My last report was from Iowa. I was then holding meetings in Bluffton, at the stone school-house. I remained three weeks. When I left, four were keeping the Sabbath, and others were convinced in relation to their duty, but were neglecting. Hope the Lord will give them strength to obey him in all things.
July 14, left for Chicago. Here I tarried over Sabbath and first-day. Had a meeting at Bro. James Adams' house. Ten Sabbath-keepers came together, and we had a very interesting meeting. Unexpectedly to me, the subject of baptism was introduced, and six of the brethren and sisters wished to receive the ordinance. Accordingly on first-day we assembled on the shores of Lake Michigan, and baptized in its rolling waves, after which we met at Bro. Adams', and ten brethren and sisters covenanted together to keep God's commandments and the faith of Jesus, and sustain Sabbath and weekly prayer-meetings, and attend to the ordinances. The Lord made it a heavenly place.
July 25, met with Brn. Cornell and Rodman in tent-meeting at Chelsea. Found the meeting progressing well, with deep interest and an increase of numbers.
July 31, met with the church at Westbrook, Maine, and held two meetings. Found the most of them holding on with good courage. Visited some of the brethren and sisters at Brunswick and Topsham.
Aug. 6, arrived home after being gone about three months. On the Sabbath met with the church in Cornville. Found the most of them decided to go through to the kingdom.
Aug. 12, met with Bro. Howard in Monthly Meeting at Athens. This was a meeting of deep interest. The people of God were strengthened for the battle. One brother who had become discouraged under great opposition, by the help of the Lord, recovered himself from the snare of the devil, and has taken hold of the work again in good earnest. Four were baptized.
We now have the tent pitched at Livermore Falls. Brn. Howard and Goodrich are giving a course of lectures, with a good degree of interest. Pray for us, that we may have success in the Lord.
CHAS. STRATTON.
Evangelistic Work in Illinois
By B. F. Merritt; C. H. Bliss
From Brn. Merritt and Bliss.
This is one of the richest and most beautiful portions of our country. Perhaps no part promises better for advancement in wealth and intelligence. As yet but little has been done here to diffuse a knowledge of present truth. But two or three churches have been established. We ardently hope to see the light that has dawned upon us, increase and shine abroad. Last spring Bro. C. H. Bliss and myself went to the village of Rochester and held about twenty meetings. A few commenced keeping the Sabbath. Others in that vicinity are interested, and we hope the truth will be so recommended by those that have embraced it, that they may be led to keep all God's commandments. We hope to hold some meetings in the vicinity of Rochester this fall. May the Lord bless his cause there.
In July, we went to a neighborhood about seven miles east of Paxton to hold meetings. We held, in all, about fifty meetings in that vicinity. Many were anxious to hear. Some gladly embraced the truth. Others are investigating. Six were baptized. We cannot say how many are keeping the Sabbath, but enough have come out to make us hope to see a flourishing church there. Bro. Bliss will be with them this winter.
Aug. 28, 29, attended a quarterly meeting with the church at Gridley. These, we think, were profitable meetings, but there was not so much freedom, so much of that melting spirit, and willingness to lay all upon the altar manifested as we like to see at such meetings. Some of the brethren have recently left there, which leaves but a small church.
Sept. 4, 5, attended the quarterly meeting at Princeville. Had a good meeting. This is the first meeting of the kind we have held in the absence of Brn. Blanchard. We miss him much. Two were baptized during this meeting, and five joined our number.
We feel like working for the Master. The cause is precious to us. We desire to see it advanced in this part of the field. We would be glad to have an experienced man come into Central Illinois to help us.
B. F. MERRITT,
C. H. BLISS.
Princeville, Ill., Sept. 15, 1869.
Sister Allen’s Religious Experience
SISTER B. G. ALLEN of Middletown, R. I., sends an interesting sketch of her religious experience forty years since; how she was led to renounce the follies of the world and turn to the Lord; still later, of her reception of the Advent doctrine in 1843; and lastly, how she was led to embrace the present truth. She closes by saying, “I love God, and his word, and his children.”
Meeting at Thorn Bottom
Bro. W. W. Stebbins writes from Raymond, Pa., Sept. 10, and reports an encouraging meeting of the brethren at Thorn Bottom, Aug. 14 and 15. The ordinances were celebrated, the church quickened, one was received, and, in the language of the writer, it was a “profitable meeting.”
Spiritual Prosperity in Tenhassen
Bro. Wm. Merry writes from Tenhassen, Aug. 29, and reports some spiritual prosperity of the cause in that section. He says: “We have good spiritual meetings, and all enjoy themselves very much. I think the Lord has located me where I can do some good.”
The Review Comes Next to My Bible
By Sister Ralston
SISTER RALSTON writes: The Lord has been very good to me in sparing my life until this time. When I realize what slow progress I am making in divine things, I am led to exclaim, Shall I ever be an overcomer? Shall I ever stand on Mount Zion with the redeemed? Oh, that my life may be such that I can feel the evidence daily that I am a child of God! The REVIEW still comes to me, and I hail its weekly visits with delight. It is meat in due season. I should be very lonely without it; it comes next to my Bible.
A Request for Christian Prayers
By P. A. Carlisle
P. A. Carlisle writes from Mecosta Co., Mich.: The REVIEW is a paper that I dearly love, and its teachings I have tried to live out, but I feel as though I have wandered a long time in the wilderness. For over a year the REVIEW has been all the preacher I have had. My prayer is, that I may be forgiven of my wanderings and backslidings from God. I ask the prayers of Christian people.
The Creation of all Things Celebrated by the Glorified Saints.
WHEN John listened to the song of the twenty-four elders, who had been redeemed from the earth, as their own words testify (Rev. v, 11), he heard them use this most expressive language: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Now it is certain from this scripture that the great facts of creation can never become obsolete, and that they never lose their importance. Not only do we gather this from the fact that the elders in their glorified state make mention of the work of creation, but much more from the manner in which that mention is made. For they place the worship of God upon the ground that he is the Creator of all things. And thus it appears that to all eternity this great fact is to be kept in the memory of the people of God, as constituting the grand difference between themselves and the great Being they are to worship. The Sabbath is that institution whereby this great truth is kept in memory. And hence it is that this divine memorial of the Creator never ceases to be observed. For as the great facts of creation lie at the foundation of the worship offered to him that sits upon the throne, so that institution which embodies these facts is to be in perpetual remembrance. And so it will be in the New Earth, that “from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” Isa. lxvi, 23.
And why should we be unwilling to acknowledge God as our Creator? Or if we acknowledge him by our profession of faith, why should we be unwilling to make that faith good by obedience to that institution which he ordained for that purpose?
The Hour of Trial.
COLONEL ETHAN ALLEN, of Vermont, openly rejected the Christian religion, and wrote several works against it. But how little faith he possessed in his own principles when put to the test, will be seen from a fact related by Dr. Dwight: While the Colonel was engaged in reading some of his own writings to a friend, a message was brought that his daughter was at the point of death. His wife, a pious woman, had instructed her child in the truths of the Bible. When the father appeared at the bedside, the daughter affectionately looked at him and said, “Father, I am about to die; shall I believe in the principles you have taught me, or shall I believe in what my mother has taught me?” On hearing this question, the Colonel was much distressed, and, after a pause, replied, “BELIEVE IN WHAT YOUR MOTHER HAS TAUGHT YOU.”
Rest your hope, reader, on Christ; seek for the grace of the Holy Spirit; live to love and serve God on earth, and you may calmly wait for that HOUR OF TRIAL which will come to all.—Sel.
The Brevity of Life.
A TRAIN of cars under swift motion, as is that on which I now write, is a very feeble illustration of the swiftness with which our earthly course is being run. Swiftly we haste to its close. We never lose time in this race. Every day, every hour, every minute, counts. Our course is onward with never-varying swiftness. Time flies, death hastens to meet us, and the inevitable Judgment is right before us. A little moment, and we stand before God. Our life, which is only a hand breadth, is accomplished, and the decision of eternity is made. What shall that be with each of us?
The Creation of Light.
THE first act of creation was to call into existence, in a chaotic state, the heavens and the earth, i. e., our earth and the worlds above us. The second great creative act was to give existence to light. How either of these acts could be wrought is altogether above our comprehension. When the first act was wrought it was profound darkness. That act marked the beginning of the first day. From that point till the creation of the light was the night which formed the first or dark part of the first day, the creation of light marked the first morning. And observe how much like morning now, this first morning was. Light and darkness were mingled, i. e., it was twilight. Then God divided the light from the darkness, and it became perfect day. Is it not likely that God thus lighted up one side of the globe, and then caused this to successively light every part of the earth, by the revolution of the earth on its axis?
How God Swears by Himself.
DEUT. xxxii, 40: “For I lift up my hand to Heaven, and say, I live forever.”
Here the Almighty is represented as swearing by himself. And this great fact that he lives forever, he uses with which to designate himself. Surely, in this he must be unlike all created beings. They cannot be creatures who possess, by virtue of their own existence, an undying nature. If they live forever, it is because he wills it. And he determines this question by putting them upon probation, and giving them a chance to form characters. If the characters which they form please him, he gives to them his own undying nature. If they fail to form such a character, he takes from them the life which he gave them. To live forever is the prerogative of the eternal God. Others shall live thus, or not, as he wills concerning them.
Minnesota Camp-meeting.
By W. C. G.
By comparing REVIEW No. 11 with No 12, it will be seen that two different appointments have been given for the Minnesota Camp-meeting, but we presume it will be sufficiently understood that the latter, by the General Conference Committee, annuls the former, as by this arrangement, the presence of Bro. and Sr. White and Bro. Andrews will be secured at all the Western meetings.
W. C. G.
D. M. Canright’s New Address
The P. O. address of Eld. D. M. Canright, is now Washington, Iowa.
Richland, Iowa.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Our meetings here closed yesterday, Sunday, Sept. 19, the same as they began, in a rain storm. We spent five weeks here. I was quite unwell during the whole time. Only spoke eight times. Other things seemed to be against us; yet our labor we trust has not been altogether in vain. About twenty or twenty-five have embraced the Sabbath. They seem to be substantial, reliable persons. They are mostly in whole families—are farmers. They will have Sabbath meetings. We shall visit them again as soon as we can. I now go to Sigourney till the Camp-meeting. Bro. Butler goes home a few days. We are thankful to God that a little has been accomplished by the preaching of his truth this season. About sixty have embraced the truth, we think. We are of good courage to work on, still hoping to have the blessing of God, and win some souls for his kingdom.
Pray for us. D. M. CANRIGHT.
“Where Did it Come From?”
By H. C. Miller
The following interesting experiment may aid those who find an objection to the resurrection of the body that has died and decayed, in supposing that the particles have been absorbed by the vegetation afterwards grown on the spot where they were buried. It shows, also, how little we understand the way God moves in performing his wonders. I copy it from the American Agriculturist of April, 1862, p. 105:
“Two hundred pounds of earth were dried in an oven and weighed, and afterwards put into a large earthen vessel, and a willow tree weighing five pounds planted therein. During five years the tree was watered with pure rain, or distilled water, and to prevent any additions of earth or dust, the vessel was covered with a metal plate, perforated with holes so small as to admit air only. At the end of five years the tree was found to weigh 169¼ lbs. The annual crops of fallen leaves were not taken into account. The earth was then taken and weighed, as at first, and had lost only two ounces. Whence was derived the 164 pounds of woody fiber, bark, roots &c.? They must have come from the atmosphere, and the rain water, through the medium of the leaves, roots, and bark.”
H. C. MILLER.
Irreligion in China
THE Proof-Sheet, a monthly magazine issued by Collins & M’Lester, type-founders, at Philadelphia, has the following remarks concerning “Irreligion in China:”
“M. Huc states the population of the Chinese Empire to be 300,000,000; and estimates the number of Christians to be 800,000. The Christian religion is persecuted in China, not on account of its creed, but because the government supposes that those nations who take so much trouble to introduce Christianity into China do so with a view to the ultimate overthrow of its political character. The Chinese, indeed, are materialists, and care little or nothing for creeds or systems. Beyond a few superstitious observances—relics, perhaps, of a forgotten religious belief—and the mere forms of official worship, there seems to be little of religion in China.”
“The Emperor Tao-kou-ang, some time before his accession to the throne, addressed to the people a proclamation, in which he passed in review all the religions known in the empire—Christianity included—and came at last to the conclusion that they were all false, and that one would do well to despise them altogether.
“In Tartary and Thibet, on the contrary, the mass of the people seem sincerely attached to the worship of Buddah; and many of the Lamas are devout and self-sacrificing. The younger sons all become Lamas.
“Whatever of moral religion exists in China is due to the works of Confucius; but this, according to M. Huc, is much more theoretical than practical. His teachings, intended for the learned, appear to have destroyed the ancient religion, without giving anything to supply its place with the masses; or, indeed, leaving any religious faith (in any class) upon which his perfection theory can be grafted.”