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Review and Herald, Vol. 29, No. 9.

A LITTLE WHILE
Earlier text: A LITTLE WHILE

Paradise and the Tree of Life.

“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev. ii, 7.
WHERE is this paradise? In the third Heaven; for so Paul writes to his Corinthian brethren. He says he once knew a man, referring to himself, caught up to the third Heaven. 2 Cor. xii, 2. In verse 4 he calls the same place paradise, thus locating it in the third Heaven. In this paradise is the tree of life. There is but one tree of life brought to view in the Bible. It is mentioned six times, three times in Genesis, and three times in the Revelation; but it is used every time with the definite article the. It is the tree of life in the first book of the Bible, the tree of life in the last; the tree of life in the “paradise” (Septuagint) in Eden at the beginning, and the tree of life in the paradise of which John now speaks, in Heaven above. But if there is but one tree, and that was at first upon the earth, it may be asked how it has now come to be in Heaven? To which the answer would be that it must have been by a translation. There is no possible way that the same identical body which is situated in one place, can be located in another but by being transported bodily thither. And that the tree of life and paradise have been removed from earth to Heaven, besides the necessary inference of this argument, there is good reason to believe.
In 2 Esdras vii, 26, occurs this language: “Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I have told thee shall come to pass, and the bride shall appear, and she coming forth shall be seen that now is withdrawn from the earth.” There is evident allusion here to “the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” Rev. xxi, 9, which is the “holy city, New Jerusalem,” verse 10, Gal. iv, 26, in which is the tree of life, Rev. xxii, 2, which is now “withdrawn from the earth,” but which will, in due time, appear and be located among men, Rev. xxi, 2, 3.
The following paragraph on this point we quote from Kurtz’ Sacred History, p. 50:
“The act of God in appointing the cherubim ‘to keep the way of the tree of life,’ Gen. iii, 24. In the garden of Eden, likewise appears not only in an aspect indicating judicial severity, but also in one which conveys a promise full of consolation. The blessed abode from which man is expelled, is neither annihilated nor even abandoned to desolation and ruin, but withdrawn from the earth and from man, and consigned to the care of the most perfect creatures of God, in order that it may be ultimately restored to man when he is redeemed. Rev. xxii, 2. The garden, as it existed before God ‘planted’ or adorned it, came under the curse, like the remainder of the earth, but the celestial paradistical addition was exempted, and entrusted to the cherubim. The true Paradise is now translated to the invisible world. At least a symbolical copy of it, established in the holy of holies in the tabernacle, was granted to the people of Israel, after the pattern which Moses saw in the mount, Ex. xxv, 9, 40, and the original itself, as the renewed habitation of redeemed man, will hereafter descend to the earth. Rev. xxi, 10.”

The Commentary.

Tell me the meaning of Scriptures. One gem from that ocean is worth all the pebbles of earthly streams.—M'Cheyne.

The Bible.

THE character and office of this holy Book are thus beautifully and impressively set forth by Pollock in his Course of Time:
“Hast thou ever heard Of such a book? The author, God himself; The subject, God and man, salvation, life, And death—eternal life, eternal death— Dread words! whose meaning has no end, no bounds, Most wondrous book! bright candle of the Lord! Star of eternity! the only star By which the bark of man could navigate The sea of life, and gain the coast of bliss Securely! only star which rose on Time, And, on its dark and troubled billows, still, As generation, drifting swiftly by, Succeeded generation, threw a ray Of Heaven’s own light, and to the hills of God, The eternal hills, pointed the sinner’s eye. By prophets, seers, priests, and sacred bards, Evangelists, apostles, men inspired, And by the Holy Ghost, anointed, set Apart, and consecrated to declare To earth the counsels of the Eternal One, This book, this holiest, this sublimest book Was sent.”

The Man of Sin.

“Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thess. ii, 3, 4.
BOWER'S History of the Popes, Vol. iii, p. 428, bears the following testimony to the character of the papacy, showing the fitness of the apostolic description given above:
“To one who has become acquainted with true Christianity, as exhibited genuinely in the oracles of God, it is ineffably monstrous and overwhelming to contemplate the orgies and the impieties of the papacy! The man of sin, the son of perdition, that wicked, and other such designations of Holy Writ, are plainly fit and proper; and to a mind well informed and unprejudiced, or uncommitted to the interest of the Beast, their applicability and their truth are plain and indubitable. No wonder the popes oppose the distribution of the Scriptures among the people! It is in their impartial and eternal light, that the abomination of the whole system, both foundation and superstructure, appear in all their lurid horror—the invention and the masterpiece of hell.”

Overcoming.

By Jos. Clarke.

How joyful the thought, when darkness presses in from without, that you can have the assurance within, that you are making progress in overcoming an evil heart.
What light and peace fill the soul, when you think of difficulties overcome, sins abandoned, evil desires eradicated, enmities, bitterness, envy, rooted out from the heart; and past progress in this direction then encourages you to further efforts to perfect this good work.
How happy to think in your heart, I am willing to do all required of God's people, to deny self, as Christ did, that I may have his smile and assurance of pardon.
You had a little habit of holding a slight grudge against your enemy, or against an inconsistent professor who tried your patience to the quick; but you prayed blessings on his head, whenever evil suggestions crept softly into your heart, and now you have overcome that evil thought, though it came noiselessly to the door of your heart a hundred times, yet you always treated it with such cold neglect, and prayed so persistently against it, that the wicked suggestion crept away ashamed.
You have, with God's people, moved forward in every reform. Little by little, you have carried out these reforms. At first, you did this so imperfectly, so weakly, that you feared for yourself; but every little advance paved the way for another, greater and more perfect reform. God helped you, and you outdid yourself. This led you to give the glory to God; but who can tell what inward joy it gave you, so refreshing, and encouraging, as step by step you descended into the quiet valley of humility, where the spirit of pride is vanished and forever excluded?
It may have been a long struggle and a painful conflict, but so far the victory is yours. But you rejoice, and well you may, for it is more to you than thrones and diadems, and all the enemy can possibly confer.
But still you have a conflict before you. God's people have advanced but to the fourth round of the ladder, namely, temperance. Some are stumbling fatally here, but let us make good our hold upon this round, for our patience is next to be tried.
We rejoice in past victories, but with trembling, for an arduous work lies before us. Yet we do not distrust the Lord, but believe we can fully overcome with his heavenly aid.
Oh, what joy it gives you in your solitary moments to think of what God has done for you, and what he has promised to do, if you are faithful.
Soon the time will expire, and the work will be accomplished, and you with all of God's people will fully overcome, and his seal be set upon you. How happy will it make you then to think, I have chosen God to be my God, and his people to be my people. I have denied self and crucified my lusts. I have heeded the straight testimony, and have reverenced God, his law, and his servants, and have loved his ways and his people. I have carefully sought their good and the building up of the cause of truth. My means, my influence, and my time, have I devoted to God. Yet all is too little. I gave all up, but alas, how long I hesitated, how long I opposed. Why did the Lord forbear?
Yet, this same unworthiness, the blest assurance that God has wonderfully condescended to save you, will fill you with joy, and suffering may keep you humble.
JOS. CLARKE.

The Burning of the Earth.

By Mary W. Howard

“The earth,” says Peter, “and the works therein, shall be burned up.” This misquotation occurred in an article in Review No. 26, Vol. xxviii, credited to the Independent. I took special notice of it, for it is just what we so often hear affirmed, and even, by those who mean to understand what they read, simply because it has been said so many times, that they never stop to look at the grammatical construction. But let a similarly expressed sentence occur in a geological account, and it would be esteemed the sheerest stupidity, not to say ignorance, to make the also refer to the coming clause, instead of the preceding one. Peter affirms, or rather the Holy Ghost directs him to affirm, “that the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also.”—The earth shall what? Why, melt with fervent heat, just as we should expect it would, if, as geologists inform us, only a hundredth part of the earth’s diameter is in a solid state and the rest fire.
The remainder of the passage is unmistakable; and yet we might as readily expect a blunder at the word therein, as at the word also. But all concur that the works of the earth are to be burned. I am not aware that any believer of the Bible has ever sought to spiritualize or symbolize away this affirmation of scripture. But there may be room for honest differences of opinion regarding the works. Are only the works of man meant? or are the works of God and man alike to be burned?
An aged descendant of the staunch old Scotch covenanters once asked me my opinion concerning the destination of our earth. Having told him, he replied, “That is just it. If I had erected a beautiful mansion, and had let it pass into possession of bad occupants, would I needs burn the mansion in order to be rid of them? No. I would simply eject them, give my dwelling a thorough renovation, if needful, but preserve it for other and better recipients.”
And this is just what the Bible plainly teaches is to be done. Out of Christ, “our God is a consuming fire.” Heb. xii, 29. But they who are Christ’s, will ere this be safe in Heaven, having been caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and so evermore to be with him. 1 Thess. iv, 17. To be with him when the New Jerusalem comes down from God out of Heaven,—with him when the renewed earth, cleansed by purifying fires, shall have become the abode of the righteous.
The thought is not original with me, but has struck me with great force, that even at a time when God saw that wickedness was great in the earth, a deluge of water sufficed to cleanse it; but it did not remain cleansed, and God saw that the increased corruption could only be expunged by the “fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Pet. iii, 7.
Milton says:
“The world shall burn, and from its ashes spring New heavens and earth, wherein the just shall dwell; And after all their tribulations long, See golden days, fruitful of golden deeds.”
The council of Nice, A. D. 325, says, “We expect new heavens and a new earth, according to the Scriptures, at the appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And then, as Daniel says, ‘The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom,’ and there shall be a pure earth, holy in the land of the living and not of the dead,” &c.
Would that more of those who profess to preach the gospel, felt the divine impulses that moved C. Mather in Boston in 1700. At that time he said, “But this word of God is in my mind, like burning fire shut up in my bones, nor can I any longer forbear, but must again and again denounce this doom to the earth, sufficiently prepared for the fire. Yea, should some Nero command me to be burned in the flames, I will not cease to preach and foretell, with earnest voice, the dissolution, renewal, and purification of the world by fire.”
Are there not many longing hearts ready to respond with Dr. Doddridge? “Let that illustrious day come with all its horrors. We shall go from a dissolving world to the new heavens and new earth, wherein righteousness forever dwells.”
It is really surprising to see how the doctrine of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, is so quickly ignored by our popular theology. But I ought not to say surprising, for hath not the Scriptures foretold all this, unless that pertinent inquiry recorded by Peter, where he tells us that “in the last days scoffers will come, saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” &c., be disposed of as I once heard from the pulpit as follows: The remark was thrown in that now-a-days there were many saying, like the old atheists of Paul’s day, (!) “Where is the promise of his coming?” Is comment necessary?
Once, while instructing a Sabbath-school class of bright little girls, one said, in reply to a remark of mine, “I did not know that Jesus was coming to our world again.” Would that this not knowing did not extend to older persons. But why wonder? since the apparent avoidance of the theme by those who have assumed the position of watchmen on the walls of Zion, or, what is worse, the tacit doing away of the force of such passages as, “He may stablish your hearts unblamable in holiness in the presence of God the Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” 1 Thess. iii, 13. Some will scarcely believe this is done, but not a week since, I heard a beautiful and practical discourse from the text, “When he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.” Likeness to Christ was the theme till the close, when the appearing of Christ was represented to mean that spiritual manifesting of Christ in the hearts of his followers, and not a hint of anything further. My own heart felt the lack, but others saw nothing wanting. And once at a funeral, the preacher using for a text the words of Jesus, “I go away, but I will come again unto you,” made the coming again refer to the familiar coming up in our remembrance of the various looks, doings, and sayings of our departed friends. These little incidents may seem unworthy a passing record, but I give them as illustrations of the fact that they have taken away the key of knowledge now, as truly as when Jesus pronounced the words to a wilfully-blinded class, in the days of his sojourn among mankind.
MARY W. HOWARD. Malone, N. Y., Dec. 1866.

Sincere, Are You?

By Wm. S. FOOTE

ACTING conscientiously? So are the worshippers of Bramah or Boodh; so are the deluded followers of Jo Smith, and millions of others who are groveling in error and darkness. But will sincerity be our passport to Heaven? If the way to life is through the strait gate, which is Christ; and the journey to the celestial city is through the narrow way, which is holiness, or a consecration of all that we are and have to God; and if the moral law is the rule of action, by which we ought to be guided through life; will the Lord accept of any other way, and at last number us among the sanctified? Our Saviour says, “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.” Here is the test of our love. Is there any difference between the commandments of our Saviour, and those of his Father? Is there any discord or confusion on the Throne of the universe? Reader, If Satan can persuade us to violate one precept of God’s holy law, and that habitually, it is all that he asks of us; he knows as well as did the Apostle James, that “he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all.” If we pursue a course which is destructive to our health, and which may bring us down to a premature grave; do we not violate the law, “Thou shalt not kill?” If God tells us to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” and that “the Seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;” and if we cannot find any evidence in the Bible to the contrary; will the Lord accept of our service in offering him Sunday-keeping as a substitute, although through the influence of false teachers we may be sincere in thus doing? Dare you affirm that the Sabbath was made for the Jews, and for them only, when the Saviour has told us that “the Sabbath was made for man,” told us so in kindness, and knowing that in these last days men would thus violate the law of God?
A friend of mine, who is led by those who teach for doctrine the commandments of men, read the tract, entitled, “The end of the wicked.” His mind was disturbed, and his faith in the eternal misery of the wicked was shaken. I gave him the tract, and he said that he wished to show it to his preacher, Mr. S., and see what he said about it. I asked the Romanist, where in the Bible he found the doctrine of a purgatory? Said he, “I do not know, but if you will go to our priest, he will willingly tell you all about it.” So it is; thousands of both Catholics and Protestants, instead of going to the word of God for instruction, have a priest, or Mr. S., to consult with, who is very sure to confirm them in error, in which they will remain until the light of eternity reveals to them the fact that they have not “the testimony of Jesus.” We would refer such persons to Acts iii, 22, 23. Truly Moses said: “A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
Wm. S. FOOTE.
Pendleton, O.

Who Shall Dwell With God?

By R. F. COTTRELL

In the fifteenth Psalm, this question is answered in the following manner: “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart,” &c. Moral character and conduct is all that is alluded to in the whole list of qualifications.
The same is true of the reasons given by our Saviour, why the blessed of his Father are welcomed to the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. Matt. xxv, 34-40. Those that have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited and relieved the sick and imprisoned, will be welcomed to the kingdom, while those that have not done these things will be excluded. Moral character—obedience to the law of God, the law of love, is the test of admittance into the kingdom of God. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city.”
Church ordinances, ritual observances, faith and prayer, are not mentioned on the threshold of the kingdom of God. Not because these are not necessary, but because they are only the means for the attainment of the moral character which alone can qualify one for the society of Heaven. As a means, they are necessary, nay, indispensable, but they are not the end.
What folly it is then that hopes for the admission into the kingdom of Heaven by a few words of penitence or prayer, or by being baptized just at the close of a life devoted to the desires of a carnal mind, and characterized by selfishness and vice! Yet many flatter themselves that one prayer upon a dying bed, a drop of water upon their head, or absolution of a priest, will atone for a life of sin, save them from a fabled hell of eternal torments, and usher them into the society of angels and the eternal bliss of Heaven! How preposterous! Yes, and some have made the salvation of infants depend upon whether they have been baptized. It is no wonder that infidels should scoff at such ideas as the following: “Of two children snatched away by disease when twenty-four hours old, one has been baptized, the other not; the angels of Heaven welcome that, the demons of hell clutch this.”
Let none deceive themselves with a hope that anything will give them a passport into eternal bliss, with saints and angels, but a life devoted to doing good, out of a pure heart of love to God and love to men. Faith and prayer are indispensable for sinners to approach God, find pardon, and attain to that perfection of moral character that is requisite; but a character formed after the glorious Pattern, conformed to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, is the test at the gates of the city of God. R. F. COTTRELL.

Watch and Pray

Watch and pray.

Report from Bro. White. No. 4.

By James White

In our last, we promised to give a dream which we recently had, and which we regard as strikingly illustrative of the condition of things here. We dreamed of a successful fishing excursion, in which Mrs. W. participated.
If this was our first dream of fishing, however striking might be the fulfillment in another kind of fishing, we might not think it worth telling; but during the time of our entire ministry, for twenty-four years, we have probably dreamed of catching fish a hundred times, just before an ingathering of souls. The size of the persons, and their moral worth, is generally represented by the size and value of the fish.
But what makes our present dream more forcible at this place is, that just before we visited this church four years since, we dreamed that Mrs. W. and self caught a large number of small, plump, and valuable fish. The tour that followed was wonderfully blessed in the conversion of the youth. At Monterey, almost the entire Sabbath School was converted, in a few days, and seventeen were immersed. Next week, we saw the same work here in Wright, where we baptized ten or twelve of the youth. The very next week, we saw a similar work at Greenville and Orleans; and with our own dear people at Battle Creek, there followed, under our labors, a glorious work among the youth. Here we baptized thirteen of the youth, our own two sons among the number. We dreamed of catching many small fish, and we saw, in fulfillment, many young persons converted.
In the recent dream, Mrs. W. and self were fishing, and with much effort caught large fish. But four of the fish caused us much trouble. They were restless, and would get out of the boat into the water, when we would with difficulty pull them into the boat again. This was repeated several times, and we caught no more large fish. We saw no small fish, as they were kept away by the large ones. But when the large ones were all caught out of the way, the water was immediately alive with small fish, plump and beautiful, which we readily caught. I awoke, and behold it was a dream.
If the small fish in a previous dream represented children and youth, the large fish of the recent dream must represent grown persons. And here has been the burden of our labor, for the older members of the church. They have stood in the way of the young, and we have felt that we could not reach them, until the old members were first converted anew. The four large fish that caused us so much trouble, is a part of
the dream most strikingly fulfilled. But the waters are moved, and the work goes on well. And we hope yet to see it extend not only to the youth of the church who need a fresh conversion, but to quite a flock of children still remaining out of the church.
The following resolutions touching different points of importance, which were unanimously adopted, will give some idea of how things are moving here.
1. Whereas, The explanations which Bro. and sister White have given of the Reformed Female Dress are consistent, and their reasons for its being healthful, convenient, and modest, are satisfactory; therefore, Resolved, That it is the opinion of this church that the sisters should adopt it.
2. Whereas, It has been a common thing for persons in different churches, who have been reproved by the visions, to make bad use of such testimonies, to their own injury and the injury of the church; therefore, Resolved, That it is the opinion of this church, that persons corrected by the testimonies should not have said testimonies in their possession, in writing; but they should be deposited with the elder or elders of the church of which they are members; and if they wish to read them, to refresh their memory, they should do it at the house of the elder or elders, and not take a copy of any part whatever of the testimony, in writing, away with them.
3. Resolved, That it is the duty of our churches, when sending, as delegates to our General Conferences, their poorer brethren, to pay their traveling expenses, and also moderate wages for their time.
4. Whereas, We consider the plan of Systematic Benevolence, adopted by our churches, to be reasonable and scriptural, imposing no burden, either on the poor or the wealthy; and, Whereas, In this church some have failed, not only in giving in their property at its full value, but also in punctuality of payment, therefore, Resolved, That we, the church at Wright, to encourage uniformity, promptness, and a faithful discharge of our duty, will put in our property at what we would ask the buyer for it, if we wished to sell it, and come up to the figures generally adopted on all that we are worth, including both real estate and personal property of every description, and will make it among our firm efforts to bring our tithes and offerings into the treasury of the Lord, with promptness.
Sabbath morning, Jan. 19, we opened the meeting at the usual hour, and spoke half an hour, and Mrs. W. followed for an hour, with great freedom and good effect. In the afternoon, the brethren enjoyed a social meeting. Mrs. W. spoke about an hour. She spoke particularly of the great sacrifice Christ had made for us, yet so few of his professed people were willing to sacrifice for the good of others. Good confessions were made, and there seemed to be a breaking away, and the dawning of better days to this church. Mrs. W. had told certain ones in the church that they needed converting. Some who had relied on an old experience were tempted, saying, “If I have not been converted, it is of no use to try to go further.” Mrs. W. told them they needed converting every day they erred from the truth. The following is to the point:
“Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” James v, 19, 20.
These brethren acknowledged new light, and took fresh courage. The labor has been wearing here, with burdens from some who should, from long experience, be in a condition to help.
Sabbath morning, Jan. 26, we were all happy to meet Eld. Loughborough at the house of prayer. We opened the meeting, and spoke a short time, when Eld. L. gave a timely discourse. In the afternoon he spoke on the subject of health, and was followed by Mrs. W., on this, her favorite theme. First-day, Eld. L. spoke twice. In the afternoon we spoke a few moments, appealing to those who felt that they occupied an unsaved position, and wished to seek the Lord, and wished the prayers of God’s servants, to manifest it by rising. Old and young arose. Then we bowed in prayer with the weeping company of aged, middle aged, and youth, and there we mingled our prayers and tears. Several have started anew to seek the Lord and keep the commandments. The way is now open, we trust, for the precious youth.
To-day, Monday 28, has been a good day. The meeting lasted five hours. From present figures, Systematic Benevolence will be raised to ten or eleven hundred dollars. Brethren heartily confessed, and
our company returned to Bro. Root’s with cheerful countenances.
We now feel free to leave this place for the present. May the good work still go on. And here we would express our gratitude to this dear people, who, among other smaller acts of liberal kindness, have given us a comfortable sleigh worth $75, and Bro. Root has kept three of us and team six weeks, worth at least $60 more. It is good to be strong-handed in point of means, when the impulses of a sanctified heart open that hand freely for God and truth.
JAMES WHITE.
Wright, Mich., Jan. 28, 1867.

A Question for Sunday-keepers.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

THE book of Acts contains the history of the early Christians for about thirty years after the resurrection of Christ. It records the severe persecutions which they suffered at the hands of the Jews, and the different accusations which the latter brought against them. The Jews sought every pretext that they could find to get some accusation against the Christians whereby they might destroy them. By their malice Paul was kept a prisoner several years. They trumped up every thing that they could think of by which to get him condemned. But he said, “Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.” Acts xxiv, 13. On another occasion he said, “Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all.” Acts xxv, 8.
Now if Paul and others have taught that the Sabbath was abolished, and that another day had become the Sabbath, and had labored on the Jew's (?) Sabbath,why did not the Jews accuse them of this? They were very forward to accuse Christ of breaking the Sabbath when he did no more than to heal the sick on that day. By their civil law it was death to work on the Sabbath. Their greatest desire was to get something against the Christians by which they might kill them. Now what a fair opportunity this would have been had the Christians been accustomed to break their Sabbath. How quickly the Jews would have improved it! But did they? Was any such accusation brought against Paul, or the others? All know that there is not a lisp of it in the whole thirty years' history of the church. Numerous other accusations were brought against them on different occasions, but this, not once! Is it reasonable to suppose that so important a change as this could have been taught and practised by the Christians, right in the midst of the Jewish nation, and yet nothing said about it, either by Jews or Christians? A flourishing church existed in the city of Jerusalem, and this was the head quarters of the apostles. Imagine them teaching in the temple and synagogues, that the ancient Sabbath was abolished; imagine them at work on that day, and what would have been the result? Nothing would have created an uproar so soon as that. Yet not a single word is said about any disturbance or disagreement between the Jews and Christians concerning the Sabbath. How Sunday-keepers can reconcile these facts with the supposed change of the Sabbath at the resurrection, I do not see!
D. M. CANRIGHT.
Canaan, Me., Jan. 21, 1867.

To Church Elders.

By Editor

As several notices have appeared in the Review from Elders of churches, calling upon their absent or unfaithful members to report themselves, &c., and as others are sending in similar notices to appear in the paper, we would say to all whom it may concern, that there are objections which arise in our own mind, and, as we learn, in the minds of others also, against the further insertion of such matter in the paper.
1. We suppose it to be the duty of the Elder of the church to look after the spiritual standing of the members of that church, whether present or absent. No person should move from a church without a perfect understanding with the officers of the church, and if they do, or if there are those living within the bounds of the church, who should have reported, but have not, it is making a transfer of the duties of the Elder to the Review, to take that as a medium through which to call them to order.
2. Should the practice be adopted to any extent, quite a portion of our space would be taken up with matters of only local interest.

Enjoying One's Own Opinion.

By R. F. COTTRELL

RETURNING home from Medina, a stranger asked to ride with me to Ridgeway. In conversation I soon found he was a professor of religion; but he did not enjoy himself very well at Ridgeway where there was no meeting for him to attend but that of the Universalists. He did not think very highly of those who believe a part of the Bible and do not believe the whole. Such faith—a faith that rejects a part of the word of God—he thought was no faith at all.
He mentioned the Sabbath, calling it the seventh day. I asked him which was the seventh day—whether Sunday was not the first day and Saturday the seventh. He admitted that Saturday was the seventh day, as the Jews reckon the week; but claimed that Monday was the first day, and consequently Sunday was the seventh. And he thought we ought to keep the day on which Christ arose from the dead. I referred him to the fact that the Sabbath which the Christians kept according to the commandment was the day before the first day of the week, when they came to the sepulcher and found the Lord was risen. That the day on which Christ arose was not the seventh day which the commandment requires us to keep. Discovering that his position was a little tangled, he replied, “I believe in letting every man enjoy his own opinion.”
Now that was just what he was complaining of the Universalists for—they were simply enjoying their opinion at the expense of a portion of the scriptures of truth—believing such parts as they chose, and rejecting those that do not agree with their opinion.
There are multitudes of the class that believe in enjoying their own opinions; professing to be guided by the Scriptures, but virtually rejecting all that does not agree with their creed. And the worst of it is, they seem to be as unconscious of it as the person above referred to. If they could see themselves in the true light, they might be reformed; and not longer claim the right to enjoy their opinions in opposition to the word of God.
On those points in which men are fully conscious of being on the side of truth, they never plead for the enjoyment of their own opinions. If they would try themselves by this infallible test, they need not wait for the judgment to cleave the scales from their eyes.
R. F. COTTRELL.

Report from Bro. Sanborn.

By Isaac Sanborn

SINCE my last report I have been laboring with the church at Avon. The weather most of the time was very cold, and the roads very rough; therefore, the congregations were rather small, yet the Lord helped us in all our meetings. On the fifth of January three were baptized and five were received into the church. The brethren and sisters were much encouraged to press on in the good way to Mt. Zion.
January 6th, Elder Sheldon, a no-Sabbath Adventist, preached two hours and a half. His text was “Ellen’s visions;” referring to what sister White saw in vision concerning the perpetuity of God’s holy law, and especially the holy Sabbath. Said Elder S., If this vision is true, then the ten commandments can never be changed while God exists, and if so, the Sabbath is binding forever. Here the Elder’s mind seemed to be wonderfully stirred up, perhaps in fulfillment of Paul’s language to the Romans: The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
He labored long and hard to show that the ten commandments could not exist in the kingdom of God, but that they were made for an age in which man could kill. Then he tried to show that the ten commandments were not adapted to this age, because, said he, They are rubbish.
I had a good, free time in reviewing the Elder’s discourse in the evening. A brief summary of which is as follows:
1. If the vision is true, then the Sabbath is binding forever. I showed from Heb. ix, 1–5, that the ten commandments were in the ark of the earthly Sanctuary; and in the 23d verse, Paul says, “It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the Heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” Paul, in the above language, clearly shows that he recognized the fact that the ten commandments are in the heavenly Sanctuary where Jesus has entered to make an atonement for all who will obey God and keep his commandments.
2. We showed from Rev. xi, 19, that under the sounding of the seventh trumpet, which commenced in 1844, the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and that there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. Here we raised the question, Who had seen the ark of God’s testament, with its sacred contents in Heaven, since 1844? I answered, the seventh-day Advent people had by faith followed Jesus into the most holy place, and there found the fourth commandment teaching us to remember that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord our God; and that sister White had seen it there in vision, we had no doubt.
3. We then showed from Matt. v, 17, that not one jot or tittle should pass from the law till Heaven and earth had passed; therefore, the seventh day is the Sabbath till Heaven and earth shall pass away with a great noise, 2 Pet. iii, 10, and is, therefore, binding on Elder Sheldon and every other man, even himself being judge; because he admitted it might be binding in an age when men could kill his fellow. He also admitted that, if the vision of sister White is true, then the seventh day is the Sabbath. We see that our Lord in Matt. v, 17, 18, has positively declared that one jot or tittle cannot pass from the law till Heaven and earth pass, and, as Heaven and earth have not yet passed, we should hope that the Elder and many others might keep the Sabbath, if it was not for one thing: They have hid their eyes from my Sabbaths and I am profaned among them. Ezekiel xxii, 26.
The Elder had left an appointment for second-day evening, to continue his warfare against God’s holy law; but after we got through reviewing him, he took up his appointment, as he found that I was going to stay and review him all the week if he stayed. He then challenged me to discuss the three angels’ messages, the visions, the law and the Sabbath. I told him I would not have a discussion with him on any other plan than the one we were then having, but that I would discuss with him this evening to his heart’s content if he would; but he would not stay, so we are satisfied that the truth lost nothing by the effort which he made against it. I do praise the Lord for the clearness of the light upon present truth.
ISAAC SANBORN.
Jan. 14, 1867.
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