Publishing Committee · ROCHESTER, N. Y. · Sep 20, 1853
THE TRUE INHERITANCE OF THE SAINTS.
By J. N. Andrews
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Matt. v, 5.
So says the dear Saviour, and so said the Holy Spirit by the sweet psalmist in Israel. Ps. xxxvii, 11. This then is a promise of God, given by his Spirit, and ratified by his Son Jesus Christ. Who then will say, this promise will never be consummated? Many, my kind reader, have said what is tantamount to a denial of this promise, or to an unbelief in its fulfillment.
The kings of the earth have opposed it, and will as long as the devil is prince of the power of the air, and ruler over the children of disobedience in the earth. The great men and mighty men of the earth, have, and will oppose this glorious promise, so long as the world is governed by physical force, and war, rapine, and lust are the instruments of power. The proud clergy will oppose this good promise, as long as they seek to please men, to lord it over the heritage of God, to obtain notoriety over their fellows; or to gratify their lust by sanctimonious names or titles, which our Saviour forbade his followers to receive, or wear.
All impenitents will oppose it, so long as they possess reason or judgment: for they well know if none but the meek should inherit the earth, they themselves must be thrust out: and this is the very reason why a certain class of men never quote this text to prove universal salvation; because their reason tells them that shame would mantle their cheek with a blush, to claim this appellation for all men.
Then let me discuss my subject in the following order:
I. I will inquire, Who are the meek?
II. What earth is promised as their inheritance? And when, and how, this blessing will be accomplished?
I. Who are the meek? They are not the proud Pharisees, who think themselves better than others; for this would be a contradiction of terms.—To say a proud man is a meek man, would be putting evil for good, and I should meet with the wo pronounced by the prophet Isaiah. (Chap. v, 20.) "Wo unto them that say concerning evil, it is good." And the wise man says, Prov. xvi, 5, "Every one that is proud in heart, is an abomination to the Lord." It cannot be a bigoted man; for the prophet has pronounced a solemn wo against all such. Isa. v, 21: "Wo unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight."
It cannot be to those who are seeking honor of men, or one of another; for Christ says of such, "But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you." It cannot be those who are fond of titles, love the uppermost rooms at feasts, chief seats in the assemblies, greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Doctor, Doctor, or Rabbi, Rabbi; for Jesus says of the like, "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Matt. xxiii, 1-23. Who then can it be? you may inquire; for there is no sect in Christendom, at the present day, but are seeking for the honors and emoluments of the world. I acknowledge your charge is apparently just, but not universally true. As it respects the leaders and most active men, as the world would judge, in all the sects of Christendom, I fear your objection would hold good in the main; and the reason is plain: meekness is modesty; it "vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up;" and, of course, in the bustle of the present day, meekness would not be found in the world's first ranks. It is only in a time of severe trial, or great persecution, that you will discover the meek man in the front rank; and then he "doth not behave unseemly, seeketh not his own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil."
Therefore, not many mighty, nor many noble, or rich, will be found in the company of the meek, in such a time as this. Yet God has reserved, in my opinion, more than seven thousand, who have not bowed the knee to Baal, (the god of honor.)—But, who are the meek? I answer, Christ was meek, as he tells us: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls."—Again; "Behold thy king cometh unto thee, meek," &c. Christ, also, has the same promise from the Father, [Ps. ii, 8.] "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." The children, which are born of the Spirit of God, are meek, because they possess the same spirit which was in Christ. Isa. xxix, 19.—"The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." Those who are given to Christ by the Father, are called the meek. Ps. xxii, 26, 30, 31. "The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise the Lord that seek him; your heart shall live forever. A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this." Those who obey the commandments of God. Ps. xxv, 9, 10. "The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies." Those who obtain salvation through faith, and are saved from wrath in the day of the Lord's vengeance. Ps. lxxvi, 9.—"When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth." In one word, the meek are penitent, humble followers of Christ—obedient in word and doctrine—lovers of truth and righteousness, of a contrite spirit, a broken heart, and a reconciled mind to God; a poor and a persecuted people, hated by the world, despised of men, but chosen of God, and precious.
And now, my friend, where shall we go to find such a people as this? There is a people somewhere on the earth that will answer to the description of character given by our blessed Master in Matt. v, 3-12, inclusive, or the promise of God would be of no effect. What sect or denomination shall we visit, to find a people of this description? Let us go to the Baptist—a sect to which the writer belongs. What do we see? A people "poor in spirit?"—If so, they are making great efforts not to remain so much longer; for they are seeking anxiously for a good share of worldly goods and popular applause, and are very successful in their calling, in those things. Do they "mourn?" Yes, for the want of more riches and honors of this world. Are they "meek?" Many of them would blush to claim that appellation. Do they "hunger and thirst after righteousness?" I fear many of us are hungering and thirsting after the wisdom of the world, and to favor tyrants and slaveholders, more than to seek righteousness and truth. Will they show mercy? Not if you differ with them in the least article of their creed, or oppose the least of their popular schemes of the present day. But are they not pure in heart? Dare they claim this grace? No; unless a man can claim it, while his heart is full of self-love, a love of the world, and pride, avariciousness and covetousness. Surely you will give them some praise as a sect. Are they not peace-makers; and may they not be called the children of God? They make no peace with one another, nor with other sects, if they cross their path. They plead for, and support war as a sect; and I would be very thankful to know in what sense they can be called peace-makers at the present day. Are they not "persecuted for righteousness' sake?"—If they are, then to be persecuted, is not what I have supposed persecution meant: but this, as a sect, they will not, dare not claim.
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake." May they not claim this blessing as a sect? Where is the world saying all manner of evil against the Baptists? If we should claim this, the world would have reason to call us liars.
To what sect shall we go, where we may find the meek? To Presbyterians? No, no, say all the other sects, they cannot be the meek; for they are much more anxious to obtain good names from men, and honors of the world. Yes, yes, none seek for these things more. They cannot be the meek. And if we should give them the preference, still there is a difficulty, we cannot well surmount;—there are two parties there; and until they make peace, we could not call them meek; I refer to the old school, and the new school.
Where shall we find the meek? for they must inherit the earth. Shall we find them in the Church of England? Methinks I hear a rush, and all the other sects cry out, at once, no, no. Why, what's the matter now? Shame, shame, to call them meek. They do not even pretend to have their members all born of the Spirit; and if pride,82if this 'laying by in store' was not a gathering, a collection of money by the church for the poor saints, no such collection was taken, and Paul forbade it and commanded each individual to lay up for himself on the first day all that he had made the previous week? No; the meaning is obvious: the churches in those places were accustomed to meet on the first day of the week, and Paul directed them to make their collections for the poor saints at Jerusalem at their meetings on that day, so that the money would be ready for him to take when he should come and apply it to the object for which it had been contributed.'
Before presenting the words of the Review to which you refer, a brief statement may be to the point:
1. Instead of referring to the language of the Review that 'this laying by in store' was by 'each one at his own house.' Why did you not dare to introduce and explain the language of Paul that settles this point? He says expressly, 'Upon the first day of the week let every one of you LAY BY HIM in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.' This language is explicit, and is exactly the reverse of placing what they had to give in one common stock. Those who should thus, from week to week, lay by themselves, would have their bounty ready at the coming of Paul.
2. Even the Doway (Romish) Bible is explicit on this: 'On the first day of the week let every one of you put apart with himself, laying up what it shall well please him; that when I come, the gatherings be not then to be made.'
3. Sometime since I attended an Advent meeting, where a public collection was taken. As the hat was passed round and each threw in what he saw fit, the following question proposed itself: Are 'each one' of these persons 'LAYING BY HIM' in store, or are they doing exactly the reverse of this? I submit the question to yourself for an answer.
4. Your remark that if the Review is correct, Paul forbade the collecting of money for the poor saints, and commanded each to lay up for himself, is utterly destitute of foundation in truth, as the words of the Review will show. They are as follows:
'The text quoted above [1 Cor. xvi, 2] does not, to be sure, prove that the people might not have gone to meeting AFTER every one had laid by him in store, though it does not even intimate any thing of the kind, but it does prove that at the time when this injunction, every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, should be obeyed, each must be at his own home!! Having done this they could, when Paul should come, each take to him what they had gathered, as easily as we can take our Bibles with us to meeting. There would be nothing ostentatious about this manner of acting. Public contributions were forbidden by our Lord. Matt. vi. 3, 4. 'But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth; that thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.' Paul did not contradict this injunction of our Lord, nor does he even seem so to do. (We would commend the direction of Paul to conscientious observers of the fourth commandment.) 'Thus easily,' as J. B. Cook remarks, 'is ALL the wind taken from the sails of those who sail, perhaps unwittingly, under the Pope's Sabbath's flag.'
This uses up all the inferences presented by C. with which to construct a first-day institution out of apostolic 'preference.' If C. be still bent on doing this, we now suggest that 'the successor to the chief Apostle' can furnish any amount of evidence desired. ('The Catholic church commands all her children to keep the Sunday, and the festivals of the saints.')—The Sabbath of the Elders rests(?) upon a rolling pebble; the Sabbath of Jehovah rests upon a solid ROCK. They are now submitted for choice. 1 Kings xviii, 21."
And now in conclusion, May I not be allowed to invite you to throw away, entirely and for ever, this 'rag of the Mother of harlots,' and to embrace and delight in the Sabbath of Jehovah, which he hallowed for man at Creation?
J. N. ANDREWS.
Port Byron, Cayuga Co., N. Y., June, '52.
THE DESIRE.
DANIEL's wisdom may I know,
Stephen's faith and patience show;
John's divine communion feel,
Moses' meekness, Joshua's zeal.
Run like the unwearied Paul,
Win the race, and conquer all.
Mary's love may I possess,
Lydia's tender-heartedness.
Peter's ardent spirit feel,
James' faith, by works, reveal.
Like young Timothy, may I,
Every sinful passion fly.
Job's submission let me know,
David's true devotion show.
Samuel's call, O, may I hear,
Lazarus' happy portion share.
Let Isaiah's hallowed fire,
All my new-born soul inspire.
Mine be Jacob's wrestling prayer,
Gideon's valiant steadfast care
Joseph's purity impart,
Isaac's meditating heart.
Abraham's friendship, let me prove,
Faithful to the God I love.
Most of all, may I pursue,
That example Jesus drew;
In my life and conduct show
How he lived and died below.
Day by day through grace bestowed,
Imitate my dearest Lord.
Then shall I those worthies meet;
With them bow at Jesus' feet.
With them praise the God I love;
With them share the joys above.
With them range the blissful shore:
Meet them all, to part no more.
B A B Y L O N.
In our last we gave some reasons for believing that the nominal churches of the present day are the Babylon of Rev. xiv, 8; xviii, 2, and that her fall is a moral change, and not her final destruction. We now design to point out that fall, and show that Rev. xiv, 8 and xviii, 1—4, do not represent one and the same message, but that Chap. xiv, 8 applies in the past, and that the message of Chap. xviii, 1—4 is yet to be given.
The second angel of Rev. xiv, merely announces the fall of Babylon, while the angel of Chap. xviii, "having great power," not only declares her fall, but also the fact of her becoming "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird," after her fall.—The fact that she is thus filled with corruption, after her fall, is sufficient proof that her fall is merely a moral change for the worse, and not her final destruction.
We have only to compare the present condition of the churches with their state of spirituality ten years since, to see that a change has come over them. This no candid person will deny who has had any connection with, or knowledge of them.
Look back but ten years, and there you will see many powerful revivalists traveling from city to city and from town to town, laboring with their might for the conversion of sinners, laying the gospel axe at the root of the tree, according to what light they had, and God blessing their labors with the conversion of thousands. Where are those revivalists now? Answer: They are, perhaps, settled pastors of churches, and preach year after year without seeing one real conversion.—Or, it may be that they have entered business for a livelihood or wealth. This we do know, that an entire change has taken place relative to them.
Just take a view of the efforts put forth by the different sects, ten years since, for the conversion of perishing sinners. Protracted meetings were held by them for days and weeks in succession. The most spiritual ministers were obtained to preach, even if they were not educated and popular. A minister filled with the Holy Ghost, one that would arouse the people, was what was wanted then. The traveler, journeying the distance of fifty miles, at the season of the year when such meetings were most common, might pass five or six places of worship crowded by hundreds anxiously seeking the Lord.—Prayer-meetings held in almost every neighborhood, and in many places, almost or quite every evening in the week.—Not only ministers, but many of the most active members of the churches, visited from place to place, and from house to house, doing what they could to save souls. The voice of prayer was heard almost everywhere. It was heard not only from the house of worship and the family circle, but shops, barns and groves resounded with earnest petitions from those who hungered and thirsted for righteousness.
Ministers preached with simplicity and power, old saints wept and poured forth the fullness of their souls like young converts, while those who had just tasted the love of Jesus sweetly spoke forth his praise.
Now compare these facts with the present state of things.—Protracted meetings are seldom held, and when they are held, no one reports that much, (if anything,) is accomplished.—And whatever excitement is raised, it generally dies away so very soon that it proves itself to be human excitement, and not the work of Holy Ghost. Many that were the most successful reformation preachers have given up preaching.—Prayer-meetings seldom held, and then but very few to attend them. Family altars broken down, and the voice of prayer seldom heard only by the minister at church. In fact, religion has become a mere form with the churches of the day, destitute of vital godliness. It has ceased to be an every-day matter, being confined almost entirely to Sunday. And if the soul-damning sin of pride can be found on the face of the earth, it may be seen in the display of Sunday worship.
Those who will look at these facts in their true light will agree with us that the churches have fallen. Most of their own members will acknowledge this, though they know not the cause. This is all we contend for, relative to the fall of Babylon, that it is a fall from a measure of spirituality, to a state of lifeless formality. Having a form of godliness, but destitute of the Holy Spirit.
Mark this: We do not take the ground that the churches became Babylon by falling, but, while divided by their different creeds, holding such a confusion of doctrines, having separate interests, and united with the world, they were always worthy of the name Babylon. God has had people there, and has ever blest the labors of the spiritual and humble though in Babylon. This fact does not prove that the "mixture or confusion" of the churches is according to the gospel, or that they are not Babylon.
The correct view of the events represented by the angels of Rev. xiv, will help to an understanding of the cause of this change in the churches. The angel with the everlasting gospel, proclaiming the hour [period] of the judgment come, delivers his message to these churches, but they reject it. The message being from heaven, the rejection of it grieves away from them the Holy Spirit, and they are left in their present fallen condition.
Here let it be understood that the whole Advent body once applied this angel as we now do; but to get rid of other truths which naturally follow from this position, some carry the angels of Rev. xiv back hundreds of years, while others carry them forward into the age to come, after the Lord comes.—But the proclamation of the Advent in our day being a perfect fulfillment of this angel's message in all its parts, we are satisfied to still believe, on this point, as the whole body once believed.
"We would have healed Babylon," says the Prophet, "but she would not be healed." Jer. li, 9. Read the whole chapter. The medicine designed for her cure was the first angel's message of Rev. xiv. But as she refused this, the only thing that could lead her of her confusion of sectarianism, and love of the world, she has fallen. As proof that the Advent message was just calculated to heal Babylon, see its effects upon those who received it. Ministers and people, from all the different denominations, who embraced the Advent faith, laid aside their different tenets, and united perfectly on the great, important truth of the Advent, and thus they formed the Philadelphia church, the church of Brotherly Love.
God's people, who joyfully received this message from heaven, were many of them in the churches. Their testimony on the Advent was not received, and while thus bound, longing and struggling for freedom, the second angel, saying, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen," was heard by them. They then saw the condition of these churches, that they were Babylon, and that they had fallen, and thousands burst the cords that bound them to the sects, and they were free to rejoice in the blessed hope. About this time fasts were proclaimed in many of the churches for the return of the Holy Spirit, but we have never heard, neither have we reason to believe, that it ever returned.
We give the following which we copy from the Voice of Truth of September, 1844, which gives some idea of the alarm some felt on account of the sudden departure of the Holy Spirit, from which they have since recovered, and have fallen into a perpetual sleep.
"A late number of the Congregational Journal remarks as follows:
'CHURCH OF THE REV. ALBERT BARNES.—At a recent meeting of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, Rev. Mr. Barnes, pastor of the 1st Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, whose notes are so extensively read in our families and Sabbath schools, stated, that he had been in the ministry, for twenty years, and never, till the last communion had he administered the ordinance without receiving more or less to the church. But now there are no awakenings, no conversions, not much apparent growth in grace in professors, and none come to his study to converse about the salvation of their souls. With the increase of business, and the brightening prospects of commerce and manufactures, there is an increase of worldly-mindedness.—Thus it is with all denominations.'"
"Thus it is with all denominations," and will they deny the charge? Let them speak for themselves."
'The Puritan (Orthodox) of this city, (Boston) not long since informed its readers that there had not been known such a state of coldness for some twenty years. Zion's Herald made a similar statement, and endeavored to fix the blame upon "Millerism;" and we have been told that at the recent protracted meeting held by Mr. Knapp, at the Tremont Baptist (Mr. Colver's) church, the failure was ascribed to the same cause.'—Ad. Herald.
'The Christian Palladium for May 15th speaks in the following mournful strains:
'In every direction we hear the dolorous sound, wafting upon every breeze of heaven, chilling as the blasts from the icebergs of the north—settling like an incubus on the breasts of the timid, and drinking up the energies of the weak; that lukewarmness, division, anarchy and desolation are distressing the borders of Zion. Perhaps it is so. What then? Do we well, like the howling women of ancient days, to rend our flesh—our hair, and fill the whole atmosphere with our wailings?'
'It is but a few passing months since the whole extent of our wide spread country, rang with triumphant peals of joy borne upon the wings of numerous religious periodicals, and spontaneously overflowing from every Christian heart. Not a lip but was shouting the victories of the cross, or joining in the triumphant songs of the redeemed. And is the whole scene now so changed?'"
The following is from the Circleville, Ohio, Religious Telescope, which we copy from the Voice of Truth for January, 1845.
'GREAT SPIRITUAL DEARTH.—It is a lamentable fact, from which we cannot shut our eyes, that the churches of this country are now suffering severely on account of the great83
But it is evident that God will cleanse the world by fire, before he reigns with his saints, or the meek, on earth. See Matt. iii, 12: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, (the earth,) and gather his wheat (children of the kingdom) into the garner: (New Jerusalem:) but he will burn up the chaff (the wicked) with unquenchable fire." This is evidently the same burning day that Peter describes as at the coming of Christ. 2 Peter iii, 10-12: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, (or men of the earth,) and the works therein, shall be burnt up." Not the globe; for if Peter had meant the globe, there would have been no propriety in mentioning the works in the globe, after the globe itself was burnt. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness."
The meek are not yet the inheritors of the earth; for it is the present inhabitants that are commanded to be "looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens, being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." The elements of the earth are air, fire and water; these will be so overpowered by fire, as to melt with fervent heat. As water once overpowered the earth, and destroyed all living from the face of it, except those who were prepared for it; so will fire overpower the earth, and burn up all living, that have not the "form of the fourth" with them. And after that, the heavens and earth will be new as they were after the flood. And the meek will inherit the earth forever. One more evidence I will bring, that the wicked must be cut off from the earth before the meek shall inherit it. Ps. xxxvii, 10, 11: "For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." In this passage, we are clearly taught that when the meek inherit the earth, there will be no wicked on the earth. Then this must be after Christ's coming; for Paul tells us, [2 Thess. ii, 8.] "And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
So it will be impossible to find any time between now and the coming of Christ, but there will be wicked on the earth; and afterwards, you shall diligently search for his place on earth, and it cannot be found. Where then is the temporal millennium? Or where shall we find the unconverted Jew or wicked heathen in this reign of the meek; for thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be. Again; Ps. xxxvii, 22: "For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off."—Blessed are the meek, says the dear Saviour.—Again, verse 34: "Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."—What shall we see? We shall see the meek inherit the land, when the wicked are cut off. And when shall that be? Paul says, "Whom the Lord shall destroy by the brightness of his coming."—David says, [verse 38.] "But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off." Christ tells us, [Matt. xiii, 30.] "Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."
How exactly all the Scriptures harmonize in this view of our subject! And take any other view, and difficulties meet us in every step. I would ask, why are men so loath to look at our subject? And why do the dear servants of Christ put off the examination of this subject until it will be forever too late? I adjure you, as you love my Master, as you love souls, as you love truth, examine these precious promises. If I am correct, you certainly must see that the doctrine of a temporal millennium, or of the Jew's return, are and will be the cause of sinking thousands to endless ruin. I know you preach immediate repentance, and I thank you; may God bless you in so doing: but you know the human heart is as prone to put off repentance, as it is death; and you are well aware that some of our neighbors and friends reject every motive you can place before them concerning duty, or death. They mean to repent before they die; they expect to die, but not now. Therefore they are not ready to repent or die. Now, say you, preach as Paul did, a judgment to come. Poh! say they; you need not try to alarm us with that stale doctrine: you say that we must have a thousand years yet, before the judgment; or the Jews must return, and build old Jerusalem again; or Christ must come and live on the earth a thousand years before he destroys the wicked.
These are so many shields to ward off present necessity, and they become to the poor, blind sinner, peace and safety, although you design it not. Yet if it should be false, think, my dear brethren, do think, what awful consequences will actually follow. It can do you no harm to examine; truth is what you want; you want no error—it will do no good.
A certain impenitent man, in a place where I was giving a course of lectures, went to the minister of the place, and enquired of him what he thought of Mr. Miller's lectures, and especially concerning the thousand years' millennium before Christ would come. The minister answered him, by saying, "Mr. Miller has taken away my millennium, root and branch." "Well, do you not suppose the Jews must return and be converted?" "I have also been shaken from that belief," said the minister. He said the poor man dropped his head, turned pale, and after a moment's reflection, observed, "then Mr. Miller may be right, and I am gone." May you, my dear reader, find as honest a minister as the one I have just mentioned; and if you are in a lost condition, may you cry to God, "I am gone," and find one to help when you shall be in deep trouble. Amen.—Second Advent Library, No. 6, 1842.
TRIALS.
"Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you."—Peter.
Many are inclined to wonder at the severe trials which they encounter. Let them listen to Rev. J. Newton:
"A Christian without trials would be like a mill without wind or water; the contrivance and design of the wheelwork withinside would be unnoticed and unknown, without something to put it in motion without. Nor would our graces grow, unless they were called into exercise; the trials and difficulties we meet with not only prove, but also strengthen the graces of the Spirit. If a person were always to sit still, without making use of his legs or arms, he would probably soon lose the power of moving his limbs at all; but by walking and working, he becomes strong and active."
A Letter to the Disciples of the Lord
By Roswell F. Cottrell
[The following letter was published some time since in Tract form, but as there are many who have of late embraced the truth who have never seen it, they will be interested in perusing it.]
A Letter to the Disciples of the Lord.
BY ROSWELL F. COTTRELL.
DEAR BRETHREN:—The subject on which I address you is truly important. It is a subject involving a part of our duty to God—a subject on which all lovers of the truth should be agreed. Either myself or you are in the habit, through ignorance, of sinning against our Creator every week we live. It was long held, that the seventh day of the week was the Sabbath, from the creation of the world to the resurrection of Christ; after which the first day was the Sabbath to the end of the world. At length the advocates of this doctrine discovered that it could not be maintained from the scriptures. What was to be done? To return to the Bible Sabbath, would be too humiliating; and all christendom would be against them. Could they abandon their favorite Sunday? By no means! Well what was the result? A First-day Sabbath could not be found between the two lids of the Bible. What could be done to save this darling offspring of human invention? What did they do? They just dropped the name, Sabbath, and christened the pet, Lord's Day, and now observe the same thing in the same way, abstaining from labor and doing the same things they formerly did on the so called "Christian Sabbath," but the name is changed!
It puts me in mind of an anecdote I have heard. It was said of the Catholics, that in their proselyting among Pagans, they found, in a certain place, a people who worshiped a goddess of the name of Minerva. The Catholics persuaded them to expunge the name, Minerva, and inscribe that of the Virgin Mary. So they became good Catholics, worshiping the same image, but by another name! I need not make the application.
Brethren, I write not to condemn you, but it is the hope that you may be convinced of your error, and that God may be honored by your turning to the truth, which has stimulated me to this undertaking. Hear me, then, while I examine the Scriptures on this subject.
FOR WHOM WAS THE SABBATH MADE?
For the Jews, do you say? Stop a moment.—Our blessed Saviour, who never spoke amiss, and who meant all that he said, declares that "the Sabbath was made for man."—Mark ii, 27. The word man in this passage is not qualified or restricted in any way; consequently it means mankind, or the human race. Now, brethren, be careful that you do not call the Sabbath the Jewish Sabbath, for Christ has told you better.
If the Sabbath was made for man, it must, of necessity, be made at a time sufficiently early, that the first man of the race might enjoy it. Accordingly Jehovah has informed us that he made the world in six days, and rested on the seventh, and that he blessed and sanctified it. Now do not cavil because there is no commandment on record before it was given on Sinai. Jehovah has told us when it was made, and Christ has told us for whom it was made. Brethren, the conclusion is irresistible to my mind, that the Sabbath was made for us, or, that the Lord, inadvertently, said more than he meant!
Again, if the Sabbath was made for man, it is, undoubtedly, of some use and benefit to him. How then can it be classed with the "hand-writing of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us?" No requirement of Jehovah was ever against us, unless it was caused by sin. It was against us to see the innocent lamb bleed away his life, figuratively in our stead; it was contrary to our feelings of benevolence and justice. This was caused by sin. But before sin was, was the Sabbath.
THE SPIRITS IN SYRIA
The Sheik Bechir is a personage of acquirements; he has a store of history and literature; his conversation is superior to that of his country-men, and he has, to complete the superiority, the fame of a wonder-worker, and the advantage of interview with the spirits of another world! Who can resist such proofs of power as these? He will place a jug between the hands of two persons sitting opposite to each other, which, on the recital of certain passages taken indiscriminately from the Koran and the Psalms of David, will move spontaneously around, to the astonishment of all beholders." "A stick, at his bidding will move unaided from one end of a room to the other: A New Testament suspended from a key by a string, will turn violently around of itself! An egg boiling in the saucepan will be made to spring suddenly out of the water, and be carried to a considerable distance! A double-locked door will unlock itself! But the following trick seems to us the strangest of all. On two earthern jars being placed in opposite corners of a room, one empty and the other filled with water, the empty jar, on the recital of certain passages, will move across the room—the full jar will of itself pour its contents into the empty one, which will return to the place whence it came!"—Churchill's Mount Lebanon.