Earlier text: Evidences of ChristianityThoughts on the Revelation.
Verses 1, 2. And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth. The 10th chapter of Revelation is thrown into the prophecy of the sounding of the seven trumpets, coming between the sixth and seventh of that series. That which is particularly connected with the sounding of the sixth trumpet is recorded in chap. ix. The prophet has other events to introduce before the opening of another trumpet, and takes occasion to do it in the scripture which intervenes to the 15th verse of chap. xi. Among these is the prophecy of chap. x. To establish the chronology of the mission of the angel here introduced, will be the first point in order. "He had in his hand a little book open." It can only be inferred from this language that this book was at some time closed up; and in striking harmony with this, we read of a book in Daniel which was closed up and sealed to a certain time. "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. xii, 4. Since this book was closed up only till the time of the end, it follows that at that time the book would be opened; and as its closing was mentioned in prophecy it would be but reasonable to expect that in the predictions of events to take place at the time of the end the opening of this book would be mentioned. There is no book spoken of as closed up and sealed except the book of Daniel's prophecy; and there is no account of the opening of that book unless it be here in the tenth of Revelation. We see furthermore that the contents of these books are the same. The book which Daniel had directions to close up and seal had reference to time: "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" And when the angel comes down with the little book open, on which he bases his proclamation, he gives a message in relation to time: "Time shall be no longer." Nothing more could be required to establish the identity of these two books and to show that the little book which the angel had in his hand open, was the book of the prophecy of Daniel. An important point is now determined toward settling the chronology of this angel; for we have seen that the prophecy, more particularly the prophetic periods, of Daniel, were not to be opened till the time of the end; and if this is the book which the angel has in his hand open, it follows that he proclaims his message, this side of the time when the book should be opened, or somewhere this side of the commencement of the time of the end. All that now remains on this point is to ascertain when the time of the end commenced; and the book of Daniel itself furnishes data from which this can be done. In Dan. xi, from verse 30, the papal power is brought to view. In verse 35, we read, "And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and make them white, even to the time of the end." Here is brought to view the period of the supremacy of the little horn, during which time the saints, times and laws should be given into his hand, and fall through his persecutions. This is declared to reach to the time of the end. It ended A. D. 1798, where the 1260 years of papal rule expired. There the time of the end commenced, and the book was opened. And since that time many have run to and fro, and knowledge on these points has marvelously increased. The chronology of the angel is further ascertained from the fact that he is identical with the first angel of Rev. xiv. The points of identity between them are easily seen. 1. They both have a special message to proclaim. 2. They both utter their proclamation with a loud voice. 3. They use similar language, both referring to the great Creator, as the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and the things that are therein. 4. They both proclaim time: one swearing that time shall be no more, and the other proclaiming that the hour of God's judgment has come. But the message of Rev. xiv, 6, is located this side of the commencement of the time of the end. It is a proclamation of the hour of God's judgment come, and hence must have its application to the last generation. Paul did not preach the hour of judgment come: Luther and his co-adjutors did not preach it. Paul reasoned of a judgment to come, indefinitely future; and Luther placed it at least 300 years off in his day. Moreover Paul has warned us against any such preaching as the hour of God's judgment has come, until a certain time. In 2 Thess. ii, 1–3, he says, "Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that son of sin be revealed, the son of perdition," &c. Here Paul introduces to our view the man of sin, the little horn, the papacy, and covers with a caution the whole period of his supremacy, which, as already noticed, was 1260 years, ending 1798. In 1798, therefore, the restriction from proclaiming the day of Christ at hand, ceased; in 1798, the time of the end commenced, and the seal was taken from the little book. Since that period, therefore, the angel goes forth proclaiming the hour of God's judgment come, and since that time, too, the angel takes his stand on sea and land, and swears that time shall be no more. Of their identity there can now be no question; and all the arguments which go to locate the one, are equally effective for the other. We need not enter into any argument here that the present generation has witnessed the fulfillment of these two prophecies. In the Advent preaching more especially from 1840 to 1844, they met a full and circumstantial accomplishment. The position of this angel, one foot upon the sea, and another on the land, denotes the rapid spread of his proclamation by sea and by land. Had this message been designed for only one country, it would have been sufficient for the angel to take his position on the land only. But he has one foot upon the sea; from which we may infer that his mission would extend to the various nations and divisions of the globe. And in beautiful accordance with this we have the fact that the Advent proclamation went to every missionary station in the world. Verses 3, 4. And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. It were vain to speculate to any great length upon the seven thunders, in hope of gaining a definite knowledge of what they uttered. We must acquiesce in the directions given to John concerning them and leave them where he left them, sealed up, unwritten, and consequently to us unknown. There is however a conjecture extant in relation to them which may not inappropriately be mentioned here: It is that what the seven thunders uttered was the experience of the Advent people, embracing their sore disappointment and trial. Something, evidently, was uttered, which it would not be well for the church to know; and for God to have given an inspired record of the Advent movement in advance, would have been simply to defeat that movement which we verily believe was in all its particulars an accomplishment of his purposes, and according to his will. Why then any mention of the seven thunders at all? Following out the above noticed conjecture, the conclusion would be, That we, having met in our history with sudden, mysterious and unexpected events, as startling and strange as thunders from an unclouded sky, might not give up in utter perplexity, inferring as we may that all is in the order and providence of God, since something of this nature was hidden and sealed up from the church. Verses 5, 6. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer. He swears that time shall be no more. What is the meaning of this? Is it that with his message literal time ends, and eternity commences? One of three things it must mean; as there are but three kinds of time to which it can refer: These are literal time, as compared with eternity, probationary time, and prophetic time. The first it cannot mean; for the next verse speaks of the days of the voice of the seventh angel; and chap. xi, 15–19, gives some of the events to take place under his sounding, which transpire in the present state. And it cannot mean probationary time; for that does not cease till Christ closes his work as priest, which is not till the seventh angel has commenced to sound. Rev. xi, 19. It must therefore mean prophetic time. Prophetic time shall be no more; not that time should never be used in a prophetic sense; for the "days of the voice of the seventh angel," spoken of immediately after, doubtless mean the years of the seventh angel; but no prophetic period should extend beyond his message: they should all close there. Arguments on the prophetic periods show that the longest ones do not extend beyond the autumn of 1844. Verse 7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel. This seventh trump is not the last trump, 1 Cor. xv, 52, which wakes the sleeping dead; but it is the seventh of the series of the seven trumpets, and, like the others of the series, occupies days [years] in sounding. In the days when he shall begin to sound the mystery of God shall be finished. Not in the day when he shall begin to sound, not in the very commencement of his sounding; but in the first years of his sounding the mystery of God shall be finished. From the events to take place under its sounding the commencement of the seventh trumpet may be located with sufficient definiteness at the close of the prophetic periods in 1844. Not many years from that date, then, the mystery of God is to be finished. The great event, whatever it is, is right upon us. Some closing and decisive work with whatever of importance and solemnity it bears in its train, is near at hand. There is an importance connected with the finishing of any of the works of God. Such an act marks a solemn and important era. Our Saviour, when expiring upon the cross, cried, It is finished, John xix, 30, and when the great work of mercy for fallen man is completed, it will be announced by a voice from the throne of God, proclaiming in tones which roll like thunder through all the earth, the solemn sentence, It is done! Rev. xvi, 17. It is therefore no uncalled-for solicitude which prompts us to inquire what bearing such events have upon our eternal hopes and interests, and when we read of the finishing of the mystery of God, to ask what that mystery is, and in what its finishing consists. What is the mystery of God? Happily that book which has been given as a lamp to our feet, does not leave us in darkness here. A few direct testimonies will suffice: Eph. i, 9. "Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself; that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and on earth, even in him." Here God's purpose to gather together all into Christ is called the mystery of his will. This is accomplished through the gospel. Eph. vi, 19. "And for me [Paul asks that prayers may be made] that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel." Here the gospel is declared plainly to be a mystery. It is called in Col. iv, 3, the165mystery of Christ. Eph. iii, 3, 6. "How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery (as I wrote afore in few words)," &c.; "that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel." Paul here declares that the mystery was made known to him by revelation, as he had before written. Now where has Paul recorded that anything was given him by revelation? and what was it? Turn to Gal. i, 11, 12, and you will find the answer. Paul there says, "But I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man, for I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Here Paul tells us plainly what he received through revelation: it was the gospel. In Eph. iii, 5, he calls it the mystery, made known to him by revelation, as he had written before. The Epistle to the Galatians is said to have been written in A. D. 58, and that to the Ephesians in A. D. 64. In view of these testimonies, few will be disposed to deny that the mystery of God is the gospel. It is the same, then, as if the angel had declared, In the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he shall begin to sound, the gospel shall be finished. But what is the finishing of the gospel? Let us first inquire for what it was given? It was given to take out from the nations a people for God's name. Acts xv, 14. Its finishing will of course be the close of this work. It will be finished when the number of God's people are made up, mercy ceases to be offered, and probation closes. The subject is now before us in all its magnitude. Such is the momentous work to be accomplished in the early days of the voice of the seventh angel, who has already been sounding eighteen years. God is not slack; his word is not uncertain; are we ready for the issue? Verses 8–10. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go, and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly [Gr. stomach] bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it my belly was bitter. There are not a few now living who have experienced the striking fulfillment of these verses, in the joy with which they received the Advent message, the honey-like sweetness of the precious truths then brought out, and the bitterness and sorrow that followed when the disappointment, and not the Lord, came, at the appointed time in 1844. A mistake had been made which apparently involved the integrity of the little book they had been eating. What had been so like honey to their taste, suddenly became like wormwood and gall. But those who had patience to endure the digesting process, soon learned that the mistake was only in event, not in time, and that what the angel had given them was not unto death, but to their nourishment and support. See the same facts brought to view under a similar figure in Jer. xv, 16–18. Verse 11. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. John, standing as a representative of the church, here receives from the angel another commission. Another message is to go forth after the time when the first and second messages, as leading proclamations, ceased. In other words, we have here a prophecy of the third angel's message, now, as we believe, being fulfilled. Neither will this work be done in a corner; for it is to go before "many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Sabbath Discussion in Sutton, C. E.
By A. C. Bourdeau
Bro. White: Pursuant to appointment I discussed on the Sabbath question with D. Chapin, a Universalist minister, in North Sutton, C. E., Sept 18 and 19. I was much encouraged by the presence of Bro. Hutchins, my brother, and others. We encountered a determined opposition against the truth, from the part of the minister and his friends. They knew that the ministry of Sutton and vicinity had failed in all their attempts to oppose the truth, and they were determined to put an end to the controversy by giving a deadly blow to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. Mr. Chapin, failing to disprove my position relative to the origin and perpetuity of the Sabbath, manifested his rebellion against God's government, before the whole assembly, in trying to prove that God's perfect, holy, just, and good law of ten commandments was nailed to the cross, abolished, and forever done away. As an upsetter of his unscriptural position I gave a Bible exposition of the two laws and the two covenants; and his arguments were so used up by the unerring truths of God's word, that instead of occupying one hour in his last speech, he spoke only nineteen minutes. In one of his half-hour speeches he made the following contradictory statements: 1. "God's rest commenced at the close of his creative work, and will continue throughout eternity." 2. "God rested at creation on the first day of the first week, of the first month, of the first year of time." I was reminded of what our Lord said about a house divided against itself. In my closing speech I summed up the positions taken by Mr. C. during the discussion, and compared them with the Bible, and proved Chapin vs. the Bible twelve times, as may be seen in the following: 1. Chapin. "God rested at creation on the first day of the first week . . . of time." Bible. "In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested on the seventh day." Ex. xx, 11; Gen. i, 2; ii, 3. 2. Chapin. "The Sabbath did not exist till the giving of the law on mount Sinai." Bible. "And he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." "Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." Gen. ii, 2; Ex. xx, 11. See also Ex. xvi, 23, 25, 26, 29. 3. Chapin. "The Sabbath was made for the Jews, not for the Gentiles." Bible. "The Sabbath was made for man." "Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord, . . . every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, . . . even them will I bring to my holy mountain." Mark ii, 27; Isa. lvi, 6, 7. 4. Chapin. "The old Sabbath was an animal Sabbath, a rest for the body." Bible. "With the mind I myself serve the law of God." "And call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable." "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." Rom. vii, 25, 22; Isa. lviii, 13. 5. Chapin. "Christ abolished the law." Bible. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law. . . . Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. v, 17, 18. 6. Chapin. "Christ did not keep the ten commandments." Bible. "I have kept my Father's commandments." Jno. xv, 10. 7. Chapin. "The law is carnal." Bible. "We know that the law is spiritual." Rom. vii, 14. 8. Chapin. "There is not a particle of righteousness in the commandments." Bible. "All thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. cxix, 172; Deut. vi, 25. 9. Chapin. "Love does not exist in the law. The ten commandments are excluded from the law of love." Bible. "Love is the fulfilling of the law." "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." Rom. xiii, 10; 1 John v, 3. 10. Chapin. "Christ broke the Sabbath." Bible. "It is lawful (or, according to law) to do well on the Sabbath-day." Matt. xii, 12. 12. Chapin. "No man can be justified by keeping the law of ten commandments." Bible. "The doers of the law shall be justified." "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rom. ii, 13; Rev. xxii, 14. There were many at this discussion who had decided against the truth, and their efforts to crush it down reminded us of the anxiety that the Jews manifested to crucify the Saviour. May God pity them, and help the honest to fully see the beauty and harmony of the truth, and obey God and live. System---Order.
By R. F. Cottrell
"God is not the author of confusion, but of peace." It is evident from all his works and ways that he delights in order. He is doubtless pleased to see it in his people. "The plan of systematic benevolence is pleasing to God;" and it is self-evident that systematic labor is equally well-pleasing to him. It is just as necessary to be systematic in the use of the Lord's money, as it is in the collection of it. If it is wrong to withhold from the Lord's treasury, it is no less a wrong to squander the Lord's money when collected. There seems to be more responsibility in the use of that which has been dedicated to God, than in the use of it before it is thus dedicated, if there is any difference. It cannot be used systematically, and be rightly and equally appropriated, as I can see, without the organization of Conferences. We need a State Conference organized in this State. Shall we have it? Who will respond? I believe the cause is impeded in its progress for want of it. It should be attended to without any unnecessary delay. We invite ministers to come and labor in the State. Whose business is it to see that their wants are supplied? In the present state of things it is every one's, and consequently no one's. He may keep accounts; but there is no one to audit them. He may be ready to report and give an account of his labors and his stewardship, but he has no one to whom to report. I have labored a number of years as a minister, and no one has ever known, but myself, how much I have received any given year or years, and consequently whether I have had more or less than I needed—whether I have been economical, or have squandered the Lord's money. These things ought not so to be, and the sooner we reform, the better. In our present state we are not prepared for the great work which is before us.166 I heartily approve of the plan sketched out by Bro. White in the leading editorial of Review No. 18, namely, the raising of a Conference fund. It will inspire confidence and courage in all, and faithfulness and zeal in the preachers. And that there may be equality in raising the fund, let a certain percentage of the S. B. funds be paid into this fund, reserving the remainder for church expenses, the poor, &c. Now, brethren, we can have Bro. White's aid in this matter, if we let him know unmistakably that we want it. Shall we "go forward?" It should have been done before. But all that we can do now is, to repent and bring forth works meet for repentance. P. S. I wish to correct a misapprehension. I have never opposed, but have always been in favor of, church organization, as the Review some ten years back will show. I would also remind the brethren that when legal organization was adopted, I was represented in the Conference by a letter, which was published in the report in the Review, which will show for itself that I was in harmony with the step then taken. R. F. C. Vermont Conference.
By A. S. Hutchins
AGREEABLY to appointment, this conference was held at Wolcott, Oct. 4 and 5. We were happy to meet with so large a number of our brethren and sisters from Vermont and Canada East. The good Spirit was with us. Under its sacred influence the meeting opened, progressed, and terminated. The servants of the Lord were free in preaching his word, and the brethren and sisters in giving their testimonies. Bro. D. T. Bourdeau spoke to edification on the subject of the sealing of God's people, and the duty of the church in this dark hour of the night. Our business meeting opened first-day morning, and continued till 1 o'clock P. M., when we found so many friends gathered expecting to hear preaching at this hour, that it was thought best for Bro. Evans to remain at the meeting-house and preach a discourse, while the rest of the members of the conference should retire to the house of Bro. Bailey to complete the business before us. At the opening of this last meeting there remained some sixty dollars to be raised to defray tent expenses and pay the laborers. Contrary to expectation, this was raised immediately. Considering the hard times, and that we had raised about forty dollars during the brief intermission, for the Review Office, it was evident there was a mind on the part of the brethren and sisters to work for the Lord, not only in word, but with their purses. We think this was decidedly one of our best conferences in Vt. The blessing of the Most High does and will attend his servants, and rest upon the church, as we advance in union and Bible order. It was the opinion of this conference that some of the messengers were bound by home cares, who should be free to labor in the great harvest-field. The remarks of Bro S. Pierce to such were to the point. He said, "A sacrifice must be made. Take the property in one hand, and the truth in the other, and you will sweep the board!"
A. S. HUTCHINS.
Oct. 12, 1862. The War.
By Henry E. Carver
Bro. White: You invite "well-written" articles in reference to the all-absorbing subject now under consideration among us; viz., our duty in reference to the war. I make no pretensions to being a good writer, but still feel it a privilege as well as duty to contribute my "mite," hoping and believing that if we all seek unto the Lord we shall yet come to the unity of the faith on this point. It is not my purpose, as I am well aware of my incapacity, to present a clear, connected, scriptural exposition of our duty in the present crisis, but to give my views and convictions on the points that have been presented in the Review; and in doing so I hope none will consider me personal if I should cross their track, as no personal attack is intended; but our thoughts, when given to the public, become public property; hence any brother has the same privilege to review and oppose what he deems erroneous in me, that I claim for myself. I suppose I have as clear a perception of the iniquity of the present rebellion as any one who has watched and studied it from its inception to its present gigantic proportions as I have, and I have wished that the matter stood in such position that I could throw my whole energies, physical as well as mental, into the scale on the side of the Constitutional Union. I have written considerable to friends in Ohio and Maryland who were somewhat tinctured with secession, and my efforts have ever been to show the iniquity of the present rebellion. My feelings have been similar to those expressed by Bro. Joseph Clarke in his article on "The War! The War!" but I have for years had a deeply-settled conviction (whether wrong or not) that under no circumstances was it justifiable in a follower of the Lamb to use carnal weapons to take the lives of his fellow-men. I say this was the conviction of my mind, and so strong was it I thought it must be just as strong in the minds of the brethren at large, and when Brn. Snook and Waggoner were at my house just after Bro. White's article on The Nation appeared, I understood them to be of the same mind. That article astonished and grieved me very much. My faith, which was becoming stronger and stronger in the protecting care of God as the danger became more imminent, was terribly shaken, and I was induced to do what I had before refused to do, viz., sign a petition to the Legislature for exemption from military duty, and even to apply for personal exemption on the ground of physical inability. Neither of these steps could I have conscientiously taken, but under the influence of that article, and I feel to some extent shorn of my strength. I have applied to the arm of flesh—my God forgive me. Such has been my experience, and I wish now to examine whether it was the legitimate result of that article (of course I do not charge it as the intention). The first section of that article meets my hearty approbation, also the last part of the second. The second section opens with the declaration that our position as believers in the perpetuity and sacredness of the law of God contained in the ten commandments is not in harmony with all the requirements of war. This is precisely the ground I occupied until Bro. White's article shook my faith in my own convictions of duty. The article further enumerates two of those holy commandments that we should violate if engaged in war. If this is so, then I ask, Is it not wrong to engage in war? and if wrong, can we be acceptable in the sight of God if we engage in war? This article seems to think we cannot. But says Bro. White, "In case of drafting, the government assumes the responsibility of violating the law of God." This seems to me to be untenable and dangerous ground; for if the government can assume the responsibility now for the violation of two of those holy precepts, and we go clear, why may not the same government assume the responsibility for the violation of the Sabbath law and we go clear when the edict goes forth that all shall observe the first day of the week? It may be said that the drafting law is not aimed at us, and that the edict from the two-horned beast will be aimed directly at us. It is not clear to my mind that in either case the law will be aimed at us if we do not stand out boldly and firmly in the counsel of God. If we really believe that we shall violate God's law, as the article under consideration teaches, by going to war and let our rulers understand what our faith is, then if they choose to take the responsibility before God, they can direct the law against us. And in the other case, when the law goes forth that all shall observe the Pope's Sabbath on pain of confiscation and death, it seems to me that Sabbath-keepers will have to place themselves in a position for that law to take effect on them, and in looking forward to that time I imagine I see some trying to evade the force of the law by keeping both the Sabbath and first day, because the law was not aimed directly at the Sabbath, but only requires that all shall keep Sunday. The article says further, that "when it shall come to this, that civil enactments shall be passed and enforced to drive us from obedience to the law of God, then it will be time to stand our chances of martyrdom." Let us consider this a little. It is acknowledged that two of the commandments are violated in going to war, and drafting is evidently a civil enactment. Now suppose in the case of a draft the lot should fall on one of God's little ones; a meek, humble follower of Jesus; one who believes Jesus meant what he said when he said, "Resist not evil." He tells the government officer that he cannot conscientiously fire at, or bayonet a fellow-being, and that he cannot conscientiously violate the Sabbath, as he must do if he goes to war. The government refuses to recognize his principles, but essays to drive him to do what would be a violation of the law of God. In such a case, according to the article itself, unless the government can release the child of God from his duty to obey God, the time has evidently come for him to stand his chances of martyrdom. If it can be shown that the government can assume the responsibility, and release the individual, I should be glad to see the proof. Bro. White asks the question, whether in regard to the Sabbath, the position of the Hebrews in Egypt may not be a parallel to drafted Sabbath-keepers in the army. I think not, unless the supposed Sabbath-keeper in the army was converted after having joined it; in such case I do not know as it would be his duty to leave without he could get an honorable discharge. When the Hebrews went into Egypt they were regarded with great favor by the authorities, and it was only by a long system of gradually increasing oppression that they were brought into the state of ignorance and degradation that their deliverance found them. The case with us is very different. The light of present truth is shining clear in our pathway,—we are assured that "our position is not in harmony with the requirements of war," then how can we do that that we know would be a violation of God's holy law, unless indeed we are well assured the government can take the responsibility off our hands? Bro. White denies that there is a parallel between the cases of Daniel and the three Hebrews and ours, in case of a draft. Let us see. In the case of the three Hebrews there is no evidence that I can find, that the setting up of that golden image and its worship was directed against them as worshipers of the true God. That was an idolatrous nation, and the king was only pursuing his idolatrous inclination when he made and set it up on the plains of Dura. He did not forbid the worship of the various idols known to the various tribes of that nation. He did not forbid the worship of the God of heaven, but only required that all should bow down and worship the god of his erection. This of itself was forbidden by one of the ten commandments, and hence they were compelled to choose in the presence of that assembled kingdom, either to disobey God or refuse obedience to the laws of the land. Mark the peculiar circumstances that surrounded them: high in the favor of the government, and but a step or two below the king in authority. Surely a consciousness of their privileges and blessings should have prompted them to yield all they could, and doubtless they did so; but why could they not go a little further, and just bow down and worship the great God instead of the idol? Why did they not throw the responsibility on the government and obey its laws? In the absence of all proof to the contrary, they might have argued that this act of idolatry is not directed specially against us, it is only carrying out the known principles of the government, and it would be madness for us to resist, and thus bring upon ourselves the responsibility of becoming suicides. Would such reasoning as this have been acceptable at the court of heaven? Would it have glorified God? When their obedience to the laws of the land would have involved their disobeying God, they would not exhibit the mere semblance of obedience. They refused to obey in full view of the burning fiery furnace, and beyond that, eternal life. They honored the law of God, and God honored them in this life. Let us honor the law of the Lord, and he will honor us, if not by deliverance in this life, yet in the world to come. In the case of Daniel, if we consider Darius as embodying the supreme power in himself, and hence as constituting the government, then it is evident from the record that the edict forbidding any petition to any God or man for thirty days, was not directed against Daniel specially, for we find that when the king learned that the law did touch Daniel, in regard to his faith, he was sore displeased with himself (doubtless for letting those wicked courtiers circumvent him) and labored till the sun went down to deliver him. What course did Daniel pursue when he knew the decree was signed? Did he throw the responsibility on the government and neglect prayer? He did not—nay he did not exercise prudence enough to close his window or lower his voice in prayer. He might, no doubt, have secluded himself from the observation of personal enemies, and prayed to God in secret. But no, he was no "sneak," but when he knew that the writing was signed, he went to his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and167prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime, thus honoring God, and God highly honored him. If I have sustained the position that the decrees that condemned Daniel and the three Hebrews were not aimed directly at them, but touched them only incidentally, as the law for drafting would touch Sabbath-keepers, then the cases are parallel, and we shall do well to follow their example of firmness in obeying and honoring God, being assured that God will sooner or later honor us, either in this world or the world to come. In conclusion, for the present, allow me to offer an answer to the query in No. 15, page 118, "If what is called civilized warfare be a violation of the sixth commandment, then did not God in the former dispensation require his people to break the sixth commandment?" I put the same question in substance to Bro. Snook, and his answer perfectly harmonized with the view I had on this point, which is substantially this: The Hebrew nation was a theocracy of which God was the spiritual and political head. All power centered in and emanated from him; so that when God commanded that people, either by prophet or priest, to do anything, he assumed all the responsibility of their acts, whilst they only acted as the executors of his will, so that they not only did not violate the sixth commandment in the slaughter of the Canaanites, but were rebuked and punished for disobeying the commands of God in sparing a portion of that people. I feel and appreciate our difficulties, and the delicate position we occupy at the present juncture of affairs. Our sympathies, so far as they are enlisted, are on the side of the government. We consider the southern rebellion one of the most causeless and wicked that ever was incited. We believe God would have to change his character and deny his own attribute of justice before he could smile upon the southern cause. We owe an allegiance to the government under which we live. We are bound to sustain the government until the government shall require us to disobey God, then we must not hesitate as to which we shall serve. With Bro. Cottrell I trust the Lord will save us from this great trial, but if the trial must come, I pray God for wisdom and strength to glorify him by keeping his commandments. If I am wrong in my views, I pray God to enlighten me and make the path of duty plain, and if the brethren have any light that I have not, do let me have it, brethren. I do not want to stand in the way of any, nor bring a reproach on the holy cause of God. I have felt it duty to be very careful how I have acted or spoken in reference to the action of government, and I think we should. I do not believe it our duty to go round and volunteer to every listener our determination to resist or obey a draft. Let us seek earnestly, carefully, and prayerfully the path of duty, and having found it, let us cheerfully and firmly step out, trusting in the arm of Jehovah for strength to go through to the kingdom.