Earlier text: Brief Reflections and ArgumentsThoughts on the Book of Daniel.
VERSE 1. In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. The vision recorded in the preceding chapter was given in the third year of Belshazzar, B. C. 553. The events narrated in this chapter, occurred in the first year of Darius B. C. 538. A period of fifteen years is consequently passed over between these two chapters. Although Daniel was cumbered with cares and burdens, as prime minister of the foremost kingdom on the face of the earth, he did not let this deprive him of the privilege of studying into things of higher moment, even the purposes of God, as revealed to his prophets. He understood by the books, that is, the writings of Jeremiah, that God would accomplish seventy years in the captivity of his people. This prediction is found in Jer. 25: 12; 29: 10. The knowledge of it, and the use that was made of it, shows that Jeremiah was early regarded as a divinely-inspired prophet; otherwise his writings would not have been so soon collected, and so extensively copied. Though Daniel was for a time contemporary with him, he had a copy of his works which he carried with him in his captivity; and though he was so great a prophet himself, he was not above studying carefully what God might reveal to others of his servants. Commencing the seventy years B. C. 606, Daniel understood that they were now drawing to a termination; and God had even commenced the fulfillment by overthrowing the kingdom of Babylon. VERSE 2. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. Because God has promised, we are not released from the responsibility of beseeching him for the fulfillment of his word. Daniel might have reasoned, God has promised to release his people at the end of the seventy years; and he will accomplish it; I need not, therefore, concern myself at all in the matter. Daniel did not thus reason; but as the time drew near for the accomplishment of the word of the Lord, he set himself to seek the Lord with all his heart. And how earnestly he engaged in the work: with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. This was the year probably, in which he was cast into the lion's den; and the prayer of which we here have an account, may have been the burden of that petition which, regardless of human laws to the contrary, he offered before the Lord three times a day. VERSE 3. And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments. We here have the opening of Daniel's wonderful prayer—a prayer, expressing such humiliation and contrition of heart, that he must be without feeling who can read it unmoved. He commences by acknowledging the faithfulness of God. God never fails in any of his engagements with his followers. It was not from any lack on God's part in defending and upholding them, that the Jews were then in the furnace of captivity, but only on account of their sins. VERSE 5. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments. 6. Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as it is this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 8. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 9. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him. 10. Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. 12. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil; for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. 13. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil has come upon us; yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 14. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth; for we obeyed not his voice. So much of Daniel's prayer is employed in making a full and heart-broken confession of sin. He vindicates fully the course of the Lord, acknowledging their sins to be the cause of all their calamities, as God had threatened them by the prophet Moses. And he does not discriminate in favor of himself. No self-righteousness appears in his petition. And although he had suffered long for others' sins, enduring seventy years of captivity for the wrongs of his people, he meanwhile having lived a godly life, and received signal honors and blessings from the Lord, he brings no accusations against any one to the exclusion of others, pleads no sympathy for himself as a victim of others' wrongs, but ranks himself in with the rest, and says, We have sinned, and unto us belongs confusion of face. And he acknowledges they had not heeded the lessons God designed to teach them by their afflictions, by turning again unto him. An expression in the 14th verse is worthy of especial notice: “Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us.” Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil. But none may think that the Lord does not see, or that he has forgotten. His retributions will surely overtake the transgressor, against whom they are threatened, without deviation, and without fail. He will watch upon the evil, and in his own good time will bring it to pass. VERSE 15. And now, O Lord, our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name; for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God; for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” The prophet now pleads the honor of the Lord's name as a reason why he wants his petition granted. He refers to the fact of their deliverance from Egypt, and the great renown that had accrued to the Lord's name for all his wonderful works manifested among them. This all would be lost, should he now abandon them to perish. Moses uses the same argument in pleading for Israel. Num. 14. Not that God is moved with motives of ambition and vainglory; but when his people are jealous for the honor of his name, when they evince their love for him by pleading with him to work, not for their own personal benefit, but for his own glory, that his name may not be reproached and blasphemed among the heathen—this is acceptable with him. He then reminds him of the city of Jerusalem called by his name, and his holy mountain, to which he has had such love, and beseeches him for his mercies' sake, to let his anger be turned away. Finally, his mind centers upon the holy sanctuary, God's own dwelling place upon this earth, and he pleads that its desolations may be repaired. Daniel understood the seventy years' captivity to be near their termination. From his allusion to the sanctuary, it is evident that he so far misunderstood the important vision given him fifteen years before, as to suppose that the 2300 days, at the termination of which the sanctuary was to be cleansed, expired at the same time. This misapprehension was at once corrected, when the angel came to give him further instruction in answer to his prayer, the narration of which is next given. W. C. H. of Ill., writes: “Please give through the REVIEW your opinion of the works of Chas. Dickens. Is there any merit in them? Are they worth reading?” ANSWER.—It would be almost impossible for a person of the mental powers which Dickens possessed, not to write many things which in a literary point of view would be very attractive. But better minds have given us, in better style, enough to read, the matter of which is fact, not fiction. We therefore consider that all who have not read his works have saved the amount of time it would have taken to read them; and all who shall henceforth read them, will throw so much away. While there is more to be learned in this world, which is of real worth, than can possibly be acquired in an ordinary lifetime, it is lamentable to see persons throwing away their time, and often ruining both body and soul over novels. And, in our view, the year 1870 has not presented a more disgusting spectacle than the ado that has been made over Charles Dickens—making a god of a man who has caused such an immense waste of time over productions that are useless to say nothing harsher of them, a man who was an open foe of temperance, a caracaturist of the clergy, and who fell at last a victim to disgraceful gluttony—even religious editors flying into a passion at the bare suggestion that such a man was not a saint of the first water. J. W. N., of Iowa, writes: A Quaker friend of mine takes the position that the word rendered baptizing in Matt. 28: 19, is not in the imperative mode, and therefore cannot express an additional command, but is merely explanatory of the meaning of the preceding verb; that is, it explains how the duty was to be performed, viz., by baptizing in the name of the Father, &c. He says the Greek does not read, Matheteusate kai baptizete autous; that is, disciple and baptize them; but Matheteusate baptizontes autous; that is, disciple, baptizing them. He says that the duty of baptizing the nations was to be performed simply by teaching, enticing, guiding, drawing, them by the tender cords of warming, soul-melting love. Having but little knowledge of the Greek language, I would be under obligations for any light you may see fit to give me. Please inform me whether the word rendered baptizing expresses an additional command, and also does the commission enjoin water baptism, which my friend denies? ANSWER.—If men were as willing to admit their own theories to be nonsense, as they are to make the Bible talk nonsense in their efforts to sustain them, we should have fewer specimens of reasoning such as the foregoing, and a less number of conflicting theories, all professedly based on the word of God. It is true the word baptizing is not in the imperative mode; and it is not necessary that it should be to express an additional command, action, or idea. The Friend spoken of, knows just as well as any one can tell him, that one of the most common constructions in the world, is the employment of the participle, as an adnominal word limiting the subject, to express additional action. If a farmer should tell his hired man to clear off a certain piece of woodland, sowing it with wheat, he would mean simply, clear off that land and sow it with wheat; and he would be so understood; and if the hired man should stop with simply clearing the land of wood and brush, and plead as an excuse that what was said about the wheat was not in the imperative mode, and could not therefore express an additional command, but was only explanatory of the command to clear the land, he would be discharged for his evident attempt to evade his employer's instructions. But it might be said to him further, Granting that it was explanatory, granting that the sowing of the wheat was included in the instruction to clear the land, why did you not sow the wheat? for the instruction is not carried out till the wheat is sown.69 So when our Lord told his followers to go and disciple all nations, baptizing them, &c., he said no more nor less than, Go and make disciples of all nations, and baptize them, &c. If I should see a house in flames, and should say to a companion, Go quickly through the city, crying, Fire! at the top of your voice, it would be precisely the same as if I should say, Go through the city and cry, Fire!; and every one would so understand it. But grant that the word baptizing is simply explanatory of the preceding verb, telling how the discipling was to be done, like the sowing of the wheat in the clearing of the land, then the instruction is not carried out till the baptizing is performed. But does not the word mean the same thing as the preceding verb? Is not baptizo simply a synonym for matheteuo? Nothing of the kind. The two words have not a shadow of a definition in common; and this fact our friend is probably as well aware of as any one. Baptizo means to immerse or submerge in some liquid. Bible baptism is accomplished with water. Without this, our Lord's instructions are not, and cannot be, carried out. “Baptizing by Teaching!” says our friend. If so, he makes the sacred writer guilty of a gross tautology; for the very next verse, verse 20, says, “Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you.” And here the word is not matheteuo, to make disciples of, as in verse 19, but didasko, which means properly and primarily, to impart instruction. In Mark 1: 14, we read: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” According to our friend's reasoning, this does prove that Jesus said anything concerning the kingdom of God; it is only explanatory of his coming into Galilee; he preached by coming; that is, his coming was his preaching. Such illustrations as this might be multiplied without number; and it shows the absurdity of the method of reasoning under notice. No one ever thought of construing Matt. 28: 19, in the manner of our Quaker friend, till a people arose who committed themselves to the doctrine of no-water baptism. Then the Scripture must be interpreted in accordance with that view. So it has been in all ages upon other subjects. Men have framed their theories, and then gone to work to bend the Bible to them, and make it responsible for them. This has been, and still is, the great curse of the cause of Bible truth. W. G. BRISBIN: 2 Pet. 2: 21, has reference, we think, to final apostates. Most guilty among the lost will be those who have once had a knowledge of the truth, and an experience in religious things. It would be better for such if they had never known the way of truth. We think the word commandments in John 2: 4 refers to the commandments of God, the moral law. Col. 2: 14, refers to the law of ceremonies that pertained to the Jewish dispensation, not to moral precepts at all. The mark of the beast, we regard as that by which he signifies his authority in religious things, namely, a counterfeit Sabbath. See work on that subject, and Thoughts on the Revelation. A. H. HALE: Paul in 1 Cor. 1: 8-10, is speaking of the trouble which came upon him in Asia. He was threatened with death, in what way we know not; but it seems to have been a very terrible one; and there seemed to be no hope of escape; but God delivered him; and from this fact Paul takes courage, trusting that as God had signally and unexpectedly worked for him, and delivered him from what seemed to be inevitable death, he would still deliver him. S. A. J. HOUSTAIN: Let the Methodist preachers rail on against the truth, and its adherents. Their day is coming. J. SMITH, SEN.: For information on the points you mention in your letter, see “Which? Mortal or Immortal?” published at this Office. C. G. DANIELS: Advise with the Conf. Committee at the Ohio camp-meeting. The Change.
By John Norton Loughborough
The time was, when, if means were needed to carry on the work of the gospel in the earth, an appeal to men's consciences in view of what Christ had done for them, would move them. This was the primitive method. See 2 Cor. 8: 5-12; and chap. 9. Now if means are wanted an appeal is made to the appetites; and money is thus drawn from those who otherwise would do nothing. I saw in the REVIEW, not long since, a question asked and answered concerning the “bottles of Bourbon (whisky)” that were distributed from a Christmas-tree in Iowa. It brings to mind a circumstance that occurred at a donation party in this county, in a place where we have labored. What I am about to state was related to me by the man who made and sold “egg nogg, with liquor in it.” It seems the party was being held in the ball-room of a hotel. Various operations had been established to get money. Some would keep going down into the bar-room to get liquors. Finally a man proposed that they make the “egg nogg” and sell it, that “it would bring in more money,” and as they were “determined to have the liquor” it would “not be so strong as they were getting in the bar-room.” Mr. —— says he did not suppose when he made the proposition that it would be tolerated, although he did not think it much worse than some other resorts they had to get money. He says he wanted to test the matter, and see what would be done to get money. He says he knows he sold this under the eye of the minister, with no reproof from him. I have before me a copy of “The Advocate,” a Methodist paper of San Francisco, in which a writer styling himself “A Methodist,” after speaking of a festival held in one of the mining districts, says, “Now the question is, How much longer shall the Methodist Church on the Pacific coast be cursed by these dancing festivals? Shall earnest piety have no place of shelter? When our church opens wide the door to the worst forms of worldly frivolity, and with gambling and dancing supports the ministrations at the altars, where will one who desires a sanctuary from these vicious influences flee?” Again he says, “I learn that an officer of that church danced, and justified himself by saying that his pastor was there! He even gloried in a superior illumination—‘He would not go to Heaven with a long face!’ Shade of Wesley! A dancing class-leader in the Methodist Episcopal church! Tell it not in Gath, lest the enemies of God rejoice.” In this same article this “Methodist,” after reading the notice of this three-evening festival which was to close with a dance each evening, says, “I felt that I must be behind the age; that while I have been poring over the anticipated works of Wesley and Fletcher, and that still more antiquated book, the Bible, a new era has burst upon the world with its superior illuminations. The religious life has been released from its trammels, and we may now (when a pastor's salary is concerned) dance for the glory of God! Had Bishop Asbury, that venerable old representative of the dotages of religion, been properly illuminated, he need not have ridden in that old turn-out which cost the enormous sum of thirty-four dollars. This, instead of being episcopal humility and self-sacrifice, would be an asceticism worthy of the dark ages. The fathers of Methodism need not have turned their old rusty coats several times to present as decent an appearance as their circumstances would admit. Paul, if he had had the inspiration of this age, would never have worked with his hands in Corinth, Ephesus and Thessalonica to earn his bread while he preached the gospel without charge, as he says, ‘but we suffer all things, lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.’ We will preach for the Lord, and the world will dance for us; this is to be the order of the day! This will furnish a sphere also in which even that bashful professor who can neither talk nor pray in our social meetings, can have a chance to work for eternal life. So all the brains and heels of the church can be employed in advancing its interests. The saints will hold up their pastor's hands in prayer, and those whose evidences are not very bright, can clothe him and his family, providing that food which gives blood to the brain and vigor to the arm to fight manfully the battles of the Lord in this benighted place. Sermons will be more earnest and Christ-like when there is bread in the larder and the money jingles in the pocket.” Such things clearly indicate the age in which we are living as the one marked by Paul in which men should be “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” May we discern this time, and may our lives be those of earnestness, devotion, and sacrifice, such as the times demand. Practical Thoughts on Scripture Subjects.
By John Nevins Andrews
MINISTERS OF CHRIST MUST BEHAVE WITH PRUDENCE.
It is not enough that a Christian minister should be a man of a pure heart, and of a virtuous life. He must be a man who is careful of his entire deportment. Not a man, however, to put on ministerial airs, and to make a show of his own dignity. But he must be a man who is circumspect in his ways, and not capable of creating an evil impression by his unguarded and foolish conduct. Such a man is to be esteemed as a model worthy of imitation. OUR PATIENCE MUST BE TRIED.
It is not pleasant to meet with perplexities, and trials, and disappointments. But these are inevitable, and must be endured. Indeed, they must come for our good. Therefore let us meet them with cheerful submission, and God will cause them to greatly profit us. God will help us if we seek help from him. When God gives light it is that we may obey and cherish it. If we do not follow it, we shall be left in darkness. Our only hope is that the rays of heavenly light will not leave us. If we do not disobey the heavenly instruction of the Spirit of God, we shall not be left in darkness. God pities us in our low estate, and is not willing that we should perish. Yet it is an easy thing to enter into the dark. How soon the light in us will expire when we fail to cherish it. And how sad the case of those who thus find themselves left in their own blindness and to the deceptions of the devil. The Spirit of God is all light, and the spirit of Satan is all darkness. What an awful condition we are in when we mistake the one for the other. “He that believeth shall not make haste.” Our work is urgent and time is short. Nevertheless we must always take time to consider with careful deliberation every question of importance that involves any just ground of doubt. It is our duty to know that every step is taken in God. But those who walk in a rash, hasty spirit, cannot stand in God’s counsel, and will always be involving themselves in the snare of the devil. It is something that the grace of God will subdue in every one of us if we will drink into its peaceful and heavenly temper. It is the cause of many of the troubles now existing in the church everywhere. When we have fully died to self, we shall learn to live in the peaceful atmosphere of the Holy Spirit. It is easy to err from the right path. It is a work of pain and of time to return to the right. We may, by carelessness, wander far from God. But it will only be by carefulness and zeal and humiliation that we can return to the right. Let us beware of departing from God. It is not a light thing to do it, nor a small matter to recover from the evil when once we have fallen into it. It is easier to shun sin than to recover from its power. The Light Is Spreading.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
THAT the doctrine of the mortality of man, the sleep of the dead, destruction of the wicked, &c., is spreading and gaining ground, we have good evidence. Says a writer in the Methodist Home Journal, March 26, 1870. “There are many candid minds in the churches that are more or less unsettled, and honestly and eagerly seeking for new measures of light upon the question.” The following article is from the English correspondent of The Presbyterian, of March 26, published at Philadelphia, Pa.: EXTINCTION OF THE WICKED.
There is, and has been for some time, a good deal of discussion among a limited number of both churchmen and nonconformists on the awful question of everlasting punishment, and it is gradually revealing opinions and arguments which are sure to do much mischief. It has come to pass that the Church of England and the Congregational body have men of mark who hold that the wicked and impenitent will not be consigned to endless torments, but will be utterly extinguished and literally destroyed. The Rev. Samuel Minton, the incumbent of Eaton Square, London, and as thoroughly evangelical in his general discourses as ever, has embraced these views, and has written strongly in their defense. The same opinions are held by the Rev. Mr. Dale, of Birmingham, the successor as pastor there of the late John Angel James, and the present chairman of the Congregational Union. Another Congregational pastor, the Rev. Edward White, a man of piety and scholarship, is now publishing letters defending the doctrine of death by sin, and life in Christ alone—a doctrine which is “now maintained by a large number of Christian scholars, as well as less learned believers in this country and elsewhere.” Here is another article to the same effect from The Advance, of April 21: “The doctrine of the annihilation of the wicked is receiving increased attention in Great Britain and in America, in connection with the discussion of future retribution. The tendency to adopt it arises from the desire of certain good men to find, if possible, a middle ground between orthodoxy and universalism. Shuddering at the idea of eternal punishment, yet clearly perceiving that the Bible does not teach the doctrine of universal salvation, they hope to relieve both their feelings and their critical difficulties by a strictly literal interpretation of the predicted doom of the impenitent.” This is encouraging. The truth is spreading. England now has a journal, The Rainbow, advocating this unpopular doctrine. America has about a dozen periodicals which are sustaining this doctrine, while there are several hundred ministers who preach it; and from 75,000 to 100,000 who believe it. It can no longer be ignored as a theological question of the day. May the Lord speed it on. Read, Remember, and Practice.
By John Matteson
WHATSOEVER things are true . . . honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phil. 4: 8. People will speak and act out their thoughts; at least most of their thoughts, if not all. That which never came into our minds we could not speak or perform. Satan and the world are busy to dwell upon idle words and evil acts, real and imaginary, and to peddle the same from house to house. Christians have often been led astray to do likewise. This is yielding our members into the service of Satan. If we have ever been guilty of such work in the past, let us be zealous and repent. Second-handed reports are not reliable. There are always two sides to a story. If any one speaks evil of his brothers or neighbors, it should at once set us against the reporter. His mind does not dwell on pure and lovely things, nor on things of good report, but on evil reports. He does not, at least in this respect, walk in the light, but in darkness. Is the report sufficiently important to call for an investigation? Go right to the person on whom it is charged, or write to him. If you do not deem it worth while to present to your brother, do not partake in the devil's dirty work of slander, or peddling evil reports. Bury it right there, and ask your informer to be delivered from any more such stuff. Do not make a confidant of some brother or sister, nor of husband or wife, to pour your evil reports into their ears, they, in turn, telling you their grievances, thus having a free time with the devil in some corner, breathing out suspicions against this or that brother or sister. This is keeping the faith of the devil, and breaking the faith of Jesus. A terrible amount of guilt rests upon many Sabbath-keepers in this respect. Let this accursed thing be removed entirely from our71ranks. It is high time. Let us covenant before God, holy angels, and man, to never more be guilty of carrying second and third-hand reports against our brethren or neighbors. Let us keep the faith of Jesus. Christ never engaged in such low work. Our minds must be elevated to dwell upon pure, lovely, and heavenly things. If there are any good reports of any one, any praise or any virtue, we can safely think on such things, and fill our minds therewith, until Jesus, Heaven, and the glorious works of God among the children of men, shall be the theme of our conversation. Better be still if we can say nothing good or useful. Brethren and sisters, will you remember this part of the faith of Jesus? Then the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Report from Bro. Byington.
By J. Byington
From the time of our conference in March, till June, I was not able to leave home to labor by reason of sickness. Sabbath, June 4, I was with the brethren in Johnstown. The 5th, had an interesting meeting in the school-house near Bro. Owen's, in Barry Co. I was glad to learn that Bro. and sister Owen have all their children (seven in number) walking in the truth. The 7th, had an interesting meeting in Allensdale. The 11th, I was with the church in Wright. The 12th, with the church in Gaines, near Bro. Hardy's. The 18th, I called on a brother near Middleville. Twelve years since I labored there with Bro. Frisbie. This brother then embraced the truth, but has not proved faithful; may he return to the Lord. I sent him the REVIEW. The 23d and 24th I was with the church in Alaiedon. Their new meeting-house was quite well filled both Sabbath and first-day. Though not wealthy, they have succeeded in erecting a convenient house of worship, free from debt, which they very much needed. Three united with the church. Seven were baptized. We had the ordinances with them. July 2d, attended monthly-meeting with the Jackson church in Leslie. The 3d, I was with the church in Bunkerhill. Some difficulties were removed, and I trust all in the future will be more watchful. The 4th, we had an interesting visit from Dr. Lamson. With her, and our Sabbath-school children and other friends, went to Lee Lake for recreation, where we talked a little while to the Sabbath-school, and closed our interview with prayer. The 9th, I was with the church in Otsego. Our meeting was one of interest. We had the ordinances. Two were baptized. The 16th I spent with brethren in Emmet. The 23d and 24th, I was with the church in Convis, which was the first time of meeting with them in their new house of worship. All appeared encouraged. We had the ordinances. Sister Wm. Smith is much afflicted by disease. May the Lord raise her up again for the good of the church and her family. Cresco, Mich., Aug. 3, 1870. Report from Bro. Haskell.
By Stephen N. Haskell
JUNE 29, I went to Boston and remained with Bro. Cornell over Sabbath and first-day. On Sabbath there was quite a gathering of Sabbath-keepers, most of whom have embraced the Sabbath during the last year. Boston is a discouraging field of labor, for there is not an element that is opposed to the law of God but what can be found there. Notwithstanding this, there are encouraging features in laboring there. A few are constantly embracing the truth, and show that they love it by their readiness to take hold of it and the sacrifices they make in so doing; and if they continue faithful a rich reward will be theirs hereafter. Neither is the influence of the meetings confined to Boston; but in the country for many miles distant, individuals may be found, who perhaps never heard but a few sermons, yet have the love of the truth in their hearts, and are trying to live it out. The meetings near Fourth street closed Sunday afternoon. The services lasted in the afternoon about two hours. The deepest interest was manifested, to the close. At its close, two policemen, with quite a number of others, subscribed for the REVIEW. Books were also taken. The interest manifested by the police in preserving order from the commencement of the meetings in that place, was appreciated by the friends of the cause. Eternity alone can reveal the fruits of the Boston enterprise. S. N. HASKELL. Careless Christians are like shiftless farmers—they leave fences and bars down all over their fields, and then worry and fret their lives away chasing temptations out of the crops. Resurrection at Death.
By R. F. Cottrell
A RECENT writer, a minister of an enlightened denomination of Christians, takes his stand, with Spiritualists, that there is no resurrection of the body to be hoped for in the future, but that the resurrection takes place at death. He gives the following comment on 1 Cor. 15: 51, 52. “‘The mystery’ explains the true ideas and facts of the anastasis, or future life. ‘We shall not all sleep.’ Death is not sleep at all—not soul-sleeping, the unconscious state of the dead—but in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we, myself and you to whom I am writing, shall be changed, anastasised, from our natural to our spiritual life. ‘For the trumpet shall sound’—the event of death must take place—‘and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed,’ from our earth life to our heavenly life.” Again he defines: “The trumpet signifies the ushering in of some great event. Here it refers to the event of death, and passing away of mankind from their earth life to the spirit world, the judgment, and the awards of the eternal world.” I do not intend to review the writer. An able minister of his own denomination has set forth some of the scripture testimonies for resurrection, which blows away his air-built theory as the chaff. But I make a remark or two. He says, “Death is not a sleep at all.” This is true if his theory is true. For if nothing reposes in death that is to be awakened, there is no propriety in calling death a sleep. But this very scripture calls death a sleep, That “we shall not all sleep,” implies that some of us shall sleep. And we are instructed by the prophet Daniel that “them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” And in the case of Lazarus, Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” Again we are told that “Jesus spoke of his death,” and that he “said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” But I wish to call particular attention to the words of Jesus to Martha: “Thy brother shall rise again.” Lazarus had been dead four days. There had been time enough for that work of a moment, of the twinkling of an eye, which our writer says takes place at death, to be fully accomplished. He was a friend of Jesus, and we are expressly told that Jesus loved him. Why then did Jesus say, “Thy brother shall rise again?” Why did he not say, The trumpet has sounded—death has taken place—and thy brother has risen to the spiritual life in the spiritual world? And then how sad the thought, that the liberated soul, one that had been “changed—anastasised,” from his natural to his spiritual life, whose corruptible body, according to our writer, had been “exchanged for the incorruptible, spiritual body,” after spending four days in “the spirit world” should be remanded back to his prison life again. But we are not informed that he expressed his regret; so we must not complain. In conclusion I express my firm conviction that Martha was sound in faith. In reply to the assurance that her brother should rise again, she said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus did not correct her by telling her that there was to be no such time and event in the far future, but that the event took place at death. A Lone Sabbathkeeper in Minnesota
By Charles Smith
DEAR BRETHREN: I feel that I am a lone stranger (I hardly dare say pilgrim) in the earth, from the fact that there is no society having the same religious views with myself, nearer than forty-five miles from me. The nearest one I know of is in Burnham Valley, La Crosse Co., Wis. Being raised and educated a Baptist, I am still a member in a Freewill Baptist church. But they tell me I am too particular when I ask for scriptural authority for their Sabbath, and for the immortality of the wicked, and many other points on which we differ in opinion. Being a licensed preacher among them, they say, Bro. Smith, don’t speak of your peculiar views in the desk; it will injure our church. How I feel the need of wisdom to take the right course. I have charge of the Bible-class; and I earnestly strive to press upon the classmates the true teachings of the Bible, and throw away tradition. I think of the exhortation, Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I have met with the brethren and sisters twice in Burnham Valley, Wis. The last time, about the 10th of June last, we had a spiritual feast together. I there met Bro. I. Sanborn. Two were baptized. Dear brethren, pray for me. Though alone, I am keeping the Sabbath. THE REVIEW AND HERALD finds me every week. I find great instruction in reading Thoughts on Revelation.
Yours in love of the truth,
Houston Co., Minn. CHARLES SMITH.