p. 13 | Review and Herald, Vol. 42, No. 2. (6/24/1873)

The One Hope.

By James White

TEXT.—“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Eph. 4: 4–6.

The unity expressed in these words is worthy of especial notice. There is one body. It was not the design of God that the church should be composed of a plurality of bodies.

The prayer of the great Head of the church was that his disciples should be one, even as he was one with the Father. And that wonderful prayer of the dear Redeemer embraced the entire church to the close of human probation. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17: 20, 21.

Paul pleads for the unity of the church in the strongest terms, and refers to Christ as authority. He appeals to the church at Corinth, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” 1 Cor. 1: 10.

He appeals to the Romans, on the question of unity, thus: “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God.” Rom. 15: 5, 6. All words of apology for the existing state of things in the professing churches fall powerless before the earnest prayer of Christ, and these strong expressions of Paul.

There is not a plurality of Holy Spirits, a plurality of hopes, and faiths in the church. There is not a multitude of Lords, of baptisms, and of Gods. Although we see existing in the professed church of Jesus Christ a number of bodies, a variety of hopes, quite a number of different faiths, and several baptisms; yet the word assures us there is but one Lord, one hope, one faith, and one baptism.

I wish to speak more particularly this morning in reference to the one hope. “Even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.” The high and heavenly calling of the gospel presents but one hope. And that hope looks forward to the second coming of Jesus Christ, and the resurrection of the just. When Jesus, the author and finisher of the Christian’s faith, shall appear in glory; when we shall see him, then that for which the church has hoped, will have come. The Christians of every age have looked forward to the time when their adorable Redeemer should come. They have ever looked forward to that event as the consummation of their hope. But the various religious bodies indulge in other hopes besides this, some of them taking the place of this. There is but one hope. Where there is a plurality, some of them must be false hopes. They cannot all be true and scriptural. We wish to call your attention to some of these hopes of the church, which we shall show are not in accordance with the Scriptures of truth.

And first, I would mention the hope of the world’s conversion. This is not a long-cherished hope in the church. It was not the hope of the apostles. It was not the hope of the martyrs. It was not the hope of the Reformers. Daniel Whitby, whose sentiments upon this subject prevailed less than two hundred years since, was the first to present before the church the doctrine of the world’s conversion, or the universal spiritual reign of Christ. Yet these sentiments in this short period have obtained in all the religious denominations. Daniel Whitby, D. D., was born 1638, and died 1727. It has become the great hope of the church. It was presented to stimulate young men to enter the gospel field, and labor for the conversion of sinners. It was presented before the church as the great object for their liberality to support missionaries in foreign lands, to support home missions, and to spread the gospel everywhere. But what grounds have they for such a hope?

Hope is composed of expectation and desire. Expectation must be based upon some evidence. If you expect anything, of course you have some evidence that you are to realize it. However much you may desire a thing, if you have no evidence to expect it, you have not a well-grounded hope.

Now where is the evidence that God designed ever to convert the world? Where are the Scripture proofs that there is to be a long period of a thousand years, when there will be no sinners; when all will be converted to God, all be Christians, all be holy, all be happy? Do you find it in the prophets? This period is called the millennium, which is simply a thousand years. The doctrine of Daniel Whitby, cherished by the churches, with a very few exceptions of individual members, is that, during the seventh millennium, there are to be no sinners, but all are to be holy. This has been regarded as the great Sabbath of rest from toil and sin and sorrow. If such a state of things is to exist in the seventh millennium, then, of course, the last days; the last great day of this seven-thousand-years’ week, is to be all over glorious. If this is all true, we may expect to hear the prophets describing the last days as desirable. And we should find the apostles joining them in writing most glorious descriptions of the last days. We would hear Christ, not describing the state of things at his advent as in the days of Noah, and of Lot, but a time when light and life and holiness would rule everywhere.

But the sacred Scriptures do not thus speak of the last days. The prophets represent them as days of danger, days of gloominess, of thick clouds and darkness. There is but one universal testimony among all the prophets on this point. The last days are especially gloomy and dark.

We come to the New Testament, and find harmony here with the Old Testament. Jesus gives us the parable of the wheat and tares. The wheat are the children of the kingdom, the tares are the children of the wicked one. The question is asked, Shall we not go and gather out the tares? The answer is, Let them both grow together until the harvest; and, the harvest is the end of the world. The children of the kingdom are represented by the wheat, the children of the wicked one are represented by the tares; and both are to grow together until the end of the Christian age. Now where is the room here for the temporal millennium?

Did the Son of God wish to discourage his people in stating that, as it was in the days of Lot and the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man? No; he simply states a terrible fact for their safety. In the days of Noah they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, planting, building, sowing. These were acts not wrong, unless carried to extremes to gratify their sinful passions. But these things were carried to excess. This world, with its lusts, absorbed the interests and feelings of the entire being of the men of Noah’s time, so that they heeded not the voice of wisdom. As the preacher of righteousness warned the world, they scoffed at him. They knew not their end until the waters of the flood came and took them all away. So shall it be at the coming of the Son of man.

The last days, then, instead of being glorious, when the minds and hearts of men shall be swallowed up in thoughts of holiness and Heaven, will be days of worldly interest, of sin, and of crime. Men will close their ears to the warning voice of truth. They will be unready for that tremendous event which will close human probation. And, as the waters of the flood came unexpectedly to the unbelieving in the days of Noah, and swept them away, so will our Lord come unexpectedly to the wicked, and find them unprepared, and sweep them all away.

And then the apostle Paul, in describing the last days, is far from representing them as glorious. “In the last days,” he says, “perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.” 2 Tim. 3: 1–5. The apostle is here describing the professed church of Jesus Christ, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such, he says, turn away. Your duty is plain. Now, I ask, What kind of a millennium is this? There are perils all around; men in the church who are not only lovers of their own selves, but even despisers of those that are good. They are not unbelieving outsiders, but have a form of godliness. Here is a portrait of the professed church of Jesus Christ in the last days, with eighteen distinct sins brought out in her unblushing features.

But let us take a view of this subject in the light of reason. If the world was ever to be converted, why has it not been converted before this time? Can we expect that there can be mightier agencies employed to convert men than have already been employed? Why did not the patriarchs convert the world? Do you expect to see greater men than Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, Noah, Job, and Lot? Why did not they convert the world? If the world can be converted at any time, when the Son of God came down and preached his own gospel, and wrought miracles in the sight of men, why was not the world converted then? Are you looking for a minister mightier than he? Do you expect a more powerful preacher, whose word shall be backed up with greater miracles, and with more wonderful demonstrations of the presence of the Spirit of God than was witnessed in Christ? Do you expect any to preach more earnestly than he did? to be more faithful in pointing out sins than our Saviour was? Why did not he convert the world?

And why did not the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ convert the world? It is true, some of them were uneducated men, but they were not all ignorant men. Do the temporal-millennium men look for more learned men and more learned ministers than Paul? Can they expect one mightier than he in word and doctrine? And you that have read the Acts of the Apostles, and there learned the mighty miracles that attended the apostles, as they preached the gospel with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven, may well inquire, If the apostles did not convert the world, why may we expect that others can do it?

If the world can at any time be converted, why not in the days of the apostles, as well as now? Has God changed? He is the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever. And since the great plan of salvation through Jesus Christ was devised, he has ever been ready to receive sinners, just as ready eighteen hundred years ago as now. He is as ready now as then.

Has Satan changed since the days of the apostles? Only to grow more subtle, more wily, more artful to destroy men and women. If sinners can now be wrenched from his grasp, with his additional experience of eighteen hundred years, why were they not taken from his hands by Christ and the first apostles?

And has human nature changed? Only for the worse. If unsanctified human nature can now be subdued, if all men can now become holy, and cease to commit sin, why did they not eighteen centuries ago? The world is lulled to sleep by the syren song of peace and safety. It is preached from the pulpit. It is heralded forth from the press. It is common talk in all circles that the golden age is soon to open. A good time is coming, when sin shall cease, when righteousness shall prevail, when wisdom shall walk abroad instead of folly. But I ask again, Has human nature changed for the better? Has man improved, either physically, morally, or mentally? If he has, there may be some hope that he may still be elevated, and finally taken out of the grasp of Satan.

But I fail to see that man has improved, either physically, mentally, or morally. And more than this, I think I have evidence that he has depreciated in all these respects. That he has depreciated physically is evident from the Scriptures. Adam and his sons, until the flood, lived somewhere from eight to ten hundred years. But the race has been depreciating, and growing weaker. But do we not read in the Scriptures that every generation grows weaker and wiser? No! This is an old maxim, the first part true, the last, false. Man has depreciated in physical strength and health. Now in order for him to have strength of mind, or to be a strong man, he must have a sound mind in a sound body. In proportion as man’s physical strength has depreciated, the mental power of the race has degenerated. And as his moral power has grown weak, just so has his intellect become unbalanced and enfeebled.

The improvements of the age, such as the application of steam, and lightning to the telegraphic wires, are what God said should be. These things are but the fulfillment of prophecy. And what God promises and brings about, for that let him have the praise. To say that man is becoming really wiser, that he is having greater mental strength, greater mental perfection and wisdom, is contrary to all the facts in the case.

And certainly the state of society has not improved. Read the lists of crime from Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and from other cities. You read, and turn away with disgust. Crime fully keeps pace with, if it does not outstrip, the boasted progress of the age.

I call your attention to the great image of the second chapter of Daniel. This image’s head is of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the sides of brass, the legs of iron, the feet of iron and clay. This image, in its four parts, represents the four great kingdoms that have borne rule, the four great universal monarchies that have borne rule upon the earth, which are to be followed by God’s everlasting kingdom, which is to be set up at the coming of Jesus Christ. That image’s head represents Babylon; the breast and arms of silver, Persia; the sides of brass, Grecia. The legs represent Rome. The ten toes of the image represent the ten kingdoms into which Rome was divided. What next? The stone is to smite that image, and then are the iron, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and become like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors.

Now let us see if we are to have the world converted? The stone is to smite the image upon the feet, and then are the parts to be broken to pieces together—not converted—and become as the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind is to carry them away so that no place can be found for them. This is their utter destruction, not conversion. And in the days of these kingdoms the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. That is the fifth, the glorious everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to be set up at the time of his coming.

Those who talk of the golden age, soon to come, may learn something from this image. Where was the golden age? In the days of Babylon, represented by that head of gold. We may look back to that time, and there, comparatively speaking, was the golden age. Persia, represented by the silver, was an age of less value. Grecia, of brass, an age of still less value. Rome, of iron, of less value still. And when you come down to our time, we find that the iron is mixed with miry clay. Now those who talk of a golden age, down here, have things perverted, as we read in the prophets, they put darkness for light and light for darkness. So they have perverted the truth of God in reference to this matter. They have turned Nebuchadnezzar’s grand image topsy-turvy, and make it stand upon its head. That is the way they get the golden age down here.

But there is no hope of earthly glory to the church of Jesus Christ, only that which reaches beyond the crash of earthly kingdoms. When the stone smites the image, all its parts are ground to powder, and become like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors, and the wind carries them away. Then will the everlasting kingdom be set up upon the new earth, which shall stand forever. J. W.

(To be Continued.)

The Cause of Present Truth.

By John Nevins Andrews

I have not one doubt in my heart that this is the cause of God. I have not hastily arrived at this conclusion. Many years have I shared in the joys and sorrows of this work, and during these years I have had much opportunity to learn its nature and character. I have been slow to learn, yet have not lost all the lessons which God by his Spirit or his providence has taught me. I have carefully examined the doctrines which distinguish this people and this movement. I may add that, in the light of what the ablest opponents of this cause have written, I have repeatedly re-examined the foundations of our faith. I have always closed such examinations with the decided conviction that in all essential particulars we are sustained by the teaching of the Bible. Nor can I doubt that God has been leading in this work by his Holy Spirit. It is not the work, nor the cause, of man. It is designed to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. I firmly believe that this design will be consummated. Here is the patience of the saints. Now is the time in which God purposes that we should

learn humility, self-sacrifice, and submission to him. These are all lessons of unspeakable value, but they are learned in affliction rather than in circumstances which are agreeable to ourselves. If we go through the school of Christ aright, we shall learn all the precious lessons which are designed to fit us for the kingdom of God. My heart earnestly desires the perfection of Christ's work within me, no matter at what cost to myself. J. N. A.

A New Tent for Western Iowa and Nebraska.

By George I. Butler

The friends of the cause in the Iowa and Nebraska Conference, who were present at the late camp-meeting at Washington, may be surprised to see this call, so soon after the close of the meeting, for a new tent, when it was not spoken of in the meeting, and no call made in regard to it. In explanation, I will say, briefly, that it was not till the close of the meeting, when the hurry and bustle were over, and the committee had time to consult with Bro. White and myself, that the matter was considered. We all came to the conclusion that a forty-foot tent for Western Iowa and Nebraska was very much needed.

Perhaps there is no part of the Conference where labor can be more profitably bestowed than there. In the older States, and in those portions of Iowa which have been long settled, society has become fixed, so that it is quite difficult to get any new doctrine before the people's minds. Each church has its minister and membership, and these jealously guard every avenue of entrance. When the cotton church is pitched, immediately the minister warns his flock of their danger from the new doctrine; and, in many instances, honest souls are prejudiced so that they are not prepared to hear candidly, even if they hear at all; for those in whom they have confidence, from past association, make them believe the new preachers are designing men, and what they teach, a dangerous heresy. Yet, in spite of this, we often break through these prejudices and reap a great harvest of souls. But in Western Iowa and Nebraska, at the present time, it is very different. New settlers have come in, and old associations are all broken up. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and Disciples, with others, all meet together. They have not had time to form their regular societies; and, quite generally, there is not enough of any one church of those above mentioned, to hire a preacher alone. They cannot bring to bear upon those who would hear the new doctrine, the power of church discipline, if they would, and, in many cases, the mind becomes more ready to listen to new ideas than it was when surrounded by old associations. Under these circumstances, all will see the importance of starting in at the right time.

One other point, which I can barely refer to, may be of interest in this connection. Along the Missouri river and the Pacific railroad, and, in fact, all through Nebraska and the States and Territories west of it, are settled numbers of those who were once deceived by the Mormons. Their preachers went to foreign countries and seemed to be very zealous, sacrificing men. They were familiar with the Scriptures, and kept their polygamous practices on the background. They persuaded thousands of honest souls to start for Utah, making them believe it was the next place to Heaven, where truth and righteousness prevailed as nowhere else in this world. Perhaps it is impossible for most of us to realize the terrible reaction which took place in the minds of thousands as the truth dawned upon them, and they found themselves in the hands of Brigham Young and his accomplices. Many of them, stripped of all they had in the world, at the risk of their lives, got away as best they could, and are settled all through that section. And they are not, by any means, all ignorant or debased people. But many are intelligent and sensible, and most conscientious and anxious for truth. It seems but reasonable that we should bring it before such, that they may find that for which they have so ardently longed and suffered. Those who listened to the remarks at the camp-meeting of Bro. White, and of several others who had labored in that section, will realize more fully the importance of what I have referred to.

We cannot doubt our duty to be doing something in that new and large field. Nebraska has become a part of the Conference. Several churches are organized in that section and pay into the S. B. treasury. There are very few school-houses or churches in that newly settled country, that can be obtained, which are suitable for holding meetings. In no place is a tent more a necessity. The population is sparse, so that a small tent will accommodate the people. Iowa has two other tents, to be sure; but they cannot fill the calls in the older settled portion of the State, while the cost of shipping either of them out there and back a few times would be enough to buy a tent of sufficient size for that locality. There are enough living in that section who are ready to labor if a tent is purchased to run it without difficulty. Bro. Bartlett and Boyd, who received licenses from the Conference, are now waiting to commence labor in it. And others will be ready we trust in that very section to labor in the future. Under these circumstances, at the request of the Executive Committee, I ordered a tent to-day, believing our brethren in the State, with their accustomed interest, will see that the money is forthcoming to pay for it. Especially in Western Iowa and Nebraska should there be an effort made to raise this means. About $300.00 are needed to put it in running order, pay freight bills, &c.

It will be indeed encouraging to know that Iowa has three tents running the present season. We feel thankful that the cause is thus onward in the State, in spite of the fact that some of her ministers are laboring in other fields. Come, brethren, in Iowa and Nebraska, send in your pledges and means immediately to Minos Miller, Knoxville, Marion Co., Iowa, the State Treasurer. You have subscribed nobly before. Let us not be weary in well-doing, we shall reap in due time if we faint not. A chance to sacrifice is offered; who will respond? This cause will not fail for lack of means, but will go forward. We feel sure that our brethren will respond to this call and see that those who have had faith in their readiness to aid in supporting the work are not disappointed.

On the above call are pledged the following sums:— Henry Nicola, $10.00. J. H. Morrison, $10.00. R. M. Kilgore, 10.00. Geo. I. Butler, 10.00.

Who will pledge next, to pay when they can? GEO. I. BUTLER.

Chicago, Ill., June 18, 1873.

What to Do in Visiting a Church.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

My experience in visiting the churches here, to set things in order, has deeply impressed my mind with some facts which it may not be amiss to put in the REVIEW. To illustrate: Here is a church which has been organized, and then visited, quarter after quarter, year after year, and the minister receives his ten or twelve dollars per week for it. Yet there is either no church record at all, or one so imperfect that it cannot be told when the church was organized, where, by whom, who joined, who was elder, who clerk, &c.

There are on the record, as though in good standing, the names of those who have made no profession of religion, who have not even kept the Sabbath for years, and some who are profane swearers. Others have moved away, and the church has lost all track of them. No effort has been made to learn their condition; and still their names are retained on the record. Others live within a few miles of the church, yet are in a backslidden condition, neither attending meetings nor taking any part, for months, yet no action is taken in their cases.

Looking at the S. B. books, I find many of them in the same condition. Scarcely one is kept in a proper manner. In a majority of cases, there is nothing to show what has been done with the means received; whether the treasurer has paid it all in to the Conference, or whether he has not. Not less than thirty thousand dollars, cash, are annually handled by our different church S. B. treasurers; and this, too, in very small sums—all the way from one cent to fifty dollars—by hundreds of different persons. If this amount of means was all handled by one man, and in large sums, there would not be one-hundredth part the danger of mistakes that there is now. It seems to me that the most careful men should be selected for our S. B. treasurers, and then these should be thoroughly instructed in keeping their accounts, in making their reports, &c., before they commence their work. But instead of this, I have found, in many cases, that the treasurers have never received the least instruction as to the duties of their office, and how to fulfill them. The consequence is that our S. B. books present a terrible appearance. No one can tell anything about them but the treasurers themselves, and sometimes it is very uncertain whether they can. These men may be perfectly honest, but yet make mistakes of several dollars, every year. Who looks over their accounts? Who examines their books? In many cases no one does, for years together, and sometimes, never. Now, if these things should not be attended to by the minister who visits our churches, then who will do it? It appears to me that they are the men who are largely responsible for this state of things. They organize the churches. They explain the plan of S. B., and are always present at the reception or expulsion of members. They are the only ones to whom the clerks and treasurers can look for instruction. What does it amount to visit a church, preach three or four doctrinal sermons, hold a social meeting, and then go off and leave everything at loose ends? That may be an easy way to fill appointments, but that is not what is needed.

After carefully looking the matter over, I think those who visit the churches should embrace in their labors the following points:—

Examine the church record to see that it is properly kept.
Examine each name on the list, carefully inquiring into the condition of each one.
Take some proper action in the case of those doubtful or entirely backslidden.
See that absent ones are written to.
Learn who should join the church.
Inquire after and see what can be done for any keeping the Sabbath, but not in the church.
See that the ordinances are celebrated.
Examine S. B. books to see if they are correctly kept, and proper reports made.
See that all pay S. B., who have any interest in the truth.
See that proper efforts are made to have all keep up their S. B.
See that all take our periodicals, and that the dues on them are paid.
See who will take shares in the different benevolent associations.
Look after family prayers.
See that all are supplied with our publications.
See that the worthy poor have them.

This may look like a formidable list of duties, but are they not all necessary? and if the preacher neglects them, who will attend to them? If they go undone, the cause must suffer. Would it not be well to make out a list something like the above, put it into your pocket and look it over every time you visit a church, to remind you of these duties?

It strikes me that a large amount of this work might be performed by faithful, intelligent lay brethren, who cannot preach, or even exhort, if they are men of piety, and sound judgment, and business capacity. They might, by visiting the churches once in six months, or once a quarter, keep all these things straightened up. At least, there is a chance here for improvement from some quarter. D. M. CANRIGHT.

The Iowa Camp-Meeting.

By George Ide Butler

This meeting convened according to appointment, June 5-9. The friends of the cause manifested a commendable spirit generally in getting upon the ground promptly. Wednesday evening, the day previous to the commencement of the meeting, as team after team came in and the old friends of the cause greeted each other after a year's separation, the mind was brought forcibly to the grand reunion which will take place when saints of all ages shall gather from every land and every clime. It was pleasant indeed thus to meet on earth. How much more pleasant it will be to meet in Heaven. Here, we had the privilege of a few days' communion. There, endless ages of union and love will be ours, if faithful.

Our meeting being at the extreme eastern part of the Conference, and nearly in the south-eastern corner, was hardly as large as last year. Yet the cause was well represented. Nearly all the churches sent delegations. Over twenty family and church tents were up, besides the two large congregation tents which were also used to accommodate those who had brought none of their own. All these were filled fuller than usual. One tent was present from Illinois. When our large meeting began, there was a great scarcity of ministerial labor—not a minister from any other Conference, and nearly all those in Iowa had been but recently set apart to the work of the ministry. But Bro. and sister White came Friday, and commenced to labor at the beginning of the Sabbath. We were all much rejoiced at their presence among us, though pained at the feebleness of Bro. White. Their labors among us were highly appreciated by the friends of the cause. Bro. White gave four discourses, and sister White, five.

On Sunday there was quite a large assemblage, numbering, it was thought, from fifteen hundred to two thousand. A special train came down from Sigourney with several car loads, and no doubt there would have been a far larger gathering had not the weather been very threatening. Good order was manifested on the ground all through the meetings.

Our social meetings were deeply interesting. From the first, there was manifested a spirit to work, and it was difficult for all to find time to speak. The Spirit of the Lord seemed to be specially present, and many hearts were melted in tenderness before the Lord. A goodly number came forward for prayers on the Sabbath; also, on Monday. Twenty five were baptized. Our meetings continued all through Monday, and broke up with a good farewell meeting Tuesday morning. The business meetings were characterized by a spirit of union. In fact, there was not a jar or disturbing element seen all through, from beginning to close, in any part of our meeting. The friends of the cause in Iowa seem to be united, heart and soul, in the work of the Lord. Both tents, already owned by the Conference, will be run the present season; and an appeal will be made to the friends of the cause to purchase a new forty-foot tent for Western Iowa and Nebraska, also, the present season. The cause is certainly onward in this Conference.

When the wants of the cause were presented to the people, there was a most encouraging response. Nearly five thousand dollars were pledged for the proposed school, and between five hundred and one thousand paid in. I never saw a subscription paper start out when there was such a readiness to take hold. Nearly all seemed ready to put their names down without urging. Our friends feel determined to have a school. We shall have it; for God's work demands it. If our friends in other States will rally to the work as Iowa has rallied, there will be no question about funds being provided.

On the whole, our camp-meeting has been most encouraging. Bro. Benn Auten was selected as one to represent Iowa at Battle Creek by the Conference, which selection we feel sure is a wise one. Iowa intends to do her part in bearing the burdens of this cause. We shall long remember the meeting just past. Its memory will be a pleasant one.

GEO. I. BUTLER.

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 13, 1873.

Church Architecture and Spiritual Darkness

The Protestant Churchman thinks this is a time when Christians ought to bear in mind that the days of the noblest church architecture were those also of the thickest spiritual darkness. On the other hand, in times of the greatest refreshing from the presence of the Lord, the days of Berridge and Whitefield, barns and fields were their chief and sometimes their only temples. And it believes that the devices of art by which the orthodox adorn the bald simplicity of their public worship are cultivating a taste which finally will be satisfied with nothing short of the gorgeous ceremonial of the Romish cathedral.

Good Talk in a Convention.

The following extract was put into our hands already “clipped,” and we cannot tell who is the speaker. It is worthy of careful reading, and consideration:—

“RELIGIOUS TREATMENT OF THE YOUNG.

“This is the one topic that would bring him here from a sick bed. The world is getting the start of us, and sweeping away a majority of the boys and girls. We are not keeping up with the increase of population. We must secure the children. It is a very difficult thing to take a man at forty years of age and make him understand that he is to become as a child. One difficulty which we have to meet is that children are being better educated than their parents. Parents recognize the acquirements of their children, and children recognize the ignorance of their parents. A boy of ten years of age, now a days, knows as much of this world’s wickedness as a man could at forty, a few generations ago. He spoke in warm terms of severe censure, of the too common practice of providing the young with improper papers, books, and pictures. The lads are drawn into saloons, where dominoes are played by respectable (?) citizens, and they would not have gone there, but for the example of such persons. Our leading men must understand that these little things are the steps that lead to the utter ruin of the boys who see them. The obscenity and looseness of speech of such men is another great obstacle in the way of the improvement of the young. There are a few such among the leading business men of Adrian. They haven’t a God from the garret to the cellar of their houses. They are godless and corrupt.”

“Nine parents out of every ten have no family altars. Mothers can’t let their boys go out of their sight without their coming into contact with men who want to drag them down to hell; they must pass gilded saloons whose only end is to destroy them, body and soul. His method for saving boys is to make himself familiar with them. It doesn’t pay to keep up dignity with them, and to catechise them regarding the ‘chief end of man’; if you try it, the boys will run away. He has organized what they call ‘Our Circle,’ wherein no boy under twelve years of age is admitted, except by special request. He related the results of that ‘Circle,’ which he regards as truly gratifying. He keeps the boys cheerful in a quiet, social way for a time; then they engage in prayer. Those boys had taught him what Paul meant by the Christian kiss. He always carries one of the circle with him in his travels, when possible. Next to familiarity, he placed courage and patience. A church that takes in a flock of young people during a season of revival, and leaves them without personal care, is tampering with their souls. We do not study to get into their ways of thinking so much as we should. We should cultivate our power of adaptation to the young more than we do. One of the best ways of getting the sympathy of the young is to talk with them about subjects concerning which they don’t dare to speak even to their parents. Parents make a great mistake in neglecting to teach their children regarding their secret life. These things must be attended to. It is a delicate matter, but the necessity of it is terrible, far beyond the imagination of any one unacquainted with it. He summed up the leading features of his plan as follows: familiarity, courage, and a patient, sympathetic adaptation to the minds and feelings of the young.”

“DISCUSSION OF THE TOPIC.

“Rev. L. M. Hunt, of Jackson, spoke in a similar strain. He thought that nothing is lost by laying aside some of the ministerial dignity. The result of it has been to fill his church with young men and women. We are too much minister and too little man.

“Rev. J. M. Fuller had found that children are much like men. There is more religion connected with our physical organization than anything else: the physical organization has more to do with the religious nature than is generally supposed. Train the children; give them physical exercise. Make home the most inviting place in the world for them.

“Rev. J. W. Hough, of Jackson, stated that he gathered the children of his church into a pastor’s class once a week. In a free and conversational way, they are reading or talking about Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress.’ A great deal can be done for the children at home, before they come into the pastor’s hands.”—Det. Weekly Tribune.

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