LOVE is exemplified by works as well as faith. People will show the amount of their faith by their works. They will live out all the faith they have, and in the same manner they will live out their love. Deception in this respect is very difficult, but mark, we are not to judge by their profession, but by their works.
LOVE is generally excited by good qualities in the object loved. Our love should bear some proportion to the excellent qualities of the object. We should not love that which is not good; and again we should love that most which is the best. Carrying out this principle we shall love God supremely. And now let us notice one feature in which love is shown by words and actions.
He that really loves God will not think or speak ill of him, or do that which is contrary to his wishes. If you should hear a person speak reproachfully of the Most High, would you think that he loved him? Certainly not. It is he that hates God who thinks and speaks ill of him, and works against his government. He that loves God speaks of him with tenderness and respect.
The child that loves its parents will have the greatest respect for them, and is filled with pain when anything is said which reflects on their character. The mother that loves her son treats with contempt the slanderous reports circulated about him. What would you think of a mother that would take apparent satisfaction in listening to an evil report of her child? If she loves her children she will look on what they say and do in the most favorable light possible, and although she may see some things in them which are wrong, she concludes it is only an error of the judgment, that their motives are sincere. She will not criticize everything they say, and talk it over and over to see if something bad can be made out of it. I do not see how this conclusion can be avoided, and now I want to make an application of it.
If this rule is correct it will apply with equal force to the church. The church is the family of God, and it is just as bad for his children to injure one another, as it is for the children of earthly parents to do so. Take care how you talk about his little ones, for a jealous Father watches over them, and will take vengeance on those who offend. If you love your brethren and sisters, you will not be talking over their failings. The Lord has not told us to cover up the faults of others, neither has he told us to publish them abroad. If you see a fault in a brother or sister, go to the person in the spirit of meekness, and talk about it; but if you refuse to do this, hold your peace, and not talk with all the rest about it. Some are in the habit of taking particular notice of what a brother or sister may say, especially in meeting, that does not agree with their notions; and then they will go home and talk it over with this one and that one, and find as much fault as possible. No matter whether the brother meant them or not, they will be offended, and they sometimes call him reproachful names. Does he love his brother? Nay, verily. It is a moral impossibility for one man to love another and speak ill of him. I care not what he professes, his works will show what he possesses, and it sometimes happens that he that has the least practical love will talk the most about it. Let backbiting and whispering forever cease from among the remnant. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.”
H.
RUFUS BAKER
By Rufus Baker
From Bro. Baker.
Bro. Smith: It is over two years since I embraced the third angel's message, and have been trying to walk in obedience to all of God's commandments. Since that time I can truly say that I have been led in a way which I knew not, and also have been made to rejoice many times while contemplating the goodness of God, and his great mercy in showing me his truth. I believe with all my heart that the Lord is in the work, and that while he is uniting and preparing his people to go up into the gaps and make up the hedge, to prepare them to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord, another class of professed Christians will be crying peace and safety when sudden destruction is coming upon them. In view of these things is it not the duty of those who are trying to be the repairers of the breach which has been made in God's holy law, to cry aloud and spare not, and lift up their voice like a trumpet, and show his people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins?
We truly are living in a solemn time, when the last message of mercy is going to a fallen world; and how essentially necessary it is for all who are the followers of the meek and lowly Jesus, to live in such a way that their light can shine to those around them, that thereby they may be led to glorify our Father which is in heaven. I can say for one that I am striving so to live, through the grace of God, as to see at last the inside of the kingdom, and to stand with the hundred and forty-four thousand on mount Zion.
I have been made to rejoice of late while attending a course of lectures at Marquette, delivered by Brn. Loughborough and Steward, in seeing so many coming out from Babylon and uniting in the truth of the third angel's message. My prayer to God is, O Lord, speed on the message, and hasten the time when thy servants shall all be sealed with the seal of the living God, and shall be found without fault before the throne, and without guile in their mouths, and shall be prepared and waiting for their Lord when he shall return from the wedding.
Important events are just before us. Soon the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father and with the holy angels to reward every man according to his works. At that time one company will be crying for rocks and mountains to fall on them, to hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb, while another will be exclaiming, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him and he will save us.
Reader, to which of these companies do you wish to belong? Do you want eternal life? Keep God's commandments, for they will give you a right to the tree of life, and enable you to enter in through the gates into the city. Do you want the opposite? Violate God's law and you will find the wages of sin to be death. May the Lord grant that we all may be wise and so live as to secure an interest in the atoning blood of Christ, by keeping his Father's commandments; which alone will prepare us for abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom.
RUFUS BAKER
Mackford, Green Lake Co., Wis.
LETTERS.
By S. M. Colby
"Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another."
From Sister Colby.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I have long thought of giving in my testimony with you through the Review, but have felt so incapable of saying anything to edify, I have withheld. I read your interesting letters again and again, and am encouraged by them to press my way on through this sinful world. It was three years last April since I commenced keeping the seventh-day Sabbath. Since then I have been striving to keep all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus; but I have my trials, and at times it seems as though the waves would overflow me. I however feel to thank God to-day that he has been merciful to me, unworthy as I have been. I am bound by the grace of God assisting me, to make heaven my home.
When I look back upon my past life, I can truly say that the goodness of God has followed me all the days of my life. Blessed be the name of the Lord forevermore! I can see the precious promises of God as I never could before. O I feel to take fresh courage, to be more watchful, more prayerful day by day, that I may overcome every sin which doth so easily beset me. While I write and meditate on the great and glorious promises, my heart burns with love to God and to my fellow-beings. Truly my soul waiteth on God. He only is my rock.
O brethren and sisters, let us be faithful that we may be enabled to hear the lovely Jesus say, It is I, be not afraid. O let us be faithful to God, whatever may oppose. Pray for me that I may overcome the temptations of Satan and the world, and finally meet you in the kingdom. Your unworthy sister striving for eternal life.
S. M. COLBY.
Iowa City, Iowa.
The Sabbath and the Fourth Commandment
By J. Crapsey
Bro. J. Crapsey writes from Port Alleghany, Pa.:
"I have just returned from a place called West Branch of Pine Creek, Potter Co., Pa. I arrived there on the first day of the week, and attended a meeting with the brethren there at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I gave notice also that I would preach on next day at 5 o'clock and so continue my meetings for a few days. A goodly number were present to hear the word of the Lord. As soon as I entered the house it was whispered in my ears, "It makes no difference what day you keep for the Sabbath; and when you are among the Romans, do as the Romans do. Let every one of you be fully persuaded in his own mind. Let no man judge you in respect to the sabbath-days; and we cannot tell which is the seventh day or Sabbath."
I was also told by others that we have lost some time; in short, that it makes no difference, but that the seventh part of time should be kept, &c. But the Lord sent me to deliver no such message to the people, nor to daub with untempered mortar. We are commanded to let the trumpet give a certain sound; for if it gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 1 Cor. xiv, 8, 9.
I then preached about the ten commandments as contained in the decalogue, and showed to the people, as far as in my power, how the fourth commandment was neglected, subverted, nullified and trampled under foot by those who call themselves Christians, and even those who profess to preach Jesus. The line of distinction was soon very apparent; and with some it was clearly manifest that the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. See Rom. viii, 7.
Some ten persons however decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord their God, in preference to keeping the commandments of men; and on fifth-day morning as I was about to take my leave of them and return home, the people met me on the bank of a beautiful stream which winds its way gently down through the valley to the Pine Creek waters, to attend to the ordinance of baptism. Three obeyed the command of Jesus in this respect. A few more appeared to be deeply affected, and expressed a desire to hear more about these new doctrines of which they had been hearing. They earnestly desire and request the prayers of the church that they may enter into the kingdom that Jesus has gone to prepare for his people.
I would ask for my own information as well as some others, Where is the authority of some modern divines and others, for saying that there has been a loss of time? Is it, or is it not a fable of these last days? Will you or some of your readers please answer the above questions, as I frequently meet with such observations. It seems to me to be too late in the day to be dealing out fables to the people.
The only answer we get to the question our brother proposes, "Where is the authority for claiming that time has been lost?" &c., is from echo; and that only answers, "Where?" If it had the power of supplying words, as in the felicitous style of Mr. Fillio it has, it would answer, "Nowhere."—ED.
Tent Meetings at Marquette, Wis.
By John Norton Loughborough; T. M. Steward
THIS meeting which has been already spoken of in the Review, has just closed. The interest increased from the commencement to the close. We cannot tell how many have commenced to keep the Sabbath, as they have come in from several miles around. We have talked with over forty who have decided to keep the Sabbath. Quite a number of these have taken a part in our social meetings, which we have had every Sabbath since the meetings commenced. Seventeen were baptized during the meetings, and others probably will be, the first opportunity. The tent will go on to Lodi, where it will be pitched next week, but we shall tarry behind another Sabbath and First day. There is another opposition sermon next Sunday on the Immortality question which we must attend to, and we wish to talk some more to the brethren and sisters. Many of those who have come out never made a profession of religion. One man was a rum-seller when we came, and had a ball at his hotel the fourth of July. A day or two after the fourth he came to the meeting, embraced the truth, stopped the liquor selling, and last Sabbath was baptized. Yesterday he carried the tent on five miles towards the next place of meeting. Our hearts are still encouraged to labor on in this good work. Brethren, pray for us, that the Lord's hand may be with us in our efforts to spread the truth.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
T. M. STEWARD.
Kingston, Wis., July 31st, 1860.
Labors in Iowa.
By B. F. Snook
I LEFT my family the 6th inst. and started for the Eastern Iowa tent, and arrived at Rome, the seat of labor on the 10th inst. I there joyfully met for the first time with Bro. and sister Cornell. I was much fatigued aud worn down when I made my arrival, and to meet with such warm-hearted and devoted followers of Christ was to me as refreshing and encouraging as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land is to the wearied traveler in Arabia's cheerless desert. I soon learned from Bro. C. how the prospects appeared for success. There was a good and growing interest. Everybody seems to be wide awake, deeply engaged, and much interested. Many were rejoicing that good was going to be effected in Rome. But soon we were informed that there was opposition on the ground. This was not strange news; for the Devil is surest to rally where the greatest good is being done.
Elder Lucas (a Campbellite), was our opponent. Not feeling very pugilistic, we did not give the Heenan-like Elder a very warm reception. But he wanted to try his skill against the law of God, to see if he could not show that it was abolished. We heard him and then reviewed his discourse. He stated that the seventh day of the week was the only weekly Sabbath. We thanked him for this admission, and made it tell heavily against his no-Sabbath doctrine.
His next position was that the ten commandments were the Sinaitic covenant, not made with the fathers, but the Israelites only, who were alive that day.
We replied, first, that according to his position the law was binding only on those in the covenant. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the other patriarchs were out of this covenant; for it was made only with their children; therefore they could all get to heaven in the violation of the ten commandments.
Secondly, this covenant was not made with David, Solomon and the prophets, and therefore was no more binding on them than on the fathers. He next stated that the ten commandments being the old covenant, their abolition was represented and proved by Gal. iv, and adduced the bond woman and her son as his evidence. This was fatal to his cause. He acknowledges nine of the ten to be binding, hence by his own showing, his own system instead of being exclusively Christian as many think, is composed of nine-tenths of Hagar the bond woman. He did not sustain a position against the law of God, but left unanswerable evidence behind him that the carnal mind is not subject to God's law, and that the dragon is wroth with the remnant for keeping the commandments of God and faith of Jesus.
From this time our meeting passed on without interruption, and we had peace and harmony until last Sunday. Early we learned that Eld. McConnell of Marion was in town, and it was probable that he wished an appointment to oppose God's holy law. I preached a discourse at half past ten o'clock on the two covenants, and for his benefit exposed his system in its native deformity.
At the close of our meeting, he announced an appointment for an opposition meeting. We then offered him the tent, which he accepted and preached against us. Here I must confess my disappointment. Never before did I hear such thunder with so little lightning. Well, thought I, this is one of Jude's clouds without water. He spent some time trying to convince the people of what we all believed, that all morality had its source in God. He argued that God was not dependent on creation for existence, else he could not exist without creation.
In my review I observed that this was all correct—admitted that he had thus proved God a moral being. Now for the application. If the Sabbath of the Lord is dependent on law for its existence, then it cannot exist without law. But the Sabbath did exist before the proclamation of the law. Ex. xvi. Therefore according to the Elder, the Sabbath is a moral institution.
He stated that moral principle could no more be abolished than God could be abolished. Also that the ten commands were legal enactments, merely designed to illustrate the moral principles which existed before. To this I replied, first, If his position be true, then there are ten moral principles. Hence if the ten commands are not now binding, either one of these moral principles is abolished, or it has no legal enactment to illustrate it. But he says it cannot be abolished. Therefore the moral obligation of the Sabbath yet exists in full force. Second, I replied that if God required ten legal enactments once to illustrate ten moral principles, he requires the same yet, unless some one can show that his desire is changed. He said also that the decalogue favored slavery; but he forgot that Christ said, "As ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets." We reminded him of this in our review. He also tried to make it appear that the decalogue was not a perfect code of laws. Here we introduced him to David with whom he joined issue immediately. For David declared the law of the lord is perfect. Great men will differ!!
We closed the review to the satisfaction of all present, except a few of his antinomian friends. The people almost universally say that his points were well met, and his objections successfully answered. Oh when will men cease to wage war against their own best interests. Our meeting closed in good humor and triumph on the side of truth. B. F. SNOOK.
Business Department.
By Editor
Business Notes.
M. E. Haskell: The INSTRUCTOR has been sent to A. E. N. ever since your former letter; at which time we also sent back numbers. We now send back numbers again.
M. Edson: The paper has been sent free to M. C.
W. L. Saxby: The $2 from H. G. Dana will be found receipted in No. 7, present volume.
Receipts.
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To Correspondents.
By Editor
C. C. B. of Mass. : The day of atonement meets its antitype, we think, wholly in the work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, without regard to the character or circumstances that attended that day in the type. Thus on the feast of Pentecost in the type [Lev. xxiii, 15–21], a day was set apart, a convocation called, and all work forbidden, the same as on the day of atonement. Yet in the fulfillment of this type as recorded in the commencement of Acts ii, we find none of these circumstances taken into account. We conclude therefore that the time occupied in the celebration of certain types, and the peculiar circumstances attending them, were not typical, and hence require no corresponding time, during which we should abstain from labor, &c., in the antitype.
L. L. L. of Vt. : "The beast," spoken of in Rev. xiii, is the papal beast; and it is the mark of this beast which the two-horned beast enforces. The two-horned beast has no mark of its own, but enforces that of another power.
New Work.
By James White
The Hope of the Gospel, or Immortality the Gift of God, by J. N. Loughborough.
This is a work of 172 pp. enlarged size. It is designed to take the place of Bro. L.'s former work on the immortality question, and covers the main ground of the question more fully than that work did. For general circulation, to shed light upon the subject, and to meet the common objections, we regard it as an excellent work. Every brother and sister should have a copy, and read up and be posted on the subject. You should also always have a spare copy to lend or to give to that friend of yours who needs light.
Price 15 cents single copy; $10 per 100. J. W.
To the Brethren in Iowa.
By Moses Hull
DEAR BRETHREN: We are out of money and in debt. Our work has been crippled all summer for want of means. Shall the work stop here? or will you do what you can for us immediately? Are there not some who have not subscribed who would esteem it a privilege to help us forward the Lord's cause?
Done by order of the Southern Iowa Tent Committee.
M. HULL.
Knoxville, Iowa, July 28, 1860.
Encouragement for Lonely Sabbath Keepers
Bro. C. G. Daniels writes from Paulding Co., Ohio :
"I would like to say a word to the lonely ones who have not the privilege of meeting with those of like precious faith on the Sabbath. Be not weary in well-doing. If the Lord is on your side, he is strong and able to deliver all those who put their trust in him, and when trials and disappointments seem to hedge up your pathway and hinder your progress in the heavenly journey, then call upon the Lord out of a pure heart for sustaining grace, and he will send you strength from the heavenly sanctuary in every time of need. Myself and wife are the only Sabbath-keepers in Paulding Co., to my knowledge. We have the privilege of meeting with the church at Ayersville occasionally, which is about ten miles distant. This is a great blessing to us. The Review is all the preaching we have here, and we delight in the truths it contains."
A P P O I N T M E N T.
PROVIDENCE permitting the Wisconsin tent will be pitched for meetings, Aug. 7th, in Lodi, Columbia Co. Wis., and continue there as long as the interest demands.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
T. M. STEWARD.