Earlier text: An Atonement Consistent with ReasonOur Works in the Judgment.
By J. N. Andrews
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:14. “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matt. 16:27. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10. “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev. 20:12. We have in these passages a distinct idea of the nature of the Judgment of the great day. That Judgment will make an investigation of our conduct, and the decision will be in accordance with the facts of our history. We learn that our works are written in the books of God, and that all these works, whether good or bad, whether open or secret, will be brought into the Judgment, and that the decision will be according to the things written in the books. These facts ought to make us walk circumspectly before God. But it is generally thought that we may be saved by faith without works, and by grace without obedience. Thus when we urge men to obey God they often taunt us by saying: You expect to be saved by your good works, but we are saved by grace. But these persons seem never to ask, How do I know that the grace of God saves me? They conclude that grace saves them because they profess faith in Christ. Yet they are not careful to obey God. They are as likely to sell a poor article as though it were a good one as are their neighbors who do not pretend to be Christians. They are as likely to neglect the poor, and even to oppress them, as are many who do not profess the religion of Christ. In their lives may be seen anger, impatience, envy, jealousy, and covetousness. Yet these persons are saved by grace, and they think they should dishonor the grace of God if they attempted to obey God, because it would show that they do not trust in the grace of God for salvation, but are trying to add to that grace the merit of their good works. The capital error of these persons consists in the idea that the grace of God can dwell in the heart without manifesting itself in our acts. In their estimation the difference between a saint and a sinner is that one professes to be a Christian and the other frankly acknowledges that he is not such. But of what value is the grace of God if it does not change our character? And how can it change our character without changing our conduct? If grace has saved us, will not our neighbors be able to see that we are new creatures in Christ? If we have put off the old man, and put on the new man, will not our conduct be entirely changed? But these persons say: “God accepts us because we have faith in Christ.” But does this faith produce good works? Does it cause you to obey God? Do you read his word to learn your duty, and then hasten to obey? Do you study the life of Christ to learn his example, and then do you follow carefully in his steps? 1 Pet. 2:21. To this they always answer: We do not expect to be saved by our good works; Christ has done all for us, and we are saved by him. Alas! what words can ever awaken these persons from the deception of Satan, and from the sleep of sin? Christ says to this very class: “And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46-49. St. Paul says of Christ: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” Heb. 5:9. And St. James says to those who excuse their disobedience under pretense of faith in Christ: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20. If such passages fail to alarm these sinners in Zion, we call their attention to the following impressive fact: Faith will cease when we behold the Son of God coming to the Judgment, for it will then be changed to sight. And it is of special importance to notice that in the Judgment our works are to be examined, but not our faith. In every passage it is said that we shall be judged according to our works, and never in one is it said that we shall be judged according to our faith. But when the Judge shall ask these persons what were their works as Christians, their answer must be: We believed in Christ. When he shall further demand, Did you obey the Saviour in whom you professed to believe? they can only answer so far as to say: We made profession that we were his disciples. But, says the Judge: Did you obey his precepts? Have you repented of your sins? Have you been careful to restore to others what you have taken from them by fraud or falsehood? Have you denied yourself of ungodliness and worldly lusts? Have you really sought to imitate the life of Christ? Have you possessed your soul in patience? Have you walked humbly with God in keeping his commandments? And the answer must be: We have never thought these disagreeable things to be necessary. We were saved by grace, and certainly that was enough. But, says the Judge: If you had been saved by grace that grace would have manifested itself in all the things which I have enumerated. This inquiry into your conduct is simply that it may appear whether it was grace or sin that reigned in you during your life. Though you were a mortal man exposed to temptation, and always in danger of falling into sin, it was your privilege always to repent and to find pardon through the blood of Christ. And it was always your privilege to advance in the grace of Christ and in the love of God. Alas! that you had a name to live and were dead. Let us bring this subject home to ourselves. Two questions will test us most severely: 1. What have you done? 2. Why did you do it? Let us suppose that in answer to the first question the history of our lives shall show that we have apparently led lives of obedience to God. Thus we have manifested much zeal for Christ; we have given much money to sustain his work; we have given much to relieve the poor; we have endured much suffering in his cause, and said much to induce others to become Christians. This will be a noble record if it shall appear that we did it to glorify God and to save men. But the Judge will ask, Why have you done these things? And if it shall appear that our real motive was to glorify ourselves and to be counted of men persons of good piety, the Judge will say, You have had your reward. We need every day of our lives to seek God in the most solemn manner. He will convert our inmost souls if we really desire that he should do it. J. N. A. The Honor Due to God. No. 5.
THE question sometimes arises, "Who should pay tithes and make offerings?" As to the first part, the answer is simple: Every one should pay tithe who has any tithe to pay. If a person's income is small, of course his tithe will be correspondingly small; and should there be a person with absolutely no income, dependent entirely upon charity for subsistence, of course he would have no tithe to pay. But that would not be the case with any one having a reasonable degree of health. We are not speaking now of professed Christians merely; every man is under obligation to pay tithe, whether he makes a profession of religion or not. "The tithe is the Lord's," and should invariably be returned to him, no matter in whose hands it may be found. This distinction may be made, however: Worldlings have never confessed their obligation to God, nor agreed to honor him in the matter of tithes, or otherwise; but Christians profess to honor God, which includes the payment of tithes; and therefore while worldlings are guilty of robbery (Mal. 3:8), Christians who fail to meet their obligations, add to robbery the additional crime of falsehood. The matter of offerings is of course left largely to the individual. For some, an offering of a few cents would involve more sacrifice than the gift of a thousand dollars would for another. Should the man with ample wealth give a hundred dollars without having to make any sacrifice, it would not be so acceptable in the sight of Heaven as would a few dimes from one who had to deprive himself of some necessity in consequence of his gift. "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." 2 Cor. 8:12. But while each individual must be his own judge as to how much he will give, the obligation to make offerings rests upon all; for the Lord, through the prophet Malachi, accuses his people of robbing him in the matter of offerings; but the withholding of offerings could not be called robbery if the Lord had no claim on us beyond our tithe. There can be no exceptions to the general rule that all should make offerings, for it would seem to be impossible to find a person in more reduced circumstances than was the poor widow mentioned in Mark 12:42. She had only two mites (less than half a cent) in the world, yet she gave, not one-tenth merely, but the whole of it; and we do not read that the Lord condemned her in the least for this act. A common idea is that if a man gives freely he will impoverish himself. The trouble is that men leave God out of their calculations. Dr. Clarke, in his comment on Acts 15:10, includes the payment of tithes, etc., in the ceremonial law—the "yoke of bondage"—and artlessly says: "Had not God, by an especial providence, rendered both their fields and their flocks very fruitful, they could not have borne so painful a ritual." Well, that is just what the Lord promises to do for those who render to him his due. "Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Prov. 3:9, 10. Again he says:— "Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." Mal. 3:10, 11. It is "the Lord of hosts" that makes this promise; certainly he has the power to fulfill it; and who dares say that he will not keep his word ? The wise man said, "There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." Prov. 11:24. There can be no doubt but that many who bewail their (in most cases imaginary) inability to assist in the cause of God, owe their pecuniary embarrassment to the fact that they are not willing to make a sacrifice and help with what they have. A notable instance of this is described in the Bible. We learn from the book of Ezra that the people who, at the command of Cyrus, went up from Babylon to Jerusalem to build the temple, became discouraged on account of the opposition brought to bear against them, and abandoned the work for several years. Added to this opposition was a severe drought, which cut off their crops, depriving them of even the necessaries of life. Of course under these circumstances they could not be expected to give time and means for the building of the temple, and they very naturally concluded that the time had not come for the Lord's house to be built, Haggai 1:2; "for," they doubtless reasoned, "if the Lord wanted his house built now, he would give us the means with which to do it." "Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes." Haggai 1:3-6. Then the Lord gives the cause of this terrible want: "Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land," etc. Verses 9-11. Read also chapter 2:11-19. In this instance the people thought that the hard times was a sufficient reason for not building the temple, when the hard times came solely because they had not gone ahead with the work of building. The Lord now promised them that from this time he would bless them, if they would take hold of the work; and to assure them of his ability to give and to withhold prosperity, and also of his right to receive homage, he said, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." The apostle Paul said in regard to the subject of giving, "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall392reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." 2 Cor. 9:6. There are many who have proved the truth of this, and who know that it pays to take God into all their calculations, and in all their ways to acknowledge him; for, as Paul continues, "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." This Generation.
By Uriah Smith
It is not strange that the words of Christ, "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled," should arrest the attention of students of prophecy; but it has seemed to us strange that any one should adopt, by way of explanation, the long-drawn-out and illimitable idea that the generation means the generation, or race, of the Jews. That portion of the Saviour's discourse in which this statement occurs, consists of a series of propositions designed to lead the mind to the great fact of his second coming, and to show especially the proximity of that event. The sun and moon were to be darkened, the stars to fall, the powers of heaven to be shaken, the tribes of the earth to mourn, and the Son of man to appear in heaven. Now when ye see these things (not the coming of Christ itself, but these things named before, which were to constitute signs of that coming), know that his coming is very near. How near? Why, this generation is not to pass till all is fulfilled. Thus this statement becomes the climax of those declarations which are to show the nearness of Christ's coming. But let us attach to it this idea that it refers to the race of the Jews, and what does it become? Let us see. When certain things come to pass, know that Christ is near. How near? Why so near that the Jews as a race will not have ceased to exist before he comes. But how long have they existed already? About thirty-four hundred years. May they exist as much longer? Yes, for aught that appears in their own history to the contrary. Then where is the force of this statement as showing the nearness of his coming? It is worse than lost. Our Lord was not such a reasoner. This looks to us about as it would be for a man to try to tell another concerning his approach to Chicago, and after giving him the last station, he tells him he is then about entering Chicago. How near? says the man. Oh! replies the first, this railroad, which extends from Boston to San Francisco, will not have ended before you reach Chicago! How easy, consistent, and forcible to come down with the discourse to the time when the signs appear, to the generation before whom they are set forth as signs, which is the present generation, and understand this to be the generation meant; then the declaration falls upon our ears with startling emphasis: This generation shall not pass away till all these things be fulfilled. U. S. The Waldenses and the Reformation.
By S. N. Haskell
AFTER the terrible persecution that came upon the Waldenses at the close of the fifteenth century, and the defeat that the Piedmontese army received, by God's interposing in behalf of these Christians, there came a respite. Says Leger, the historian, "God turned the heart of their prince towards this poor people." He sent an ambassador to their valleys to assure them of his good will, and to secure their's; and to intimate to them a wish to receive their deputies. They chose twelve men who were venerable with age and noted for piety, to visit Turin. They were admitted into the duke's presence, and gave such an account of their faith that he testified that he had been misled, and had done them wrong. He assured them that he would not again suffer such wrongs to be inflicted upon them, and several times he said that he had not so virtuous, so faithful, and so obedient subjects as the Vaudois. He manifested a desire to see their children, whereupon twelve mothers with their infants were straightway sent to visit the prince, and they presented themselves before him. He examined them narrowly. The historian says: "He found them well formed, and testified his admiration of their healthy faces, clear eyes, and lively prattle. He had been told, he said, that the 'Vaudois children were monsters, with only one eye placed in the middle of the forehead, four rows of black teeth, and other similar deformities.'" The young prince, Charles II., confirmed the privileges and immunities of the Vaudois, and dismissed them with his promise that they should be unmolested in the future. But still in the absence of the armed crusader, the Catholic missionary and inquisitor assailed them. Some were seduced, others were kidnapped and carried off to the holy office; but this in a more private manner. These annoyances, while outwardly peace was offered them, and no war declared against them, were unfavorable for their integrity and piety. A desire for repose made many conform outwardly to the Romish Church. Says Monastier, in his history of the Vaudois: "In order to be shielded from all interruption in their journeys on business, they obtained from the priests, who were settled in the valleys, certificates or testimonials of their being Papists." To obtain this it was necessary for them outwardly to attend the Romish chapel, to confess, and go to mass, and have their children baptized by the priests. This dissimulation on their part was the entering wedge to lead them to renounce their purity of faith, and to receive into their hearts a worse foe than the sword and the bow. The old true vine of piety seemed to be dying. It was about this time that the Reformation broke out, although up to this time they had heard nothing of it in their secluded spot. The policy of conforming in their habits and in their customs to secure favors of the world, brought upon themselves a weakness from which, as a people, they were never able to recover. The Reformation was making progress at this time, and when the intelligence was announced, the Vaudois "were as men who dreamed." In 1526 they sent forth Pastor Martin, of the valley of Lucerna, on a mission of inquiry. He found churches of Reformers in Switzerland, Germany, and France. He received books from the Reformers in Germany, containing their views. In 1530 George Morel was commissioned to visit the Reformers of Switzerland and Germany, and bring them word touching their doctrine and manner of life. At that time there were Protestants in Neuchâtel, Morat, and Bern. They had interviews with Berthold Haller and William Farel. They visited Basle, and presented to Œcolampadius a document in Latin containing a complete account of their ecclesiastical discipline, worship, doctrine, and manners. They were anxious to learn if these reformed churches would accept them, and if not to inform them where the defect was, and to specify in what points of faith they were not sound, and to what an extent. This gave unspeakable joy to the Reformer of Basle. For years these churches of the Waldenses had been in the fire, and yet had not been consumed, and now the seed which they had sown was bearing fruit; and they presented themselves before this great Reformation as suppliants to ask them to correct their faith and give them the true light wherein they had erred. "We render thanks," said Œcolampadius in his letter, Oct. 13, 1530, to the churches of Province, "to our most gracious Father that he has called you into such marvelous light, during ages in which such thick darkness has covered almost the whole world under the empire of antichrist. We love you as brethren." The Reformers saw that they had already begun to decline from their original faith, and thus they wrote, "As we approve of many things among you, so there are several which we wish to see amended. We are informed that the fear of persecution has caused you to dissemble and to conceal your faith. . . . There is no concord between Christ and Belial. You commune with unbelievers; you take part in their abominable masses, in which the death and passion of Christ are blasphemed. . . . I know your weakness, but it becomes those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ to be more courageous. It is better for us to die than to be overcome by temptation." Thus was the Reformation a source of strength, by giving a sharp, faithful,393and brotherly rebuke to those who had sought to conform to the Papists, that they might save themselves from so much inconvenience. The commissioners visited other Reformers at Strasburg, Germany. They were received with congratulations wherever they went. The Reformers willingly permitted their elder sister the benefit of their own wider views. Says a writer, "If the men of the sixteenth century recognized the voice of primitive Christianity speaking in the Vaudois, the latter heard the voice of the Bible, or rather of God himself, speaking in the Reformers, and submitted themselves with modesty and docility to their reproofs. The last had become first." In many respects these two churches found their creeds not to be twain, but one. They find that they have both of them drawn their doctrine from the word of God; they are not two churches, they are one. They were the elder and younger members of the same glorious family; the children of the same Father. One of the deputies, on his return, was thrown into prison, and ultimately condemned and burned; but his fellow deputy, George Morel, bearing the letters of the Reformers, happily arrived in safety to Province. Imagine the feelings of this ancient church when the contents of the letters were read. The news touching numerous bodies of Christians now appearing in many lands, so full of knowledge, and faith, and courage, was literally astounding. They thought that they were alone in the world; but, like one anciently, they found 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal, or yielded to his requirements. They who had fought the battle were not to have the honor of the victory. There were others who came into the field ready to assist them and hold up their hands. A great majority of the Vaudois were of the opinion that they ought to listen to other Reformers, but a small minority, as at the present day, were opposed to being taught by the new disciples, and allowing them to dictate to those who were older. They went back to the Reformers for advice, and after repeated interchange of views it was finally resolved to convene a synod in the valleys, at which all the questions of differences between the two churches might be debated, and the relations which they were to sustain towards each other determined. The representatives from all parts of Europe met on the 12th of October, 1532. Two years earlier was the Augsburg Confession. A year before, Zwingle had died on the field of Cappel. The Reformation was beginning to be illustrated by the heroic deaths of its children. Calvin had not at this time become prominent, but he was already under the Protestant banner. This synod sat for six consecutive days. They drew up seventeen articles of faith, called a "Short Confession of Faith," made by the pastors and heads of the families of the valleys of the Piedmont, the chief of which, says Wylie, are the "Moral inability of man;" "Election to eternal life;" "The will of God, as made known in the Bible, the only rule of duty;" and "The doctrine of two sacraments only, baptism and the Lord's Supper." This revived the old spirit of the Waldenses. They ceased to practice those dissimulations; and yet they had lowered and compromised some of the faith that had characterized them years before this. Their meeting-houses had been destroyed, and the Waldenses had feared to rebuild them lest they should bring down upon themselves a new storm of violence and blood. Caves were selected as places of meeting; and when the weather was fine, they would assemble on the mountain-side under the great boughs of their ancestral trees. But in a short time, strengthened by the fellowship and counsels of their Protestant brethren, churches arose, and the worship of God was reinstituted. Crowds flocked to the preaching, and not a few came from the plains of Piedmont, and other remote parts of their valleys, to drink of these living waters, again flowing in their land. There was a new translation of the Scriptures into the French tongue about this time. The Vaudois wished the privilege of having it done at their sole expense, and it was considered as their gift to the churches of the Reformation. What a noble gift! The Bible had been their study for years and years, and now they give it to the churches of the Reformation. It was printed in folio, in black letter, at Neuchâtel in the year 1535. The entire expense was paid by the Waldenses, and the cost of it was 1500 crowns of gold, a large sum for a people so poor. This was the result of their counsels in this first great ecclesiastical assembly of modern times. The church of the Alps now had peace for twenty-eight years, and it was a time of great prosperity. Victory attended their efforts to spread the truth. George Morel states that at this time there were more than eight hundred thousand persons of the religion of the Vaudois. Their exemption from persecution, however, was not absolute, but comparative. The luke-warm were seldom molested, but the zealous and devoted brought with their quickened zeal a revival of the persecutor's malignity, though it did not find vent in violences so dreadful as the tempests that had lately smitten them. Trip to Nevada.
By S. N. Haskell
ACCORDING to appointment we visited Nevada Aug. 9-22. Spent a Sabbath and Sunday at Reno, and also at St. Clair. The friends at Reno had secured the Congregationalist church in which to hold our meetings. There are but few here who observe the Sabbath, but some interest was manifested from the outside, especially on Sunday. Could there be a series of meetings held at this place we see no reason why quite a number might not be gathered in. Two, who had been reading our publications, fully decided to cast their lot with us. One brother subscribed for eight copies of the SIGNS to be sent to his friends, for one year. Most of these are living in Arkansas. He also had a set of charts sent to him, as he designed to arrange his business so that he can return to his friends and do missionary work. We hope that the blessing of God will go with him. At St. Clair there are quite a number who meet regularly every Sabbath; and although some live several miles from the place, they attended nearly all of our meetings. Like many other destitute fields we can say they need labor. Nevada being a mining State it would not be as favorable a field to labor in as some others; but we know of no place where the prospect for a series of meetings would be better than in the above-mentioned places. They have been unfortunate in securing laborers. Elder Healey spent some weeks with them a few years ago which greatly encouraged them, but on account of poor health he could labor but little. Eld. Farnsworth's labors were also blessed when he was there. Some twelve or fifteen made a start to serve God. But when the interest was best he was obliged to start East on account of his wife's health, and they have had no labor since that time. Quite a number are preparing to attend the Healdsburg College the next term. One brother is already at the school. He is not able to pay all his expenses through this term, but the brethren considered it a privilege to assist him. Some who have families and others who have not are endeavoring to arrange their business so as to spend a few months at the school, in order to become better acquainted with Bible truth, and qualify themselves to go from house to house, and hold Bible readings in families, and thus, by personal labor, bring souls to Christ and his truth. There are scores of men and women who could be of service in the cause of Christ, should they leave their farms, their merchandise, and other pursuits, and take a few months' drill at the College in the study of the Holy Scriptures. This would bring their minds where God could operate upon them by his Holy Spirit, and they be a channel through which light could be brought to others. It is not the flowery sermons which are needed, but men of sanctified common sense, men of integrity and moral worth, those who have acquired a competency in this life and feel the worth of the soul. There will be a special course of instruction given to such after the camp-meeting, which will be of great benefit to those men and women who wish to go out as colporteurs in their neighborhoods and towns, and to do other missionary work. Already the school has accomplished much in this direction, but we hope to see it increase in usefulness until missionary workers will be sent, not only to all parts of the Pacific slope, but to the islands of the sea and distant nations. May God hasten this time. During the proclamation of the First Angel's Message farmers disposed of their farms and other trades, and turned their attention to proclaiming that message. Shall we not see a greater move as the last message of mercy to a dying world is closing? It certainly will come, and may God help us to prepare for that event. The brethren in Nevada expect to be represented at the camp-meeting, where they hope that arrangements may be made for future labor in that field.
S. N. HASKELL. The Deception of Claiming Sinlessness
"If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." The Missionary.
By I. D. VanHorn
THE first camp-meeting of this new Conference was held at the time and place appointed. There was a much larger meeting of the friends of the cause, and of the outside people of the surrounding country than was expected. Full one hundred and fifty camped on the ground. On the Sabbath there were about two hundred and fifty beside our own people in attendance all day. On Sunday there were from a thousand to fifteen hundred on the ground. Much prejudice existed against our holding a camp-meeting in the vicinity of New Market, so much that it was difficult to obtain ground on which to hold it. But we are happy to state that this prejudice gave way, and several invitations were made for us at our next camp-meeting to occupy ground on their land free of charge. When we consider that the United Brethren were holding a camp-meeting within seven miles of our camp, and in an established place for meeting for years, and that for all this our meeting was larger than theirs, we had great reason to praise God. The brethren and sisters responded readily to the plain, pointed truths and instructions given in the sermons preached, and the testimonies borne at other meetings. We can say, They did well, when we consider the customs of the country, and that this was their first experience in holding a camp-meeting. The sweet, melting Spirit of the Lord was so manifested at times that we all felt that he approved of our effort. There was life and interest in all our social meetings, and especial interest was taken in the children's meetings. The brethren seemed to take hold better in the direction of speaking and praying in meeting than in giving of their means to support the cause. But we feel assured that they will soon learn this part of the work too, and will become as ready to make sacrifices as in other Conferences. May God help them in this important duty that his precious cause may not suffer for want of means. As the Conference had been organized but about four months there was no business connected with our camp-meeting. However, seeing the wants of the Tract and Missionary Society and the need of a Reserve Fund, an effort was made to raise one, and pledges were secured to the amount of $350. The camp-meeting expenses to the amount of a little more than $100 were promptly raised and paid. The efforts made for sinners and backsliders were successful, as between thirty and forty responded by coming forward. The tears that flowed freely and the testimonies borne by these showed that the Spirit of God was at work on their hearts. On Monday, the last day of the meeting, the ordinance of baptism was administered by Brother Corliss to seven willing candidates. It was a very solemn scene and many were moved to tears. On the whole this camp-meeting was a success, and all the friends of the cause were much encouraged. We left them satisfied that the Third Angel's Message is the same in the South as in the North, and the same everywhere. Galion, O., August 16, 1883. I. D. VANHORN. Cruelty of the Liquor Traffic.
THE liquor traffic is cruelty of the most diabolical character. Nothing can exceed it, for it proceeds upon the principle that "perish who may it must and shall be maintained." Government is a partner in the business, and its share of the profit is called revenue. Government grants the licenses, receiving therefor a certain price which the manufacturer and vender pay for the privilege of making and selling. But Government, while it sets the wheel in motion, discountenances the work of the traffic—in fact, punishes the man who drinks and gets drunk. Government says: "If any one will pay into my treasury $50 he may sell alcoholic spirits to any who will buy;" but if a man drinks to drunkenness, and becomes boistrous on the streets, Government punishes him for it; locks him up in a guard-house and makes him pay a fine. And should he, while drunk, steal or commit high-way robbery, Government will lock him up in the State prison; and should he commit murder, Government will put him to an ignominious death. One might suppose that, inasmuch as the drunkard is helping the Government to raise revenue when he drinks, he would be treated like a gentleman when he drank a great deal and became drunk. But not so. The same Government that encourages drunkenness by the sale of licenses, keeps its officers and courts to arrest, try, and punish the drunkard. And not only so, but how wide-spread is the sorrow which this traffic inflicts! If the drinking man—the drunkard—was the only sufferer, the case would not be such a hard one. But see how it is. The poor man addicted to drink has a family who are dependent upon him, and instead of spending his wages for food and raiment for those dependent upon him, he goes to a grog shop—a Government grog shop—and spends the last cent of his week's wages in a drunken carousal. By midnight he is beastly drunk and, having no more money to spend, the Government agent—the bar keeper—kicks him out upon the street and there the policemen—Government officers—find him and hurry him off to the guard-house to spend the night. To-morrow is Sunday, and yet the wife and children are at home without a morsel to eat and perhaps without fuel. Cold and hungry they huddle together and await in terrible suspense for the coming of husband and father. But he comes not! for Government, having made him drunk, has locked him up as a punishment for being drunk. Ah! what suffering in that drunkard's family. Sunday morning dawns and the Sunday-school bells ring, and the well-dressed children of sober parents are hurrying along, with bright faces to the Sunday-schools. The drunkard's children, in rags, and suffering with hunger, look out from their dirty hiding-place and compare their own misery with the brightness and cheerfulness they see upon the street, and oh, how their tender hearts bleed! Monday morning comes and the drunken father is summoned before the mayor. He is charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct. What does Government do? Does the mayor say to him, "You are a patriotic citizen because you spend your money freely to help support the liquor traffic and raise revenue for the State?" No. But Government says you must pay a fine of five dollars. The poor man says: "I can't do it. I have no money. Besides, my wife and children are at home cold and hungry, and surely you will not be so cruel as to tax me again, seeing that I spent my whole week's wages Saturday night helping to support the traffic and the Government." But Government says: "It is no concern of ours if your wife and children are suffering; we must have five dollars or you must remain in prison five days." Will not God take vengeance upon such a system of cruelty and oppression? Aye! "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord!"—Spirit of the Age. Mondovi, Wisconsin.
By G. C. TENNEY
For about five weeks our meetings have been in progress in this place. Circumstances have been favorable, except that it is the most busy season of the year. We have had considerable rainy weather, but have not lost a single service on this account. The interest, which was good at first, is now better and deeper still. Few have as yet decided in favor of the truth, but many are in the valley of decision. The opposition are girding on the armor, and the battle was opened by their forces yesterday. Two discourses were given against our position. The weakness of the Sunday cause was made quite apparent by an effort to sustain the falling fabric, which consisted of a curious combination of erroneous and contradictory positions. We shall review both discourses. It is a cause of much gratitude that the Lord has given us a consistent and harmonious truth. We feel our need of God's grace to help us to live it, and place it properly before the people that they may accept it in the love of it. We shall continue here for some time, and are hoping and praying for fruits of our labor. G. C. TENNEY,
C. F. STILLWELL.
August 13. Upper Columbia Tract Society.
REPORT FOR QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30, 1883.
He who is rich when he comes to die, but is still without Christ, is like the Arab in the desert, with his bag full of pearls, but perishing for want of bread.