Review and Herald, Vol. 24, No. 20. (10/11/1864)

Review and Herald

Oct 11, 1864

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 11, 1864

Characteristics of the Last Days.

By W. Cadman. M. A.

As the period spoken of as the last days, must be viewed in its beginning as connected with the first Advent of our blessed Lord, so it must be viewed in its termination as connected with His second Advent; and the expression, "the last days," is specially characteristic of the time immediately preceding the termination of the period mentioned as the last times. There has been the spirit of evil and ungodliness during the whole of this time, but it will be specially manifested and fully developed, at the close of the period thus indicated, and immediately preceding the Advent of the Lord. It is immediately preceding the Advent that Peter says (2, Ep. iii, 3, 4), "There shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for, since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

I pass on, then, to endeavor to describe what the Apostle gives as the characteristic feature of this period.

It is plainly stated, that it will be distinguished by the existence of scoffers. Such persons have existed from the time when righteous Abel was persecuted by his brother. As Ishmael mocked at Isaac, so, during the whole continuance of God's forbearance with ungodly men, the seed of the woman has been persecuted by those that are born after the flesh. And as it was then, even so it is now; all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But, you will observe, that the Apostle Peter speaks of a peculiar kind of "scoffers, walking after their own lusts;" namely, those who direct their scoffing especially at the doctrine of the Lord's Second Advent; not merely showing a general dislike to the truths of Revelation, and endeavoring to turn them into ridicule, but especially manifesting that dislike against those truths which speak of the Lord's coming again. They are represented as laughing to scorn the promise of that coming, "saying, Where is the promise of His coming?"

Now we learn from this, that in the last days, just before the Lord's Advent, the doctrine of His second coming will excite attention, for even scoffers know of it. How? They are not the persons generally inclined to study the Bible for themselves. That is an insipid and neglected book to them. It would therefore appear, that at the period spoken of, the expectation of the Lord's speedy coming has begun to be more vividly entertained by His waiting people, and to be more earnestly proclaimed. They have come to speak more of it, so that it is made a subject of special attention. No sooner is this the case than the scoffers come forward to ridicule it, and to laugh at it.

The Apostle's language shows also, that the expectation of Christ's waiting people has been long unfulfilled. If as soon as they declared that they were waiting for the Lord's coming, and looking upon the announcement of it as a sure portion of revealed truth, the Lord had immediately appeared, there would have been no room for the scoffers, and there would have been nothing to give occasion to their ridicule. That which gives point to their scoffs is, that the believing people of Christ have been long stating that they were expecting Christ's speedy coming in the clouds of heaven, whilst yet He had not come. Yea, some of them, in the warmth of those feelings of desire, which have been kindled within them by looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, have allowed their wishes to go beyond what God's word authorized, and have antedated the period of Christ's coming. They have expected it at a certain definite period, and that period has come, and passed away, and there has been no coming of Christ, such as they looked for. We can account for this. But, ungodly men understand not these things. Hence the occasion of their bitter and sarcastic taunts and revillings at the disappointment of the waiting church, and the seeming delay of the Lord's coming. The longer His coming is delayed, and the more earnestly His people state their expectations of it, the louder are the revillings and the taunts of those who say, "Where is the promise of His coming?"

Again, the Apostle's words seem to show, that, amongst many persons living in the last days, the coming of the Lord will be a subject of special dislike. "There shall arise scoffers, walking after their own lusts." The love of sin is the secret of many a man's infidelity; and the love of sin is the secret of the scoffing of the last scorners. Satan, who rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, hates the doctrine concerning the Lord's Advent; because, when Jesus, who has the kingdoms of this world by right, shall appear, the usurper shall be dethroned, and cast into the bottomless pit, and be allowed, except during one brief interval, to deceive the nations no more. It is not surprising, therefore, that he stirs up in the hearts of the ungodly, hatred to that truth which he himself specially dislikes. Now, when we consider that the ungodly themselves are at enmity with Christ, that they are unprepared to meet Him, and yet that they must personally confront Him as their present God, can we be surprised that they try to banish from their thoughts that which does but torment them before the time, and that they strive to believe that that will never be, which, if it come, is sure to prove their everlasting ruin?

Further, we learn from the Apostle's remark, that the scoffing of the last days will continue, in spite of the warnings of God's ministers and of God's word. It will continue until the day of the Lord comes. For, mark; long delay as the coming has been, long expected as it has been by his waiting people, long scoffed at as it has been by the ungodly, the day of the Lord will come, as a thief in the night. Paul says, When men shall say, "Peace and safety," when they shall have quieted their consciences on this subject, and quite satisfied themselves that there is no danger, "then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. v, 1-3.

This, then, is the great distinctive feature of the last days,—the existence of those who not only disbelieve the doctrine of the Lord's appearing, but who will not hear of it, who scoff at it, and ridicule it. And it would seem as if God had cast our lot in the very midst of the last days. Were we to examine other passages of Scripture, it would be easy to point out various signs and tokens of the nearness of Christ's coming, which meet and combine in our own day in a way that they have never met or combined before.

What then, is the lesson which we should derive from this? Is it not, for ourselves, that we should flee from the wrath to come, and secure an interest in the great salvation of Christ? and for others, that we should, in all sincerity and earnestness, exhort and entreat all with whom we have to do, to "seek the Lord while He may be found," and to "call upon Him while he is near?" Especially should we be admonished to beware of entertaining a scoffing spirit on subjects connected with the Lord's Second Advent. Scoffers will abound in the last days, and scoffers are in the highest form of the Devil's school. Truths connected with the Lord's Advent, appearing, and kingdom, are too serious to be spoken of lightly, or to be rejected thoughtlessly. I therefore beseech you, reader, even though you do not receive all that the Christian ministers may think it their duty to state concerning the premillennial Advent of our Lord Jesus,—though you may not be able to agree with all these statements,—yet, do not scoff at them, do not ridicule them; examine them, rather; bring them to the test of God's word; pray for the teaching of the Holy Ghost; seek to weigh them in the balances of the sanctuary; and let the result of your reading and hearing of such truths or statements be at least, to lead you to prepare for the coming of the day of God, be it near, or be it distant. You cannot be wrong in thus preparing for the coming of Christ; and you cannot be right if you sit down in the chair of the scorners, and swell the torrent of obloquy and reproach cast upon such statements as these.—W. Cadman. M. A.

Christian Musings.

A HYMN found in an English cottage, author unknown.

In the still silence of the voiceless night, When, chased by airy dreams, the slumbers flee, Whom, in the darkness, doth my spirit seek: O God, but Thee?

And if there be a weight upon my heart, Some vague impression of the day foregone, Scarce knowing what it is, I fly to Thee, And lay it down.

Or if it be the heaviness that comes In token of anticipated ill, My bosom takes no heed of what it is, Since 'tis Thy will.

For oh, in spite of past and present care, Or any thing besides, how joyfully Passes that almost solitary hour, My God, with Thee!

More tranquil than the stillness of the night, More peaceful than the silence of that hour, More blest than any thing, my spirit lies Beneath Thy power.

For what is there on earth that I desire, Of all that it can give or take from me, Or whom in heaven doth my spirit seek, O God, but Thee!

TOBACCO ON RELIGION

Tobacco-Using. No. 11.

TOBACCO ON RELIGION.

(Concluded.)

THE time has certainly come when men possessing intelligence and a spirit of humanity,—men desiring the promotion of virtue and religion, and especially men professing Christianity,—should wake up to this matter, and commence a reform. In this, as in every other moral enterprise, the church ought to take the lead. It is a lamentable fact—one that should bring the blushings of shame upon the face of Zion—that, in some of the most worthy enterprises of moral reforms that have ever come to the help of humanity and of God, the church have been among the last that have put their hands to the work. Men of the world, who cared not for Christ or his kingdom, began and carried on the effort, till the current became so strong, that those who professed the name of Christ must either suffer themselves to be disgraced, or get aboard the life-boat and ply the oar. Heaven grant that the dense, dark cloud that hangs over the moral vision of the world, on this subject, may first break away from before the mind of the church! Let them become in this matter "a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Let the ministers of Christ awake. Let their condemning testimony be duly given in their preaching;—aye, first let them cleanse their own mouths, if need be, from this ungodly filthiness; and then, with eloquence, portray the evils of this vice. And let the church sustain them by example and precept in this labor. If any one has become so blinded by habits that stupefy the moral sense, that they cannot see, let them resolve, at least, that they never will put this thing to their lips again till they have gone to their closets and asked counsel of God. Does any one think that tobacco would ever have become a luxury to Adam and his posterity, if the primitive state had been maintained? Does any one suppose that, if Christ were now personally upon earth, he would be found putting the deadly thing to his lips? If not, then let his followers cease to defile themselves with it. And let them wipe off the dark stains of their sin in this indulgence, which they have hitherto left upon their house dedicated to the hallowed purpose of Divine worship. Let Satan henceforth be unable to track his dirty customers wherever they go, and especially to know their steps in the house of God by the marks which they leave upon it.

How would Paul, and Peter, and John, look, standing up now among the people in the house of God, with quids of tobacco in their mouths, with its juices defiling their lips, spitting the stuff in every direction, spending ten or twenty dollars of their stinted salary, every year, on this besetting, enslaving sin, and preaching the doctrine of self-denial, crucifixion of the flesh, pecuniary economy, and liberal support of the Lord's treasury? How would they and the primitive church look, devoutly spitting over the house of God, and leaving the marks of their debasing habit on every side of them? Could any one consider their devotion to such a fleshly, lustful habit, a mark of deep sanctification of the Holy Ghost, and profound consecration to Christ?

And is the habit among modern professors of Christianity any less in conflict with true godliness than it would have been in primitive times? Such a habit would have scandalized the whole primitive church; and it is a living scandal on modern Zion. To see church-members, professing to deny themselves of all ungodliness and worldly lust, carrying this satauic agent of human lust and self-destruction in their mouths, and leaving the sure marks of their physical, mental and spiritual degradation on everything within their reach, reflects shame, and disgrace, and hypocrisy, upon the whole modern church. All enlightened common sense must see that it is not only an indulgence which is supremely foolish, but that which wars against the soul and the salvation of men.

How annoying to a decent man to be seated in the church beside a tobacco-user, who is continually vomiting up his foul decoction at his feet! The liquid filth of a sty could scarcely present a more loathsome spectacle. The pourings-forth of this foul stuff from his mouth, which floods the floor or covers the box devoted to its reception, together with the splashings and spatterings which are the unavoidable accompaniments, are quite enough to spoil the best sermon that could be preached, if not capsize the stomach of every unfortunate beholder. The dresses of ladies and the hats of gentlemen are generally compelled to share in the besmearings of the operation. Especially, if a lady would bow in prayer upon the kneeling-stool, the folds of her dress must be dipped in the fountain that has fallen from the tobacco-mill by her side.

In view of these truths, which no one can intelligently gainsay, the church ought at once to awake to the dreadful evil. Let those who not only love humanity, but the cause of God, take a decided stand against this enemy to the physical, intellectual and spiritual welfare of the world. Let them say to this destroyer within their precincts, "Thus far shalt thou go and no further." This decisive stand should be taken by every present user of the article. Let each determine that this indecency, and this sin against Christ and his cause, shall no longer be found upon him. And having washed his own soul and body from these stains, let him endeavor to rescue others from the grasp of this tyrant.

But this should be done in the spirit of Christian meekness and love. We must remember that the progress of all moral improvement depends on the progress of light. By the light which we have to-day, we may too severely condemn the position of some one who yet is encompassed in our own yesterday's darkness. Before we censure, we should throw light and moral suasion around those whom we would win to paths of righteousness. If, after all due light and entreaties, some will continue slaves to fleshly lusts, we must condemn and deliver them over to the buffetings of Satan on earth, and the judgment of God in eternity.

Some are so wedded to unnatural and ungodly habits, that it may be found impossible to approach them with light upon their sins, without giving offence. Whoever makes war on created appetites, must expect often to find his hand thrust into a wasp's nest, and stung by way of their making self-defence. But this should never intimidate him who puts forth his energies for the spread of truth. The fact that men get angry when we kindly but promptly describe their vices, furnishes incontestable proof of internal, though perhaps unrecognized, consciousness that the truth is against them. When the devotees of tobacco become moved with wrath against those who exhibit the realities of such idolatry, it shows the Devil is disturbed, and is trying to defend his habitation. This should encourage, rather than intimidate, the advocate of reform; because Satan has too much common sense to be disturbed, except when his castle is really in danger.

Let me say again, LET THE CHURCH WAKE UP! They are more firmly wedded to this debasing idol than to anything else on earth or in Heaven. To be gratified in its taste is a greater desideratum to its devotee than any other attainment. Every Christian is certainly bound to be a decent man. But in this he makes a perfect sacrifice of decency to pamper his lust. For no man can be decent, and defile his mouth and his breath, his exterior person, and those around him, with such foul besmearings.

Every servant of Christ is bound, ex officio, to be, in the choicest sense of the term, a gentleman. But no man can be strictly a gentleman in the use of tobacco. Aside from the fashionableness of the thing, which, of course, does not change its real character, the habit would be considered by all, one of the greatest outrages on civilization and gentlemanly conduct. The constant spitting of the filthy juice; daubing the floors, carpets, walls, dresses, and the faces of SPITTERS and SPITTEES; and the beclouding and adulterating of the atmosphere; together with the puffs in the face;—always a perfect nuisance to the lovers of pure air;—are considerations quite sufficient to keep a man of such habits from ever being graduated a gentleman.

Christians should be lovers of humanity. After the example of the Divine Pattern, they should go about doing good, by relieving human suffering. But tobacco makes a stronger draft upon their affections and their funds than human sympathy. There is many a man who would see widows and orphans, and even his own wife and children, suffer long for want of bread to eat, rather than leave off tobacco, if he had no other means, and devote the money for its purchase to their supply of food. This is a startling, and yet a tangible truth; and one that should look every tobacco-slave in the face. Nine out of ten would sooner endure the sight of starvation in others, than the teasing of this denied lust.

Let ten men devoted to tobacco visit the dwellings of the poor in company; let them look into the cottage of the poor widow: she and her orphan children are gathered around the few expiring embers in mid-winter's evening, all shivering with the increasing cold, and in prospect of freezing to death. They ate the last morsel of bread in their dwelling for breakfast—having nothing left, and are in prospect of starvation. These men, who are accustomed to lay their money on Tobacco's foul altar, look on, and pity, so far as a narcotised soul can be made to feel; but, rely upon it, if their only means of giving relief was forever to abandon this destroyer, and cast a portion of their money saved, into the trembling hand of this suffering widow, for herself and orphan babes, nine out of ten of these idol worshippers, if not ten out of ten, would pass on and let them perish. O human nature! how deeply hast thou fallen! into what appalling slavery hast thou sold thyself! unto what degrading idolatry hast thou abandoned thy soul!

But more than this. They love this idol-god more than they do the Author of their salvation, and the souls for whom he died. Instead of loving God with all the heart, they love tobacco with supreme attachment, and lay a far greater offering upon its altar of incense than upon the altar of Christ. As already stated, the American church is paying five times as much money for this needless, hurtful indulgence, as they are paying for the spread of gospel light and the salvation of benighted men in the heathen world. By their example, they are leading the rising generation into a destructive habit, which engenders other physical and moral vices; and which, in itself, as also its associates, tends to shield the heart against gospel grace, and shuts its victims out of the kingdom of Heaven.

To illustrate the fact that Christian tobacco-users—if the terms are not incongruous—are more attached to this idol than they are to the cause of Christ, the case of a church in Texas, which was related to me when there, will be found appropriate.

A small church, of some fifty members, made an effort to supply their village with gospel preaching. To meet this demand required the sum of three hundred dollars to be subscribed. They succeeded in raising two hundred, but the remaining one hundred could not be secured; and for want of this, the place remained destitute of preaching. On examination, it was found that in that church there were twenty male members who used each, on an average, twenty dollars' worth of tobacco annually—making collectively the sum of four hundred dollars paid out annually for their supply of this destroyer of body and soul.

This shows, by mathematical demonstration, the comparative estimate in which they held the preaching of the gospel for themselves and the community, and their carnal gratifications with tobacco. While they did not love Christ, and his truth, and the salvation of souls, enough to raise another hundred dollars, they did think their unnatural fleshly gratifications worth four times that sum; they loved tobacco more than four times as much as they did the glory of Christ in the eternal salvation of men.

This is not to be reckoned an isolated case. This only illustrates a general rule, which has few exceptions. The churches as a whole throughout the land, are worshipping this loathsome idol with more zeal and steadfastness than they are the God of Heaven. The proportion of money, which cannot be less than 5,000,000 annually, together with the sacrifice of time and health and life, compared with the offerings made to God, shows forth this soul-chilling truth in dreadful certainty.

Oh! let the church up and shake herself from the grasp of this foe that has enslaved her! Let her wash herself from the stains of his polluting touch. Let her put away this "superfluity of naughtiness," this worldly lust which wars against the soul.

How can a Christian pray for God to sanctify him wholly,—body, soul and spirit,—while he is habitually indulging an unnatural appetite, which paralyzes the body, animalizes the mind, and carnalizes the heart?

How can he ask Heaven to give him means for sustaining the various gospel enterprises, while he is worse than wasting many times as large a sum as he now contributes for such purposes? How can he ask for the agency of Divine inspiration to make his instrumentalities effective in winning men to the Cross, and the crucifixion of the flesh, while he himself is serving a fleshly lust, which counteracts the Holy Spirit upon his own soul, and is setting an example of devotion to carnality which turns all his zeal into mockery, and his words into sounds which have no moral power?

Doings of the Fourth Annual Session of the Minnesota State Conference.

According to the appointment of the committee, the Minnesota Conference held its fourth annual meeting at Pleasant Grove, Minn., Friday Sept. 15th 1864. Meeting opened with prayer by the chairman. Pleasant Grove, Oronoco, and Deerfield were represented by authorized delegates, the latter sending two.

Moved, by Bro. Bostwick, that all brethren in good standing with any of our churches, take part in the doings of this meeting. Carried.

The doings of the last session were called up and approved by vote. The churches represented now reported their standing through the delegates, all indicating union and prosperity, and considerable increase of membership during the year. Reports of labor for the Conference were now called up. Accounts of labor, receipts and expenses of Brn. Sanborn, Bostwick, Morse, and Allen were presented. A committee on the nomination of officers was now chosen, consisting of the following brethren, viz.; Wm. Merry, F. W. Morse, and E. W. Darling. Adjourned until evening after the Sabbath.

Adjourned session was convened according to appointment. Prayer by Bro. Lashier. The nominating committee presented the names of the following brethren as officers for the ensuing year; namely, Washington Morse, President, F. W. Morse, Secretary and Treasurer, W. Morse, W. M. Allen, Jno. Bostwick executive Committee. The nomination was approved and the brethren elected in accordance therewith.

It was then moved and carried that we adopt the amendment recommended by the General Conference, providing for an auditing committee of six to act in connection with the executive committee in the settlement of accounts for the preceding year. The following brethren were nominated and duly elected as members of this committee; viz., Brn. H. F. Lashier, E. W. Darling, E. Odell, H. Grant, C. G. Campbell and Bro Patch.

Report of the Treasurer was now given. Amount paid into the treasury during the year, $152,50; amount paid out during the year, $104,70. Balance on hand, $47,90. This does not represent our Conference fund. The different churches have not reported themselves through their treasurers.

Credentials of ministers was taken up. The credentials of Brn. W. Morse and Jno. Bostwick were renewed; also credentials were given to Bro. W. M. Allen, and a license to F. W. Morse, to prove his gift in publicly presenting the truth. The Executive Committee were authorized to procure the doings of the General Conference; also our Conference transactions, in pamphlet form for distribution among the churches.

Moved, that the proceedings of this session be sent to the Review for publication. Carried. Adjourned sine die.

WASHINGTON MORSE, Pres't. F. W. MORSE, Sec'y.

What Do Your Children Read?

A lad of sixteen lay upon his death-bed. A wasting consumption was slowly, but surely, doing its fatal work. He was a former pupil of mine. I approached his bedside, took him by the hand, and gazed a moment on his thin, emaciated form, pale, hollow cheeks, and sunken eyes, all telling me that his sojourn on earth must be brief.

"How are you to-day, Arthur?" I asked. "Do you suffer much lying here?"

"Sometimes I suffer a good deal, especially from difficulty in breathing."

"Do you think you will get well?"

"No, sir."

"Would you like to get well?"

"It makes but little difference with me, whether I do or not."

"Does the thought of approaching death give you any anxiety or alarm?"

"I have no fears nor care about it."

"Do you feel willing to die?"

"I have wished I were dead a hundred times since I have been sick, to get rid of my sufferings."

"What is your hope for the future?"

"I do not concern myself at all about the future."

He answered all these inquiries in a strong, clear voice, but with the most stoical indifference. He seemed not to manifest, by look or tone, the least solicitude, feeling or care, in view of his speedy entrance upon the untried realities of eternity. I spoke to him of the Saviour, as the only hope of the sinner; the only one who can give sweet visions of glory, and peace, and rest, in the hour of death, and save forever in Heaven. Afterward I asked him if I should pray with him.

"I do not care, if you want to," he replied, with the listlessness and coldness which deeply impressed me. I knelt by the bedside, and commended him to the Saviour of sinners.

In two or three days he died, apparently without any change in his feelings. A short time after, his father made this remark in my hearing: "My son lies in yonder cemetery—an INFIDEL—from the effects of novel reading!"

Parents, what do your children read? Are they allowed to select for themselves, and suffered unconsciously to imbibe the moral poison subtly permeating too many books of the present day?

Letter from Africa.

SISTER H. MORE writes from Cape Palmas, Africa: I feel quite lonely keeping the Sabbath by myself. I hope your society may do something toward a Sabbath-keeping mission in this part of Africa. I do not wonder there has not been a greater outpouring of the Spirit, when I think of the follies and traditions which have been set against the eternal truth of God. Oh, that the time might be hastened when all God's people shall see eye to eye. I love the truth, and by it hope to be made free indeed. Till then I must labor in that sphere allotted me by a wise providence; and may I so labor that God's blessing may ever attend and crown my efforts with abundant success. I ask no higher boon than to be wise to win souls. I know God can perfect strength even through my weakness, and in him I will put my trust, and on him cast my care. I know not what awaits me, but leaning on his potent arm I am safe.

Oh, how sublime is the looked-for event of his glorious advent. We hail with joy the harbingers of that event to which the eyes of God's chosen ones are directed, believing "the wise will understand," and since God will do nothing but he revealeth it to his servants the prophets, Amos iii, 7, I love to think that those who are watching and waiting, will know more than those who are careless or indifferent on so momentous a subject. I can thus see a reason why none of the wicked shall understand. How important to keep our lamps trimmed and lights burning, that when the Lord comes, we may be found ready. Let our conversation be in Heaven, from whence we look for the glorious appearing of the Son of man, who will change our vile bodies and make them like unto his glorious body.

Do Good.

EVER be doing good. "Two things make a good Christian—good actions and good aims; and though a good aim doth not make a bad action good, as in Uzziah; yet a bad aim makes a good action bad, as in Jehu, whose justice was approved, but his policy punished."

The Rev. William Grimshaw, who preached fifteen, twenty, and often thirty times in a week, and that for fifteen years together, said: "When I die I shall then have my greatest grief and my greatest joy—my greatest grief that I have done so little for Jesus, and my greatest joy that Jesus has done so much for me. My last words shall be: Here goes an unprofitable servant."

Always abound in the work of the Lord. Do good. Labor now; you shall have rest enough in Heaven. "Two Heavens are too much for those to expect that never deserved one." This is not our rest. Here we are to accomplish, as an hireling, our day: here we are to occupy till our Lord come; and we should be diligent, that we may render our account at last with joy and not with grief—abounding in the work of the Lord, rich in good works. The Christian must not be an idler. Let this be his motto; Trust in the Lord and do good. Do good!

Jesus, My Refuge

"Cast down, but not Destroyed." 2 Cor. iv, 9

JESUS, lo! I come to thee! Thou my Friend and Saviour be: Sinful, weak, defenceless, poor, I Thy sovereign grace implore; On me turn thy pitying eye; Leave, oh leave me not to die.

O'er my weary pilgrimage Dark and wild the tempests rage; Dreary snows around me fall; Numbing frosts my heart appal;— Saviour! Thou my shelter be; Let me warm myself in Thee.

On my lowly heavenward way, Bannered foes their arms display: Fierce and cruel in their wrath, They would drive me from Thy path; Shouts of rage disturb my rest, Fiery darts assail my breast.

Jesus, at Thy feet I fall; On Thy name aloud I call. Let Thy grace allay my fears; Let Thy love dry up my tears: By Thy sacrifice for me, Let my refuge be in Thee.

In my heart are wily foes Greater in their power than those: Passion, Unbelief, and Pride Turn me from Thy ways aside; Leprous spots of death and sin Need Thy blood to make me clean.

By Thy life of toil and care, By Thy sorrow and despair, By Thy groans, and cries, and tears, By Thine agony and fears,— Saviour, let my refuge be Now and evermore in Thee.—Sel.

Hold On.

Hold on to your tongue when you are just ready to swear, lie, speak harshly, or say any improper word.

Hold on to your hand when you are about to strike, pinch, steal, scratch or do any disobedient or improper act.

Hold on to your foot when you are on the point of kicking or running away from duty, pursuing the path of error, shame or crime.

Hold on to your temper when you are angry, excited or imposed upon, or others angry about you.

Hold on to your heart when evil associates seek your company and invite you to join them in their games, mirth and revelry.

Hold on to your name at all times, for it is more valuable to you than gold, highplace or fashionable attire.

Hold on to the truth, for it will serve you well and do you good through life and through eternity.

Repentance Is the Gift of God

Though repentance be the act of man yet it is the gift of God; it requires the same power to melt the heart as to make it.

Continue reading: Out of Patience for Light