Review and Herald, Vol. 13, No. 4. (12/16/1858)

Review and Herald

Dec 16, 1858

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 16, 1858

CONGREGATIONAL PREACHING IN LAPEER, MICH.

By Joseph Bates

Elder Allen, a Congregational minister, who was about to be established over the Congregational society in Lapeer, Mich., appointed a meeting to be holden in the Court-house on First-day, Nov. 21st, to show that Sabbath-keepers were Jewish, &c.

After prayer, he began by referring back to a former discourse in the same house, and stated that the seventh day was not mentioned in the fourth commandment.

He then read the following scripture for his starting point: "And he said, Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate." Isa. vi, 9-11.

Said Eld. A., This was for the Jews, and all who act like them, and keep the seventh day for the Sabbath. He then referred us to his former discourse, and said the change of the Sabbath might be evinced from the Scriptures, and referred to the practice of the apostles in the New Testament, and continued thus: If by the sixth point the Lord's day was proved, then we have proved that day to be the Christian Sabbath. After referring to Rev. i, 10, he said, Now examine the wonderful events given to John. No other day of the week than the first can be called the Lord's day. His resurrection is emphatically the Lord's day, because on that day the Lord rested. For further proof we were referred to Heb. iv, 10. Further, as the supper is called the Lord's supper, so the first day of the week is called the Lord's day. Would the disciples dare to observe that day as the true Sabbath if they had not been particularly instructed by the Lord Jesus?

He was with them forty days after his resurrection. I should like to know if he did not have the most abundant opportunity to teach them respecting this first day, &c.

Note 1.—As Eld. A. failed to back up his strong points from the Scriptures, as the reader will readily see, we have been led to query something like the following: 1. Wonder if Eld. A. ever read the fourth commandment of God? 2. Wonder who it could be that told the Eld. that those who now keep the Sabbath acted like the Jews? 3. Wonder who it was that told the Eld. that the resurrection day was emphatically the Lord's day, because the Lord rested on that day? If he did really believe what he stated, why did he afterwards read from Luke xxiv, to prove that the same Lord was traveling to Emmaus seven and a half miles on that day, and therefore could not be resting? 4. Wonder who told him that because the supper was called the Lord's supper, so the first day of the week is the Lord's day? 5. Wonder who told him about the disciples not daring to observe that day as the true Sabbath if they had not been particularly instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ. 6. Wonder why the Eld. did not tell his audience (if he knew) what the Lord Jesus did say to his disciples about observing the first day of the week for the true Sabbath, during the forty days he was with them after his resurrection?

Eld. A. then cited us to Rev. xxii, 19. "And if any man shall take away from the words of this prophecy, &c., and said the Bible must be left as John leaves it, he began with the Lord's day. Rev. i, 10. The church has no power to change the Sabbath, but Christ has done it, he has made this day! Augustine, one of the most reliable fathers, says that Christ transferred the Sabbath to the Lord's day. Ignatius, the most experienced father, says, Let every one who loves the Lord Jesus keep holy the first day of the week."

Note 2.—As the scripture testimony from Ex. xx, 10; Isa. lviii, 13; Mark ii, 28, clearly proves the Lord's day to be the seventh day of the week it is evident that Eld. A., and not the Sabbatarian, falls under the awful denunciation of Rev. xxii, 19, for daring to alter the Bible from where John left it.

Where did Eld. A. learn that Jesus our Lord made the first day of the week? If he had proved that day to have been the first day of the creation, then we are shown that day was a working day. If somebody told him that the Saviour made another first day at his resurrection, he certainly was under obligation to tell his audience who it was.

Again, if it can be proved that the two reliable and experienced fathers did utter the foregoing language, and they read it in the Bible, we could read the same there. As we find no such statements therein taught, their testimony is of no more consequence to us than the ten thousand living fathers who are continually endeavoring to prove the same thing.

Said Eld. A., "Redemption, by mathematical and all other calculations, is greater than the creation of the world." Here the Eld. broke out in quite an ecstasy of joy, crying out, O redemption! redemption! In creation God gave us ourselves; in redemption God gave us himself, who is Jesus Christ himself; therefore the seventh day is inferior to the Lord's day. Christ has made all the days in one point of view, but he has blessed this first day, the holy Sabbath.

Note 3.—If Eld. A. had informed us how man's redemption could be calculated by the science of mathematics, to make redemption greater than the creation of the world, we should doubtless have been mathematically enlightened; instead of which he gave as proof Luke i, 5; Isa. lix, 16. It is possible I have not given the first quotation correctly.

How in redemption God gave us himself, and he was Jesus Christ himself, was not so clear to our mind; but before we had time to think how that could be so, the conclusion came; viz., therefore the seventh day is inferior to the Lord's day. Christ blessed the first day, the holy Sabbath.

How soon such vain arguments are extinguished beside plain scripture testimony like the following: "The whole creation groaneth . . . waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." Rom. viii, 22, 23. Not yet "redeemed from the earth." Rev. xiv, 3. Redemption then has not yet come, therefore the Sabbath memorial cannot be changed for a memorial of redemption which is still future. Neither are we commanded to rest on the sixth day of the week in which the Saviour shed his blood to redeem all such as overcome; and then call the first day of the week, the resurrection day, greater than the creation of the world. The Bible no where commands man to rest from his labors on the greatest day, but on the seventh day of the week which is the only Lord's day of the seven.

Eld. A. further stated "that he (Christ) never was a king until he led captivity captive, when he arose from the grave. A day the Holy Ghost blessed. O, what a sublime and glorious instance of concurrence! The Holy Ghost is the person that takes us by the hand and leads us to the Saviour."

Note 4.—Eld. A. seemed to be in a great ecstasy of joy to think he had proved that Christ was a king when he arose from the grave. If he had carefully examined the Saviour's testimony in Luke xix, 12-15; 2 Tim. iv, 1, he would have learned that Christ at his second coming yet in the future, will be known for the first time as a King coming in his kingdom. A right understanding and preparation for that glorious time would be far more valuable and interesting to him than ten thousand such sublime and glorious instances of concurrence.

Said Eld. A., "We will now examine one or two arguments of our opponents." Matt. v, 17. Who dare say that the Saviour did not mean the Mosaic law? Again, [Gal. v, 1-3.] Mosaic institution and nothing else. Circumcision and the Seventh-day Sabbath go together. Get a little of the Jewish institution into your heads and the whole lump is leavened. If Christ nailed circumcision to the cross, why did he not nail the Sabbath to the cross? He nailed to the cross every thing that Moses gave! Circumcision was a spiritual institution, so was the Sabbath.

Note 5.—We dare to say, Eld. A., and so may any person of common understanding, who will read your quotation from Matt. v, 17, in connection with verses 18, 21, 27, that the Mosaic law is not even referred to. The point in question is with reference to the moral law, and that only, for Jesus says, "Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law." You call it Mosaic, and then say that he (Jesus) nailed to the cross every thing that Moses gave. Do you not see that your argument is in direct opposition to the testimony of Jesus? Heaven and earth are not yet passed away; hence the law in Matt. v, 17 was not nailed to the cross. Further, the angel Gabriel says, "He (Christ) shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." Dan. ix, 21. This certainly is but a small part of what Moses gave.

Second argument. Gal. v, 1-3, you say is a Mosaic institution and nothing else. By referring to chap. iv, 8, 9, it may be clearly understood that the Apostle had no reference to Mosaic institutions, but idolatrous worship, from which the Galatians had been converted, and turned back again to bondage. Neither is circumcision Mosaic, but Abrahamic. Rom. iv, 11, 12. Neither is circumcision a spiritual institution. See Gen. xvii, 10-14. Neither have circumcision and the Seventh-day Sabbath gone together. You stated that the Sabbath was instituted at creation. Circumcision was not instituted or spoken of for more than nineteen hundred years afterwards. Further, circumcision was abolished at the cross, but the Sabbath of the fourth commandment was not. Luke xxiii, 56; Matt. xxiv, 20; Rev. i, 10.

Sabbath-keepers in Lapeer, whom you style your opponents and enemies, do not teach, neither have they been taught, to observe the ceremonial law of Moses, nor circumcision, as you have insinuated.

AFTERNOON DISCOURSE.

Eld. A. read Acts i, and also Luke xxiii, 54-56, and said that the apostles were never fully led into the truth until the day of Pentecost. Their stupidity was great; hence the apostles could not keep the new Sabbath until they were instructed. But supernatural light was given them from heaven, by the Holy Ghost fifty days from the resurrection. Because we keep the Christian Sabbath we are branded with Popery, Romanism, Babylon, &c. The enemies of Christ come to us and say, Do you believe in the Bible? Yes. Then you have the belief of the Papal power; and thus we are branded with the offspring of Papacy.—We believe that sprinkling and pouring are the modes of baptism, and also allow our brethren of the Baptist the right to immerse.—All Protestant churches, you say, are Papal, because they believe in some of the doctrines of the Catholic church. Then because we believe there is a God, we are charged with Papacy.—In these latter days we are told that God can destroy the soul in hell! This is utter annihilation; in opposition to all spiritual teaching. The Jews nor the Romans never taught the annihilation of the soul. No Protestants have ever taught us gross and unscriptural errors.—Judaizing teaching is connected with the Jewish Sabbath, which does away the resurrection. Judaism uncurbed will chase us from the work of God. It leads to the destruction of the doctrine of the trinity, and of redemption. They do not know how to treat redemption.—Because these opponents are not under the same restriction that the Jews were as a people, the utter tendency of their teaching is utter delusion and fanaticism.—Praying for the sick [James v] was a Popish custom; it is iniquitous. All this teaching leads to the rejection of the resurrection and immortality of the soul.—Antiquity is the only plea of those who keep the Jewish Sabbath; it is all the aid they can get hold of.—Mark vii, 6-9, marks their character. "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit, in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."—We have the truth, say they, and all others are wrong; comparing us thus with these Jews. The conduct of these teachers calling us fools, deceivers, corrupters, &c. Which of the two resembles Popery? the Millerites, or the Congregationalists and Presbyterians?—Popery teaches purgatory, so Millerism has discovered a new state of dormancy in the cold clay which the immortal spirit has left. [Here the Eld. undertook to show how Sabbath-keepers differed from all other denominations, even the Catholics, and then vented himself in a burst of awful indignation, denouncing the Millerites for daring to oppose the clear Bible view of the unceasing and endless torment of all sinners in hell fire.] Millerites present still more awful doctrines for the sins of the wicked. Which of the two resembles Popery? the Millerites or the Congregationalists?—They teach the ordinances of baptism by immersion, the Lord's supper and washing of feet. After reading John xiii, 1-17, he proceeded to show that nothing could be clearer than the ordinance of the Lord's supper; but the washing of feet was not to be regarded by the followers of Christ. The following scripture was quoted to show the character of such as observed the ordinance of feet washing: "As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised: only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ." Gal. vi, 12.

In the foregoing, dear reader, you have the leading and prominent points of the long-looked-for argumentative preaching of Eld. Allen, to prove the Judaizing character of such professed Christians as dare to keep all the Commandments of God, and Faith, or testimony, of Jesus, in Lapeer. If you read it carefully you will see that the burden of his discourse in the morning was to prove the first day of the week to be the holy Sabbath, since the resurrection of the Saviour; and those who keep the seventh day for the Sabbath were classed with the unbelieving Jews, never to be healed until "the land be utterly desolate." Read again his quotation and application from Isa. vi, 9-11, in connection with his labored argument, and see how much it weighs, and you can judge of its worth.

In giving a second description of the Sabbath-keepers in Lapeer, in his discourse in the afternoon, he virtually overthrew and destroyed the character he gave them in the morning. See his quotation and application from Mark vii, 6-9. "Full well ye reject the commandment of God that ye may keep your own tradition," &c. First, to be denounced for keeping all the commandments of God, and then re-denounced for rejecting the commandment of God, looks like blowing both hot and cold. For obeying the testimony of Jesus in washing one another's feet they were classed with the circumcision.

At the close of the meeting we announced to the audience that these two discourses would be reviewed in the evening at the new meeting-house. Said Eld. A., I object unless the notes have been taken by a stenographer.

LET US FOLLOW JESUS.

SHALL we not follow where his feet have trod? And by an humble love, and faith sincere, Approach the likeness of the Son of God? His life is with us, and his quickening word; Shall these be hidden from our daily sight? Or only 'neath the temple arches heard? Or dreamed of in the still, inactive night.

O no! his holy lessons shall be learned, By wayside connings, in our daily walk, And as the hearts of his disciples burned When listening, as they journeyed, to his talk. So shall our hearts be thrilled, our souls subdued, By the deep wisdom of his gentle speech, Until with light and peace and love imbued, His kingdom and his rest divine we reach.

The Vindication.—The Great Incentive.

By Bonar

Do I paralyse effort when I say, "work while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work?" Nay, do I not thus stimulate zeal, and toil, and prayer, and love to the uttermost? Do I lull men asleep, when I say "the coming of the Lord draweth nigh?" or do I flatter into flesh-pleasing the great or the noble, or the beautiful of the earth, when I tell them that

“ ——the tide of pomp, That beats upon the high shore of this world,”

is ebbing fast? Do I tempt the sinner to postpone his conversion, because I speak of the "wrath to come" as so very nigh? Or do I with less serious-haste beseech men to be reconciled to God, because I add that the time of reconciliation, the acceptable year of the Lord is fast running to a close? Do I cherish idleness instead of diligence, softness of spirit instead of hardness, heedlessness about redeeming time, instead of eagerness to gather up its fragments, when I announce that "the day goeth away, and the shadows of evening are stretched out?" Do I tempt the minister or the missionary into indolent security, when I declare that "the Judge standeth before the door," and that ere long the time of working, and preaching, and inviting will be over? Do I persuade the soldier of the risen Jesus to ungird his weapons because I tell him that his feet are already on the battle-field, and bid him listen to the loud roar afar, that forewarns of the deadly onset? Do I preach Christ crucified the less, because I preach also Christ coming to reign? or do I the less proclaim that "here we have no continuing city," because I can point so clearly to that which is to come, the "city which hath foundations, whose builder and whose maker is God?" Or do I make saints feel the less that they are strangers here, because I set forth to them the "new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness?" Do I undervalue the cross because I magnify the thorns? In holding up to view the crown of glory, do I deprecate the crown of thorns? Do I enfeeble my proclamation of immediate and free forgiveness to sinners, through the sin-bearer, because I enforce it with the announcement that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh? Do I foster error, or heresy, or lax walking, or any departure from the faith, when I warn men that the perilous times of the last days are setting in, when Satan will "cast abroad the rage of his wrath," and the unclean spirits will overflow the earth with their delusions, to deceive, if it were possible, the very elect, and to gather the nations to the battle of the great day of God Almighty?

I do not know how it may be with others, but I feel that when I can say the coming of the Lord draweth nigh, I have got a weapon in my hand of no common edge and temper. To be able to announce "the Lord will come," is much; but to be able to say without the reservation of an interval, "He is at hand," is greatly more. I can go to the struggling saint against whom the battle seems to go hardly, and say, "Faint not, the Lord is at hand, and he will bruise Satan under your feet shortly." To the saint wearied with a vexing world, fretted with its vanities, and troubled with the thickening darkness of its midnight, I can say, "Be of good cheer, the Lord is at hand; but a little while and that world shall cease to vex; sooner than you think the morn will break—yea, before it is broken we shall be caught up and meet morning ere it is yet spread upon the mountains." To the suffering saint I can say, "Weep not, the Lord is at hand; the torn heart shall be bound up, and the bitterness of bereavement forgotten in the joy of union forever." To the flagging saint, heavy and slothful in his walk, I can say, "Up, for the Lord is at hand; work while it is day; look at a dying world, all unready for its Judge; cast off your selfishness and love of ease." To the covetous saint I can say, "The Lord is coming—it is no time for hoarding now—heap not up treasure for the last days."

Next our own salvation, must come the duty of sending the gospel to all. We begin at the inner circle, but woe to us if we stop there. Woe be to us if we preach not the gospel to every creature. We feel a peculiar call to this, and a peculiar urgency enforcing this call from our very system. For but little time remaineth. The night is falling. The storm is beginning to burst. We cannot tarry—we must go forth. We cannot heap up treasure for the last days. We must give liberally as long as the time allows. Those who look for a calm, long day, may sit down listlessly, but we dare not. Those who look for a mere extension of the present state of religion as all the millennium the world is to enjoy, may excuse themselves from giving, and may heap up treasures. But we dare not; we feel that there is not a moment to be lost; and that whether there are few or many to be saved it matters not to us. We must fulfill our ministry, not counting even our lives dear unto us, that we may do the will of him who sends us, and testify the gospel of the grace of God.

A Faithless Age.

By Rev. H. B. Whipple

We live in a faithless age. The multitudes around us have no faith. Many a scholar in the land knows less of God and Christ and heaven than a Sunday School child; they have grown up in a christian land, without the christian faith; religion has been to them the opinion of men, and not the revelation of God; the voice of their teacher faltered, and they doubted, and doubt ripened into unbelief.

There are thousands on thousands in America who cannot tell what they believe or disbelieve; they are walking in darkness, going to the grave, no voice to cheer, no hand to guide, no Christ to save. A man in a christian land, without God and without hope, going to death and hell!

The multitude scoff at religion as priestcraft; they fall a prey to delusions and lies; they accept these in the place of the gospel of Christ. In our day a superstition has arisen, which, at the first, provoked a smile at its folly; to-day

Spiritualism raises its head to blaspheme and oppose the religion of Christ, and is the faith of thousands. Unbelief, which turns the multitude over to a godless life, is the parent of every heresy which blasphemes and denies the Lord Jesus Christ. It is this absence of faith in Christ, which is the cause of the wide-spread delusions which sweep over the land. Why should it not be so? If men give up all which Christ has said of his church—if they break down all barriers against heresy and schism—if they teach that it matters not what a man believes if he is only honest—what could so plainly surrender them to the delusions of Satan, to be led captive at his will? We place ourselves in danger of falling, when we turn aside to tamper with any error. It may sound specious, that “it only needs to keep the heart right to be a christian.” The safest way to keep the heart right is, looking to Christ, to dwell in humility in the church which our Lord has given us.

Like an Apostle of old, we must preach Jesus and the resurrection to men sunk in Corinthian sensuality, and declare the glory of the cross to those who, like Athenian philosophers, worship the creations of human wisdom.

Without openly denying the Lord who bought us, we may fall into the snares of the times; we, too, may treat all faith as an opinion; we may be afraid to plant our feet firmly upon the testimony of the church; we may reason that it can do no good, the world is against us, they will not hear, it will provoke a tumult. A thousand motives may appeal to us, to soften down the messages of God; we may think that, if the distinctive doctrines of the church are only tempered to the prejudices of the people, we shall keep our hold upon them. It is not to be denied that there is seeming strength in such reasons, for love and affection are strong bonds to reach the heart.

But, my brethren, do we love these souls more than he who died for them on the cross? Are we better judges of the value of the church and its holy sacraments than he who appointed them? Have we the right to soften down any warning of God? We forget that the people are wrong; they crucified our Lord; their sins crucify him daily. We are placed in trust of this ministry of reconciliation to withstand the people; to ward and plead and pray, and with love to win them back to their allegiance to Christ.

It is a sad truth, that some of the darkest heresies which have desolated the church have come from the sworn liegemen of the cross, by tampering with the faith and attempting to harmonize the truth of God with the doubts and cavils of sinful hearts. We have no right to falter about any truth of divine revelation. We do not blame others for training their people in their faith, or for keeping their prayer-meetings and fast-days. Why should we not be ready to take men in a walk around Zion, and to show them her palaces and bulwarks? I believe, in my heart, that the time has come of which Hooker spake, “when one word spoken in charity is better than a thousand spoken in a disdainful sharpness of wit;” but it is also a day when we should remember the warning of the dying martyr, “Stand thou in the day of trial as an anvil when it is beaten.”—Rev. H. B. Whipple.

The Minister and the Hams.

I HAD the following narrative from a most reliable source, and as near as may be, will give it in the language of the narrator:

I knew a man who, until past the meridian of life, manifested in all his transactions a mean, miserly spirit. Money was his god. He was proverbially "a mean man." Between forty and fifty years of age, he became a subject of "sovereign grace." His eyes were opened to see with great distinctness the truth of that word, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." In a word, he was truly converted. At the period of which I speak, he was a wealthy farmer, on one of our rich prairies. He united with the people of God, he confessed, and most deeply deplored the sin of covetousness. He promised, with Divine help, to "live no longer unto himself." He was sincere in his promise and his purpose. Little did the poor man know himself, the power of habit, of temptation, or of the conflict before him between the "old and the new man."

As was then the custom in the Methodist church in the country, and is, to some extent, at this day, the minister in charge was in the habit of receiving his dues in provisions, &c. Soon after "Old Covetous" united with the class, the preacher got out of meat; so he "harnessed up," and rode over to Bro. C.'s house.

"Good morning, Bro. C."

"Good morning; glad to see you; won't you 'light'?"

"No, thank you. Wife says we are out of meat, and I thought"—

(Old man.) "Out of meat, are ye?" (New man.) "Well, I'm glad to hear it; it will do me good to supply you. Go to my smoke-house yonder, and take the best ham you can find—mind and take the biggest."

On went the preacher, and soon returned, bearing a ham weighing twenty pounds. He passed on to his wagon.

Now came the conflict.

(Old man in his heart, solus.) "You old fool! that ham weighs twenty pounds! Hams are scarce—worth one shilling per pound." (New man, solus.) "God loveth the cheerful giver." "What shall it profit a man, though he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" O God, forgive me! "Get thee behind me, Satan." Here, Mr., come back! come back! "Now," said he, "go again to my smoke-house, and this time get two hams. Get the very best—mind you get rousers."

Soon he returned, bearing forty pounds more of the precious meat; and then came over the poor man again the spirit of covetousness.

(Old man.) "Well, you are a fool! You will die in the poor-house yet! Forty, sixty pounds—worth eight dollars! Eight dollars gone slick!" (New man.) "Honor the Lord with thy substance. Give, and it shall be given unto you. Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; though I fall, I shall rise again." "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." Oh! I am—I am in the valley.

Poor man, he was, and like Bunyan's Christian, he sheathed his sword, and cried to him who was "able and willing"—"Lord, save me."

(New man.) "Here, Mr., come back! come back!" Now his manly form trembled! The water stood in his eyes, and then like a little child, he wept and sobbed as he told his minister of the warfare within. "And now Mr. Devil," said he, "If you don't quit this business, I'll give away every ham I've got in the smoke-house!"

Then "Apollyon spread his wings and left him for a season."—Sel.

The Word, Thought.

By Dr. Trench, Dean of Westminster.

“Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink.” Matt. vi, 25.

This “take no thought,” is certainly an inadequate translation, in our present English, of the Greek original. The words seem to exclude and to condemn that just forward-looking care which belongs to man, and differences him from the beasts, which live only in the present; and most English critics have lamented the inadvertence of our authorized version, which in bidding us “take no thought” for the necessaries of life, prescribes to us what is impracticable in itself, and would be a breach of christian duty, even were it possible. But there is no “inadvertence” here. When our translation was made, “take no thought” was a perfectly correct rendering of the original. “Thought” was then constantly used as an equivalent to anxiety or solicitous care; as let us witness this passage from Bacon: “Harris an alderman in London, was put to trouble, and died with thought and anxiety before his business came to an end.” Or, still better, this from one of the “Somers Tracts:” (its date is that of the reign of Queen Elizabeth:) “In five hundred years, only two queens have died in childbirth; queen Catherine Parr died rather of thought.” A better example than either of these, is that occurring in Shakespeare’s “Julius Cæsar,” (“take thought and die for Cæsar”) where “to take thought” is to take a matter so seriously to heart that death ensues.—Dr. Trench, Dean of Westminster.

On Keeping Silence.

Ought women to keep silence in the churches?

The wife of a Congregational minister makes the following inquiries, relative to women's keeping silence in the social meetings of worship. We clip them from an exchange.—Golden Rule.

“Who called Miriam to be a prophetess? Who made Deborah both prophetess and supreme judge of God's chosen people?

“Who made Huldah chaplain to the king, instructress of the high priest, and professor in the theological seminary at Jerusalem? What indication have we that anybody thought Anna, the prophetess, was out of her place in talking so much about Christ to the crowds at the temple as to deserve mention in the sacred record?

“Whose spirit was prophesied and poured out upon the sons and the daughters, the servants, and the handmaidens, that they might all prophesy? By what authority are Philip's four daughters put down by the inspired writer as prophetesses ‘without note or comment’? And what did they do when they prophesied?

“What did the women do of whom Paul says, ‘Help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and other of my fellow-laborers whose names are in the book of life?’

“What was Phebe's office in the church at Cenchrea?

“Why was Junia of note among the apostles? Did Paul forbid women to pray and prophesy in public, and then give them directions as to how they should appear to honor the gospel when they did pray and prophesy in public?

VARIOUS READINGS.—On the plenary inspiration of Scripture, Dr. Cumming remarks:

“It has been objected, that there are various readings in the original of the New Testament, and Old Testament too; and that this shows we cannot hold by the idea that the words are inspired. Let me state the facts of the case: Michaelis, the ablest critic perhaps that ever examined the Scriptures labored thirty years in critical researches in the MSS. Dr. Kennicott labored ten years, and consulted five hundred and eighty-one different MSS; and compared them word for word, and letter for letter. Prof. Rossi examined six hundred and eighty MSS. Griesbach examined three hundred and thirty-five for the gospels alone; and Scholz examined six hundred and seventy-four, comparing word with word, letter with letter. What is the result of all? Literally nothing; and the very nothingness of the result is the magnificent proof of the inspiration of the original. All they have discovered is to a great extent that the aspirate should be here, or the article should be omitted there, or a letter should be inserted elsewhere. I will take only one of the testimonies they have left. Eichhorn says, The different readings collated by Kennicott scarcely afford enough interest to repay the labor which has been bestowed upon them. Now what does this prove? It proves that God not only inspired that blessed book, but spread over it the wing of his protecting providence from year to year, and age to age. The grand fruit of elaborate research is negative.”

GOD TO BE LOVED FOR HIMSELF.

Love should always be the life of motion. That soul goes true that hath true love to weigh it; and that soul loves truly, that hath a true object to center it. A gracious spirit loves the Lord, not because he does good, but because he is good. I will not weigh that friend's affection that loves a fluent sweetness before an inherent goodness. That soul that loves Christ for himself, though you take away all else, yet there is strength enough in love, to move and constrain the soul. O blessed be that saint, Lord, that is so taken with thy love, that can truly say, Were there neither heaven nor hell, yet sin should be my hell, and holiness my heaven.

Where Are Your Thoughts?

Where are your thoughts? Are they fixed on Jesus, on his person, his presence, his power, his love and salvation? Surely these are sufficient and suitable for all times.

TO THE MESSENGERS.

Dearly Beloved Brethren: With great desire have I longed to express my feelings of union and sympathy with you and all the interests of our common cause. My heart overflows with gratitude for the settled confidence I have this day in the great work in which we are engaged.

Since the manifestation and separation of "false brethren"

there seems to be a closer union among those that remain. A test has passed upon us which has caused those "not of us" to "go out from us," leaving those who prefer the Third Angel's Message above their own wills, still united in the work. Because some have turned out to be hypocrites, shall we now distrust each other? God forbid. We have grounds for increasing confidence. O then may brotherly love not only continue, but greatly increase.

The past and present history of the cause is known to us all. The trials and blessings, the perils and victories of the past have, I trust, only increased our anxiety for final deliverance. Let us then look about us and see where we are in the great ocean of time; take our soundings, longitude and latitude, and know if we are nearing port. The signs are ominous and speak with the greatest certainty. The various lines of prophecy with their corresponding facts show unmistakably that we have already entered the narrows of the last days. Perils are now on every side. The "old ship Zion," though now tossed with angry waves is yet destined to carry all that remain on board, quickly and safely into the harbor of eternal repose.

"We've looked astern, and many toils The Lord has brought us through; We're looking now ahead, and lo! The land appears in view."

When we consider that the Present Truth has steadily advanced notwithstanding all the combined opposition of the World, the Church, the Nominal Adventists, the Messenger party, and the Devil, we have reason to believe "our Father's at the helm." The fruit of the "No-law" and "Age-to-Come" heresies are now fully manifested, and the honest are fast being delivered from their darkening, withering influence.

The reasons for our present encouragement are various and weighty. The means of publishing the truth are greatly augmented. Engraving, stereotyping, translating, and printing in several languages, are all done in good order among us.

The Advent Review has not only survived the storm, but is established upon a permanent basis. All connected with the Office appear to be devoted to the cause, and labor harmoniously and faithfully. The steam power press works complete and is all ready to run night and day when necessary. Those who have the means and wish to do good by circulating books can now be furnished at a low rate. There is no excuse.

Another very encouraging feature in the present aspect of the cause is the disposition so generally manifested to drop little differences and unite on the Third Angel's Message. Union is strength. At the last General Conference we were permitted to "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." What is most needed now is living faith to bring the good works, the power, and the victory.

Dear brethren, may we still strive together for the unity of the faith, and enjoy each other's sympathy and prayers, in all our trials and conflicts; and may great gratitude be returned by us, and the whole church, for what the Lord has already done in this our day. Truly "His work is honorable and glorious." Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me praise his holy name. I assure you dear brethren, I am far from being discouraged, or having any disposition to draw back. No: the way grows brighter and brighter, and sooner than leave the cause, I will sacrifice every particle of my own feeble judgment on unsettled questions. Yes, let me surrender my views on particular points for the sake of union, and the success of the "great things" of God's law, on which we are all agreed; believing that in due time these less important and more difficult matters will all be harmonized. "Here is the patience of the saints."

Dear brethren, let us thank God and take courage. We have battles yet to fight, but with the armor on we are sure to conquer. By the grace of God I mean to stand with you till the war is over, and "abundance of peace" declared forever and ever. Amen.

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