience only that is acceptable in the sight of the Lord.

Let us begin anew to serve God. Let us get our hearts into the work, so that it will not be an irksome task. The true-hearted will go through. But let us not deceive ourselves. Let us crucify self and renew our consecration to God. Let us get in the place where we shall delight ourselves greatly in doing the will of the Lord; where we shall rejoice to suffer shame for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; where we will not inquire, How little may I do, and yet be accepted, but, What may I do and suffer for Him who suffered for us? Oh! for a baptism that will make us willing to suffer for his sake. May God help us to repent.

R. F. COTTRELL.

CHOKED WITH THORNS.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Christ once spoke a parable of the sower and the seed. Some seed fell by the wayside, and was picked up by fowls; some fell on stony ground, and soon withered away; and some fell among thorns, and the thorns choked it so that it produced no fruit. In explaining the parable he says of this class, “These are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark iv, 18, 19.

I have frequently seen the illustration here used. A hill of corn, for example, is planted in the fence corner, or where it is not cultivated. It comes up as soon as any hill of corn in the field, and it promises as fair on the start as any; but soon the weeds also come up with, and so they both grow together. The corn does not die. It is a hill of corn all summer. But it looks yellow and spindling. However, it does not give up entirely; oh, no. It looks as though it wanted to do something, and had a hope that it would be just good enough to be gathered with the rest. It maintains its place and standing as a hill of corn. The stalks are there, the leaves are there, the tassels also appear in due time, and so do the sets for the ears of corn, and even the silk will be seen also. But when the time comes to harvest the corn, go there and strip down the husks, and look for the corn, and what will you find? Nothing but a little, soft cob, and perhaps two or three frost-bitten kernels of corn. It is not worth gathering, and a farmer will never go near such a hill to get it when he harvests the rest of his corn.

Now Christ says that this represents a class of professed Christians, whose religion is choked by the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and pleasures of the world. Such Christians, like the hill of corn, never give up. No; they keep up a form, and have some appearance of Christians. They know that they are not growing as they ought to; yet they look at the points of resemblance between themselves and true Christians, and they have a “faint hope.” They believe, have been baptized, belong to the church, attend meetings some, generally have family worship, confess their sins occasionally, &c. They have no idea of giving up; not they. But in the great harvest day, when fruit is demanded, not form, not appearance, not simply stalk, leaf, tassel, silk, and cob, but fruit; they have none. They are as barren as that hill of corn. The great Husbandman will never gather them, never. They will be left to burn with the chaff, the hay, wood, and stubble.

The care of this world was the excuse. The farm must be cultivated, debts must be paid, the family must be supported; so the father gets no time for prayer, prayer-meetings, visiting the needy, &c. The house must be kept in order, children must be clothed, &c.; so mother gets no time to read, to pray, to teach the children, to serve God. Thorns, briars, and weeds grow all around, but no precious fruit. O Lord, wake us up to these things.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

REPORT FROM OHIO.

By L. D. Van Horn; A. O. Burrill

On the second day of June we started from Battle Creek for our field of labor in Ohio. The next day we arrived at the good home of Bro. John Mears, at Bowling Green. We stayed with the church here and held meetings on Sabbath and first-day. The attendance was quite good, though the weather was rainy most of the time. We held two meetings on the Sabbath, and they were both free and happy seasons. In our social meeting all expressed a determination to earnestly fight in the battle of the Lord till the victory was won. The Lord, blessed us in our meetings on Sunday. Five made application and were admitted into the church. It melted our hearts, and tears flowed as we saw some wandering sheep come back to the fold again. Oh! that they may now remain and become a strength to the church, and to the cause of God.

On Monday, the 7th, we went to Clyde. The next day we went out to find a place to pitch the tent. We succeeded beyond our expectations. We found the way open for us at the little village of Melmore, Seneca Co., about eight miles south-east of Tiffin, and about twenty-two miles south and a little west of Clyde. We returned to Clyde and remained with them over Sabbath and first-day. We were permitted to use the United Brethren meeting-house on this occasion, and we had four public meetings. Some of the people of the place showed a good interest to hear the truth. We enjoyed good freedom in speaking to them. I think favorable impressions were made on all.

On Sabbath afternoon we had an excellent social meeting. We felt to humble ourselves before God, and to consecrate all to him. This meeting was a great encouragement to us all. On Sunday afternoon we had a business meeting to make arrangements for a camp-meeting. The camp-meeting committee were present. The result of this meeting has already been written

for the REVIEW in a separate article. On the whole we have strong reasons to believe that our meeting here has been a strength to the church, and has removed prejudice from the minds of others.

On Monday, the 13th, Bro. Wolf took us and the tent, with his team, to Melmore. We have pitched it on a beautiful spot of ground, and have it well seated. Last evening (Thursday, 17,) we held our first meeting. Between two-hundred and fifty and three-hundred were out to hear. The prospect seems good before us. We shall strive to do all we can to make this a profitable meeting. The reason of our pitching our tent here is, that it is so near Clyde that the influence of the camp-meeting there may help on the work here. We ask to be remembered by all the friends of present truth, at the throne of grace, that we may be successful in our work. Brethren and sisters in Ohio, pray for us. May his rich blessing rest on you.

Our P. O. address for some time will be Melmore, Seneca Co., Ohio.

L. D. VAN HORN, A. O. BURRILL.

Melmore, Ohio, June 18, 1869.

REPORT FROM BRO. BOURDEAU.

By A. C. Bourdeau

DURING the past three months, I have held several meetings, at three different times, with the church at East Richford, Vt. The assistance of Bros. N. Orcutt and L. Bean in some of these meetings was appreciated. It seemed for awhile that the enemy had rallied his forces to hinder the progress of the work of the Lord in their midst; but I am happy to report a better state of things among them at present. Yet this dear people need to watch much, and to cultivate more and more a spirit of union, and “brotherly love” toward each other, and for the erring. The rest of my time I have spent with the church at home.

We have had a close, searching time among the brethren and sisters in Enosburgh. In a large church like the one in this place, “the wisdom that is from above” is greatly needed to keep all the members in a healthy condition spiritually, where life and activity will be manifest in all, old and young, that they “may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” Eph. iv, 15.

How cheering it is to the preacher when he has the assurance that the church to which he belongs is in a prospering condition. As he goes out to labor among other churches, or in new fields to raise up believers, he is glad that he can bring a good report with him about his brethren at home, that they are staying up his hands, and that none of them are backsliding from God while he is away, engaged in winning souls to Christ. Under such circumstances, the preacher, called of God to this work, is enabled by the blessing of the Lord to labor successfully for the salvation of souls. But under circumstances opposite to these, how cheerless and sad a preacher feels! This is an important point, which is worthy of our candid attention, and serious consideration. O brethren, let us awake!

A. C. BOURDEAU.

Bordoville, Vt., June 2, 1869.

"LINGO."

By L. N. Stratton

It is the set speech of the peddler, who enters the house with a pack on his back; the auctioneer's harangue, which many repetitions aid him to perfect and memorize; the set phrases of the foreign beggar, who only aspires to a beggar's reward; and the remarks of the fixed, immovable, unaspiring, "established," pulseless Christian, whose daily path is mapped out on the inclined plane of a tread-mill, and who has long since ceased to make any progress in his religious experience.

To the unsophisticated, the lingos of the peddler, the auctioneer, the beggar, and the formal worshiper, may sound well enough; but they are no pleasure to men of wholesome experience, and must annoy the chaste ears of the angels.

We are cautioned against using unmeaning words in our prayers by that great Teacher who said, "When ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking." We have an example of it in 1 King xviii, 26. "They called unto Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us!" The Hindoo has a prayer written on a band or strap which passes around a windlass, and a pulley above. In turning the windlass, the prayer ascends like wheat in the elevators of a flouring mill, and in a little while, a long prayer is many times repeated.

Now these prayers which run with the monotony of a crank, and are always mechanical, and the same, whether offered by pagan or Christian—whether offered three hundred and sixty-five times in a year, or in many times in a day—are in either case an abomination unto God. Besides, in our prayer-meetings, they annoy all who are present, by their great length. Like the ancient tower-builders, they suppose they can scale the walls of Heaven, if they can only make the ladder of prayer of sufficient length. So at commencing, they square themselves, and lay their foundation broad and deep, consuming much time, and then begin to pray, growing higher and higher until the top round is reached, when they descend as they went up. Jesus taught his disciples a very brief and explicit prayer; and taught by his divine word, every disciple since, that what things soever they desire, when they pray, believe, and they should have them. Thus, asking God for what we want is one thing, and a long and loitering prayer is quite another.

The use of some old lingo in speaking meetings is the bane of the social exercise. No one is interested. The lack of recent, rich experience is the cause, and the presence of such experience the cure.

Several youths of our acquaintance started in the heavenly journey, at ages of from ten to twelve years. They did well for a year or two, when they adopted the lingo method in their praying and speaking, and when they came to manhood it was still the same; and it was as common for the masses of all classes to doubt the genuineness of their piety, as to believe it. They would often include in their talk this compound of sentiment: "I am glad that I started in the divine life in my youthful days. The only thing I have to regret is, that I did not start younger. I hope to prove faithful, and at last meet you in Heaven, where parting shall be no more." The first sentence contains a historical truth—that they started in their "youthful days." That they were "glad," seemed always doubtful. The second sentence was either a falsehood, or showed their hearts to be as stolid as a stone, or both. They did have other things to regret than starting later in life than they ought. A dark and fearful record of negligence covered the pages of most of the days of their history; and the terrible misfortune of the whole matter was, they were so dead they did not know the facts, and would not know them! If their hope of "proving faithful" in their course is realized, ruin must be their certain doom.

It is not strange that people who can only speak of the "peaceful hours they once enjoyed," have nothing else sweet to talk about. Their Christian experience ends very near where it began.

If we were to start upon a sight-seeing expedition, for the purpose of learning and telling of Nature in her sublimest forms; and the wide continent from ocean to ocean, spread out with God's handiwork, awaited our coming, and we should but cross a single county, and stop there with the joy we experienced; how little we could contemplate, and of how little speak with which to interest and encourage our friends! The Hudson, the Niagara, the St. Lawrence, the Potomac, the Mississippi, the great lakes, the great oceans, the blue ranges and peaks of the Alleganies, and the granite, snow-crowned ridges which stretch from pole to pole, away toward the blue Pacific,—these, all these we could not contemplate, nor tell their animating stories to our friends. So those who have only gone to the county line in Christian experience, can give but the story of a few bright days in the heavenly journey. The wide expanse seen in the Christian pilgrimage—the graded ascents—the tower of shelter in the storm—the God-spanned gulf for the feet of the faithful—the fruits, richer than Eschol's grapes—the singing birds, and rippling streams, and blooming flowers, and sweet sunshine—all telling of God amid those fastnesses where the world's clangor never broke the peaceful solitude; and then the flight of faith to yonder delectable summits, where the beatific visions of the glory-world break on the pilgrim's view,—none of these things are known or can be told by that poor, self-made, spiritual cripple, who contents himself with a long journey on a tread-mill.

"I never get on Pisgah's summit, nor into the valley; I am established—my life is one even thing," said a brother, with an air of reproof, to some who have got out of their old neighborhood in Christian experience. Well, dear brother, we thought, Moses went to Pisgah's summit, and from there stepped right into heaven's open doorway. Nothing bad about that! Try it!

It is said that he went one day into the woods for fuel, and his horse balked. After trying every expedient, from persuasion to punishment, he excitedly exclaimed, "Well, I would like to know why he can't pull?" His little son, demurely watching, suggested, "Father, I guess he's established!"

Alas! the world is blighted with these "established," balky, unpulling, pulseless, petrified persons, who neither work themselves nor encourage others. Their words are lingo; their heavenward journey is ended; they have no more experience, because they look at nothing only the joys of early life. The glaring, lidless eye-balls of the Sphinx of Egypt—whose face, for more than thirty-five centuries, has been turned from the pyramids to the barren and monotonous desert of Sahara—is a melancholy, and yet not an entirely unfaithful, representation of these unfortunate and self-destroyed persons.

May Heaven speed the day when the world shall be blessed with men and women who have a clear, deep, rich, full, versatile, growing, changing experience—

Changed from glory into glory, Till in Heaven we take our place— Till we cast our crowns before Him, Lost in wonder, love, and praise.

—L. N. Stratton, in Earnest Christian.

The Testimonies.

By MARY STRATTON

It would be just like a God of infinite wisdom to place such a gift in the church to guide the people of God safely through the dangers and perils of these last days to the haven of eternal rest. I look at the first-day Adventists and see the divisions and subdivisions among them. Every man thinks he has a perfect right to start up on some new doctrine and run that as long as it will go, and then start on another. And what does it all amount to?

I was reminded anew of the value of spiritual gifts in the church a short time ago while listening to a man of some talents, who last year was, with all his might, preaching ’68 time till ’68 expired, and this year is just as zealously engaged preaching the nonresurrection of the wicked. I thought it was a great pity for him to spend his time and talents in that direction. It was a wonder to me how he could be so tenacious of a doctrine that could, in no possible way, do any good; for even if he should gain converts there is nothing in it that would save them or make them better Christians. I did, indeed, hear some say they would like to have it so if they continued in sin. If he would be instructed in the way more perfectly, and be as persevering in preaching the third, and most solemn, message to a world just on the verge of destruction, how different would be the result.

It seems to me nothing short of a testimony direct from Heaven can unite the people of God in the midst of all this confusion. The time cannot be far distant when this gift will be appreciated by all candid minds. The imminent danger of the church demands it, and how good and kind is our Heavenly Father in giving it us. Oh! that I may always place the true value upon it, and never suffer another doubt to cross my mind in regard to it.

I felt deeply humbled while reading No. 17; for a part of every testimony belonged to me. Their origin must be from Heaven, as no one who had not been

divinely instructed could write such truthful, stirring appeals to God's dear people.

May the Lord help us to live them out, is my prayer.

MARY STRATTON.

Report of Labors in Martin Co., Minn.

By F. W. Morse

SINCE the last report from this place I have been engaged in laboring from house to house, also holding about five meetings a week. The interest has been generally quite encouraging; a Sabbath School and Bible Class have been sustained with good interest.

Our second Quarterly Meeting was held the 29th and 30th of May. As the interest in this county is good, we advertised our meeting in the county paper as a Grove Meeting. The grounds were very pleasant, and on first-day the beautiful lake grove was thronged with an interesting assemblage of attentive listeners. We were made glad by the instructive labors of our beloved Bro. Pierce. On first-day eighteen were buried in baptism. The large crowd who were present manifested the most respectful decorum. Bro. Pierce remained with us after the Grove Meeting, to assist in organizing; and in the progress of this work eleven more have been baptized. The present number of the church is thirty-five. A leader, clerk, deacon, and Sabbath School superintendent, were chosen. The S. B. fund is not yet fully organized.

We have decided to continue our effort in the Grove Meeting, on Sabbaths and first-days for the present month. We have to-day met at the grove, and the Lord helped us, and we all felt encouraged. Three united with us, one as a candidate for baptism. We are hoping to see eight or ten more coming forward soon. I feel a deep interest in this county, and do not wish to leave the ground. I hope our Conference Committee will see fit to send the tent up this way. Pray for us.

F. W. MORSE.

Tanhassen, Minn., June 6.

A Confession.

By E. G. Stevenson

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, but especially to the members of the Parkville church: Since I have moved to the place where I now reside, I have had a chance to reflect upon my past life, and by humiliation of heart, I have been enabled to see where I lacked in judgment while I was in your midst. O dear brethren and sisters, I am sorry that I lived so far away from the Lord, that my influence was a scattering, instead of a gathering, one. I intend so far as I can, to right all the wrongs of the past. I have asked God to forgive me, and I believe he has. And now, dear brethren and sisters, will you forgive me the wrongs that I have done to any of you?

I am thankful for the gifts which God has placed in the church in the last days; for they point out to us our wrongs. I hope ever to be able to profit by the testimonies that may be given, and hope that I may have an abundant entrance into the city of God.

E. G. STEVENSON.

Elkhorn Grove, Ill.

Desires of the Soul.

By L. E. Millne

FELLOW-TRAVELER TO THE KINGDOM: What are the desires now springing up in thine heart? Is it to be more like Jesus? Are all your aspirations high and holy, seeking to know more perfectly God's will concerning thee? Is this the prayer of thine heart?

"Emptied of earth, I fain would be, Of sin, of self, of all but Thee, Reserved for Christ that bled and died, Surrendered to the Crucified."

Do you find these desires growing stronger and stronger in your heart? Then thank God and take courage; for the Lord has promised to give us the desire of our heart. "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart." Ps. xxxvii, 4. The Lord will be attentive to the prayer of those who fear his name. Daniel desired mercies of the God of Heaven concerning the king's secret, and it was revealed unto him. O my soul, be this ever thy desire, to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and hight, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after. . . . For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me." Ps. xxvii, 4, 5. Our Saviour says, "What things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark xi, 24. Oh, the glorious mystery of the gospel! Even the angels desire to look into it, and shall we neglect this great salvation? Shall we refuse offered mercy, and at last have to take up with the sad lamentation, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved?" L. E. MILLNE.

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