Earlier text: A WISE REPLYWHERE IS THE BETTER LAND?
By E. P. Marvin
It has been the belief of very many of the wisest and best of God's people, from apostolic to present times, that the saints will dwell eternally upon this earth regenerated, and under the regenerated heavens. They have left their testimony on record as a rich legacy of faith and a bright pole-star of hope for us. It seems to me that this belief is founded clearly and surely on the teachings and promises of God's word. First let us note that those passages that speak of "new heavens and a new earth," literally mean a renewed heaven and a earth, and not a system made of new materials, just as the "new creature in Christ" is a renewed man. Apply this interpretation to the following Scriptures: Ps. 103:5; Isa. 66:22; 1 Sam. 11:14; Heb. 1:10-12; 2 Pet. 3:13; Rev. 21:1, 5. That this renewed earth shall be our eternal home seems to be plainly and repeatedly declared in Revelation. Study the whole scope of Isa. 35 and 60, and Ps. 37. Study especially Ps. 37:3, 9, 11, 18, 29. Of this last verse, Dr. J. A. Alexander says: "The righteous shall inherit the land, possess the land of promise, and dwell securely and in peace, forever, to eternity, upon it." Study also Eccl. 1:4; Isa. 66:22; Eze. 37:24, 25; 1 John 3:8; and Matt. 5:5. Here we plainly read that "the earth abideth forever"—"It shall remain before me"—"They shall dwell in the land"—Christ came "to destroy the works of the devil"—that is the evil, and not the good works of God—and that "the meek shall inherit the earth." The words translated earth and land in both Hebrew and Greek, are words of a positive and literal meaning. They are used of the original creation just as of the new creation. The prophetic terms of Christ's first coming to the earth and dwelling here with his people are no more clear and literal than those of his second coming in glory. If we spiritualize and fritter away such passages as Luke 1:32, 33, we must not wonder if Jews and skeptics do the same with verse 31 and other similar prophecies. The expectation of going to a Heaven in some distant, dreamy part of the universe when we die, to abide in a ghostly state until we return for our bodies, and then bid a final farewell to earth, is a modern novelty. Human aircastles and seraphic fancies concerning the locality of the better land are vain and unsatisfactory. One word of God and one stone founded on the eternal rock is worth more than all. "Correct my writings," says Augustine, "not by your own opinion, but by the divine word." God said to Abraham: "The land which thou seest will I give to thee and to thy seed forever;" the land which thou seest, and not some distant, unknown sphere. Abraham possessed only a tent, an altar, and a tomb in the promised land. His seed, David's greater Son, has never reigned there yet, nor have his fellow-heirs possessed it. The millennial period will be the transition and prelude to the heavenly and eternal state. The testimony of Scripture accords with reason and desire in this matter. We naturally love our native land, and this earth is the place of our double nativity. Abraham desired a better or a renewed country—or native land, as the word signifies. No other place can ever be our native father-land. "There is no place like home," and we are linked to this earth as we never could be to another sphere. It is also fitting that here where sin has reigned unto death, grace should reign unto life by Jesus Christ. It is also the appropriate reward of our glorious Redeemer, that here where Christ was humiliated even unto death, he should be exalted in visible majesty and glory over a regenerated creation. Here where he was "despised and rejected of men," he must be honored and accepted as the rightful ruler of the earth. The world that gave him a cross and a crown of thorns must yet give him a throne and a crown of glory, and before him every knee must bow. As he now dwells by his Spirit in the renewed soul, so he must yet dwell personally in the renewed earth. Satan must not have a permanent victory here. He must be vanquished on the very ground of his transient victory. The "Stronger than the strong man armed" must bind him and spoil his goods. The Nobleman having received the kingdom returns. "Thou art coming, thou art coming,
Jesus, our beloved Lord;
Oh, the joy to see thee reigning,
Worshiped, glorified, adored!" And God himself is linked to this earth as a monumental globe, distinguished from all others, by the incarnation, humiliation, suffering, death, and resurrection of his Son. If we prize, and preserve with monumental art those spots that commemorate grand historic scenes and characters, how much more will God guard and preserve the globe that has witnessed tragic, wonderful, and ever memorable scenes of redemption. We must remember that this earth has been baptized and consecrated by the blood and agony of the Son of God. No, God will not allow it to explode and become an unsightly cinder and pass away "like the baseless fabric of a vision," but still holding its Gethsemane, its Calvary, and its Olivet, he will keep it eternally in the memory and the sight of the whole intelligent universe. It will abide forever as the monumental globe of the universe. "But is it large enough for the heavenly inhabitants?" Suppose all earth's populace to the present time, to have been ninety billions, all could stand, occupying six square feet, on the island of Ceylon or the peninsula of Nova Scotia, and all could be buried in New York State. The peninsula of Arabia is large enough for the New Jerusalem, and its mansions would accommodate all these myriads, even if all were permitted to enter, and there would yet be room to spare. "But is this earth good enough?" It was "very good" at first, and it will be still better when renewed. Adam was satisfied with the Paradise lost, and we shall be with the Paradise regained. As all creation has shared in the heavy curse, it must share in "the exceeding and eternal weight of glory." Soul, body, and all creation, even the nature of the brute creation, must be regenerated and restored. Study Rom. 8:21, 22, and Isa. 11:6, 7. There is no evil in matter itself. Extract the poison of sin from humanity; destroy them that pollute the earth; let fire purge the earth as once water did; let God's renovating hand pass over it, and it shall, as if by magic, become the masterpiece of all fair and good creations; light, air, earth, and sea filled with all beautiful and precious things, a fit place for the tabernacle of God, with his redeemed people. The bright light of the shekinah glory, seen but seldom in the past,
"Like angels' visits, few and far between,"
shall descend with the New Jerusalem and cast a halo of eternal light over the scene, brighter than seven suns, and yet as mild and sweet to our clarified and immortal vision as the morning. The "inheritance laid up in heaven" is ready to be thus revealed to us. The New Jerusalem, the "place prepared for us," will come down from God out of Heaven to us, and we shall "reign on the earth." Jehovah's tabernacle shall be with men. With such a prospect and destiny before us let us not "mind earthly things." Let new-born desires and affections expel the old. Earth's honors, pleasures, and possessions should fade away before the golden glories of this heavenly country. Cherish the happy pilgrim spirit, like the patriarchs who "saluted" these promises afar off and confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers on the earth. As the shell ever sings of the sea, so let your heart sing of the coming glory. "My life flows on in endless song,
Above earth's lamentation;
I catch the sweet but far off hymn,
That hails the New Creation."
—Rev. E. P. Marvin (Presbyterian). HIS GLORIOUS APPEARING.
By C. H. Spurgeon
THE first manifestation was very partial; it was Christ seen through a glass, Christ in the midst of grief and the cloud of humiliation. Christ is yet to appear in the strong sense of the word "appearing;" He is to come out and shine forth. He is to leave the robes of scorn and shame behind, and to come in the glory of the Father, and all his holy angels with him. This is the constant teaching of the word of God, and the constant hope of the church, that Christ will appear. A thousand questions at once suggest themselves. How will Christ appear? Where will Christ appear? and so on. What God answers we may inquire, but some of our questions are mere impertinence. I believe Christ will appear in person. I never can tolerate the idea of his second coming being merely a spiritual coming. That always seems to me to be the most transparent folly that can possibly be put together, because Christ cannot come spiritually, he is always here. "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Christ's spiritual coming never can be that which is spoken of in Scripture as the day of our release. I sometimes say to brethren, "Do you think if Christ were to come spiritually now, we should observe the ordinances better?" "Yes, certainly." "Do you think, for instance, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper would be better attended to?" "Yes, no doubt it would." Yes, but then this proves that this is not the coming which the Bible speaks of, because it is expressly said of the Lord's Supper that we are to do it in remembrance of him till he comes. A spiritual coming would make us do it more zealously; there must be another form of coming which would justify our giving up the Supper altogether, and that must be of personal character, for then, and then only, might the Supper properly cease. We shall not need to have the Supper to remind of the person when the person himself shall be present in our midst, reigning and triumphant in his church. We believe in a personal reign and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But how will he come? He will doubtless come with great splendor; the angels of God shall be his attendants. We gather from Scripture that he will come to reign in the midst of his people; that the house of Israel will acknowledge him as King; yea, that all nations shall bow down before him, and kings shall pay him homage. None shall be able to stand against him. "Those that pierced him shall wail because of him." He will come to discern between the righteous and the wicked, to separate the goats from the sheep. He will come graciously to adjudge his people their reward according to their works. He will give to those who have been faithful over a few things to be rulers over many things; and those who have been faithful over many things shall be rulers over many cities. He will come to discern between the works of his people; such as are only wood, hay and stubble will be consumed; such as are gold and silver and precious stones will stand the fire. We look for such a coming, and, without entering into minute details, we are content to believe that he is coming in his glory, to show himself to be King of kings and Lord of lords, to be adored and worshiped, and no more to be rejected and despised of men.—C. H. Spurgeon. Sometimes I compare the trouble we have to undergo in the course of a year to a great bundle of fagots, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole at once. He mercifully unties the bundles, and gives us one stick, which we are able to carry to-day, and then another which we are able to carry to-morrow, and so on. This we might easily manage if we would only take the burden appointed for us each day; but we choose to increase our trouble by carrying yesterday's stick over again to-day, and adding to-morrow's burden to our load before we are required to bear it.—Examiner and Chronicle. Living Holy, Not Talking
By Dwight L. Moody
It is a great deal better to live holy than to talk about it. We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody that it does. The light will be its own witness. Lighthouses don't ring bells and fire cannon to call attention to their shining; they just shine.—Moody. Giving as Christian Grace
Giving is as much a Christian grace, as is faith or fortitude, and is as truly an act of Christian worship as singing or praying. -- Rev. E. F. Marvin (Presbyterian).
By Rev. E. F. Marvin
In a recent reply to the Rev. James Freeman Clarke, Wendell Phillips says: "Fashion, in Boston, imperiously orders the use and offer of wine. The city government is created and ruled by rum. Trade, wealth, the press and society defer to it. Blind habit fancies itself science, and parades as such in supporting it. The pulpit, dabbling in all politics except what touches reform, and reading Shakespeare to idlers, while some of the finest genius of the city is dropping into drunkards' graves, contents itself with insulting temperance men; and panders, like a cringing lackey, to the drinking fashions of the pews, both by precept and example; now and then trying to hide its degradation and throw dust in the world's eyes by some empty rhetoric about the awful evils of intemperance." In seeking after our models or examples to copy, we need not, like the artist, go to Italy in order to copy the great masters; for the great Master of teaching—Christ, our model Teacher and the teacher's Model—is always before us, and his example is perfect. He is "the Teacher come from God." "He spake as never man spake." Let us notice some characteristics of his teaching:— 1. He was very instructive. He knew what was in man, and just how to meet his wants. If our words do not instruct, they "are simply impertinent." Do our "lips teach knowledge?" 2. He was beautifully simple,—child-like, but never childish; so clear that all could understand. So our words should be few, well-chosen, simple, and adapted, softly and deliberately expressed. 3. His teaching was highly illustrative. So should ours be. He gathered from all the common surroundings of life. The tiny sparrow was made to illustrate his care; he pointed the magi to the stars; the fishermen were to be fishers of men; he taught a lesson to the merchantman from the goodly pearl; the water-bearer was offered the water of life; while the wheat, the grain, the tares, the chaff, the vine, the tree, the field, and almost every object, taught the husbandman amid his daily toil. Heaven itself is represented by earthly things, and objects the most valued—by "songs," "arches," "harps of gold," "rivers clear as crystal," "rivers of pleasure," "pearly gates," "precious rubies and stones," etc. His illustrations always threw light upon truth—never displaced it, as ours sometimes do. They were drawn from every-day life, and so well adapted that they were joyfully received by the candid inquirer. Let all Sabbath-school teachers herein copy the Master. Apt illustrations render truth more permanent; for it is well said, that the "simile, the anecdote, the fable, is sure to be remembered, and the sentiment to which it was linked is sure to go with it." 4. His teaching was, also, sublimely courageous. "He spake as one having authority." His confidence in God and his truth raised him above fear and doubt. 5. His teaching was singularly adapted. It always reached the heart and life. 6. His teaching was mingled with prayer. He went out to teach; he retired to pray. Let all teachers imitate his example. 7. His teaching was closely applied. Let our teaching, also, be carried home to the every-day life of the children, and applied closely, particularly, personally, and privately to specific errors and sins; for we never should allow ourselves for a moment to doubt that there is no infirmity in manner or purpose, in habit, temper, or character, amongst our children, which the Sabbath-school, with its divine text-book, is not abundantly competent to reach and remove.—S. S. Index. "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Cor. 2:2. In the "Memoir of William Marsh" it is related that a few days previous to his ordination, he was invited, with several other candidates for the ministry, to meet at the house of Richard Cecil, in order to spend the day in the study of the Scriptures, conversation, and prayer. Sixty years afterward he referred to it with the same freshness of enjoyment and thankfulness as if it had been but a day before. "Mr. Cecil," he said, "was most happy in the art of illustration. Wishing to impress upon our minds the importance of ever making prominent in our teaching Christ and his atonement, he told us an anecdote of his former life. He had been a great sufferer for years, and none of his medical friends had been able to ascertain the cause. At length Mrs. Cecil was told of a physician who was extremely skillful in intricate cases, and whom she entreated him to consult. On entering the physician's room, he said, 'Welcome, Mr. Cecil; I know you well by character, and as a preacher. We must have some conversation after I have given you my advice.'" "Mr. Cecil then described his sufferings. The physician considered a moment, and then said, 'Dear sir, there is only one remedy in such a case as yours; do first try it; it is perfectly simple;' and then he mentioned the medicine." "Mr. Cecil, fearing to occupy too much of his time, rose to leave; but the physician said, 'No, sir; we must not part so soon, for I have long wished for an opportunity of conversing with you.' So they spent half an hour more, mutually delighted with each other's society." "'On returning home,' added Mr. Cecil, 'I said to my wife, You sent me to a most agreeable man --such a fund of anecdote, such originality of thought, such a command of language!'" "'Well, but what did he prescribe for you?' Mrs. Cecil anxiously inquired." "There was a pause, and then Mr. Cecil exclaimed, 'I have entirely forgotten the remedy; his charms of manner and conversation put everything else out of my mind.'" "'Now, young men,' said Mr. Cecil, 'it will be very pleasant for you if your congregations go away saying, What eloquence! what original thought! and what an agreeable delivery! Take care they do not forget the remedy, the only remedy, Christ and his righteousness; Christ and his atonement; Christ and his advocacy.'" THE MORMON ORGANIZATION.
By North American Review
WITH the death of Brigham Young, the American leadership of the Mormons ceased. Taylor is an Englishman, Cannon is an Englishman, and almost all the leaders are of foreign birth. The Mormon church is a foreign kingdom, hostile in all its features to a republican form of government; it is guided and controlled by foreigners, and depends upon foreigners and the children of foreigners for future expansion and power. It is absolutely un-American in all its attributes. It is a theocracy managed by a plebeian aristocracy, for intellectually the whole organization is of low order. Now in addition to church ties, there are family ties to hold this people in unity. The organization is fanaticism and superstition solidified. It numbers probably 150,000 souls, and is increasing as fast as polygamy and immigration can accomplish the result. It is swiftly peopling all the agricultural valleys of our richest Territories, and its leaders boldly proclaim their intention to subjugate the whole Union and bring it under their rule. They exalt their church over the State, condemn all laws which conflict with any tenet of their creed, are as careless of their oaths as a Chinaman, and bear as little allegiance to the United States Government as do the Chinese. The control of the chiefs, as in Mohammedan countries, is absolute; their organization, superb; the discipline of people, perfect. From tithes, $1,000,000 annually is collected with which to strengthen their position; they are a hardy race, indifferent to hardships and privations; already they are such a power that demagogues in their own country, other demagogues in Congress, and moneyed corporations, with their subsidized newspapers, pander to them; and it is plain that this institution, which was jeered at but a few years ago, has now become an absolute terror and menace to the United States.—North American Review. He Who Will Not Learn Cannot Teach
He who will not learn cannot teach. The Sabbath School.
By John S. Hart
I HOLD it to be the interest and the duty of individual Sabbath-school workers, while not neglecting solitary work, to add their personal quota of service to every wise and prudent measure of concerted effort. I think that many teachers, most excellent and exemplary and faithful in other respects, come short in this. They rarely attend a meeting of the teachers of their school. Such persons not only fail in duty, but they miss a great privilege. The solitary worker is very apt to acquire contracted and imperfect notions on many subjects. The very best way to improve one's own methods is to mingle with others. This interchange of thought always suggests to the wide-awake teacher something new and better. Besides, by this friendly contact of differing minds, new energy and life are caught. The heart is warmed. Impulses are given and received that never would have been experienced in mere solitary work. In order to the universal spread and diffusion of the Sabbath-school cause through any community, the individual workers in it should feel bound, not merely to do their own work diligently and well, in the teaching of their particular class and school, but to extend a helping hand to others, by friendly co-operation and counsel, by collecting and diffusing Sabbath-school intelligence, by going themselves or sending others into destitute neighborhoods for the purpose of collecting the children who are out of school, and of conversing freely and kindly with their parents on the subject.—J. S. Hart. TRAINING THE YOUNG.
By Editor
THOSE who have the training of young Christians, especially child-Christians, often make the mistake of trying to fashion them too quickly to rules that apply properly to people advanced in life. The editor remembers a well meaning minister who undertook to rebuke him, when he was a lad of twelve, for playing ball with other boys of like age. The considerate support of a wise and pious father brought the boy much comfort and perhaps saved him from spiritual disaster. Young shoulders cannot now be fitted with old heads any more successful than in the days of our fathers. Mrs. W. F. Crafts, writing in the Sunday-School Times, says very fitly on this subject: "A constant remembrance of the time when he, too, was young, is the only safe ground on which a teacher, either secular or religious, can operate on the hearts of the young. Without this, there is a certainty that the garment of righteousness will be made according to a pattern much too large. It will not fit. Each year Hannah took to her little son, the child-priest, in God's temple, a linen ephod. She made the ephods larger, year by year; so must the garment of righteousness be fashioned to fit child-Christians."—Our Bible Teacher. THE more varied and thorough the knowledge of the teacher is, the better for his work. Its possession may have necessitated much mental exercise, but it has, doubtless, fostered habits of thoughtfulness and self-improvement. The pursuit of knowledge improves and brightens intelligence, strengthens the reasoning powers, and supplies the mind with material for communicating truth and suggesting thought to others. Knowledge is the result of study. "There never was an eminent, who was not an industrious man," said Cotton Mather. "I never knew an individual to gain any considerable mass of really digested and valuable knowledge without unwearied industry," is the testimony of one who had large opportunities of observing the knowledge of young men who sought to be instructors of others. Now study is not much reading, or the perusal of many books; it is the exercise of serious thought on what is read, thereby making it your own. The great text-book of the Sabbath-school teacher is the HOLY SCRIPTURES. The word of God is his constant class-book, and must, therefore, be his chief subject of study. He is to teach its inspired truths, and to draw from its ample stores precepts for duty, doctrines for faith, examples for living, and promises for comfort. These are not arranged there in order, but are scattered over the sacred books. He ought to be well acquainted with the Scriptures. Their histories, biographies, prophecies, precepts, doctrines, and promises, should be "familiar in his mouth as household words." Ignorance of the Scriptures is disqualification for a teacher's office. They cannot be good teachers who themselves are not well equipped with knowledge of the truth. The light possessed by the class will bear a proportion to that of the teacher. But the knowledge is not of the letter, it is of the spirit. It needs intelligence. It should be understood. The meaning of the sacred text is the proper knowledge of the teacher. This is his studious pursuit. For this end he avails himself of the helps that are provided. Not the least of these is a holy life. George Herbert mentions this first, and assigns as the reason, that if any "do God's will he shall know of the doctrine." "He that doeth truth cometh to the light." His second is prayer. "Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law." The Spirit of God is promised in answer to prayer, to open the understanding, to shine upon the word, and to interpret it. He leads into all truth. He teaches savingly, and to profit. He seals instruction upon the heart. It is said that a great commentator wrote chiefly upon his knees. He sought the aid of Him who inspired the Scriptures in attempting their elucidation. "The unction of the Spirit," said a French writer, "is a great Master in this science, and it is by prayer that we become his scholars."—Christian Teacher. THE FIELD IS THE WORLD.
By Editor
WE have been led to some very solemn reflections by a conversation held with a dear brother, who gave expression to the feelings of those in his neighborhood, concerning the lack of ministerial labor among them. "We pay our tithes," said he, "but it is seldom that a minister visits us, and we feel that we are neglected." Our sympathy is always stirred by these appeals, and perhaps if it were in our power to order it otherwise, it would be otherwise. Whether it would be better, if we could govern all such cases, we are not prepared to say. We have a great deal of trust in God's providential care of his cause and his people; and when we do the best we can, under our circumstances, it is then both our privilege and our duty to rest in God, and believe that he who knows best will order for the best. Our principal object in noticing this is to correct what we consider are grave misapprehensions of the nature of our work on the part of those who view matters in the light indicated by the words quoted above. 1. It has always been the settled policy of the Seventh-day Adventists to extend the knowledge of the present truth as far as it was in their power, and not keep it in narrow limits, or spend their time and efforts among those who have already received it. This was not altogether a matter of choice, but of necessity. The field is too wide, the work is too great, and the laborers are too few, to admit of settling pastors over our churches, or even to give regular preaching to all companies of believers. And though we have accepted this order of things as a necessity, we believe that it is better for the churches. While they rely upon their own efforts to keep up their meetings, and cheerfully give of their means to send the solemn words of warning to those who are in darkness, there is little danger of their light going out. But if they lean upon a preacher to keep up their interest in religious matters, and lose their earnest desire for the spread of the truth among their fellow-men, their graces will decline and soon grow dim. 2. Our work is peculiarly a missionary work. Our message is to be carried to "many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." Time is short, the work is great, and the laborers are few. And, considering the nature and extent of the work, the laborers will be few. We cannot reasonably expect that we shall have ministers enough to carry this message to all places. Years ago it was plainly seen and strongly realized that some other means, in addition to the ministry, must be resorted to in order to reach the world. Our Tract and Missionary Societies were formed with this fact in view. Their organization was more than timely—it was truly providential. And they have accomplished two important purposes: they have been the means of sending the truth to untold thousands, and also of keeping alive the spirit of the message in the hearts of the missionary workers. Let it be accepted as a truth, worthy of constant remembrance, that a diligent worker cannot become indifferent. If our T. and M. Societies did no more than to keep our people alive in missionary labor, they would be well worthy of being maintained. But they have done much more; there are many who are now rejoicing in the truth who received it by means of these societies, and who could not have been reached by any other means. They are peculiarly adapted to our work, because it is emphatically a missionary work. 3. It is not enough to do that which is right; it must be done in a right manner, and with a right motive. He who strives is not crowned, except he strive lawfully. 2 Tim. 2:5. To give, is a Christian duty; but the motive must be right in order to get the gift acceptable to God. Is it so, that we should pay our tithes to insure a certain benefit—a consideration, in this life? And if that benefit were received, would we be willing to hear our Judge say, in the day of rewards, "ye have had your reward"? We think not one would be satisfied to take this view of his own case. He would wish to have some of his reward in reserve for the world to come. And we should take the past into consideration as well as the future. What have we already received of the Lord? How do we value the truth which God so graciously sent to us, not because of what we had done, but of his love and mercy, before we had done anything in his cause? Have we so little thankfulness for past favors—is the truth we possess of so little worth to us—that we may reasonably cease our efforts to extend its knowledge, or withhold the tokens of our gratitude? Suppose we should never hear another sermon, should we, therefore, never do anything more in the cause of God? that would surely indicate very erroneous views of obligation to God and to his cause. What has the truth not done for us, unless we have believed in vain? Would you be willing to take back all your offerings, and in return be deprived of the knowledge of the present truth? We know what your answer is. Not all the world could purchase from you the grace from on high which this precious truth has already bestowed on you. Let us not, then, suffer the enemy to rob us of the blessing by leading us to murmur against, or to distrust, the providence of God. 4. Compare your position with that of those who embrace Christianity in heathen lands. In China there is a company who keep the Sabbath of the Lord, and who, for a number of years, were deprived of the ministrations of their brethren in America by whom they received the truth. But they hold on, faithful and true; and year after year their letters to their American brethren breathed the most sincere affection and regard, and earnest devotion to the cause of Christ, which was so dear to their hearts. How feeble are our faith and our devotion to principle, compared to theirs. But we have a higher example than this; Jesus, our Master and our Leader, of whom the prophet said he should not fail nor be discouraged. How little to encourage, how much to discourage, he met in his life on the earth. He looked beyond this life; and so should we. "Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Brethren and sisters, bear in mind that those who bear burdens in this work, the officers of our Conferences, can no more do everything that they may wish to do, than you can. Their ability has a limitation. Days of toil and sleepless nights they pass, while considering the wants of this cause, and making efforts to meet those wants. Our Father is merciful—Jesus is compassionate. They know our every want, they hear the breathing of every desire. When the powers of our brethren fail, let us carry our petitions to the throne of grace, and there urge for an increase of laborers to be sent forth into the harvest. And let us believe in the power of the present truth to keep us, even if we are deprived of much-desired Christian association. If we cannot enjoy "the communion of saints," we can commune with our Saviour, in all places and at all times. If we cannot have the presence of the shepherds which he has ordained to feed the flock, we may yet draw near to "the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls." If we cannot see as many of our neighbors embrace the truth as would please us, let us be cheered with the tidings of its progress "among the nations of the earth and the islands of the sea." It has been thus, in the providence of God, from the beginning of the work of this message; the light has gone from place to place, from State to State, without stopping to thoroughly canvass even a single county. The light spreads now from nation to nation; and thus the whole world is being prepared for the grand closing work. All our ministers might find plenty to do in one State; but it would take an age to warn the world in that manner. The writer has always felt thankful that the truth passed directly over from the center of Michigan to west of the Wisconsin river. And so with all of us. Where would we be this day if urgent calls had kept the ministers in a more limited field of labor? Let us all cultivate a missionary spirit, according to the nature of the work in which we are engaged. It should be the highest joy of every one who has received the truth to do his utmost to give the truth to others. It is a passport to "the joy of the Lord," to be instrumental in bringing others to the reception of the truth. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever." And "it is more blessed to give than to receive." Passive people may receive, but giving indicates activity; it is the evidence of life. Work, brethren, work, and you will find such blessings that you cannot get discouraged.