Earlier text: TOBACCO ON HEALTHBOTH SIDES OF THE SABBATH QUESTION.
Preble.—"It is true, that in the Acts of the apostles we find mention made of the apostle Paul speaking to the Jews in their synagogues on the Sabbath; but never do we find any of the other apostles holding meetings on the seventh-day Sabbath. And there is but one single instance where we have an account of any of the apostles holding a meeting on that day, which appears to have been for a season of mutual worship among themselves; and that is the one mentioned in Acts xvi, 13, where it is said:—'And on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.'" REPLY.—And on the first day of the week we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made. Hold! It does not read so. We were imagining how it would sound, could any such testimony be found in reference to Sunday, and what infinite consolation its observers would derive from that fact. But though they may weep for it, even as Rachel wept for her children still it "is not." We do have this testimony, however, relative to the Sabbath; and the expression, "where prayer was wont to be made," denotes that this observance was customary. And Eld. P. moreover, has admitted that this "appears to have been for a season of mutual worship among themselves," that is, among Christians. And where was this customary Sabbath assemblage? not in Jerusalem; not in Judea, but nearly fifteen degrees to the westward, in Philippi, then chief city of Macedonia. Do you ask for apostolic practice? Here then you have it. Eld. P. does not attempt to dispose of this "historical" fact relative to the keeping of the seventh-day Sabbath, but he does attempt to detract from its importance by styling it "but one single instance." Very well: can even "one single instance" be found of the observance of Sunday as a day devoted to religious rest and worship? We answer, No; and shall presently prove it. Then this instance is certainly entitled to some weight, as by it, we have at least one statement of the customary observance of the Sabbath by the early Christians, against nothing for Sunday; and one against nothing, though not a numerous, is yet an overwhelming, majority. Preble.—"The passage in 17th chapter of Acts 2d verse, where it is said: 'And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures'; only shows that Paul was in Thessalonica, in a Jewish synagogue, and his 'manner was,' when he could get an opportunity, he would reason with them out of the Scriptures; opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead'; and although they were ever so much offended with him, he would 'preach unto' them 'that this Jesus' is Christ.' And the apostle's 'manner,' in thus going into Jewish synagogues on the Sabbath, was very much like my 'manner when I believed in the seventh-day Sabbath; for I attended a great many more meetings on the 'first day of the week,' than on any other, for the very good reason, that it was much easier to get the people out to meeting on this day than the day that I then believed was the Sabbath." REPLY.—This is the uniform and stereotyped method of accounting for Paul's practice of preaching on the Sabbath. Now if we can find instances of Paul's thus observing the Sabbath where this reason could not apply, will our opponents admit that the ground of their objection here is not valid, but that Paul's course touching the Sabbath was not because he could meet a congregation of Jews upon that day, but out of the regard he had for it as the still living and holy rest-day of the Lord Jehovah? The candid certainly will. We have already had before us the testimony concerning the customary meeting by the river side at Philippi, which Eld. P. has admitted appears to have been for a season of mutual worship among themselves. But we will not further press this testimony as we have something still better. It is found in Acts xiii. In verse 14, we read that Paul and his company departed from Perga, and came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. Then follows the discourse that Paul delivered to the people, till verse 42, where we read, "And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." Verse 44. "And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God." To these facts we call the careful attention of the reader. We learn here that by the word Sabbath in Acts is meant the day upon which the Jews assembled in the synagogue for worship. And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles, not the Jews, besought Paul to speak the same words to them the next Sabbath. And lest any should be confused by the marginal reading, which is, in the week between or in the Sabbath between, we introduce the following note from Dr. Bloomfield on this verse: "The words eis to metaxu sabb. are by many commentators supposed to mean 'on some intermediate week day.' But that is refuted by verse 44, and the sense expressed in our common version is, no doubt, the true one. It is adopted by the best recent commentators, and confirmed by the ancient versions." This second meeting then was called at the request of the Gentiles, was for the benefit of Gentiles, and was almost exclusively composed of Gentiles, yet it was delayed till the next Sabbath. Why was this? Answer. It was because the Gentiles well understood that Paul, though a Christian apostle, regarded the seventh day, the Sabbath of the Lord, as the only regular weekly period for divine worship. But suppose now for a moment, that Paul believed the Sabbath had been changed to the first day of the week; that Sunday was the Christian Sabbath, which he, as a teacher of Christianity, was bound to promulgate and support; when the Gentiles, who would not, of course, be influenced by any purely Jewish customs, besought him to preach to them the next Sabbath, would he not have immediately told them that they need not wait till another Jewish Sabbath came round, but that the next day, the first day of the week, Sunday, was the Christian Sabbath, and on that day they might come out and hear the words of life? He most assuredly would, as no man can deny. And the fact that he did not make any such mention of a first-day Sabbath on this occasion, which was some fourteen years after the resurrection of Christ, shews positively that up to that time he had no knowledge of any such Sabbath; nor had Luke learned of any such change of the Sabbath, when he wrote the Acts, thirty years this side of the resurrection. Three points are established by this "historical" record, concerning the Sabbath: 1. That Paul so late as the year A. D. 45, knew nothing of a first-day Sabbath; but 2. That he did regard the seventh-day Sabbath as the day still to be employed in divine worship; and 3. That he did not do this because he could gain a Jewish audience on that day; for his discourse was for the Gentiles; but to show his regard for the day as still the divinely appointed Sabbath of the Lord; and to impress upon his Gentile hearers the same truth. Let those who believe in a change of the Sabbath, study well this incident in the life of Paul, in all its bearings. Preble.—'In Acts xviii, 4, it is said, "And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks." Where was Paul at the time? At "Corinth." Who was he with? He was with "a Jew named Aquila," and "his wife Priscilla." And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them and wrought (for by their occupation they were tent-makers). And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.' Acts xviii, 1–6. "The apostle did not find this very pleasant 'seventh-day' worship, did he? These were not his brethren that Paul was with on this occasion, were they? And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, Paul left them, saying, 'From henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.' Do we have any account that the apostle after this had any more meetings on the seventh-day Sabbath? Never! This was the last. But we do find him holding meetings with his brethren after this; but their meetings for worship were on the 'first day of the week.' (Sabbaton.) Acts xx, 7." REPLY.—"He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath." This is spoken of the seventh day of the week; and it is here called, as in many other places in the Acts, the Sabbath, without any limitation or qualification. The book of Acts was written thirty years, at least, this side of the resurrection. It was written by a Christian, and for the benefit of Christians in this dispensation. The seventh day either was or was not the Sabbath, at the time Luke wrote. If it was not, how shall we account for his frequent and familiar mention of it in this manner? Would he, writing for Christians in this dispensation, continually call a day the Sabbath which he knew had been abolished, and was not to be kept by Christians under the gospel? Could he say of anything that was done on the seventh day, that it was done on the Sabbath, as he repeatedly does, if the Sabbath had been done away, or if any other day had taken the place of the seventh? Impossible. It would not be in accordance either with his character as a Christian writer, or with strict principles of morality. Such mention of the Sabbath in Acts can in no way be accounted for, except upon the ground that it is still binding in this dispensation. When Paul was at Corinth he declared to the blaspheming Jews, that he would go to the Gentiles. Then asks Eld. P., "Do we have any account that the apostle after this had any more meetings on the seventh-day Sabbath? Never." Wait a moment. Was this the first time that he had declared that he turned to the Gentiles? By no means. Nine years before this, when Paul was at Antioch in Pisidia, as already noticed, Acts xiii, 14, 42, 44, 46, he declared that he turned to the Gentiles. When the Gentiles had besought him to preach to them the next Sabbath, and then, accordingly, almost the whole city had come together, the Jews, seeing the multitudes were filled with envy, and "spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you, but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." When was this? At the commencement of that meeting for which the Gentiles had waited a whole week in order that it might be held on the Sabbath, and for which Paul had suffered them to wait, under the impression that that was the proper day for divine worship; and so, having turned to the Gentiles, Paul continued his discourse to them on the Sabbath, never intimating to them any such thing as the abolition of the institution or the change of the day. Here was just as definite a turning to the Gentiles as the case mentioned by Eld. P. from Acts xviii, and now we will inquire, Do we find the apostle after this holding "meetings upon the seventh-day Sabbath?" Surely we do. It was after this that the apostles went out by the river side at Philippi for a season of social worship among Christians, as already referred to, Acts xvi; after this that meeting was held at Thessalonica three Sabbath days, Acts xvii, 2; after this that Paul reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath at Corinth, Acts xviii, and when he was driven from thence, entered into a man's house, named Justus, whose house joined hard to the synagogue, and continued there a year and six months teaching the word of God among them. From all this, it is apparent that Paul's turning to the Gentiles did not in the least affect his practice relative to the Sabbath; but as Eld. P. has asserted with great assurance that his observance of the Sabbath at Corinth just before turning to the Gentiles "was the last," we cannot forbear noticing one more incident in the life of Paul. Two years after this, Paul visited Ephesus, as recorded in Acts xix, 8, and went into the synagogue and spake boldly for the space of three months. On what day may we suppose that he held meetings in the synagogue at Ephesus? Heretofore such meetings have uniformly been held on the Sabbath; but now we must conclude, must we not, of13course, that these meetings were held on the first day; that Paul procured the Jewish synagogue for his Sunday services! Verily Eld. P. has here sailed clear up on to dry ground. Referring to the opposition of the Jews, he asks, "Paul did not find this very pleasant seventh-day worship, did he?" To which we reply that Paul did not keep the Sabbath, or perform any other Christian duty because it was pleasant so far as his relation with the world or unbelieving professors was concerned; and if the principle involved in his question is the one upon which he acted, during the short time in which he walked in obedience to the truth, we marvel not that he so soon turned his back upon the cross-bearing way. It would be well if he had adhered to the sentiment he expressed in his tract written in 1845 in honor and vindication of the Sabbath, p. 12: "But for one, I had rather obey God, and have his approbation here, and finally enjoy the blessings of the new earth—though all men hate me—than to have the good opinion of men here, and perish at last. Or in other words, and in the language of another, 'I had rather go Heaven alone, than to hell with the multitude.'" Continuing with Paul, after his meeting at Corinth, he says, "But we do find him holding meetings with his brethren after this; but their meetings for worship were on the first day of the week (sabbaton). Acts xx, 7." As this is the most specious and insidious portion of the last quotation from Eld. P., and as Acts xx, 7, is the only mention in the New Testament of any religious meeting of whatever kind, on the first day of the week, night or day, it is perhaps entitled to more than a passing notice. Eld. P.'s assertion that Paul held no more meetings on the seventh day, after turning to the Gentiles, we have already followed into the ground; and we shall find his assertion or insinuation, that the first day was thereafter devoted by the disciples to religious worship, equally false. Acts xx, 7, records a solitary instance of a meeting on the first day of the week. Let us look at this meeting, and see in what part of the day it was held, what portion it occupied, what it determines respecting the day on which it occurred, and how the disciples spent the remainder of the day. In verse 8 we read, "And there were many lights in the upper chamber where they were gathered together." Now it does not particularly concern us to know just how many lamps were burning on that occasion, and we are not told; but it does seem that the Holy Spirit has caused this particular to be recorded to show us that this was an evening meeting. And if Eld. P. had looked at this meeting in the light of these lamps, we think he would have arrived at more correct conclusions concerning it. This one point is then settled: the meeting was an evening meeting, held not in the day-time, but in the evening of the first day of the week. Now in what part of the first day did the evening come? In the first part, or the last part? Answer. In the first part; as according to Bible reckoning, a reckoning by which Paul and the disciples were governed, the evening was the first portion of the day. "The evening and the morning were the first day." Gen. i. And so of the second, and third days, and so on. Again, "From even to even shall ye celebrate your sabbaths." Lev. xxiii, 32. So that the first day of the week in Paul's time commenced with what would be, according to the present reckoning of time, Saturday evening; and consequently that meeting at Troas was held on what would now be Saturday night! Mark this. And that you may not think this is any fancy of our own, we will give a few quotations from standard authorities sustaining this point: Prof. Hackett comments upon this text thus: "The Jews reckoned the day from evening to morning, and on that principle the evening of the first day of the week would be our Saturday evening." Kitto, whose Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature has hitherto been a standard work with scholars, in noting the fact that this meeting at Troas was an evening meeting, speaks thus: "It has from this last circumstance been inferred that the assembly commenced after sunset on the Sabbath, at which hour the first day of the week had commenced according to the Jewish reckoning [John Bibl. Antip. § 398], which would hardly agree with the idea of a commemoration of the resurrection." Cyclopædia, article, Lord's Day. And Prynne, in his Dissertation on the Lord's Day Sabbath, thus states this point: "Because the text saith there were many lights in the upper room where they were gathered together, and that Paul preached till midnight, . . . this meeting of the disciples at Troas began at evening. The sole doubt will be what evening this was. For my own part I conceive clearly that it was upon Saturday night, as we falsely call it, and not the coming Sunday night. . . . Because St. Luke records that it was upon the first day of the week, when this meeting was, therefore it must needs be on the Saturday, not on our Sunday evening, since Sunday evening in St. Luke's and the Scripture account was no part of the first, but of the second, day; the day ever beginning and ending at evening." In view of such testimony as above quoted, no one certainly will endeavor to controvert the fact that this meeting was upon the evening preceding the day-time of the first day of the week. Paul preached till midnight, healed the young man who fell from the window, continued his speech till break of day, verse 11, and when Sunday had fairly and broadly dawned upon the world, what did he do? Spend the rest of the day in religious abstinence from labor, and hold a forenoon and afternoon meeting with the disciples there? Nothing of the kind. But, continues the record, "so he departed." Off he went, Sunday morning, with the rest of his company, on his long journey up to Jerusalem, he going afoot, verse 13, a singular way to keep Sunday, if it was the Sabbath, and the rest sailing around to Assos, there intending to take him in. Now if Paul's meeting with the disciples in the evening, at the commencement of that first day, imparted any sort of sanctity whatever to the day, his traveling on the latter part, and all the light part of the day, more than took off that sanctity. And as this was his last act on that day, such is the apostolic example he bequeathed to posterity touching the first day of the week. It was in this same year, A. D. 59, that Paul gave instruction to the church at Corinth, as he had before to the churches of Galatia, to lay by them in store upon the first day of the week, for purposes of religious charity, directions which involve the necessity of reviewing their secular business, counting up their worldly gains, to see to what extent the Lord had prospered them, and determining what part they could devote to the wants of their brethren; work which would well commence the secular business of the week, but would be wholly inadmissible for the Sabbath, which is to be devoted to religious rest and worship, and a scrupulous dismissal of all worldly cares and considerations. If any should say that the language, "lay by him in store," means a collection in the public congregation, and that therefore meetings must have been regularly held on the first day of the week, we reply that the original will not admit of any such idea. The Greek of the expression is para heautou; and Greenfield in his lexicon translates these words thus: "with one's self; that is, at home." From this it is apparent that what Paul here commanded was a private transaction, to be accomplished by each one at home, and not involving the idea of a public meeting at all. For a more extended examination of this text, and the meaning of the phrase, "lay by him in store," in twelve translations, and nine different languages, we refer the reader to the History of the Sabbath, pp. 175–178. Space forbids us longer to dwell upon it here. We submit our proposition, then, as proved, that there is no instance of a meeting held in the day-time of the first day of the week, nor held upon it at all as the regular day for divine worship, nor a single mention of it in the New Testament, as any other than a secular day. In distinction from this we have the Sabbath, everywhere in the history of the early church, as contained in the Acts of the Apostles, spoken of as the regular day for religious meetings, not for the Jews only, but for the Gentiles also. PATIENCE.—Nothing teaches patience like a garden. You may go round and watch the opening bud from day to day, but it takes its own time and you cannot urge it on faster than it will. If forced it is only torn to pieces. All the best results of a garden, like those of life are slowly, but regularly progressive. Each does a work that nothing but that can do. "Learn to labor and to wait," is one of the best lessons of the garden. Report of the Committee for the Month of May.
By E. S. W.
THE summing up of the result of the labors of the committee for the month of May shows an accession of 194 subscribers. The following list shows the names of the members of the committee reporting, and the number of subscribers sent in by each, viz: One each. Geo. W. Amadon, W. Russell, T. A. Valentine, J. Hebner, A. D. Thorp, F. White, P. Taber, E. B. Gaskill, W. Carpenter, H. S. Lay, Betsey Bryant, J. Nichols, Henrietta E. A. Demill, D. Hildreth, L. Lathrop, C. Monroe, I. D. Van Horn, N. D. Richmond, Mrs. S. W. Rhodes, H. W. Decker, H. C. Blanchard, J. Ralston, O. S. Washburn, Eliza Patten, B. De Witt, Levi Wiswell, C. Sheldon, G. W. Perry, Hannah Beecher, A. Lanphear, A. M. Gravel, S. B. Whitney, V. O. Edson, G. I. Butler, J. Laughhead, S. M. Holley, Julia M. Rhodes, M. L. Tyson, H. Lindsay, J. Curren, J. N. Andrews, B. F. Rice, E. C. Styles, F. Spurlock, F. Morrow, M. Harris, P. E. Ruiter, A. C. Bordeau, J. Leeland, W. Romine, W. K. Loughborough, James Harvey, O. F. Guilford, G. W. Burnham, D. Hodges, M. Holliday, L. R. Chapel, O. P. Symonds, W. S. Higley jr., H. Hilliard, M. S. Kellogg, Elsie Brigham, J. H. Waggoner, Susan Sisley, Sr. Lane, J. M. Foster, Z. Nicola, Carrie Carpenter, Mary E. Randall, M. J. Chapman, R. Burtenshaw, F. Howe, M. Hornaday, Benn Auten, E. M. Kimball, J. H. Ginley, Hannah Smiley, F. Burnham, S. Tomlinson, N. G. Sanders, S. N. Walworth, Rebecca Whittier, C. R. Austin, C. L. Palmer, J. W. Wolfe, C. K. Farnsworth, A. Worster, A. S. Gillet, Mrs. E. Hall, L. A. Kellogg, J. Long, Eli Wick, D. Griggs, M. C. Butler, Mrs. S. Verplank and J. L. Kilgore. Two each. I. Sanborn, D. Daniels, J. B. Frisbie, A Sister in Somerset, N. Y., W. H. Wild, A. D. Love, J. A. Blackamore, W. C. Peck, A. H. Daniels, B. Simonton, W. E. Newcomb, G. Kelsey, D. A. Wetmore, G. Castle, R. Bullock, N. Ridgby, Lucinda Pierce, A. S. Hutchins, J. M. Aldrich, C. H. Holcomb, A. Woodruff, A. Hurlburt and D. Andre. Three each. J. Bates, W. H. Slown, D. M. Canright, N. Hodges and T. M. Morris. Four each. B. F. Snook and Mary F. Maxson. It will be seen that the number of new subscribers falls14a little below that of our last report. We shall expect a larger list during the present month. The term of subscription of a number of our new subscribers will expire during the present volume, and the probabilities are that a portion of them will not renew. It will therefore require a little extra effort on the part of our committee to make up for this deficiency and at the same time keep up our usual increase. Our list is now about 4,000. Remember 5,000 is our mark. Let us not cease our efforts until we get the full complement. A Year's Work in Michigan.
As it may be interesting to the friends of truth to know what has been done within the bounds of the Michigan Conference, the past year, we have compiled the following statements from the reports of the churches and ministers. By the ministers that have been left in the State, there have been held during the year, nine hundred and fifty-eight meetings. There has been a net increase of membership in the churches, of one hundred and twenty-eight members. Forty churches represented themselves at our late Conference, either by delegate or letter, presenting an aggregate membership of one thousand and eighty. Two churches were not represented either by letter or delegate, namely, Bowne, and Parkville. Whole number of churches now belonging to the Conference, forty-two. Others will soon be organized in East Thetford, Hadley, and Cato, Montcalm Co. Total amount of s. B. fund within the Conference, $ 3797,04. Amount pledged for Conference purposes, that is, for Tent operations and the support of ministers, $ 1907,00. Arrangements for the coming season are not entirely complete. Brn. I. D. Van Horn and R. J. Lawrence will labor with the Michigan Tent. Bro. D. M. Canright goes as Tent-master, and to speak according to the judgment of those with whom he labors. We hope to secure for many of the churches, a visit from Bro. and Sr. White the coming season. Brn. P. Strong Jr., of Pine Grove Mills, R. Burtenshaw of Memphis, D. M. Canright of Coldwater, and H. L. Doty of Salem Center, Ind., receive from the Conference a license to improve upon their gift in publicly preaching the message the coming year. Uriah Smith,
Jno. Byington,
R. J. Lawrence,
Michigan Conference Committee. Report from Bro. Cornell.
By M. E. Cornell
Since my last report I have given five lectures in a new place three miles from Athen's village. The interest to hear and investigate was encouraging. They had heard of our meetings in Cornville and were anxious to hear, though considerable prejudice was manifested on the Sabbath question. As the arguments progressed on the law and Sabbath, a change came in the minds of the people and there was quite a call for books. I plead for the Review and obtained six subscribers. If the investigation continues as it has begun, I have no fear for the result. The good work is still going on in Cornville. A goodly number have fully decided and the meetings are good. The opposition is bitter, but powerless, as it only stirs the people to investigate, and one after another falls into the ranks of God's truth-loving people. The weather and going have been unfavorable most of the time since we come to Maine. For about two weeks it has been very gloomy. When we think of the good Conference at Battle Creek this week, we feel somewhat homesick. But we are there in spirit, and pray for the prosperity of Zion. I want to say to the brethren and sisters abroad who are interested in the progress of truth everywhere, that we are having cause of encouragement here in Maine. A short notice will bring out the people en masse and they listen with the greatest attention. Our trouble about openings for labor, is on account of there being so many, that we know not which way to go first. My last lectures were given in much weariness at Athen's village. After having chills and fever and taking but little nourishment for twenty-four hours, I felt poorly prepared to stand up all day, and speak with the energy that is demanded in a new place. Bro. Stratton was with me and helped by the prayer of faith, so that by the blessing of God, I was enabled to give three long discourses yesterday. The word took effect and the Athenians were considerably stirred up. No doubt many of them came out, like the Athenians of old, to hear "what this babbler will say." The word spoken in weakness took effect and a spirited investigation has commenced. I trust the books and papers will do a good work. I am glad to see the papers and books go, for I want to have it known everywhere that there is a people that love God enough to keep all his commandments. The honest will hear thereof and be glad. I send six more names for the Review. I expect to go after the tent this week, if I am able after one or two days' rest, and hope to be ready to commence tent operations about the first of June. Report from Bro. Sanborn.
By Isaac Sanborn
Bro. White: While the cause is spreading in the East, it is also spreading in the West. According to appointment I met with brethren at Poysippi Waushara Co. Wis. The most of them are from Denmark in Europe, and therefore could not understand but little that was said, till Bro. Matteson interpreted it to them. I preached six times while there, on Sabbath and first-day, and baptized ten and organized a church of thirty-one members. Bro. Matteson is doing what he can to spread the truth among his people. It goes slow, however, as they cannot read the Review nor our books. They are all therefore very anxious to have some of our publications translated into their language. Bro. Matteson will freely translate, if it can be published. He has translated a Sabbath tract and sent it to the old country. He has also translated a part of Spiritual Gifts, Vol. II and read it to his brethren; and as their language is the language of the Norwegians it does seem that such a work would be very desirable. By an urgent request I left Poysippi on Monday morning to go to Fish Lake, where I arrived late in the evening. I preached there three times, baptized one, and organized a church of eight members. Two others decided to obey the truth at the last meeting, after which I got into the wagon with Bro. Thurston and rode all night and the next day in order to reach Marquette in time for my appointment. I have now preached five times here and baptized nine. Let us Awake.
By R. F. Cottrell
THE world is dark. Its scenes of woe and terror are sickening to the heart. As if its unavoidable evils were not sufficient for our sinful race, ambition, oppression and malevolence unite to curse our earth with desolation, and steep its fields in human blood, while corruption fraud and crimes of the darkest dye are common in the most favored places. We might be relieved, in some measure, from our calamities, but, alas! there is not salt enough left to save us. The people are everywhere too corrupt. And yet men flatter themselves that there are better days for our earth ahead. That, on the whole, men are growing better, and that the fabled conversion of the world will yet prove a reality. Men are so blinded by sin and the corrupting currents of this world, that they fancy themselves in a good case, that they are the favored of the Lord, and are valiant for the truth, when they are in the broad road to perdition. The religious teachings of the day flatter the people with the idea of peace and progress. They lack the "present truth" for the present times. They lack those great prophetic truths which describe the present time with its vast and solemn issues, and they fall short of enforcing the moral obligations which are due to God and his holy law. Hence people flatter themselves that they may choose their own course, live in disobedience, and still secure the immortal prize. Can a stream rise higher than its fountain? And yet this generation cannot be saved, unless they rise higher than the tone of the popular teaching of the present day. Oh, that the vail of deception might be rent asunder! Oh, that men could be aroused to their own eternal interests! Oh, that the honest in heart might see the vanity of the flimsy covering with which popular religion covers itself at the present day. If the tremendous scenes, which, as its immediate harbingers, are ushering in the day of the Lord, cannot arouse men to seek for a shelter, what, oh, what can be done for them! Oh, for the Spirit and power of Elijah's God in the hearts of the people who know the solemn truth of the third and last message! Let us arouse, dear brethren, to the thrilling interests of the salvation of men, which hang upon the improvement of so brief a period. When we are fully awake, the Lord will pour out his Spirit—the times of refreshing will come—and the closing work of probation will speedily be accomplished. Let us awake. There is power with God; and we may receive power and guidance from on high, if we earnestly pray, and zealously and diligently work for it. May God reach down his arm of power and help us. "Send us help from the Sanctuary and strengthen us out of Zion." Report from Bro. Byington.
By John Byington
BRO. WHITE : We arrived safely at Monterey Friday afternoon, May 27. Bro. Andrews preached in the evening, and twice on the Sabbath, with freedom, to large congregations. The evening after the Sabbath we met the church to inquire if all were doing their duty, laying aside their idols, and living holy. Duty of parents to children was enforced; the young doing their duty, family prayer maintained, and bad habits, so common, kept out of the church. Sunday, 29th, meeting at Allegan for the dedication of their new meeting-house. Here we had four meetings, two were baptized. There was a good congregation at the dedication who listened with interest to the reasons of our hope, and though the enemies of truth would gladly hinder the work yet we think the church here will live. The Meeting at Battle Creek.
By J. Clarke
It is not my place to write a report of this meeting, though it might not be out of the way for many reports to be written of so good a meeting as this. Too much praise is not likely to be awarded those who selected the city of Battle Creek as a site for the Publication Office. This place is very pleasantly situated at the junction of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo rivers. An artificial channel unites the two streams affording ample water power for five flouring mills, besides a variety of manufactories, which are in active operation. The Mich. Central R. R. passes through this city, giving it a business like aspect and affording opportunity for enterprise. There are many beautiful residences; and the school houses and other public buildings are well and tastefully built and arranged. The first three days of Conference were spent wholly in business. Wednesday the General Conference, Thursday the Mich. Conference, Friday the Association meeting. And I was surprised at the amount of business to be done, and was much confirmed in witnessing the faithfulness and care of those who bear the burdens. The prosperity of the cause is not cheaply purchased, nor is business slackly done at Battle Creek. Early and late, and long and earnest, and laborious and watchful are those Conferences; and no office in the church is a sinecure. Work, work, is the order of the week. In the office building no lounger is tolerated; and men of business are brief, and the hand of industry earns well its wages; and promptness and energy alike characterize the labors of each one. At the front door of the Office from the opening of the meetings, a committee of arrangements were to be seen, who politely received those coming to the meeting, and assigned to each a home, so that hundreds of worshippers of the true God found pleasant retreats during the intervals of divine worship; and though numerous, each one felt at home and each one knew where he should find a host. Hospitality and Christian courtesy reminds one of patriarchal times, when men yet retained somewhat of God's image. At the tent no frightful crinoline floated upon the benches, but modest youth greeted with respect matured age, and the chastened eye, the glowing countenance, and careful conversation, showed that the heart was not unkept, and we reverted mentally to those passovers of Hezekiah and Josiah, when God blessed his ancient people. As the full chorus of the "Morn of Zion's Glory" rang out on the free air from hundreds of voices, the "chariots" foretold by Nahum passing close by set up a deafening whistle, and seemed determined for a moment to remind us of the reality of the sentiment of our song, adding sublimity and truth and power to the exercise. Were it not late spring time, and I a farmer with hurrying work, I would tell you how Bro. Andrews urged us to buy a certain kind of valuable stock now at a low estimate, hardly at one per cent, as Moses did; a kind of stock soon to rise infinitely; how Bro. and Sister White cheered and encouraged us on; of what plans are being laid for our health and prosperity; of what information upon important matters of the past present and future. I would tell of what pleasant and holy conversation we had, but I cannot now; but will say to you that I for one had a good time at this meeting and am satisfied that others had.
J. CLARKE. DIED in Eden, Vt., April 10, 1864, of congestion of the lungs, our little grandson, Judson Charles, aged six months, only child of Albert J. and Lusena S. Stone. "Sleep on sweet babe and take thy rest
Till Jesus bids thee rise." A. STONE. DIED in Fitchburg, Mass., of consumption, March 18, 1864, Bro. Abel A. Farnsworth, aged 42 years, and 10 months. During his sickness, Bro. F. manifested strong faith and confidence in the Lord, and would often say "How good the Lord is."
A. H. HUNTLEY. DIED in Milford, Mich., of inflammation of the lungs, Tuesday, April 19, 1864, Isaiah Rathbun, in the 73d year of his age. Funeral services attended by the writer.
R. J. LAWRENCE. DIED in the Village of Pleasant Grove, Minn., of consumption, May 14, 1864, Sister Mary E. Carter aged nineteen years six months and fifteen days. She suffered much during her sickness, but calmly fell asleep in Jesus. She leaves a companion and numerous friends to mourn her loss. May they meet again when Jesus comes. "When the morn of glory breaking
Shall light the tomb,
Beautiful will be thy waking,
In fadeless bloom."
H. F. LASHIER.