Earlier text: THE ONE HOPE;SAID an old man one day—“When I look back over the long pilgrimage of an eventful and not unsuccessful life, I can confidently say that I never did a kindness to any human being without finding myself the happier for it afterward. A single friendly act, cheerfully, pleasantly, and promptly done to a fellow-creature in trouble or difficulty, besides the good to him, has before now thrown a streak of sunshine into my heart for the remainder of the day, which I would not have taken a twenty-dollar bank note for.” If such acts of thoughtfulness and consideration and humane sympathy were performed as we “have opportunity,” the same “streak of sunshine,” the same lightening-up of the load of life, would come to both giver and receiver, until after awhile there would be sunshine all the time within us and without, dispersing physical as well as moral miasms, purifying the social and domestic atmosphere, warming the heart to still higher sympathies, and waking up the whole man to those activities which can never fail to preserve, maintain, and perpetuate mental, moral, and physical health, to a serene old age. These things are to be done at home and abroad, at the family table, the fireside, in the street, on the highway, in town, in country, by day and by night, always and everywhere, kindly and cheerily, wherever there is “opportunity;” to be done to the old and the young, to the rich and the poor, to the sick and the well, to the successful and the unfortunate, to stranger and acquaintance, to man and woman, enemy and friend, to everybody and everything that breathes the breath of life. These sunlight-giving kindnesses can be done in multitudes of cases by a word, a smile, a look. And these cost so little, why should they not be thrown broadcast over the whole surface of humanity, in princely profusion, blessing as they do the giver as well as receiver, giving gladness to both, and a quiet peace which gold could never purchase, which diamonds of the purest water and gems of richest hue could not secure for the briefest hour? Men, women, children, all, wake up from this good hour, and make the “law of love” to all human kind the polestar of life, the work, the pleasure of your human existence.—Hall's Journal of Health. FAITH, HOPE, AND CHARITY.
Faith is the marriage-knot that ties The soul to Christ forever; It is the hand that grasps the prize, And says, “I’ll yield it never.” Hope has in view the promised land, Where every prospect pleases, And whispers to the pilgrim band, “You soon shall rest with Jesus.” Love is of God, for God is love; He is the bounteous giver; The stream originates above, And flows to each believer. Church Gambling.
By Golden Censer
The Protestant Episcopal church of New York held a meeting lately to discuss the subject of church fairs, and the sinfulness of lottery gambling in connection therewith. One of the reverend gentlemen unqualifiedly condemned the raising of money for religious purposes by games of chance; but a majority of his clerical brethren differed from him, and argued that these little devices of the adversary were the only means by which the worldly-minded could be made to bear a portion of the burdens of supporting the gospel. No wonder that people become disgusted with the present-day religious professions when gospel ministers have so far departed from faith in God as to resort to such means in order to have the gospel supported. God have mercy on such preachers. Only a few weeks ago the Governor of Wisconsin was called upon to suppress, by the strong arm of the law, church gambling. Referring to this, the Rev. B. F. Booth says: “I hide my face in shame when I hear of a governor of a State being compelled to call upon the law-making department of his State to pass laws to counteract the swindling carried on, under the auspices of the church, under the names of church-fairs, festivals, and other forms of ‘pious’ church-gambling. “All this is done in the name of Christ and for his glory;” they say, “The end justifies the means.” What blasphemy, what an insult to the name of Christ! Shame upon all such schemes, designed to cheat the devil out of a few cents, but which give him a good bargain in the end. If we must have money for church purposes, let it be given fairly, honestly, without having to pass through the devil’s machinery, giving to it the odor of perdition. The world demands of the church fair dealing; and it should have it, also. And if the church wants influence over the world, let it put away its shameful practices of corruption of every kind, such as fairs, festivals, fun-lectures, pride, with every doubtful amusement; and let its banner be inscribed with honesty, peace, humility, and holiness. Then shall it have power both with God and man. Nothing shall be substituted for pious living, for this we must have. I have no objection to profession, but insist upon a correspondence between such profession and walk. A godly walk and chaste conversation must accompany such profession of piety. We need more invincibles who will “do right though the heavens should fall.” We need, must have, men and women who will walk with God. The odor of the lives of such will fill this vale of tears with the sweetest perfume. “Leaving us an example that ye shall follow his steps.” In a recent number of the Sunday School Times, H. S. Osborn, LL. D., remarks: “We are living in peculiarly dangerous times from the reading which is now brought out. At no former time in the history of our country has light reading been so much in demand as at the present day. All classes of persons—learned and ignorant, professional men, business men, educated ladies, as well as the nurse and help, the cook and the chambermaid, demand light reading—tales, stories, novels, or something exciting. I have heard it asserted that more works of this character have been sold in the past two years, than had been sold during the preceding sixty years!” He then refers to Dr. Ray, of the Butler Insane Asylum, of Providence, R. I., as attributing the increase of insanity to “excessive indulgence in the reading of the novels, and works of similar character, which have of late years swarmed from the presses of New York, Philadelphia, and Boston,” and makes this quotation from the official report. Envy: Its Destructive Power and Folly
ENVY is one of the most despicable of passions. There is scarcely a crime to which it will not lead its victims. It was envy that robbed the poor Naboth of his vineyard, and added murder to the theft. It was envy that led the guilty Absalom to desire the throne of his father David. It destroys all that is best and noblest in character. So subtle is it in its workings that we learn on the highest testimony that “envy is rottenness of the bones;” it eats out all honor and manliness; it gives sleepless nights and restless days. Moreover, envy is utterly useless; it helps nobody, it effects no alteration, it wins no goal. As we read in Job, “It slayeth the silly one;” and all sensible people must feel that there is marvelous silliness in envy. “The Signs of the Times.”
THE Reformed Presbyterians have, on the occasions of their annual assemblies, a regular committee on “The Signs of the Times.” Their assembly met here last week, and this committee made its report, of which the following is an abstract:— The committee on the Signs of the Times would respectfully report: The Lord reigneth. He is executing the purpose of his heart with reference to our world in his providential rule of it. Upon a glorious high throne Immanuel sits, directing all things to the issues contemplated in the eternal counsels. 1. We behold a shocking, alarming destruction of human life by outright murder and assassination, and by the carelessness of builders and public carriers, etc. 2. A dreadful prevalence of drunkenness and all the causes which lead to impurity and divorce. 3. A wide-spread prevalence of the disregard of those civil laws which have a reference to moral conduct. 4. Our day witnesses a more thoroughly organized, and bold and persistent opposition to Christianity in all its ramifications. 5. We witness the persistent attempts of Romanism to establish itself more firmly in our land. 6. These are times of agitation in the church—agitation upon matters that seem to affect our vital interests. 7. A lowering of the tone of Christian consistency. 8. The advancement of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9. We behold progress in the effort to move our nation to an acknowledgment of its proper relations to God. 10. The church of God in her various branches is coming together. Now our puzzles in contemplating this long array of “signs” are two in number, but one in kind. First, when we look at the preamble of this report and see the joyous and cheerful sentiment with which it begins, and then glance down at the doleful signs that follow, we are astonished; and, secondly, when we have read the first seven signs, which seem to intimate that everything is going to destruction, and then read the eighth sign, which asserts that “Christ’s kingdom is advancing,” we are fairly astounded. If the subject were not so solemn, these palpable contradictions would be amusing. As they are, they are terribly perplexing, and we wish the committee would make another report and show how to harmonize its conflicting signs, for we are sure we cannot “discern” them without their exposition.—Pittsburg Leader, May 25, 1873. A SLEEPLESS night, or a severe attack of dyspepsia, may change the history of the world. It may disturb the brain of a statesman, and overturn his wisest plans. It may distract a general in the crisis of a great campaign, and bring on a fatal defeat. Some apology may be made for the disastrous overthrow of Napoleon in the late war with Prussia on the ground of ill health. The physicians say the disease which brought on his death was then seated in him, clouding his judgment and paralyzing his energy. He could not examine the probabilities of success with the same care as formerly. He could not concentrate his powers to win success. His cabinet and generals were perplexed by his hesitation and frequent changes of plans. He seemed to have no well-defined purpose, and no energy to act with promptness. His disease explains the matter. He was no longer himself. The brain and the will were both weakened, and failure was sure. Life, Greed, and Christian Dependence: Brief Reflections
OUR brains are seventy-year clocks. The angel of life winds them up once for all, then closes the case, and gives the key into the hand of the angel of the resurrection. THE avaricious man is like the barren, sandy desert, which sucks in all the rains with greediness, but yields no fruitful herbs for the good of others. THE life of a Christian is a life of dependence, obedience, suffering, and of patience. Ohio Camp-Meeting.
By George I. Butler
We reached the camp-ground Thursday at 11 A. M., and found the people generally there waiting for us. Though somewhat weary from past labor, and riding all night in the cars, yet we commenced at once our efforts to lead forward the people in the good work in which we are engaged. There seemed to be a ready response and a willingness to be instructed. The friends of the cause in Ohio have, in some respects, been unfortunate, not having laborers in their midst who could give their time and strength to the work. They have had other gifts from other States, sent to their aid; but much of the time they have not had that labor in their midst that they needed, and their tent has not been run as it otherwise would have been. Besides this, years in the past, discouragements were brought upon the minds of the brethren by the course of some. These and other causes have left things not in as encouraging a shape as they might be. But I could see no reason why the friends of the cause there did not feel like doing their duty as well as elsewhere. There was a readiness to speak in the meetings quite gratifying, and also to regard the wants of the cause, and I could discern no feeling of drawing off from the body or anything like rebellion. Our preaching was practical, excepting on Sunday, and designed to show what we must be, in order to stand in the Judgment, and of course when our lives are compared closely with the holy principles of God's law, defects will be discovered in them, and a plenty of them too. The way to get out of this condition of things into the light, was also dwelt upon. By Sabbath day, there was a very solemn state of feeling among those who had come to share the benefits of the meeting. Nearly all present rose for prayers, and I do not think I have seen in any camp-meeting, this season or last, as much earnestness manifested as here. Whether this will work permanent good results or not cannot be told. There seems to be in Ohio, as well as in some other States, an element among the people, caused possibly by the teaching of some denominations, or the prevalence of no-law, no-spirit sentiments, which makes it hard to get the people to feel the importance of heartfelt religion. A cold-hearted, theoretical, head religion seems best to accord with the views and feelings of the people. It is to be feared that this sentiment will cause the eternal loss of thousands of people. Somehow, close, searching, practical religion don't seem to stick; their coat of mail being so firm around their hearts. But nothing else will do but to break in somewhere with such truths as God has given us in his word, showing how people ought to live and must live to inherit eternal life. The keenest and most polished shafts in the Lord's armory are needed to break through the icy bonds and if possible cause a feeling of danger. The debating spirit must be routed, and feelings of love, tenderness, and a hungering and thirsting after righteousness created, or eternal ruin will be the consequence. We labored in our preaching as well as we knew how in this direction, with some encouraging symptoms of success. All day Monday we labored to deepen the impression upon the hearts of the people, made during the previous days of the meeting. More than the usual proportion of brethren and sisters stayed till the very close of the meeting, which was an encouraging feature. Sunday, there was a large crowd of people present from the surrounding country, some of whom gave good attention to the word spoken. Some over $4,000 were subscribed for the school by this Conference, a large part of it at this meeting, the brethren coming up and taking hold with an increase of interest in this enterprise. The business matters of the Conference and T. and M. society were attended to, Bro. Oliver Mears being elected president of each, and invited, by the Conference, to travel among the churches as much as in his judgment would be best for the interest of the cause. The Conference also passed a resolution inviting Eld. E. B. Lane to come and labor in their midst, if in the judgment of the General Conference Committee it would be best. Quite a number would have been baptized at this meeting had a fair opportunity been offered by the circumstances of the case. We were much annoyed at intervals between our meetings by an individual who goes around from place to place preaching in the street, and wherever he can collect a crowd about him. Not being altogether acquainted with his tactics, and hardly expecting he would carry matters as far as he did, we did not avail ourselves of the only means offered to put a stop to his ungentlemanly and unchristian behavior by summoning an officer and obliging him to leave us in peace. From what we can learn, he goes from place to place, with no other object than to thus interfere with those who are gathered on their own premises, to peacefully attend to their own business. We can see no good reason why one man should thus be permitted to come in and annoy several hundred people, who have come together at their own expense and for one object, by forcing himself in against earnest protest. Should such a case occur again, I should feel perfectly justified in calling an officer and walking the gentleman off, believing the law to be made for the “lawless and disobedient.” This was the only one of our camp-meetings I ever attended where any such disturbance occurred, and most of this was Sunday, when it was too late to do anything. We know this is a very delicate point with many of our people, appealing to the law. But a little common sense in this world is a fine thing, and if anybody can see any in tolerating a person who goes round the country wherever he hears of a gathering, forcing himself in, contrary to proper regulations, and getting upon a stump and calling about him a rabble of disorderly elements, and dealing out slurs and such things as would keep up a commotion, and destroy all solemnity and religious feeling, they can see more than I can. We invite people to our gatherings, decent people, who come to hear what we have to say, and see our behavior. If we thus ask such people, we are under obligations from self-respect, love to the cause, and proper regard to them, to have things quiet and orderly, and no man has any moral right to break in and interfere with our quiet on our own ground. If he wants to draw a crowd, let him go and get one together if he can. What right has he to come in under such circumstances and break into other people's arrangements, gotten up at their own expense, more than he has to go into a man's barn and take his horse and use him? I made up my mind this time if ever another such case should occur in any meeting with which I had responsibility, the first thing I should do would be to tell such an individual that he could depend upon one of two things—either he must leave us in quiet, or he would be brought to quiet. I don't believe that God is glorified, good men are edified, or that the individual is benefited, by tolerating such behavior. I say these things because an important principle is involved; not because any personal feeling exists in my heart. Some principle must be acted upon in such cases. Doubtless there will be more of them. I am one of the last men that would be for appealing to the law upon any little matter; but where a person persistently comes in, and for days insists on breaking into arrangements where no one wants to hear him, for his own gratification, I would respectfully suggest that he becomes a nuisance that should be abated. For one, I should be for abating it. I am, of course, alone responsible for these sentiments, and ask no other person to sanction them unless he sees good reason. Kokomo, Ind., Sept., 17, 1873. Which Is Denying the Faith?
By R. F. Cottrell
Our faith is that the time is come for the last message of the gospel to be proclaimed; that this message is to be proclaimed with a loud voice, that is, it is not to be “done in a corner,” but the sound must go into all the earth, or, at least, to “many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings,” so that it shall be a fair warning and final test to mankind. This work had a very small beginning, about a quarter of a century ago, as did the beginning of the gospel of the Son of God, when a few humble fishermen of Galilee were sent out to proclaim it. And though faith was strong that God would, in some way, accomplish the work, few realized the magnitude of the work which he would accomplish through ordinary instrumentalities and human agency. Probationary time was justly viewed as being very short; but the conclusion drawn from this premise by different individuals was quite unlike. One reasoned like this: Time is short; therefore anything that looks like permanency, as the building of meeting-houses or offices of publication and the purchasing of steam presses, is a denial of the faith. Others reasoned thus: Time is short; the work of warning the world is before us; therefore investing our means to push forward this work, instead of hoarding them to be consumed on our hands without doing any good, is the best testimony to the world that we believe what we say we do. Now which is the right conclusion? and which is a denial of the faith? Time is short. The salvation of a single soul is of inestimable value. Other souls are as dear to God and to themselves as myself. Jesus says, “Ye are the light of the world.” Shall we spare our labors and withhold our means? or shall we hold up the light? Noah did not deny the faith by investing his thousands in the building of the ark; but by it he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Action is the best proof of the sincerity of our faith. There have been those who have murmured and held back at every advance in the work, and frequently the objection is that the move is a denial of our faith. Time, say they, is too short to engage in this work. This class have had time and opportunity to correct their error. But still, with them, their objection holds good, and is presented anew at every step of progress. About the time that we were building our first brick publishing office, a good brother in Pennsylvania told me he thought that time was too short to engage in such a work. My reply was that we had a great work to do to publish the last message to the world, and time was too short to do it without additional facilities. He had a good share of this world's goods; but time was too short to invest it in publishing the truth to save souls; while he was not alarmed for fear it would perish unused on the hands of a slothful servant, who, viewing men on the brink of ruin, withheld the means to warn them of their danger. The logic of these persons is unequaled by any example I have met with save one. About 1855, I visited a certain doctor in Buffalo, N. Y., who was a leading man among the timeists, and has since been an editor of a paper devoted to publishing definite time for the advent. I presented the true Sabbath to him and convinced him of his duty to keep it; and he kept it for about three weeks, as he afterwards told me. But he had given it up, and why? The Lord, he said, was coming within a year, and consequently time was too short to undertake to make the change! still admitting that the seventh-day Sabbath is binding. Brethren, if our position is true—if the Lord is at hand and we have the last message of mercy to mankind—which no believing student of prophecy and observer of the signs of the times can deny, let us act as if we believe it. We have a great work to do, by the help of God, and but little time in which to do it. Let us with renewed consecration to God take hold of the work as we have not heretofore, and press forward with earnestness and zeal corresponding to the importance of the issues before us. May God help us to work in his cause till the work is done. R. F. Cottrell. Brief Moralities.
By J. Clarke
THE Christian is a growing character; consequently, you must not view his failings and infirmities as fixed. What you see in him to-day, it may be you will never see in him again. He is daily putting off the old or the carnal man, and is putting on the new man, that is, he is putting on Christ. To be zealous in the propagation of a correct theory or principle, while indifferent to the vital principles of godliness, such as faith, hope, charity, humility, is, in fact, holding the truth in unrighteousness. The Christian graces must exist in a cluster or they will not thrive. One of them alone, or all the others together, lacking one, soon fade and die; but, together, they strengthen and nourish each other, and become an Eden in the heart. There is no danger so great, to which the church is exposed, as that pointed out in Matt. 5:42-46. It is well for us that God is more just, more merciful and forbearing, more liberal and far-seeing than any of his creatures; infinitely more good and powerful; infinitely better, more full of grace, than the best of his creatures. The three graces spoken of in Rev. 3:18, the fine gold, the white raiment, and the eye-salve, are placed in proper order. Neither of the two last can, by any means, precede the first, nor can the third precede the second; for the second is a consequence of the first, and the third comes in as a reward of the first and second. The right performance of duty, on the part of the Christian, is becoming and often admirable; but the Christian has no particular idea of this in his motive, for when he seeks to gain admiration, he wins contempt. True beauty is oftenest unconscious of its own existence. The omission of a qualifying word, necessary to the sense of a contract or treaty, has often ruined individuals and nations; so the omission of a single element in the formation of character has ruined many a soul. The greatest men, who have honored their times by lives of usefulness, have been remarkable for their methodical use of and proper division of the time allotted them in this life. Amid the many and pressing duties of life, nothing is more apparent than the shortness of life, the brief time in which to perform its active duties. Shall the Christian be careless in his use of the time given him, and shall it not be applied systematically to works of piety? Custom and Conscience.
By R. F. Cottrell
CUSTOM seems to be stronger than conscience. The judgment being convinced by the most explicit testimony, in vain the appeal is made to conscience to adopt a course of conduct that is contrary to custom. This is the case with multitudes of seemingly good people and professed Christians. They profess to follow the teachings of the Bible; but the plainest revealed requirement of duty is of no effect, if it be contrary to the custom of the times in which they have received their education. Take the Sabbath as an example. God says, The seventh day is the Sabbath; custom says the first; and tradition says it is so, because Christ arose on the first day of the week. To obey God is out of fashion, and his word, reason, and conscience plead in vain. In answer to the question, Are there few that be saved? Jesus replied, Strive to enter. . . . Many shall seek to enter, but shall not be able. He also teaches that many will be disappointed in the coming day; will come to that time self-deceived, and instead of a welcome, will hear the word, Depart. And as in the plan of salvation as revealed, repentance of sin and obedience to God’s commandments is made a condition, it is not wonderful, viewing men as they are, that the number of the saved should be very small. We do not see how men are to be saved, according to the revealed plan, without repentance. No doubt God is merciful to the ignorant and the erring; but when men read their duty in his word in the plainest terms, and then, because custom is averse, go directly contrary to that word, we do not see how they can be saved, and at the same time God’s word be vindicated, and his government honored. And yet men, seemingly good men, hope to be saved going with the multitude, whether right or wrong. Awake, O conscience! and assert the right. Let the word of God be honored, if it be at the expense of custom and gray tradition. Men’s souls are in jeopardy! Let them be aroused and listen to the voice of conscience, a conscience enlightened by the word of truth. If all that know what God requires would do it, multitudes would be converted to the truth. To teach men what is truth and duty is but a small task compared with that of persuading them to do as well as they know. Many are very ignorant of the Bible, and want enlightening. But with many, it is not light that they need so much as the Spirit of truth to move them to action. Oh! that God would pour his Spirit upon his servants, that their labors may be effectual in saving some from coming self-deceived to the Judgment! Brethren, we have the truth, the “present truth”—the truth for the present time. But it is a baptism into the sanctifying power of the truth which we need and must have, in order to awaken and save men. Theoretical arguments are good in their place, but without the awakening power of the Spirit of God to arouse the conscience, and move men to action, all will be in vain; and men will go on indulging a vain hope that they are approved of God, while disobeying his word, till the Judgment shall undeceive them, tearing away the flimsy vail that has covered them, and instead of, “Come, ye blessed,” which they fondly hope to hear, with consternation they listen to the tremendous words, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” O my soul, what will be thy portion in that day? Wilt thou save thyself and those that hear thee? or will custom rule, conscience be smothered, and the blood of souls be found on thy garments? Help, Lord, help! and save helpless souls that are sinking to everlasting ruin. R. F. COTTRELL. “Till my change come.” Job. 14:14. It is of resurrection-change that the patriarch here speaks. That was his hope as well as ours. Not death and the grave; but life, resurrection-glory, and the standing of his Redeemer on the earth. As he, in those early days of dim twilight, longed for his Lord’s appearing and the resurrection of the just, so let us in these last days, “for He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.” “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be CHANGED.” Blessed hope! Then these vile bodies shall pain no more. All shall be incorruption and immortality.—Christian Treasury. Enjoying Mercies Through God's Loving Hand
We can only truly enjoy our mercies as we see in them the hand of a God of love. WHERE there is no reverence there is no godliness. Where seriousness and holy awe are in feeble exercise, there the “powers of the world to come” are feebly operative. But how deplorable are the examples presented every week of the absence of this sentiment from the pulpit. We can hardly believe the types which thus spell out for us in the newspapers the words of irreverence and of flippant nonsense which are substituted for the gospel of Jesus Christ in some of the pulpits of our land. The great reforms so needful now-a-days must begin at the altars of God. Let the priests cease to offer strange and unhallowed fire. Let them cultivate in their own experience and speech that reverence which their people must feel if they are to be spiritually elevated. And we apprehend that the shortest road to reverence will be found in a more scrupulous adherence to Bible truths. Let the pulpit be occupied with important themes; let sin, righteousness, and a judgment to come fill the mind of the preacher, and we will read of no laughter, no applause. Let substantial doctrines be preached, and we shall not be shamed by reading in the Monday papers such dreary columns of politics, personalities, and things bordering on the profane. Bats fly at night because the light is gone. Frivolity fills the mind because reverence is not there. Would it were possible to bring the shadow of God's presence over the mind of every popular preacher. We should soon see the effects in a better type of godliness throughout the church. “Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.”—The Presbyterian.