Earlier text: YE DID IT NOT TO MEMen and Things.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Everywhere, men of all classes are looking for some great change to immediately come. “The Christian Work, London, in its issue for January, 1871, reviewing the events of the year previous, has the following passage:— “‘It is quite impossible for any one, with the most general glance at prophecy, not to feel that we are living in the midst of an important prophetic era. Changes are taking place in years and decades, which used to occupy centuries. Things generally are in a state of confusion. Men’s minds are not at rest.’” INFIDELITY AND CORRUPTION OF CATHOLICISM.
Infidelity is spreading, even among church members and officers in high places. I know this to be so from my conversation with men everywhere. But listen to the following, on Infidelity in the Romish church, from Rev. Mr. Langdon of Florence, Italy:— “‘Break through but the thin surface crust of names, and forms, and old associations, and the fact is revealed that there is nothing spiritual left; that Romanism is thoroughly materialistic; and that it has practically brought Christian Italy back to its own ancient paganism. But for the instinctive habit they have of using the word Christian, as implying, if not as being synonymous with the highest cultivation and enlightenment, many of the first publicists of Italy would, very probably, admit it in so many words.’” “‘Who can be a fairer judge than that venerable statesman and philosopher, Count Terenzio Mamiani? He is a Roman. He was one of the pope’s own trusty friends, one of his lay cabinet. He occupied a similar position as the colleague of Cavour. No living Italian writer stands more eminent in the esteem of his countrymen. His wisdom is reverenced in the Italian Senate, and he was the relatore, or chosen spokesman, of the special committee of that body, to which was lately referred the law of the Papal Guarantees; and he is, what is so rarely found among his peers, a sincere and devout Catholic. Such is the man who wrote to me on the 30th of October last, in a letter already published: ‘It is to be feared that all this [effort for reform] comes too late. Romanism has at last produced in Italy three deplorable results; and these are superstition in the lowest populace, indifference in the other classes, infidelity in the greater part of the thinkers and writers.’” “‘In fact, Christianity is not generally looked upon, either by ecclesiastics within, or by the laity without the church of Italy, as a system of principles, governing the heart, the conscience, and the inner life, so much as a politico-social system, allied to a state of society which has passed away, when it was the right of the one to rule, and of the other to minister to their ambition. Indeed, I have the story from the best authority, that a veteran diplomatist, who had long been accredited to the Papal Court, said that of some eighty-three Cardinals whom he had personally known, perhaps three really believed in the divine origin of Christianity; and it is well known here that some of the most valued ecclesiastical officials of the Holy See are men, not only without any religious character whatever, but of such notoriously disgraceful moral character that they are not received in respectable Roman society.’” Says the Phrenological Journal for September:— “‘It is certain that if earnest and powerful endeavors are not made to put the right men in the right places, and a higher and purer tone given to our political affairs, a sad condition will ere long overtake American society, a condition ripe for violent faction, revolution, anarchy. From which kind Heaven defend!’” The following sentiment is worthy the attention of every minister who desires to affect his people for good. The simple truth, plainly told, is what does the work. “BLUNT PREACHING.—I have tried to drive certain long brass-headed nails into a wall, but had never succeeded except in turning up their points, and rendering them useless. When a tradesman came, who understood his work, I noticed that he filed off all the points of the nails, the very points upon whose sharpness I had relied; and when he had quite blunted them, he drove them in as far as he pleased. With some consciences our fine points in preaching are worse than useless. Our keen distinctions and nice discriminations are thrown away on many; they need to be encountered with sheer force and blunt honesty. The truth must be hammered into them by main strength, and we know from whom to seek the needed power.” Here is a good illustration of Christian character. See that Christian who is easily roiled and his spirits quickly stirred. His experience is shallow, with plenty of mud at the bottom. If it don’t come up now it will at the Judgment. “Shallow waters are easily muddied. After a night of storm, the waters of the bay along the beach, stirred by the winds, are foul and black with the mire and dirt. But look beyond, out into the deep water; how blue and clear it is! The white caps on the surface show the violence of the wind, but the water is too deep for the storms that sweep its surface to stir up the earth at the bottom. “So in Christian experience. A shallow experience is easily disturbed; the merest trifles becloud and darken the soul whose piety is superficial; while the most furious storm of life fails to darken or perturb the soul which has attained a deep experience of the things of God. The agitation may produce a sparkle on the surface, but in the calm depths of such a spirit reigns eternal tranquility, the peace of God that passeth all understanding.”—Newport Journal. Lessons on Character and Conduct
By Jos. Clarke
Some of the greatest inventions have been made by men in humble life. Distinguished men have often sprung from a humble origin, and merit is often bred in adversity. No matter how great your talents are, unless you have fortitude to bear life's ills, and courage for its battles, you must be content with mediocrity, or something less. A spirit that can do right when it is not customary to do right, and that can pleasantly and bravely endure the scorn of the multitude, which comes in consequence of such right action, is above price. David's respect for Saul and his posterity, as the Lord's anointed, both while Saul was living and afterward, continually teaches a lesson, heavenly and divine. It shows children of imperfect parents how to honor their parents by speaking of their virtues, and maintaining perfect silence as to opposite qualities. And may there not be a lesson here for all to learn in respect to their deportment toward their superiors? He who is ignorant of any part of the Old Testament, is so far incapacitated to understand the principles of the New Testament. Thought generally runs in the grooves of habit, and these habits are of our own manufacture. Right habits of action naturally lead to right modes of thought, and wrong habits of life lead in an opposite direction. Thus we see the idolater justifies the worship of images, and the tobacco and opium eaters, with equal folly, discuss the virtues of the poisons they use. Error in action produces error in reasoning. This is what makes men idiots. Children should be absent from church trials: should never hear neighborhood rumors: nor read details of crimes. Keep their passions calm. Do not rouse their prejudice, or their anger. These will develop at best too soon. Evil is indigenous. Do not allow strangers and careless people to relate stories, and rumor of evil tendency, at your table, in the presence of your children. Indeed it would be well, to be choice in selecting proper topics of conversation at all times, in all places. But there are subjects, proper and appropriate for discussion among those of mature age which are wholly unfit for the ears of children. Humility has a wondrous effect, in helping us to bear real trials, and in dissipating imaginary clouds of darkness. The doctrines and learning derived from the Bible, are the best remedy for narrow mindedness. There is but a half-step, between jealousy and false accusation. If you would not do wrong you must not speak evil; and if you would avoid evil speaking, you must avoid the evil thought. A man's life, is only an advertisement of the state of his heart. Unless a man has a little self-conceit, he will be worthless to himself and others; but if he has too much of this article, it will often expose him to the disgust and contempt of his cotemporaries. Self-conceited people generally think too highly of their own virtues, and too little of their own frailties; but they generally measure others in an opposite scale: that is, they magnify others' faults, and depreciate their virtues: thus you see, self-conceit perverts the judgment, often making its possessor ridiculous. JOHN MATTESON
By John Matteson
It is not wrong to follow customs so far as the principles of truth and righteousness will admit. But the moment established customs would lead us to step over these limits, followers of Christ should refuse to bow down to such dumb idols. Means which might do good to the poor, and further on the cause, are often uselessly expended at funerals. Messengers are sent off, sometimes in the night and through the cold and snow, fifty miles or more, to get a preacher. The messenger endangers his own health, and the minister must expose himself, or be called away from much more important and useful labor, spending two or more days, and means for traveling to the place and back. And some are so anxious to get a funeral sermon preached, that it must be done, even months after the death of the person. This reminds me of a custom in a certain Protestant church. They put a long stick down on the coffin, if the minister is not there at the time of burial. When the minister comes the stick is pulled up, and, through the opening thus left, he throws three little shovelfuls of fine soil, pronouncing, at the first motion, these words: Of dust thou art; second, unto dust shalt thou return; third, and, from dust shalt thou again arise. I would advise the brethren to use a little judgment about this matter. If no minister of our own faith can be had in a reasonable way, or is within reasonable distance, ministers of other denominations can most always be found, who, when they are notified a little concerning our faith, generally will be willing to avoid dwelling on points of difference. And, if such cannot be had, the dead sleep just as soundly, and can be buried just as well, without the minister. And the bereaved mourners might sometimes get more comfort in the word of God, if they would take pains to search for themselves, and lean by faith upon the blessed promises there brought to view, than where the same has to be brought to them second hand. Let us try to use judgment, and act out the principles of love and justice to the living, independent of custom. Mormon Evidence for Sunday-Keeping.
By John Norton Loughborough
In No. 20, of last volume of the REVIEW, is a note from Bro. Smith copying a statement from Bro. Canright relative to the statement made in No. 13 that a Mormon Elder said that Joseph Smith had a revelation that Sunday should be kept as the Sabbath, and that two Mormons had written to the office denying that any such revelation was ever given. I can say with Bro. Canright that “I care but little about what revelations Joseph Smith has given about the Sunday Sabbath.” Neither do I doubt but the Mormon in Leon, Iowa, made the very statement Bro. Canright says he did; but if the Mormons believe the book called “Doctrines and Covenants” to be what it purports to be, revelations of Joseph Smith, I do not see how they could conclude otherwise than that Joseph taught them to keep Sunday. But as a settler of how the Mormons on this coast understand the matter I will quote from their writings on the subject. Before me is a catechism of eighty-four pages entitled “A Catechism for the Children of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in California.” In chapter fifteen, on pages 53 and 54, we read: “Q. What does the fourth commandment teach us? “Repeat this commandment.” Then follows a quotation of the fourth commandment and the questions continue. “Q. If God commanded that the seventh day of the week should be kept holy as the Sabbath, how is it that people keep Sunday, which is the first day of the week? “A. On the first day of the week the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead, and appeared to his disciples, and in honor or remembrance of his resurrection professing Christians keep that day, instead of the seventh, holy as the Sabbath. But the Jews, who do not believe in Christ, keep holy the seventh day, or Saturday. “Q. Which day do the Latter-day Saints keep holy? “A. The first day of the week. “Q. Is this in accordance with the will of the Lord? “A. Yes. Joseph Smith received instruction from the Lord to that effect.” Then follows two quotations from the Book of Doctrines and Covenants from chapters 19 and 22, which this Catechism claims as proof for Sunday-keeping. To all candid, we would say, This Catechism of the Mormons certainly teaches the observance of Sunday on the authority of Joseph Smith. The two men who wrote to the office perhaps were not willing to admit what the Mormon elder in his simplicity had truthfully stated and Bro. Canright truthfully chronicled. And so we let it pass. Words that Do not Wear Out.
By E. R. Dewey
THE words of man will seldom bear repetition. What interests you when first heard, when often heard, wearies you, and you wonder how it was that people could become so infatuated as to quote such feeble words which, by repetition, lose all their power. The words of Jesus are the very opposite of this; they seem ever to possess a new beauty, they are always appropriate whether in health or sickness, in active life, or at the death-bed. They are of the true metal which no change of time will ever tarnish. “You may ring the changes upon them, and never exhaust their music; you may think of them, consider them, by day and by night; you may, as it were, put them into a mortar and beat them with the pestle of contemplation, and there will be a fragrance and a perfume all the more discoverable when you have bruised them, and brought them down to the very lowest point of criticism.” What comfort does the aged disciple draw from the words of Jesus. The learned man can nowhere find such good counsel; and, still, they are so simple, and the meaning is so plain, that even the most unlearned can understand them. They ever have a purifying influence when instilled into the minds of children. It can most truly be said of them that they are “like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” The Rev. C. H. Spurgeon says, “I remember being in the Island of Lido, off Venice, listening to the music of the bells, thinking how charming it was—perhaps no melody could be sweeter; but, on returning to the city on the same day, the bells there ringing seemed to drive one mad; there was no sweetness, apparently, in any one; distance had lent enchantment to the sound. And so with the word of man. At a distance, it rings out melody only; but take it to pieces and find out each quality, each separate thought, and you find nothing but dissonance. It is never so with the great words of Jesus. You can hear them ring very far when you are a sinner, alone on the mountain wilds, and they still ring of hope; and you can afterward listen to each distinct word, each separate silver bell, and, among all, say of each separate one: ‘I never thought there was anything so inexpressibly sweet as this, outside of Heaven.’ The best of all is that these precious words will never wear out; for Jesus said, ‘Though heaven and earth shall pass away, yet my words shall never pass away.’” A retired governess says: “I am one of those whose lot in life has been to go out into an unfriendly world at an early age; and of nearly twenty families, in which I made my home in the course of about thirty years, there were only three that could be designated as happy families. The source of trouble was not so much the lack of love, as the lack of care to manifest it.” The closing words of this sentence give us the fruitful source of family alienations, of heart-aches innumerable, of sad faces, and gloomy home circles. “Not so much the lack of love, as the lack of care to manifest it.” What a world of misery is suggested by this brief remark! Not more than three happy families in twenty!—and the cause so manifest, and so easily remedied! Ah! in “the small, sweet courtesies of life,” what power resides! In a look, a word, a tone, how much of happiness or disquietude may be communicated! Think of it, reader, and take the lesson home with you. Christian Neatness and Diligence
A CHRISTIAN should never plead spirituality for being a sloven. If he be a shoe-cleaner, he should be the best in the parish. DR. ARNOTT states that many animals were killed at the Zoological Gardens, in London, by putting them into houses that had only an opening a few inches from the floor; it was like putting them under an extinguisher. Canary birds have been found dead in their cages in the morning after having passed the night hung up at the top of a large curtained bedstead, in which the foul exhalations from the sleepers below were retained. Bees take good care to have their hives well supplied with pure air, notwithstanding that the construction of hives is not favorable to ventilation, by a peculiar method of producing currents of air with their wings—one current to carry out the foul air and one to bring in the fresh. Their plan of operating is said to be highly interesting; they adapt the power of their ventilating apparatus to the existing circumstances of the case, as regards the number of active bees in the hive, the heat of the weather, &c. Bees thus show themselves to be better physiologists than are many of our large manufacturers, most of whose workshops are hardly better than hotbeds of disease on account of the noisome atmosphere within them. An Interesting Experience.
By W. Case
BRO. W. CASE writes from Winnebago Co., Wis.: Permit me to tell you how much I love the Lord and his cause, and how I came to learn and embrace the truths of the third angel’s message. I was brought up under skeptical influences, and did not have any taste for religion or religious reading. But one day, hearing sister White’s visions ridiculed by one who claimed to be friendly to present truth (but was really an enemy), it awakened in my mind a kind of curiosity, and a desire for fun. The opportunity was not long wanting. I was a short time after this working for Bro. Van Luven. One evening after my day’s work was done, while looking over his7 book-shelf my attention was attracted by the name of E. G. White, on the cover of a small pamphlet. I remembered the name as associated with the visions I had heard ridiculed. I eagerly seized the book, confidently expecting to find something really ridiculous. But to-day I thank God for his great mercy in permitting me to read it. I date my conversion from that very evening. I had read but a few sentences before I was convicted of the extreme sinfulness of my life; and tears of penitence flowed in spite of my pride. I immediately commenced to search the Scriptures and investigate the doctrines held by S. D. Adventists, and found to my great joy that it was all the Lord’s doing. “Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord. O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord; I will sing praises unto my God while I have my being.” My companion soon joined with me, and we are happy in keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. We have met with some trials, but they only make the truth shine the brighter. We thank the Lord that through the instrumentality above named at least two souls have been made happy in the hope of eternal life through the atoning blood of Jesus. St. Clair Co., Michigan.
By D. H. Lamson
IMMEDIATELY after camp-meeting, I left home to resume labor in St. Clair County. Spent the time from Sept. 28 to Oct. 10, with the churches at Memphis and Greenwood. The Lord graciously met with us and gave us his blessing. Went, Oct. 10, to Smith’s Creek, commencing meetings as per appointment in REVIEW, Oct. 13, the intervening time being spent in circulating notices of meeting. The interest from the first has been great and the attendance large, and even now there is no apparent abatement in either. Circumstances at first were quite unfavorable as the ground had been occupied a short time before by one who proved himself, but a short time subsequent to his lectures there, entirely unworthy of confidence; this was very discouraging, and no doubt, in some degree, affected the results of the meeting. The Methodist minister upon this circuit has used his influence privately to keep his members away, stating that we were impostors, and but little less than infidels; and one of the ministers of this denomination (P. Methodist), I am authentically informed (vouchers here having heard it), stated publicly at the camp-meeting in the township of Wales in this county, that “the Adventists in 1844 expected to ride to Heaven in their carriages, on the would be to them eventful day, and had taken their seats ready for transhipment; and one poor deluded brother had mounted a gate post with a bundle of oats under either arm to feed his horse on the journey.” He neglected to state the reason of the brethren’s taking to the gate post instead of to his carriage. The wonder is, that many believe these slanderous and ridiculous reports, and those who do not believe them, notwithstanding their good sense, are almost unconsciously affected by them. How surely will retribution fall upon these latter-day scoffers, ministers as well as people; see Isa. 24: 2, Jer. 25: 34; and how terrible will be the awakening when Amos 8: 12 is fulfilled. Since Oct. 13, I have spent all my time in the vicinity of Smith’s Creek, except eighteen days which were occupied in holding meetings at Cottrellville and Greenwood and attending meetings at Memphis. Nov. 17, Bro. H. M. Kenyon arrived at Memphis, going with me the same day to Greenwood, and assisting much in the labor of that meeting. This little company now numbers twenty-seven, and all are trying to press together. They should be soon completely organized. Can not Bro. Lawrence send an appointment soon, having that object in view? The preliminary steps have been already taken, and the brethren and sisters are trying to put away their idols. May God help us to be perfect overcomers, and saved with an everlasting salvation. Nov. 24, returned to Smith’s Creek, Bro. K. accompanying me and remaining over Sabbath and first-day, his help proving acceptable in the highest degree to all the people. He left Monday morning, Nov. 27, for a field of labor twenty-five miles up the Lake, with good courage in the Lord. May the Master give him souls for his hire. There have now been held thirty-eight meetings, and nine at least have decided to obey God by keeping all his commandments. May they add to their faith the graces urged in 2 Peter 1: 5–7 and so an entrance shall be administered unto them, abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This series of meetings has now closed. Eight subscribers have been obtained for the REVIEW and one for the Reformer by Bro. Weeks and myself. Seven dollars and sixty-eight cents have been handed to me in money, and about twenty-two dollars’ worth of books have been sold, and many of the smaller tracts given away. Although not many have yet embraced the truth, we believe the influence of the meeting will tell in the future for good, and we shall earnestly pray at least that bread that has apparently been cast upon the waters, may be gathered, though it be after many days. May God bless the few who have decided for the truth, as also those who are still investigating, and lead all true hearts to himself. The meetings at Cottrellville, Nov. 10–13, were interesting and profitable. The few there received much encouragement, and are determined to press on toward Mount Zion. All who started at the first are still holding on (they number but five), and we sincerely hope that they may be a nucleus around which more will be gathered, who also will be waiting when our Lord shall appear. Let us see to it that we are living epistles, known and read of all men, and so let our light shine that others seeing our good works may glorify our Father which is in Heaven. I expect to commence another course of lectures in a few days, in the town of Columbus, this county. I have now been from home over two months. Do not expect to return until spring, perhaps not then. Calls are made in every direction, and I hardly know which way to turn. May the Lord direct to a fruitful field, and all the people of God, with their faces set toward the heavenly temple, pray for the success of the cause. Michigan.
By J. D. Van Horn; Stephen Pierce
COMMENCED meetings at Memphis, Thursday evening, Nov. 16. We found the church free from trials, and the most of the members making some efforts to advance with the body in the truth. We held, in all, nine meetings with them. There was a good attendance on the part of the church, but not so good from those outside. Two united with the church by baptism. We were successful, in our business meeting, in organizing a Missionary Tract Society. The brethren and sisters entered heartily into the work. I see nothing to hinder this church from progressing in the work of truth. The principle of love and open-hearted benevolence was dwelt upon quite largely in our discourses, and we trust to some profit to the church. This principle is needed everywhere, and it must be reached and carried out by every one who would have a home in the kingdom of God. With the Oakland church we held eight meetings. We did not find things as favorable here as at Memphis. Some, belonging to this church, are not in harmony with the body of S. D. Adventists. In our first meetings we felt an influence of darkness that stood in our way of benefiting the church. Our words seemed to bound back in our faces without effect. We determined to rise above it. Bro. Pierce, on Sabbath morning, spoke with plainness upon the gifts of the Spirit, which resulted in letting us out into the liberty of the truth. We could not do all for this church that we would have done had things been different. They were not in readiness to enter into an organized tract society. But our testimony to them did some good. The most of the members are making some advance in the truth. It is to be hoped that they will yet come out free, and be faithful to the cause of their Lord. Our meetings with the Holly church, which began on Wednesday evening, Nov. 29, were quite encouraging. We held, in all, ten meetings with them. The members of this church manifested a good degree of zeal in attending all the meetings. We enjoyed a happy season with this church in celebrating the ordinances. In our business meeting we were enabled to organize a tract society. They were all heartily in union with it. Some of the young and others manifested an interest in our meetings. On Sunday evening, eight arose for prayers. It was a joyful time with us, and the Lord gave us his blessing. Bro. Lawrence was with us at this place, and, by request of the church, he remained to carry on the work over another Sabbath. May the Lord help on the work. J. D. VAN HORN.
STEPHEN PIERCE. California.
By John Norton Loughborough
My last report was made in Vol. 38, No. 16. We had then just opened our meeting on Minna Street in this city. Bro. Cornell returned shortly after from his visit to Sonoma County much improved in health. After laboring together a week here, it was decided that Bro. Cornell give a brief course of lectures while I held meetings with the churches in Sonoma County. At Healdsburg I had two interesting meetings, besides a business and social meeting. I found that the brethren had their meeting-house, 30x40, enclosed and temporarily seated so as now to be occupied for meetings. One, who had ceased some months since to obey the truth, was dropped, and three new ones were added to the church. One of these was a brother who sailed into San Francisco from China just before our tent-meeting commenced, heard the truth, embraced it, left the sea, and is now happily situated with Bro. Bond of the Healdsburg church. Another brother who united with the church received the truth by reading some books I sold an individual in Alexander Valley. As the result, he commenced to obey the truth before even hearing a lecture. How often we see instances of books sold or given to one person, who lays them aside, falling into the hands of another who does prize and obey the truth. This certainly should incite us to zeal to scatter the truth and reach all we can. While at Healdsburg I went with Bro. Bond to view one of the great natural wonders of California, the Geysers, only twenty miles from Healdsburg. The day, I trust, while it was one of recreation, was also one of profit. To see water boiling out of the earth at a heat that will cook an egg hard in a minute, and steam hissing into the air fifty feet with a sound like that of blowing off steam from a high pressure engine, can but produce solemn feelings on the candid beholder. Two apertures we examined, only two feet apart, both ejecting water at boiling heat, one as clear as crystal, the other black as ink. From the top of what is called “The devil’s pulpit” we took a lump of brimstone some six inches square, and two inches thick. We left the place, not only impressed with a sense of the wonders of the world, but deciding in our minds that these manifestations of heat were proof of the plainly taught Bible doctrine that under the earth “is turned up as it were fire.” As I started from Healdsburg to Green Valley I saw a copy of a paper from Buchanan, Mich., in which a writer makes bitter complaints concerning our work here in San Francisco. He refers to what Bro. Reed of Santa Clara said, and had considerable to say about our seeking justification by the law and leaving Christ. How often will first-day Adventists have to be told that we do not believe that we can do anything without Christ, before they will cease their cry of leaving Christ and seeking justification by the law. Again, this writer raises a great complaint about our dividing their company. We “can’t see it” here. And it seems that in a recent Crisis, over the signature of “C,” a statement is made by a San Francisco reporter, that he witnessed but few persons in our meeting that attended Eld. Grant’s meetings. That is the fact. Most of those who have embraced the Sabbath, and are with us here, knew but little of the Advent doctrine until the tent was pitched in San Francisco. This man complains of S. D. Adventists’ breaking up their churches; but I think there is room for both of us, in a city of 175,000 inhabitants, unless they are anxious that the truths we hold in common with them shall all be “hammered on their anvil.” They believe the Lord’s coming is near; so do we. They believe in life only through Christ; so do we. We believe the seventh-day Sabbath is still binding; they quote the text, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” If it is a matter of so little consequence as that, to them, why be so greatly alarmed when we make prominent those truths which they regard as important? In Green Valley, we found our numbers somewhat diminished by persons’ moving away; yet a few faithful ones still remain. Our two days’ meeting was not without profit, although, as in other States, there are some trials growing out of a lack of consecration on the part of some. We trust that this may be remedied by patient labor. In Bloomfield, we found they were still having interesting meetings, and growing in the work. Some in the vicinity of Bloomfield are subjected to great trials because of taking a firm stand for the truth. The Lord will sustain them in all their trials if they humbly trust him, and in their trials will make a way for their escape so that they may be able to bear it. We trust soon to be able to spend more labor at Bloomfield, and organize a church there. In Santa Rosa, I held one evening meeting, which was well attended. With very few exceptions, this church are trying to be active and do duty, and there is a growth in them corresponding to their efforts to do. Some, alas! are covered so much with the cares of this life that they have no energies in the cause of God. At Petaluma, our meetings were encouraging to us. This company all hold on firm to the truth, yet have had the least preaching of any of our churches in the State. They unselfishly pay their means to push on the work, and try to do their part that interest may be kept up in their own meetings. May the Lord help them to be faithful in all things, and thus they will be found at last among the overcomers. The 13th inst., we returned to this city and found the work still progressing. I took hold with Bro. Cornell to present the subject of order. Some twenty-four have already enrolled their names, and a leader is appointed. This evening we commence on the organization of Systematic Benevolence. We have no doubt but they will be prompt as they have shown a disposition to bear their own burdens as much as possible, and in this they have acted a noble part. The expense of the San Francisco effort to this date is about $630. Of this, there has been raised in this city about $510. On last Sabbath there were thirteen baptized, and five the Sabbath before. San Francisco, Cal., Nov. 1871. Up! there's no time for rest to-day!
There's stubborn work to do,
For every willing heart and hand,
The blessed daylight through.
Nor must we loiter, slack, or sleep,
Save in the friendly night,
Which hides, beneath its grateful shades,
The labors of the light! Up! there's no chance for rest to-day!
Brothers of human kind,
In many a dark and sterile spot,
Are groping, halt and blind.
And, there are burdens to be borne,
And fetters to be broke,
And trees of evil to hew down
With many a toilsome stroke! Up! for the world is full of strife,
The earth is sown with sin,
Quick springing, like the noxious tares,
A noble field within.
And, though at first but tiny blades,
Of shower and sunshine born,
The laborer needs but rest, and straight
They overtop his corn! Then up! nor dream of rest to-day!
The foes are all around,
And some concealed in ambush lie,
And some dispute the ground.
Then let us gird the harness on
To wrestle or to toil.
The laborer reaps the golden grain,
The conqueror wins the spoil! Sunday, Oct. 29, commenced a course of lectures in Clark Center, Clark Co., Ill., in a small village about one half mile from the R. R. The school-house, the only suitable place for meetings in the town, was well filled the first evening; and, as the lectures progressed, the interest increased until the house was filled to its utmost, with quite a crowd remaining on the outside. Friday, Nov. 10, was happy to meet G. W. Colcord, who had been holding a few meetings with the friends in Jeffersonville, Wayne Co., with very good results. One more family of three or four commenced to keep the Sabbath. Sunday, Nov. 12, we presented the Sabbath reform to the people. A large crowd was present to hear. On the next day we had quite a hard storm, making it very muddy. On account of this and other reasons, the congregations have not been so large since. Nov. 15, met Bro. Kittle, who, having heard of our meetings, came to see us. He and his father and their families have been in this county about four years, keeping the Sabbath alone. We expect to commence a course of lectures in their neighborhood soon. Nov. 25, we had our first Sabbath meeting. About twenty were out; eight or ten were keeping their first Sabbath. On last Sabbath, between thirty and forty were out and twenty-five voted in favor of the Sabbath. About thirty are now keeping it. We expect to remain with them for some time yet, holding meetings over Sabbaths and Sundays. We have thus far held about fifty meetings in this vicinity. Bro. Colcord is now giving lectures every evening about five miles north of here, with a very good interest; while I am holding some meetings here, visiting, and soliciting subscribers for our periodicals. I have thus far obtained six for the REVIEW and four for the Reformer. To the Lord be all the praise. Brethren, pray for us that the good work may go on. C. H. Bliss. Wales, Michigan.
By Albert Weeks
I have closed the meetings at Wales. None have embraced the truth since last report; but those that had then taken hold of it are firm, and rejoicing in its glorious light. Spiritualism has made sad work in this place, separating mothers from the society of their little ones, and affecting the morals of the people to an alarming extent. The prophet must have seen some of the workings of these vile spirits when he denominated them unclean. Rev. 16 : 13, 14. How long will this state of things continue? The signs of the times say, Not long.
ALBERT WEEKS.