Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 6, 1856
ON KEEPING THE HEART. No. 4.
By Flavel
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.—Proverbs iv, 23.
II. The second season in the life of a Christian, requiring more than common diligence to keep his heart, is the time of adversity. When Providence frowns upon you, and blasts your outward comforts, then look to your heart; keep it with all diligence from repining against God, or fainting under his hand; for troubles, though sanctified, are troubles still. Jonah was a good man, and yet how fretful was his heart under affliction! Job was the mirror of patience, yet how was his heart discomposed by trouble! You will find it hard to get a composed spirit under great afflictions. O the hurries and tumults which they occasion even in the best hearts! Let me show you, then, how a Christian under great afflictions may keep his heart from repining or desponding, under the hand of God.
I will here offer several helps to keep the heart in this condition.
1. By these cross providences God is faithfully pursuing the great design of electing love upon the souls of his people, and orders all these afflictions as means sanctified to that end. Afflictions come not by casualty, but by counsel. By this counsel of God they are ordained as means of much spiritual good to saints. "By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged," &c. "But he for our profit," &c. They are God's workmen upon our hearts, to pull down the pride and carnal security of them; and being so, their nature is changed; they are turned into blessings and benefits. "It is good for me that I have been afflicted," says David. Surely then thou hast no reason to quarrel with God, but rather to wonder that he should concern himself so much in thy good as to use any means for accomplishing it. Paul could bless God if by any means he might attain the resurrection of the dead. "My brethren," says James, "count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations." "My Father is about a design of love upon my soul, and do I well to be angry with him? All that he does is in pursuance of, and in reference to some eternal, glorious ends upon my soul. It is my ignorance of God's design that makes me quarrel with him." He says to thee in this case, as he did to Peter, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter."
2. Though God has reserved to himself a liberty of afflicting his people, yet he has tied up his own hands by promise never to take away his loving kindness from them. Can I contemplate this scripture with a repining, discontented spirit: "I will be his Father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of man, and with the stripes of the children of men: nevertheless my mercy shall not depart away from him." O my heart, my haughty heart! dost thou well to be discontent, when God has given thee the whole tree, with all the clusters of comfort growing on it, because he suffers the wind to blow down a few leaves! Christians have two kinds of goods, the goods of the throne and the goods of the footstool; immoveables and moveables. If God has secured those, never let my heart be troubled at the loss of these: indeed, if he had cut off his love, or discovered my soul, I had reason to be cast down; but this he hath not done, nor can he do it.
3. It is of great efficacy to keep the heart from sinking under afflictions, to call to mind that thine own Father has the ordering of them. Not a creature moves hand or tongue against thee but by his permission. Suppose the cup be bitter, yet it is the cup which thy Father hath given thee; and canst thou suspect poison to be in it? Foolish man, put home the case to thine own heart; canst thou give thy child that which would ruin him? No! thou wouldst as soon hurt thyself as him. "If thou then, being evil, knowest how to give good gifts to thy children," how much more does God! The very consideration of his nature as a God of love, pity, and tender mercies; or of his relation to thee as a father, husband, friend, may be security enough, if he has not spoken a word to quiet thee in this case; and yet you have his word too, by the prophet Jeremiah: "I will do you no hurt." You lie too near his heart for him to hurt you; nothing grieves him more than your groundless and unworthy suspicions of his designs. Would it not grieve a faithful, tender-hearted physician, when he had studied the case of his patient, and proposed the most excellent medicines to save his life, to hear him cry out, 'O he has undone me! he has poisoned me!' because it pains him in the operation? O when will you be ingenuous?
4. God respects you as much in a low as in a high condition; and therefore it need not so much trouble you to be made low; nay, he manifests more of his love, grace and tenderness in the time of affliction than in the time of prosperity. As God did not at first choose you because you were high, he will not now forsake you because you are low. Men may look shy upon you, and alter their respects as your condition is altered; when providence has blasted your estate, your summer-friends may grow strange, fearing you may be troublesome to them; but will God do so? No, no: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," says he. If adversity and poverty could bar you from access to God, it were indeed a deplorable condition: but so far from this, you may go to him as freely as ever. "My God will hear me," says the church. Poor David, when stripped of all earthly comforts, could encourage himself in the Lord his God; and why cannot you? Suppose your husband or son had lost all at sea, and should come to you in rags; could you deny the relation, or refuse to entertain him? If you would not, much less will God. Why then are you so troubled? Though your condition be changed, your Father's love is not changed.
5. What if by the loss of outward comforts God preserves your soul from the ruining power of temptation? Surely then you have little cause to sink your heart by such sad thoughts. Do not earthly enjoyments make men shrink and warp in times of trial? For the love of these many have forsaken Christ in such an hour. The young ruler "went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." If this is God's design, how ungrateful to murmur against him for it!
We see mariners in a storm can throw overboard the most valuable goods to preserve their lives. We know it is usual for soldiers in a besieged city to destroy the finest buildings without the walls in which the enemy may take shelter; and no one doubts that it is wisely done. Those who have mortified limbs willingly stretch them out to be cut off, and not only thank, but pay the surgeon. Must God be murmured against for casting over that which would sink you in a storm; for pulling down that which would assist your enemy in the siege of temptation; for cutting off what would endanger your everlasting life? O, inconsiderate, ungrateful man! are not these things for which thou grievest, the very things that have ruined thousands of souls?
6. It would much support thy heart under adversity, to consider that God by such humbling providences may be accomplishing that for which you have long prayed and waited. And should you be troubled at that? Say, Christian, hast thou not many prayers depending before God upon such accounts as these: that he would keep thee from sin; discover to thee the emptiness of the creature; that he would mortify and kill thy lusts; that thy heart may never find rest in any enjoyment but Christ? By such humbling and impoverishing strokes God may be fulfilling thy desire. Wouldst thou be kept from sin? Lo, he hath hedged up thy way with thorns. Wouldst thou see the creature's vanity? Thy affliction is a fair glass to discover it; for the vanity of the creature is never so effectually and sensibly discovered, as in our own experience. Wouldst thou have thy corruptions mortified? This is the way to have the food and fuel removed that maintained them; for as prosperity begot and fed them, so adversity, when sanctified, is a means to kill them. Wouldst thou have thy heart rest no where but in the bosom of God? What better method could providence take to accomplish thy desire than pulling from under thy head that soft pillow of creature-delights on which you rested before? And yet you fret at this: peevish child, how dost thou try thy Father's patience! If he delay to answer thy prayers, thou art ready to say he regards thee not: if he does that which really answers the end of them, though not in the way which you expect, you murmur against him for that; as if, instead of answering, he were crossing all thy hopes and aims. Is this ingenuous? Is it not enough2that God is so gracious as to do what thou desirest: must thou be so impudent as to expect him to do it in the way which thou prescribest?
7. It may support thy heart, to consider that in those troubles God is performing that work in which thy soul would rejoice, if thou didst see the design of it. We are clouded with much ignorance, and are not able to discern how particular providences tend to the fulfillment of God's designs; and therefore, like Israel in the wilderness, are often murmuring, because providence leads us about in a howling desert, where we are exposed to difficulties; though then he led them, and is now leading us, by the right way to a city of habitations. If you could but see how God in his secret counsel has exactly laid the whole plan of your salvation, even to the smallest means and circumstances; could you but discern the admirable harmony of divine dispensations, their mutual relations, together with the general respect they all have to the last end; had you liberty to make your own choice, you would, of all conditions in the world, choose that in which you now are. Providence is like a curious piece of tapestry made of a thousand shreds, which, single, appear useless, but put together, they represent a beautiful history to the eye. As God does all things according to the counsel of his own will, of course this is ordained as the best method to effect your salvation. Such an one has a proud heart, so many humbling providences I appoint for him; such an one has an earthly heart, so many impovershing providences for him. Did you but see this, I need say no more to support the most dejected heart.
8. It would much conduce to the settlement of your heart, to consider that by fretting and discontent you do yourself more injury than all your afflictions could do. Your own discontent is that which arms your troubles with a sting; you make your burden heavy by struggling under it. Did you but lie quietly under the hand of God, your condition would be much more easy than it is. "Impatience in the sick occasions severity in the physician." This makes God afflict the more, as a father a stubborn child that receives not correction. Besides, it unfits the soul to pray over its troubles, or receive the sense of that good which God intends by them. Affliction is a pill, which, being wrapt up in patience and quiet submission, may be easily swallowed; but discontent chews the pill, and so embitters the soul. God throws away some comfort which he saw would hurt you, and you will throw away your peace after it; he shoots an arrow which sticks in your clothes, and was never intended to hurt, but only to drive you from sin, and you will thrust it deeper, to the piercing of your very heart, by despondency and discontent.
9. If thy heart (like that of Rachel) still refuses to be comforted, then do one thing more: compare the condition thou art now in, and with which thou art so much dissatisfied, with the condition in which others are, and in which thou deservest to be. * I have read (says an author) that when the Duke of Conde had voluntarily subjected himself to the inconveniences of poverty, he was one day observed and pitied by a lord of Italy, who from tenderness wished him to be more careful of his person. The good duke answered, "Sir, be not troubled, and think not that I suffer from want; for I send a harbinger before me, who makes ready my lodgings and takes care that I be royally entertained." The lord asked him who was his harbinger? He answered, "The knowledge of myself, and the consideration of what I deserve for my sins, which is eternal torment; when with this knowledge I arrive at my lodging, however unprovided I find it, methinks it is much better than I deserve. Why doth the living man complain?" Thus the heart may be kept from desponding or repining under adversity.—Flavel.
KISS THE ROD
By Elizabeth
From the Am. Messenger.
KISS THE ROD.
In sinful paths I went astray,
Content to wander from my God;
He followed me the livelong day,
Then sent the rod.
Still unsubdued, I trod once more
The paths which oft before I'd trod:
Unwilling still to give me o'er,
He sent the rod.
Now clouds of gloom o'erspread my sky;
In all I see an angry God;
I droop, and wish in vain to die,
T'escape the rod.
Severer grow the well-earned blows;
And now the flowery paths I trod
No balm afford to heal my woes,
But whet the rod.
Oh 'tis enough; I ask no more;
My smitten soul bows low to God,
And now my sorrows all are o'er,
I kiss the rod. [Elizabeth.]
Cherokee Nation, Aug 23d, 1856.
Churches.
By Francis Gould
Bro. Smith:—Notwithstanding much has been said with regard to the Church and Church Order, much more perhaps might be said to edification and profit. It is claimed by many who profess to be Christ's disciples, that in order to constitute the true church, numbers and riches are necessary.
When we look at the subject in the light of divine revelation with regard to the first point mentioned above, we find there are to be but 144,000 redeemed from among men when the Lord comes. It will take all the little churches that will be scattered up and down in this dark world to compose the 144,000, hence some of them must be small.
I will give a few examples. Says Paul, The churches of Asia salute you, Aquilla and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 1 Cor. xvi, 19. We learn from this scripture that in any family where there are two or more members that profess the name of Christ and are in the Lord, that they constitute a church.
Again: Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house. Col. iv, 15. We give one more inspired testimony on this point. Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Cor. i, 1, 2. We are taught by this declaration that those who have a name to live and are dead, are not called to the privileges of God's house, but it is those that are sanctified, and that in every place call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the days of the apostles the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts ii, 47. But the question may be asked how God adds them. He does not send men to encompass sea and land to make and secure proselytes by recording their names upon any earthly records or church-books, but God writes them in the book of life. It appears that they are recorded there before the Judgment. Read Dan. xii, 1. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book. And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of Life. Rev. xxi, 27.
The next point to which I allude is riches. There is a certain class of professed Christians at the present day who make riches, to a great degree, a test of fellowship. (The nominal churches.) We see it in their houses of worship, we see it in their dress, and see it in the coldness and indifference manifested towards poor Christians. But true Christians are not to be tested by wealth, any farther than it is applied to the promotion of God's truth.
Paul warns us against the love of the world; that we should set our affections on things above and not on things on the earth. Col. iii, 2. He has taught us also that the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 1 Tim. vi, 10, 11. Christ says, Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Luke xxi, 34.
I rejoice that light is shining in these last days, and that church order is being restored. When Christ was taken up out of the church, he left it walking in all the ordinances of God's house blameless; and when he comes the second time, he will come to his own, and his own will receive him.
THESE words were spoken by Jesus who sent his angel and signified it to the apostle John, who was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. i, 9. This solemn and important counsel is given by the faithful and true Witness unto the Laodicean church which is the last state of the church on earth. This church
supposed that they were hot in the cause of truth, and said, I am rich and increased in goods and have need of nothing; and knew not that they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: a most dreadful situation for the church of God to be in!
The worldly state of the church shows conclusively to us that we have been falling into this lukewarm state for some time. We find in the Review of Jan. 18th, 1852, and copied in Supplement, page 26, the following language: "Many who profess to be looking for the speedy coming of Christ, are becoming conformed to this world, and seek more earnestly the applause of those around them, than the approbation of God. They are cold and formal like the nominal church, that they but a short time since separated from. The words addressed to the Laodicean church describe their present condition perfectly. See Rev. iii, 14-20. They are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm; and unless they heed the counsel of the faithful and true Witness and zealously repent and obtain gold tried in the fire, and white raiment, and eye-salve, he will spue them out of his mouth."
We find also in Testimony No. 1, pp. 15, 16, given Nov. 1855: "We are co-workers with Christ, or co-workers with the enemy. We either gather with Christ, or scatter abroad. We are decided, whole-hearted Christians, or none at all. Says Christ, I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
Dear brethren, doubtless we have been lukewarm for some time, and the love of the world, pride of life, selfishness and covetousness, have increased instead of decreasing. Many have put all on the altar of sacrifice, and it has been taken off, and increased instead of decreasing and being consumed. Fervent charity has not abounded as much as it ought, and brotherly love has not continued, and we have not been our brother's keeper in all cases. How thankful we should be to the faithful and true Witness that he has spoken to us again, and made known to us our dangerous and real situation; that unless we zealously reform he will cast us off forever, and others will have our places, and take our crowns. Rev. iii, 11.
But the faithful and true Witness does not leave us in this sinking situation, but comes with all the friendship and faithfulness of a true counsellor and admonishes us to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that we may be rich; and white raiment that we may be clothed, and that the shame of our nakedness do not appear; and to anoint our eyes with eye-salve, that we may see. As many as I love, says he, I reprove and correct; therefore be zealous and reform. (Camp's Trans.)
O brethren and sisters, may we earnestly take heed to the counsel to buy gold tried in the fire, that gold that will never canker, [Jas. v, 3,] that gold that the prophets and apostles and primitive Christians had, that will endure the fiery trial of our faith; and may we seek that white raiment (which is the righteousness of the saints, Rev. xix, 8) which far exceeds any of the fine raiment on earth. O that we might lay it to heart and greatly humble ourselves, and afflict our souls in this final day of atonement, and confess and forsake our sins, and open the door of our hearts and let the Saviour in; for his head is filled with dew, and his locks with drops of the night. Song. v, 2. O how he has wanted to come in and sup with us. What! has it come to this? Is the Saviour standing and knocking, waiting for professed believers in the Message of the Third Angel to open the door and let him in, that we may enjoy a rich feast with him?
Dear brethren and sisters, can we not see from the nature of the petition that the lovely Jesus is not in our hearts, though we have supposed he was? O let him in. Fathers and mothers, let him in. Husbands and wives, let him in. Young men and women, let him in. Children, let him in. Preachers, let him in. May the writer of this let him in. If we let the Saviour in, and let him dwell there, he will give us grace to overcome, as he says in the message to the Laodicean church: "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,3even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
This is a precious promise to us poor mortals. O may the blessed prospect of forever sitting with Jesus in his throne, and being made kings and priests in the golden City, and finally reigning on the earth made new, be soon realized by us.
D. Hewitt.
Rule Thyself.
By J. M. McLellan
"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls." Prov. xxv, 28.
Here God hath chosen an old dilapidated city, without walls or fortifications, to illustrate an individual that has no rule over himself. Such a city has nothing in which its inhabitants can trust. Its outworks are all demolished, its defenses are all in ruins, and such a city is in no condition to resist an enemy; it would fall an easy prey to every enemy that came against it; it would require no siege to take it; there would be nothing to lay siege to; there would be nothing for an enemy to do, but march through the city and receive the quiet submission of its inhabitants. So is a man that hath no rule over his own spirit. He has nothing in which he can trust when the enemy comes against him, but his own strength, which he will find in the hour of trial a broken reed, a thing of nought. A person thus trusting in his own self-sufficiency, will take no pains to fortify himself by making an alliance with Him who has promised to succor all who will apply to him for aid, that he might throw around him an impenetrable bulwark, that he might be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Eph. vi, 11. This bulwark consists of the girdle of truth, the breast-plate of righteousness, being shod with the gospel of peace, having the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. This bulwark is impenetrable; and he that is hedged in round about with this, Satan can never conquer. Although he may bring against him his strongest weapons, he can never move him, because he is planted on the rock, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against him. But he that hath no rule over himself, instead of allying himself to this true Friend, will pride himself on his own strength and think himself secure until that old serpent called the devil and Satan which deceiveth the whole world has made such rapid approaches that almost before he is aware he is led captive by him at his will.
Some, Satan takes through pride, others he allures through the lusts of the flesh; and some through the love of the world; and when these weapons fail him he will make self so sensitive, that it will be hurt at every trifle.
Thus you see that an individual that hath no rule over himself is indeed like a city without walls. Such a person is in a deplorable condition; for that same Devil that went up and down through the earth in Job's time, and that desired Peter that he might sift him as wheat, is now as a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Rule with diligence thyself. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. The same Jesus that stood as Peter's Advocate and prayed that his faith fail not, is also our Advocate; and if we will but cast our care upon him, for he careth for us, he will surely help us and give us his Spirit to reign in and over us, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand . . . and be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
The perils of the last days are fast thickening around us. Satan is to work with all power and signs and lying wonders, just before Jesus comes. John [Rev. xii, 12] says, "Wo to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea; for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. And Jesus in speaking of these very times of deception and peril, says that if it were possible they (the spirits of devils) shall deceive the very elect. Matt. xxiv, 24.
How necessary then it is, that we rule well ourselves and have our wills completely subdued and brought into subjection to the will of God, and that the carnal mind, or the mind of the flesh, be exchanged for a spiritual one. Rom. viii, 4-7. An individual cannot rule his spirit in a scriptural sense until this is done; because the carnal mind is enmity with God; therefore a person that is in the possession of the carnal mind, will obey it in the lusts thereof; and I would say to all who have not made the exchange, Make it without delay; for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. It is a glorious exchange, a great bargain, without price; it is a free gift through Jesus Christ our Lord, given to every one that will humbly submit to him; and all that will thus submit to him, will get to themselves great honor; for Solomon says that he that ruleth his spirit (is better and mightier) than he that taketh a city. Prov. xvi, 32.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light; for now it is high time to awake out of sleep, and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. Rom. xiii, 11, 12, 14.
J. M. McLELLAN.
Hastings, Mich., Sept. 30th, 1856.
Usury.
By Calvin W. Smith
As the subject of usury has been on my mind for some time, I thought I would pen a few lines, hoping that it would lead others to investigate, that we might arrive at the truth; as I find it classed with the abomination that if a man did he should not live. We read in Ex. xxii, 25, If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury. Again, in Lev. xxv, 35-37, And if thy brother be waxen poor and farther in decay than thee, then thou shalt relieve him, yea, though he be a stranger or sojourner, that he may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him or increase; but fear thy God that thy brother may live with thee. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
Deut. xxiii, 19, 20. Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother, usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury. Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury.
Neh. v, 7-10. Then I consulted with myself and I rebuked the nobles and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury every one of his brother; and I set a great assembly against them; and I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews which were sold unto the heathen and will ye even sell your brethren, or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace and found nothing to answer. Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies? I likewise and my brethren and my servants might exact of them money and corn. I pray you let us leave off this usury.
In Ps. xv, is a question asked: "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" Verse 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. The negative of this is, that if he does not do these things he cannot dwell in God's holy hill, but will be moved.
Solomon says, He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor. Prov. xxix, 8. And in Isa. xxiv, 2, we read, "And it shall be, as with the people so with the priest; as with the servant so with his master; as with the maid so with her mistress; as with the buyer so with the seller; as with the lender so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury so with the giver of usury to him." To know when this time is, read the next three verses.
Again, Jeremiah cries out in the bitterness of his soul and says, Wo is me! my mother, that thou hast born me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. Jer. xv, 10.
And to make it still plainer, Ezekiel [chap. xviii, 8] says, He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live saith the Lord God. Verse 13. If he hath given forth upon usury and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die. Read verse 17.
Now in the places where usury occurs I have not been able to find but one witness in favor of lending money to strangers upon usury. And if any feel to justify themselves from the words of this one witness, let them read what the Saviour says: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. A word to the wise is sufficient.
CALVIN W. SMITH.
Bristol, Vt.
MORE CRIME IN PHILADELPHIA.
By Editor
The North American has the following which can scarcely be believed :
"From the terrible evidences of human depravity which develope themselves from day to day, we begin to think that our cities are rapidly descending to the level of Sodom and Gomorrah.
"Scarcely has one shock been given to the sensibilities of the community, before another follows to vie with it in atrocity. Sometimes these horrors are concentrated so that they crowd each other, and we are led to imagine that human actions are affected by the elements, or by
"Stars shot madly from their spheres."
The Progress of Sin
By Joseph Bates
THE PROGRESS OF SIN.—Men first wound their consciences, and then they sear them by repeated acts of sin; as you know that ice, which is, at first, so tremulous and feeble that it will not bear a pebble, yet, by a few days freezing, will bear a cart.—Bates.
Tribulation.
"TILL from the straw, the flail, the corn doth beat,
Until the chaff be purged from the wheat,
Yea, till the mill the grains in pieces tear,
The richness of the flour will scarce appear,
So, till men's persons great afflictions touch,
If worth be found, their worth is not so much,
Because, like wheat in straw, they have not yet
That value which in thrashing they may get.
For till the bruising flails of God's corrections,
Have thrashed out of us our vain affections;
Till those corruptions which do misbecome us,
Are by Thy sacred Spirit winnowed from us;
Until from us the straw of worldly treasures,
Till all the dusty chaff of empty pleasures,
Yea, till His flail upon us He doth lay,
To thrash the husk of this our flesh away;
And leave the soul uncovered; nay, yet more.
Till God shall make our very spirit poor,
We shall not up to highest wealth aspire;
But then we shall; and that is my desire."
Receiving Troubles Thankfully
Do not think it strange, when troubles and persecutions come upon you. Rather receive them quietly and thankfully, as coming from a Father's hand. Yea, happy are ye if, in the exercise of faith, you can look above the earthly instrumentality, above the selfishness and malice of men, to Him who has permitted them for your good. Thus persecuted they the Saviour and the prophets.
Anger Without Sin
"Be ye angry and sin not." The life of our Saviour, as well as the precepts of the apostles, clearly teaches us that there may be occasions on which we may have feelings of displeasure, and even of anger, without sin. Sin does not necessarily attach to anger, considered in its nature, but in its degree. Nevertheless, anger seldom exists in fact, without becoming in its measurement inordinate and excessive. Hence it is important to watch against it, lest we be led into transgression. Make it a rule, therefore, never to give any outward expression to angry feelings, (a course which will operate as a powerful check upon their excessive action,) until you have made them the subject of reflection and prayer. And thus you may hope to be kept.
THERE IS A WORK FOR ALL.
By Editor
"The time is short—the earth is wide,
And much has to be done;
The wondrous world and all its pride
Will vanish with the sun!
The moments fly on lightning's wings,
And life's uncertain, too:
We're none to waste on foolish things—
'There's work enough to do.'"
Who will subscribe to the beautiful sentiment of these lines? Who will resolve again that they have no time to waste on "foolish things," and that they will start anew in the service of their Master? The fact that we are reckoned as servants in the vineyard of the Lord, [Matt. xx.] should be enough to impress upon our minds that it is our leading business to be active in his service.
Brethren, one and all, are you aware of the responsibility that rests upon you? Remember that to whom much is given, of them will much be required; and how much truth, how much light, how many warnings, how many exhortations, how many invitations, how many admonitions, are embraced in the catalogue of your privileges. These may all be used so as to add luster to your crowns of glory, or they may be neglected so as to sink you down beneath an insupportable weight of woe. To you God has given these, and of you he requires that they be fruitful in your hands.
There is work for all. In Paul's beautiful illustration of the church, by the human body, there is no place assigned for idle members. All have a part to act, though not all the same. But there is an injunction which we all possess in common. It was given by the Savior; and is expressed in these words: "Let your light shine before men." We trust all are desirous of doing something to advance the cause; that it is the chief desire in the hearts of our brethren, to see the truth spreading. Then do not shut up the truth you possess, within your own hearts. Do not hide your light under a bushel. The influence of a harmonious system of truth, backed up by a godly example, is certainly contagious. If there is a spark of God's love in the hearts of your fellow-men around you, your holy example will excite it to a flame, and they may be won to the love of his precious but down-trodden cause.
But there are other means which will go far towards accomplishing this object—we mean our books and papers. Those who cannot write a book, can perhaps purchase one; and those who hardly feel prepared to talk the truth to those around them, can perhaps place in their hands the publications in which the reasons of our faith are clearly presented. Thus may all share in this work, and make their individual influence felt in the spread of truth.
The present is a favorable time also for extending the circulation of the REVIEW. We take it for granted that all who are themselves interested in this medium, are anxious that others should partake of its benefits also; and we hope to see its circulation much increased, ere the close of this volume. There are thousands of families where it should make its weekly visits, who know not as yet even of its existence. We think therefore that an urgent call exists for the circulation of books and papers. Let them be scattered broad-cast over the land. Be seeking, always and everywhere some new channels in which to circulate the truth. Resolve continually that by the help of the Lord, its borders shall be wider to-morrow than to-day; that something shall be done; that some blow shall be struck; that some messengers of truth shall be sent off on errands of mercy to benighted souls. Time flies and there are no moments to be lost. This work must not be left to preachers only. Every one may engage in it who feels an interest in his Master's cause, and the salvation of his friends.
Many efforts have been made in times past, which are commendable, and through God's blessing have resulted in good. There is room for many more. They must not be relaxed. If put forth with an eye single to his glory, God will own them still.
"Brothers! why rest ye in your toil sublime?
This is no time for idly holding back,
Resting content with that which ye have done,
With folded arms, saying, 'the strife is well,
Let us be impartial; let us note
How fast the combat thickens. We have sympathies
With Truth; but she must strive without our help,
For we would not be partial for the world.'
'Brothers! this is sloth and cowardice:
Though truth can never perish on our earth,
Yet trampled under foot she long may be.
We know the Dawn will soon give place to Day,
And that the Summer soon will follow Spring;
But if ye strive not with your mind and arm,
Less beautiful will be the Summer's reign,
Less glorious the unfolding of that morn.
Onward! be the foremost in the field;
Truth's best champions are hard beset,
And need the utmost aid that ye can give;
And if ye sacrifice your all on earth,
And fall upon the hard-fought battle field,
What then? the Martyr age is with us still,
And still the Victor's Crown is seen on high."