Earlier text: Sixteen Short Answers to Sixteen Common ObjectionsThe Ministry. No. 2.
By James White
In the great plan of the salvation of lost men, God has employed those whom he has seen fit to choose to teach and lead the people. These are represented as watchmen, who are supposed to know the time of night. Isa. xxi, 11, 12. "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman saith, The morning cometh, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye, return, come." The people have a right to demand of the watchmen the time of night—where, in the long, weary, watching night of tears and sorrows and woes we are. And the intimation is more than given in the above text, that the true and faithful watchman is able to give the cheering report that the glad morning of deliverance to the righteous is fast hastening on, and that the dark night of death to the wicked then begins. "The morning cometh," saith the true watchman, "and also the night." And not only does the true watchman watch the time of night, that he may be able to give an answer, but his duty is also to watch for the salvation of men. Says the apostle, Heb. xiii, 17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you." The great responsibilities of the man whom God has called to be a watchman, and the terrible consequences of his unfaithfulness, are set forth by the prophet. Ezek. ii, 17-19. "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die, and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul." Also chap. xxxiii, 6-8. "But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand." "So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand." Another prophet describes those professed watchmen who seek popularity and ease, and love this world with its carnal enjoyments. Isa. lvi, 10. "His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." Those whom God has called to labor for the salvation of their fellow-men, are also represented as shepherds. Christ is the chief Shepherd, and his ministers are the under-shepherds. Happy beyond description will be the condition of the Lord's true shepherds when the chief Shepherd comes with a crown of never-fading glory. 1 Pet. v, 1-4. "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." The character and conduct of the hireling minister, who cares more to fleece the flock than to feed them, is illustrated by the following words of Christ: John x, 11-13. "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth; and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep." The dreadful results of the labors of selfish, unfaithful shepherds are set forth by the prophet as follows: Eze. xxxiv, 2-5. "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds: Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd; and they became meat to all the beasts of the field when they were scattered." And the terrible end of the false shepherd is vividly portrayed in the following language of the prophet of God, as he describes the slaughter of the last day. Jer. xxv, 35, 36. "And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture." Western Tour.
By James White
FROM the Princeville, Ill., meeting, we went to the Iowa Conference, which was holden at Pilot Grove, Washington Co., July 1–5. This was far the largest gathering of Sabbath-keepers ever assembled in that State. There were at least three hundred brethren and sisters present. The church at Pilot Grove has a fine house of worship, of very liberal dimensions for a new country, situated in the midst of a beautiful oak grove. Sabbath the house was more than full. On first-day, seats were prepared in the grove, where fifteen hundred persons assembled to hear the word. It seemed to us from the marked attention given to the speakers, that every man, woman, and child, present, came for no other purpose than to hear. The word was preached with liberty, and Mrs. White followed each discourse with freedom. The social meetings were very excellent. But there were some things connected with this meeting of which we cannot speak with pleasure. These are alluded to by Elders Snook and Brinkerhoff in this number. As they have voluntarily and from choice spoken quite fully in reference to their sad mistakes in their treatment of their best friends, we are saved the painful task. May their recent misfortunes teach them and others a timely lesson. The meeting at Pilot Grove terminated gloriously, giving us a fresh evidence that the Lord has a special care for the cause in which we are engaged. The church at Battle Creek has been deeply wounded, but speaks for itself in resolutions found upon another page of this number. Mrs. White and self have for years in the past learned to forgive from the heart all who repent of their unchristian treatment of us, and pray that God would enable them to fully recover themselves from the snare of the Devil. The meeting at Lisbon, Iowa, was nearly a failure by reason of severe storm. Sabbath and first-day, July 15 and 16, we enjoyed good meetings with the brethren at Marion, Iowa. The place of worship could not hold the people on first-day. We labored three weeks within the boundaries of the Illinois and Wisconsin Conference, and received $84,88, for time and traveling expenses. Within the Iowa Conference we also labored three weeks, and received $95,68. This covered traveling expenses for Mrs. W. and self, and $9 per week for time. Mrs. W. received from her friends in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, $12,50. On the morning of the 17th, Bro. T. Hare conveyed us to Cedar Rapids, where we took the cars at 7:30 A. M. for Chicago. We were kindly entertained for the night by Bro. Place and family, at 40 Griswold-st., and reached home at 12:30 P. M., the 18th. We left home six weeks since, for one week only; but circumstances seemed to demand that we should remain West six weeks. We have necessarily had to neglect many correspondents, and leave undone many things which we desired to do. Elder Loughborough will labor with the churches in Iowa for two or three months, and we cannot alone fill half the calls from Michigan, Ohio, and New York, to say nothing of New England. Eld. Loughborough was to take half of this work. But in consequence of recent misfortunes in Iowa, he is confined to that field, and we also have been detained several weeks. But we shall do all we can. Mrs. W. is much worn. She cannot longer travel away from the railroads unless comfortable carriage is provided. After having been in the field twenty years, suffering hardships, reproaches, neglect, and abuses, much of the time laboring to counteract the miserable influence of unconsecrated ministers, she is not disposed to leave home only under a full sense of duty. She must have several weeks for rest, and to prepare suitable clothing for traveling, and get ready Testimony No. 11 for the press. If we can visit but few places in Michigan, and none in New York and New England, our friends must excuse us, and charge the failure to the account of those who have recently made us and Elder Loughborough work in the West. Eld. Loughborough or self will hold meetings in Ohio, and attend the New York State Conference. Sabbath, the 22d, was a good day with our beloved people in this city. We spoke twice with our usual good liberty with this people. This morning, the 23d, brain weary, and with trembling nerve, we again seize unfinished business which has been accumulating in our absence. J. W. Time to Reward the Prophets.
By John Nevins Andrews
OnE of the most remarkable testimonies on this subject is found in Rev. xi, 18. Under the sounding of the seventh angel, the four and twenty elders fall upon their faces and worship God, saying, "We give thee thanks O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." The sounding of the seventh angel is by all expositors of prophecy placed among the closing events of our earth's present history. Several of the things here enumerated sufficiently establish this view, as the judgment of the dead, and the destruction of the wicked; for these things are known to pertain to the final conclusion of the present dispensation. We learn from this scripture, 1. That the time to reward the prophets does not come until the seventh angel has begun to sound. 2. That all the saints of God, both small and great are to receive their reward at the same time that the prophets get theirs. 3. That this act of bestowing reward upon these ancient servants of the Most High is preceded by their being judged. 4. It follows therefore that the prophets did not enter upon their reward at death. Query. How is it that people in these days enter the bliss of Heaven as soon as death passes upon them? The World's Conversion a Fable. No. 4.
By R. F. Cottrell
THE advocates of popular error have a faculty of selecting and perverting passages of Scripture, and thus pressing them into their service. But very unfortunately it generally happens that, if the context be read, their imagined proofs turn to refutations, and their fancied commendations, to the utter condemnation of their theories. As an illustration, the following text is often alluded to in proof of the doctrine of the world's conversion. "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." This being evidently spoken by the Father to the Son, it is claimed as an evidence that the gospel of the Son is to spread until it shall convert all the heathen to the uttermost parts of the whole earth. How plausible this looks to those that are willing to let others do their reading and thinking for them, and think it a fine thing to have others present them with their religious views ready made! But the advocates of the world's conversion always forget to read the next verse, which tells what the Son will do with the nations, when they are delivered into his hand by the Father. It reads, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Ps. ii. It is clearly a prophecy of the time when the Lord Christ "shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath;" Ps. cx; the time when earthly kingdoms become as the chaff of the summer threshing floors, and the wind carries them away, that no place is found for them. Dan. ii, 35. This is the manner of the conversion of the nations as taught in the "second psalm." The psalm commences with the rage of the heathen—the anger of the nations. "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?" What is this vain thing they imagine? It is to take counsel and to set themselves in array against the Lord and his anointed, or Christ. "The kings of the earth set themselves, [in battle array,] and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us." This is a vain thing; for they will not be able to resist his power or escape his wrath. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." This disposition to "rage," or "tumultuously to assemble," (margin,) and to imagine the vain thing to resist the Lord and his Christ, and break their bands and cast off their government, was manifested in the days of the first advent, when "both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were gathered together" against Christ. Acts iv, 25-28. But it will more fully appear, when, at the second advent, in the great day of wrath, "the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies," are gathered together to make war against him that comes from Heaven and his army. Rev. xix. Then, indeed, the angry nations will be tumultuously assembled, and they will imagine the vain thing of fighting against the coming King of kings and Lord of lords. But the descending King, represented as sitting upon a white horse, will despise their power and have them in derision. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." "And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Rev. xix, 15. This comparison will clearly show where the second psalm has its application; and how the heathen will be converted when they are given into the hand of the Lord Christ. He will "dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel," which, as the Lord says by Jeremiah, "cannot be made whole again." The awful fate of those who stand in opposition against the Lord being thus pointed out, an exhortation to timely wisdom is added: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little;" or "when his anger suddenly blazeth forth;" as I am informed the Septuagint has it. "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." Thus the second psalm does not teach the popular doctrine of the conversion of the world. And there is certainly great reason to fear that those who do teach this doctrine, and will not be corrected on a point so clear, will finally be found of that class of whom Paul prophesies as follows: "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. v, 3. But those who will be wise, and heed timely warning, may find their place with those whom Paul calls "brethren," in the verse that follows. "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." Now dear reader, is the time to be converted, while Jesus is a merciful High Priest at the right hand of God; and before that awful day shall come, when the incorrigible will be given into the hand of Him who cometh from Heaven "clothed with the garments of vengeance," to "repay fury to his adversaries," and to dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Do not be seduced with the vain hope that popular fables will prove true, but hasten now to make your calling and election sure.
R. F. COTTRELL. Health. No. 2.
By H. S. LAY, M. D.
ThE ways and methods in which people violate the laws of health are very numerous. A large portion of their every-day habits and customs traverse these laws, or in other words, are direct violations of them. Persons of all ages, and of both sexes, violate them. Even the habits and regimen imposed on children in their infancy are contraventive of the laws that govern their beings. And in their future training they are educated to unphysiological and unhygienic habits, many of which may be found in the direction of their dietetics. In the first place, the food in and of itself, which is used by the great mass of the people of the present day is unhealthful, predisposing and exciting the system to disease, and causing the appetite to become morbid, and to clamor for those things which the system does not demand, and which, when indulged in, in many cases lead to ruinous consequences. Secondly, the food is taken without regard to the time when it should be taken, and with a frequency that is very detrimental to the organs of digestion, not giving them time for that rest and repose that nature demands they should have, causing these organs to be overworked and fatigued, laying the foundation for disease, undermining the constitution, and breaking up and destroying the integrity of the vital tissues. Thirdly, the amount of food taken is regulated, not from any moral consideration, or from the necessities of the system, but with reference to satisfying the demands of a perverted and vitiated appetite; in many instances putting more food into the stomach than can be healthfully disposed of, thus clogging the digestive organs, and causing them to labor excessively hard, and at a great disadvantage; and not having power enough in and of themselves to perform their arduous task, other portions of the system are called upon to render assistance, and are thus robbed of the very means which are needed to carry on the other functions of the body as nature designed they should be. H. S. LAY, M. D.
Dansville, N. Y. Destructive Insects.
By M. E. Cornell
ONE sign of the approaching end as given by the prophet Joel, is the ravages of destructive insects. He names the Palmerworm, Cankerworm, and Caterpillar. He describes them as a "great army," and "without number;"; climbing walls, entering windows, not breaking their ranks, &c., &c. I see by the Agricultural papers that much apprehension is felt in regard to the increasing numbers and destructive power of insects. What is known as the apple-tree caterpillar has destroyed whole forests in the state of Maine, so that on many of the trees not a whole green leaf was visible. In the distance it had the appearance of having been burnt with fire. The number of these destroyers is said to have increased more than ten fold since last year. Last year, in one town they marched on their way, and crawled into the windows of a school house in such vast numbers as to cause both scholars and teacher to flee, thus for a time breaking up the school. This present summer, in the township of Rome, after devouring all on one side of a stream, they absolutely swam across, and swept through the forest on the opposite side. Eye witnesses describe that the water was literally covered with them. No wonder Joel has described them as a "great army." If they can cross rivers, break up schools and devour whole forests now, what may not be expected for two years to come? Some have tried to fight them and partially succeeded last year; but this year they came in such vast numbers, that no charge with Kerosene oil, or flank movement of furrows and ditches, could turn them back, or prevent their ravages. No such general attack was ever made upon grains and fruits in our day, or in that of our fathers. Truly the curse is fast devouring the earth, and there is a fair prospect that soon joy will be "withered away from the sons of men." The Eighth Census Report, has the following reference to this subject, under the head of "Destructive Insects." "In many instances whole armies of destructive insects have rendered the labors of the husbandman unprofitable or fruitless. The wheat midge, the chinch bug, and the army worm, besides those that have for years preyed on the products of the orchard and garden, occasion the loss of millions of dollars annually." M. E. CORNELL. Report from Bro. Ingraham.
By Wm. S. Ingraham
BRO. WHITE: When we parted at Hundred Mile Grove, I started for Mackford and reached there in time to fill Bro. Loughborough's appointment. The friends were somewhat disappointed in not seeing Bro. Loughborough, especially the church from Marquette, where Bro. L. pitched the tent a few years ago and raised up a large church. Our meeting was well attended by Sabbath-keepers from Fox Lake, Fish Lake, and Marquette. Our meeting was one of benefit to the cause of truth in that section of country. I preached to them five times, and enjoyed some freedom in proclaiming present truth. The trials that have injured the cause in the past, seem to be wearing away. The cause in northern Wisconsin will prosper if the extremes into which some have run do not injure its advancement. Some are so anxious to bring about a reform that they are falling back on Jewish and Roman practices, advocating the idea that our sisters should cover their heads with a vail, or bonnet when they speak in meeting. Such independent moves should not be made without ministerial counsel. I started from Mackford and reached home just in time to attend the Quarterly Meeting at Avon, the first Sabbath and first-day in July. This was a precious season, the Lord was with us. I returned home from Avon the night before the fourth. Our tent was offered to our citizens which they gladly received; and it was pitched early on the morning of the celebration day. It was used for a store house and well filled with provisions; after a sober speech from a gentleman from the city of Milwaukee, our tabernacle was emptied of its contents and the provision beautifully arranged on long tables fitted for the occasion; then soldiers and their families were called up to partake of food convenient for their taste. Here soldiers seemed to realize the difference between fruits and vegetables, and hard biscuit, and the quiet and good order of our beautiful grove, and the hurry and confusion of battlefields. Our citizens do not look upon Seventh-day Adventists as copperheads, but Union men. Our meeting at Monroe when you and your wife and Bro. Loughborough were there, was one of great interest; the preaching was enjoyed and well received by our citizens, especially your thoughts on health, the rebellion, Jeff. Davis, &c. In Everything Give Thanks
In everything give thanks. Labors in Northern Wis.
By John Matteson
BRO. WHITE: I begin to feel a little lonesome in the northern part of Wisconsin, but the message moves forward; and in this I do rejoice. The dear Saviour is leading out his people step by step. His gentle voice is heard amid all the noisy confusion around us. Lead on, blessed Jesus! lead on! Forget not the weak and erring ones. Never leave nor forsake us till we overcome all our infirmities and are ready for the kingdom! This part of the field is new, extensive, and the soil rather barren. Catholics and Spiritualists are plenty; yet I find some willing souls here and there, who are seeking for truth. I commenced to lecture in Appleton, May 22. Spiritualism is very strong in this place, and besides this, Stephenson did some years ago prejudice the minds of the people very much against the Advent name. We had nineteen meetings. Sold $8,00 worth of publications. Three decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. These, together with the three brethren who were here before, and a few others, meet together for worship on the Sabbath. June 6, I arrived at New Denmark. Here the smallpox hindered our meetings some. The few sisters who live here feel lonesome, yet they are firm in the truth. One sister united with the church, and four others have commenced to keep the Sabbath, and meet with the brethren. The Spirit of the Lord was with us as we met together. In Montpelier I found the brethren still prospering in the Lord. Bro. P. F. Hall has come home from the army sick, but is now recovering. From here I went to Kewaunee and held twelve meetings. Several acknowledged the perpetuity of the Sabbath, and four expressed a desire to go with the remnant people. They procured books and wished to further examine the evidences of our faith. July 1st, attended the ordinances of the house of God with the brethren at Montpelier. Our friends from Kewaunee came to the meeting, and we had truly a refreshing time. One sister was baptized, and united with us. Kewaunee is a little village on the lake Michigan shore. It is the county-seat. The population is mostly foreign and Catholic. Drunkenness prevails to a fearful extent. But some few were thirsting for the water of life. In these places I sold publications for about $20,00. May God bless my brethren here and crown their faithful perseverance with much success. July 2, had a meeting in New Denmark. The Spirit of God was with us. Our dear Saviour appeared to us more lovely as our hearts were touched and made tender by his love to us. God grant these dear brethren grace to stand firm against the strong efforts of our enemies. July 4, called on our friends at Appleton, and found them still persevering. Went to Oskosh, and found sister F. Freeman who some time ago wrote in the Review. She is a poor widow and has six children. Her trust is in the Lord. She is about to move East to her relatives. She is the only Sabbath-keeper in this place. After this I had a few meetings in Fremont. I reviewed a Baptist elder who had been preaching against the Sabbath while I was gone. He took the position that it was impossible to find which day was the seventh day, but yet it is the duty of all to keep the first day of the week as Sabbath, because Christ rose on that day. Two more decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. One subscribed for the Review. May the Lord give us that wisdom which cometh from above, that we may glorify his name and meet at last in his kingdom. Poy Sippi, June 12th, 1865. Paragraphs Worth Pondering.
THE following selected items are sent us by Bro. Canright. Much interesting matter might be furnished for the paper if all, in the course of their reading, would copy off for the Review the striking and interesting paragraphs with which they must more or less meet. "It has seemed to me as if the prerogatives of crowns, and the rights of men, and the hoarded-up resentments and revenges of a thousand years, were about to unsheathe the sword in a conflict in which blood shall flow, as in the Apocalyptic vision, to the bridles of the horses, and in which a whole age of men shall pass away; in which society shall be tried by fire and steel, whether it is of nature and nature's God or not."—Rufus Choate. John Wesley, in his powerful sermon on the use of money, lays down these three rules: Make all you can; save all you can; give all you can. To make without saving, is useless and absurd. To save without giving, is covetousness and idolatry. To make and then save, is wise. To save and then give, is Christian.—Rev. Wm. Arthur. Make no idols of books that carry away the imagination. I will give you a rule to judge whether an author is profitable in the perusal. Go directly from your book and open your Bible; and, without partiality or hypocrisy, say which you embrace with the most delight. The answer will always show the state of your mind, and the profitableness and lawfulness of the book.—Legh Richmond. The way that leads to eternal life is much more narrow than many of our modern professors are aware of; the gate is too straight to allow all their trifling, and self-will, and fastidiousness, and carnal-mindedness, to press through it. The gospel is a system of self-denial; its dictates teach us to strip ourselves, that we may clothe others; they leave us hungry, that we may have wherewith to feed others; and send us bare-footed among the thorns of the world, rather than silver shod, with mincing steps, to walk at our ease among its snares. When our Lord was asked, Are there few that shall be saved? he answered neither yes nor no, but said, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate;" and this word, strive, might be translated, agonize. Beware of belonging to that class which Mrs. H. ingeniously calls the "borderers." Choose whom you will serve, and take care not to prefer Baal. Ask yourself every night, What portion of the past day have I given to God, to Christ, to devotion, to improvement, to benevolent exertion, to effectual growth in grace? Weep for the deficiencies you therein discover, and pray for pardon and brighter progress.—Legh Richmond. In science, learning, all philosophy,
Men labored all their days, and labored hard,
And dying, sighed how little they had done;
But in religion they at once grew wise.
A creed in print, though never understood;
A theologic system on the shelf,
Was spiritual lore enough, and served their turn;
But served it ill. They sinned, and never knew;
For what the Bible said of good and bad,
Of holiness and sin, they never asked.
—Pollok. Confession and Reconciliation
By B. F. Snook
BRO. WHITE: Permit me, an unworthy worm of the dust, to address the brethren and sisters as follows: 1. I wish to relieve my mind before you, and my God, by confessing that I now feel that I have been led by the wicked One in my movements of late, especially in my opposition to the body. Apparent difficulties in relation to sister White's visions have been accumulating in my mind for some time. These were magnified by the enemy until doubts resulted in unbelief and rebellion. In this distressed state of mind I attended the General Conference at Battle Creek, last May. While there, my mind was impressed that the church there was fast becoming conformed to the world. Without unbosoming myself to the brethren there, and calling for an explanation, I kept these matters to myself till I had a good opportunity to give vent to my feelings by publishing these matters which were a trial to me, to the brethren away from there. I am now convinced that the church at Battle Creek fellowship none of the extravagant fashions that I saw there, and I am now led to believe that they are doing what they can to live out the truth and preserve the waymarks of our faith. I wish to say to my good brethren and sisters of the Battle Creek church that I do most deeply deplore this wrong, and humbly beg of them to forgive me. I also beg the pardon of Bro. and sister White for the influence that I have tried to exert against them on account of these things. I also entreat my brethren and sisters in Iowa to forgive me for talking these things to them and thereby inflaming them to wrong feelings. I do most sorrowfully repent of this grievous wrong and pray that God and my brethren may forgive me. 2. I went to the Iowa Conference full of opposition and strongly fortified against sister White's visions. Bro. White took a bold, decided and thorough stand against my wrongs and faithfully exposed them. And though my mind was very much blinded, the scales fell off and I began to see myself a poor, miserable, and undone sinner. Awful conviction seized me and I was unhappy day and night. Then God in mercy began to restore me from my crazy opposition, and I began to realize that I was the wrong one. In my distress I determined to confess my sins. I thereupon felt relief, and at the first opportunity I began the work; and as my determinations were carried out I felt the blessing of God return to me. I desired to make everything right so far as I could. But there were the visions as full of imaginary wrongs and difficulties, how could I get right on them? I listened to the mighty testimonies of Bro. and sister White, driven home to my heart by the power of God. Hard as I had made my heart, it had to break, and well up with many tears that gushed from my eyes. Thought I, can it be possible that these who speak with so much Spirit and power of God are deceivers, are imposters? No, no! Such a thing cannot be. God would not bless the Devil's servants with so much of his Spirit. I then felt the good Spirit of God upon my heart, and the more of that Spirit I felt, the better the visions appeared; and the discrepancies and difficulties soon began to take63wings and fly away. I now believe firmly that the Devil was working upon me for my overthrow and ruin. But I rejoice that God directed Bro. and sister White this way. They truly have been instrumental in my salvation from the Devil's snare. I hereby entreat their pardon for the grievous trial and heart-rending anguish that I have so wickedly brought upon them. May all my brethren, and may God forgive me. 3. I have also felt while in this state of darkness that I was hampered and chained, and longed for a freedom that I now see would result in anarchy and universal disorder. I felt that the General Conference Committee were too domineering and were fast becoming a kind of triune papacy. Let me say that I have no such feelings now. I believe that God is in our present system and arrangement of order, and my heart's desire is to conform to it unreservedly, and to live in subjection to God and my brethren of experience in this work. I do most heartily believe that this work, in all its parts, is the work of God, and by his divine aid, I am going to strive to be a more holy, humble and devoted man, that I, with mine, may go with this people to the kingdom of God. Your unworthy brother,
B. F. SNOOK. Meetings in Wisconsin.
By T. M. Steward
Bro. White: I think, from what I have seen for two or three months past, that the cause of the third angel's message is rising in the State of Wisconsin; and I feel that the visit of yourself, and sister White, and Bro. Loughborough, was timely, and I hope it will prove a blessing to us. I believe it is time to draw the line, so we can distinguish between the servants of God and those who are running at random. I came here to fill Bro. Sanborn's appointments. The friends here, when they got ready for the first meeting found the meeting-house closed against us. But Bro. Tenny, the Methodist class leader, kindly opened his house for our meetings. His wife was a Sabbath-keeper. This disappointment was against us; for some did not understand the cause of it, and were afraid to come. Then they reported that I believed in free-love-ism, and did not know to the contrary until I preached on Spiritualism. But while the Devil was at work, I was preaching, praying, and talking, and by the blessing of God, out of a congregation of ten to twenty, I leave eight or nine keeping the Lord's Sabbath, and others interested. Two were keeping the Sabbath when I came. Now Bro. Tenny has embraced the Sabbath, and will take charge of the meetings. There are some good honest souls here that (I trust) will lose their prejudice, as others have done, and embrace the truth. I have been here three weeks, and preached thirty-four times; and now I leave to look after the scattered sheep in other places. As the Lord has heard our prayers, and the way is open for the message to move forward, I hope we shall be zealous and repent, that we may engage with fresh courage in the service of our Master. I feel like renewing my covenant with the Lord. Pray for me. "Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another."
This department of the paper is designed for the brethren and sisters to freely and fully communicate with each other respecting their hopes and determinations, conflicts and victories, attainments and desires, in the heavenly journey. Seek first a living experience and then record it, carefully and prayerfully, for the comfort and encouragement of the other members of the household of faith.