Publishing Committee · Saratoga Springs, N. Y. · Dec 23, 1851
THE COVENANT MADE IN HOREB.
By G. W. Holt
"The Lord our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day." Deut. v, 2, 3. It is taught by some that the covenant here made was the ten commandments. This view we consider to be incorrect, for the following reasons: A covenant is a mutual agreement between two parties. This covenant was a mutual agreement between God and the literal seed of Israel, that came out of Egypt. While this people were in the wilderness of Sinai, "Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called to him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bear you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
And Moses laid these words before the people. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord." Ex. xix. This was the covenant made in Horeb.
After this covenant was made between God and the people, the Lord said unto Moses, go and sanctify the people and be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down upon mount Sinai. This mount Sinai was situated in Horeb.
"And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled." And God spake with his voice the ten commandments or conditions of the covenant before made.
After this, they were written upon two tables of stone by the finger of God. These were called the tables of the covenant, because they contained the terms of agreement. God wrote the terms of agreement on tables of stone that the people should not forget them, and to prevent a misunderstanding. That God had commandments and laws before the children of Israel ever came to Horeb is certain. And that the same moral principles of God's government existed from the creation of the world is equally certain. It is said of Abraham that he obeyed the voice of God, and kept his charge, his commandments, his statutes and his laws. And God said to Moses, in the wilderness of Sin, thirty days before the children of Israel came to Sinai, "How long refuse ye to keep my COMMANDMENTS and my LAWS? See, for that the Lord hath given you the SABBATH." Ex. xvi, 28, 29.
If the literal seed of Israel had obeyed the voice of God, and kept the terms of agreement, they would have been his peculiar treasure to this day. But they did not fulfill the agreement. Therefore they are not his peculiar treasure more than any other people or nation. The promises of this covenant pertained to the welfare of that people in this life, as we shall readily see by the following texts: "Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it." Deut. xi, 8.
"And it shall come to pass if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, that I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy oil." Verses 13, 14. "For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him, then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves." Verses 22, 23.
"Behold I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day; And a curse if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God" Verses 26-28.
The Lord made not this covenant with their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The promises made to them were of a different class. While one pertained to the things that were seen, which were temporal, the other pertained to things that were not seen, which were eternal. The people with whom the covenant was made failed to fulfill the terms of agreement, and the predicted curses have come upon them, their children, and their land, and there is not a promise in the Bible for literal Israel, more than any other people; nor for that land more than any part of the earth.—The covenant made with Abraham was on this wise. "Seeing that Abraham shall surely become
a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." Gen. xviii, 18, 19. This covenant is sure; there is no possibility of a failure. This covenant is evidently the gospel covenant.—God said to Abraham, "As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations." Gen. xvii, 4. Paul, in speaking of this subject says, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. iii, 16. "For they are not all Israel which are of Israel: Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called, That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Rom. ix, 6—8. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise." Gal. iii, 26, 29. "For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not of the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Rom. ii, 28, 29. "There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek." Rom. x. 12.
The promises of God which remain, are for the true seed of Abraham, that obey the voice of God, and keep his commandments and his laws, as did their father. The Jew after the flesh said to Christ. "We have Abraham to our father." The reply was, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the deeds of your father ye will do." "For finding fault with them he saith, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Heb. viii, 8—10.
This is a better covenant, established upon better promises. They bring to view, glory, honour and immortality through Jesus Christ. And the laws of God that were written on tables of stone during the old covenant, are written in the fleshly tables of the heart. In the old covenant there was no promise of mercy in case of transgression, but death was to ensue. In the new covenant God says "I will be merciful to their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." The old, related to the welfare of literal Israel in this life, in old Jerusalem, and the land of Canaan; but the promises of the new covenant are, in this life persecution and tribulation, and in the future, eternal life in the new earth, and a City that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is the mother of us all. "Now we, brethren as Isaac was the children of promise." "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so now." The dragon will make war with the remnant that keep the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. For the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. But the true seed of Abraham66will delight in the law of God after the inward man. God said "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." Many are they at this day that would be glad to claim heirship to Abraham's inheritance, and call him their father. But if Christ was here, he would say to them, if ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But ye seek to kill me, one that has told you the truth, for what ye have done to these my disciples ye have done to me. The new covenant commenced with the mediation of Jesus in the holy place of the Heavenly Sanctuary, and that time was signified by the Holy Spirit on the day of pentecost. There, according to the promise, God began to write his laws in the hearts of the true Israel with the Holy Spirit. This work will go on as long as Jesus is a mediator in the Sanctuary. Then they will teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother saying, know the Lord, for all will know him from the least to the greatest. He that is righteous will be righteous still, and he that is holy will be holy still. When Jesus leaves the Sanctuary, he will present the household of Abraham to the Father without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
The work of the High Priest in the Sanctuary is almost finished. The time will soon come when all the family of Abraham, that have kept the commandments of God, will be gathered out of all nations, tongues, and people. The last trump will soon awake the sleeping multitude, that no man can number; they will be seen rising from their dusty beds, clothed with glorious immortality, and, with the living that are changed, be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And from thence be taken to the Holy City, New Jerusalem that hath twelve foundations, to live and reign with Christ a thousand years. And then to live on the new earth and reign for ever and ever. This will be the reward of Abraham and his children. Amen.
Oswego, (N. Y.), Dec. 1851.
BE PATIENT.
By A. R. Smith
BY A. R. SMITH.
"For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise; for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Heb. x, 36, 37.
Be patient, be patient, no longer despairing,
Though bright hope deferred fills with sorrow thy heart.
Though bitter the cup that thy soul has been sharing,
Let not fond affections from Heaven depart.
Not long will He tarry, in doubt here us leaving,
He'll come for his children who for him are grieving.
O wait for the promise, of glory receiving,
When the King in his beauty for us shall appear.
Be patient, be patient, the light shining o'er thee,
Will guide through the shades that encompass the way.
The Saviour has trod the rough pathway before thee,
Let not earth's enchantments allure thee astray.
Upward to God be the heart's adoration,
Where ever is flowing pure streams of salvation.
Redemption is nearing! O, seek preparation!
Soon the King in his beauty for us will appear.
Be patient, be patient, a pilgrim and stranger,
Though foes may assail, and the scoffing deride.
Through toil and affliction, temptation and danger,
The saints must be "purified, made white and tried."
Be humble, the spirit of meekness adorning,
Be faithful proclaiming the last notes of warning.
Be watchful, to hail the glad dawn of that morning,
When the King in his beauty for us shall appear.
Be patient be patient, a little while longer,
And Jesus the kingdom to us will restore.
Be cheerful enduring, thy faith growing stronger,
Till trials are passed, and thy conflicts are o'er.
Be patient, the Lord all his saints will deliver,
With love, peace and joy, be surrounded forever.
Where nought shall e'er cloud, or their sweet union sever,
With the King in his beauty they'll reign evermore.
Saratoga Springs, N. Y.
EXPERIENCE
By Rebekah Whitcomb
From Sister Whitcomb.
DEAR BRO. WHITE: My heart was much cheered by the receipt of your paper last night, and by the many and excellent testimonies to the truth, which it contained. I have read many of my own thoughts and feelings in the letters from the brethren and sisters. I have thought of writing a brief history of the dealings of God with me for a few years past: perhaps it might help to cheer and strengthen, some of the scattered, lonely ones of the flock.
EXPERIENCE.
In 1838 a book published by Wm. Miller on the second coming of Christ was put into my hands with a request that I would read it and give my opinion concerning it. I read it and it seemed to me to harmonize with Scripture, and my heart was prepared to receive it as truth, but when I mentioned the subject to some of the leading members of the church and to the ministers, I found that their views of it were far different, instead of rejoicing, in prospect of the speedy appearing of their professed Lord and Master, they were for putting it at a great distance, and pretended to regard it as dangerous error. This damped my joy greatly, but I still loved the doctrine, and secretly hoped it was truth, but I did not get another ray of light on the subject, till 1843: then I learned that there was great interest in many places, but we had no preaching in our place on this subject, and both ministers and people were generally united in speaking against it. Through this year I obtained two or three numbers of the "Signs of the Times." They contained "hidden manna" for me, my soul was filled with the "blessed hope." In the spring67of '44, hearing that a neighbor not far distant had the "Advent Herald" I requested the privilege of reading it. Her husband had forbid its coming into the house and we had to send to the Post Office about three miles distant, and therefore could not obtain them only once in several weeks, but I had the reading of most of them through that year, and it was sufficient to establish me in the truth. I had no inclination to hear any other preaching and therefore kept aloof from the church. In the spring of 1845 we removed to the little village where we now reside. Here the "Bible Advocate" was sent me: but it did not contain what I needed, and what I desired, and I saw that darkness was coming over those who were once in the Light. I saw that the spirit of the paper was greatly changed; my soul mourned in secret for further light.
In the summer of 1847, I first became acquainted with Bro. Joseph Bates, that faithful servant of Jesus, from him I received my first light on the Sabbath truth. On a careful investigation of the subject, I saw that the only Sabbath of the Bible, was the seventh day; and therefore joyfully embraced it. Here also I got new light upon other truths. I likewise was baptised by him. This was a new era in my experience. My relatives in this place who are most of them in the church, some of them leading members, were all scorners of the "Blessed Hope" and from them, my bitterest persecutions have arisen. The ministers in this town and vicinity, have joined hands with them fully in this work. As they could bring no scriptural argument to overthrow my faith, and as they acknowledged that they had no accusation to bring against my character, they were obliged to call me insane, as the only means of getting rid of the subject. But though they called me insane, they treated me as tho' they believed me rational; frequently visiting me, leaving no means untried, to seduce me from the way of truth, and win me back to the fallen churches! I can fully attest to the declaration of the Prophet. "O Israel thy prophets are like the foxes in the desert"! I have seen much of their cunning disposition, and of the many and different positions they would take to overthrow the truth, and which if true, were equally as destructive of their own teaching, as they were of the truth. But in all my sore conflicts with them, my soul has leaned on God alone, and he has wonderfully sustained me! On such occasions, he has filled me in a peculiar manner with his Spirit, and with his Word, so that I have been able to triumph over all opposition, and go forward with renewed strength, rejoicing in God, and joying in the God of my Salvation. And when I now review the wonderful manner in which God has led and sustained me for five years past, while I have been living entirely alone, amidst the bitterest hatred and opposition to the truth, my soul exclaims, "O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together." "For I sought the Lord and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." "Blessed are all they that trust in Him." God knows just what his people need to prepare them for the kingdom: and he will not suffer them to have one trial too many. "When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Every trial which I have had, instead of weakening my faith, has strengthened it, and enabled me to go forward with fresh zeal and courage. I know it is all of the Lord, and I bless his holy name. "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust." "He shall cover thee, with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust, His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Dear brethren and Sisters, go forward rejoicing in God, who is your strength and your salvation. "Lift up the hands that hang down, and confirm the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet." Consecrate all to God: there must be a full sacrifice! He will accept of nothing less. Said Jesus, "whosoever forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." O ye, who have this world's goods and see your brethren have need, and shut up your bowels of compassion, how dwelleth the love of God in you?
Some are in want of temporal things, and many are starving for the truth, will not Jesus say to you? "Inasmuch as ye did it not to the least of these my brethren, ye did it not unto me." I never realized so fully, how holy, harmless and undefiled we must be, as since I attended the conference at Washington, and witnessed the visions God gave there. I see that the little remnant who are to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord, must be holy, as no other people ever were, to live in the sight of a Holy God, without an Intercessor. This has led to deep searchings of heart with me, and to inquire with trembling, shall I be able to stand? We shall need on the whole armor, our hearts must be purified by obeying the truth, then God will pour out his spirit upon us, and we shall be able to stand.
My husband wishes me to say to you, that he was fully convinced of the truth of what he heard at Washington, and means to live up to the light that he has received. The meeting did much for him, but such souls peculiarly need, the frequent preaching of the Word, and to attend meetings where the Spirit and Power of God is manifested. The day of the Lord is just upon them, and they have but just begun to realize it. The enemy is ever ready to catch away that which is sown in their hearts. God help his people as they have need. Your sister in Christ,
REBEKAH WHITCOMB.
Munsonville, (N. H.), Nov. 30th, 1851.
Vindication of the True Sabbath.
By J. W. Morton
BY J. W. MORTON.
My third reason for believing this proposition is, That Christ and his Apostles honored this day; and did not intimate that it would ever cease to be the Sabbath, but the contrary.
1. Christ honored this day.
Luke iv, 16—"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up for to read."
Luke iv, 30, 31; (See also Mark i, 21)—"But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way, and came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the Sabbath-days."
Luke xiii, 10—"And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath."
Mark iii, 1, 2—"And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. And they watched him whether he would heal him on the Sabbath-day."
Mark vi, 2—"And when the Sabbath-day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue."
2. The Apostles honored this day. Read carefully the following passages and their contexts.
Acts xiii, 14—"But when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and, went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and sat down."
Acts xiii, 44—"And the next Sabbath-day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God." (That is, to hear Paul and Barnabas preach,)
Acts xiv, 1—"And it came to pass in Iconium, that they (Paul and Barnabas) went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude, both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed."
Acts xvi, 13—"And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither."
Acts xvii, 2—"And Paul as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath-days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures."
Acts xviii, 4—"And he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue, every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks."
Brethren, if you produce one solitary apostolic example of unnecessary labor performed on the seventh day, I will at once give up the argument in its favor.
3. Neither Christ nor his Apostles intimated that the seventh day would cease to be the Sabbath.
This being a negative assertion, I am not bound to prove it, of course. If you assert that they did, I demand the proof of it.
4. Christ has very plainly intimated the contrary.
Matthew xxiv, 20—"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath-day."
The "flight" here spoken of was to take place about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; and the Saviour admonishes his disciples to pray that it might not happen on the Sabbath-day. Now, if he knew that the Sabbath-day would be changed into the "Lord's day," forty years before the event he had just alluded to, why did he speak of it as a thing that would be then in existence? Many are the efforts that have been made to evade the force of the argument from this text; but they are all unavailing.
Matthew v, 17, 19—"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."
It is almost universally admitted, that the Saviour, in these verses, refers principally to the ten commandments, which were then, as now, called, by way of preëminence, "the law." That he may have referred also to the ceremonial code, which he came to fulfill, we do not deny. But this has nothing to do with our present purpose.
That the fourth commandment enjoins the sanctification of the seventh day of the week, no man in his senses denies. But you allege that that part of it has been taken away, so that it does not now bind us.
Now, in making this assertion, you either affirm what is positively denied in the above quotation, or you make this commandment at least partly ceremonial, and peculiar to the Jews. This will appear evident from the following considerations:—
First—The command to keep holy the seventh day of the week, is far more than "one jot or tittle" of this law. It could be no less, but is much more. Indeed, it is very certain, that Adam considered it a very important part of the law; and so did Christ, when he uttered these words, for he kept the Sabbath as devoutly as Adam ever did.
Second—Heaven and earth have not yet passed away; but you say that this seventh-day law has; therefore, much more than "one jot or one tittle" has passed from the law—which is contrary to Christ's assertion.
Third—If you say that Christ has fulfilled this law, and so taken it away, you make it a ceremony, like the Passover. You know that Christ never fulfilled, so as to take away, any law but those that he "nailed to his cross," and that he never nailed to his cross any law that bindeth "all men in all ages." If, then, the law requiring the sanctification of the seventh day of the week has been nailed to the cross of Christ, it must have been a ceremony peculiar to the Jews, and to which the Gentiles were never bound. Was Adam a Jew? Was Enoch a Jew? Were Noah and his sons Jews? But these all kept the seventh day, and no other.
Brethren, it has been proved, in the first chapter of this treatise, that the fourth commandment requires simply the observance of the seventh day of the week. I will not repeat what is there said. I now ask you, as candid inquirers after truth, to place this commandment and our Saviour's declarations, quoted above, side by side, and see if your conduct is not at war with both. You neglect the only day that God's law requires you to remember, while Christ assures you, in the most solemn manner, that "one jot or one tittle" shall in no wise pass from the law, "till heaven and earth pass," or till time shall be no more.
There is a little commandment in that law that says, "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Christ says, that whosoever doeth and teacheth this commandment "shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." But this hath been my only crime. God knows, and you know, that the only thing I have done to offend you is, that I endeavor to refrain from doing work on the seventh day, and to "teach men so." Yet for this I am declared to be the "least in the kingdom of heaven," and no longer worthy of a seat at the table of Him who said, that "one jot or one tittle" should in no wise pass from the law.
Blessed be God! it is a light thing to be judged of man's judgment. But I confess that sometimes my blood runs cold, when I think of this solemn declaration of the same "Lord of the Sabbath," (John xii, 48.) "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." "Never man spake like this man." O, brethren, are you ready for that awful judgment day? Nothing but God's word will avail you there. If you are determined to go on, appropriating the seventh day to secular purposes, and "teaching men so," I cannot help it; but I call heaven and earth to witness, that, in regard to every reader of these pages, my skirts are henceforth clear. On your own souls will rest the responsibility of rejecting these solemn words of Christ. And you who are ministers—how will you answer for the wanderings of those lambs of Christ's fold, whom you are leading into strange pastures?
M. L. BAUDER
By M. L. Bauder
From Bro. Bauder
DEAR BRO. WHITE: I have great reason to rejoice, and I do feel to bless God with all my heart, that he has ever enabled me to see the present truth, and obey it. O, what great mercy God has manifested towards us in giving us hearts willing to obey him, and keep his commandments.
I received a letter from Palmyra, (N. Y.), on the 28th, from those friends that I visited in October last. I knew that God had a work for me to do there. I presented the truth, and God blessed my labors, and some of them have embraced the present truth, and are now keeping the commandments of God. May God bless them and enable them to endure faithful unto the end.
I have also received a letter from Bro. J N. Andrews, from Jackson, (Mich.). He has had some very interesting seasons there. Some have been brought into the truth; others are prejudiced. Many are convinced of the truth. May God bless him in his labors, and make him instrumental in bringing many to the knowledge of the truth. Amen.
M. L. BAUDER
Cleveland, (O.), Nov. 30th, 1851.
The Gospel and Christ
Martin Luther says, "As to me, I do not cease my cry of 'The Gospel! the Gospel!—Christ! Christ!' and my enemies are as ready with their answer—'Custom! Custom!—Ordinances! Ordinances!—Fathers! Fathers!' 'That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God,' says St. Paul.
Holiness and Renewal in Elmira
By John A. Laughhead
FROM BRO. LAUGHHEAD.
DEAR BRO. WHITE: I address these lines to you to show how good the Lord has been to us here in Elmira. I will give our experience since last spring. The church, numbering nine at that time, were striving to obey God, and keep his commandments as far as they had light and understanding; but the cloud of moral darkness that covers the world, covered us also. The question was asked, What must we do to be prepared to meet the Lord in peace, and we felt that this exhortation of Peter was to us, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness." 2 Peter iii, 11. Also, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: because it is written, be ye holy for I am holy." 1 Pet. i, 15, 16. We saw from these passages, that it was necessary for us to be holy, and to live holy, in order to meet the Lord in peace. We were searching the scriptures to learn what we must do, in order to be found, at the appearing of our Lord, without spot and blameless. We saw that we must be obedient to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Apostles, and that we must love one another with a pure heart fervently, not using vain and unprofitable words, but giving thanks, praising the Lord, speaking to ourselves in psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody in our hearts to the Lord.
We felt our weakness, and inability to come to a knowledge of all the requirements of God, and we asked him, in the name of Jesus, to guide us into all truth, and send his servants to speak to us, and show us the truth. And blessed be God forever and ever, for his ear is ever open to the cry of his people, and he will answer and bless them when they ask according to his will.
Dear brother, God did answer our prayers, praise his holy name; for while we were searching to know the truth, and earnestly praying the Lord to guide and direct, he permitted our good Brn. Rhodes and Case to bring us the third angel's message. The question then arose, does this message belong to us?
The first message, proclaiming the hour of His judgment is come, had its fulfillment, we believed, in the preaching of Bro. Miller and those associated with him. The second message, proclaiming the fall of Babylon, had its fulfillment when the churches rejected the first message. And the third angel FOLLOWED THEM. If the first two are located right, then the third should be given now, for John saw nothing intervening between the second and the third.
I believe it should be given now, and that it is the duty of every servant of God to lift up his voice like a trumpet, and show the people their sins and transgressions.
We clearly saw that the keeping of all the commandments of God, was a very important item in the duty of his servants; for Solomon says, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." We all thought that we were keeping the commandments; but found upon investigation, that we were breaking them, by not obeying the fourth; for "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." We now saw that in order to be holy, we must keep all the commandments of God, and, seven of us stepped into the straight and narrow path that leads to life, praying to our Heavenly Father, for Jesus sake, to forgive us our transgressions, and to strengthen, and enable us to keep his holy law. And we feel that God is with us.
The other two refused to go with us, in obeying the Lord. They were undecided until three or four weeks since, when they took the position that the Sabbath was abolished. They were confirmed in this view by a sermon from C. F. Sweet, of Ulster, (Penn.,) in which he attempted to show, that the law of God written in stone, that Paul calls holy, just, and good, was nailed to the cross, abolished, taken out of the way; for it was against us. All that heard him, with the exception of two, say that he completely failed to show that Jesus had abolished the law of God, and re-enacted nine of its precepts, for this was his position.
We have had some trials, and we expect more; but God has blest us, and we know he will continue to, if we trust in him. Our little band of seven has increased to thirteen, four young converts, who were baptized by Bro. Stockings of Bath, and two from Martin Hill. I rejoice in God for his goodness towards his people, in blessing the efforts put forth by them for the salvation of others. My heart's desire, and prayer to God is, that the message may go in the strength of Abraham's God, until all that have "an ear to hear," may hear, and escape the wrath of God that is soon to be poured out upon the transgressors of his holy law.
My dear brother, be strong for God is with us, and we shall soon receive the reward if we faint not.
Your brother in patient waiting for the Lord to come, and give us rest. Amen.
JOHN A. LAUGHHEAD.
Elmira, (N. Y.), Nov. 23d, 1851.
The Third Angel’s Message in London
Bro. P. Gibson writes from London, (C. W.) Oct. 29th, 1851:
"With pleasure I write you to express my thankfulness for your kindness in sending me the message of the third angel. I am much benefited in reading the Review and Herald."
"Please send me that No. containing your reply to Eld. Marsh, on the Sabbath abolished. He has commenced writing against God's holy law. It seemeth a small thing for him to have eaten up the good pasture, the messages of the first and second angels, but he is treading down the residue of the pasture, the message of the third angel."
"Will some of you, my brethren, come and spend a few days in London. It is 30 miles from Port Stanly. I am five miles from London, on the Sarna road."
SEVEN MOUNTAINS.
By Editor
What are the "seven mountains" named in Rev. xvii, 9? Those who contend that Rome is mystery Babylon, say that they are seven literal mountains, on which that city stands. But by what symbol are those seven mountains represented? Verse 3 tells us that it was "a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns." On this beast the woman was seated. Verse 9 explains the seven heads of this beast, where the woman sitteth, to be seven mountains. Now if the seven heads of this beast symbolize the seven hills of earth on which Rome stands, pray what does the beast itself, and the ten horns, represent? Does a part of the beast denote seven literal hills, and a part the governments of this earth? So Br. Litch, in his recent pamphlet on the downfall of Babylon, seems to teach. He says, on page 40, "This Symbol, a beast, is well defined in Dan. vii, chapter, and signifies a government." On page 41, speaking of the seven mountains, he asks, "Are these to be taken literally?" and answers, "Most certainly," and then defines them to be "seven hills or mountains" on which Rome sits. Are we justifiable in dividing this symbol, the beast, into parts, and making it represent things so widely different in their nature, as "seven hills" of earth, and a "government?" We think not.
SIN OF BABYLON.
By V. T.
What was the damning sin of Mystery Babylon? Fornication with the kings of the earth. See Rev. xvii. 2; xviii. 9. In what did that fornication consist? An unlawful connection and traffic with the world, chap. xviii. 11. To whom would it be sin to be thus connected and traffic with the world? Not the literal city of Rome, nor any other city; it was their nature and right to be connected and traffic with the kings of the earth. Rome, therefore, cannot be the Babylon symbolized by the "mother of harlots." No other body can commit this sin, the sin of "fornication with the kings of the earth," but the church, or people of God, whose law requires them to be separate from the world. The church has violated this law, and become connected with the world; with it has committed fornication. Every sect is guilty of this crime. There can, therefore, be no doubt but that they all constitute the Babylon, against which the sin of fornication is charged, and out of which God now calls his people. This evidence alone is sufficient to decide what Babylon is. [V. T.