Earlier text: Our Late ExperienceClippings of Current Events.
ThE most notable utterance of the cry of "Peace and Safety," is the following from Napoleon, inasmuch as it comes from the highest throne in christendom. From the experience of accomplished events, he is enabled "at present," to "augur a long day of peace and prosperity to the world." So he believes, or, at least, so he would have others believe: "Napoleon's response to the congratulations of the diplomatic body, New Year's, delivered by the Papal Nuncio, was as follows: "Every year at this period we make a retrospect of the past, and look toward the future. We shall be happy if we can, as at present, congratulate ourselves upon having avoided dangers, removed apprehensions, and strengthened the bonds which unite nations and kings, and happy above all if the experience of accomplished events enables us to augur a long day of peace and prosperity for the world." Under this heading, the N. Y. Independent has the following item: "That a revival is coming, we argue from the fact that it is essential to the preservation of true religion. Without a revival, the cause of Christ will not merely make no progress; it will suffer fatal defeat. God does not design that his cause should fail; therefore he will build it up." That the cause of Christ, if dependent on the popular churches, is destined to suffer fatal defeat, considering the fearful rate at which they are progressing in worldliness and sin, is evident to every unblinded mind. But it is not so evident that God, to save his cause, must grant his blessing to them in their state of apostasy and sin. The cause of true religion came very near a fatal defeat in the days of Noah; but God did not, to save it, send forth his blessing upon the ungodly antediluvians. He only devised a way whereby Noah and the few righteous persons might be saved, and the rest meet the destruction which their wickedness had earned. So with the churches. They have rejected the truth, and have met with a moral fall. But truth does not stop or go backward. It is still on its mission, gathering out a few who are willing to be sanctified through it. God preserves his cause, sanctifies and saves his people, only through his truth; and those who reject it, will wait in vain for a revival, and the power of God. SLAVERY IN EVERYTHING BUT NAME.
It appears that if President Johnson carries out his suicidal policy of the reconstruction of the Southern States, as he appears bound to do, leaving the freedmen to the disposal of Southern rebels, these freedmen will be reduced to a worse condition than their former servitude—a condition which Gen. Terry denounces as "slavery in all but its name." The following item sets forth the facts. "General Terry, U. S. military commander in Virginia, has issued an order forbidding the execution, by the state authorities, of the vagrant law lately enacted by the reconstructed legislature of that state. General Terry recites the provisions of the act, refers to the 'wrongful combinations' among the employers in many counties for the purpose of depressing the wages of the freedmen, and says: 'The ultimate effect of the statute will be to reduce the freedmen to a condition of servitude worse than that from which they have been emancipated—a condition which will be slavery in all but its name.' This is a lesson for the President, which, we should think, would serve to abate his zeal for the immediate admission to Congress of the Southern Senators and Representatives." Those who believe that the United States is a subject of prophecy, will be pleased to cherish up in their memories the following facts. Those who do not believe this, would do well to explain how it happens that while every other important nation on the globe where the people of God have been located, has been noted in prophecy, this one is omitted. "The largest army of the revolution was 17,000 men under Gen. Putnam on Long Island; and the most men that Washington commanded at any one time was 16,000 at Yorktown. In the war of 1812, the largest army was only 6000 under Jackson at New Orleans. In the war with Mexico, Scott's largest force was 8,500, and Taylor's less than 5000. In the late rebellion, the loyal states called out in the whole, some three million soldiers, and about a million at one time, more than 600,000 of whom were present for duty. In our very first battle at Bull Run, McClellan had 168,000 men, and in the final campaign against Richmond, Grant had a much larger number than that. The figures indicate the growth of the Republic as a military power." It appears that the Pope is about making up his mind to come to his end with none to help him. The N. Y. Tribune gives us an interesting item on this point, which we herewith present: "The Pope, it seems, no longer conceals from himself the impending doom of his temporal dominion. In addressing the French troops on the 1st of January, he expressed the fear that the enemies of the Church would go to Rome after the departure of the French troops. So it seems, all parties in Italy are agreed that this withdrawal of the French troops will be very soon followed by a revolution in Rome, and a demand of the Romans for annexation to Italy." CHURCH MEMBERSHIP ON THE DECLINE.
"The figures of the Baptist denomination in New York show a less membership than when the population of the state was some two millions less than at present." "The Morning Star, the organ of the Free-Will Baptist denomination, says that sect was the largest in 1814, having a membership at that time of 61,872. In 1853, it had fallen off to 48,930, and in 1860 it again increased to 59,761. It is now 55,676." NEW YORK CITY—CORRUPTION AND CHOLERA.
The following facts show that the prospects for N. Y. City the coming summer, are not very cheering: NEW YORK CITY.—The first message of Mayor Hoffman complains of the insufficient power of the mayor of this city, shows that many corruptions need purging, that the city and county debt is $41,000,000, and that the tax levy this year is $18,000,000, or three per cent. on the assessed value of property. The police surgeon reports officially that the city is very filthy, and that 501,000 of its inhabitants are packed into 15,000 tenement houses, all of which houses are fever-nests where the cholera will find plenty of food next summer. Faith vs. Sight.
By R. F. Cottrell
An apostle says, "We walk by faith, not by sight." Our faith and hope embrace the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the promises of immortality and an incorruptible inheritance then to be awarded, as the result of a course of patient continuance in well doing. Prophetic periods and various signs of the approach of that glad day, have been given by Jesus Christ, apostles, and prophets, in order that we might know when the day draws near. Said Jesus, after giving certain signs which should precede his advent, "When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." It is therefore perfectly in agreement with these words of our Saviour, interpreted by the rules of common sense, to believe that we can certainly tell, before the coming of that day, when it is near. But I recently heard a minister say, and one who was deeply interested, by his own showing, in the advent movement of 1844, that we could tell nothing about it beforehand. His words were, "We can see no further than the natural eye can see." Well, thought I, the prophet Isaiah was right when he said, "His watchmen are blind." Isa. lvi, 10. Watchmen, in the sense of this prophecy, are spiritual counselors and guides; and if they cannot, by the word of prophecy, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit, see any further into the future than their natural eye can see, so that they cannot expect the Lord till they see him coming in the clouds of heaven, their spiritual vision must be totally darkened. Had Paul been of this class, he would have said, "We walk by sight, not by faith." But the apostle says, "Ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 Thess. v, 4. On the contrary, it will be said in that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us." Isa. xxv, 9. I have written this for the benefit, especially, of those who heard the above confession of blindness at Rose Hill, in Steuben Co.; but the admonition may be a benefit to others, who need only to open the "eyes of their understanding," in order that they may "discern the signs of the times." R. F. COTTRILL. The Seal of God, and the Mark of the Beast.
By J. H. Waggoner
It is in the very nature of the case that our faith on these points should be strongly excepted to by our opponents. We cannot wonder that they strongly oppose it, considering the position they occupy, if it be proven true. We have greater reason to wonder that they still persist in this course when their opposition is shown to have no just ground. It is very seldom that those who reject the messages of Rev. xiv, enter into an argument on this subject. Even the Adventists, who profess that it is our privilege and duty to read and understand the book of Revelation, content themselves with the declaration that the Sabbath is not the seal of God, and Sunday-keeping is not and will not be the mark of the beast, without attempting to show what is the seal and the mark. Some time since, I heard a preacher of the United Brethren faith endeavor to disprove our position, and some of his points on this subject may be interesting to the readers of the Review. He declared as follows: "A seal will not settle controversy, because it may be counterfeited. If we knew it was put on by proper authority, it would answer. The fourth commandment comes to us through human language. The prophets of Baal might give a law, saying he created heavens and earth." That the Lord calls the Sabbath a sign, because he created heaven and earth in six days, and rested the seventh; and that sign and seal are synonymous terms in scripture, were admitted by the speaker, and must be by all. Then the only question of authority is the question of the authenticity of the Scriptures. If the Bible is to be believed, there is no further controversy about the Sabbath being the seal of God, and it is the only seal in the law. See Isa. viii, 16. By Jer. x, we learn that the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish. The position taken above is calculated to invalidate all scripture testimony, and destroy the force of every argument and claim in behalf of the knowledge of the true God. Paul might have been met with this objection, (See Acts xvii), and if it is of any force now, it was of equal force in the days of Jeremiah and Elijah. How then would God's prophets have proclaimed His Name? If our faith needed any strengthening, such opposition is calculated to accomplish it. "We want evidence which cannot be counterfeited. The divine power manifested at the Red sea, at Mt. Sinai, &c., cannot be counterfeited. These confirm his truth, and thus we find a seal which cannot be counterfeited." This objection seems to be taken rather unfortunately for the objector, its weakness being apparent in so many respects. 1. The Sabbath is directly called a sign (or seal) of the power and of the knowledge of God. Ex. xxxi; Eze. xx. In this respect it stands alone and unrivaled. 2. All the manifestations of divine power specified above, could be counterfeited as easily as could creation! 3. We never saw the divine power manifested at the Red sea, Mt. Sinai, &c., and so cannot know personally that any of them ever transpired; and for our belief in them we are dependent on the same testimony by which we learn that God created heaven and earth, and that the Sabbath is a sign or seal of that fact. If the testimony concerning the Sabbath could be counterfeited, so could that93concerning the other facts referred to. 4. A fact of occurrence is evidence to them who witness it; and to them only. Others are dependent on testimony respecting it. The bodily presence of Jesus was evidence to the apostles of his resurrection, and thus they stand as witnesses of the fact. We are not witnesses of the fact, and can only believe on their testimony. A striking illustration of this is found in Joshua iv. When the children of Israel passed over Jordan the waters were stayed in their course, and "stood and rose up upon an heap," so that they all passed through the bed of the river on dry ground. No evidence of that fact could be required by them who thus passed over. But the Lord directed them to set up twelve stones in Gilgal, of which he said: "When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over," &c. Verses 21-23. To those who witness a fact, the fact itself is evidence; to all others, a memorial is the best evidence that can be given. And such is the Sabbath; and all who take issue on this point, war against the plainest truths of God's word. "There is not a text in the Bible to show that keeping Sunday is the mark of the beast." On this it would be fair to ask, is there a text in the Bible informing us what the mark of the beast is? Has the passage, warning against this mark, any meaning at all? How shall we learn what it is? It is a significant fact that our opponents always take a negative position, merely denying, without offering a solution of this important question. A few plain points might aid them on this subject if they would well consider their bearing. Note the following: 1. By carefully comparing Rev. vi, vii, and xiii, xiv, we find that the angel having the seal of God, and the angel warning against the mark of the beast, belong to the same age, and are succeeded by the same events. Thus they synchronize, in time, and stand related to each other by contrast. 2. There is a contrast again in Rev. xiv between them that receive the mark of the beast, and them that keep the commandments of God; thus plainly referring us to the commandments as a test of the worship of the beast. 3. We find the seal of God in the fourth commandment, viz., the Sabbath, and we can carry out the contrast in the Sunday-Sabbath, and in nothing else. 4. The Bible plainly and strongly enforces the keeping of the Sabbath. 5. The beast, the Roman power, plainly and strongly enforces the Sunday; which the Bible does not. And thus its power and authority stand directly opposed to God in the matter of the Sabbath. To us, the conclusion from these points, here merely referred to, is unavoidable, and so plain as to be seen and appreciated by any one having capacity to do a sum in simple addition. This is a subject upon which we can afford to invite criticism. But, considering its position in the book of Revelation, and the times in which we live—the events soon to transpire, our opponents cannot afford to occupy a mere negative position in regard to it. Such ground is dangerous; and the day which shall try every man's work, will soon reveal the fallacy of mere denials. That is the ground and work of infidelity; faith stands upon a better basis. The Dance at Moscow.
By H. A. ST. JOHN
DURING the occupancy of the city of Moscow by the French army, an incident occurred, which will serve as a good illustration of the blind infatuation of the present generation. A party of French officers and soldiers determined to have a grand military levee, and for this purpose selected the deserted mansion of a nobleman, in the vault of which a large quantity of powder had been stored. That night the city was set on fire. About sundown the crowd began to assemble. The females with the army, were decorated for the occasion. The gayest and noblest of Napoleon's army were there, and merriment beamed in every eye. As the dance progressed so did the fire, until the building next the one they occupied was in flames. At times they would come to the windows and look upon the billows of fire that swept around them, but would return again to their amusement. At length, the fire taking hold of their own building, caused them to prepare for flight. At this moment a young officer named Carnot, waved his jeweled glove above his head, exclaiming, "One dance more, and defiance to the flames." Every heart caught the enthusiasm of the moment, and "One dance more, and defiance to the flames," was the spontaneous expression of all. The dance commenced; the music grew louder and louder, the pattering feet of dancers grew faster and faster, when suddenly they heard a cry, "The fire has reached the magazine! fly! fly for life!" They were astonished, they did not know it was there, and ere they could escape, the magazine exploded, shivering the palace to atoms, and hurrying the dancers into a fearful eternity. Thus it will be in that terrible day just before us. Men will revel on till engulfed in ruin. Though warned, and told that the Son of man cometh, yet with a jeering laugh they will ask, "Where is the promise of his coming?" When entreated to prepare to meet their God, they reply, "Pleasure is our god." When told of the awful judgments awaiting the ungodly, and soon to be visited upon them, they will cry, "fanaticism, Millerism, priestcraft," and the like, and again join in the noisy revel. And methinks, when earth and heaven shall be shaken by the voice of God, and Jesus shall be revealed in flaming fire with all the holy angels, I can see some Carnot, horror-struck, and with blood-shot eyes, waving his jeweled hand above his head, and exclaiming, "One dance more, and defiance to that voice, and that Jesus, and those angels!" But ere the dance is closed, the awful retributions of Jehovah overtake them, and of them it is said, they are lost, lost forever, and forever. God's dealings with his people have never been dark nor mysterious to the wise, or to those who would understand. Mystification belongs to the bigot, the infidel, and to the unlearned. God has never failed to forewarn the world of his judgments. The execution of his wrath has ever followed phenomena, miracles and signs, thereby making his revelation, his universal scheme of government, and his high sovereignty, a plain, intelligible, comprehensive whole. Great and portentous as were those signs preceding Jerusalem's destruction, and widely as they differ from all previous signs or miracles, or any that are yet to transpire, there are many, it is strange to believe, very many, who confound and crowd into this event what rightly belongs to their own age and generation. Many claim that the signs predicted in Matt. xxiv, were all fulfilled at the destruction of Jerusalem. Let us look at Josephus' record of the prodigies that accompanied that event, and see if they will harmonize with Matthew's testimony. Josephus says:— 'Thus were the miserable people persuaded by these deceivers and such as belied God himself; while they did not attend, nor give credit, to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation; but, like men infatuated, without either eyes to see, or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. 'These base deceivers, were prophets of belial, suborned by the tyrants to impose upon the people, and who seduced them into the belief that God required and commanded them to secrete themselves within and upon the temple; for there they should receive miraculous signs of their deliverance; and thus about six thousand souls full of patient hope of deliverance, perished by the sword and flame of the Roman soldiers. Then as now, false prophets seduce, while God's denunciations pass unheeded. 'Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet that continued a whole year. Thus also, before the Jew's rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of unleavened bread, on the eighth day of the month Xanthicus, and at the ninth hour of the night so great a light shone round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be bright day-time; which lasted for half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the unskilful, but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it. Moreover the eastern gate of the inner temple, which was of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difficulty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was made of one entire stone, was seen to be opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night. Now, those that kept watch in the temple, came here upon running to the captain of the temple, and told him of it; who then came up thither, and not without great difficulty, was able to shut the gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very happy prodigy, as if God did thereby open them the gate of happiness.' 'Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Artemisius, a certain prodigious and incredible phenomena appeared; I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those who saw it, and were not the events which followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals; for, before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armour were seen running about among the clouds, and rounding of cities. Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner temple, as their custom was to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that, in the first place, they felt a quaking and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, 'Let us remove hence.' 'But, what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananias, a plebian and a husbandman, who, for four years before the war began, and at a time when the city was in very great time of peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for every one to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, 'A voice from the east, a voice from the west, a voice from the four winds, a voice against Jerusalem and the holy house, a voice against the bridegrooms and the brides, a voice against this whole people!' This was his cry, as he went about by day and by night, in all the lanes of the city. However, certain of the most eminent among the populace had great indignation at this dire cry of his; and took up the man and gave him a great number of severe stripes; yet did he not either say anything for himself, or anything peculiar to those that chastised him, but still he went on with the same words which he cried before. At every stroke of the whip his answer was, 'Woe, woe, to Jerusalem!' 'This cry of his was loudest at the festivals; and he continued this ditty for seven years and five months, without growing hoarse, or being tired therewith, until the very time that he saw his presage in earnest fulfilled in our siege, when it ceased; for as he was going round upon the wall he cried out with his utmost force, 'woe, woe, to the city again! and to the people! and to the holy house!' and just as he added at the last,—'Woe, woe, to myself also!' there came a stone out of one of the engines, and smote him, and killed him immediately; and as he was uttering the very same presages he gave up the ghost.'—Josephus b. vi, chap. v. Are these the things that Matthew foretells to precede the coming of Christ? Is it not believed that Josephus gave a minute description of these wonderful events transpiring in his own time, and among his own people? How can it be possible for him to have left unnoticed the darkening of the sun and the moon, and the falling of the stars from heaven and the shaking of the powers thereof, if such occurred. He records phenomena of far less moment and significance than those Matthew foretells, giving the strongest proof that no such things took place, as, if they had, he would have mentioned them. If Josephus had recorded anything similar or anything which might possibly answer to Matt. xxiv, from the hypothesis94of mistranslation, there might be place for conjecture. But, instead, there is no room for the least supposition to any candid mind, that Josephus ever beheld these signs, or that he failed to record "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," in this matter. He did not gain his information from hearsay, he did not borrow from another's pen, but as an inhabitant of his native city, he plainly relates what he saw, assuring us of facts we may justly deem the most reliable. Further, the church of God had not passed through her tribulation in A. D. 70. That power was then but in its infancy which was to wear out the saints of the Most High, continuing for "a time, times, and a half"—"a thousand two hundred and three-score days"—forty-two months—all synonymous expressions, applying to that persecuting power. As God decreed, so was it done. Tribulation passed, and the words of our Lord must follow. Heaven's height luminaries hid themselves from the face of mortal man. The inhabitants of earth tremblingly witnessed. Learned astronomers held their hearts in dismay and sought understanding beyond their mortal ken. A short period, then another powerful demonstration is given, leaving but one other to be completed. The stellar hosts fulfill their predicted mission, warning mankind of judgment nigh. Men's hearts failed them for fear of these things, because they were not established upon the word of God. The shaking of the powers of heaven alone remains of this prophecy to usher the King of glory in. And oh! the dark dismay of those whose hearts fail them for fear in that great day. "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved," and with hearts and hands uplifted, shall in ecstasy of holest delight, be able to exclaim, "Lo! this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us!" We have received the following report of action taken by some of the churches in Iowa, which we trust will result in strengthening in the right, all those who are exposed, as was the apostle Paul, to perils by "false brethren." The resolution comes to us signed by nineteen members of the church of West Union, eight of the church of Elgin, and twenty-six of the church of Waukon. We publish the preamble and resolution, without the names, as follows:— Whereas, Elders Snook and Brinkerhoff, who have been acknowledged preachers among us, have now rejected the three messages of Rev. xiv, saying they were fulfilled in part by the Waldenses, and deny that the two-horned beast of Rev. xiii, is a symbol of the United States, and deny that the signs promised by our Saviour, Mark xvi, 17, were to come this side of the apostolic church; therefore, Resolved, That we, the undersigned, Seventh-day Adventist churches, do hereby declare that we have no confidence in those men, nor in their present work of trying to pull down and destroy those glorious truths which we believe and love. Therefore we warn our brethren everywhere, to have no sympathy nor fellowship with their unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. Eph. v, 11. ACTION OF THE CHURCH AT PALESTINE.
The church at Palestine, Iowa, has lately passed the following preamble and resolution; and it is forwarded to us signed by twelve names, being as we are informed by the Clerk, J. F. McReynold, the entire membership of the church: "Whereas, There is a rebellion in our midst instigated by Elds. Brinkerhoff and Snook, and "Whereas, Eld. Snook has expressed a desire to preach to us at Palestine, therefore "Resolved, That we, the S. D. A. church at Palestine, knowing the tendency of such rebellion, and having good evidence that these ministers are determined to divide the flock, and scatter seeds of discord which must ruin our influence, would inform them that we have no fellowship nor sympathy for them in their work of tearing down what they once labored to build up; and we therefore have no desire to see them or to hear them preach." DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: As we are living in a time when the enemy would like to cause divisions in our ranks, we feel it a duty to let you know through the Review that the church in this place is not at all moved by the spirit of rebellion; and that the efforts of certain ones in scattering "fly" leaves in our midst are futile; that we rather rejoice in having our lot cast with the remnant who have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. We feel that this is the sheet anchor of our faith; for if we have not enough to fill the bill, we are deceived, and our faith is in vain. The specification calls for commandment-keepers that have the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy; so that if we throw away the spirit of prophecy, we admit at once that we are not the remnant; and if we are not the remnant, we are not in the last days, (unless some others have enough to fill the bill) consequently we cannot consistently be looking for the return of our blessed Lord and Master. But to put away the return of our Saviour would be to say, My Lord delayeth his coming; and we fear the consequences of saying with our lips, our heart, or our actions, that he delayeth; for there is a cloud of witnesses that speak in thunder tones that he is nigh and hasteth greatly. Truly we are living in perilous times. Still we have no reason to complain; for God in mercy has forewarned us of it in his blessed word. He says, Because iniquity abounds the love of many shall wax cold. We feel to mourn that any should grow weary in well-doing. Still our love for the truth and those who have borne the heat and burden of the day hinder us from having any sympathy with rebels. This church has quite a trial to bear. They have to bear the reproach of Moses Hull, the first one that ever preached present truth in this place. The next was B. F. S., now he is supposed to be gone. In the midst of our troubles our cry is, O God, send some of thy faithful servants this way that the things that remain may be strengthened. That the brethren may know our whereabouts, there was a vote of the church taken, when the whole church stood up to manifest that they had no sympathy with rebellion, but wanted to go with the body.
F. MORROW, in behalf of the church.
Vernon, Iowa. FROM THE CHURCH AT PILOT GROVE.
The church at Pilot Grove, where this rebellion was met last June, and temporarily demolished, the leaders confessing their iniquitous course, send the following record of the firm stand they have taken, which comes to us signed by forty-eight names: Whereas, There is a rebellion raging in our midst, caused by Elders Snook and Brinkerhoff, and Whereas, We understand it is their calculation to visit all the churches and sow seeds of discord, and scatter confusion among the brethren, which course we deem to be very injurious to the cause, and calculated to destroy our influence over our neighbors and friends not in the truth, and as application has been made for our meeting-house for them to preach in, by H. E. Carver, and as we had a better chance to learn the nature of the first rebellion than any other church in our Conference, and knowing the second to be worse than the first, they having taken the position that our application of the three messages of Rev. xiv, is false, and declare that the seven last plagues are all past but the seventh, therefore Resolved, That we the Seventh-day Adventist church at Pilot Grove, Washington Co., Iowa, will give no countenance to the rebellion in any shape whatever; and we will not open our house of worship for the95leaders in this rebellion to preach in, and should they come to our place we will not go to hear their confusion. The Washington church endorse the above action as follows, to which were appended seven names: P. S. The Washington church being present when the above article was voted on, requested the privilege of voting in favor of the same, and wish it definitely understood that they, as a church, take the same position. Too Late! Too Late!
By L. E. Millne
RANG in my ear, as I sat in the cars that were to bear me swiftly along to my own beloved home. Aroused by the cry I looked out of the window, and saw a company swiftly approaching, but ere they reached the train, the bell sounded, and away we went as fast as the chariots could carry us on, and the cry was still borne on the breeze, Too late! Ah, this methought is the picture of many a sad life here. They start on the journey of life, with fond hopes and bright anticipations of the future, intending to take passage on the line that leads to the Celestial City. They think of the glories of the better land, and begin to make some provision for the journey. Yea, they enter upon the road with great alacrity and delight; but as the way grows narrow and trials arise, they fondly think that the Lord will exempt them from a life of self-denial. Thus they glide along down the stream of time, even to the shining shore, fondly expecting to enter the pearly gates, and meet with the dreadful sound, Too late! Then will they have to take up with the sad lamentation, The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. No shelter is found in that dreadful day. All hope of mercy is lost; probation is ended; and still the startling cry rings in their ears, Too late! Dear reader, mercy is still extended, and Jesus invites you to-day. His arms are open wide, and he cries, "Ho every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." Oh will you not open the door of your heart and let the lovely Jesus come in a welcome guest before it shall be too late? Time hastens on with rapid flight. Soon Jesus will come in his kingly attire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel. Oh let us be wise and choose the better part that shall never be taken from us, and then we can look up with confidence and say, "Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us." The glad call is sounding, oh hear the loud cry,
To robe and prepare, His coming is nigh;
Oh break the strong fetters which Satan has bound,
Nor tarry too long on this dangerous ground. Man by Nature, by Grace, and in Glory.
"Dead in trespasses and sin,"
"Vile," "polluted," and "unclean;"
"Naked," "miserable," "blind,"
"Darkened" in his "heart" and "mind,"
"Satan's slave," a "child of wrath,"
Wandering, "helpless," from the path,
"Without hope," and "without God,"
"Without strength" to seek the road;
"Knowing nothing," "hating life,"
"Speaking evil," "sowing strife;"
"In the way that leads to death,"
His best hope "a puff of breath;"
"Of the world," he hath no rest,
Peace a stranger to his breast;
"Hating God," who "knows him not,"
"God is not in all his thought;"
A "despiser" of the word;
One who "will not" seek the Lord;
But "stout-hearted," void of faith,
And "condemned" to endless death. "Quickened" by the voice of God;
"Cleansed" by Christ's atoning blood,
"Clothed," and "blessed;" light is given;
Darkness from his spirit driven:
See, "the Son has made him free,"
And he "walks at liberty."
He is an "adopted son,"
Dwelt in by the Holy One!
He has found the pathway "strait,"
"Leading to the heavenly gate."
He is "strong in Christ the Lord,"
And he loves his holy word.
Now he knows the "better part,"
God has given a fleshly heart.
He will "follow after peace,"
Own the "Lord his righteousness."
He is "holy," "true," and just;
"In the Lord he puts his trust;"
Living, lives a life of faith;
Dying, triumphs over death! "Life eternal" shall he his;
He shall "see Him as he is;"
He shall "know as he is known;"
He shall love the Lord alone;
All his sorrows shall be o'er;
Sin shall never grieve him more.
"Faith shall then be lost in sight;"
God shall be his glorious light;
He shall see Him "face to face,"
Who has saved him by his grace.
"Like" his Saviour, he shall be
Sharer in his majesty.
He shall "enter into rest;"
He shall mingle with the blest;
He shall cast his purchased crown
At the Saviour's footstool down.
"Filled and satisfied" with joy,
Naught shall burden, fade, or cloy;
Death shall ne'er his bliss dissever;
He shall be "with Christ" for ever.