Review and Herald, Vol. 49, No. 22. (5/31/1877)

Review and Herald

May 31, 1877

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 31, 1877

NEVER GET ANGRY.

It does no good. Some sins have a seeming compensation or apology—a present gratification of some sort—but anger has none. A man feels no better for it. It is really a torment, and when the storm of passion has cleared away it leaves one to see that he has been a fool, and has made himself a fool in the eyes of others too. An angry man adds nothing to the welfare of society. He may do some good, but more hurt. Heated passion makes him a firebrand, and it is a wonder if he does not kindle flames of discord on every hand. Without much sensibility, and often bereft of reason, he speaketh like the piercing of a sword, and his tongue is an arrow shot out. He is a bad element in any community, and his removal would furnish occasion for a day of thanksgiving. Since, then, anger is useless, needless, disgraceful, without the least apology, and found only “in the bosom of fools,” why should it be indulged at all?—Religious Intelligencer.

PSALM OF PRAISE.

Praise the Lord of Heaven, praise him in the high, Praise him, all ye angels, praise him, stars and light; Praise him, skies, and waters, which above the skies, When his word commanded, ’stablished did arise.

Praise the Lord, ye fountains of the deep, and seas, Rocks, and hills and mountains, cedars and all trees; Praise him, clouds and vapors, snow, and hail, and fire; Stormy wind, fulfilling only his desire.

Praise him, fowls and cattle, princes and all kings, Praise him, men and maidens, all created things; For the name of God is excellent alone: Over earth his footstool, over Heaven his throne.

—T. B. Browne.

THE ONE GREAT VOICE.

By D. T. Taylor

Of the Apocalypse, Herder thus writes: “There is but one voice in it, through all its epistles, seals, trumpets, signs, and plagues, namely, The Lord is coming!”

This fine expositor is right. “Maranatha” rings through its chapters as do echoes among the mountains. Epiphany opens and closes its pages. “Behold he cometh!” starts the apocalyptic strain, and “Come quickly!” ends it. Herder might have added that in all the New Testament there sounds out that one voice. For it is declared by Bickersteth and Brooks, who have counted them, and is repeated publicly by Moody and Marvin, who with others have confirmed the fact, that one verse in every twenty-five makes direct or indirect reference to that last, grand, mighty presence of Christ on earth.

Now then, the New Testament contains 7,950 verses. The appearing of Jesus, and the events connected therewith, are therefore made mention of in just 318 verses. Before me lies a New Testament. I count its pages—there are 312. There are therefore more adventual verses than there are pages in the book. By calculation I find there are some twenty-five and one-half verses on each page. Divide the 318 verses devoted to this theme by the number of verses on a page, and we have twelve and a half pages of matter treating of this glorious and awful doctrine. Again: There are in this sacred volume 260 chapters, having on the average thirty and one-half verses to each chapter. It will then be found that there are ten and a half chapters of advent reading matter, treating solely and especially on this important subject. This is full four per cent of the entire book. Four per cent announcing the Advent, the Judgment, the Resurrection, and the eternal age.

Thus on each and every page, in each and every chapter (or in such ratio), there echoes the “one voice” of which Herder speaks. Once in a page this neglected doctrine is thrust before the eyes of the church. Every page rings out, Behold he cometh! Every page presents the one “mighty motive,” as Moody rightly calls it. Every page sounds this warning to the sinner, this comfort to the saint. As often as there are pages does the Holy Spirit point onward to the everlasting day, and upward to the returning Bridegroom and King. He is a guilty soul, wrote John Wesley, who seeks to hinder any saint from hearing this one voice. How solemn the thought!

Once more: By actual count I find that the re-living, the rising again, the resurrection of our Lord and the general dead, are referred to about one hundred times. The Judge on the throne and the day of Judgment are brought to view in more than forty places. In more than four-score passages Christ is announced to appear as King, or in other terms the era of the establishment of his eternal kingdom is described. In sixty places I find the words, “come,” “cometh,” “coming,” used concerning our Lord’s personal and second advent at the end of time and at the last day. In twelve places “appear,” and “appearing” are used with plain reference to that glorious event. In each and every one of the eight chapters composing the two epistles to the church at Thessalonica, the second coming is written about and made use of as a motive or incentive to right action. This event is referred to by New Testament writers more times than is baptism; it is written of oftener than is the Lord’s supper; indeed, it is made mention of as frequently, and it may be more frequently, than is the Christian duty of prayer.

The first discourse preached to the church after our Saviour had ascended to heaven was all concerning his coming again, and the manner thereof, and it is a striking fact that the angels were the preachers. The last words in Revelation, the latest message of the glorified Jesus, in the last chapter, three times repeated, coupled with the loving response of John, iterate the “one voice,” and tell us, tell the church, tell all men, that Christ the Lord will return again, and is coming quickly. The fullness of all prayer, the cry of the centuries of his absence, the consummation of all sacred hopes, the last thought and wish which the soul is capable of flinging into the future, the ending of all times, the yearnings of all martyrs, the fond anticipations of the whole church of God, living or dead, are all, all, summed up in that universal, that solemn prayer, Thy kingdom come: come, Lord Jesus.

Ministers of Jesus, “preach the word.” The ratio of adventual preaching by every minister should be in proportion to the abundance and importance of the doctrine. This being true, at least one sermon in twenty-five should announce the last day. Better still, spice all preaching with “the coming,” all through the round year. No fear of man, nor ecclesiastical ostracism, nor loss of popular favor, nor withdrawal of salary, nor dullness of heart, nor scorn of the scoffer, must hinder the minister. We must preach Christ’s appearing whether men hear or forbear. It is not the millennium, but the Judgment; not death, but the advent, that should be proclaimed. And the latter is to be preached, not as a calamity, but as the blessed hope; not constrainedly, as if it were a tedious theme, but willingly and in the love of it; not tamely and apologetically, but vigorously and fearlessly; not because others believe it, but because the preacher believes it, and it is true. The preacher should take the blessed doctrine down deep into his heart, he should study it, think of it, pray over it.

The one voice must not be stifled; neither should it be “damned with faint praise” in its open proclamation. Every denominational paper should announce Christ’s coming in each and every issue. The quarterlies and monthlies should boldly herald it. The Sunday-school books should give prominence to it on their pages. The camp-meeting stand, the church pulpit, the union platform, the synod, the convention, the conference, the association, the prayer and class-meeting, should, in sweet love for the Master’s appearing, sound out in no uncertain strain the “one voice.” Set no times, fix no dates. Proclaim the great fact, herald the stupendous event. Trumpet the one voice, not only of the Apocalypse, but of the whole Bible,—The Lord is coming!

The second advent should be preached because it is grandly true, and transcendently important. It should be preached as a comfort to the saint, and a warning to the sinner. It should be preached as the glorious cap-stone of the triumphal arch of grace, then forever finished. Rev. Hugh McNeil told the captious Charlotte Elizabeth, who once faulted him for making so much of his appearing, that he preached Christ’s first coming as the foundation of the Christian’s hope, but the second coming as the consummation of that hope. She soon after became a firm believer in the near and pre-millennial coming, and lived and died, looking and waiting for her Lord. I thank God that he ever gave me to see these rich, golden truths, and to proclaim the “one voice.” Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, sooner than that I should ignore or be ashamed to proclaim Jesus’ last coming in the clouds. Ministers of Christ, I solemnly charge you not to neglect the “one voice”—The Lord is coming!—D. T. TAYLOR, in World’s Crisis.

PARENTS, EDUCATE YOUR CHILDREN.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Next to good moral and religious training, the best inheritance any man can leave his children is that of a good, thorough education. Feeling the importance of this is what prompts me to write this article, hoping to induce some of our brethren and sisters to do their duty toward their children in this respect, as I know many of them are not doing it.

We have an excellent college at Battle Creek, Mich. There are dozens and scores of young men and women who ought to be there to-day, but parents do not feel enough interested to make the necessary effort to send them. Come, let us reason about this matter. When one of your children is of age you give him a few hundred dollars with which to make a start in life. It may do him good, and it may not. With his inexperience and lack of economy, he may soon spend it, and your hard-earned means are lost. Or you may leave it to them later in life, and there is the same danger. Riches surely take to themselves wings and fly away. We see illustrations of this every day. Nothing is more uncertain than property. A little turn of the wheel, and away it goes. Fire burns it up; the storm destroys it; the drouth consumes it; the floods swallow it up; thieves steal it; knaves swindle you out of it. In fact, it goes here and there ten thousand ways. You leave property to your daughter; she marries a shiftless husband, and it is soon gone.

We ask you, then, my brother, Can you not leave to your children some better inheritance than money or property? Give them good health, teach them good morals, train them in the fear of God, and then embellish such a character with a good, thorough school education, and you have left them the best inheritance the earth affords.

If your children go into the world without an education in these days of learning, they will always have a fearful odds against them,—a thousand channels of profit, of usefulness, and honor closed to them. They must depend solely upon their physical strength for a support. If by any chance they should lose their property, they will labor at great disadvantage. They can do nothing but the hardest physical labor, that which brings the slowest income. They have but a few chances from which to select. They must do just this kind of work or nothing. If they cannot get that, they are out. But if a man or a woman has a good education, he or she will always and everywhere have a great advantage over the uneducated. It leaves them just the same advantages so far as property, manual labor, etc., are concerned. Education does not diminish their ability in these respects. While in these things they have an equal chance with the uneducated, at the same time they have a very great advantage over them in many other respects. They can obtain positions, they can get offices, and they can find employment where the others would utterly fail.

If a person has a complete education, he can turn his attention to almost anything. He is not compelled to choose from so few occupations. Many different ways will open before him. If one fails, he can take another. But more than that,—educated persons are capable of enjoying life better than uneducated ones. They understand and appreciate a thousand things of which the others know nothing. They are much more respected and honored by society in general. They stand on a higher plane. They belong to a more elevated class. More than that, they can be far more useful in life wherever their lot is cast, be it as a mother of a family, or a farmer among his neighbors.

But why need I argue this point? You know it, and you admit the truthfulness of it without any argument. Then I ask you, Why don't you act upon it? Why don't you take steps to bestow this great blessing on your children? I can find many a man worth two thousand dollars and upward, who has one or more children. With a little effort and some sacrifice, he could send these children to our school; but he is doing no such thing. He thinks it costs too much. He cannot afford it. And yet he is calculating by and by to give these very children each of them several hundred dollars, perhaps even a thousand apiece. What foolish calculation that is to withhold the greater blessing and give them the smaller one, and that, too, so uncertain! How much better to use these few hundred dollars now and give your children a good education! Let that be their inheritance. Tell them at the time that this is all you expect to do for them, that the money which you would otherwise give them by and by you will now bestow upon them in their education. This would be a much greater kindness, and a far more enduring possession.

Come, brethren and sisters, act wisely about this matter. Talk it up with your children, get them interested in it, raise a little means somehow, and send them along to our school.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

IMMORTALITY

By N. A. T.

Eternal life! O precious gift to man! O glorious sequel to God's glorious plan! These bodies then shall be forever free From human ills and dread mortality.

These trembling limbs shall youthful vigor gain, This throbbing head forget its throes of pain, These weary eyes, so oft with tears bedewed, Shall gaze in rapture, with their strength renewed.

Like unto his most glorious form Shall Christ these bodies vile conform, When from the power of death and hell His ransomed ones shall safely dwell.

No more with tears and sobs we lay The precious dust in earth away. Our hearts no more with grief are wrung, No requiems o'er dead hopes are sung.

In glowing health and radiant beauty clad, We clasp our darling ones in greeting glad; Again we look into their longing eyes, And smile upon them in our sweet surprise.

O Saviour, only hope of fallen man, To us the promise keep, O come again. Let thy dear presence bring eternal life, And end these scenes of woe and strife.

N. A. T.

AT EASE IN ZION.

By R. F. Cottrell

Believer.—THE great day of the Lord is at hand; we are even now in “the day of his preparation;” and in view of this the meek and the righteous even are commanded to seek meekness and righteousness that they may be secure in that day. “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” Zeph. 2:3.

Professor.—I don’t think any one knows whether that day is near or far off. It may come to-day or to-morrow, or it may not come in ten thousand years. It matters not to me when it comes, if I am only prepared.

B.—But the Lord promised to give signs of the near approach of that day,—“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” Joel 2: 30, 31. Said Jesus, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Lu. 21: 25–27. Again, “The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” “When ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.” The signs have appeared according to this promise. Do you know that his coming is at the doors?

P.—I don’t profess to know more than the angels of heaven and the Son of God himself. He says, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

B.—Very true; and he says this in immediate connection with the command to know that it is near, even at the doors. Cannot these expressions be reconciled with each other? Does the Son of God contradict himself? Is it not possible to know that the coming of that day is near at hand, though it be impossible to know the day or the hour? To make the Lord contradict himself is infidelity, and not faith. If I cannot know that his coming is even at the doors, and not know the exact time, I am an infidel, and not a Christian.

P.—I don’t know that the signs have appeared.

B.—Do you know that they have not appeared?

P.—Well, I don’t think my salvation depends on my knowing when that day is coming. If I am living a Christian life, I shall be safe.

B.—Your salvation is a matter of consequence; but the salvation of others is of equal importance. There are thousands of precious souls, professors and non-professors, that are out of the ark of safety; and did you never think that your salvation might depend upon your faithfulness in warning them to flee from the wrath to come? God has not only promised signs by which we may know that the day is at hand, but he has promised the whole world a warning, to be given through his people. When that terrible day is near at hand, the prophetic command to his people is, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.” Joel 2:1.

The meaning of this prophecy is, that when that day is near at hand, the alarm will be given to the inhabitants of the earth; and it will be given through God’s obedient people; the command to them is, Blow ye the trumpet; sound ye the alarm. Should not you obey? Should not your voice be heard in warning sinners of their danger that they may escape? Concerning the time that Christ rode into Jerusalem, a prophet had said, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” The time came for its fulfillment. Jesus rode to Jerusalem as predicted. The people rejoiced and shouted. But unbelievers said, “Master, rebuke thy disciples.” Which class did the will of God on that occasion? All must say, “Those that fulfilled the divine injunction of the prophet.” They had the approval of the Master.

Now when the day of the Lord is near at hand, which will be approved, those who heed the signs fulfilled, and raise their voices in giving the warning to save others, or those that acknowledge not the signs, give no warning, thinking that all is well if they are only prepared? The warning is being given. The three proclamations of Rev. 14: 6–12 are being sounded to the world. Have you not a duty to do? Are you at ease in Zion, content to let this work all be done, and you have no part in it? Do believers in the advent at hand trouble you? Would you have them rebuked, that they should hold their peace? If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Have faith in God. Unite with his faithful people in giving the final warning to mankind. Then you may have the satisfaction of seeing yourself saved in the soon-coming day, and of seeing others saved as the fruit of your faithfulness. “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.”

R. F. Cottrell.

PRESENT ACTION.

By G. H. Bell

[Read before teachers’ meeting at Battle Creek, and furnished for publication by request.]

The present is an important period. The judgment is set, and the books are open. The “Ancient of days,” in all his majesty, is seated upon the throne of judgment, surrounded by a countless retinue of angels. The “dead, small and great,” are passing in solemn procession before the great tribunal; for it is “the time of the dead that they should be judged.” One by one, their cases are decided for eternity. Christ, as our advocate, stands before the throne of his Father, and pleads his blood for the faithful. Soon the cases of the living will be taken up and decided, and oh! how few are prepared for that decision! What an awful decision it will be for those who are unprepared! It will fix their destiny forever. No power can ever reverse that decision. Soon, very soon, the decisive moment will come to us, our friends, and all our fellow-men. Surely, what we do must be done quickly. Prompt and immediate action is required. We must do something, and do it now,—present action is demanded.

But you say, “I cannot do anything; I am not capable of helping others, and I hardly know what to do for myself.” But you can do something; take the first step, and you can then see to take the next. By prayer and the study of his word, you can become better acquainted with God; you can cultivate a love for prayer, a love for the study of the Bible, a love for the precious truths it contains, a love for the divine Author, and for all that bears the impress of his creative hand. And you can do something for others. You can wear a cheerful countenance; you can speak kind words; you can show by all your actions that you love God and his truth more than you love to indulge your appetites and passions, that this world has fewer attractions for you than the world to come, and that you esteem the favor of God of greater value than all the wealth and pleasure which this world can offer. By the manifestation of zeal, courage, constancy, and self-denial, you can inspire the same in others. You can do something to lead others to study the Bible, to obey its precepts, and to become interested in the stirring truths of this message. Do whatever you find to do, and do it with your might. Do first that which first presents itself to be done, or that which you are best prepared to do at the present moment; and, although you can not do it so well as you would wish, do it as well as you can, and try to improve upon the effort at the next trial.

Do the best work you can to-day, and by the experience of to-day learn to work more skillfully to-morrow. Be sure to do something, and do it now. The present opportunity may be the last opportunity. There may be minds around you that are wavering, and will soon make a decision that will shape their whole future course of life—a decision, it may be, that will plunge them into eternal ruin. A word from you at the critical moment may change that decision and save a soul. Speak it now, to-morrow it may be too late. Many are on the point of yielding to temptation; they must have help now; if you neglect the present moment, the fatal step may be taken before another opportunity is offered you. There are hearts just sinking under discouragement: lighten their burden of sorrow now; do not wait till they are crushed under it. If the Spirit of God prompts you to an act of repentance or confession, attend to it at once, or you may find yourself in the sad condition of one of old, who found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. If God gives you good thoughts, speak or write them before they depart to return no more.

All action is present action; for the past we cannot recall, and the future will be present when it comes. Present action, then, can only be opposed to present inaction. And is this a time for inaction? for delaying, and dreaming? Yet how much precious time is squandered!—squandered oftentimes unconsciously! How many minutes pass unimproved! How often the present hour is wasted in anticipating what we hope to do in the next! But do we not need rest, and recreation? Yes; but idleness is not rest, and recreation is best found in change of employment.

Many quiet their consciences, and lose forever the most precious opportunities for doing good, in the fond anticipation of what they expect to do when they have finished their work of preparation; but such neglect a very important part of the preparation that will best fit them for usefulness. It is not every one that has a good education and a thorough knowledge of the truth, that can win souls to Christ. A true missionary spirit is of the utmost importance to those who would labor in any good cause. This spirit must be cherished and cultivated; for it will as surely die out without exercise as a man will die without food or air.

Some have resolved never to attempt anything pertaining to the work of God till they feel that they are well qualified for some responsible position. One might as well resolve never to mount a horse until he had become a skillful rider, or never to enter the water until he had become an expert swimmer. Experience makes one skillful, and experience is gained by practice,—by experimenting. How important that we gain an experience by a proper improvement of the opportunities afforded us in private life, where small mistakes will not be attended with such fearful consequences as would follow mistakes made in responsible positions!

But perhaps you claim that the proper discharge of the duties pertaining to your particular calling or vocation claim all your time and attention; and that in the discharge of these duties, you are gaining just the experience you need, and doing the greatest amount of good. Every one should, however, develop a noble manhood outside of his profession. Your duties as a man are more extended than the duties of your profession. Your obligations as a Christian are higher and broader than those pertaining exclusively to any calling or station in life. They include all others. It is not well for any one to be shut up wholly to the duties and labors of his profession. It prevents the harmonious development of mind and character. It is a species of slavery, and whoever is obliged to submit to it can never attain that breadth of thought and dignity of character that the great Creator intended he should reach.

What a work lies before the people of God at this time! The world lies in darkness concerning the great truth which they most need. Every one who has received this truth is under the most solemn obligation to do all in his power to extend it to others. Are we doing all we can? Are we sure that our own hearts are thoroughly imbued with the love of truth? Let us cultivate a love for it; may God help us to feel its importance, and become thoroughly acquainted with it. Let us do all we can to awaken that interest in the minds of others. Everything demands action, prompt action, PRESENT ACTION. Who will engage in it?

G. H. BELL.

Battle Creek, Mich.

UNIVERSALISM

By A. W. Cone

“Therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.” 1 Tim. 4: 10. This text is relied on by Universalists as teaching the final, unconditional, and eternal salvation of all mankind. But let us see if it so teaches. There is a sense in which God is the Saviour of all men. Let us first examine this salvation. Man was created pure and upright. He then had no use for a Saviour. There was no salvation required as yet, but God having placed him on trial or probation (without which there could be no development of character), he failed, was overcome, and passed under the dominion or sentence of death. Now all is lost unless there be some remedy, some means by which man can be brought from the grave or death. God comes to the rescue; and through Jesus, his only begotten, the ransom is paid, or if you please, a second probation is given to man.

Thus God is the Saviour of all men, inasmuch as he restores them from that death in which the sin of Adam involved them, and gives every man a chance to try for himself. This salvation is offered to every one, and men are required individually to live in obedience to the law of God, the transgression of which is sin, and the penalty the second death, or, as Paul says, everlasting destruction. Each individual has the offer of the second or special salvation mentioned in the text, namely, the salvation of the believer. This is conditional. It is everlasting salvation. “The gift of

God is eternal life through Jesus Christ.” Rom. 6: 23. The believer looks to Jesus as his only hope for pardon, which is a remission of the penalty, which is the second death, or death for his own personal sins; and Jesus gives him everlasting life. “They shall not be hurt of the second death,” “neither can they die any more.” It is given only to those who through patient continuance in well-doing seek for it.

We see, then, the difference between the salvation of all men and the special salvation of those that believe. This explanation of the text is still strengthened by the fact that man is not and never was in possession of inherent immortality, which is easily proved from the fact that God drove him from the tree of life for the express purpose of keeping him from partaking of its fruits, which would have rendered him immortal. God says, “Lest man reach forth his hand and take of the tree of life, and live forever.” Again, “God only hath immortality.” “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Now, if God made man immortal at first, there was no use in driving him from the tree of life; and he could not give him eternal life through Jesus if he had first created him with or in possession of it.

Now the question to each one is, Will you share in the special salvation of the believer? Will you accept the offer of everlasting life with all its consequent blessings, the joy of having the society of angels, the blessed Saviour, and of all the best ones of earth, the right to the tree of life, a place within the holy City, a crown of unfading glory, an heirship to the heavenly and eternal kingdom, a home in the earth made new, from which sin, misery, sorrow, and crying are forever banished, where “they shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for trouble”?

Let me say, Seek for the special salvation now while it is offered, now while probation lingers. Soon the voice of mercy may be forever hushed, soon the “day will pass as the chaff,” soon the decree may go forth, “He that is filthy, let him be filthy still.” Soon the Saviour may come, bringing his reward with him, to give every man according as his works shall be. If you have slighted offered mercy, rejected life everlasting with all its blessings, rejected the precious Saviour, put off your return to God, chosen the vain things of this world, if your affections and your treasures are here, you have worked for wages; and can you complain if they are given you? Your wages are the wages of sin,—death, everlasting death, from which there is no escape. May God help us all to seek now the special salvation. Therefore we both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.

A. W. CONE.

Uniontown, Bourbon Co., Kan.

“LIKE FOXES.”

By R. M. Kilgore

The prophet Ezekiel says, “O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.” The context shows this to be a reference to the character of the prophets or teachers of the last days. They will possess some of the characteristics of the fox. He is a sly, cunning, shrewd little fellow. In the chase he pursues a circuitous route, crossing his track, to foil the dogs, and hides at last in his den. The hunter sets his trap, but the fox escapes from another hole. Another chase, he crosses his track, and hides again. It is repeated the third time, and the fourth, and until the hunter is wearied, and gives up the chase.

The agitation of the Sabbath question at the present time furnishes the prophets, or teachers, of these last days, an excellent opportunity to display their cunning shrewdness. In their zeal to darken sound doctrine, to cover up and hide the truth of God, they are seen crossing their track, and stultifying their own positions. An incident occurred a few days since, while on the train as I was leaving the place where I had been holding meetings, which will serve as an example of the fox-like character.

A minister of the place was on the train, and during a conversation of about an hour, which turned upon the Sabbath question, he was led out, and actually took the following positions in the presence of several listeners:—

The first day of the week has been handed down to us from the resurrection of Christ.
The seventh day cannot be kept on the round world.
God requires us to keep a seventh part of time.
Dr. Akers shows positively, by chronology, that the Christian church is now keeping the original seventh day from creation.
Time was lost when the sun stood still in the days of Joshua.
If we are only sincere, it makes no difference what day we keep. God will accept us if we keep either of the seven.
To prevent confusion, we should all keep the same day.
God’s seal is set to the first day of the week, and we have the seal in our hearts that we have the true Sabbath.
If I should go to China, I would keep the same day they do; and their day is different from ours, for the earth is round.
The first day is as much of a memorial that Christ rose from the dead on that day as the Bunker Hill monument is to show that a battle was fought there.
You are all right in keeping the seventh day, because you are honestly doing so, and conscientious in it.

R. M. Kilgore.

The Blessed Hope.

By Eliza H. Morton

Hope is expectation mingled with earnest desire. “When hope faileth, the whole heart grows sick.” Hope acts as a buoy to keep the soul out of the depths of despondency and gloom. All, at times, have a hope that extends beyond this life. The worldling hopes that God will not, in the Judgment, deal harshly with him. The infidel hopes that death is an eternal sleep. The heathen hopes that his idols will deliver him in that hour. These hopes are delusive, and have no foundation in the word of God.

The Christian has a hope which “is an anchor to the soul, sure and steadfast.” This hope looks through the “valley of the shadow of death” into Immanuel’s land, and paints scenes of glory such as mortal eye never looked upon. In times of affliction, it comforts the heart. In days of darkness, it shines brighter than the sun. In seasons of anguish, it whispers of peace and joy. In moments of weariness, it points to the land of rest. In the hour of death, it sings of the resurrection morn.

Glory to God for this blessed hope! The fires of persecution cannot consume it. All the ills which flesh is heir to cannot destroy it; and even Satan himself cannot put an end to it.

Brethren and sisters, we may well rejoice. Hope sets before us a glorious prospect, and sings in our ears of a land fairer than any fairy bower ever described by mortal tongue, and whispers of an inheritance richer than all the diamonds in the mines.

The visions and dreams of loveliness painted by hope are not fleeting and delusive like the mirage of the desert; but they are shadows of a glad substance yet to be revealed, and foretastes of a joy, the fullness of which is known only to the King eternal.

ELIZA H. MORTON.

Allen’s Corner, Me.

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