It is an established principle that the greater offense of any given class, includes all the lesser of the same kind; and any command which prohibits the greatest offense, extends its prohibition equally over all minor offenses of the same nature. Now it will be noticed that the ten commandments expressly forbid the greatest offense in each class; and it is this fact, that the greater includes the lesser, which gives to these commandments the exceeding breadth of which the Psalmist speaks, and that constitutes their "our rule of life—man's whole duty."
The third commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain," forbids all light and irreverent use of any of the names by which God has revealed himself to us. The common swearer and the open blasphemer who will call down the bitterest curses on themselves or others, either in mirth or malice, are the first objects that present themselves to the mind upon reading this commandment. But we can easily perceive that the command extends still further, and forbids all trifling with the nature of the Deity, his perfections, his services and his government. Thus there are those who will make light of the services of piety and those who perform them. But they should ask themselves, Are these things in accordance with a divine command? They certainly are. Then they should consider, that, inasmuch as they ridicule them, they are making light of God's authority which enjoins them, and so far despising his name. And there are those who will trample on and rail at the observance of the Sabbath, as enjoined by the fourth precept of the decalogue, who should understand that they are thereby breaking two commandments instead of one. There are others still, who upon any little surprise will exclaim in an unthinking way, "Good Lord!" "Lord bless us!" &c., whom we can but regard as using language not lawful to utter in a trifling, careless manner.
According to the principle laid down at the head of this article, the third commandment must include all oath-taking which is unlawful in its nature; and should we find any practice existing under that name, which cannot be shown to be a violation of that commandment, we must consider it unexceptionable and unforbidden. A question naturally comes up in this connection upon which some remarks may be here expected. We refer to the subject of judicial oath-taking. Is it lawful or unlawful? right or wrong? As the mind of the reader will doubtless rest at once on the testimony of our Saviour, and of the apostle James, as containing an answer to this query, their declarations shall first claim attention. Says the Saviour, "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King: neither shalt thou swear by thy head; because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these, cometh of evil." Matt. v, 33-37.
We are doubtless all agreed that there are different kinds of oaths. Now in order to ascertain whether this testimony is applicable to the case in hand, we must look at the nature of a judicial oath, and also at the nature of the oaths to which Christ refers. A judicial oath, then, is defined to be, "A solemn action, whereby we call upon God, the searcher of hearts, to witness the truth of what we affirm." Cruden. "A solemn declaration or affirmation, made with an appeal to God for the truth of what is affirmed." Webster. With these definitions concur the Union Bible Dictionary, and the Religious Encyclopedia; so that we may readily perceive what is universally understood by a judicial oath: it is calling upon God to witness to the truth of what we affirm. Every man who is qualified to testify on any point, knows whether he speaks the truth in regard to it or not. If there is anything which he does not know, anything of which he is uncertain, or ignorant, to this of course he cannot testify. But of things of which he has knowledge, he knows whether he speaks the truth or not; and to give solemnity to his declarations in the ears of those who hear, he appeals to God, who knows the secrets of all hearts, for the truth of what he utters. Let this, the nature of a judicial oath, be carefully borne in mind.
We next inquire, is this the kind of oaths to which our Saviour referred, in his declaration, Swear not at all? To endeavor to make a distinction, as some do, between swearing and affirming, and then contend that the former is wrong and the latter right, we consider altogether unwarrantable. To swear judicially, and to affirm in like manner, are alike in their nature. It is essentially the same act, though different terms are employed. If one is wrong, so, beyond all question, is the other. Further: To contend, in palliation of oaths, that our Saviour prohibited only certain kinds of swearing, and that we may swear by any kind that he has not enumerated, we consider also very fallacious. Of this class was Milton. He says that the injunction "does not prohibit us from swearing by the name of God,—we are only commanded not to swear by heaven, &c." Christian Doctrine, p. 582. But to this the Scriptures furnish a direct answer; for they tell us that whosoever "shall swear by heaven sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon." Matt. xxiii, 22. It must be evident to all that every form of oath, of the class to which the Saviour refers, is prohibited by his testimony; therefore the only question we raise on this point, is in regard to the nature of the oaths to which reference is made. Were they the same as we now understand by a judicial oath? An examination of the testimony will doubtless satisfy us on this point.
The subject is introduced by referring to what was said by them of old time. "It hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto you, Swear not at all," &c.; that is, do not make any oaths of this kind. Mark that word, PERFORM. It is very significant. It reveals to us at once the nature of the oaths referred to, and shows us that it is something to be performed. Let us refer to "them of old time," for testimony concerning it.
Num. xxx, 2. "If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth." To vow a vow, and to swear an oath to bind the soul with a bond, seem to be one and the same thing. It must be to this text, and others like it, that Matt. v, 33 refers; for doing, or performing, is inseparably connected with the swearing. From this it appears that under the former dispensation people were permitted to vow, or bind themselves with an oath, to perform certain services unto the Lord, to do certain works, or confer certain gifts. If they performed these things according to their oath, all right; but if they did not perform them, then they forswore themselves according to the intent of the language quoted by the Saviour: "Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform," &c.
This kind of swearing was simply permitted, not commanded, under the former dispensation. See Deut. xxiii, 22. "But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee." But when they did vow, they were commanded, according to verse 21, not to be slack to pay it; for the Lord would require it of them, and it would be sin in them.
With many other things, the Jews had also overloaded and abused this privilege, if it may be called such, by their traditions. This the following testimony will show.
"That the Jews were notoriously guilty of common swearing, for which our Lord particularly reprehends them, and warns his disciples against, and that they swore by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, by the head, &c., the following extracts made by Dr. Lightfoot from their own writings, amply testify.
"It was customary and usual among them to swear by the creature. 'If any swear by heaven, by earth, by the sun, &c., although the mind of the swearer be, under these words, to swear by Him who created them, yet this is not an oath. Or if any swear by some of the prophets, or by some of the books of the Scripture, although the sense of the swearer be to swear by Him who sent that prophet, or gave that book, nevertheless this is not an oath.' Maimonides."
"They swore by the temple. 'When turtles and young pigeons were sometimes sold at Jerusalem for a penny of gold, Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, By this habitation (that is by this temple) I will not rest this night, unless they be sold for a penny of silver.' Cheruth, chap. i." The above is found in Clark's note on Matt. v, 37, where also may be found instances (which we have not space to transcribe) of their swearing by heaven, by Jerusalem, by the altar, by the chambers of the temple, by the Lamb, by the Word, by the sacrifices, by the shelter, and by their own heads. Our Lord also rebukes them for their traditions on this subject in Matt. xxiii, 16-22. The cases of Jephthah [Jud. xi, 30-40,] and Saul, [1 Sam. xiv, 24,] furnish us with examples of rash oaths of this kind.
Against all this our Saviour interposes his. Swear not at all. Bind not yourselves by any oath to any performance. The reason of this is that circumstances over which we can have no control may hinder our accomplishing our purposes; and, besides, we have no right to offer as a pledge, what is not our own. Thus he says, "Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne." We have no right to pledge heaven for any service of ours; for we know not what we shall be able to perform; we have no control whatever over any event to cause it to come to pass. For the same reason we should not swear by the earth, nor by Jerusalem, nor by our own head. But why not by our own head? The Saviour tells us: "Because thou canst not make one hair white or black." That is, we have no power over it, nor over ourselves. We cannot add a cubit to our stature, nor make a hair white or black. We are not our own, and therefore have no right to offer our life as a pledge. Take an instance and see what it would have led to, had the individuals fulfilled their oath. We refer to those forty Jews, and over, who banded together and "bound themselves under a great curse," that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul, Acts xxiii, 12-14. Here is an oath, we think, of precisely the same nature as those referred to by the Saviour on the mount. Now, had the object of these conspirators been a good one, they had no right to place themselves under such an oath; for they thereby offered their life as a pledge for an act which they did not know that they would ever be able to perform. And so it happened; for God's providence interposed and saved Paul; and then what a dilemma those villains were placed in:157they must either break their oath or starve to death!
Thus far on Matt. v, 33-37, we have simply endeavored to show a distinction between judicial oaths, as now understood, and those referred to in this scripture—a distinction easily discernible by all, since all can see the difference between appealing to God as a witness to the truth of what we say and binding ourselves under oath in regard to certain acts which we are to do. In the one case we have absolute and perfect knowledge, and therefore run no risk in making it never so strong, and appealing to the highest Being in the universe for its truth. In the other the performance is entirely beyond our control. And we make this distinction under the firm conviction that it is warranted both by the language of the Saviour, and the passages of the Old Testament to which he refers.
Further remarks on this portion of Scripture, together with an examination of some other passages, time and space compel us to defer to another paper.
(To be Continued.)
THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.
By G. W. A.
Gen. ii, 15. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it. Verse 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.
Verse 17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
The point to which we wish to call attention here is the death threatened Adam. Our immortal-soul-friends stoutly insist that the thou addressed, refers to the intellectual man—or inside soul, and the sentence was it should be a moral death. But we fail to perceive any such idea existing in the text. The same thou which is threatened with death, in the preceding part of the verse is said to eat. "In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Now who has either the hardihood to assert, or acumen to prove, that the "thou" here introduced have not one and the same meaning,—and do not refer to one and the same thing—viz., the whole man? And surely the intellectual thou cannot easily eat material food; still this must be so if the "thou" which "dies" is the immaterial soul, for this same "thou" did "eat" of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
But let us apply the same kind of interpretation usually used in this text to others of like phraseology. Deut. xxxi, 14, 16. Here God says to Moses, "Behold the days approach that thou must die . . . Behold thou shalt sleep with thy fathers." Now if thou in Gen. ii, 17, means the soul entity, it means the same here also; and, consequently, if Adam's soul in Eden died a moral death, Moses' soul up on mount Pisgah must have slept a moral sleep!
Concerning the death Adam died, we believe that the very day he partook of the forbidden fruit he was struck with death, was "as good as dead," or began to die. The sentence was, "In the day that thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die." Here a dying condition is expressed. In chap. iii, 17-19, an exposition of the penalty is given. Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. . . . In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return into the ground; for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. By his transgressing he entailed upon himself a toiling, sweating, sorrowing condition and "sin when it is finished bringeth forth death."
G. W. A.
Extracts from Schmucker.
By R. F. C.
Rev. xiv, 6-12. Here are three angels successively flying in the midst of heaven; each of which represents a whole set of gospel ministers, with a patriarch of the Church, a man of peculiar talents, and of an extraordinary portion of grace, at their head. These three angels are appointed to promulgate three distinct messages to the Church; and each patriarch makes his passage a peculiar fundamental principle of doctrine, which the Lord has enthroned in his mind, as being of the highest importance to the Church at that time. They also embrace and publish other principles of religion; but view them chiefly in reference to their general aim. By these characteristics they may be known to the Church and all their associates and followers, as they successively belong to each voice.
Verse 6. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven. This then is not a celestial spirit; the gospel ministry among men cannot be committed to their care. He is the symbol of a whole number of gospel ministers, influenced by a patriarch of eminent distinction, who, perhaps, enjoys the assistance of a superior intelligence in the execution of his peculiar charge. He is termed, "another angel flying in the midst of heaven," by which words we are referred to a preceding one, in the order of this prophecy, who also flew in the midst of heaven; which can be no other than the angel of chap. viii, 13, proclaiming the three woes. The first proclaimed times of most severe afflictions, and these three publish salutary messages to the faithful followers of Jesus. This reference to the angel of chap. viii, 13, is also intended to advertise the reader, that this prophecy concerning the three angels, commences a new series of events, not in immediate connection with the preceding history of the Lamb and his company on mount Sion, as some authors, through inattention, have attempted to explain.
Having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth. The original is, an everlasting gospel, without the definite article, which some expositors have not observed, and therefore have explained this expression as referring to the word of God, or the gospel of Christ in general. By this word is meant the message of this angel, exclusively, which is called a gospel, glad tidings.
And there followed another angel saying. He followed the other angel in the midst of heaven and of course arose in the same central country of christendom. Of the first angel it is remarked with emphasis, that he proclaimed his everlasting gospel with a loud voice, so as to resound through the symbolical heaven; but this second angel is only represented as saying his message. See verse 9, and chap. xviii, 2. His communication was not so extensive, nor of such a nature, as required to be delivered with that divinely inspired enthusiasm and fervency as did the messages of the other angels.
[In a former extract it will be seen that our author notes the time, in the progress of the great apostasy, when the term patriarch began to be assumed by some of the bishops or elders of the church. Here he applies the same terms to the leaders in the angel messages. But we would adhere to the teaching of Christ, and call no man father upon earth.
R. F. C.]
CHANGE OF HEART.
By R. F. C.
The question is sometimes asked me, Do you believe in a change of heart? as though we, who are constantly teaching that every real christian should "turn away" from those who have the "form of godliness, but deny the power thereof," could reject experimental or heart religion.
Certainly we believe in a change of heart, and such a change as will produce a corresponding change in the daily life and outward acts of the individual—a change of heart that will turn men from sin to righteousness, from breaking the commandments of God to keeping them.
The phrase "change of heart," I understand to be a figurative expression, signifying a change of the affections; and though not found in the teachings of Christ and his apostles, yet the idea doubtless is scriptural.
But the heart, or the affections, may be changed, and not for the better. Therefore when a person claims to have "met with a change of heart," it is proper to inquire whether the change has produced that love of God which keeps his commandments; for if the change is wrought by the Spirit of God, it will lead the person to submit to all the known requirements of his word. The people of Israel met with a change of heart when they turned away from the commandment of the living God and worshiped Baal. But it was a much better change when the Lord, through the instrumentality of Elijah, "turned their heart back again." When a person is converted to Spiritualism, his heart is changed, and he reverences those spirits which before perhaps he ridiculed. Such doubtless have "got religion," but it is not of the right kind; neither is any other religion of the right kind, that does not lead its votaries to obedience to the revealed will of God, as contained in his word.
Men may feel that they are right when they are actually wrong. Saul of Tarsus verily thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. But though he felt that he was right, he was under the influence of a false religious zeal, fighting against God. He had a "zeal of God, but not according to knowledge;" and had he not changed his course on being enlightened, he would have been condemned, with all the religion he had. Just so it is now. Men may talk of a change of heart, and of the power of godliness in the soul; yet if it does not lead them to seek to know and do the will of God, it is all in vain. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of God; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matt. vii 21. Hence the apostles asked no man to "tell his experience;" but if he was ready to obey the Lord, they received him.
Those who obey the Lord "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit," and "are led by the Spirit of God." They do not deny the power of godliness. But those who profess to "have the power," and yet will not yield to the plain requirements of the word of the Lord, are led by some other spirit than that of the divine Author of that word. There are many spirits gone out into the world, and a mighty struggle between the true and the false is just before us. Every spirit that does not confess the word of God and its fulfillment down to the present time, is not of God. <div style="text-align: right;">R. F. C.</div>
Letter from Bro. Ingraham.
By Wm. S. Ingraham
BRO. SMITH: I have commenced a course of lectures in Dodgeville, Wis. The people seem to be anxious to hear. There are a few brethren in this place who are striving to obey God and keep his commandments. Strong opposition exists on the part of some. They are determined that the people shall not be humbugged by us, as they say; consequently they have sent for a noted man, a teacher in the Mineral Point Academy, to lecture against us. But Daniel's God is our God, and in him we hope to prevail.
The cause in the west has suffered on account of preaching the no-law heresy, and the spirit which is manifested by that party. If they ever enjoyed the Spirit of Christ, it is evident they have changed spirits, and are laboring under the spirit of Satan. I do not say this because I have hatred in my heart towards them. I wish them well in well-doing. I have often met with Mormons in Pennsylvania, and have had them attend my meeting, and have heard their preachers preach, and have witnessed their zeal and enthusiasm; and I must confess I see a striking similarity in the spirit manifested by those two classes. The meek, quiet, lovely Spirit of Jesus is not there. The Spirit of Christ is a strange Spirit to them. Their God is not my God, and their rock is not my rock. The Third Angel's Message is all to me. It is salvation or damnation to the people of this age and generation. Oh, that men would listen to the last note of warning! Brethren and sisters, awake! the Lord is coming! Our warfare will soon be accomplished and the victory won!
WM. S. INGRAHAM.
Dodgeville, Wis., Sept. 27th, 1858.
Evidences of Genuine Conversion.
By John Bunyan
1. Do they cry out of sin, being burdened with it, as an exceeding bitter thing?
2. Do they fly from it as from the face of a deadly serpent?
3. Do they cry out of the insufficiency of their own righteousness, as to justification in the sight of God?
4. Do they cry out after the Lord Jesus to save them?
5. Are they tender of sinning against Jesus Christ?
6. Are his name, person and undertakings, more precious to them, than is the glory of the world?
7. Do they favor Christ in this world, and do they leave all the world for his sake? And are they willing (God helping them) to run hazards for his name, for the love they bear to him?
If these things be so, whether thou seest them or no, these men are coming to Christ.—John Bunyan
If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in.
By C. E. Harris
How sweet is the thought of Jesus' standing at the door of his people's hearts, knocking for admittance. Will he knock there and never come in? No, it is because he intends to come in that he comes to the door of his people, bringing them some of the choicest blessings that can be found in heaven. He brings them because he is going to bestow them upon his mourning saints. What has he brought them? Think upon it. First of all here is gold tried in the fire. It is tried gold, therefore contains no base alloy, and can never be diminished. Wise Counsellor! Faithful friend!
He knew we needed this to fit us for the work assigned us in the closing scenes of the world's history. He knew that we should need this that we might stand unharmed when the wrath of an avenging God was falling upon a guilty world. He knew we should need it in order to abide the day of his coming, when the heavens and earth shall shake, the graves be opened, and be revealed in the glory of his Father, and all the holy angels with him.
And this changes our poverty to riches. Does Jesus pronounce us rich when he has given us this gold? Ah yes, "that thou mayest be rich." He speaks no unmeaning words. Rich in the sight of the Son of God! Rich in the sight of the angels! Excellent gold! Dear Jesus, and this thou didst procure for us with thy blood, and now bringest to us that we may take it at thy hand. Teach us, thy people, how to receive it. We have been poor long enough. Thou hast long waited to make us rich. We have heard thy voice at the door, we have mourned that thou wast without, and now with thine aid we open the door that thou mayest come in and sup with us and we with thee. Come in, thou heavenly Guest! Thou hast long waited to come in, and now that unbelief no longer keeps thee out, thou dost come in and unlade thy burden of heavenly treasures to our astonished view. And thou wilt teach us how to apply them to ourselves that we may be equipped and fitted to serve thee, ready and waiting to do thy bidding.
Throw open the door for Jesus to come in, my brethren and sisters! He desires to tarry no longer without. You desire the same. Then just let faith open the door, and he will be quickly in your midst. You will find that he is putting upon you the garment of his own righteousness, even white raiment, and you will be clothed. You will not be ashamed before the children of men. You will also find that your eyes are anointed; you will see that you may ask what you will, and it shall be given unto you. You will see that you have but just begun to love your fellow-men as Jesus loved them. You will see that those distinctions between the rich and poor, the high and low, that exist in the sight of men, but not in the sight of God, are vanished from your view also. You must follow Jesus in the work of laboring for the salvation of those from whom probation will soon be withdrawn. You will see how to do good and glorify your Father in heaven in every action of your life. You will see the clear and beautiful meaning of the word of the Lord as you have never seen it before. You will find how good it is take no thought for the morrow; that it is easy and delightful to obey Jesus in all his teachings, and that his promises are yours.
Thus I have found it with myself, since Jesus came in at the door of my heart. Angels have heard me praise him, and I expect angels will hear one after another of God's repenting, believing, rising people praise him, as Jesus enters and they are refreshed from the presence of the Lord.
C. E. HARRIS.
Lunenburgh, Vt., Sept. 1858.
LETTERS.
By Geo. Wright
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."
From Bro. Wright.
BRO. SMITH: It is with a deep sense of my inability that I attempt to address a few words through the Review to the dear saints scattered abroad. My heart has been made glad while reading the cheering exhortations which come to me through your truly valuable paper, from all parts of the land. May the same good spirit actuate me in this my first attempt, is my prayer. I can appreciate the full force of the language expressed in that beautiful Psalm, since I embraced the present truth, [Ps. cxxxiii.] "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. It is like the precious ointment upon the head," &c. In our social meetings and our daily intercourse with each other, this should be the feeling of every honest heart. The Lord help us to love him with all our heart, might, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves is my prayer.
About three months ago, Brn. Cornell and Lawrence came to this place with the tent, and began proclaiming the Third Angel's Message and kindred doctrines. Evening after evening the truth was presented, as clear as the noon-day sun, to my mind and heart; and thank my God that he inclined my heart to receive it through the love of it; and I am now endeavoring by all the powers that God has given me, to practice it, do all his commandments that I may have right to the tree of life and enter in through the gates into the city. As soon as I decided, and took a public stand to keep the Sabbath of the Lord our God, then persecution commenced. I had given my name a few months previous to the M. E. Church, at which time, and onward to the time of my embracing the present truth, the band of fellowship was extended in the warmest manner both by minister and laymen. But now the minister meets me in the street, and in an authoritative tone demands if I endorsed the views of the tent men, as he was pleased to call the tent brethren. I replied that I was in perfect sympathy with them, and requested him to take my name off the Class hook. What ensued I will not dwell upon here. Suffice it to say, his brotherly love suddenly left him. For my part, in view of what I heard that day and the spirit manifested since, I feel to bless God that I have got out of Babylon, and can rejoice in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made me free.
Bro. Cornell has given a full report of the tent meetings. I believe God has raised up a church of devoted souls in Lapeer, that will be a terror to evil-doers and a praise to them that do well. May God in his infinite mercy help us to keep humble, and live very near to him. We are now busily engaged heart and hand in erecting a house to be dedicated to God and his truth. The Lord, willing, we expect to have it completed by the first of November. Bro. Cornell is with us, laboring in word and doctrine and cheering us by his presence and counsel. The Lord spare him in his labors of love.
Last Sabbath I listened to an excellent discourse on baptism by Bro. Cornell, after which eleven followed the Lord in baptism. It was a deeply solemn and interesting scene to me. To-day, by request, Bro. Cornell preached a funeral sermon five miles east of this place, in a steam saw mill, to a large and attentive audience. Subject, man's nature, state between death and the resurrection, and the final triumph over death and the grave, of those that have part in the first resurrection. It was clear and impressive. May the seed sown, bring forth an hundred fold. This afternoon, Bro. Lawrence filled an appointment northeast of this place. The Lord gave him great freedom on the perpetuity of the law. This was a subject well adapted to stir up investigation, as it was before a Protestant Methodist Class, where their minister had a few days previous, preached the law of ten commandments abrogated. I have had conversation with the class leader since; he tells me Bro. Lawrence has the truth, and spoke his sentiments. Let this scripture encourage the heart of every messenger: 'Cast thy bread upon the waters and thou shalt find it after many days.'
Brn. C. and L. work well together. C. plants and L. waters, and God gives the increase. I trust Bro. L. will give himself entirely to the work, for which God so evidently designs him.
"Strike! let every nerve and sinew,
Tell on ages, tell for God!"
I, for one, and I know I speak the sentiment of every honest heart that has embraced the truth in Lapeer and vicinity, feel to thank the Lord that he directed his messengers this way. The Lord enable us as a church to make a full consecration of all that we have and are to his service, that we may be sheltered in the day of his wrath, from the coming storm.
I desire the prayers of all those that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus, that I may be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of man, and sing that new song with all the redeemed, on Mount Zion.
Yours in love of the truth.
GEO. WRIGHT.
Lapeer, Mich., Sept. 20th, 1858.
THE SECOND ADVENT DRAWETH NEAR.
By MARAH
HARK! a herald from on high,
Speaks to us in accents clear;
My laws no longer disregard,
The second advent draweth near.
The herald cries, Forsake your sin.
Forsake old Babylon so dear;
Come out, my people, saith the Lord,
The second advent draweth near.
The herald cries, Forsake the beast
Which long you've worship'd so sincere,
No longer bow at Pagan shrines,
The second advent draweth near.
The herald cries, Receive no mark
But that of God the Father dear.
And then immortal life you'll have.
When Christ the Saviour shall appear.
To us the message now has come,
And light and truth are shining clear;
We'll keep the Sabbath of the Lord.
Till Christ the second time appear.
MARAH.
Fasting.
By S. C. Courter
Is it a duty in these last days, or is it not? Joel i, 14; ii, 15. If not, why then did God command it? Does the great God who is infinite who sees the end from the beginning, command anything that cannot be performed? If it is a duty to sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, &c., then why so loth to do our Father's bidding? Why not go readily about our duty, as faithful Abraham did when called to offer up his only son for a burnt offering? It was enough for him, that God had told him to do it. He did not stop to consult his own feelings, or whether he would have strength to perform his duty, but went right along, willing and obedient to perform his heavenly Father's will. He had faith to believe God would give him strength to perform what he in wisdom told him to do.
Dear brethren and sisters are we just what the Lord would have us to be? Have we overcome ourselves? Have we been enabled through grace to overcome the world, the flesh and Satan? If we have not, then let us humble ourselves, and afflict our souls in this day of atonement. We must have faith, for without it, it is impossible to please God. We must be faithful too, or we cannot enjoy the reward of the saints.
O if we were as sick of sin as we ought to be, we should think very little of our mortal bodies, or our ease. The glory of God should be our aim. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? should be uppermost in our minds. We should strive to see ourselves in the light of judgment scenes; to see our fearful condition without holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Let us compare our lives with the spotless life of Jesus; our love and self-denial with His who left the realms of glory for us poor sinners, and say no more that it is hard to fast and weep and pray over our pride and poverty.
O brethren and sisters, awake, awake! Arise and trim your lamps! See if you have oil in plenty; if not, delay not a moment to leave all earthly treasures, go to Jesus and buy. Give all, and buy the gold tried in the fire. Let us afflict our souls in this day of atonement.
S. C. COURTER.
West Windsor, Mich., Sept. 1858.
Truth and Tobacco Reform in Ohio
By S. Myers
From Bro. Myers.
BRO. SMITH : We have great reasons for thankfulness and gratitude. The labors of Brn. Phelps and Hull, on their return from Crane's Grove conference, resulted in the addition of three to our little company of Sabbath keepers, and a favorable impression on the minds of others. We think that if there could be a faithful minister with us a short time, who would labor in faith and the power of present truth, others in the place would be brought to see the necessity of having their sins blotted out before the Saviour leaves the Sanctuary. But while we see some willing to believe and obey the truth, we see the enemy renewing his exertions. He has lost none of his enmity against the law of God, or his subtlety in the way of presenting his deceptions. It is extremely painful to see what desperate efforts are being used to becloud and bewilder those who are desirous to obtain the truth. Those who stand fast, and fearlessly adopt the law of God as the rule of right, and live out the spirit of its holy precepts, will have to be called, chosen and faithful.
We also feel it a pleasure to heartily sustain the uncompromising course the Review has taken, to suppress the use of that noxious weed, tobacco, among Sabbath keepers. If any take the ground that it is not that which goes into the man that defiles, but what comes out of him—that is the very reason why we protest against the use of tobacco : for no man can use it without defiling himself, the place he occupies, and also be in danger of defiling those with whom he associates. We have long felt that every lover of cleanliness should be unflinching in their opposition to the use of tobacco.
Yours striving for life,
S. MYERS.
Plum River, Ills, Sept. 1858.