BRO. SMITH: In view of the coming of Christ, its approaching event, of the perils in coming to it, of all the evidences forcing these truths upon our attention, of our accountability and obligations in view of the relation we sustain to present truth, to our neighbors, our brethren, and our families, I tremble with in myself and am led seriously to inquire, Who shall be able to stand? As every thing, in regard to my salvation, abstractly considered, depends upon my duty, and the right performance of it I am led to examine my motives with a jealous eye. The heart is naturally deceitful, and must be daily mortified and kept under a strict watch. We must aim at simplicity in our religious duties.
We are told of a Brahman in India whose faith makes it an article of religious duty to abstain from eating the flesh of animals, who one day met an Englishman exhibiting a microscope. The Englishman, to convince the Brahman of the absurdity of his superstition, would show him that he could not help eating the flesh of animals, even though he lived upon vegetables alone. He therefore persuaded him to look through his microscope at a piece of fruit or vegetable production, which formed part of the Brahman's daily food, when to the horror of the man, he beheld whole herds of living creatures detected by the power of the instrument and demonstrating the falsehood of his Pagan theology. He was so indignant at the sight, that he seized the microscope and trampled it under foot, breaking it in pieces, thinking perhaps that he had thus destroyed the evidence in nature, against him. So the sinful heart may be tempted to think, that by keeping away from the light, or shutting the light out, it may keep quiet in the persuasion of its own goodness and security. And so a man in the indulgence of any thing that is wrong avoids the light, and would destroy the evidence. But a man whose desire is that Christ should rule supremely in his heart and life, a man whose eye is single to Christ, will be willing and desirous to have Christ's eye single upon him, and every thing open to Christ's inspection and the trial of the truth. When this is the case, the whole body will be full of light, there will be very few causes or occasions of darkness. I do desire to enjoy the fullness of light promised to him whose eye is single, to walk in the path of the just which shineth more and more until the perfect day.
Yours striving to overcome.
H. S. GURNEY.
Jackson, Mich., May 18th, 1857.
TENT MEETINGS.
By John Norton Loughborough; J. Hart; E. Everts
We have purchased the Wisconsin Tent, and will pitch it, the Lord willing, in Rubicon, Dodge Co., June 5th, 1857. Meeting will commence at 5 o'clock, P. M., and continue over the Sabbath and First-day, and longer if thought to be duty. Those coming on the cars will come to Rubicon Station. Inquire for the tent ground which will be south from the depot. Let brethren and sisters come prepared to work for the salvation of souls.
We design spending about six weeks in this State, unless it is thought best to hold one meeting in Iowa, within this time. We then go to Jo Daviess Co., Ills. This arrangement may be altered, if duty seems to demand. We hope to see that all have an interest in this effort that profess to love the truth. John says, "This is the love of God that we keep his commandments." It consists in doing.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
J. HART.
E. EVERTS.
N. B. Our P. O. Address up to June 15th will be Rubicon, Dodge Co., Wis.
J. N. L.
J. H.
E. E.
To Correspondents.
By Editor
E. Everts and E. M. Jackman:—We have ever been in doubt of the correctness of the report of wonders accomplished by the spirits at Grand Traverse, Mich. Many papers, spiritual as well as others, have denounced it as a hoax, the wild imagination of a mad man. We have, however, taken measures to ascertain by private correspondence, whether the reports are founded on fact or not. If they are, we will in due time report the circumstances to our readers.
APPOINTMENTS, Eastern Tour.
By James White
Providence permitting, Bro. and Sr. White will meet with the church of God in General Conferences as follows:
In Vermont, where Bro. Bingham and others may appoint through the REVIEW, June 13th and 14th. We hope the Tent will be pitched.
At the House of Prayer, at Buck's Bridge, St. Law. Co., N. Y., the 20th and 21st.
In Central N. Y., where Brn. Rhodes and Wheeler may appoint, the 27th and 28th. We hope this meeting will be very general, and that the N. Y. Tent will be pitched at this meeting for the benefit of the church of God.
In Pennsylvania, where Bro. Ingraham may appoint, July 4th and 5th.
In Ohio, where the brethren may appoint, and pitch the Ohio Tent, July 11th and 12th.
We shall visit the brethren in Connecticut the first of June if possible. Those dear brethren in different places who have invited us to visit them must excuse us if we pass them by for want of time.
We hope the brethren will come together prepared to work. We shall endeavor to bear testimony to the truth as far as health and strength may admit; but farther than this we hope to be free from the care and responsibilities of these meetings. JAMES WHITE.
New York Tent.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
We design holding the first meeting for the season in this tent at Cameron, Steuben Co., N. Y., in the neighborhood of Bro. James Santee, commencing June 13th. The brethren in that vicinity will then have an opportunity of handing in their means without sending by mail. Those in Pennsylvania who may see Bro. Ingraham can hand their donations to him. Other brethren may send as directed in No. 2. We need some means to use before starting in order to leave things in a right condition at our homes. I presume, brethren, that, in consequence of the failure of crops, and the severity of the Winter, it is close times with you. It is no less so with us; but, if we all have the spirit of labor and of sacrifice, our efforts will be owned and blessed of God to our own good, and to the salvation of others. With a humble reliance on his aid we will move forward in the discharge of our duties. Brethren, we profess faith in the efficacy of prayer. Then let us pray earnestly that God will bless our labors with the Tent. Will you remember us who go with the Tent in your prayers? We need the help of your prayers, offered with unwavering faith, that God will cause the feeble instrumentality to accomplish much good in his holy cause. R. F. C.
Tent in Ohio.
By George Washington Holt
BRO. SMITH: The precious cause of truth is progressing some in this part of the field. The brethren generally are engaged, and are ready to let their light shine before others. We are satisfied the time has come to awake out of sleep and to enter the harvest-field with faith, zeal and courage, thus showing to the world that we believe all we profess.
The main body of the brethren in this State have considered the matter as to what measures should be adopted to spread the truth in this part of the field. The conclusion is to purchase a Tent and move as Providence may open the way. We therefore invite all the scattered brethren in this State to unite with us in the tent enterprise with their prayers and otherwise as duty may call.
G. W. HOLT.
Duty, Discouragement, and Pride
Beware how you trifle with duty on the ground of inability: he who bids you do, promises you strength; he invites you to receive, have grace that you may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
Be not discouraged by past failures in duty, but confess to God, beg his interference, and try again. "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright."
Who is a proud professor? Probably yourself.
Holy doctrines lose much of their beauty when preached or defended by unholy men.
Business Items.
By Editor
L. M. Jones:—We have no large Signs in paper, therefore send bound. There remains $2,45 subject to your order.
D. Chase:—What is Arnold Chase's P. O. Address?
Wm. Lawton:—Four dollars pay your four copies of REVIEW to Vol. xi, No. 1. We hold the other dollar subject to your order.
R. F. Cottrell:—No. 24 past Vol. all out.
BOOKS SENT.—S. B. McLaughlin, Wis., M. Daniels, Mich., Wm. Jones, N. Y., Wm. G. Sheffield, R. I. B. E. Place, N. Y., F. F. Judd, Mich., C. G. Cramer, Mich., S. Brigham, Mich.
Receipts.
By Editor
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the "Review and 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.
FOR REVIEW AND HERALD.
L. Drew $2,00,xii,1. Elisha S. Baker 2,00,xii,1. A. E. Dartt 1,50,xi,14. A. Taher 2,00,xi,1. W. Hyde 1,00,xi,1. J. Bodley 2,00,xi,1. C. M. Wade 1,00,xi,1. Jas. Aldrich 1,00,xi,1. S. B. McLaughlin 1,00,xi,1. Jno. Young 1,00,xi,8. E. M. Jackman 1,25,xi,1. B. E. Place 1,00,xi,1. H. Bristol 1,00,x,14. E. Green 1,00,xi,1. S. Everett 1,00,x,1. E. Green (for E. A. Green) 0,50,xi,1. L. M. Jones (50 cts each for C. Boughton M. Boughton, M. Daniels, & Wm. Jones) 2,00, each to xi,1. N. M. Gray 1,00,xi,1. D. Chase 1,00,xii,14. R. Coggeshall 1,00,xi,1. S. Chase 1,00,xi,1. S. J. Voorus 1,00,xi,1. J. H. Cottrell 0,50,xi,1. N. M. Denison 0,50,x,1. A friend (for F. F. Judd) 1,00,xi,1. Wm. Lawton (four copies) 4,00,xi,1. Wm. Lawton (for S. Bartlett) 1,00,xii,1. C. Lawton (for E. Thompson) 0,50,xi,1. J. C. Lawton 1,00,x,1. Maria West 1,00,xii,1. A. Abbey (2 copies) 1,00,xi,1. A. A. Marks 1,00,xi,1. B. Marks 1,00,xi,1. B. Marks (for E. Clark) 0,50,xi,1. L. M. Fish 1,00,xi,1. L. M. Frecto 1,00,xi,1. B. Graham 1,00,xi,1. Wm. H. Graham 1,00,xi,1. C. B. Preston (2 copies 2,00,xi,1. D. Benedict 1,00,xi,1. A. S. King 1,50,xi,14. J. A. Loughhead 1,00,xi,1. J. A. Loughhead (50 cts. each for J. W. L., and S. Snyder) 1,00, each to xi,1. J. Byington 1,00,xi,1. D. Howard 1,00,xi,1. J. Cady 1,00,xi,1. M. A. Crary 1,00,xi,1. D. N. Fay 1,00,xi,1. D. Williams 1,00,xi,8. Russell Mason 1,00,xi,1. S. Brigham 1,00,xi,1. G. A. Brigham 1,00,xi,1. S. Buzzell 1,00,xi,1. A sister in Vt., 1,00,xii,1. Harrison Grant 1,00,xi,1. Wm. G. Sheffield 1,00,x,15. Jno. Pambly 1,00,xi,1. Geo. Smith 2,00,xii, 1.
FOR REVIEW TO POOR.—W. Hyde $3,88. S. B. McLaughlin $0,50. D. Chase $1. L. M. Fish $3. H. J. Rich 0,25.
FOR MICH. TENT.—A. M. Lane $1,50.
Death of Sister Mary Gifford
By Joseph Bates
Sister Mary, wife of Wm. Gifford, of Parma, Jackson Co., Mich., departed this life, May 15th, 1857, aged fifty-three years. Bro. G. had recently removed with his family from Massachusetts to the West. Sister G.'s health had been declining for several years past. After their preparation to leave for the West, she was in such a low state of health that her husband proposed to give it up, but she urged him to proceed onward. Her health was apparently improving while on their journey, and for some days after their arrival in Mich., after which she began to sink until she quietly fell asleep in Jesus.
Sister G. professed to be a Christian for many years, and when the announcement of Christ's second coming was being made to all the world, through the First Angel's Message in 1843, she gladly and joyfully embraced it, and also the Third Angel's Message, to which she tenaciously adhered to the last. And when she felt the pangs of death stealing o'er her mortal frame, she requested her children to come to her bed-side, and after charging them to obey God and keep his commandments that they might meet her in peace, she was reminded that one of her daughters was in the East. Said she, My dying request to J. is, that she leave off her pride and vanity, and keep the commandments of God that she may have the hope which now sustains me. This was a solemn scene.
Sister G. retained her senses to the last moment. Her faith was firmly settled in the great Physician who prescribes no stupifying drugs to deprive his children of the realities of a dying hour. I came to the place about half an hour before she died. Said she in a whisper, Pray that I may have an easy passage. We bowed in prayer, a few moments after which her request was granted, and she passed from her mortal state without a groan. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord."
Bro. J. Byington was providentially with us, and assisted in the funeral services, which took place on the 17th inst. A large company of people came to the funeral who seemed deeply interested to hear the word of the Lord,
"Ah! she has gone—there enshrouded she lies,
Hushed is her voice, and bedimmed are her eyes.
Cold in that form, and all motionless now,
Death's fatal seal on her calm, pallid brow."
"Mournful we gazed on the face of the dead,
Many the tears that in sorrow we shed;
Deep was the anguish then rending the heart,
Sad was the hour when we saw her depart."
"Slowly away moved the burial train,
Severed one link in affection's fond chain;
Low in the earth have they laid her to rest,
Precious the treasure inclosed in its breast!"
"Father! the loved from thy bosom is torn,
Children our mother hath left us to mourn;
Lonely the hearth-stone—for one is not there—
Broken the circle—and vacant the chair."
"Peaceful thy slumber! O sweet thy repose!
Safe from life's turmoil, its cares and its woes,
Short is the silent embrace of the tomb;
Hope, pointing upward, disperses its gloom."
"Soon will the King in his glory descend,
Triumphant o'er Death, and the grave's fetters rend;
Kindred and friends shall we meet as they rise,
Bright and immortal ascending the skies."
JOSEPH BATES.
Sharon, Mich., May 20th, 1857.
The Death of the Righteous
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The righteous hath hope in his death.
Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.—Bible.