Earlier text: FLAVEL'S TOUCHSTONETHE GATHERING CALL.
By R. F. C.
THE last merciful warning, the Third Angel's Message, is now sounding in our ears. It is the gathering message, which God has sent to gather his people into unity of faith; and it will accomplish the object for which it is sent. God has long foretold, by his prophets, that in the time of the end the wise should understand, that the watchmen shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion. And he has laid the plan, and ordained the means to bring out this result. His settled purpose and the means of its accomplishment being clearly revealed in his word, it is folly and infidelity to think that it will fail. And since the last message of the three has come in its order, and is to be followed by unmixed wrath upon the disobedient, we may know of a surety that this glorious result will be consummated by the present message. The word of God is infallible; and the Third Message consequently cannot fail. And it must be fulfilled harmoniously. It cannot be superceded by another message, or revolutionized in its course. The work is onward, onward, because it is the work of God. Men may fail; they may turn away from the truth and be lost, but God's purposes cannot be thwarted, his work cannot be overthrown or impeded in its course. I have reason to-day to thank God that I learned this lesson a few years since, just in season to save me from the influence of those who attempted to take the work of the Third Message into their own hands and mend it up to suit their own taste. I then saw clearly that their work must fail; and God has signally set them aside from his work, and fixed as it were a great gulf between them and his Sabbath-keeping children. My heart's desire and prayer to God is, that I may be found in harmony with his work; that I may willingly occupy the humble place which God has assigned me, and that I may be faithful in the discharge of my duty, and thus have a share in the work of the Lord, and finally have a part with the overcomers. The Lord has no need of me to accomplish his work. The work can be accomplished as well without me as with me. But I have great need of him, and earnestly crave a part and a place with his children. The Lord is gathering his people. Let us gather with him. The great apostasy has done its work of dividing and scattering, and the confusion of sectarianism has been the result. Now the gathering call is sounding. The message has been prepared, the messenger is on his way, and he, who in the beginning spake and it was done, is now addressing his people by the sure word of prophecy, "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. 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." The day of the Lord's anger is just before us, and the Third Angel is warning all to prepare who would be saved from it. And when this work is completed God's people will be one. They will have been gathered from their long captivity in Babylon, and from their bitter bondage in Egypt, and can then be easily distinguished from all the rest of mankind. It can then53be said emphatically, Here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. Dear brethren, let us all be found there. It will be enough to repay us for the loss of all things else. I feel to renew my covenant with you, that, by the grace of God, I will go with you to the end of the race.
R. F. C. Truth and the State of the Dead
TRUTH is developed as it is needed. As the enemy is about to spring upon the world some gross delusion, the Lord lets another ray of truth shine forth to enlighten the minds of men and thus counteract the error; and it takes the dark back ground of the error to bring out the truth in bold relief, and show it in all its force and beauty. Thus it happens that we sometimes at first but faintly understand the importance of any given truth and the essential part it is to act in the regulation of our belief. The time is not beyond our memory when the doctrine of the unconscious state of the dead was by some regarded as comparatively unimportant, since they could not see the practical bearing it was to have upon them, or how it could be anything more than an abstract item of their belief. A few years pass away, and a stupendous delusion begins to work its way among men. The enemy of all truth springs one of his most artful schemes. What is it? A huge deception intimately connected with this very question. A doctrine which a correct view of the state of the dead will alone enable us to withstand. A firm belief once established among men that their dead friends are conscious and can communicate with them, is sufficient for the Arch-deceiver's diabolical purposes. He can then send forth his agents to personate them, and an unbounded flood gate is opened for every delusive doctrine, which the Devil may see to be to his advantage to foster in the creeds of men. The error is black enough, and it brings out this truth of man's unconsciousness in death in bold relief, in all its force and beauty. We now see its vast importance. Nothing else could shield us from the seductions of this great modern heresy. There is nothing in the creeds of the popular churches, upon which Spiritualism is founded, by which they can consistently reject its claims. But raise once the Bible standard that "the dead know not anything," till their re-animation at the resurrection, and the fraud is at once exposed—the fair schemes of Satan are nipped in the bud. Thus the truth is brought out in all its power and distinctness by the darkness of the error which it is designed to expose and counteract. "He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him." Job xxxiii, 26. From this text and its connection, we learn that prayer is closely connected with the repentance for sin, and the forgiveness of the same. "He looketh upon men; and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light." Job xxxiii, 27, 28. It has been well remarked that prayer is the "commencement of the Christian life; the pulse by which its strength and vigor may be known." "Prayer," says Bishop Taylor, "is the effect and the exercise, the beginning and the promoter, of all graces. A holy life is a continual prayer. Prayer is the peace of our spirit, the stillness of our thoughts, the rest of our cares, the calm of our tempest." If we would prevail with God in prayer, if we desire to be heard in heaven, and rewarded "openly," we must,- Realize our dependence upon God.
- Possess a desire to enjoy his presence; otherwise, at the best, our prayers will be cold and formal, and our worship that of the lips, and not of the heart.
This fact is strikingly developed in the case of the Pharisee and the publican, who went into the temple to pray: "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican: I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke xviii, 11-14. "The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous." Prov. xv, 29. "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. xxviii, 9. We do not, like many at the present time, understand prayer simply to be the desire of the heart. We are aware, however, that this view accommodates itself well to the practice of thousands professedly following the example of the blessed Saviour, whose voices are not heard in prayer from the beginning to the close of the year. From observation while connected with the F. W. Baptists for seven years, I judge, that not more than one fifth or one tenth part of the families professing godliness, were in the practice of attending family devotion; and I have no idea that the fallen churches enjoy more of the love of God in their hearts now, or that they are more obedient to the word of God than they were ten years since. And if not, do they pray more now than formerly? Prayer is the expression of the heart's desire unto God. It is the language with which the Christian approaches the throne of grace. Said Jesus, "When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven," &c. Luke, xi. He does not say think, Our Father &c. Says Peter, "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." 1 Peter iv, 7. Does the Apostle design to instruct the church living in the last days, that they should be sober and watch unto desire? Says Paul, "Brethren my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." Rom. x, 1. But we may farther remark that without the assistance of the Holy Spirit, prayers will be offered in vain. They will be but little better than mockery. "Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Rom. viii, 26, 27. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." Jas. iv, 3. "Suppose the case of a calm at sea. The ship in the midst of the ocean is sometimes arrested in its progress by a dead calm. Every sail is spread to catch the dying breeze, but all in vain. The vessel continues almost motionless on the vast expanse, or only rocked to and fro by the swell of the sea. The mariners look out, day after day, with longing eyes for a favorable gale to carry them forward. And perhaps when they almost despair of attaining it, then, in this hour of need, the sea manifests in the distance a darker hue, some clouds are seen rising in the horizon, a ripple appears upon the water, the sails begin to fill, the wished-for breeze springs up, the sea parts and foams, and the ship darts along towards its destined port." "Thus it is sometimes with the Christian. He needs the breeze from above, and could not without it advance in his course. Sometimes after using every means of grace, his soul seems motionless in the voyage, and his heart sighs and longs for better days. His sails are spread, he is on his way, longing and waiting for, and yet not immediately receiving the favorable breath of heaven. It is delayed, perhaps, to show him his own inability and weakness, that he is entirely dependent on divine grace, and that the Holy Spirit is the free gift of God. But he is waiting for the breeze, and at length the wind blows, every sail is filled, every faculty, affection and power is engaged; he proceeds rapidly in his course, and is wafted along towards the desired haven." Thousands at the present day, that think much of the religion they enjoy, and expect to gain the kingdom of heaven because they are praying men, are strangely deceived respecting their condition. God stops not to listen to their prayers. No angels from the city, from glory, hasten to bring them sweet refreshing blessings. Among this class we might note not a few professed lovers of God and his sacred word, that violate and oppose his holy law, and "bite" and seek to devour them who do and teach the commandments of God. We think the prophet Isaiah notices such. "And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers I will not hear: your hands are full of blood." Isa. i, 15. But it is a blessing graciously bestowed upon the children of God to have his Holy Spirit to bear their infirmities, and make intercession for them while they enter into audience with the Author of every blessing, by prayer. We are exhorted to pray through the aid of the Spirit of God. Says Jude, [verses 20, 21.] "Praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." Eph. vi, 18. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Gal. iv, 6. "Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Rom. viii, 15. "The enlightening and sanctifying influences of the Spirit are of great importance as to prayer, being needful in preparing our hearts for holy intercourse with God, and for desiring those things which will glorify him, and really benefit our own souls." Says one, "The interposition of the Holy Spirit, like a powerful and able advocate, takes up our sinking cause; urges our necessities, and our pleas, with power, earnestness and perseverance; and places them with strong and irresistible effect in such a light, that it is evident the suit is obtained and the request granted." The Spirit of God leads us out with strong and ardent confidence in God, and with holy boldness to approach the throne of grace, and claim those promises left on record for the faithful followers of the Saviour. "There is a distinction, not improperly made, between the gift and the grace of prayer, though perhaps the more just distinction would be between the talent of elocution and the spirit of prayer. Some have a natural or acquired power of a great command of words, and a full flow of language, which enables them to pray with facility. But men may have this talent, and yet have none of the real feeling of want, desire, resignation, peace, hope, joy, &c., which form the essence of true prayer, and without which the best expressions are of little worth. The right spirit of prayer is not merely to be able to press God with the most proper words and urgent vehemence; this is talent and elocution. True prayer is a higher thing, the special gift of the Holy Ghost; not so much a matter of the lips, as of the heart. He has the most of this gift, who has the most enlightened apprehension of the God to whom he speaks; the deepest sense of his own wants; the most eager longings after grace, the most fervent desires of supplies from heaven; and, in a word, whose heart sends up the strongest cries to the Father of mercies. Hence many may have much of the spirit of prayer who have but a small degree of the power of utterance.", "The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Says a writer on prayer, speaking on this point, "But further, he maketh intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered. I am sensible that I am here bringing a subject forward which must be in a great measure unintelligible (and may therefore appear absurd) to those who have never experienced it; but since the sacred writings have plainly stated it, we should neither conceal it, nor keep it back. And conceive the case of a mind truly and fully awakened to see the shortness of time, the vanity of worldly things, the unutterable glory of the blessed, the anguish of the condemned, the boundless ages of eternity, the uncertainty of every moment, and the inseparable connection between obtaining grace in this life, and glory in the next. If we realize this state of mind we may easily imagine that there are such ardent thirstings wrought within us, after pardon, grace, Christ, heaven and glory, as no words are great or strong enough to express. The Psalms of David often manifest this state of mind. My soul fainteth, he says, for thy salvation. O Lord, how long! I am weary with my groaning. Here we may observe some of the groanings of him in whom the Spirit intercedes; but yet this intercession is with such importunities of desire, such holy pleading, and holy wrestling with God, such ardor of spirit, such inward laboring and working of the heart towards God, as cannot be expressed by words." My dear brethren and sisters, it is our privilege in these days of increasing peril and wickedness to enjoy much of the saving sanctifying Spirit of the Lord: that we may not only pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding, but that we may live in the Spirit and also walk in the Spirit. Suffer not your affections to cement to this poor perishing world; but set them on things above, on things imperishable and eternal. The Lord in tender mercy has done much for us, and kindly waits to do more. With David we may say, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust; and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies." Ps. xl, 1-4. O, let this new song, even praise unto God, fill your hearts! Peace and Safety.
By Wm. S. Foote
As the truth spreads, the cry of "peace and safety" among the false prophets grows louder and louder. As well might the contending armies on a field of battle cry and look for peace and safety! The children of God do not look for it until Jesus comes, and says, "Peace be unto you." "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Then where shall we look for it? In future years on the earth? No; for in the last days evil men and seducers are to wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. Among the 666 nominal churches, how many thousands, think you, are groping in midnight darkness and error under the delusive cry of peace and safety? Then where, amidst the threatened wrath of a sin-avenging God, and the exhibition of sinful passions among men growing worse and worse, can we look for peace? There is but one place here; 'tis in the heart of him who says, "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." "O how love I thy law; it is my meditation all the day." Can there be peace and safety among those who reject and treat with contempt that law which we are told is holy, just and good? that law which shows us that we are sinners, and drives us to Christ as our only hope? "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." How much peace, and how great an assurance of safety, can such a man have? and how much peace can a man enjoy who is employed in publicly opposing the last message of God to a world of sinners. "Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit." Fellow travelers to eternity! we had much better possess a knowledge of our frailty, our poverty and ignorance; much better be governed by the meek, humble, child-like Spirit of Jesus, and be taught of him—much better possess a teachable spirit and be willing to prove all things, and hold fast that which is good, than to be puffed up by pride, self-sufficiency and worldliness; much better suffer affliction with the people of God; much better be of those of whom it is said, "In this world ye shall have tribulation," than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and lose our souls at last! And Christian brother, while we have an assurance that God is about to cut short his work in righteousness, and we see the rapid fulfillment of prophecy, and in the midst of the cry of peace and safety, men's hearts all about us are failing for fear of those things which are coming upon the earth, let us by the grace of God keep our armor bright, and what our hands find to do, do with our might. May those of us who are poor as to this world's goods, do what we can to help the cause of truth; at least, through grace be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, and the rich see to it that they lay up a treasure in heaven, and all be preachers of the gospel of the kingdom by a holy walk and godly conversation. I will close by relating an anecdote for the messengers of the truth, if the brethren will pledge themselves to help them to profit by it. "Concealment is not the law of God's word, but manifestation, and in times of danger and treachery, you are compelled to vary the ordinary law of God's word, as rains and gentle showers, and to come down in a perfect cataract, as if all the windows of heaven were opened, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up. During the war of the revolution, it is said that, at a particular point of his lines, Washington found his sentinels, night after night, picked off by a party that could not be detected. At length he committed the care of that point to a sagacious, trusty negro. He told him the nature of the danger, and bade him have all his wits about him, remembering the watch-word, if any suspicious movement was before him, which was, to call out, "Who goes there?" three times and then five. The faithful, keen-witted negro reflected and made up his mind. Past midnight his watchful ear caught the stealthy advance of an enemy, and just waiting long enough to be sure of his aim, he leveled his gun, and called out in one sentence, at one breath, "Who goes there three times?" and fired. The foe was shot, the alarm given and the post saved. It is sometimes necessary to give the warning and shot at the same moment, and thus concentrate, not here a little and there a little, but all at once, and blow after blow followed up so rapidly that neither compromise nor retreat is possible." WM. S. FOOTE.
Pendleton, Ohio. Advancing to Higher Ground
By John Martin
Bro. Smith: I think the brethren and sisters here are trying to arise and get out of their lukewarm state; and we think if what we have been doing has not brought us out, we have got to do a greater work. When we have attained a victory, and pitched our tents on higher ground, we have another battle to fight, for the enemy will try every inch of the ground, and get us to settle back if possible; but we must begin to make preparations for further advancement. If we do not, there will be a plot devised that will surely overthrow us. The reason why Bonaparte gained so many battles, was, when he had gained one he never waited for the enemy to organize and prepare to attack him, but he was on the march, and was almost sure to attack them before they were ready. Brethren and sisters, I want to go through to the kingdom, and have right to the tree of life. I expect to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony. I am glad to hear such cheering news from the West, and of so much harmony at the Conference. I would like to participate in such a meeting, but we cannot always enjoy all the privileges we would like to in this world, but we shall, if we once get through into God's blessed kingdom. Praise the Lord forever. Encouragement in Present Truth
By M. M. Nelson
BRO. SMITH : I would say to the dear brethren and sisters through the Review, that I am greatly encouraged in striving to do the will of my Master in heaven. And although I am so unworthy, and surrounded with every influence which is calculated to draw me away from God, yet I feel that his grace is sufficient to support in every trial, and I have ever found him to be a present help in time of need. I am led to exclaim with the Psalmist, Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I enjoyed a precious privilege in meeting in conference with the brethren and sisters at Mackford, where the glorious truths of the Third Angel's Message were set forth to that people by Brn. Waggoner and Andrews in the demonstration of the Spirit and in power. The Lord was pleased to hear and answer their prayers in a wonderful manner, in stirring up his people to a renewed consecration to the Lord. The good seed sown is springing up, and I trust will bear fruit to the honor and glory of God. I can truly say that I never enjoyed such great blessings as we did at that time. O that the Lord would still continue to bless, that I may grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I want to so live that I may have the abiding witness that my ways please Go! O what great and exceeding precious promises we have. The word of God and his truth were never so precious to my soul as they55are now. When I look around and see the world going mad after its riches, its fashions and its vanities, and the professed churches so fallen, notwithstanding their professed revivals, and their teachers teaching for doctrines the commandments of men, I am led to praise the Lord that my eyes have ever been opened to see the present truth. How truly the signs of the times portend that the coming of our blessed Saviour is near. O let us be faithful in living out these glorious truths. Let us get on the whole armor of God, for we need it all to stand in these perilous times, and to overcome every secret fault, and every thing that is unlike Jesus. We read that no unclean thing shall enter there. O that glorious home! Is it not worth all our trials and sufferings here, if we may be permitted to enter in through the gates into the city whose builder and maker is God. Yours in the bond of love.
M. M. NELSON. Green Lake, Wis., June 13th, 1858. "CAN YE NOT DISCERN THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES."
By Susan Elmer
There are few who the signs of the times can discern,
While the wisdom of earth they do easily learn,
Although they're admonished again and again,
They heed not the warning, though never so plain. As they cling to gross error, the truth disbelieve,
The enemy lurks in the way to deceive,
With signs and great wonders, and various ways,
Which proves we are living in perilous days. One glance o'er the earth will suffice us to see
How the times with the prophecies fitly agree,
While the mass are in darkness, nor will they confess,
Though they see all the signs, and the nations' distress. The sun has been darkened, the meteors fell,
And as fig-trees the summer, so omens foretell
That the coming of Jesus in glory is near,
And the last solemn message that mortals shall bear, Is heralded forth both by sea and by land;
While the wicked are scoffing, the wise understand;
And the Word like a lamp shines so bright on the way,
That a child or a wayfaring man need not stray. If we keep God's commands, and the faith of his Son,
This last sealing message unites us in one,
While for those that reject, no excuse there will be;
For in this both the Word and the Spirit agree. All things are now ready, why will you not come?
O haste thee, poor sinner, while yet there is room.
This message must hasten, though thousands oppose,
And when it is finished probation will close.
Susan Elmer. LETTERS.
By E. B. Saunders
“Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.” Bro. Smith: Bro. Hull and myself have just returned from a visit to the brethren in Daviess Co., Missouri. We found the brethren all alive to the truths concerning the state of the dead, kingdom, &c.; but the Sabbath question with its various connections had never as yet been presented. Bro. Hull preached four sermons on the law and Sabbath, in his usual effectual way, convincing even those who stand opposed on other topics. Twenty-six manifested their determination to keep all the commandments. One of that little band is Bro. Morrison, who has labored long and faithfully as an advocate of the truths concerning man’s present condition, never having heard the necessity of keeping the commandments before. He says, (concerning the Sabbath truth,) “Here is one that will always stand in the front ranks.” And may God help him so to do. The opposition to the truth does not seem to be so strong in Missouri as in this State. Here our enemies mock, insult, and do not hesitate to “bear false witness” of us. This we will bear willingly, knowing that they are of their father, [John viii, 43–47,] and that they will be mocked when their fear cometh. The Review is well read by even the opposition here, and is the means of much good. I hope that it may yet convince many of Babylon’s captives, if it like Paul, will only convert its jailers. The church here is not rising as fast as it ought; but I hope it will, for opposition is strong, and we may yet have to depend upon a higher power than man’s. I am glad that we have the same God that Noah, Abraham and Moses worshiped, for he is mighty to deliver. In him will we trust. Yours in hope. E. B. SAUNDERS. Decatur City, Iowa, June 2d, 1858. BRO. SMITH : It is but a short time since my companion and myself embraced the Third Angel's Message, under the preaching of Bro. Cornell, at Findlay, Ohio. It was then I thought upon my ways and turned my feet unto the Lord's testimonies. I made haste and delayed not to strive to keep all God's commandments. I love all those who fear the Lord and kecp his precepts. There are seven families here that have embraced the Sabbath within the last few months. Brn. Rhodes and Hardesty spent some time with us last Winter in preaching the Word, and we feel to thank the Lord that they were sent this way ; for there has been much good done under their labors. Brn. Loughborough and Butler called here on their way to Green Spring, and gave three lectures, which greatly encouraged the brethren in this place. The Review is a welcome visitor here ; for I love to hear from the saints scattered abroad. Dear brethren and sisters, let us live faithful lives, that we may escape all those things that are coming upon the earth, and be among the 144000 that shall stand up-on mount Zion. Findlay, O., June 14th, 1858. Preparing for the Lord’s Coming
By A. M. Rathbun
Bro. Smith: I feel to thank the Lord for the light of the present truth, and I want to see it rise higher and higher until the Third warning Message is sounded through the whole land, and all are made to tremble under its warning voice. When I look around and see the people rushing on almost to madness, to obtain the riches and honor of this world, dreaming not of what is so soon to befall them, I feel to mourn, and to cry, Lord, have mercy upon them, and bring them to see and realize their condition; but while I am thinking of others, I am often led to ask myself, am I prepared for the coming of the Lord? If he should come to-day in the clouds of heaven, could I look up and say, Lo, this is my God, I have waited for him? I want to know daily and hourly that my ways please God. I believe that we must live so if we are ever the heirs of the kingdom. My daily prayer is that I may be entirely consecrated to God, that my treasure may be in heaven, that I may truly be a pilgrim and stranger on the earth, looking for the blessed city whose builder and maker is God. Yours in hope of eternal life.
A. M. Rathbun.
Markesan, Wis., June 14th, 1858. This remarkable sea, on the south-east border of the Holy Land, is not named in the New Testament, and is seldom named in the Old Testament. It is there called the Salt sea, the sea of Sodom, and the East sea; and by Josephus and classic writers, Lake Asphalites, from the asphaltum or bitumen it produces. Its ordinary modern name, The Dead Sea, is highly appropriate for these dreary and acrid waters, in which no fish can live, and which having no outlet, swallow up rivers and living springs on every side. The Jordan on the north, pours in about 6,000,000 tons of water daily. Midway on the eastern side is the mouth of the ancient Arnon; and north and south of this the Zurka, the outlet of the warm springs of Callirrhoe, and the brook Zered. The brook Kidron and several copious springs and winter torrents enter it on the west; streams from the south also empty in this sea. Of this vast supply of water a part may be absorbed in the earth, but most of it is evaporated by the intense heat that here prevails. There are many wonderful facts respecting this sea; and these, half-known and superstitiously exaggerated, have made it an object of terror, as if still under the curse of God. It has been little visited in modern times, until our own day. Costigan, an Irish traveller, in 1835, spent eight days upon the sea and died there of a fever. In 1847, Lieut. Molyneux spent a day on the sea, caught the fever, and died soon after at Jaffa. But in the same year Lieut. Lynch of the U. S. Navy, with two metallic boats, descended the Jordan and spent three weeks on the sea, thoroughly exploring it. The "fire and smoke" of ancient annalists were traced to natural causes: the great evaporation covering the sea with a vapor like the smoke of burning sulphur; while the surface was at times "one wide sheet of phosphorescent foam, and the waves as they broke on the shore threw a sepulchral light upon the dead bushes and fragments of rock." Josephus and others speak of "fruits which have a color as if they were fit to be eaten; but if you pluck them they dissolve into smoke and ashes." These famous "apples of Sodom" are found to be osher of the Arabs, resembling a large smooth orange; it is fair to the eye, but being pressed, it explodes with a puff, and is found to have contained nothing but air, and a few shreds and seeds. The Dead sea lies in a deep caldron more than 1,000 feet below the level of the Mediterranean—the limestone cliffs which enclose it form the verge of a table-land 1,000 or 1,500 feet above the sea, rising still higher towards Jerusalem and Hebron on the west, and towards the mountains of Moab on the east. The shores of the sea are desolate, except where a stream or spring forms an oasis of green canes, low trees, and shrubbery. "The water looks remarkably clear and pure," says one traveller, "but on taking it into my mouth I found it bitter, I think beyond any thing I ever tasted. My clothes were wet by the waves, and as they dried, I found them covered with salt." It produces an evaporation one-fourth its weight of solid salts. It is far more dense and heavy than seawater. Dr. Robinson, though not able to swim elsewhere, could stand, lie, sit, or swim in it. Another traveller could not swim, his feet being thrown high and dry out of the lake at every stroke; while horses driven in, floated upon the surface on their sides, snorting with fear. Lieut. Lynch entered the sea when rough with a high wind, and says, "It seemed as if the bows, so dense was the water, were encountering the sledge-hammers of the Titans rather than the opposing waves of an angry sea." The sea is divided into two unequal parts by a peninsular reaching two-thirds across from the eastern shore. The part thus shut off at the south is perhaps one-fourth of the whole lake, which is about forty miles long and eight or nine wide. The main sea is 1,000 to 1,200 feet deep, the bottom being sprinkled with rectangular crystals of salt. Carefully sounding across this sea in every direction, Lieut. Lynch reports a deeper ravine in its bed, continuous with the bed of the Jordan. The whole chasm, extending from the sea of Galilee to the Red sea 100 miles south of the Dead sea, bears marks of volcanic action, and would seem to have been sunk to the present level by convulsions of the earth, which were most violent at the southern end of the Dead sea. This portion of the sea is but about thirteen feet deep; its bottom and shores are covered with a deep slime, reminding one of the "slime-pits" of this region in Abraham's day. An occasional earthquake dislodges bitumen from the bottom, and it floats in lumps to the shores, which are also incrusted with salt and sulphur. This part of the sea is supposed to cover the "vale of Siddim," Gen. xiv: 3, the site of the old "cities of the plain" destroyed by fire and brimstone in the time of Lot. Zoar, in which Lot first found refuge, is traced in ruins on the eastern shore. This is the "sea of the plain," in Deut. iii: 17. On its western coast is a lofty and barren summit, on the base of which rises a pillar of salt forty feet high, with an oval pedestal fifty feet above the sea level. The waters of this mountain are strongly saturated with salt; and those of the sea itself, being subjected to a powerful microscope, disclosed no animalcule nor any vestige of animal matter. Says Lieut. Lynch, "It was a scene of unmitigated desolation. On one side, rugged and worn, was the barren mountain of Usdum, with its conspicuous pillar which reminded us at least of Lot and the catastrophe of the plain. On the other side were the lofty and barren cliffs of Moab, in one of the caves of which the fugitive Lot found a shelter. On the south was an extensive flat, intersected by sluggish drains; with the high hills of Edom semi-girdling the salt plain where the Israelites repeatedly overthrew their enemies. On the south was the calm and motionless sea curtained by a purple mist; while deep in the slimy mud beneath lay embodied the ruins of the ill-fated cities of Sodom and Gomorrah." The judgments which made this scene memorable are often referred to in Scripture as terrible memorials of the wrath of God against sin. Deut. xxvi, 23; 32, 32; Matt. x, 15; Jude 7; Rev. xi, 8.—Am. Messenger.