The prophetic period of Lev. xxvi, or what has been supposed to be such, has been no small object of study among prophetic expositors. It has been supposed that the expression, "seven times," in verses 18, 21, 24, 28, denoted a prophetic period of 2520 years, and that this period covered the time during which the throne of Israel should be and remain subverted and trodden down by oppressing powers. To rightly fix the commencement and termination of this period, became therefore a matter of consequence. Where does it commence? and where does it end? have been questions of much study, and perhaps some perplexity.
These are not the questions, however, that we propose here to discuss; for there is a question lying back of these, which demands to be answered first; namely, Is there any prophetic period brought to view at all in Lev. xxvi? We claim that there is not, and will offer a few of what are to us very conclusive reasons for this position:
1. A series of judgments is threatened against Israel, in case they hearkened not unto God to do his commandments, before the expression, seven times, is introduced. Verses 14-17. In these judgments is included being slain before their enemies, being reigned over by those that hated them, and fleeing when none pursued them. Now if the seven times were meant to cover the period of God's special judgments against Israel, especially of their captivity by foreign powers, these seven times should have been mentioned in connection with the first threatening of judgments of this kind. But this, as we have seen, is not the case.
2. After the threatening of these judgments, God says, verse 18, "And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins." Then follows an enumeration of the judgments to come upon them in fulfilment of this, different from the items of the first threatening, and increasing in severity.
3. If they would not for this hearken, seven times more plagues were threatened against them, "according to their sins." Verse 21. Then again follows an enumeration of judgments to correspond, more severe still than any preceding.
4. If they would not be reformed by these things, God threatened to punish them seven times more for their sins. Verse 24. And in like manner with the foregoing, an enumeration of the judgments to be inflicted in fulfilment, immediately follows, more fearful still.
5. And if they would not hearken to God for all these things, he makes a final threat that would walk contrary to them in fury, and chastise them seven times for their sins. Verse 28. And an enumeration of the judgments to be inflicted, again immediately follows, outdoing all before, in their terrible severity. Included among them were the eating of the flesh of their sons and daughters, making waste their cities, bringing the land into such desolation that their enemies should be astonished at it, scattering them among all nations, and drawing out a sword after them in all the lands of their dispersion. With fearful minuteness all this has been fulfilled, even to the eating the flesh of their own children, as in the terrible sieges that preceded the downfall of Jerusalem.
Thus we have, first, a series of judgments threatened against Israel, without the expression, seven times, and then the declaration four times made, that God would punish them seven times for their sins, each one on condition that the former did not lead to repentance, and each one containing its own specific enumeration of judgments, distinct from those that preceded, and regularly increasing in the severity of their denunciations. Now what is meant by this repeated expression of seven times? We reply, It denotes, not the duration of the punishment, but its intensity and severity. It is well expressed in the language of verse 21, thus: "I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins." The number seven denoting perfection, we are undoubtedly to understand by this expression, the fullness of their punishment; that the measure of their national sins, would in every case be fully equaled by the measure of their national calamities.
And this position is fully sustained by the original, as a brief criticism will show.
In reference to the Hebrew, we learn from the Hebrew Concordance that the expression, seven times, in Lev. xxvi, comes from sheh-vag; and this word is expressly set down by Gesenius, in these texts, as an adverb, also in Ps. cxix, 164; Prov. xxiv, 16. In Dan. iv, 16, 25, the expression, seven times, twice occurs, where beyond question it means duration. Nebuchadnezzar was to be driven from men, and make his dwelling with the beasts of the field, until seven times should pass over him. There can be no mistaking that here the expression means a certain space of time; but here we find, not the adverb as in Lev. xxvi, but the noun, gid-dahn, defined by Gesenius, "Time, in prophetic language, for a year." In Dan. vii, 25, where a prophetic period is brought to view in the expression, "a time and times and the dividing of time," the same word is used. In Dan. xii, 7, where the same period is again brought to view, and in about the same language, we have another word, moh-gehd, defined by Gesenius, "Appointment of time. Spoken of a space of time, appointed and definite. In the prophetic style for a year." It will be seen by this definition, that this word is synonymous with the one used in Dan. vii, 25, as above referred to. Now if a period of time is meant by the expression, seven times, in Lev. xxvi, one of these words should and would most assuredly have been used. And the fact that neither of these words is there used, but another word, and that an adverb, places it beyond question that no such period is there intended.
The Greek is equally definite. The Septuagint has in Lev. xxvi, heptakis, which is an adverb, signifying seven times. In Dan. iv, 16, 25, for Nebuchadnezzar's seven times we have not heptakis, the adverb, but hepta kairoi, a noun and its adjective. And in all cases where the word time occurs, denoting a prophetic period, as in Dan. vii, 25; xii, 7; Rev. xii, 14, it is from the noun kairos. Such a thing as a prophetic period based on an adverb is not to be found.
So then, there is no prophetic period in Lev. xxvi; and those who imagine that such a thing exists, and are puzzling themselves over the adjustment of its several dates, are simply beating the air. To ignore, or treat with neglect, a prophetic period where one is plainly given, is censurable in the extreme. It is an equally futile, though not so heinous, a course, to endeavor to create one where none exists.
A Contrast.
By Editor
THE Laws of Life for January 1864, opens its editorial, thus: "So a new year dawns upon us in beauty and glory! This 'old Earth,' about which poets have sung, is new, and fresh, and bright, in the blessed light of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four."
Such is the theory; and as a theory it reads very well; but it happens that nature has given us a commentary on that theory, which comes very near destroying the text. The year 1864 opened, in fact, with the most intense paroxysm of cold that has been known for many years, if not in some localities the most severe that was ever known. The furious storm that raged all over the North west, ushering in the new year, was the cause of an untold amount of suffering and distress. Reports have reached us from all quarters of a fearful loss of life from the intense cold. We have heard of one family in Indiana, who were turned out of doors in that fearful night by their house taking fire, and who all, seven in number, perished before reaching a mile from their burning dwelling. Soldiers frozen in their barracks, stage-drivers coming in, frozen stiff upon their seats, brakemen frozen on the cars, cattle and stock of all kinds frozen in large numbers, on various railroads, trains blockaded with snow, holding their living freight for long hours in extremest peril, multitudes frost bitten and perhaps maimed for life,—such is the burden of reports every where, concerning the effects of the late storm.
The truth is, the earth is not new and fresh. It shows more and more, as year after year wears away, the signs of decrepitude and old age. Its paroxysms of heat and cold are more frequent and intense, the miasma of its corrupted atmosphere is more prevalent and deadly, its fertility is waning away, it is growing old, it is wearing out. It groans for the renewing touch of its Maker's hand, who will lift from its worn bosom the heavy weight of the curse, and set it forth anew upon its pathway to run its race buoyant and fresh forever and ever. It will behold no dawn of "beauty" and "glory" until he who sits upon the throne shall say, "Behold I make all things new!" Thank God that tokens of that glad morn already appear. Unfortunately for the false theorizers of the present age, facts all run contrary to their speculations. Wars and rumors of wars, mock their cries of peace, and omens of trouble and destruction give the lie to all their visions of peace. Happy will they be who amid the din and confusion of earth's closing scenes, do not lose sight of the sure word of prophecy, but guided by its sure unerring light, prepare for the transition into the approaching kingdom, where the sun shall not scorch, nor wintry winds chill, nor care oppress, nor disease infect, nor death destroy; but where the saints shall reign in peace and happiness and glory, forever and ever.
Justice Awakening.
APPROPRIATE retribution seems to be at last overtaking the fearfully guilty parties who have for long years held multitudes of their fellow beings in bondage, and who at last for the sake of spreading and perpetuating their hellish system of slavery, inaugurated the present bloody and fiendish rebellion. What could be more appropriate than that the slaves themselves should be the instruments used to punish the merciless tyrants who have so long ground them to the dust. Such is so far beginning to be the case, that even the swamps where the slaves have been wont to secrete themselves to avoid the lash of cruel masters, those same masters now seek, to hide from vengeance which they know they deserve, and which they fear will be meted out to them at the hands of their former outraged and oppressed slaves. The following account of a guerrilla hunt in North Carolina, shows that Justice, though seemingly long delayed, is nevertheless following with relentless steps upon the heels of the oppressor; while the fact that three thousand slaves were set free as the result of one expedition, will be cheering to all in whose heart a single spark of humanity yet lives.
A GUERRILLA HUNT IN NORTH CAROLINA BY COLORED TROOPS.
General Butler's organization of colored troops, recent as it is, proves to be efficient, brave and dashing. The outrages of the rebel guerrillas of North Carolina having got to that pass when exemplary punishment became necessary, General Butler ordered General Wild to collect his colored battalions stationed in the vicinity of Norfolk, and go forth on a "raid" through the guerrilla country. Special orders were given to bring in all the slaves. The expedition, numbering eighteen hundred men, was commanded by General Wild in person, and left Norfolk three weeks and69a half ago. It returned with the following report of results accomplished: Three thousand North Carolina slaves were set free; three hundred and fifty teams of horses, oxen, and mules were captured, besides fifty saddle-horses; four guerrilla camps and a great amount of supplies were destroyed; the houses and barns of a score or more of rebels were burned; one guerrilla was hanged; several prisoners were brought in; and the entire loss of our forces was thirteen men. The brave blacks who did all this were very eager for a regular fight, but the rebels ran away hiding in the same swamps which used to shelter the slaves when the bloodhounds chased them. The way in which the tables were turned is neatly described by a correspondent of The New York Times who accompanied the expedition:
"In regard to its moral and political results, the importance of the raid cannot be overestimated. The counties invaded by the colored troops were completely panic-stricken. Scores of families, for no cause but a guilty conscience, fled into the swamps on their approach. Never was a region thrown into such commotion by a raid before. Proud scions of chivalry, accustomed to claim the most abject obedience from their slaves, literally fell on their knees before these armed and uniformed blacks and begged for their lives. No sooner would the brigade enter a neighborhood, than General Wild's quarters would be besieged by those wishing to take the oath of allegiance and secure the protection of the Government. Their slaves might all go—they would give them up willingly—only let their lives and property be protected. Union meetings were held in several places, and delegations sent to General Wild, proposing to do anything 'to be saved.' One set of resolutions was signed by fifty-nine planters, and another by seventy-six, while the return of the expedition was preceded and followed by hundreds of North Carolinians hastening to Norfolk to obtain certificates of their loyalty. One hundred and twenty vehicles crossed Great Bridge in a single day, containing persons journeying thither for this laudable purpose. An army of 50,000 blacks could march from one end of Rebeldom to the other almost without opposition, the terror they would inspire making them invincible."
The Present Hour.
By G. W. A.
"We are living, we are dwelling,
In a grand and awful time."
How true to life are these sublime words of the poet! How ominous, and how significant is the hour in which we live! The message is rising and steadily gaining strength; the sure prophetic lines are meeting a daily accomplishment; the cry of war has become the watchword of every nation; knowledge is increasing with a stately tread; science and art bless the world with their sublime developments; signs of awful portent signify that He who treadeth the wine-press is about to assert his right; error with its multiform phases is thrusting its hydra-head into the face of all that is lovely and good; truth is fallen in the streets, and crime is more frequent and less thought of; signs in the sun, moon, and stars, warn the world of approaching judgment scenes; mockers and scoffers by their thoughtless and blasphemous railing give force to the startling message of the man of God; for months the battle of the warrior has been with confused noise and garments rolled in blood; spirits of devils go peeping and muttering through the earth; damnable heresies are brought in by religious teachers who have forsaken the covenant of their God, and denied the Lord that bought them; the blasphemer grows more bold, and the drunkard has an increased relish for his cup; infidelity with its gaunt form compasses sea and land; the truth in the hearts of formal professors has lost its converting power, and is being changed into a lie; he that departeth from iniquity maketh himself a prey; the accumulated guilt of sixty centuries is about to fall with vindictive fury upon a world lying in wickedness; the great white throne will soon be seen; the clarion notes of the archangel's trump will soon call the dead to life, and sound from pole to pole; and—oh! thoughtless soul, think well of this—who shall be able to stand?
Reader, ponder, pray, prepare; and seek that stability which is derived from a well-directed faith in the Rock that is higher than we.
G. W. A.
Are the Dead Conscious? No. 4.
By R. F. Cottrell
"We believe in the immortality of the soul," is in almost every creed. That man has such a soul, is thought to be sufficiently proved from the frequent occurrence in the Scriptures of such expressions as, my soul, thy soul, his soul, &c., for when David says, for example, "My soul," he represents himself as possessing something, and that something is his soul. It is settled, then, that man has a soul; and if that soul is immortal, such expressions as "save a soul from death," James v, 20, must mean to save "the immortal principle in man" from eternal misery; for an immortal soul cannot die, therefore death must be used in a figurative sense.
The greatest defect in this reasoning is, that the thing to be proved, namely, the immortality of the soul, is only assumed; and this assumption is all that creates the necessity of making those texts figurative which represent the soul as subject to death, and consequently prove that it is not immortal. If the Bible only said that "mortal man" has an immortal soul, it would supply the deficiency and stop the greatest leak in the argument. But this desideratum is totally wanting, and the ship must sink.
The Scriptures represent the soul as liable, not only to die, but to go down into the grave. Souls are represented as being brought up from the grave, redeemed from its power, and delivered from a pit of corruption. Ps. xxx, 3; xlix, 15; Isa. xxxviii, 17. The resurrection of Christ from Joseph's new tomb, was the subject of that prophecy which says, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption." Ps. xvi, 10.
Do I hear you say that the term soul, in these passages, means no more than person or life? Be it so. And will you be so kind as to point out a passage where it means the "immortal principle in man"? Perhaps you refer me to Mark viii, 36. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" In turn I refer you to Luke ix, 24, 25. "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" This passage is precisely parallel to the other, and it is evident that no more than person or life is meant by the term soul. The place where it means that "immortal principle" is not yet found. Who will find it?
But to the question of man's state in death. One more quotation from the words of Job, will show that the dead are ignorant of what is passing among the living, and that consequently they are not our guardian spirits. Of the dead man he says, "His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not: and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Job xiv, 21. The heart of the dying parent is intensely solicitous concerning the future course and condition of his children, and if it were possible, would still exercise a guardian care over them; but death closes his guardianship, and he knows no more about them. The double entity swivel will not explain away the force of this passage. The dead either know what is transpiringing [sic] upon the earth, or they do not. Those who believe the text will believe they do not.
We pass to the testimony of the sweet singer of Israel, another holy man of old who spake as he was moved by the Holy Spirit. Said he, "Return, O Lord, deliver my soul; oh save me for thy mercies' sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Ps. vi, 4, 5.
In this text the Psalmist prays the Lord to deliver his soul. From what? From death and the grave. Why? Because in death there is no remembrance of the Lord; the living may give him thanks, but those in the grave cannot. The soul is the person. To deliver one's soul is to deliver himself, or to save his life. When life departs, the person goes down into the grave, where there is no knowledge, no giving of thanks, no remembrance, but all is forgetfulness.
You may define death as you please. Call it a state of separation of soul and body, if you will. In that state called death there is no remembrance of God. This could not be true, did any part of man retain the faculties of a living person. This testimony is inexorable. There is no way of evading its force, but to deny that man passes into a state called death. This cannot be done, without denying the Bible. In death, let death mean what it will, there is no remembrance of God. Do you see its force? What way is there of evading the conclusion that man is unconscious in death, without coming in absolute collision with the inspired word? Such positive declarations of the word will aid us, if we are willing to be helped, in the understanding of parables and figures of speech, where the dead are represented as speaking, &c. These do not testify what is the state of man in death; but with the understanding that that is well understood, both from observation and revelation, they represent them, by a figure of speech, as feeling, acting, and speaking. Were it the acknowledged prerogative of dead men to speak, Paul would never have said in a figure, "He being dead yet speaketh."
But the texts we are examining affirm something of the real state of man in death. There is no figure here. That from Job affirms man's unconsciousness of what is passing among the living in this world; this from the Psalms asserts as positively his unconsciousness of God, and, of consequence, of the heavenly world.
Reader, will you accept of the testimony of the word? Will you adopt the motto of an apostle, "Let God be true and every man a liar?" Or will you reject the unequivocal assertions of his word, and from unnecessary inferences endeavor to sustain the first lie that was ever uttered to our race? Need you be told that it is infidelity to disbelieve, and cowardly skepticism to doubt, the positive assertions of the great Author of all truth? It is better to believe the Lord's truth than to be carried with the strong delusions of these last days.
R. F. COTTRELL.
Important Historical facts.
By B. F. Snook
1. THE advocates of the Sunday institution not having any authority in the Bible to sustain them, hie away to the civil law. They argue thus: The apostle Paul teaches us to obey the civil rulers. They require us to keep Sunday. Therefore we should do so, and be in subjection to the powers that be. Such persons should remember that Sunday is not the only day that civil law has favored. They should remember that the first civil law which was ever enacted, favoring Sunday also required the same honors for Friday as for it.
Neander says, "The emperor Constantine, as Sozomen relates, enacted a law that on Friday, as on Sunday there should be a suspension of business at the courts and in other civil offices. So that the day might be devoted with less interruption to the purposes of devotion."
This shows that the first human legislation in favor of Sunday, also was in favor of Friday. If the civil law can sanctify the one why not the other? If we should keep one of these days because it has the authority of the civil law, why not keep the other when it has the same authority? We see no reason why Sunday-keepers should reject Friday as a Sabbath to them which is just as holy as Sunday.
2. Again, they say, that as the primitive Christians communed on Sunday we should therefore keep it as a Sabbath. But we read that they also communed every day. Acts ii, 46. Then should we not therefore keep every day as a Sabbath? We read in history that it was just as customary to commune on other days, as it was on Sunday. Neander says, "At Antioch the communion was celebrated on Friday as well as on Sunday. Also at Constantinople Friday was observed by the more serious Christians as a day of penitence and fasting, consecrated to the memory of Christ's passion, and the sacrament of the supper distributed."
Thus we see if the mere act of celebrating the Lord's supper on a particular day hallows and sanctifies it, we have every day of the week so hallowed and sanctified which would give us more Sabbaths than we have use for. How much better is God's way. He tells us to remember his day to keep it holy; but at the same time he allows us six days in which to do our own work. No one can keep Sunday from any one reason, without from the same being brought under obligation to keep almost every other day of week.
B. F. SNOOK.
Labors in New York.
By John Nevins Andrews
BRO. WHITE: Since our State conference I have labored in central New York. I trust that good has been accomplished. It seems to me that the prospect is cheering and that the people of God are growing in grace and in the love of the cause of truth.
I design now to labor for several weeks in western N. Y. Letters to me may be directed to Rochester, care of J. B. Lamson. So soon as my duty this way is accomplished, I design to visit Mannsville, and Adams Center. I hope to have the hearty cooperation of all the friends of the cause of present truth. When we all come up to the help of the Lord and take such a position before him that he will accept us, we may confidently expect that God will add to our numbers many that are now living in violation of his holy law. Let each one see to it that he or she is not pursuing such a course that the first duty of those who labor in word and doctrine, will be to put their wrong away before any thing can be done for those who are not in the truth. Great is the responsibility of those who live only to be stumbling blocks, hindrances and dead weights to the cause of God. The time must come when such will be utterly separated from the people of God. May they realize this while there is yet opportunity by hearty repentance to put away their sin.
J. N. ANDREWS.
Hamlin, Monroe Co. N. Y. Jan. 12, 1864.
Is It Correct?
By Uriah Smith
Mr. Uriah Smith: I wish to say a few words concerning an article which appeared in Review No. 15, Vol. xx, headed, The Seal of the Living God, and signed U. S. I wrote you a letter some five or six weeks ago, I should think, in which I called your attention to the same; but as I have not heard from you in regard to that subject, permit me to call your attention to that article again.
I wish to call your attention to one incorrect statement in said article. It is this: "4. That in the fourth commandment, and there only, the Father's name is found." Now the statement that the Father's name is found only in the fourth commandment, is untrue, as you may see by reading the ten commandments; and even the writer contradicts himself, as he says in a former part of the article, "The word, God, occurs in the first three" (commandments). It does also occur in the fifth commandment.
Thus you may see that the statement that in the fourth commandment, and there only, the Father's name is found, is untrue. And I wish that error might be corrected, as it is likely to do much hurt as it now stands. I received a letter from a man of influence in the State of Maine, in which he called my attention to the above statement—the statement that in the fourth commandment, and there only, the Father's name is found—saying that it is false. And I could not deny it, nor disprove it; for I thought so myself. Therefore I do most earnestly desire that the above-mentioned error may be corrected through the columns of the Review.
Lyman L. Loomis.
Stowe, Vt.
Remarks. There are some peculiar features about the above communication, which show themselves at first sight.
1. It is a little singular that so palpable an error as that which is referred to, is claimed to be, should be suffered to rest in peace and quiet for more than a year, before being called in question.
2. It is a little singular that that "man of influence" in Maine should be writing to Mr. Loomis on this subject. If he detected, or thought he detected, error in the paper issued at this Office, why did he not write to the Office concerning it? How does it happen that his communication was with Mr. L.? Perhaps the secret of the matter lies here: It may be that Mr. L. first wrote to him complaining of said article, just as he did to sister M. W. Howard, of Malone, N. Y., and who, as true consistency dictated, immediately communicated with the Office on the subject.
3. It is a little singular that any statement should be made so far out of the way that a mere perusal of the ten commandments, as is claimed, would show it to be untrue. We have read the ten commandments many times, but have never found anything to militate against the claim set forth in the article referred to.
4. It is a little singular that any writer should make a claim which he had, as is urged, so plainly contradicted only a few lines before.
As to the contradiction, we will quote a line or two from the article in question: "This leads us to an examination of the ten commandments. Do we find the true God pointed out in those commandments? We do; but it is in the fourth only. The word, God, occurs in the first three, but there is nothing to show who he is." Did Mr. L. ever read this? Does he see its import? And when it is expressly stated that there is nothing in any commandment except the fourth to show who the God of those commandments is, does he see the bearing this fact has upon the question? The truth is, the term, God, is not the distinctive name of any being. That is, different nations apply the term to altogether different objects. There are gods many and lords many; and though we understand readily by the term God, the great Jehovah, the maker of all things, the heathen would understand by it, the sun, the idol in his pagan temple, or any object which he might chance to be worshiping. Read the ten commandments to a heathen, leaving out the fourth, and he would reply, Certainly, my god is the one referred to in these commandments: he is the author of that law. But when we read the fourth commandment, we at once show him that not the sun, nor any created thing, is the God of that law, but the Maker of all these things. Hence the fourth commandment is the only commandment containing the name, that is, the distinctive title of God; showing him to be the maker of heaven and earth.
It will evidently do Mr. L. and the influential gentleman in Maine, no injury to think a little harder upon this subject. When therefore they will show how they can make known to a heathen the true God, without the use of the fourth commandment, we will confess to error on the point. Till then, they, of course, cannot require it.
U. S.
The Twilight Hour.
By M. D. A.
Or A Lesson From the Stars.
At the close of a day of unusual perplexity and care, temptation and trial, I sat down at twilight, meditating upon its events almost unhappily. I thought of the world as dark and unstable, all uncertain, nothing sure; of life as a journey attended with sorrow, sin and death; each day bringing fresh trials and labor, fewer joys and hopes; and I asked, Is there a world where these experiences come not? Is there a clime pure and happy, unattended by adverse winds, where those who pass through this world bowed with woe and burdened with care will live and never more feel these weights, and live in bliss and happiness, love and peace to all eternity? And is there one, a being of purity, benevolence, and sympathy, who looks down upon those sinful, wayworn, care-stricken hearts, counting every sigh, marking every moment of suffering, registering every deed done for his sake, and treasuring up a reward to be given at last? commissioning his angelic ministers to every drooping needy spirit to administer balmy aid? And oh may this bright picture be my hope? A sense of weariness was upon me, and so low had bent my spirit, that I almost failed to grasp by faith a hope so full of comfort. Unbelief beset my heart and I asked, Is it so?
I was weary with my meditations and looking up I saw two lonely stars. All alone, seemingly, their gentle, genial rays shone out from the firmament as if meant for me. Nothing ever appeared more opportune and cheering. The whole nature of my reflections was changed and I thought on.
I wondered who had sent them to thus chase away my gloom. It was God. That same being whose care and love and pity I had almost doubted. It was he who had made them, placed them in their orbits and caused them to come and go to dispel the shades of night. These beautiful stars were not unstable, but ever in their nightly round did they here and there shed their timid light, never varying in their starry paths.
My unbelief was gone. Here could I see my kind Creator's hand; and I prayed to learn a lesson from the stars. I loved to gaze upon them. They drew my thoughts from earth to heaven. But presently a cloud appeared and hid them from my view. My first reflection was, those stars are gone, and with it came a sense of sadness—again, I thought, no, but shining brightly as before, only beyond the cloud. It was momentary. The cloud was gone, and the stars shone with their wonted lovliness upon me.
The lesson was a good one. I felt the kind reproof and regretted my lack of trust in him who had ever proved himself faithful. He who had done so much to save me, could he ever leave me if I loved and trusted him?
But this was not all the lesson of that twilight hour. God had made those stars, and ever faithful they performed his will. My own existence also I owed to him, and like them should I do what he had assigned me, and I thought, Oh that I might never vary from that humble path my Saviour designed for me to tread. There could be no mistake, so plainly had he marked the way. He had even stooped to walk the path before me, that I might see his footprints and know where to take each step. Then can I be true to him and never grow weary of the road? Can I bear his yoke, trusting his goodness ever? The floating clouds of sorrow may sometimes eclipse him from my gaze, but can I believe that all, all, is for my good? Amid all the angry clouds and storms that enveloped his whole life, how brightly did his works shine out, illuminating the world! Even like the sun the glorious King of day, his was an example of faithfulness and truth. Oh, that his lovely image may reflect itself in me.
Ere long these dark and angry storms will pass, soon the recording angel will return with the report, "It is done." Each deed, good or bad will bring its reward. Soon the great Shepherd will call his people to immortal pastures and living waters. Oh may I count one among that number then, of whom it is written, Then they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever.
M. D. A.
If We Are Only Honest.
By W. W. Wilson
It does not make any difference what church we belong to, or what notion we have, if we are only honest. This cry is raised by the majority of the professing world. I have often heard ministers illustrate this by liking the Kingdom of Heaven to a commercial City. Business men are represented as visiting this city, from the four points of compass. Say they, the honest of the various denominations, in like manner, will meet in Heaven.
But this is not the teaching of the word. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. From this it is clear that there is but one faith. Again it is written, Strait and narrow is the way that leadeth to life. Matt. vii, 13–14. The, is a definite article and defines way and gate. If our friend's illustration is true. The words way and gate should be in the plural. Then it would read, Narrow are the ways and strait are the gates.
These "honest" souls, in nine cases out of ten, when truth is presented, if it differ from their creed, will not give the subject an investigation; and the servant of God is met with the plea of honesty. If their position is true, the drunken Catholic is as much entitled to a seat in Heaven as they; for who will doubt that he who pays the priest his hard earnings for the forgiveness of his sins, believes in his ability to forgive.
Those who take the Scriptures for their rule of faith and practice, will possess the spirit of the Bereans of old. They will search the Scriptures and see if these things are so.
W. W. WILSON.
Aldon, Ill.
Personal Effort
PERSONAL EFFORT.—"She hath done what she could!" Blessed testimony, this, from the lips of Jesus! Higher eulogy was never pronounced upon a work of a human intelligence! "Done what she could!" What a world of meaning in these few simple, but expressive words. How rich the reward, how enviable the memorial, how glorious the immortality, of this pious work on the blessed Jesus.
Letters.
By Wm. F. Crous
“Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another.”
This department of the paper is designed for the brethren and sisters to freely and fully communicate with each other respecting their hopes and determinations, conflicts and victories, attainments and desires, in the heavenly journey. Then they, says the prophet, that feared the Lord spake often one to another. We believe emphatically that we are living in that time. Therefore seek first a living experience and then record it, carefully and prayerfully, for the comfort and encouragement of the other members of the household of faith. Let this department be well filled with lively testimonies of the goodness of God, and the value of his truth.
From Bro. Crous.
BRO. WHITE: We wish to say to the dear brethren and sisters, that we are still on the Lord's side, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. It is now over three years since we embraced the Advent faith; and we can still rejoice in present truth, and the glorious hope of immortality when Jesus comes. We praise God that we were brought to see the light on the Sabbath question, as it is the sign or mark of the living God: that part of his law which brings to light his true character, and distinguishes him from all false gods as the Maker of heaven and earth.
Although we are alone here in keeping the Sabbath of the Lord, yet we feel not forsaken; for the Lord is our strength, and the lifter up of our heads in time of trouble. Fear not, little flock (lonely ones), it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Oh let us be faithful and love God with all our hearts.
Dear brethren and sisters, remember us in your prayer-meetings and closets, as lonely ones surrounded by opposition, with none to encourage or strengthen us. We praise God for the Bible, and the light of present truth, as set forth in the Review.