Earlier text: Church SociabilityIn the course of our Bible reading we came, Feb. 28, 1871, to the narrative of the deliverance of the Jews from the malice of their enemies, as recorded in the book of Esther. We there read of the setting apart of the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month Adar to be observed as festival days in commemoration of their escape from the wicked devices of Haman. And these days were called “Purim” from “Pur,” a lot; because Haman, the enemy of the Jews, had cast the lot, to consume and destroy them. And it was ordained, as we read in Esth. 9: 28, that “these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them from their seed.” Turning from a contemplation of these wonderful events which took place 509 years before Christ, to the business of the day, we took up a daily paper, dated Feb. 27, 1871, and the first paragraph upon which our eyes rested was headed “The Purim Masquerade.” Then followed a notice of a celebration of this very feast of Purim, which was ordained two thousand three hundred and eighty years ago, to be held by the Jews in the city of Detroit, March 7, 1871! As we closed the Bible, our mind was upon a festival as it existed centuries ago. But as we turned to the present living, moving world, lo! the ancient institution appeared as a thing of to-day, carried abroad by the daily papers of this almost closing quarter of the nineteenth century. The Bible record and the newspaper notice lay side by side. There were almost twenty-four hundred years between them; and what a comment was the one upon the other! We behold a festival, as instituted in Asia over five hundred years before Christ; and passing down through an interval of nearly twenty-four hundred years, we see the same festival still celebrated by the same people, at our own doors and before our own eyes. Let a person take his stand back in the far-distant year when this feast was instituted; let him be shown what calamities would befall the Jews, what defeats they would suffer, what an overthrow their country would experience, and what a dispersion among the nations of the earth, awaited them; and then ask him what would become of their institutions, or even of themselves. He would reply, Their institutions must cease, and they themselves be absorbed and lost among the nations of the earth. Such would have been man's prediction concerning them. Such, however, was not God's. And the facts of to-day show that man's prediction would have been wrong, but that God's was right; the Jew is still himself, and his ancient memorials are still observed. What a monument testifying to the truthfulness of God's word are these scattered members of the Jewish race! The bald blasphemies, the bold denials, or the subtle sophistries, of the disbeliever in divine revelation, need no other answer. Look at the predictions concerning them; look at their history; and then look at them as they exist to-day. The preservation of their identity, though scattered through every nation under heaven, and their escape from destruction, though downtrodden, persecuted, and oppressed on every hand, are not fortuitous; and the wisdom which foretold all this, is higher than that of man. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH
By John Norton Loughborough
I NOTICED in REVIEW No. 1, of present volume, an article from Bro. Cornell on Festivals, in which he quotes testimony to prove that Christ mas day, Dec. 25, was the day on which the ancient heathens celebrated the birth of Sol, or the sun. The same is confirmed by the additional testimony of Gibbon. In his History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chap. 22, part 9, we read: “The churches of Egypt, Asia, and perhaps Gaul, celebrated on the same day (the 6th of January) the nativity and the baptism of their Saviour. The Romans, as ignorant as their brethren of the real date of his birth, fixed the solemn festival to the 25th of December, the Brumalia or winter solstice, when the pagans annually celebrated the birth of the sun.”
Be in Earnest.
By John Matteson
It is wonderful how many calls there are for laborers, and yet the laborers are so few. How important that all who love the truth should become laborers to some extent. Sabbath keepers, above all others, should be in union with Christ, and in earnest about seeking eternal life. The keeping of the Sabbath is a sign of loyalty toward God. It becomes us to be more humble, zealous, godly, and self-sacrificing, than any other class of professed Christians. And moreover, believing as we do in the soon coming and kingdom of our blessed Lord, how careful we ought to live, that we may not be stumbling-blocks to other people, but be an honor to the truth, and a blessing to the cause which we love, and to our fellow-men living about us. How sad if they should rise up against us in the judgment to condemnation; but how joyful to bring some of them with us as sheaves into the heavenly garner. Could we only more fully realize the final issue, how much more we would be in earnest. How carefully we would watch and pray. It is life and death that is set before us. We will either gain a crown of everlasting glory; or shame and contempt will be our miserable portion in the lake of fire, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. We will have an abundant entrance into the heavenly city of our God, or be found outside of the city in the wretched company of whoremongers and liars. What a dangerous time we are living in! What stupor Satan and the world will throw over us! How strong and numerous are the temptations of these last days! What persevering efforts are needed to keep alive in the Lord! But the crown is worth all this, and a thousand times more. We can well afford to pray, and toil, and suffer if we can only at last obtain that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Cheer up, dear brethren and sisters. Cry earnestly to God, that you may be made free in the Lord. Let no day pass by without seeking the Lord. And if you are sometimes overcome, do not stop there. Try, try again. Keep trying. As long as you struggle on, there is hope. But when you cease to strive, your light goes out. Oh! that the angel of the Lord may point you to the crown of glory, and the Spirit of the Lord kindle within you such love for Jesus, and longings for his coming and kingdom, that you may be victorious in the great day of the Lord, and that we may meet on the shores of the heavenly Canaan to sing the sweet praises of God and the Lamb forever. JOHN MATTESON. The Atonement.
By J. H. Waggoner
To L. H. H.: I do not claim that God was under obligation to reveal his will to man, nor that he was under obligation to establish any government at all in the earth. But having instituted a moral system, and established a government, it is both reasonable and just that they who are amenable to the government should be made acquainted with its requirements. I think you are in part mistaken in your view of Rom. 2. The apostle in this chapter, also in Rom. 5, speaks not of those who had no knowledge of law, but those who did not receive the law at Mount Sinai. Compare 1 Cor. 9: 20, 21. It is evident that much of the knowledge of moral principles now possessed by heathen nations comes to them by tradition, and this tradition reaches back to a revelation made to and for the race of man. Or, otherwise, take Rom. 1, as a prior statement concerning the ignorance of the nations. “When they knew God they glorified him not as God,”—“did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” They who put from them the knowledge of God, and selfishly forget his word and their own obligation, do not thereby impair the validity of that word nor lessen their obligation. Some in our own land make no effort to acquaint themselves with the laws, and remain ignorant of the requirements of the government. But they do not destroy the force of the fact that the government must publish its laws in order to perpetuate its own existence; nor can they escape the just claim of the government by their wilful ignorance. You certainly misapprehend me if you think I affirmed that the government is obliged as an act of justice to reveal terms of pardon. He who has forfeited all rights has no claim for pardon; but if pardon is to be found, who shall reveal its conditions? My remark is that it is the sole prerogative (privilege) of the government to determine the means whereby a rebel may be restored to citizenship. Please read again on that subject, page 33. You will see that I argue for the government, and against the right of offenders to devise their own terms of restoration. I cannot discover any defect in the reasoning you quote from The Advance. Your assertion that God “has not given to mankind—except to a small minority—such written revelation,” is not sustained by any facts with which I am acquainted—and certainly not by the Scriptures. Every government is clear in judgment if it publicly proclaims its laws, and institutes sufficient means whereby all may become acquainted with them. If desired I will cite to abundance of Scripture testimony to sustain this view. But I think they will readily suggest themselves to every reader. Our Periodicals.
By D. T. Bourdeau
Our periodicals are decidedly improved by being enlarged and by the pains that are taken to make them interesting and fill them with the best of matter. As a people, we should patronize them and labor to give them an extensive circulation; for they are a mighty means for the furtherance of the truth. Thousands can be led to read them, who could not at first be persuaded to go and hear our preachers. They work in a silent, yet effectual, manner, ever appealing to the intellect, and telling the same story. Believers in present truth should read our excellent papers to stir up their pure minds by way of remembrance, and to keep pace with the truth in its onward march. “The rulers of the darkness of this world” are ever busy in getting out positions with which to oppose the truth, and the REVIEW and our other publications are designed to fairly meet these positions; and we should read up, that we may be prepared to give the reasons of our hope. Unless we do this, we must expect to be overcome by error and the powers of darkness. Brethren and sisters, let us put on the whole armor, having our loins girt about with truth. Let us read up to avoid being overcharged with the cares of this life, and that the day of God may not overtake us unawares. Let us read up if we would appreciate our papers and works, and realize from experience their value for others! How can we feel for others as we should, unless we first feel for ourselves? How can we recommend to others those things that we have not a knowledge of ourselves? We profess to desire to see the work move forward; let us make use of the means God has placed within our reach to advance his cause. Let us go to work in the Lord’s vineyard. We consider it a sure sign of backsliding when we see old brethren and sisters under common circumstances decide to have their REVIEW, Instructor, or Reformer, stopped, perhaps under the pretence that they can’t afford to take them. It is an evidence that their interest in the cause of truth is decreasing, and that they are setting their affections on earthly things. Many excuse themselves under the idea of poverty, who invest quite largely in other directions, without deriving one-tenth of the benefit that they could receive from our periodicals. Brethren, let us live out our profession. We profess to believe that the REVIEW, Instructor, and Reformer, are ordered by God to accomplish a great work through the instrumentality of God’s people. Let us make our faith perfect by our works. Let us first seek for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, believing that the rest will be added unto us. Let us keep our minds properly balanced between earth and Heaven. Many who plead poverty would easily pay for their papers, if they planned as carefully to meet their indebtedness as they do in temporal things. But they serve themselves first, overlooking that their obligations to the Review Office and to God’s cause are more sacred than those which they owe to man. I desire to manifest a becoming interest in our periodicals. Self-denial of the Early Preachers.
By D. T. Bourdeau
LOOKING at things from a worldly stand point, it was not an easy and flattering matter for the apostles to forsake their worldly avocations to preach the gospel. Some of them were fishermen, and were called when in the very act of fishing or mending their nets; and we read: “They straightway left their nets and followed him.” “And they immediately left the ship and their father and followed him.” Matt. 4: 20, 22. As fishing was the main business upon which Peter, Andrew, James, and John, depended to sustain themselves and their families, and they had no promise of wages from the Saviour, they might have produced a plausible excuse for declining to follow Jesus. But no; they break away from their business at once, and with the glory of God and the worth of souls before them, they move out by faith in the performance of the duties of their sacred calling. So with Matthew. He had a public office and sat at the receipt of custom when Christ called him. But he found a way to cut loose from his office and business. “And he arose and followed him.” Matt. 9: 9. But it appears that one of the disciples at least thought he had a reasonable excuse to wait awhile before preaching the gospel: “And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” Matt. 8: 21, 22. “And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9: 61, 62. But when the disciples first started out, they were not only required to forsake all, but they were also commanded to provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass, in their purses, nor scrip for their journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves” (or a staff, Greek). Matt. 10: 9, 10. Without faith, the future would indeed look dark for the disciples. But the Saviour set an example to his disciples in this respect. Besides leaving the riches and glories of Heaven to save us, we find him saying to a certain scribe who offered to follow him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.” Matt. 8: 20. So dependent was the Son of God, that “certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, . . . ministered unto him of their substance.” Luke 8: 2, 3. The self-denial and faith of Christ and his apostles at the start of the gospel, are set forth as examples for all those who would be called to preach the gospel. Their course in these things shows the worth of souls, and of eternal things in comparison with temporal. While it may be right for preachers to have a care for their families, and show respect for their parents within reasonable limits, the Scriptures make it their imperative duty to not entangle themselves with the things of this life, that they may please God in laboring successfully in his cause. While we may be inclined to excuse ourselves as some did in the days of Christ, we should remember that while we are kept away from the field, souls around us are dying without hope who might be saved through our instrumentality. How would we feel to meet such in the Judgment? By being slow to move out in the gospel field, we do not give faith an opportunity to grow, or give God a chance to work for us. We set a bad example to the church, and others, and deprive ourselves of the blessing promised in the following scripture: “Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” Matt. 19: 27–30. I want to take a greater stock in this self-denial; for it is very profitable in the end. The Beatitudes and Suffering
ALL the beatitudes are affixed to conditions of humiliation and suffering. Men and Things.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
How we fret, chafe, and murmur, under trials! Yet they are just what we need to make us of any value. See that sturdy oak on yonder hill. What has made it so strong and mighty? The winds, the storms, and the tempests of a century have been the chief agents in making it thus. Sunshine and dew, and the gentle breeze, would never have developed this strength and majesty. So it is with us. The ups and downs, the adversities, and the hard knocks, of life are what develop our character and bring out the worth of the man. Let us thank God for them, and take courage. Read the following and lay it to heart:— “THE THINGS THAT MAKE THE MAN.—It is not the best things—that is the things which we call best—that make men; it is not the calm experiences of life; it is life's rugged experiences, its tempests, its trials. The discipline of life is here good and there evil, here trouble and there joy, here rudeness and there smoothness, one working with the other, and the alternations of the one and the other, which necessitate adaptations, constitute a part of that education which makes man a man, in distinction from an animal, which has no education. The successful man invariably bears on his brow, the marks of the struggles which he has had to undergo.” Men everywhere are beginning to cry out against the sensational style of preaching which is coming so largely into use. There is no Christ nor salvation in it. Dr. Thompson very pithily remarks in his new work, “The Theology of Christ,” that “preaching has run too much to the superficial, the fanciful, the sensational; men go to church that they may be pleased and excited, rather than instructed; for some transitory play upon the imagination and emotions, rather than the lasting conviction of the understanding.” May God help the people to see and feel the need of a reform, and open their eyes to the truth. CHARLES AND JOHN WESLEY BELIEVERS IN IMMERSION.
I find the following passage in Whitehead's Life of the Wesleys, p. 80: “Mr. Charles Wesley, as well as his brother John, was so fully convinced at this time that immersion was the ancient mode of baptizing, that he determined to adhere strictly to the rubric of the Church of England in relation to it, and not to baptize any child by sprinkling, unless it was sickly and weak. This occasioned some contention among his people, who were governed chiefly by their passions and a spirit of opposition. However, by perseverance and mild persuasion, he prevailed with some of them to consent to it; and about this time, he adds with apparent pleasure, ‘I baptized Mr. Colwell's child by true immersion, before a large congregation.’” Would that they and their immediate followers had always as firmly persevered in this that they were so well convinced of. But the people were against it, and they yielded, and truth has suffered terribly in consequence. ROMANISM IN THE CHURCHES.
Says the Liberal Christian: “There is a powerful element of Romanism in all the larger Protestant bodies. The clergymen do not teach to the people the Bible itself in its purity and simplicity, but they require them to receive instead, a system of clerical interpretations of the Bible. Their whole ecclesiastical system is based on the preposterous assumption that their opinions about the Bible and its teachings are identical with the teachings of the Bible itself.” These obvious facts ought to teach men a little more modesty in defending their own doctrines and condemning all others. The doctrines of the Bible are one thing, and men's interpretation of them quite another. IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL ASSUMED IN THE BIBLE.
When our opponents are pressed to give us a Bible declaration of the soul's immortality, they often try to evade the point thus: The Bible does nowhere directly assert nor argue that there is a God. This fact is so obvious and plain that it is everywhere assumed, taken for granted, without being directly asserted. This, all must admit. So, say they, it is with the soul's immortality. It is nowhere directly asserted, but is simply assumed to be true, as an obvious fact believed by all. Does the reader see where the falsity of this argument lies? Look a moment, while the Bible does not directly assert and declare that there is a God, yet it does often and repeatedly speak of God, tell that he did this, that, and the other, thing. But is the same true of the immortality of the soul? Is there anything said about, or concerning, the immortality of the soul? Not one word. It is in no way referred to. It is not so much as even mentioned once. So we see that the cases are not at all parallel. To make them similar, the Bible should say something about the immortality of the soul, the same as it often refers to God. If it did this, we would believe the immortality of the soul, though it were not positively asserted to be so. JOSEPH BATES
By Joseph Bates
Sabbath, January 21, and evening of the first day, had interesting meetings and celebrated the ordinances with the church in Allegan. Sabbath and first-day, 28 and 29, by invitation, held meetings with a company of Sabbath-keepers at Rabbit River, Allegan Co. Several were much interested to hear, for the first time, our position in the third angel's message, sanctuary, &c. We furnished them with tracts and books, which they gladly received, and said they would be very glad to hear more about the present truth. Sabbath and first-day, Feb. 4 and 5, met in quarterly meeting with the Jackson church at Tompkins. The brethren and sisters manifested much interest in coming together for the solemn worship of God, and the celebration of the ordinances of his house. The Lord bless and encourage them to persevere in his blessed cause, and endure to the end. February 7–14, had the pleasure of meeting with old and tried friends at the anniversary meetings at Battle Creek. This annual meeting was one of deep, stirring interest to the cause. It was encouraging to hear what had been accomplished the past year, and to learn of the wide openings for missionary work, and the urgent and pressing calls for ministerial labor throughout the wide harvest field, and in what order the work of God should move forward the ensuing year. How cheering to be associated with brethren and sisters all deeply interested for the salvation of souls, all aiming to be of one mind, and moved by the same spirit to advance the solemn work of God; to be found ready when the coming One shall come to call them to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The Lord grant that this people may continue to labor on and increase in numbers of such as shall be saved in that great day. Financially, the past year attests the faithfulness of those who have moved at the head of this precious and onward work of the Lord. Monterey, Mich., Feb. 22, 1871. Bearing Fruit.
By Josephine Mott
“Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” How shall we bear fruit to the glory of God? By slothfulness, reluctance, or impatience, in doing what he has required of us? Not in this way can fruit be borne. The fruit of the Spirit which we are to bear, is, says the apostle, “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against which there is no law.” The first in the list is, Love. Love, self-renouncing love. None can bear fruit which will be acceptable to God, and conduce to his glory, without this grace. If he loves him not, he will not care whether he glorifies him or not. Joy is the next grace; and it will as surely follow the former as the fruit follows the flower in the natural world. The pleasure of loving is great in itself; and it will reflect back joy unspeakable. As you continually seek for opportunities to prove your love, so will your joy be more full; and as you feel the approving eye of the Father upon you, your peace will become like a river, sweet and full, filling your whole being. Longsuffering. If we be truly Christ’s disciples, we shall suffer long and patiently, never stopping to think or care how great our suffering, or how the world may use us. We can still, through all our fiery trials, cast all our care upon God, being assured that he careth for us, and will never suffer us to be moved. Remember how Paul endured great afflictions; how he was beaten and stoned, in prison, in peril by sea and land, more than we have ever been called upon to pass through; and all for the sake of Christ. Yet he counted them as nothing, in view of the prize which he was to win. Gentleness. The true servant of the Lord must be gentle to all. No matter if others speak harshly to him, he must not treat them in the same way. Let him remember that a soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. Entreat with all longsuffering and gentleness, seeking to win souls to Christ. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Prov. 11 : 30. Goodness and Faith. Without strong faith in the promises, one cannot be a disciple of the Saviour; firm, unwavering faith, that all that the Lord has said, he will perform, even every iota. Meekness. He must be meek like the dear Saviour when he was here on earth among sinful men, not resenting injuries, suffering himself to be wronged, rather than do evil himself. Temperance. How little do we imagine all that is contained in that one word. Not only temperate in food and drink, but in all things. It is as wrong to overwork as it is to overeat. I believe nearly all our sins are caused by intemperance in some form or other. Without temperance we cannot be true disciples of Jesus. We have seen that the fruits which the righteous bear, are such as work nothing but good to God and man. Let us now see what are the fruits of the evil one, or the works of the flesh. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like. Of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Gal. 5 : 19–21. Have any of us wholly escaped contamination in some of these things? No, not one of us dare say we are pure from sin. All come under condemnation. Remaineth there then no hope? John says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” And again, through Ezekiel (33:11), the Lord says, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” Here he that has sinned, is exhorted to turn from his wickedness, and live. And again, in the same chapter, “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right [Heb. do judgment and justice], if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” Thus we have a sure testimony, that if we forsake our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. If we endeavor to do his commandments, we shall have help. Paul said, that through Christ strengthening him, he could do all things. And the Saviour is just as ready to help his trusting ones now as he was then. If he gives us strength, all will be well. But see what is the end of those who will not repent and seek salvation through the blood of Jesus: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Ps. 9 : 17. And again, “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup.” May we indeed seek righteousness and meekness, that we may be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. If we are not covered by the hand of God in that day, we must drink of the cup of his indignation and wrath; for in his hand there is a cup, and the wine is red, it is full of mixture, and he poureth out the same; but the dregs thereof, the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them. All our professions will avail us nothing then. The words of the Lord Jesus will be the test: “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” If we fail to stand the trial, we shall hear the dread sentence, Depart! Depart from life, love, and joy. Depart from the presence of the Father and his dear Son, of all the holy angels, from all the beauties of the new world. May we hear the “Well done,” from the lips of our Master. THE MASTER HATH NEED OF THE REAPERS.
By Mrs. Thomson
The Master hath need of the reapers,
And, mourner, he calleth to thee;
Come out from the valley of sorrow,
Look up to the hill-tops, and see
How the fields of the harvest are whitening,
How golden and full is the grain.
Oh! what are thy wants to the summons?
And what are thy griefs and thy pains? The Master hath need of the reapers,
And, idler, he calleth to thee;
Come out from the mansions of pleasure,
From the halls where the careless may be;
Soon the shadow of eve may be falling,
With the mists, and the dews, and the rain;
Oh! what is the world and its follies
To the mold and the rust of the grain! The Master hath need of the reapers,
And, worker, he calleth to thee;
Oh! what are thy dreams of ambition
To the joys that hereafter shall be?
There are tokens of storms that are coming,
And summer is fast on the wane;
Then alas for the hopes of the harvest,
And alas for the beautiful grain. By the wounds of the blessed One calling,
Our Maker, Redeemer, and God;
By the deeds of those reapers now falling,
Of those who sleep under the sod,
Who, counting their lives as but nothing,
Pressed on in the ranks of the host;
Who toiled in the fields of the Master,
And dying, fell dead at their post, By these find the joys that are given,
While toiling and weeping below,
Of pointing one sinner to Heaven,
Oh! list to the summons, and go
To the fields where the harvest is whitening,
For summer is fast on the wane,
And gather the sheaves in the garner,
For golden and ripe is the grain. New England.
By P. C. Rodman
JAN. 21 and 22, met with brethren in Berlin, Conn. The interest in the truth is dying here, first, because all are too worldly-minded, and secondly, because while some would and do try to keep up the meetings and sustain the cause here, others do not generally attend when they can, while still others are in feeble health and cannot always be present; and so depression and discouragement are felt by all. We tried to inspire them with the truth, showing that it was advancing and would certainly triumph. I hope there will be with them a consecration of themselves and all they have to God, that they, with their children, may reach Mount Zion. Jan. 28 and 29, in Abington. Here the interest has been too low, and the efforts too faint, to keep up the cause. But there were some confessions made, and all had a disposition to take hold anew. May they confess and forsake, seeking the Lord until his blessing shall distill upon them with all its refreshing power, and his work be revived, and they advance in the truth and grace of God until the warfare is ended. We assisted in rearranging Systematic Benevolence. Some advance was made. Systematic Benevolence was re-arranged also at Berlin. Here some are slow to meet their pledges. Brethren, this ought not so to be. Do what you ought to do cheerfully and promptly. Then we shall be blessed in our doing; for the fruit shall abound to your account. James 1: 25; Phil. 4: 17. Feb. 2–7, in South Lancaster, Mass. The 4th and 5th, in quarterly meeting of N. E. Conference. Not as many present as at some former meetings of the kind held here; but the general expression was, that it was the most profitable one we ever attended. It commenced well, and grew better to the close. The brethren have a mind to work; and reports show that the work is onward, and truth is advancing slowly, but surely. The N. E. Tract Society is a success. The Visiting Missionary Society of South Lancaster is still doing its work of love. Encouraging reports of both were given. To the Lord be praise. Feb. 8, came to Sharon, N. H. Procured a school-house to hold meeting in for one evening. Met with the brethren in Blaksville the 11th and 12th. Held four meetings in Sharon in West Hill school-house. Visited from house to house. There is conviction on the minds of some that they ought to obey the truth. One has expressed a determination to keep the Sabbath. Others are inquiring and searching to see if the things we preach are so. Pray for us, dear brethren, that souls may be saved, being sanctified through the truth. P. C. RODMAN. Romance, Wis.
By David Downer
SINCE my last report, I have reviewed one sermon, and discussed the Sabbath question with an Eld. Day. His arguments were those usually employed in behalf of first-day. I think good results will follow. People seem interested, coming out through mud and rain to hear. I have given thirteen lectures, and shall look and pray for glorious results. One encouraging feature is that people are inclined to read our publications. I am slowly gaining from my past difficulty, bleeding at the lungs. I would request the prayers of my brethren, that I may entirely recover, and do the work given me to perform acceptably to the Lord. DAVID DOWNER. Wyandott Co., Ohio.
By John W. Wolfe
I COMMENCED meetings in this county, Jan. 18, and closed Feb. 7, giving in all seventeen discourses. There seemed to be a good interest to hear, and the house was crowded all the time except two or three evenings. The people took all the books I had. Many who had not attended meetings of any kind for years were deeply interested, but want time to study the position we hold before going forward. The people nearly all seemed convinced that we have the truth, and some few expressed a determination to live it out. Others, I think, will start soon. A CLERGYMAN observing a poor man by the road breaking stones, and kneeling to get at his work better, made the remark, “Ah! John, I wish I could break the stony hearts of my hearers as easily as you are breaking those stones.” “Perhaps, master, you do not work on your knees as I do,” was the reply. How to Have Confidence in Time of Trouble
By M. E. Piper
“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High; and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” Ps. 50:14, 15. Here is a precept and a promise beautifully linked together. The promise I had often appropriated, and this time, as I opened the blessed book, my eye rested upon it first; but as I lingered there, I saw the promise was conditional. True, thought I, how much more ready are we to believe the promises than to comply with the conditions. We can easily believe that God will be faithful to his word; but if the evidence is not at once seen, how ready are we then to doubt and distrust his goodness, when we should have turned to ourselves to inquire, Have I fulfilled my part in the contract? Have I complied with the conditions? Have I obeyed all the requirements, so that I can with confidence make my requests known to God, and claim the promises? Offer unto God thanksgiving. Surely how reasonable the requirement. Thanks every day and every hour for his abundant mercies! Thanks for food and raiment, and numerous blessings that many do not enjoy! Not complaints and murmurings because we do not have more, or because afflictions are upon us; but when we come into deep waters, then say with the psalmist, “Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is good; turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies; and hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble; hear me speedily.” Ps. 69:16, 17. See how David precedes his request, not with murmurings on the causes of trouble, but having experienced past favor, he makes mention of the goodness of the Lord. Then, too, he says, “I will pay thee my vows, which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.” Ps. 66:13, 14. Here is a consideration. He remembers the vows he had made in previous times of trouble. Do we do this? Have not many of us promised the Lord that, if he would relieve us from this trouble, or avert that evil, we would surely serve him with an undivided heart? Does God forget? Will he lightly pass by these broken pledges? No, verily! The solemn vows we have uttered in time of trouble are all recorded, and each one must be canceled, or we cannot come with confidence and expect to receive help from the Most High. If we do not fulfill on our part, neither can God in justice fulfill what he has promised on those conditions. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Ps. 66:18. Then let us remember the vows we have made, and pay all our broken pledges, whether to God alone, or to our fellow-beings; and then call, and the Lord will hear and will deliver; and what then? “Thou shalt glorify me.” Ah, yes! this is a part of the work, to give God the glory. Praise him when you begin, and praise him when you have done. To him belongeth all praise, and glory, and honor. Do not as did the nine lepers that were cleansed, forget to return and give thanks to your kind Benefactor, but on every possible occasion speak of the grace that hath saved you, and by your works show your faith in the promises of God. Oh! that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.