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Review and Herald, Vol. 27, No. 3.

The Test of a New Creature

Review and Herald

Dec 19, 1865

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 19, 1865

The Test of a New Creature.

"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith." 2 Cor. xiii, 5.
MANY good persons are often perplexed with the inquiry whether they are actually converted. Satan no doubt often raises this question and presents it to the minds of conscientious persons; nevertheless in so important a concern as salvation, we want explicit evidence. This, however, is furnished to our hands in the Bible. There we may read the unerring marks of a "new creature in Christ Jesus." In those blessed pages we may find the never-failing evidences of a change of heart by the power of the Spirit of God. To those who are interested in this matter, the following thoughts from that holy man, John de la Fletcher, may tend to edification and comfort. And while we all assent to that teaching of Christ, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter the kingdom of God," it is our exalted privilege to know that we are in "the way of life," and so secure of Heaven. But read the following paragraphs, and see if
"The Spirit answers to the blood, And says you are a child of God." G. W. A.
1. Do I feel any pride; or am I partaker of the meek and lowly mind that was in Jesus? Am I dead to all desire of praise? If any despise me, do I like them worse for it? Or, if they love and approve, do Ilove them more on that account? Am I willing to be accounted useless, and of no consequence,—glad to be made of no reputation? Do humiliations give me real pleasure, and is it the language of my heart,
Make me little and unknown, Loved and prized by God alone?
2. Does God bear witness in my heart that it is purified? that in all things I please him?
3. Is the life I live, "by the faith of the Son of God;" so that Christ dwelleth in me? Is Christ the life of all my affections and designs, as my soul is the life of my body? Is my eye single and my soul full of light,—all eye within and without; always watchful?
4. Have I always the presence of God? Does no cloud come between God and the eye of my faith? Can I "rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks?"
5. Am I saved from the fear of man? Do I speak plainly to all, neither fearing their frowns, nor seeking their favors? Have I no shame of religion; and am I always ready to confess Christ, to suffer with his people, and to die for his sake?
6. Do I deny myself at all times, and take up my cross as the Spirit of God leads me? Do I embrace the cross of every sort, being willing to give up my ease and convenience to oblige others; or do I expect them to conform to my hours and customs? Does the cross sit light upon me, and am I willing to suffer all the will of God? Can I trample on pleasure and pain? Have I
"A soul inured to pain, To hardship, grief, and loss, Bold to take up, firm to sustain, The consecrated cross?"
7. Are my bodily senses, and outward things, all sanctified to me? Do I not seek my own things to please myself? Do I seek grace more for God's honor than my own profit, preferring the glory of God to all in earth or Heaven, the giver to the gift?
8. Am I "poor in spirit?" Do I "take pleasure in infirmities, necessities, distresses, reproaches;" so that out of weakness, want, and danger, I may cast myself on the Lord? Have I no false shame in approaching God? Do I seek to be saved, as a poor sinner, by grace alone?
9. Do I not "lean to my own understanding?" Am I ready to give up the point, when contradicted, unless conscience forbid? Am I easy to be persuaded? Do I esteem every one better than myself? Am I as willing to be a cypher as to be useful, and does my zeal burn bright notwithstanding this willingness to be nothing?
10. Have I no false wisdom, goodness, strength; as if the grace I feel were my own? Do I never take that glory to myself which belongs to Christ? Do I feel my want of Christ as much as ever, to be my all? and do I draw near to God, as poor and needy, only presenting before him his well-beloved Son? Can I say,
"Every moment, Lord, I need, The merit of thy death? I shall hang upon my God, Till I thy perfect glory see, Till the sprinkling of thy blood Shall speak me up to thee?"
Do I find joy in being thus nothing, empty, undeserving, giving all the glory to Christ? Or do I wish that grace made me something, instead of God being all?
11. Have I meekness? Does it bear rule over all my tempers, affections, and desires; so that my hopes, fears, joys, zeal, love, and hatred, are duly balanced? Do I feel no disturbance from others, and do I desire to give none? If any offend me, do I still love them, and make it an occasion to pray for them? If condemned by the world, do I entreat;—if condemned by the godly, am I one in whose mouth there is no reproof; replying only as conscience and not as impatient nature dictates! If in the wrong, do I confess it? If in the right, do I submit, being content to do well, and suffer for it? It is the sin of superiors to be overbearing, of inferiors to be stubborn; if, then I am a servant, do I yield not only to the gentle, but to the froward, committing my cause in silence to God; or, if a master, do I "show all long-suffering?" The Lord of all was "as he that serveth." If I am the greatest, do I make myself least, "and the servant of all;" if a teacher, am I lowly, meek and patient, not conceited, self-willed, nor dogmatic? Am I ready to give up the claims of respect due to age, station, parent, master, etc.; or do I rigidly exact those demands?
12. Do I possess resignation; am I content with whatever is, or may be; seeing that God, the Author of all events, does, and will do, all for my good? Do I desire nothing but God, willing to part with all, if the Lord manifests his will for my so doing? Do I "know how to abound," and yet not gratify unnecessary wants; but being content with things needful, do I faithfully and freely dispose of all the rest for the help of others? Do I know how to suffer need? Is my confidence unshaken while I feel the distress of poverty, and have the prospect of future want, while, humanly speaking, strangling were better than life? And, in these circumstances, do I pity those who, having plenty, waste it in excess, instead of helping me?
13. Am I just; doing in all things as I would others should do unto me? Do I render homage to those above me, not presuming on their lenity and condescension? As a superior, do I exercise no undue authority, taking no advantage of the timidity, respect, or necessity of any man? Do I consider the great obligation superiority lays me under, of being lowly and kind, and of setting a good example?
14. Am I temperate, using the world, and not abusing it? Do I receive outward things in the order of God, making earth a scale to Heaven? Is the satisfaction I take in the creation consistent with my being dead to all below, and a means of leading me more to God? Is the turn of my mind and temper in due subjection, not leading me to any extreme, either of too much silence, or of too much talkativeness, of reserve or freedom?
15. Am I courteous, not severe? Suiting myself to all with sweetness? Striving to give no one pain, but to gain and win all for their good?
16. Am I vigilant; redeeming time, taking every opportunity of doing good; or do I spare myself, being careless about the souls and bodies to which I might do good? Can I do no more than I do? Do I perform the most servile offices, such as require labor and humiliation, with cheerfulness? Is my conversation always seasoned with salt, at every time administering some kind of favor to those I am with?
17. Do I "love God with all my heart?" Do I constantly present myself, my time, substance, talents, and all that I have, a living sacrifice? Is every thought brought into subjection to Christ? Do I like or dislike, only such things as are pleasing or displeasing to God?
18. Do I love God with all my strength, and are my spiritual faculties always vigorous? Do I give way to no sinful languor? Am I always on the watch? Do not business, worldly care, and conversation, damp my fervor and zeal for God?
19. Do I love my neighbor as myself; every man for Christ's sake, and honor all men, as the image of God? Do I think no evil, listen to no groundless surmises, nor judge from appearances? Can I bridle my tongue, never speaking of the faults of another, but with a view to do good; and when I am obliged to do it, have I the testimony that I sin not? Have I that love which hopeth, believeth, and endureth all things?
20. How am I in my sleep? If Satan presents an evil imagination, does my will immediately resist, or give way to it?
21. Do I bear the infirmities of age or sickness, without seeking to repair the decays of nature by strong liquors; or do I make Christ my sole support casting the burden of a feeble body into the arms of his mercy?
Jesus, Lord of all, grant thy purest gifts to every waiting disciple. Enlighten us with the knowledge of thy will, and show us "the mark of the prize of our high calling." Let us die to all thou art not; and seek thee with our whole heart, till we enjoy the fullness of the purchased possession.—Fletcher.

Bethlehem.

By Bonar

THEY speak to me of princely Tyre, That old Phœnician gem, Great Sidon, daughter of the north; But I will speak of Bethlehem.
They speak of Rome and Babylon,— What can compare with them? So let them praise their pride and pomp; But I will speak of Bethlehem.
They praise the hundred-gated Thebes, Old Mizraim's diadem, The city of the sand-girt Nile, But I will speak of Bethlehem.
They speak of Athens, star of Greece, Her hill of Mars, her Academe; Haunts of old wisdom and fair art, But I will speak of Bethlehem.
Dear city, where Heaven met with earth, Whence sprang the rod from Jesse's stem, Where Jacob's star first shone:—of thee I'll speak, O happy Bethlehem! [Bonar.

Systematic Reading of the Bible.

THE Bible holds the first place among the means of implanting and promoting divine life in the soul; and the Christian who fails to keep in some way the great truths of the Bible steadily before his mind, will find the vigor of his graces departing. No other reading will serve as a substitute for reading the Bible. No other study or meditation will answer the purpose of the word of Christ, dwelling in us richly in all wisdom. If we look for religion to be revived, our expectation will be realized, only by the mind of the Church being brought in steadier contact with the lively oracles. When the Christian mind awakes from its comparative coldness to a higher state of vitality and devotedness, the word of God invariably does the work of an instrument of the quickening. And when conviction of sin, and those struggles of mind which are wont to precede conversion, are experienced by the impenitent, it is the contents of the Bible which have introduced them; and that religious experience which holds the Bible at a distance, or that does not stand immediately connected with some fact or principle of the divine word, is spurious.
The habitual reading of the Bible, joined with prayerful meditations, becomes then a duty of the first importance. Other ways of bringing the contents of the Bible to bear upon the mind, have each their suitableness and proportionate value, but none of them can supersede the habitual reading of the word of God. And hence it becomes an important question how we shall engage our minds, so as to secure the advantages of this steady draught from the fountains of divine truth; and not be robbed of it by the rush of worldly cares, and the multiplied calls upon us for secular employment.
To this end, we need to seize the advantage of system and habit; and for the sake of a system which shall hold the mindto the engagement, it is well to take up the purpose of reading the Bible through, once a year. If this purpose be adopted and pursued, it will insure to us an amount of Bible-reading which we should not probably attain without it; and this circumstance alone might be the means of giving a new impulse to our growth in grace. By holding the mind upon the word of God, as we should by that means, we soon create another power to help us on in our course; we mean the power of habit. After we become for a course of years accustomed to such an amount of application of the mind to the Bible, it will not only become easy and pleasant to find the time to devote to it, but it will have become in a measure necessary. We shall be uneasy and dissatisfied without it.
The great secret of thrift in sanctification lies very much in a regulation of the power of habit. We do with ease, and rarely forget to do, that which we have been accustomed to do, and in no particular is the force of habit better applied, than when applied to bind upon our minds the principles of the truth. It is very true, that one may read the Bible through in course and often repeat such courses, with little spiritual profit. But if the Christian takes up the resolution to carry out this system of Bible-reading, with a view to this spiritual thrift, and if with this end in view he follows it up from year to year, he can hardly fail to derive rich advantage from it.—Christian Press.

Modern Orthodoxy vs. Bible and Facts.

By H. C. Miller

A FEW Sundays ago I called to visit a brother at one of the hospitals in this city, and not finding him in, while waiting I stepped into a New England Congregational church, and heard one of those “Teachers having itching ears,” who turn away their ears from the truth, and believe in fables. When I entered, the choir was singing the hymn composed of these words:
“The morning light is breaking, The darkness disappears; The sons of earth are waking To penitential tears; Each breeze that sweeps the ocean, Brings tidings from afar, Of nations in commotion, Prepared for Zion's war.
“Rich dews of grace come o'er us, In many a gentle shower, And brighter scenes before us, Are opening every hour. Each cry to Heaven going, Abundant answer brings, And heavenly gales are blowing With peace upon their wings.
“See heathen nations bending Before the God of love, And thousand hearts ascending In gratitude and love; While sinners, now confessing, The gospel's call obey, And seek a Saviour's blessing, A nation in a day.”
That hymn contains the idea he advanced in his sermon, viz., that all the world is on the eve of conversion to the God of Heaven; that whole nations were seeking Him and His blessing, and instancing the United States,—all coming before Him in grateful worship on that day! After the singing, he read the second chapter of Isaiah, then the choir sang another hymn which in sentiment was the echo of the first. Then followed a prayer, in which the speaker thanked God for such a glorious plan of salvation, and for the privilege of having a part in it. After the singing, he took his text from Isaiah xxi, 11, 12. Reversing the order there, he had the night in the past, and the morning just dawning. His argument was in substance as follows: 1. It is God’s plan of salvation that all the world shall be converted. 2. It will be a willing conversion, God’s Spirit will move so powerfully upon the hearts of men, that all will cheerfully bow the knee, confess their sins, and be pardoned. 3. Though God had not yet succeeded in this plan, yet His six thousand years’ work had not been in vain; and, 4. We are now just on the eve of the accomplishment of this great work, everything showing it. Universal education, improvements in science, arts, and agriculture, abolition of slavery, discoveries of gold, silver, and precious stones, (these were to adorn the holy city that was to be brought in at the close of this great work,) and a many speculation about rocks pouring forth oil, gas made from water, &c., which was so many that I ceased trying to follow him. He wrought himself up to such a happy hight, that he closed by thanking God for this great and glorious plan of salvation, and, Pharisee-like, telling God that he, the speaker, was doing his whole duty in relation to the work in hand. Then the whole closed with another hymn in honor of that event. All seemed pleased with the idea, and one remarked to another in my hearing, that it was sure to be accomplished, if it took 10,000 years.
The preacher said the world was growing better, and they all believed it without a doubt, or question. Many passages of Scripture came to my mind: the parable of the wheat and tares, iniquity abounding, and the love of many waxing cold, making it harder to endure to the end; evil men and seducers waxing worse, show a different state of existing things. To test the truth of these things, I thought I would watch the criminal record during the ensuing week, and the result I found to be anything but flattering to the deductions by the preacher aforesaid. From the city papers during the week, we cull the following record of cases of crime.
In the first paper was seven cases of common-place, ordinary crimes, such as burglaries, arson, assaults with intent to kill, &c., all taking place in this city in one day, to say nothing of those undetected.
The next day an account of a midnight affray, in which a policeman kills two brothers—roughs. Then another account of crime, in which an M. D. assists death in drawing his mantle over a life of misfortune, shame, and crime. Then the case of a man knocked down and robbed of $2,000, and four others of minor importance, (in the sight of men,) all in the city. An account of a horrible crime—a wholesale poisoning by a woman—six victims, in Pittsburg. A heavy bank robbery in Ohio.
The next paper gave a daring burglary. Time has been when crime sought the cover of darkness. When scoundrels “loved darkness better than light, because their deeds were evil;” but now with bold impudence, it does not even seek the cover of darkness, but acts in the broad daylight. It is an account of a house on one of the principal streets, in a thickly settled portion of the city, in midday, chopped open with an axe and robbed of over $4,000.
In the next paper every other item in the local column was a record of crime—no less than nine cases. And the balance were pregnant in murders, thefts, assaults, &c. But the preacher said the world had been growing better for six thousand years. Query. Why was the flood? Why were Sodom and the cities of the plain overwhelmed? Why were Babylon, Nineveh, Jerusalem, &c., destroyed? From whence come slavery? From whence come wars and strifes to-day? He said the world would soon be converted; that sin was growing less. Does he read the papers? “Oh, ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” But the preacher comforted the people. Yes, we are all to be converted. No use to trouble ourselves about it, God is going to bring us all in. “Peace and safety.” “Peace and safety.” “For when they shall say Peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape.”
The preacher assured himself and his hearers, that crime is growing less. But the thinking, observing editor of the Chicago Tribune, from which I clip the following article, republished Sept. 3, 1865, from the same paper of July, 1857, thinks differently. He could find no more appropriate language to describe the present state of the country, than this republished article:
“This may properly be styled the era of murder. Seduction and crim. con. as agencies for the public bewilderment, and stagnation of the moral sense, are thrust entirely out of view by a superior horror. Murdurs by drowning, murders by poisoning, murders by strangling, murders with bludgeons, shooting irons and butcher’s knives, murders in the day and murders in the dark; murders of foe, friends, wives and children, and appropriate suicides terminating the tragedies; bloody murders, horrid murders, and plain, slovenly, unvarnished murders, with no distinguishing or original features—have apparently become a public infirmity. It is impossible to deny or conceal it. We do not pretend to account for the deplorable fact, but murder, in all its bloody variety of forms has become so frequent an occurrence in the Western States that we have been obliged to let them pass without notice in our columns, unless accompanied by circumstances of peculiar barbarity; and while thus discriminating against the every day horror, we have chronicled sixteen murders as occurring in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, within as many days. One day we hear that a whole family is missing. The next, they are found floating in the Illinois river with their throats cut. Simultaneously with this, Judge Lynch calls his docket for horse-thieves in Iowa, and a series of confederated, open, daylight strangulations are the hideous consequence. Not to be behind in anything of public interest, Wisconsin presents us with three or four tasteful butcheries in quick succession, and Minnesota asserts her claim to notice by shooting Indians and spearing their dead carcasses. Then we learn of a drowning here, and a stabbing there, and a desperate shooting affray yonder in Illinois, followed by a consolidated tragedy in Iowa, made up of a wife chopped and pounded to death, a house set on fire, and an unspeakable villain’s brains blown out by his own hand. What may be the next horrible slaughter, or how near us it may occur, we have no data to predict, but, judging from the rapid succession of sacrifices which we have been called upon to chronicle within one short month, we may safely presume that the intelligence of some alarming arson, or spilling of human blood will be on our table by an early mail.
“And where is to be the end of all this mangling of human forms, and destruction of human life?”
Here is the end: “Behold the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.” Isa. xiii, 9.
H. C. MILLER.
Chicago, Ill.

A True Christian Mother.

It may be feared that Christian mothers of our generation do not pray with their children as in former days. When we see sons and daughters in Christian households growing up with worldly hearts, and swerving from the faith of their parents, we always fear that a mother's heart has not been burdened by their sins, and a mother's prayers and faith have not led them to Christ. Dr. McCrie, the celebrated biographer of Knox, records with filial love and reverence the fidelity of his mother, in training him to a Christian life. One incident in his experience is of rare beauty.
In his sixteenth year he left home to attend the classes of Edinburg University, and his devoted mother, apprehensive of the temptations to which he would be exposed in city life, walked with him a part of the way, to give him her last words of counsel. She parted from him in Coldingham Moor. Before bidding him farewell, she led him to a rock at a little distance from the road, and kneeling behind it, with her hands upon his head, implored, in a fervent prayer, that God would shield him from danger, and make him an intelligent and zealous Christian, useful to the church in his generation.
Such a mother's faith could not go unblessed. Such prayers must secure God's blessing. In a year from that time the mother slept, but the son, over whom she had yearned and prayed, was not forgotten of God. He was converted, and became one of the eminent ministers of Scotland, and the biographer of some of her greatest worthies.
A curious incident is told of his closing life, connected with this prayer of his mother at the roadside. Nearly fifty years had passed. He had lived a life of toil and trial, and success. He was ripe in years, and service and experience. One night, in a dream his mother appeared to him, standing behind the rock on the moor, and beckoned him to follow. He promised to obey her, and the vision passed. Dr. McCrie was not a weak or superstitious man, but he regarded the dream as a warning that his work was nearly done. In a few weeks he was called away, and the mother and son at the Archangel's trump will be united forever in a better world.—Christian Press.

Julian’s Dying Exclamation

“GALILEAN, THOU HAST CONQUERED.” Such was the dying exclamation of Julian, the Roman emperor. Though once a professed Christian, he apostatized from the faith, and employed all his energies for the overthrow of the religion of Jesus and the establishment of idolatry. He shut up Christian sanctuaries, re-opened and patronized heathen temples, and in face of the positive assertion of Christ, that the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem should remain in ruins, impiously attempted to rebuild it. But he contended against One far mightier than himself, and was forced to submit. Wounded in battle by a Persian lance, he took a handful of his blood, and casting it towards Heaven cried, “O Galilean, thou hast conquered!”

Christmas Hymn.

OVER Bethlehem's pleasant plains Heavenly music rang; Songs of praise in chorus sweet Choirs celestial sang. Joyously was ushered in Earth's first Christmas morn, When the blessed Prince of Peace, Christ the Lord, was born.
“Glory be to God most high,” Sung the host above; “Peace on earth, good-will to men, From the God of love. Fear not: unto you this day Tidings good we bring,— Christ is born, the great High Priest, Heaven's anointed King!”
Sages filled with sacred joy Hastened from afar Unto where the Saviour lay, Guided by his star, Bringing precious, costly gifts,— Gold, and incense sweet,— And in lowly reverence bowed At Immanuel's feet.
Though we bring not offerings rare,— Incense, myrrh, and gold,— Saviour, we would not from thee Love and praise withhold. Songs of joy from grateful hearts Unto Heaven we lift; Glory be to God most high For his Christmas-gift.

A Question Answered.

“DID any of the early Christian writers teach the total unconsciousness of man in death? If so, who? and in what language?” Answer. “The soul, O Grecians, is not immortal in its nature, but MORTAL. For it dieth and is dissolved with the body, if it be ignorant of the truth. But riseth again in the consummation of the world together with the body, suffering death in immortality itself by way of penalty and torment.”—Tatian, A. D. 172. Oratio Contra Grecos. Sec. 13, p. 59.
“He (Tatian) fancied that the soul was dissolved from the body, and rose again with it at the resurrection. For as he makes all souls to die with the body, so he makes them all to rise again with it also.”—Dr. S. Clarke, Letter to Dodwell.
About A. D. 245, the Arabian Christians, where Paul had preached, were found to be entirely out of the line of false philosophy. “These asserted that the human soul as long as the present state of the world existed,—perished at death and died with the body, but was raised again at the time of the resurrection.” And as a considerable council was held on account of THIS, Origen being again requested, likewise here discussed the point in question.—Eusebius' Eccl. Hist. B. 4, ch: 37. Observe:
1. These were called heretics, men who, like Paul, who had preached salvation in Arabia, worshiped after the way that men called “heresy.”
2. This doctrine prevailed so much that “a considerable council” was held about it.
3. Origen had met the question before, for here “being again requested” he discussed the point in dispute.
4. The champion brought to teach the Arabian brethren to reject Christ's truth and receive heathen philosophy, was an old, half-converted heathen philosopher, who believed in the PRE-EXISTENCE of souls, (I think also their transmigration)—in the restoration of all wicked men and DEVILS; who brought more fooleries into the church than any other man who had lived, who interpreted one scripture so literally that he made himself a eunuch in his holy fanaticism, and who interpreted other scriptures so figuratively as to spiritualize, not only almost all the Old Testament but even the Egyptian midwives! Exod. i. He of course would be just the man to “spoil” the Arabians “through philosophy and vain deceit after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ,” and of course on the spiritualizing principle could prove that life was death, and death life; sleep waking, and waking sleep; curse was blessing, and blessing curse; light darkness, and darkness light; good was evil, and evil good; sweet was bitter, and bitter sweet.—Sel.

The Religion of the Body.

By Editor

May not Health Reformers well take courage when articles like the following appear in our religious newspapers?—Ed.
It is truly a religious duty to glorify God in our bodies, as in our spirits. The original design of man contemplated neither sickness nor sin, and it is a part of the design of redemption to make the body a temple fit for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. While then we do not advocate what has been called "muscular Christianity," we do believe that deformity, disease, pain and misery, declare not so much the will of God as the waywardness of man; his unwillingness to become an obedient servant of God with his body as well as with his soul. Many Christians seek to glorify God in their spirits, but are prevented from doing so, simply because they have neglected the other part of their duty; they have not restrained bodily appetites, or taken the right kind of exercise and food; they have violated what we call the laws of nature, which it would be better to call the sanitary laws of God. Or by some stupidity or disobedience, they have interfered with the beneficent intentions of the Creator of the human frame.
It is well when such sufferers from their own neglect, or transgression, bear their self-inflicted woes with patience and serenity, instead of murmuring; but these cases are rare. The diseased body, the shattered nerves, the debilitated frame, exert a sad effect upon the whole moral and intellectual system; and patience, fortitude, and sweetness are unusual companions of disease, so that the coarse saying of Dr. Johnson is proved true in the cases of those who seemed least likely to prove it, "Every man becomes a rascal so soon as he is sick."
In order to glorify God in our spirits we must endeavor to glorify Him in our bodies, by obeying the laws of health, by avoiding causes of disease, and abstaining from fleshly lusts and luxurious indulgences, as well as from undue privations and exposures.—N. Y. Observer.

The Will and Opinions

THE will influences the opinions of a man much more than the opinions the will.

Evil Speaking.

This is a vice almost universal, even among those who profess godliness. It meets you everywhere. You cannot be in the company of even those considered good people long, without hearing something to the prejudice of some absent brother or sister. Some report or insinuation, or suspicion is breathed into your ear calculated to shake your confidence in some follower of Jesus. A reform in this matter is loudly demanded. The command is, Speak not evil one of another, brethren. If you have hitherto disregarded this command, ask for pardon and commence a reformation from this hour. The man who is on his way to Heaven is described as He that taketh not up a report against his neighbor. No matter under whose patronage he finds the report going about, he does not take it up, he lets it die, as all false and slanderous reports will when let alone.
A brother called at our house whom we had long known as an uncompromising follower of Jesus. We had heard that some differences had arisen between him and the pastor and some of the brethren of the church to which he belonged, and rumor said he had withdrawn from the church. We inquired "How the preacher was getting along." He replied "First-rate, the Lord is with him, and he is doing a good work." "How are brothers A. and B. doing?" "Never better." And so he had a good word, without insinuation, for every one of whom he spoke. I said that brother might go on professing holiness and I would stand by him. With such a person you feel safe. He will not betray you. There is no danger that he will, after sharing your hospitalities, and professing for you the strongest friendship, go away and report untrue and unkind things to your injury. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man and able also to bridle the whole body.—Earnest Christian.

Patience, Brethren, and Courage.

By R. F. C.

"HERE is the patience of the saints." Rev. xiv, 12. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned; behold the judge standeth before the door." James v, 7–9.
Some days since, I accidentally found a small scrap of The Advent Herald, and Signs of the Times Reporter, dated, Boston, June 4, 1845. In it I find "Bro. Miller" reported as commenting upon the latter text, as follows:
"What need have we of patience at the present time? This will not apply to those who hate the Lord's appearing. It cannot apply to those who believe it is a great way off; or is to be spiritually. It must therefore apply to those only who are anxious for the Lord to come. He had seen men almost ready to leap for joy when the evidence of Christ's coming had been presented. When such are disappointed, they have great need of patience. All the chronology he can find in the Scriptures seems to terminate about the year 1843. He believed that we had understood the time as nearly as God designed it should be understood. But that time having expired, many of our brethren have great need of patience to wait for it. The churches who have no faith on this subject have no need of patience. They will not even claim that this text will now apply to them; for they want to defer the Lord's coming until they have converted the world. He believed the apostle James had his eye in vision on the very time we now occupy, when having done the will of God, we have great need of patience."
The justness of these remarks is evident. Doubtless the assertion, Here is the patience of the saints, began to have force as long ago as 1845. But Bro. Miller did not live to see its connection with the third message. He was right in saying they had understood the time as nearly as God designed they should. Of course he designed we should understand definite periods definitely correct. It had been discovered that the period of 2300 days terminated in the fall of 1844.
But as trials deepen, patience is more and more needed. Some may lose their patience and faith by the trials we are called, as a people, to endure. Some, whose hearts are not sufficiently in the work, may be sifted out. Under our present trials, it is a favorable opportunity for rebellious spirits to manifest themselves. They may say, perhaps of the diseased servants of God, as the enemies of David said of him: "An evil disease cleaveth fast unto him; and now that he hath he shall rise up no more." Psa. xl. If any have it in their hearts, now is the time. But it will be much better to wait with patience. For though the good man "fell, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand." Psa. xxxvii, 24.
In another corner of the scrap of paper I mention, I find the following: "Let us have no enemies in disguise among us, professing to be friends. Let all who have no fellowship with the principles we inculcate, manifest it. But let all who are willing to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, not be afraid to tell the world what they believe the Scriptures teach, and fight manfully the good fight; for they will soon win the race. Yours in the blessed hope. WILLIAM MILLER. Boston, May 27, 1845."
These remarks are as applicable now as then. Those who have no confidence in our work will do better to let it alone. But to those who have, take courage, friends, the Lord is on the side of his people, who, in the time of the patience of the saints, keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Our Father is at the helm. The latter rain will come in due season—the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. Let each one be faithfully engaged in the work which God has given him to do. Every one at his post. The Lord will prosper his cause and take care of the result.
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