Review and Herald, Vol. 18, No. 9. (7/30/1861)

Review and Herald

Jul 30, 1861

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 30, 1861

Women as Preachers and Lecturers.

By J. A. Mowatt

[Extracted from the "Portadown News," Ireland, of March 2, 1861.]

[We consider the following a triumphant vindication of the right of the sisters to take part in the public worship of God. The writer applies the prophecy of Joel—"Your daughters shall prophesy," &c., to female preaching; but while it must embrace public speaking of some kind, this we think is but half of its meaning. We have nothing to say upon what the writer claims to have been done by certain females. That to which the attention of the reader is especially called is the argument by which he shows that they have a right to do this, or any amount besides in the same direction.—U. S.]

To the Editor of the "Portadown News:"—DEAR SIR, A correspondent in your paper takes up the question of women occupying positions as public speakers, and by every means in his power endeavors to show that women ought not to do so; still, as he is "open to conviction," and as he wishes for "an explanation" of the texts which he quoted, I shall endeavor to gratify him therein.

I will say here that if a woman can effect good in a world like ours, where so much is yet to be done for its reformation, I would think twice before I would discourage her or throw any obstacle in her way. Perhaps no man living has effected half as much for a revival of religion as Mrs. Phoebe Palmer; but "An Admirer of Woman in her proper place," would not suffer a woman to teach. I would like to know if ever he saw a female engaged in a school to teach. Could such a man not see that the teaching of which Paul writes is not such as that given in our Sunday Schools, and from our pulpits or platforms? I hold that each individual in this world is morally bound to do as much good to others as he or she can; and he or she is bound to leave the world better than he or she found it—if they possibly can. And is Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe and other ladies to teach me through my eyes, and are they prohibited from teaching me through my ears? Certainly not. Has Miss Buck, of England, powers in the pulpit equal to the greatest pulpit orator of the day, and is she not to use such powers? Are Spurgeon and such men to be lauded to the skies while sowing the heresy of Calvinism, mixed up with scraps of street songs and old wives' fables, and is Miss Buck to be condemned while she preaches, with much superior eloquence and dignity, the glorious gospel of the grace of God to sinful, fallen mankind—none excepted? Let us hear no more of this condemnation of woman going about doing good. I suppose, indeed I might venture to assert, that Mrs. Palmer, Miss Buck, and women like them, have each done more to lead sinners to a Saviour than any man of the same period; and will not the souls thus saved be to these women "a crown of rejoicing?" To be sure they will.

Who would object to a woman rescuing his friend from temporal death? No man. Then why object to a woman rescuing men from eternal death? Who would dare say that Grace Darling did wrong to go out in the life-boat and rescue the crew of a sinking vessel? No man. Why then object to a woman pushing out the gospel life-boat to rescue men sinking into perdition? Who would dare say Mrs. Fry did wrong in seeking to rescue men from dismal dungeons? No man. Then why object to woman going to seek and to save those that are pining in the dungeons of sin and iniquity?

Is not Mrs. Theobald one of the ablest advocates of the Total Abstinence cause? Is she surpassed by any as a speaker on that question? I venture to affirm she is not. Then why silence such an advocate?

Neither Paul nor any other apostle forbade women preaching, or lecturing. I affirm such a command is nowhere in the Bible, and I shall proceed to prove it; and, besides, I will prove that Paul taught the very opposite.

"An Admirer of Woman in her proper place" has quoted 1 Cor. xiv, 34, 35. Now, surely the fourteenth chapter does not contradict the eleventh, which was necessarily written before it. In 1 Cor. xi, 4, 5, St. Paul says, "Every man praying or prophesying having his head covered dishonoreth his head; but every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head." Why did not "An Admirer" read this chapter before he read the other?

Instead of St. Paul's forbidding woman to conduct public worship—for that is what praying and prophesying mean—he actually condescends, as "An Admirer" would perhaps think, to settle and arrange how a woman is to dress when she prophesieth, or preacheth. It will be seen from the verses I have quoted above, that whatever every man was to do in the church in praying and prophesying, woman was to do the same; and, instead of Paul forbidding the woman, he merely tells herself and the man how they are to dress—one with the head uncovered, the other with it covered. "An Admirer" has made some reference to Eve, but he is evidently totally ignorant of the nature of the temptation to which Eve was exposed, of the manner in which it was put, and of the share which Adam had in the matter.

Dr. Adam Clarke says the prediction of Joel ii, 28, would not be fulfilled unless women prophesied, preached or taught; and he says Peter understood it thus when, in Acts ii, 17, he quotes it, saying, "Your daughters shall prophesy." Dr. Adam Clarke, in a word, is entirely in favor of female preaching, and contends that the verses quoted by "An Admirer" bear no such meaning as that attached to them by those who oppose female preaching.

Perhaps some may ask, "What is prophesying?" In 1 Cor. xiv, 3, St. Paul says it is to speak "unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort," and women were to do it. And, according to the word of the Lord by the prophet Joel, "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy;" and, according to Peter, this prediction was fulfilled on the day of pentecost; and according to Paul, women were to pray and prophesy as much as men, only to keep their heads covered. And why even this rule about the covered head? Simply because in the East then, and at present, an uncovered female was, and is, looked upon "all one as if she were shaven"—the latter being the mark of prostitution. The reader will now see why St. Paul ordered the covered heads—that is, covered with a veil in the East—and this portion of his directions does not apply at all to our fashions.

Will the reader be kind enough to turn now to 1 Cor. xiv, from which "An Admirer" quotes, and read the entire chapter over. You will see that St. Paul is writing on a different topic from that on which he wrote in chap. xi; and every fair interpreter of the Scripture will admit that, if in chap. xi Paul authorizes female preaching, then he cannot in chap. xiv, forbid it. Let us now see what chap. xiv, refers to. There seems to have been some confusion in the church at Corinth, in their meetings of church courts; for it could not be in the ordinary or regular public service. The men speaking [verse 27] were to speak "by two, or at most by three, and that by course," or in other words, in their turn—after one another. This was to prevent two, or three, or half a dozen men speaking at once—or even a dozen, as I have often seen in public meetings. This was a meeting for discussion and debate on church matters, such as that recorded in Acts xv, where there was much disputing. It was not a regular religious service, and could not be such. At verse 29 it is said, "Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others judge." Here, again, it was not an ordinary regular service; it was

a meeting for discussion, and for the election of church officers; and the candidates for positions in the church were to be heard, and all the other members were to judge of the qualifications of each, and to make their selections accordingly. At verse 33, this view is sustained still further by the words, "For God is not the author of confusion." In order to prevent much discussion in these church courts, he forbids the women to speak in them—they are to ask their husbands at home; therefore Miss M'Kinney cannot be included.

Having thus clearly established that the place in which a woman was to keep silence was in a court of the church, not in an ordinary regular meeting, I shall pass on to notice the passage from Timothy.

In 1 Tim. ii, 12, 14, St. Paul is forbidding the woman to usurp authority; and if any reader will but read this chapter, of fifteen verses, through, he or she will see at a glance that he has nothing whatever to say to public speaking. If "An Admirer" had quoted 1 Tim. ii, 9, it might have been more needed in the present day. Our Methodist ladies seem to have forgotten that such a passage is in the Bible, "That women adorn themselves in modest apparel (could Paul have had hoops on a windy day in his prophetic vision?), with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works." There is not a word in the entire chapter against woman speaking and doing good—adorning herself with good works—in the cause of God and of fallen and debased humanity. If "An Admirer" will have a literal rendering of verse 12, then out with all our thousands of female Sunday-school and day-school teachers, for if a woman is not to teach, in the literal sense, then all our female teachers, religious and secular, in Sunday-schools, national schools, Church Education Society schools, &c., are all rushing on in direct opposition to Paul when he says, "I suffer not a woman to teach." The woman is to learn in silence with all subjection. Subjection to whom? Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Col. iii, 18. This is the subjection spoken of in Timothy, as is clearly shown by Adam and Eve—husband and wife—representatives of all our race of husbands and wives—being brought in by way of illustrating his subject, and the object which he had in view. A woman is not to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, that is, a wife is not to act so toward her husband. The passage has nothing whatever to do with regard to Total Abstinence lecturers, or gospel preachers. On the contrary, a woman is to pray and prophesy [1 Cor. xi, 5] just as the man, and with equal power and authority; and this is according to the prediction of the Holy Ghost. Joel ii, 28; Acts ii, 17.

"An Admirer" could not have quoted a case which tells more against himself than that of Phoebe mentioned in Rom. xv, 1. She was a deaconess. Does not "An Admirer" know that the Church of England and other churches hold that a deacon was a certain rank in the ministry? and if so, then so was a deaconess. Dr. Adam Clarke says, too, that the deaconesses "were ordained to their office by the imposition of the hands of the bishop." In the second verse of this chapter, Paul actually directs the Christians at Rome—the men, too—I wish "An Admirer" had been among them, how it would have lowered his dignity—to assist sister Phoebe "in whatever business she hath need of you." Does this not look very like an appointment of Phoebe as the first pope of Rome, for she was to have absolute authority over all the church there?

I will conclude by glancing at female characters in Scripture who occupied a position as teachers and leaders of the people equal to men. Deborah, the wife of Lapidoth—mark, she was married, too—was a prophetess, and judged Israel. Judges iv, 4, 10. Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum—a married woman also—dwelt at Jerusalem, in the College; and her dignified message to the king, who came to inquire at her mouth the will of God, does not betray any trembling diffidence or abject servility, although "An Admirer" would have woman so much inferior to man.

It would be, perhaps, useless to remind him that in Christianity there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. iii, 28. It is said [Micah vi, 4], "For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron and Miriam." God here classes Miriam with Moses and Aaron, and declares that he sent her before his people. I presume had "An Admirer" been there he would have refused to go up through the wilderness under such a female leader. Need I refer to Anna, the prophetess [Luke ii, 37, 38], and to the women which labored with Paul in the gospel as his fellow-laborers—therefore, preaching as he did? Timothy, in 1 Thess. iii, 2, is styled a minister of God, and our fellow-laborer in the gospel of Christ. Then these were the same as Timothy, who was a bishop in the church. In Rom. xvi, 12, three women are named as having labored much in the Lord; and Dr. Adam Clarke contends that they preached, for he says they prophesied, and that if a woman thus prophesied, then women preached. This is Dr. Clarke's view, and I value it as highly as John Wesley's.

"An Admirer" seems to think that woman is much inferior to man, and throws out taunts about mother Eve, to which taunts I have already alluded. If, through Eve, sin first entered into this world—and that too, with the hearty concurrence of Adam—then let it not be forgotten that by woman, without the concurrence of man, a Saviour came to bring deliverance. If woman be taunted about Eve, she can turn and point to Mary, and all the women who ministered to Christ daily up to his burial, and at his resurrection. Dr. Doddridge exhorts man to rejoice that, as by woman came transgression, so by her came redemption to; and I may add—why should not women preach that redemption also?

Judging by the results which have followed the labors of such women as Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. Fletcher, Miss Tooth, Miss Culter, Miss Buck, Miss Marsh, Mrs. Theobald, Mrs. Stowe, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Booth, and a host of others, I rather think the Lord of the vineyard will require some more satisfactory excuse for even female timidity and backwardness in his service than the one given by "An Admirer," before they will be justified in ceasing to labor in his cause. I may say that I think Miss M'Kinney chose an admirable hymn.

I am yours, &c. J. A. MOWATT.

"SEEKING REST."

By Bonner

"In the world," severely tried, Cherished wishes oft denied, Prone to fear, and fretful care, I betake myself to prayer: "Saviour, take me to thy breast, Let me on thy mercy rest."

Not from earth is comfort found; Sorrows spring my path around; Oft above my drooping head, Clouds of dark foreboding spread. Take, O! take me to thy breast; Only there can I find rest.

Let thy grace forgive my sin; Let thy truth illumine within; Let thy promises control All the longings of my soul; Let me lean upon thy breast; There securely can I rest!

When, like earthly streamlets dry, Trusted friends deceive and fly; When, like thorns obstruct the way, Foes appear in stern array, Lay my head upon thy breast; There like sleeping babe I'll rest.

If disease shall rack with pain, Human help shall be in vain; If to death I needs must yield, Be my life, my health, my shield; Clasp me, Saviour, to thy breast, There to find unbroken rest.—Bonner.

Wherefore Didst Thou Doubt?

“O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” Matt. xiv, 31.

SIMPLE faith takes God at his word, and expects him to do as he has said. It always gives God credit for sincerity and truthfulness. So that the simple believer is not so much troubled with doubts and fears as many others. But to many, very many, may this question be put. “Wherefore didst thou doubt?” Sinner! why do you doubt the Saviour’s power; he has saved millions of as great sinners as thou art? Why dost thou doubt the Saviour’s willingness; he never did refuse to save one who came to him! You have his own most precious word for your encouragement, “I will in no wise cast out.” Christian! why do you doubt your Saviour’s care or kindness? Can there be any justifiable cause? Not any. He cares for you as the object of his eternal love, as the purchase of his precious blood, as the gift of his beloved Father, as a member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. No monarch was ever so careful of the costly jewels of his crown, as Jesus is of thee. No husband was ever so careful over his tenderly beloved bride, as Jesus is of thee. His kindness to thee is loving-kindness; as if kindness were steeped in love, or love were clothed with kindness. No single word would express the tender love of God to thee, and therefore he uses a compound word to do it.

Wherefore dost thou doubt? Did thy Saviour ever give thee any reason—has his conduct any time furnished thee with an occasion? Never! Then trust him, confide in him, look to him, and always expect from him. He is faithful who hath promised. Encourage confidence in him, commit thy all to him, leave thy all with him, and so you will honor him. Trust in him at all times, and fear not. “Jesus said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Matt. viii, 26.

On Prayer.

By Thomas Watson

1. So far as we know, prayer forms a part of

every system of religion on earth.

2. In proportion as a form of religion is unscriptural, it corrupts and perverts this duty.

3. Hypocrites never really love prayer, and therefore never, for a long time together, practice secret prayer.

4. He who declines prayer in the day of prosperity, will not find it easy in the day of adversity.

5. Prayer not offered in the name of Christ is unavailing. The reason is that he alone is worthy.

6. No time, nor place, nor form, is displeasing to God, if the heart is right. If the heart is wrong all is wrong.

7. He who prays at stated times only, will make but poor progress heavenward. He who prays not at all at stated times, will soon omit all prayer.

8. The greatest benefit of public prayer is secured when it makes us love secret prayer more and more.

9. A family that never prays, covets misery, and courts wrath. Better no bread than no prayer.

10. Those who would pray aright, must come to Christ and say, "Lord, teach us to pray."

11. A prayer that has no faith in it, is like a human body without a soul in it. It is dead and loathsome.

12. Elijah's prayer brought down fire from heaven, because, being fervent, it carried fire up to heaven.—Thomas Watson.

Prayer of the Publican.

THIS prayer was acceptable to God. So the Saviour clearly represents. But there is in it no mention of a Mediator, or an atonement. Some have therefore inferred that no necessity presses upon sinners to approach God in the name of Christ—that there is no need of what at least seems to be the great evangelical provision—a sacrifice of expiation.

The premises here, however, are mistaken, and the inference is an error. The word rendered, be merciful (ilastheti), has a deeper meaning in it than thus appears. In its elementary force, it is equivalent to this—Have mercy, by sacrifice, or still more strictly: God make atonement for me a sinner.

We think, therefore, that the publican, having often seen in the service of the temple the slain lamb for sacrifice, was led, under the pressure of guilt, to look to that great and divine offering for sin, of which the legal sacrifices were the clear and impressive prefigurations. The mere type could not meet his conscious and urgent wants, and so, lifting up his distressed soul to the throne of heavenly grace, he cried, God make atonement, that real and long promised atonement, for me a sinner!—Presbyterian of the West.

Is Anything too Hard for the Lord?

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Gen. xviii, 14.

Difficulties are for men, there can be none with God. His omnipotent power, and infinite wisdom, can never be non-plussed. If God has promised, he will perform. Whatever he has predicted, he will bring to pass. We may therefore pray with faith, and expect with confidence. We may trust, and not be afraid. What is it you need? Can God do it, or give it? Has he promised it in his word? Are you sure that it will be for your good? Can God glorify himself by granting? If so, ask with confidence, and expect with courage. Look not at your weakness, at your circumstances, or any difficulties that may present themselves; and if unbelief rises to discourage you, silence it with this, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Ask not, How can I conquer these foes? How can I perform this duty? How can I make this sacrifice? How can I overcome this difficulty? Has not the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness?” Does he not work in you, both to will and to do of his own good pleasure? Have you not reason to believe that he will work in you all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power? Fear not, then, but meet every trial, face every foe, endure every privation, and enter upon every engagement, asking, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Men may be conquered, reason may be baffled, faith may be sorely tried, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?” If God take our part, we shall be more than a match for every foe; and if God is our helper, we shall overcome every difficulty. But God does take our part, and therefore we may be confident. “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? Thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.” Num. xi, 23.

Watchfulness and Prayer

It is a most fearful fact to think of, that in every heart there is some secret spring that would be weak at the touch of temptation, and that is liable to be assailed. Fearful and yet salutary to think of; for the thought may serve to keep our moral nature braced. It warns us that we can never stand at ease, or lie down in this field of

life, without sentinels of watchfulness, and camp-fires of prayer.

An Editor's Duty.

By Editor

PRUNING is a part of an editor's duty, a part which is always unwelcome to him. He must regard the intelligence of the reader, the standing of the periodical, the reputation of the church he represents.

Some persons seem to think that it is the editor's place simply to print what they may send him, no matter how it is prepared. The most unfortunate thing about it is, that they take offense if he corrects what they write.

Now here is a letter before us, in which we are blown sky high because we abbreviated an article sent us some time ago by the writer. He says, “I do not like such abridgments.” “I wish you to understand me, that when I do write an article for publication (For I do not write often) that I wish you to put in your paper Just as I write it verbatim.”

This quotation is just as the brother wrote it. But we should do him a serious unkindness if we should follow his direction, and, in like manner, publish his letter entire, signature and all. His spelling presents us with the following words: “eaqual,” “necassaty,” “new” for knew, “blend-id,” “mungreled,” “mawk,” for mock, &c.

We do not censure a man because he cannot spell, nor because he cannot write English. It is his misfortune—often not at all his fault. But when such a man writes for publication, he ought to be thankful to the editor for correcting his puerile MSS. This brother fires up very indignantly. He says: “I did not expect to find an old episcopal Almighty bishop in the Editor of our paper.”

Now this is not amiable. But to bear it is part of the tax every man has to pay who assumes official position; and we therefore smile and take it, with all the charges of “pride,” “usur-pation,” &c., put in as condiments. The brother says: “I have kept a copy of this article.” We advise him to keep it. We shall keep that now in our possession as a curiosity worth preservation.—Methodist Protestant.

Never Cross a Bridge till you Come to it.

"NEVER cross a bridge until you come to it!" was the counsel usually given by a patriarch in the ministry to troubled and over-careful christians. Are you troubled about the future? Do you see difficulties rising in Alpine ranges along your path? Are you alarmed at the state of your business, and uncertainties hanging over your life, at the gloomy contingencies which fancy sketches and invests with a sort of life-like reality—at the woes which hang over the cause of the Redeemer, or at any other earthly evil? Do not cross the bridge until you come to it. Perhaps you will never have occasion to cross it; and if you do, you will find that a timid imagination has greatly overrated the toil to be undergone, or has underrated the power of that grace which can lighten the christian's every labor. In approaching the Notch of the White Mountains from one direction, the traveler finds himself in the midst of conical hills, which seem to surround him as he advances, and forbid further progress. He can see but a short distance along his winding road; it seems as if his journey must stop abruptly at the base of the barriers. He begins to think of turning back his horse, to escape from hopeless enclosure among impassable barriers. But let him advance, and he finds that the road curves around the frowning hill before him, and leads him unto other and still other straits, from which he finds escape simply by advancing. Every new discovery of a passage around the obstructions of his path, teaches him to hope in the practicality of his road. He cannot see far ahead at any time; but a passage discovers itself as he advances. He is neither required to turn back nor to scale the steep sides of towering hills. His road winds along, preserving for miles almost an exact level. He finds that nothing is gained by crossing the bridge before he comes to it. Such is often the journey of life. How much of its toilsome ruggedness would be relieved by attention to the above admonition. Never cross a bridge until you come to it. Or, to express the same counsel in a form that does not involve the charge of a Hibernicism, 'Be careful for nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep (garrison) your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ.'—Independent.

"Let Him Alone."

DiD you ever think what a terrible meaning is contained in these three words? To be let alone of God—what an idea! Yet dreadful as it may appear, there is a time when God's forbearance to the sinner is exhausted, when he says to the messengers of grace, "Let him alone;" conscience is no more to alarm, the Holy Spirit is no more to strive; unchecked, he is left to pursue his own chosen way. Hitherto, impediments have been thrown in his way. The message of truth proclaimed by the ambassadors of Christ, has produced for a moment a deep conviction of guilt. The exhibition of the cross of Christ has moved him to tears—the justice of God has caused him to tremble. But continued resistance has resulted in this most deplorable and wretched state of being "let alone." When such a crisis has arrived the sinner's ruin is inevitable. When the sinner is let alone, left to himself, to make his way to heaven, he has a task to perform which is without and beyond his strength. "Let him alone." Faithful messengers, exert no longer your aid. Thou monitor conscience, suffer the sleeper to sleep on till the rapids of eternity have swallowed him up. Thou grieved and despised, and rejected Spirit, urge no longer your slighted proffers; vouchsafe no longer that aid which so long, and for so many times, has been spurned away contemptuously. "Let him alone." Endless ruin is the only consequence. The eternal destiny of your soul is as surely fixed as it can be after the decision of the judgment. The sword of divine vengeance may not fall immediately—no visible, outward mark of God's displeasure can be seen. Adversity does not visit you—you are prosperous as ever in your plans and business. All things move on as pleasantly and as successfully as you can wish. But alas! you are "let alone." Reader, can this be your condition? And will you have one word to answer in the day of trial, if it should be so? And if it is not your condition now, have you not reason to fear that such will be the result of your continued neglect of those gracious provisions which are now within your reach?—Cong. Herald.

Dollar Jewelry.

Speaking of the stores established in many cities of the United States where purchasers of jewelry can have their "choice for one dollar," the Chicago Journal says:

The principal composition used in the manufacture of jewelry is termed oreide, and is simply an excellent quality of brass. It is the most positive imitation of gold that has ever been discovered; it wears like it—not discoloring anything it touches, as common brass or copper will; it may be engraved or chased—being the same all the way through. It is much softer and more readily fused than gold, however, and its value may be imagined when we say that a dozen finely chased spoons of this metal can be bought for $4,50, with a profit to the retailer even at that price of over thirty-three per cent.

Of this metal the N. Y. Scientific American, most excellent authority, says:

Oreide of gold, of which so many cheap articles of jewelry are now made, is simply a very beautiful brass, without a single grain of gold in its composition. The costliest part of the oreide operation is the molds and forms in which the jewelry is shaped and cut. Were they obliged to have these molds made expressly at each change of fashion, it would materially reduce the profits; but they avoid this difficulty by purchasing molds in which jewelers have made the real gold jewelry, and thus also obtain the latest patterns. Probably the most expensive piece of jewelry does not cost for the metal, molding, putting together, and making up, forty cents.

A Prayer-Meeting Incident.

An interesting incident recently occurred in a prayer-meeting at Farmington, Me. In consequence of the illness of the pastor of the Congregationalist church, a large number of his congregation attended the Methodist prayer-meeting. During the exercises of the evening, a good Congregationalist brother, somewhat advanced in life, arose and stated that more than thirty years since he trusted he was enabled to give his heart to Christ, and notwithstanding all his unfaithfulness, he was thankful that he still had a hope in his mercy. When he sat down, a physician, favorably known among us, and of a long standing as a prominent member of the M. E. church, arose and said he well remembered the circumstances of visiting that man and his family professionally more than thirty years ago, and the deep anxiety he then felt for the salvation of their souls. He conversed with them, prayed with them, and obtained a promise from them that they would pray for themselves. On his return home he was so deeply impressed with a desire to pray for his patients, that he got off his horse and kneeled down by the wayside and prayed for their salvation. He soon afterwards ascertained that both this man and his companion found the Saviour. When the doctor closed his remarks, the brother first mentioned arose again, and with much emotion said that he well remembered the visit of the doctor, and that after he left them, he proposed to his wife to unite with him in prayer for the salvation of their souls; and as nearly as he could estimate, at about the same time the doctor was praying for them by the wayside, the Lord forgave him his sins. His wife then also found the Saviour. The above circumstance shows conclusively the truth of the sacred word, "The fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Zion's Herald.

HOW LONG SHALL YOU LIVE?

By Uriah Smith

The following paragraph, under this heading, from the Congregationalist, speaks for itself. It is a good specimen of what the masses are presumed to be ready to receive unquestioned at the hands of their spiritual guides:

"You will live forever. There are no dead. The blow which struck asunder body and spirit, did not end the spirit's life. And so the countless myriads of the past, whose dust has long since mingled with the soil, 'still live.' The men, women, and children of Noah's day, and Abraham's, and David's; the motly tribes that herded beneath the crescent of the Arabian Prophet; the swarms of Goth and Hun, Tartar and Vandal, that swept the plains of the Eastern world; the red men, that roamed the forests of the Western world, and left in mounds and tree-grown ruins the dim history of their earthly existence—all these are yet alive. They cannot die. Immortality is their birth-right and inheritance. With the first breath of life, they inhaled immortality."

God threatened Adam that in case of disobedience he should die; but if the prevailing theology for which the above writer speaks, be correct, God has failed to fulfill his word; for, "There are no dead." Moses in his brief biographies of Adam and his immediate descendants, says, finally, that "they died." But Moses was a very early writer; he lived in an age which was comparatively dark, before men had been enabled to kindle about themselves such luminous sparks as those by which they are now surrounded [Isa. i, 11], before the scintillations of modern science had revealed the fact that there is no such thing as death; and he fell into the singular notion that people died; that there were some in his day who were dead; and it seems he was so far led away either through ignorance or inadvertence, as to record that which in the light of modern theology turns out to be an absolute untruth. No wonder the idea is rapidly obtaining that the Old Testament is obsolete, and has been done away.

But stop! the New Testament is no better for them than the Old; for Paul has been so unfortunate as to copy this very same antiquated idea of Moses'. Speaking of the ancient worthies, he comes right out and flatly declares without any scringing or mincing that "these all died in the faith." Heb. xi, 13. The writer in the Congregationalist says in reality, "Paul you mistake. These did not die; for 'there are no dead.' They are alive and cannot die." And perhaps some would be willing to discard Paul's theology, and strike him from the list of sacred writers. But take away Paul's writings, and the words immortal and immortality cannot be found in all the Bible.

And not only did God's threat against Adam prove empty and harmless, but he has issued sentence against the descendants of Adam, which the paragraph above quoted will justify us in treating with scornful indifference. It is this: "The soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. xviii. Do any say that it is the death in sin [Eph. ii, 1] that is here threatened? We answer, This is the result not the penalty of sin. But mark the language of the sentence in Eze. xviii: "When a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die." Verse 26. There is a difference between dying in sin and dying for sin. But the soul that sinneth shall die for its sin: the soul that dieth in sin shall afterwards die that death which is a punishment for sin.

Our Saviour while upon earth bade the disciples of John carry back word to their master, that the dead were raised up. Matt. xi, 5. What! the dead raised up, when there are no dead? Can it be that the great Teacher mistook in this matter?

Again: In the Revelation which Christ gave to John, chapter xx, verse 5, we find this language: "But the rest of the dead lived not again till the thousand years were finished." Here, again, in the concluding portion of the concluding book of the word of God, we have it represented to us that there are some who are dead, and that they do not live again till a certain time. But if "there are no dead," this revelation is a deception.

To particularize on this point would be as tedious as it would be unnecessary. The Bible abounds with testimony showing that men who have finished this present life are dead. The following books of the Bible contain unequivocal and oft repeated testimonies that certain ones have died. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1st and 2d Samuel, 1st and 2d Kings, 1st and 2d Chronicles, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Zechariah, Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1st and 2d Corinthians, 1st Thessalonians, Hebrews, and Revelation. What proportion of the Bible these books constitute, the reader can judge.

By the side of all these hold up the dogmatic assertion that "there are no dead," and that "men cannot die," and what conclusion can we come to? Is the Bible loaded with falsehood? Is it a deception? Is it calculated to mislead its honest disciples? Or is it, as it claims to be, the pure and unerring word of God? It is time that the true issue was understood by the people. Is the Bible to maintain its authority? or are the inventions of men more reliable? Did God speak the truth when he said to our first parents, Ye shall surely die? or the Devil, when he contradicted the word of God, and said, Ye shall not surely die? To cover his first falsehood in Eden, that mankind should not die, the great Deceiver, after the lapse of ages, introduces the correlative one that "there are no dead," that, in fulfillment of his word, no one has died, nor can die, and inveigles men into the belief and defense of his wily doctrine. Verily the exhortation of Jude is of force here, to "contend earnestly for the faith [doctrine] once [or which has already been] delivered to the saints [in the word of God]." This let us endeavor to do, seeking for the old paths that we may walk therein [Jer. vi, 16], making God's revelation our sheet anchor, and giving no place to the false doctrines of the great Deceiver, nor to the multiplied and ever-increasing inventions of men.

"Immortality," we are told, "is their birthright and inheritance:" i. e., the birthright and inheritance of the classes above mentioned, Goths, Huns, Tartars, Vandals, heathen, Indians, and all men. Birthright is that to which a person is entitled on account of his birth. How came these characters in possession of such a birthright as this? We read of some who through Christ obtain this birthright, becoming through him Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. But we read of no other way of obtaining it, and of no others who do obtain it, except such as have an interest in him.

How long shall you live? This is a momentous question. We cannot answer it that "you will live for ever;" but we can say as much as this, that you may live for ever. Man was created, not immortal, but "to be immortal," if he will fulfill the will of his Creator, and comply with the conditions upon which life is suspended. They who by "patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, honor and immortality" will not find their efforts vain. Such will at length exchange corruption for incorruption, and this mortal for immortality. And then countless ages of joyous life will stretch away before them, without end forever and ever. "As a traveler can discern his pathway winding among the hills, till far off on the horizon it seems to end, but when he reaches the place there stretches the path again away to the hill-top—so will the ages of your endless life lie before you, age following age, cycle following cycle, till all your powers of computation and measurement have been baffled and silenced—and yet you have scarce begun! The never-ending eternity stretches out just as far ahead as when you took the first step of the journey." And all this while we shall be traveling hand in hand with bliss ineffable, and songs and everlasting joy sit throned upon our heads.

"Come on, dear friends, let's mend our pace To glory, glory, glory." U. SMITH.

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