Review and Herald, Vol. 28, No. 8. (7/24/1866)

Review and Herald

Jul 24, 1866

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jul 24, 1866

Investigation of the Sabbath Question in Wis.

By Isaac Sanborn, John Matteson

JUNE 29, we pitched the tent at Utter's Corners, Walworth Co., Wis. This is a beautiful farming country, thickly settled. We commenced meetings Sabbath evening, and continued till July 1. We had six meetings in that time, above one hundred attending, and then suspended till July 6, when we were to begin a discussion with Elder Lang, Methodist. We had agreed to discuss three propositions, viz., the Sabbath, immortality of the soul, and penalty of the wicked. Eld. Lang affirmed that the first day of the week, so called, is the true Christian Sabbath. J. Matteson denied.

He tried to prove that the first-day Sabbath, as he called it, originated with the apostles and with Christ when he was on the earth, from the Greek terms rendered "first-day of the week" in the places where this phrase occurs. He tried to prove this from the fact that a horse does not become a cow when it is turned into another pasture. Therefore, said he, it should read in every instance, "first Sabbath," which would be the same as Christian Sabbath.

We showed from standard dictionaries, that the term σάββατον means rest, seventh day of the week, Jewish or ceremonial Sabbath. Also that the word μία (first) does not agree with σάββατον, for μία is feminine, and the other neuter, gender. "An adjective agrees with its subject in gender, number, and case." Crosby's Greek grammar, Ch. 2, §444; also §447. "The subject of the adjective is often omitted, especially if it is a familiar word." Under this rule we find the word ἡμερα (day).

The Elder first said that he need not go by rules of grammar, but afterward admitted all these facts.

We also showed from John i, that Christ was in the beginning with the Father, and that all things were made by him. He is one with the Father, therefore Christ rested on the seventh day, and he also blessed and sanctified it. Consequently Christ made the Sabbath for man. Mark ii, 27, therefore he also calls himself Lord of the Sabbath. The word "Christian" is defined, "taught by Christ or received from him." Now then, because Christ has rested on the seventh day, and sanctified it for man to keep holy, therefore the seventh day is the true Christian Sabbath.

Here then are four items relative to the Sabbath. The originator, Christ; the time, at creation; the manner, he rested on the seventh day and sanctified it. Gen. ii, 2, 3; to whom given? man, or the human race.

It is also evident that Christ was one with the Father in giving the ten commandments on Mount Sinai.

July 7, second session. Eld. Lang tried to prove that the first-day Sabbath originated with the feast of the passover, the fifteenth day of the month Abib, or first day of unleavened bread. Ex. xii, 16; Lev. xxiii, 7; also asserting that the words μία σάββατον were here used.

We showed that the Old Testament was not written in Greek, and that the word Sabbath did not occur in these verses at all. Further, that these were yearly feasts occurring on a certain day of the month, on different days of the week, as another year would come round; the same as the 4th of July or any annual feast; showing also that the Jewish, or ceremonial feasts, are done away. Eph. ii, 15.

Further, that if his argument proved the first day of the week to be holy, it also proved the sanctity of the seventh day, for we are there told, "in the first day shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day shall be an holy convocation."

Tried to stir up the Elder to meet the argument advanced from the Sabbath or seventh day once blessed but never changed.

On the Sabbath, we had preaching and social meeting, and the Lord blessed us while a goodly number of Sabbath-keepers and some outsiders were convened.

July 8, first-day evening, third session. Eld. Lang brought in a number of texts to prove that a part of the law of God was done away. We had three dispensations, the Patriarchal, Jewish, and Christian. The ten commandments belonged to the patriarchal; Deut. v, to the Jewish; and the New Testament to the Christian.

He tried to show that all ten commandments were brought into the New Testament, except the fourth. "That," said he, "they can never bring in, never!" And yet he was willing to receive a part of it.

We tried to prove the perpetuity of the law from Deut. iv, 13; Psa. cv, 8; cxi, 5-10; and other evidences as far as the time would allow. Showed that the second commandment could not be found in the New Testament any more than the fourth. Thanked the Elder for classifying us with the patriarchs, as we would willingly be the children of Abraham.

Then he said he would not discuss any longer with me, and accused me of being unfair. He wanted to sum up immediately and not come to our tent any more. The committee decided that we should sum up third-day evening.

On first-day A. M., we went to the Methodist meeting-house to listen to an essay on the immortality of the soul, by Eld. Lang. He read our second proposition, and said he was now going to discuss in this way, and would give us enough to do for a whole week, reviewing his first essay. In the afternoon, I reviewed his essay before an attentive congregation, according to the following synopsis:

Lang stated in his prayer, It is thy (God's) law we love.

Lang. My subject is the immortality of the soul. To prove this, I refer you to the following texts: Rom. vii, 22, 25; 2 Cor. iv, 16; Eph. iii, 16; 1 Pet. iii, 4.

Materialists say: Mind is the reflex of matter, and thought the secretion of the brain.

Matteson. The Elder has been beating a man of straw, for Seventh-day Adventists believe no such thing, consequently are not materialists. If you want me to show what mind is, I will do so in the following proposition: The mind of man is an effect, of certain organs of the living soul, or the man. To illustrate: Sight is an effect of the organ called the eye. Sight is not material, it is not a separate entity, it is not immortal, nor continues to exist when the eye is inactive or dead. But when the eye ceases to move, then the sight is also gone.

Likewise the ear is an organ, and hearing the effect of said organ. But what folly to say, when the ear is dead or cannot act any more, his hearing is still alive. Hearing is immaterial, hence immortal, therefore it can never cease. According to such reasoning, a deaf man can still have hearing.

So also the mind or thought is the effect of the brain of a living man, and when the man is dead, and the brain ceases to act, thought must of a necessity cease also. Wherefore also the Psalmist testifies of a man when he dies, "in that very day his thoughts perish." Psa. cxli, 4, and Eccl. ix, 5, "The dead know not anything." But in the resurrection, God will call forth the slumbering dead, and once more restore life and thought. John v, 28, 29.

How can the immortal (!) soul after it goes out of the body, and breaks loose from its clay prison-house, see without eyes, hear without ears, walk without feet, talk without a mouth, and think without brains? But if you say that the soul entity has all these organs in itself, will you please prove, that God when he made man, created two pair of eyes, ears, feet, hands, two set of brains, and two mouths. Again, if the immortal (!) soul has a mouth and voice, and can praise God in Heaven, why can it not just as well use that voice when it is two feet above the head of the dead body? Did you ever hear it say "good bye" to you when your friend or child died? Very likely then, after all, the Bible is true, which teaches that there is no life after this, except in the resurrection.

A looking-glass reflects images. Here we find reflex of matter. Rolling water secretes steam. What slander then to assert of us that we believe that "mind is the reflex of matter, and thought the secretion of the brain." We believe no such thing.

L. The materialists, according to their own premises, must come to the following conclusion: All brain is matter. Mind is a quality of the brain. Therefore mind is matter.

M. The following parallel syllogism shows the fallacy of this argument.

A horse is matter. Swiftness is a quality of the horse. Therefore swiftness is matter. Such is the bright, flashing logic of the spiritually cultivated, towering, noetic mind, of that microcosm or spheroid external, that measures six feet two inches in height, and two feet ten inches around the waist. This is a sample of the Elder's technical language, and a description of himself.

L. Man is not an organism, he is an intelligence.

M. Organism, organical structure, as of bodies. Webster. This needs no comment.

L. In Rom. vii, 22, 25, Paul calls the law of his organism, his flesh. But the mind he calls myself, the real I or the soul.

M. If myself means the immortal soul, then Adam hid his immortal soul in the Garden when he had sinned. Gen. iii, 10; see also John vii, 17.

L. Rom. xiii, 5. The flesh or body is earth and desires earthly things, but the inner man, spiritual or immortal soul longs after heavenly things.

M. If one man has an immortal soul, then all men have it. And so they claim and argue that Adam had one.

Why then does not the immortal soul of the thief, murderer, and adulterer, seek after heavenly things as well as that of a Christian? Why will even many nominal Christians hear nothing about heavenly things, but object even to the reading of the word of God? According to his reasoning, such do not have an immortal soul.

L. I might ask, Who is this material man? Echo answers, Nobody!

M. We should like to have the Elder try the experiment, and see how long it would take him, even with his wild gestures, fierce look, and loud voice, to make echo answer "nobody," to the above question.

L. Intelligence is my subject to-day. Each person is his own revelator, and dictionary. He has in himself a little world of mind.

Intelligence is not bounded by the sensible horizon. It claims God as its Father.

M. This sounds very much like Spiritualism. What need then of the Bible or dictionaries? What does man know about that which he has never seen or heard of, except what has been revealed? How many people there are who have intellect, yet they despise or forsake God. And Christ testifies of certain Jews that the Devil was their father. John viii, 44.

L. Materialists say there is no intelligence. They deny the principal law of St. Paul, and are ignorant of true Christianity. My opponents are rank atheists.

M. Such slander coming from a soul, shows at least that it is corrupted. How can corruption and immortality be harmonized together? This is certainly not striving toward Heaven.

L. Referred to Col. iii, 10, asserting that the "new man" here spoken of, is evidently the immortal soul, but the old man the body.

M. "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."

According to his theory, they had already put off the body and there was nothing left but the immortal soul. We are told that they put on the new man; but if the new man is the immortal soul, when did they put it on? How could an immortal soul be renewed? Then he has given up the position that man had an immortal soul at creation, for the new man is something that is received at conversion.

Please read verses 8 and 9. The apostle speaks of laying aside anger, malice, lying. If we have heretofore been easily excited or spoken things which were untrue, we should do so no more. We should turn away from these evil habits. But in the place of them, we should put on, or begin to exercise kindness, meekness, charity, &c. Verse 12-14. Oh how much better if we would repent of our evil ways, and imitate the holy example of our blessed Saviour, instead of boasting of an immortal soul which we do not possess. This heathen bible is so well adapted to feed the pride of the depraved human heart, while the Bible doctrine of immortality through Christ alone, on the condition of patient continuance in well doing, (Rom. ii, 7) is adapted to make us humble and lowly.

On the rest of the texts referred to, we would finally say, The inner man spoken of in Eph. iv, 16, is evidently the same as the new man. "But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." 2 Cor. iv, 16, is explained by Col. i, 27, "Christ in you, the hope of glory," and can have no reference whatever to an immortal soul. It is only spoken of those who believe in Christ, who are begotten again unto a lively hope. 1 Pet. i, 3.

On 1 Pet. iii, 4, he said that that which is not corruptible must be the soul.

The apostle speaks about the adorning and says, let it not be that outward adorning; but let it be the adorning of the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. Now we have the promise that those who are of a meek and quiet spirit, shall put on immortality or incorruption at the coming of Christ in the first resurrection. 1 Cor. xv, 51-55. Oh, that the residue of men would seek after God, and earnestly lay hold of the conditions of eternal life, while mercy still lingers, before the slumbering judgments of God burst like mighty thunders upon a thoughtless, reveling world. Then they will realize too late that "the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. vi, 23.

July 9, eve. Bro. Sanborn preached to a large and attentive congregation, and next evening we entered on the summing up of the discussion. At the previous discussion, the young people encouraged us with three cheers, but gave our opponent three hisses. Nevertheless he appeared on the stand as proud as ever, assuring the people every once in a while that he had gained a perfect victory, which he based with great satisfaction upon the fact, as he styled it, that he was a shrewd Yankee. He dragged out as lengthily as possible, consuming about one hour and a half, in order to make the people tired. Then the committee wanted to dismiss the congregation because it was so late; but the people said they would hear the negative if they stayed till midnight.

We then began our summing up by calling upon a Bible reading class, consisting of Bro. Sanborn, Miller, and myself. The Elder had that night omitted to read a chapter in the Bible as usual. We read in consecutive order the following twenty-five texts on false prophets, and the perpetuity of the law and Sabbath: Mal. ii, 1-9; Eze. xxii, 8, 25, 26; Matt. xv, 8, 9; Eze. xiii, 4-11; Zeph. iii, 4, 5; Prov. xxviii, 9, 10; James ii, 10, 11; Isa. xxiv, 1, 2, 5; Acts vii, 38 with 1 Pet. iv, 1; Rom. iii, 31, with vii, 12; Deut. iv, 13, with Psa. cv, 8, and cxi, 5-9; Matt. v, 17, 18; 1 John ii, 3, 4; v, 2, 3; Prov. xxii, 14; Ex. xx, 8-11; Acts xxiv, 14; Luke xxiii, 54-56; Isa. lvi, 1-7; lviii, 13, 14; lxvi, 22, 23.

This was too much for the Elder, and he protested against such proceeding; but no one sustained him, and he was called to order.

Next we presented a brief summary. It would be useless to take up all the contradictions of our opponent; for we never yet met with a man who equalled this one in making his every sentence a lie or a step to a lie. We therefore selected the most evident contradictions, of which we had, 2 Lang versus Lang, 2 Lang versus facts, 1 Lang versus Bible.

We then closed with an appeal on the perpetuity of the Sabbath of the Lord, and immutability of the law of God. Above four hundred attentive hearers listened, remaining quiet and interested for one hour and a quarter; but our opponent turned his back to them, and covered his face with both hands.

He had previously boasted how he would whip us, and when he was done with that, he would take up both the History of the Sabbath, and Hope of the Gospel, and review them. Yet he had no doubt but we would drive him out of the tent before long. We told him and the people, that we would stay here till next October, if he would come into the tent and preach every other night. But he had enough already. He would not discuss the second proposition.

The chairman then got up before the congregation, holding in his hand a written agreement on the propositions, time, and rules for discussion, signed by both disputants, saying, "Elder, are you a minister of the Gospel?" Elder. "Yes, sir!" Chairman. "Will you not acknowledge your own signature and do as you have agreed?" Elder. "I will not discuss any more in this manner; but will read essays on the subject in my own church." Bro. Sanborn again extended an earnest invitation for the Elder to come to our tent. He never said a word, but the people expressed their feelings by exclaiming, "That is fair."

We went to this place chiefly to save the cause from reproach, which said Elder has for more than a year tried to bring upon us. Yet we trust the Lord may also here find some honest souls, and pray that his blessing may continue to rest on our feeble efforts, that a good work may be done for the glory of his name.

Yours in hope.

ISAAC SANBORN, JOHN MATTESON.

"Peace, Be Still."

The morning star of Faith may rise, And antedate a blissful day; But ere Hope gilds our evening skies, Fate sweeps the auspices away! Yet, far above earth's sinful rill, A voice comes greeting—"Peace, be still!"

False friends may mar affection's cheer, And envy work our overthrow; And, base deception! Pity's tear May tend to fill our cup of woe; Yet, 'neath the heart's pulsating thrill, A still voice whispers—"Peace, be still!"

Misfortune's spell and Sorrow's wail May ever in life's path intrude; And mortal's lot must e'er entail The stings of base ingratitude! Despite of all, from Zion's hill Comes the blest prompter—"Peace, be still!"

Let Us Be Encouraged.

By Wm. G. Buckland

"And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke xxi, 28.

THIS is the language of our Saviour addressed to the little flock living in the last days, though spoken more than eighteen hundred years ago. It was given as words of encouragement, comfort, and good cheer, to his faithful followers that should be living just prior to his second advent, and not to them that lived centuries in the past. In order that this promise should be a promise of hope and encouragement to them, it is necessary for the class of believers addressed, to know when they are in the last days. Some may tell us this is impossible; that no man can know anything about when the Lord will come; that as the world has been in existence thousands of years, it may continue for thousands of generations to come. Our only reply to such is, that they do not believe the record of creation, neither is it thought a thing incredible for them to disbelieve the testimony given relating to the glorious appearing of our Deliverer, though that testimony should come from a high source of authority, even Jesus our Lord. We find in the Scriptures the record given for our instruction, that the world was once destroyed by a flood of waters.

"But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Pet. iii, 6-8.

Furthermore, we are told that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night upon the wicked, for when they cry peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh. They are sounding a false alarm; they choose the fables and commandments of men, which turn from the truth, rather than the truth itself; therefore they will find themselves like a man who neglects to fasten his house and awakes only to find the midnight assassin standing by his bed with drawn revolver pointed at his head, knowing it is too late to make any preparation for safety, or to offer resistance.

But Paul says, "Ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief." The evidences are, that some will, just prior to the event, know something about it; there will be some, the loins of whose minds will be girded up; they have heard the voice of the Great Shepherd, they have watched the signs of the times, they have prepared for the time of trouble, and stood through the shaking of the nations of the earth, have folded righteousness around them as a garment, and are waiting for their Lord to return.

My brethren, are we looking for this? do we have a hope in this promise, or is it those that are afar off? I think it is very important for us to understand this, and be in earnest to prepare for it.

We will briefly examine the evidences of our faith, and the reason of our hope, commencing with the great chain of prophecy as found in Dan. ii. In this we have a brief history of the world, bringing us down to the end. Going through with, successively, the 7th, 8th, and 9th chapters, each brings us to the same point, viz., the end. Then to Rev. xiii, in the meantime not forgetting Paul's man of sin, tracing through the two-horned beast down to the end, we might notice the sounding of the trumpets, and then the three messages of Rev. xiv. The third message is to call out a people to stand in the waste places and repair

the breach, that is, to restore the Sabbath of the Lord. This people are to have the "testimony of Jesus." This message is to seal the people of the Lord; to prepare them to look up and wait for deliverance. With this brief history before us, let us see if we can find our reckoning. As we look at these prophecies, we see they are fulfilled in the past. Two of the messages are in the past, and the last is sounding. There are those living in our day who can testify to the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, with distress of nations. And we find a people spoken of as keeping the commandments of God, and having the testimony of Jesus. Then here seems to be the very point, and this the people, that this language is addressed to. Yes, we find this people beginning to look up, for their redemption draweth nigh. They have long waited for their absent Lord's return, and they know his delay will not be long.

WM. G. BUCKLAND.

Battle Creek, Mich.

Beautiful.

By M. J. Cottrell

How many times during the last two months, as I have for a few hours turned from the noise, bustle, and dust of the city, left the streets where all day long, brick and stone walls had met the eye on every side, and found myself where there was a carpet of soft green grass to walk on, instead of a hard stone pavement, where I could see trees robed in their rich foliage, and beautiful flowers, scattered around, have I clasped my hands and exclaimed, Beautiful, beautiful!

"There is beauty in the sunshine, There is beauty in the flowers, There is beauty in the wildwood, There is beauty in the showers."

Oh! earth is very beautiful, but—now comes the saddening thought—soon, soon, all this beauty will fade. The sweet flowers will die, the glossy green leaves which look so beautiful in the moon's silver light, will soon fade and fall to the ground, and then the naked branches will again stand before us, silent monitors of death. Yes, this high, lovely landscape will soon change; but there comes a cheering thought—it will not always be thus.

There is a morning soon to dawn, when earth will be clad in a beauty far surpassing this we now see, a beauty which will never fade. Never fade! How sweet the thought, I want a home in the earth when restored to its Eden loveliness and purity. I thank God for the cheering prospect he has set before us; and not this alone, but that he has made a way possible whereby we may gain an entrance to his glorious kingdom. Yes, let my heart be all love to him, for he has given his well-beloved Son to suffer untold agony, and then to die here on this dark earth a dreadful death, that we sinners, rebels, might be saved. It must have cost a hard struggle for God to consent that his dear Son should leave him, leave his beautiful home of bright glory, and the society of pure and holy angels, and come to live here amid sin, and where he would daily meet the cruel taunts of wicked men; where he should not even have a place to lay his head; and finally after thus suffering for us, then to be hung between earth and heaven, with great nails driven through his tender hands. Oh, no wonder that when the scene was enacted the earth shook, and the sun vailed his face; no wonder that the rocks were rent.

And could God consent to have his Son suffer thus without a struggle? Where can we find the father that would consent to have his son leave him to go away to some dreary country and live among his enemies, wicked men, whom he knew would show him no respect whatever, and finally would kill him? Where, I ask, can we find the father who would consent to this for any reason? Yet God consented for no other reason than that he loved man, rebel though he was; and this was the only way in which we might be saved; so the great God made the sacrifice—gave his only Son to die.

Oh! what love, what wondrous love! This great sacrifice was made that we might be redeemed from death, from this earth where the beauty so soon fades, where Satan rules, and go to live with Jesus in his glorious home, where the beauty will never fade. Oh! I will try to live every day so as to please him, that I may at last receive a welcome to his beautiful home.

M. J. COTTRELL.

Rochester, N. Y.

A New Argument.

By L. D. Santee

A FEW weeks ago a young minister of the Disciple order preached here upon the Sabbath question, trying to demolish the sacred memorial of God's rest, and to rear in its stead the pope-honored institution of Sunday observance. It is needless to repeat his arguments as they are familiar to nearly every Sabbath-keeper; viz., Rev. i, 10; Acts. xx, 7, &c. There was one argument, however, deserving of notice on account of its novelty. He spoke of an illustration that he once read in a little poem, A Word for the Sabbath. A man having a finger diseased called for a physician to amputate it. If he should cut off all ten thumbs and fingers to get rid of the diseased one, and then stick nine on again, he would be pronounced foolish. Well, said he, I will just say in regard to that, that the wisdom of God is foolishness with men. This he seemed to consider as a clincher, for he repeated it three times. We think that his folly was made manifest to all except the blindly prejudiced. May the Lord open the eyes of the people to see the beauty and harmony there is in the truth.

L. D. SANTEE.

Gridley, Ill.

In the Furnace.

By V. N. Cudworth

“Behold I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”

Thou'st loved me child, beneath a cloudless sky, Cheered by the sunshine of my loving eye; Folded beneath my wing like some frail blossom, And cradled on my great sustaining bosom. But something more than surface work I'd show, How deep those roots of love have grasped below; And if the tree is healthy at its core, It will not break, though low it bendeth o'er.

I'd prove the long endurance of that heart, To keep its song, when all but me depart; Yea more! I'll hide from thee my loving face, While Satan tempts thee sorely in its place. I'll bring an armed force of evils round, While troubles seem to rise as from the ground; The storm above thee fearfully shall roar, The furnace 'neath thee, threaten to devour.

Though like a feather on the world's dark sea, The sport of every envious gale thou be; I'm sailing with thee, all the way so wild, Thou ne'er before wast half so dear, my child. Oppressed, forsaken, yet the world shall know, Saints can rely upon my word below; And every grief shall make you strong through grace, 'Till like a giant, thou shalt run the race.

I've seen thee when stern anguish shook thy frame, Lingered to soothe thee in that hour of pain; Long after slumber lulled thee in sweet rest, Have painted visions for thy troubled breast. When false friends caused my tempted child to sigh, They touched through you, the apple of my eye; Fear not, for lo! thy Maker he is strong, And will avenge that dark and cruel wrong.

I loved thee when the smile was on thy lip, But better far when suffering paled thy cheek; Thy persecution, loss, each trickling tear, Are daily adding to thy treasure here. I'd make thee from this bitter chalice free, But all must drink the bitter cup with me; When in the furnace thou art purified, Thou shalt be numbered with my true and tried.

Through all thy conflicts, I am by thy side, I'll bear thee up 'till thou art sanctified; Though fame for thee, records no glory here, Thy name's in Heaven, therefore do not fear. Thy laurels here are green, thy sparkling crown, Would dazzle mortal eyes to look upon; "Without the camp" I went; suffer and pray, Thou'lt find my footprints all the lonely way. V. N. CUDWORTH.

Health Reform and Christian Growth

From Bro. Patten.

[The following extract, Sister Adelia P. Van Horn takes from a private letter received from her father, Bro. L. C. Patten, of Clay, N. Y., who has for two years past been observing the Sabbath of the Lord.]

My Dear Daughter: You will be glad to learn that my health is as good as it has been since I was twenty-five years old. I am trying to live out the Health Reform to the best of my ability. It has been some time since we laid aside the use of meat as an article of food, and I realize an improvement in body and in mind. I am nearly fifty-three years of age, and for a few years past have felt conscious that my strength was failing; but by blessings attending the reform in living, my condition is much improved, and during the last spring I was able to follow a team and plow two acres per day.

Tell Bro. White that the discourse he gave at our State Conference in Adams' Center nearly two years since, on the subject of "The Ladder with Eight Rounds," which was published in "How to Live," has not yet lost its influence; and that your father means by the assisting grace of God, to place his erring feet upon every round of that sacred ladder, and strive for an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Blending of Paganism with the Papacy.

By Jesse Hiestand

BRO. WHITE: Such is the heading of an article in the Crisis, which contains a great amount of truth. I will just give one quotation, and make a few remarks.

"Gibbon says, 'the sublime and simple theology of the primitive Christians was gradually corrupted, and the monarchy of Heaven, already clouded by metaphysical subtilties, was degraded by the introduction of a popular Mythology which tended to restore the reign of Polytheism.' Vol. 3, p. 161."

"Mythology: A system of fables or fabulous opinions and doctrines respecting the Deities which heathen nations have supposed to preside over the world, or to influence the affairs of it."

"Polytheism: The doctrine of a plurality of gods or invisible beings superior to man, and having an agency in the government of the world."

"Sabianism: That species of idolatry which consisted in worshiping the sun, moon, and stars. This idolatry existed in Chaldea or Persia at an early period of the world, and was propagated by the inhabitants who migrated westward into Europe, and continued among our ancestors, till they embraced the Christian religion."

"Sunday: So called because this day was anciently dedicated to the sun, or to its worship."

The heathen nations in the north of Europe dedicated this day to the sun, and hence their Christian descendants continue to call the day Sunday; but in the United States Christians have to a great extent discarded the heathen name, and adopt the Jewish name, Sabbath, (or Lord's day)." Web.

To give different names to different objects does not change their identity.

It can plainly be seen that Sunday-keeping has its origin from the heathen world, and is nothing more than a heathen, pagan fable.

How amazingly strange it is, that the first-day Adventists have so much light and truth on many subjects, and yet on the subject of the Sabbath, are willingly or ignorantly in total darkness.

JESSE HIESTAND.

The Land of the Living

NOT OF THE DEAD BUT OF THE LIVING.—That was a beautiful idea expressed by a Christian lady on her death-bed, in reply to a remark of her brother, who was taking leave of her to return to his distant residence, that he should probably never again meet her in the land of the living. She answered—"Brother, I trust we shall meet in the land of the living. We are now in the land of the dying."

Character Revealed in Conduct

Character is the governor of our outward expression; we may fence ourselves about with worldly prudence, but the real man will show itself in spite of us. Let a man cherish dishonesty in his heart, and his dishonesty will, somehow or other, find expression in his life; if not in stealing, then in meanness; if not in large frauds, then in sixpenny cheatings. We may disguise it from others, and even from ourselves, for a season; but sooner or later it will appear that we are just what our principles made us.

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