THE second chapter of Colossians teaches that the hand-writing of ordinances has been blotted out and nailed to the cross. Many produce this scripture as proof that the ten commandments are abolished. We inquire, therefore, Is the hand-writing of ordinances the ten commandments? Let the following facts answer:—
1. The hand-writing of ordinances is here represented as having been blotted out by the shedding of Christ's blood. If this hand-writing of ordinances is the ten commandments, it follows that the blood of Christ was shed to blot out the prohibition against other gods; the prohibition of graven images; the prohibition of blasphemy; the commandment to hallow the sanctified Rest-day of the Lord; the first commandment with promise; and the prohibitions of murder, adultery, theft, false witness and covetousness! Would the Infinite Law-giver give his own Son to die for such a purpose?
2. But to teach that Christ died to blot out the moral law, is to deny the plainest facts. Because that the law of God which was holy, just and good, condemned the whole human family, and showed that all mankind were sinners, and under its just sentence, God provided a method of redemption by which he could be just, and yet could justify him that believeth in Jesus. This did not consist in sending his Son to destroy the law of the Father; but it consisted in this, that the Son of God should take upon himself human nature, and offer up his own life a ransom for many; thus making the great propitiation through which guilty man may come to God and find pardon for the transgression of his holy law. Rom. iii, 19-31; Matt. xx, 28; 1 Pet. ii, 24: Isa. liii, 10. Having done this he returned to his Father, and became a great High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary before the Ark containing his Father's law. Whoever, therefore, repents of his transgression, and comes to God through this "Advocate with the Father," may find pardon for all his sins. This view of man's redemption is based on the plainest facts of scripture, and presents the character of God in a light in which mercy and truth meet together, and righteousness and peace kiss each other. Ps. lxxxv, 10, 11. Well might Paul exclaim when presenting this great subject, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law."
3. But what is it that is abolished in consequence of the hand-writing of ordinances being nailed to the cross? We answer, Meats, drinks, feast-days, (for this is the literal rendering of the word,) new-moons and sabbaths, (plural.) Thus upon the very face of this text is found the most decisive evidence that Paul was not referring to the ten commandments. For it is absurd to believe that Paul should speak of the abolition of the ten commandments, and as the consequence of that abolition, should speak of certain unimportant things as having been done away, which, by the way, were never contained in the decalogue. It may be objected, that the decalogue contained the sabbaths (the word is plural) which are here abolished. We answer, Not so. The decalogue contained but one Sabbath of the Lord. But besides the Sabbath of the Lord, embodied in the fourth commandment, the twenty-third chapter of Leviticus presents four annual sabbaths, associated with the feasts and new moons of the typical system. The Sabbath of the Lord "was made FOR man," but these sabbaths connected with the new moons, &c., are said to be AGAINST him. Mark ii, 27: Col. ii, 14. It is not the Sabbath (singular) associated with the precepts of the moral law, that is here referred to, but the sabbaths (plural) associated with their feasts and new moons. Lev. xxiii, 24, 32, 37-39. The one was made at creation, and the others in the wilderness of Sinai.
4. But while it is plainly stated in Col. ii, that the hand-writing of ordinances, or shadow of good things to come, is abolished, it is elsewhere in the New Testament plainly stated that the royal law, embodying all the ten commandments, is yet in full force. No one can deny this who will carefully read James ii, 8-12. And the fact is distinctly stated that the violation of one of the commandments makes the transgressor guilty of all. It follows therefore, that the hand-writing of ordinances, and the royal law of ten commandments, are two distinct codes.
The reasons presented demonstrate the fact that the ten commandments are not referred to in Col. ii. But those who seize this scripture to prove the abolition of the decalogue, generally point with triumph to the expression, "holy day," which occurs in verse 16. "If the term, sabbath-days," say they, "refers to the ceremonial sabbaths, [Lev. xxiii, 24-39,] the term, holy day, must certainly designate the Sabbath of the fourth commandment." The fact that some, who have the means of knowing better, have applied this expression to the Sabbath, renders it proper that this perversion should be exposed.
The word translated "holy day," in this text is heorte. It occurs twenty-seven times in the Greek Testament. Twenty-six times it is rendered, in our version, feast, and once, viz., Col. ii, 16, it is rendered holy day. We present every text in which this word occurs, with the word which is its translation in italics. It will thus be seen how it is rendered in our version, every time. Those who will examine this list may satisfy themselves what kind of holy-day Col. ii, 16, refers to; viz., that it is a feast day.
Matt. xxvi, 5. they said, Not on the feast day,
xxvii, 15. at that feast the governor was
Mark xiv, 2. they said, Not on the feast day,
xv, 6. Now at that feast he released unto
Luke ii, 41. at the feast of the passover.
42. after the custom of the feast,
xxii, 1. the feast of unleavened bread
xxiii, 17. release one unto them at the feast.
John ii, 23. at the passover in the feast day,
iv, 45. at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast;
v, 1. there was a feast of the Jews:
vi, 4. a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
vii, 2. the Jews' feast of tabernacles was
Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast;
went he also up unto the feast,
Jews sought him at the feast,
about the midst of the feast.
that great day of the feast,
xi, 56. he will not come to the feast?
xii, 12. were come to the feast,
20. to worship at the feast;
xiii, 1. before the feast of the passover,
29. need of against the feast;
Acts xviii, 21. by all means keep this feast
Col. ii, 16. or in respect of an holy day.
It is thus rendered by several lexicons:
"Heorte, a feast or festival holiday." Liddell and Scott. Robinson's Lexicon gives the same. "A solemn feast, public festival, holy day." Greenfield.
The text in question is thus rendered in different versions:—
"Let no man, therefore, judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths."—Douay Bible.
"Wherefore, let no one judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a festival, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths."—Macknight.
"Let no man therefore judge you in food, or in drink, or in respect to a holy day, or the new moon, or the sabbaths."—Whiting.
"Let none therefore judge you in meat, or drink, or in respect of a feast day, or of the new moon, or of sabbath days."—Wesley.
"Let no one therefore call you to an account about meat and drink, or with respect to a festival, or a new moon, or sabbaths."—Wakefield.
Note of A. Clarke on Col. ii, 16.—"Let no man—judge you, in meat, or in drink. The apostle speaks here in reference to some particulars of the hand-writing of ordinances, which had been taken away, viz., the distinction of meats and drinks, what was clean, and what unclean, according to the law; and the necessity of observing certain holidays or festivals; such as the new moons and particular sabbaths, or those which should be observed with more than ordinary solemnity; all these had been taken out of the way, and nailed to the cross, and were no longer of moral obligation. There is no intimation here that the Sabbath was done away, or that its moral use was suspended, by the introduction of Christianity. I have shown elsewhere, that Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy, is a commandment of perpetual obligation, and can never be superseded but by the final termination of time."
It is therefore manifest that the Apostle used this word to designate the Jewish feasts—the abolition of which he here teaches. The sabbaths and the feast days of the Jewish ritual expired with that ritual; but the Sabbath of the Lord, hallowed before the fall, abides, with the other precepts of the moral law, throughout duration.
The word Bishop
Is rendered from episkopos. The following are the instances of its occurrence:101Titus i, 7. For a bishop must be blameless, 1 Pet. ii, 25. Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
That the office of elder and bishop is the same thing may be seen by comparing Acts xx, 17, 28. The same may also be seen by comparing Titus i, 5-7.
Immortal.
This word is rendered from aphthartos and occurs in the following instances:
Rom. i, 23. the glory of the uncorruptible God
1 Cor. ix, 25. but we an incorruptible.
xv, 52. dead shall be raised incorruptible.
1 Tim. i, 1, 17. unto the King eternal, immortal,
1 Pet. i, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible,
23. incorruptible, by the word of God,
iii, 4. that which is not corruptible,
Immortality.
This is rendered from athanasia, and from aphtharsia.
Is translated from diakonos. This word is variously translated in the New Testament, as follows:
Matt. xx, 26. let him be your minister;
xxii, 13. Then said the king to the servants,
xxiii, 11. greatest among you shall be your servant.
Mark ix, 35. be last of all, and servant of all.
x, 43. among you shall be your minister.
John ii, 5. His mother saith unto the servants,
9. the servants which drew the water
xii, 26. there shall also my servant be:
Rom. xiii, 4. For he is the minister of God to thee
— he is the minister of God, a revenger
xv, 8. a minister of the circumcision for
xvi, 1. Phebe our sister, which is a servant1 Cor. iii, 5. ministers by whom ye believed,
2 Cor. iii, 6. also hath made us able ministersvi, 4. ourselves as the ministers of God,
xi, 15. if his ministers also he transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
23. Are they ministers of Christ?
Gal. ii, 17. is therefore Christ the minister of sin?
Eph. iii, 7. Whereof I was made a minister,
vi, 21. beloved brother and faithful ministerPhil. i, 1. with the bishops and deacons;
Col. i, 7. for you a faithful minister of Christ;
I Paul am made a minister;
whereof I am made a minister,
iv, 7. a faithful minister and fellow-servant
1 Thess. iii, 2. Timotheus, our brother, and minister of
1 Tim. iii, 8. Likewise must the deacons be grave,
12. deacons be the husbands of one wife,
iv, 6. thou shalt be a good minister of
"Transgression of the Law."
This expression is the literal translation of the Greek word anomia. That the reader may see how often this word occurs in the New Testament we present each instance of its use.
Matt. vii, 23. depart from me, ye that work iniquity,
xiii, 41. that offend, and them which do iniquity;
xxiii, 28. are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
xxiv, 12. because iniquity shall abound,
Rom. iv, 7. they whose iniquities are forgiven,
vi, 19. servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity;
2 Cor. vi, 14. hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
2 Thess. ii, 7. the mystery of iniquity doth already
Titus ii, 14. might redeem us from all iniquity,
Heb. i, 9. loved righteousness, and hated iniquity.
viii, 12. their iniquities will I remember no
x, 17. their sins and iniquities will I remember
1 John iii, 4. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also (lit. commits transgression of ) the law;
for sin is the transgression of the law.
DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED.
[Continued.]
THE GRAVE.
The words rendered grave in the O. T. are—1. Kever, a grave or cavern, from kovar to cover, to bury, to hide; 2. Ai or ee, a ruin, waste, or heap; 3. Shokhath, destruction; and 4. Sheol, which originally meant the grave, but afterwards became a general term, signifying the state of death. Ai is translated grave only in Job xxx, 24; but in the margin it is rendered heap. Shokhath is translated grave in Job xxxiii, 22. Kever is translated grave in about forty-seven places: Genesis xxxv, 20; Exodus, xiv, 11; 2 Samuel iii, 32; xix, 37; 1 Kings xiii, 30; xiv, 13; 2 Kings xxii, 20; xxiii, 6; 2 Chron. xxxiv, 4, 28; Job iii, 22; v, 26; x, 19; xiv, 13; xvii, 1; xxi, 32; Ps. lxxxviii, 5, 11; cxli, 7; Isa. liii, 9; lxv, 4; Jer. viii, 1; xx, 17; xxvi, 23; Eze. xxxii, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26; xxxvii, 12, 13; xxxix, 11; Na. i, 14. As only some of the dead are buried in their graves (keverim plural of kever,) but all the dead are in the state of death, of unconsciousness, all the dead are said to be in sheol. That sheol does not in the strictness of language mean grave, we shall demonstrate under that word. For the present we give but one instance where the sheol is mistranslated grave. Gen. xxxvii, 33, 35, "And he knew it; and said, My son's coat: an evil beast hath devoured him: Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces. . . And he said, For I will go down into sheol unto my son mourning." Mark, the pious patriarch says, Joseph is torn in pieces, is devoured; yet he expects to be with him in sheol: sheol is therefore neither the grave nor hell, as now understood, but the state of death.102
We shall have occasion to notice only one of the Greek words which are translated grave, namely, hades, in 1 Cor. xv, 55. See Hades. Be it remembered that the grave never represents a place of suffering; but of repose, of silence, of forgetfulness; a place where there is no knowledge, nor device; where all are indiscriminately consigned to nothingness and oblivion; and to the entire annihilation of being, to all whom Christ has not ransomed from the grave by a resurrection from the unconsciousness of death to an everlasting existence in his kingdom.
THE PRISON.
The word prison does not denote a receptacle in which the wicked will be tormented for ever. It sometimes occurs in the sense of grave: as in Isa. xlii, 1-7, "Behold my servant (the Christ) whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth. I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes (of the living) to bring out the prisoners (the dead) from the prison (the grave) [and] them that recline in darkness out of the prison house (the grave)." The same general sentiment is found in Isa. xlix, 8, "In an acceptable time have I heard thee . . . and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause the desolate heritages to be inherited; that thou mayest say to the prisoners, (those who are in graves,) go forth; to them that are in darkness, show yourselves." Ps. cxlii, 7, "Bring my soul out of prison (the grave) that I may praise thy name." Isa. lxi, 1, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison (the grave) to them that are bound (therein); to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God." Luke iv, 18. Ps. lxix, "For the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his prisoners." Speaking of high ones and kings, God says in Isa. xxiv, 22, "And they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit;" may refer to their being collected in the valleys of Jehoshaphat prior to their destruction in Gehenna: or, being brought down to death, be "visited" with a resurrection; and then the "Lord of armies shall reign in Mount Zion."—Bible vs. Tradition—pp. 177—184.
The True Pilgrim
By Bishop Hall
Those who travel in long pilgrimages to the Holy Land, what a number of weary paces they measure!—What a number of hard lodgings and known dangers they pass! And at last, when they are come within view of their journey's end what a large tribute pay they at the Psian Castle to the Turks! And when they are come thither, what see they but the bare sepulchre wherein their Saviour lay! and the earth that he trod upon to the increase of a carnal devotion? What labor should I willingly undertake in my journey to the true land of promise, the celestial Jerusalem, where I shall see and enjoy my Saviour himself! What tribute of pain or death should I refuse to pay for my entrance, not into his sepulchre, but his palace of glory, and that not to look upon, but to possess it?
To the Readers of the Advent Review.
By Editor
It is well known to many of our friends abroad that a number of disaffected persons are at the present time engaged in the circulation of unfavorable statements respecting the ADVENT REVIEW and those associated in conducting it. As this course has been pursued for some time past, it may be proper that we state the reasons why no reply has been made to these persons.
The work to which God has called us, is a high and holy work. It is nothing less than the presentation of the important truths which God addresses to the present generation. Whenever men have assailed our faith, or attempted to overthrow the position which we occupy, we have deemed it duty to meet them in the spirit of candor and show the fallacy of their arguments. But we have now another kind of attack, and one that exhibits far greater malice than any former effort on the part of our enemies. From what we have seen, we judge that no effort is spared on the part of these persons in getting up and circulating all kinds of scandalous and contemptible stories with the sole object of blackening the character of those against whom their assaults are made. To engage in such a controversy would be to leave the work of God, and come down to the same level with those who are engaged in this attack.
The contemptible course which these persons have pursued evinces that there is nothing to which they will not stoop; and that they are never likely to be out of scandal with which to assail those who have incurred their displeasure. What therefore shall we do? It may be duty that we state some facts in regard to these persons, that none may be deceived concerning the character and motives of those engaged in this work; and to this end we call upon our brethren who are acquainted in this matter, to furnish such testimony as would be to the point in regard to those things of which they may have personal knowledge, but to so far lose sight of our mission as to come down and meet all the inventions of their malignity we think not best. It is but a short time since a notable instance of this kind occurred. We refer to the wicked and malicious conspiracy formed against the Editor of the Advent Herald. It is true that Elder Himes gave his enemies an utter discomfiture; but what was the result upon the cause in which he was engaged? We think that it was exceedingly disastrous. His energies were expended in meeting the malicious attacks and wicked falsehoods of his foes. As a matter of course they were not expended in the work to which he professes to have been called. Spiritual death and darkness followed as a natural result.
We think that the great object of our arch foe in stirring up his agents at the present time is to engage us in defending ourselves from their malice and scandal. Should we engage in such business, we conclude that little time would be left us for the work of God. And to engage in the refutation of scandal would be to disgrace the columns of the ADVENT REVIEW, and to sicken and disgust the hearts of the people of God.
Moreover the character of the sheet which publishes to the world the folly and malice of its conductors is its own sufficient refutation. Those who are able to relish such food as its columns furnish, can have little taste for the word of God and the powers of the world to come. None who love or make a lie can injure the cause of God by separating themselves from it.
Were we to engage in this work with these persons, as a matter of course, not only ourselves, but all the brethren interested in the REVIEW, would be drawn away from the work of God to an unprofitable controversy. But there is a better course for us, and by the grace of God we intend to steadfastly pursue it.
Brethren, we entreat you to cleave to the work of God, and to leave to themselves those who would call you to another work. We have no other feeling toward them than that of pity; but if they will not serve God themselves, let us not suffer them to hinder us. "Dearly beloved avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath."
We are charged with adopting another rule of faith than the Scriptures of truth. The columns of the ADVENT REVIEW, from the first volume until the present number, are a sufficient refutation of this charge. We do not deny the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but we regard them as designed only to lead men to the word of God. This has ever been our position, the malice of our enemies to the contrary notwithstanding.
It remains that we say a word relative to Brother White. His faithfulness in attempting to correct the wayward and fanatical course of these men in the past, makes him now the special object of attack. It is with pleasure therefore that we here express our confidence in his integrity and uprightness. The course which he has pursued in the management of the ADVENT REVIEW, meets our decided approbation. We feel sure that those who have witnessed his untiring efforts to serve the cause of God, will not be moved by the calumnies of those who have not the fear of God before their eyes.
As these disaffected individuals influence the minds of some honest persons by their slanderous falsehoods, we would say that if any brother or sister wishes an explanation of any of their statements they can obtain it by addressing the Publishing Committee.
J. N. ANDREWS, R. F. COTTRELL, URIAH SMITH, Publishing Committee.
CONSISTENCY.
By John Nevins Andrews
CONSISTENCY is a rare jewel. Truth is consistent with itself; but error has as many heads and horns as the Apocalyptic dragon. This is well illustrated by the following veritable
CREED.
Article 1. I believe that the Sabbath has been changed to the first day of the week.
Article 2. I believe that Sunday is the true seventh day, and that it should be observed.
Article 3. I believe that we cannot tell what day the seventh day is.
Article 4. I believe that we are only required to keep one seventh part of time.
Article 5. I believe that the commandment to keep the seventh day is abolished.
Article 6. I believe that those who keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment will fall from grace.
Article 7. I believe that every one should be fully persuaded in their own mind, whether to keep the Sabbath or not.
Reader, the foregoing is not a mere fancy sketch; I have met with a large number, who in the course of a single conversation, have avowed their faith in all the articles of the above creed. There are plenty of such all around you. Is this your creed? If so, permit me to point you to a better one. It consists of ten articles, and may be found in Ex. xx. Allow me to recommend this creed to you as infallible, it having been given by Jehovah in person, and written with his own finger on stone. You will find in its fourth article all the errors of the foregoing creed pointed out. What men have said of certain creeds of their own construction, may be said of this in truth: 'If a man keep not this, no doubt he shall perish everlastingly.'
J. N. A.
The Command for keeping Sunday.
By John Nevins Andrews
THIS much needed precept, has been sought with extraordinary diligence by those who "love the rest of man's invention" better than the holy of the Lord and honorable, the Rest-day of Jehovah. Driven to the utmost extremity they have been obliged to admit that the New Testament, which they say teaches the institution of a new Sabbath, does not contain any commandment for the observance of that day. Heretofore we have pointed out their fraudulent attempt to seize the fourth commandment. In this note we call attention to the fact that that commandment is the only precept in the Bible which tells us how to keep the first day of the week. That precept says: "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work." Whoever obeys the only precept for Sunday-keeping in the Bible, will commence labor on the first day of the week, just as God did, and when the Rest-day of the Lord arrives, they will cease from labor, and observe it according to the commandment. Whoever wishes to obey God in the observance of Sunday, can here find his will plainly expressed.
J. N. A.
COMMUNICATIONS.
By S. W. Rhodes
From Bro. Rhodes.
DEAR BRO. WHITE :—I received your kind letter a day or two since, and with pleasure comply with your reasonable request in letting the Church know through the Review, my present condition and position as nearly as I may be capable of judging in the matter. I will use as a figure by which to represent my outward man, an old and nearly-worn-out piece of mechanism, not fit for service until much repaired.
The ague and fever with which I was so severely attacked last June at Rochester, stayed fast by me (though in a milder form than at first) until Aug. 29th. The disease so prostrated me that I could labor neither in word nor doctrine, manually nor mentally. The weakness of my eyes has not permitted me to read more than a few verses per day, and some of the time not any without sensibly injuring my eyes. Since about the first of Sept. I have gained strength of eyes, body and mind slowly. According to the promise I lacked no good things kind friends could afford me, during my illness. I found the promise of Jesus [Mark x, 30] verified to me. I have found a "hundred fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers," (in Israel.) I thank God for giving me so many good friends, and hope ever to remember with grateful feelings the kind acts of those dear brethren and sisters who so faithfully and freely administered to my necessities while in affliction. May the Lord grant them a reward in his kingdom, is my prayer, for I cannot reward them.
I have often said within myself, as did David, [Ps. cxix, 71,] "It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes." Again it is said, "Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now have I kept thy word." I thank God for the peace of mind, patience, and reconciliation he has given to me during the trials of the past eight months. "Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed." Rom. v, 4, 5. I thank God for tribulation, patience, experience and hope.
My chronic disease catarrh and cough, is quite sore upon me; yet I trust in God that I shall recover strength to labor in his vineyard. During two weeks past I made a short circuit among the saints to try my health and strength. I find myself not able to speak publicly more than once or twice a week without much injury to my health. I earnestly desire to do good in the cause of Christ, and labor more successfully than I ever have in the whitening harvest.
I humbly crave the prayers of the Church that I may recover strength to help swell the loud cry of the third angel's message.
My position is as it has been for the last five years, with this variation; viz., a great increase of light on the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. When I speak or write in vindication of present truth, my heart burns with love to God and his people, and I feel strengthened to plod my way on through tribulation deep toward the promised inheritance, to that rest for which we now labor. I feel firmly fixed and rooted in keeping God's moral law and the sayings of his Son Jesus. I trust I am growing slowly in grace and in the knowledge of the truth, and am occasionally winning by faith in Christ, new victories over new developments of the carnal mind, and am striving to keep my body and spirit in subjection to the Father of spirits, "lest after having preached to others I should become a cast-away." Since I left Rochester, I have called on the brethren in Cayuga, Oswego, Jefferson, Oneida, Onondaga, Madison, and Chenango counties, and find them holding on their way, and some of them growing stronger and stronger. I have seen a few through the Summer and Fall who are falling in love with the doctrine of the Bible; embracing the light of present revealed truth.
Dear Brother, by what I learn from the Review and otherwise, I conclude that a few who were formerly with us are now gone out from us. I have been grieved in hearing of the course and position of some in the vicinity of Rochester and in Michigan, who are speaking evil of those who have in faithfulness reproved them for their faults. I have no sympathy or union with the course, views, feelings, and spirit of those disaffected members, who have been disfellowshipped by the Church, and noticed in the Review. My heart and life are wrapped up in the truths of the message of the third angel. My spirit is in union with the spirit of those who have labored, toiled and struggled through trial, conflict deep and sore, and discouragements, during eight or nine years past, in the dark and cloudy day, in search of here and there a scattered sheep, to bring them to the fold of Christ, and place them by the standard and under the banner of the angel of God's presence. Here, I pause and weep, as I reflect upon what God has done by his servants in establishing his Church again upon the rock. My heart is knit with those faithful laborers, on whom the Lord has laid much of the burden of his work and cause. My prayer is that the gracious Lord may greatly bless with his holy Spirit, to strengthen and prosper those who have the charge, under God, of the Review, and those who write for its columns. The Lord helping me, I will try to meet you, Bro. and Sr. White, in the holy City, to dwell with you and all the pure hearted saints forever in the holy land.
Yours in the furnace of affliction,
S. W. RHODES.
New Places Opening for the Last Message
By Joseph Bates
From Bro. Bates.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Since my last from Fremont, the 5th inst. new places have been opening for the last message of mercy. The morrow after the Sabbath meeting with our Brn. in Ballsville and Green Springs. Bro. Hawkins and self were passing on towards Fremont, and met two men in a wagon who had rode about eight miles that morning to attend a second advent meeting. We informed them that our meeting had closed there. One of them said, we had heard something of your meetings and wished to hear for ourselves, and if it is truth, would like to have you give a course of lectures at the Cooksville schoolhouse. We arrived with them in time for the afternoon meeting, and continued lecturing five following evenings. Some mocked and scoffed, but a number admitted the truth and were exceedingly tried with their neighbors who endeavored at the close of our work to disturb the meetings. We disposed of quite a number of tracts. Bro. Dorcas, one of the men who invited us to this place, embraced the whole truth, and opened his home for the first Sabbath meeting. Himself with all his family and three others began to keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, and one Sister, that could not attend kept the Sabbath with her family at home.
The next day (15th inst.) I rode with Bro. Dorcas some eighteen miles to visit the peninsula, the northeastern extremity of the state of Ohio. We arrived in season for an evening meeting in Port Clinton, Ottawa Co. During the week we lectured in three different districts and visited many families and distributed tracts among them. The people on this arm of the sea have heard but little respecting the second advent of our Lord, or the Sabbath question. They listened attentively to the word. Many received the Sabbath tracts and said they would examine this subject. In a place called Danbury, on the Lake shore, a Methodist Bro. who procured the meeting-house for us, was returning home from the evening meeting in company with others when one of his acquaintance accosted him thus: "What do you think of this doctrine?" At first he seemed rather unwilling to speak, but soon replied, "I think the man is half right." "So do I," said he. Said another who had providentially attended the meeting, being a stranger from a distance, "I have thought considerable about this, and I never could see how the first day of the week was the Sabbath." He appeared anxious to hear more and examine the books which he had just received. Another professor spoke afterwards and said he could not see why the Seventh day was not right, &c.
From thence I passed to Oxford via Sandusky, and kept the Sabbath with the brethren who meet at Bro. Sweet's and Tillison's. In the evening preached in the school-house in Perkins, and arranged to preach in the same house three times the next day, it being the first day. Although it rained all day, and but a few came in the morning, yet, it was manifest by the increasing numbers in the afternoon and evening meetings, that the people were anxious to hear. We were told several times if the weather had been favorable the house would not have held the hearers. Several furnished themselves with books, and seemed anxious to examine the subject still further. One said he believed the seventh day was the Sabbath. One old sea captain a fellow prisoner with me in Dartmoore, Eng. in 1814 though not there acquainted, seemed quite anxious. When he was leaving the house at noon I said, Captain, will you have some of the books? No, said he, I don't want any books, but I can't do it to hear you through. [I learned that he believed in universalism.] After the meeting was dismissed in the evening he came crowding in with others, and said, "Let me have some of your books." Bro. Loughborough held a few meetings in this place last Spring.
24th, came to Clarksfield Hollow. Here Bro. Case procured the Baptist meeting-house for three evenings. Those who came to hear listened attentively, but the meetings were thin owing to the prejudice against the doctrine of the Advent. They had the first angel's message here in 1844, since then they have lost sight of the work of God; and like thousands of others have supposed that the doctrine of the second advent ended then. One man among others stated to Bro. Case, that he did not want but about two minutes to overthrow the whole doctrine. At the close of the last meeting this gentleman who had been a silent listener for two evenings instead of any objection, came with others to purchase the books, and seemed very anxious to have the whole set.
Considerable interest was manifest at our conference in North Milan, near Bro. Tillison's, the 27-29th inst. Some that had listened to the message before, acknowledged that they were convinced. I trust they will also do. During the meeting, the Brn. present resolved forth-with to raise one hundred dollars to be kept for a standing fund for the purpose of purchasing such publications as you are issuing from the office of the Review. That there may be no delay in furnishing books to all their brethren and friends who wish to read, in the state of Ohio. They hope to be provided with a tent also in the Spring, and if "the Lord will," spread the last message of mercy far and near through the state. May the Lord quicken and inspire his law-loving, law-keeping children with more than mortal energy, that they may arouse as one man and put forth all their energies to spread the mighty cry of the third angel's message "before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."
JOSEPH BATES.
Fremont, Ohio, Oct., 30th, 1854.
The Second Advent and the Sabbath
By J. Edgerton
From Bro. Edgerton.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Through the goodness of God I am permitted to acknowledge the reception of your valuable paper. I have been afflicted with the loss of my eye-sight for the last three months so that I have been unable to write or to read until this present time. Your valuable paper has been a source of much comfort and satisfaction, situated as we are, strangers and pilgrims amidst the surrounding gloom of modern infidelity under the name of harmonial philosophy and popular theology. The minister of the Baptist church here gave out that he would preach a discourse on the second advent of our Lord, stating that he had believed the doctrine more than twenty years. The time arrived for his second advent teaching, he took a good and appropriate passage of scripture as the foundation of his discourse. "The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night." He said that there should be no sign given of Christ's second coming, and quoted the words of our Lord to the wicked scribes and pharisees. There shall no sign be given to this wicked generation but the sign of the prophet Jonas. His design confidently was to evade103the truth of the doctrine he professed to believe; namely, the second advent of Christ. It was obvious to us that he intended to ridicule both us and our belief of the present truth.
The next First-day this same minister preached a discourse to overthrow the Sabbath, but we were not there. He stated to his audience that he had prepared a discourse on the Sabbath but those that he prepared it for were not present. It was well known to the congregation, who the speaker meant; for we have declared in public and in private conversation that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God. Some few are investigating the subject, while others are skeptical. O, that the Lord would open their eyes to behold wondrous things out of his law. I wish that some of our Advent preachers would come here. "Come over into Macedonia and help us."