Bro. J. Messersmith, writing from Victory and sending $3, for a years' subscription to Review says: I find it cheap at that price, and were it twice that amount, I feel that I could not do without it, as long as it were possible to take it. I have been much instructed from the reading of its pages, and although I have not been one of its contributors heretofore, yet it has not been because my heart was not in union with the people of God. Since a year ago last Oct., I have been earnestly trying to keep all the commandments of God, and though in my efforts to keep in the narrow way, I have made some crooked steps, yet I have had no desire to lay down the cross. I thank God that my lot has been cast among the number who are walking in the light of the third angel's message. I believe this message is gathering the true people of God, to unite them in one heart, and one mind, to fit them for translation to Heaven. I have had some trials to endure, and temptations to overcome, in striving to live out the truth; but, I would not wish to enter Heaven in any other way than the one pointed out by our Saviour. God is merciful to me in showing me my faults, and through his assisting grace I have overcome many of my besetments. I long to have some of the preachers come this way, and proclaim the truth I so much love to hear. I have never heard any of them excepting Bro. Ingraham in debate on the immortality question. The earnestness and zeal he manifested in the cause convinced me that he strove not for a corruptible, but the crown that fadeth not away. Dear brethren and sisters pray for me, that I show a like zeal in my master's cause, and point others to the way to God.
Bro. P. E. Ferrin writes from Crane's Grove, Ills.: I thought perhaps it might not be amiss to say a word about the season of prayer in this place. We had a refreshing season. The Lord was with us by his Spirit, and our meetings increased in interest to the close. We can truly say it was one of the best seasons we ever enjoyed; and we all took a long step toward the better land. Last Sabbath and first-day we enjoyed the labors of, and an excellent visit from, Brn. Ingraham and Snook. Truly the Lord is good to us and we feel like pressing onward, believing that if faithful we shall soon enjoy the society of all the redeemed with our glorious Redeemer in the better land.
Sister R. A. Whysong writes from Salem, Ind.: My love for present truth is stronger than ever. I feel to thank the Lord that I ever heard the third angel's message, and that I had a heart willing to submit to its warning voice. It has been some time since I have been permitted to hear God's people give in their testimony personally, but it makes my heart rejoice to read their cheering testimonies in the paper. I too can say with others, that I thank God for this privilege. I am glad to be numbered with that class of people, who are keeping the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus, and looking for his coming. Pray for me, that I may ever be faithful until his appearing.
Bro. D. E. Gibson writes from Melrose, Wis.: Present truth finds a better reception in our hearts than ever before. We long for the time to come when some of the Lord's messengers will come this way. We are striving to come to the unity of the faith, and we trust that the present meetings will be the means of great good to us.
Bro. W. Potter writes from Rochester, Mich.: I trust in the Lord that the Lord has a care for his people, and that in his wisdom he is leading us into his truth. I feel to rejoice greatly for what the Lord has done for me. I have enjoyed the meetings very much that were held in accordance with the proclamation. It has been a heart-searching time with those that are trying to go through to the kingdom; and my prayer is that the Lord will still work for us, that we may see all our faults and confess them, and try to get into a position that we may shine as lights in the world, and be ready to meet our Saviour in peace.
Bro. H. L. Doty writes from Turkey Creek, Ind.: The appointment for a season of prayer was observed by the church in Salem, Ind., and we trust it has been one of profit. We felt, as we tried to humble ourselves before God, that his ear was open to hear the united cry of his people. One of the good results of these meetings is, that they lead us to realize more fully the solemn time in which we are living, and we earnestly desire that preparation of heart that is necessary before we can participate in the blessings of the latter rain, or stand where God designs his people shall, while he "finishes the work and cuts it short in righteousness."
May the Lord arouse us from our lethargy is our earnest prayer.
Bro. H. Abbott writes from Wakeman, Ohio: The stirring and heart-cheering testimonies of the dear brethren and sisters, often cause me to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. I am glad the Review stands up for Jesus, and holds out as a beacon light to the benighted world, the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. I am glad that it will not compromise the truth for error; but is waging an unceasing warfare against error, and sin in all its deformities; that it is a restorer of the old paths, and a repairer of the breach; and that it shuns not to declare the whole counsel of God. May God speed and give success to this little messenger of light, until its glory shall be lost in the refulgent glory of the coming of the Lord Jesus.
N. M. JORDON
By N. M. Jordon
From Bro. Jordon.
BRO. WHITE: The church here at Hundred Mile Grove are striving, by the assisting grace of God, to overcome, that we may be found among those who have the seal of the living God in their foreheads, and who shall stand on mount Zion with the Lamb. Though there seems to be a few in this church that have a form of godliness without the power, yet, as a church, there is a mourning and pleading with God for a fresh and individual experience in the things of God, and for that gold which has been tried in the fire.
The labor which Eld. Sanborn bestowed upon this church last November, has, by the blessing of the Lord, been very fruitful. We have increased in numbers, and in spiritual strength since that time. The four days which were set apart for fasting and prayer as appointed in Review, were days of special interest to us. The Lord blessed us with his holy Spirit. There was an increasing interest and feeling in our meetings from the first day to the last. All who took part in those meetings were blessed of the Lord.
When we realize that God is about to cut short his work in righteousness on the earth, we feel to mourn and weep for our sins and for the abominations that are done in the land. Oh, may we as a people humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God throughout the land that we may soon be prepared to give the loud cry of the third message.
Yours in hope.
N. M. JORDON
Lodi, Wis.
ALICE H. BARNES
By Alice H. Barnes
From Sister Barnes.
[Bro. White: Sister Barnes, the writer of the following, has been deaf 27 years. She cannot hear the loudest thunder. But she can understand everything that any one says, by seeing the motion of the lips. She is an earnest Christian. A. C. Bourdeau.]
Bro. White: It is with feelings of gratitude to God I write these lines. I praise God for his goodness and love in giving me to see the truth in regard to his holy commandments. I commenced keeping the Sabbath the seventeenth day of last December. Some thought I should soon tire of it; but each returning one seems better than the last. So bright and clear does the light of truth shine upon the sacred pages in regard to the Sabbath, that the Bible does not seem like the same book that it did a few weeks ago. The promises of God to his faithful followers, are precious indeed. Jesus overcame the world; and if we trust him he will give us strength to overcome also. I find far more delight and happiness in keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath of the Lord than ever I did in keeping the first-day or the Sunday of Papal authority. There seems to be something sacred and holy about the seventh day; and I cannot doubt its being the true Sabbath of the Lord, and God requires us to obey him and keep his commandments.
For twenty-seven years I have been a professed follower of the Lord. In that time I have enjoyed much of his presence and love. But the deep quiet happiness of the past few weeks far exceeds anything I ever enjoyed before. I feel that God approves my course and blesses me while striving to keep his Sabbath-day holy. How happy I should be if some of my old companions and former classmates could be made partakers of like precious faith, and go with me to mount Zion. My earnest desire is to live humble before the Lord and strive to do his will. Oh that I might be made meek and lowly in heart and life, that when Jesus comes to take his children home, my name may be found numbered with those who are keeping all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I praise God for the glorious hope of soon seeing Jesus, and going to dwell with him in that better land to which we are hastening.
ALICE H. BARNES
West Enosburg, Vt.
Report from Bro. Frisbie.
By J. B. Frisbie
Bro. White: I am holding meetings in the town of Marion, four miles south of Howell. The interest was on the increase until the storms came on. Some five have decided to keep the Sabbath, others are more or less convinced. I have sold over thirty dollars worth of our books the past winter, and I send in eleven new subscribers.
I never labored harder and felt to lean upon the Lord for help more than the past winter. I have lectured from seven to nine times a week and visited from house to house, through the days. My health was never better to labor in the ministry than now. My faith and confidence grows stronger in the truth from day to day, while I give my heart to God to be led by him, and am willing to do whatsoever he requires of me. The world is growing dark, very dark. It appears to me that one week's labor ten years ago, would accomplish more in a new place, than four does now. It is the darkest hour before day. I hope the war will soon cease and the loud cry of the third angel will soon go and gather out his people to meet Jesus at his coming. O Lord prepare me for the work is my daily prayer.
J. B. Frisbie.
Marion, March 22, 1865.
A Request.
By H. C. Miller; E. G. Rust
Will the preaching brethren in notifying us of their intention to visit us, when passing through the city, please to be more particular to tell us when they will leave their homes, or on what train they will come; giving the name of the road over which they will come, where there is more than one route. When notifying us of such intentions, also state, when strangers to us, that they will either remain in the car till we have time to find them, or else in the sitting rooms of the depots. Chicago depots are not village station houses, and in the confusion consequent upon the arrival of several trains, and the large number of passengers arriving, it is next to impossible to meet a person that we know, much more a stranger. It would be well for them to have a memorandum of our street numbers, that in case we fail to meet them they may find us. This will save us much trouble in running to meet the various trains.
H. C. MILLER.
No. 807 West Madison St.
E. G. RUST.
No. 40 Griswold St.
Chicago, Ill.
Appointments.
THE next Quarterly Meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist church of Little Prairie, Wis., will be the second Sabbath in April. Meetings will commence the evening after Wednesday, and continue over first-day. Bro. Matteson is requested to attend, also Bro. Sanborn, if he can make it convenient. We hope to have a good time. By order of the church.
WILLIAM CARTHY, Clerk.
OUR next Quarterly Meeting, will be held at Center school-house, two miles south east of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, April 15, and 16. Meetings commence Sabbath evening. We hope to see a general gathering at this meeting. We would be glad to see Bro. Brinkerhoff on the occasion.
J. W. LANDES.
THE Lord willing, I will meet with the church at Elkhorn, Ills., Friday, April 7, and continue over Sabbath and first-day. The brethren at Elkhorn extend an invitation to the churches at Clyde and Crane's Grove to attend these meetings. Brethren let us come praying the Lord to meet with us.
R. F. ANDREWS.
THERE will be a Quarterly Meeting of the Seventh-day Adventist churches of La Porte City and Waterloo, Iowa, held at La Porte City on the second Sabbath and first-day in April, the 8th and 9th, of the month. We hope to see Bro. Brinkerhoff or Snook at this meeting.
AMOS AMBURN.
PROVIDENCE permitting I will meet with the churches of Colon and Parkville at their monthly meeting in Parkville, Sabbath, April 8.
JOHN BYINGTON.
Humiliation and Prayer.
By James White
LET it be remembered by all our people that the second Sabbath of each month is set apart by the Gen. Conf. Com. as a day of special humiliation, fasting, and prayer, in view of the existing terrible American war. J. W.
Notice to Delinquent Subscribers
By James White
During the month of April, we shall erase from our lists the names of those who have not paid up to Vol. xxv, 1. So when delinquents find the Review stopped they will know the cause.
J. W.
Meetings in Minnesota.
By W. & F. W. Morse
Bro. WHITE: During the past two months we have been holding meetings in a new field; have given forty lectures at Grapeland and Bass Lake, Faribault Co. Over twenty have decided to obey the truth. Many others are investigating. There are urgent calls for help from adjoining towns. These we design to improve as soon as possible.
We have just closed one of the most interesting Quarterly Meetings we have ever enjoyed. The most complete union prevailed from commencement to close. Ten united with us. Pray for us brethren.
W. & F. W. MORSE.
Note From Bro. Strong.
By P. Strong
I AM holding meetings in Matherton, Mich., at present. I have given fifteen lectures, and ten have decided to obey. The interest is on the increase.
Yours in the truth. P. STRONG.
Under date of March 17, Bro. Strong again writes: I still hold meetings in Matherton with interest. Bro. Canright's North Plains' appointment will be at Matherton. The Green Bush church is invited to attend.
The Wicked Dead
By Editor
THE reader will be pleased to see in this number the article on the wicked dead, from Bro. Andrews, containing a more full exposition of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus than was ever before published in the Review. It would seem that the consistent and scriptural exposition of this parable here given, must be satisfactory to every mind. It has no doubt never occurred to many of the advocates of the present punishment of the wicked dead, that only two instances can be found in the word of God in support of that doctrine, and that one of these is a parable, and in that parable the case of only a single individual; and both these instances are fully and definitely explained by other scriptures. The best way to remind them of these facts, would be to place this document in their hands.
Issued in pamphlet form at $2 per hundred.
Signs of Rebellion’s Decline
The Rebel Congress has passed the bill to arm the negroes to fight for the Confederacy, but with a madness greater than that which led Pharaoh into the Red Sea, they do not promise them their freedom for so doing. It is not difficult to conjecture to which side they will lend their aid, that which has promised them their freedom, or that which is to perpetuate their slavery. But more than this, the rebel masters in North Carolina, are arming their slaves to resist the conscription of negroes into the rebel service. The vast amount of Southern territory which the Union armies have overrun, has liberated large amounts of cotton, enough to supply nearly the demand for foreign exchange. This about kills the gold market, and gold, from being in the vicinity of 300 as it was a few months ago, sinks to the remarkable figure of about 150. Confederate stocks in England are going down, and Union stocks going up. Somebody is losing confidence in the rebellion. All these things point in the right direction.
Preparation of the Gospel of Peace
And let your feet be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.
Business Department.
Business Notes.
WHO is it? Some one writes from Berlin, Mich., closing $2, for books and "How to Live," but gives no name.
THE P. O. address of Elder N. Fuller is Niles, Allegany Co., N. Y.
A. R. PERKINS. We have some of Vol. 3&4, Spiritual Gifts, at the Binders to be bound in one Book. When they are received at the Office they will be advertised.
RECEIPTS.
For Review and Herald.
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the REVIEW & HERALD to which the money receipted pays. If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
W Mryman 26-18, S T Royal 26-22, Abbie Huntly 26-14, C H Barrows 27-1, M Eggleston 27-1, D S Beers 27-14, O D Jaynes 27-14, H Clark 27-14, Emily Talmadge 27-14, C Schawpp 26-1, C Daniels 27-1, C W Way 26-16, H Abbot 26-1, J Carson 27-1, W Mead 27-1, L P Merickie 27-1, Mary Hoffman 27-16, H A Dunkeson 27-1, A Worston 27-2, W E Price 26-14, E Sealy 27-1, J M Morand 26-19, Betsy Reed 27-7, A Buel 27-1, D D Haines 27-1, J P Hall 27-1, J Hull 26-1, W Price 27-1, W Russel 26-1, B F Smalley 25-16, Elder McGrew 27-1, each $1.
Geo. T Smith 28-1, Martha Lowell 27-17, C Lee 27-14, A F Wilkinson 27-14, C Smith 27-14, D Hodges 27-14, C Jensen 27-14, L C Slawson 27-14, Joel Chaffee 27-14, Asa Green 27-14, P Gibson 27-1, M L Phelps 27-7, A R Perkins 27-12, J Butcher 27-14, C B Gordon 27-11, W Raddue 28-1, Mrs P Vahue 27-18, C Sheldon 26-4, C Curry 27-1, S R Smith 27-16, B Darling 27-1, Abba Brewster 27-1, M A Brigham 27-16, Mary Ricker 28-1, J C Gregory 26-17, A W Towle 28-1, F Flanders 28-1, S Edmonds 28-1, H C Hilton 27-19, B F Curtis 27-16, Sarah Nicola 27-9, W Pierce 27-1, M Ashbaugh 28-1, each $2.
J W Rogers 26-14, R E Luce 26-14, Mary Persons 26-14, T Weliker 26-16, S H Aldrich 26-16, C S Kenyon 26-16, C Hart 26-16, C Shroder 26-16, J Pool 26-16, G Hunn 26-16, M VanHorn 26-16, T Gorton 26-16, R Marble 26-16, Nancy Jacobus 26-16, F C Ross 25-14, each 50 c.
A Blaisdell $1,50, 27-4; N Ward $2,50, in full of account, M A Clark $3, 28-17, Lucy Harris $1,50, 29-1 S Trowbridge $1,50, 28-19, L G Sprague $5, 29-1 C B Spalding 40c, 27-5, S D Barr $1,18, 27-5, J Gillet $1,50, 27-16, Melita Fletcher $1,50, 27-16, Rosaline Gillet $1,50, 27-16, Mary A Nelson $1,50, 27-16, R Covell $3, 27-2, C H T StClair $3, 28-14, N A Hollis $5, 27-1, Ann E Hurd $5, 28-1, G S West $3, 27-1.
Subscriptions at the Rate of $3,00 per year.
W Hyde $3,00, 27-1, C B Preston $1,00, 27-1, J Jones $1,00, 26-1, F Swartz $3,00, 30-6.
For Shares in the Publishing Association.
G C Preston $10,00.
Donations to Purchase a Stock of Paper.
Warren Hyde $2,00.
Cash Received on Account.
S H King $5, P Strong $5, C O Taylor $3,75, N Fuller 50c, W Morse $12, John Bostwick $8,45, P Strong for S H King $6, J B Frisbie $3,00, I D Van Horn $4,15, Joseph Clarke $10.
Books sent by Express.
S Myers, Lena, Station, Stephenson Co., Ills., $10,00. C. K. Farnsworth, Washington, N. H., $40,75. James Harvey, South Bend, Ind., $5.
Books Sent By Mail.
W S Grover $1, Wm Potter $4,40 J House 29c, P Worley 50c, H C Miller 66c, E S Faxon 46c, S D Salisbury $1, J D Hough $1, Mrs S Smith 20c, H Bingham 75c, Eld D S Kinney 63c, W B Lynch 22c, C Seaward 50c, D P Bisbee 75c, H W Moore 25c, I N Pike 25c, S R Smith $1, L J Hall $3,44, S D Smith 20c, Mrs M E Bostwick 85c, A Caldwell 20c, H Hicks 25c, A Paton 30c, Wm Cottrell $1,16, F L Sawyer $2,27.
General Conference Missionary Fund.
Church in North Jay, Me., $30,00. Church in Portland, Me., $19,79. Church in Topsham, Me., $16,92. Thomas E Thorp $10,00. Paul Folsom $4,00. Church in Woodstock, Me., $2,53. H Davis 90c. Ann E Hurd $2,22, Harriet Waggoner $10,00.