Earlier text: General ArticlesHead-quarters.
By M. H. Jaquith
It is told as one of the "funny" incidents of the war that two half-drunken soldiers met in the sutler's tent, which was really a drinking-saloon. After mutually treating, they inquired of each other's division, one belonging to the army of the Potomac, the other to the army of the Cumberland. While again drinking to the success of these two armies, there came in the chaplain, and, presuming he came on an errand similar to theirs, one asked his army, thinking to drink to its success also. "I belong to the army of the Lord," was the prompt reply. "Don't you think you've got a good ways off from head-quarters when you're in here?" was the hiccoughed response. While we perceive, and smile at the humor of the anecdote, we recognize the fact that struck the bewildered consciousness of even this drunken man, that there are places so evidently in the "enemy's country" that a true soldier will not be found there, and other places so doubtful in character that it tells against his fealty to his commander-in-chief to be seen in them, implying the sad, terrible truth that the inconsistencies of Christians often tell wonderfully against their profession, and keep uncounted numbers out of the ranks, preventing recruiting and enlisting under the banner of King Emmanuel. When we think of it, it seems incredible that any soul, after once it has heard and accepted the call for recruits, and started forward in the ranks under such a Leader as is ours, with a bold front to the foe, should be overcome by sloth, by cowardice, by the perils of the way, or want of faith in his Major-General, and fall to the rear. Far from head-quarters! Too far to hear the reveille, the morning call to duty; far from the sound of the bugle's note of warning, the trumpet's call to the fray; too far to see, and by the seeing catch the inspiration of that banner floating over head-quarters, "which is love." Near to head-quarters! To the timid soul, shrinking from the battle's shock, how much it means to know that close at hand is his Leader, who has charge of the abundant armory, and from its unfailing supply is handing out to all who will receive, girdles of truth, the breastplates of righteousness, and shields of faith, giving to each the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Life has many ways where our Leader cannot follow us; we must follow him, and we have safety only when near to head-quarters.—M. H. Jaquith, in Christian Weekly. A WEALTHY banker in one of our large cities, who is noted for his large subscriptions to charities, and for his kindly habits of private benevolence, was called on by his pastor, one evening, and asked to go with him to the help of a man who had attempted to commit suicide. They found the man in a wretched house, in an alley, not far from the banker's dwelling. The front room was a cobbler's shop; behind it, on a miserable bed, in the kitchen, lay the poor shoemaker, with a gasping gash in his throat, while his wife and children were gathered about him. "We have been without food for days," said the woman, when he returned. "It is not my husband's fault. He is a hard-working, sober man. But he could neither get work nor pay for that which he has done. To-day he went for the last time to collect a debt due him by a rich family; but the gentleman was not at home. My husband was weak from fasting, and seeing us starving drove him mad. So it ended that way," turning to the fainting, motionless figure on the bed. The banker, having fed and warmed the family, hurried home, opened his desk, and took out a file of little bills. All his larger debts were promptly met, but he was apt to be careless about the accounts of milk, bread, etc., because they were so petty. He found there a bill of Michael Goodlow's for repairing children's shoes, $10. Michael Goodlow was the suicide. It was the banker's unpaid debt which had brought these people to the verge of the grave, and driven this man to desperation, while at the same time the banker had given thousands in charity. The cobbler recovered, and will never want a friend while the banker lives, nor will a small unpaid bill ever be found on the banker's table. No man has a right to be generous until his debts are paid; and the most efficient use of money is not alone in alms giving, but to pay liberally and promptly the people whom we employ.—Youth's Companion. THE emphatic words of Jesus, "ye must be born again," express the great need of humanity. This "must" admits of no exceptions. From the time of its utterance it rings through the ages, "ye must," "ye must," because ye are dead in trespasses and sins; and without holiness no man shall see the Lord. That holiness is attainable only through the Lord Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life." Those dead in sins, and in a ruined condition, may have life in Christ, and the holiness that crowns everlasting life. Thus, while Jesus says, "ye must be born again," he has opened the way, and given his life-giving Spirit to accomplish the change. This "must" is followed by the "come unto me and live." The thirsty are pressed to take the water of life freely. All the pressing invitations are followed by precious promises. While we must, we may, we can. "I give unto them eternal life." They that are born again are born of the Spirit, and are the sons of God, having eternal life begun in them. Most of my readers hope that they have been born again, and will have life eternal. "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit." And if any man be born of Christ he is a new creature. "Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." That newness of life is manifested in hating the things once loved, and loving the things once hated. The carnal life yields its power to the spiritual life, and this rules the affections of the heart and the actions of the life. What a wondrous change! As happy as it is wondrous! "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." The change is inward, and felt by its pressure as new inspirations. Its fruit is outward, seen of all. "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." "By their fruits ye shall know them." By them also we know ourselves. Do these prove that we are born again?—Pilgrim, in Sabbath Recorder. Pure in Heart.
By Star and Crown
THE cure for the evils of this life cannot be found in outward surroundings. These help, to some extent. But evil finds its birth in the soul's choices. To meet this want, Christianity is radical. The word of God reaches to the purposes of men's hearts, and thus seeks to control outward acts. Formalism makes the outside of the platter clean. The gospel makes the heart clean. It purifies the fountain from whence life issues. Outward influences may restrain in some degree, but no life can be made pure from without. The body may be surrounded by pure air, and yet be filled with disease. But let healthful lungs bring the pure air in contact with the blood which flows to the heart, and disease is driven out. Christ casts the devils out. The Spirit in the heart keeps them out, and so the life remains pure. Seek that inward purity. This only is purity. All else is delusion or deceit. This within, all else is harmless. Temptation may rage, but it must stay outside. It is dangerous only when it is permitted to rest within.—Star and Crown. Nothing but Shucks.
By G. D. Ballou
THE idea seems to be getting quite prevalent of late that the keeping of a definite day as the Sabbath is only the shell of Sabbath-keeping, while "observing the Sabbath on Sunday," as it is said, is held to be the true kernel of obedience. But I have observed that those people who observe Sunday are about as particular to enforce the keeping of the "Sabbath," as they call it, on the particular first day of the week, as Sabbatarians are to keep the particular seventh day. Now the query arises in my mind, if keeping the particular seventh day is only the shell, what can the keeping of the particular first day be? If keeping the day of God's own appointment is only the shuck, can the keeping of a day never once suggested by divine authority or example be anything more than a shuck? Then where is the true kernel of Sabbath observance? It is certainly lost in this shuffling effort to excuse and perpetuate a change in the practices of the people, for which there is no divine authority. So to the majority of professed Christian Sunday-keepers who adopt the thought first suggested, Sabbath-keeping amounts to nothing but shucks. The great Creator saw fit to connect the true spirit of Sabbath-keeping with the last day of the week, so that we might follow his example in working and resting; then, if keeping the Sabbath on the day God has named is really the shell, is it not best to keep the kernel of Sabbath observance in the shell which God has made for it? If God had only made it manifest that he had made a mistake in commanding men to keep the seventh day as the Sabbath, and had named a better time for its observance, then there would be no controversy over this question. But if men can take this matter in their own hands and separate this "kernel of Sabbath-keeping" from the seventh day and place it inside of the Sunday shell, why may they not put it inside of the Monday or Tuesday shell and keep it there just as well? The trouble lies at the beginning of their action. They cannot separate the "kernel of Sabbath observance" from the "shell" in which God has placed it without breaking that "shell;" and here is where the sin begins, in violating the plain letter of the fourth commandment, and then plying their ingenuity to find excuses for their sinful course. If it is no sin to break the letter of the fourth commandment, then is it a sin to break the letter of the commandment that says, "Thou shalt not steal"? Can we love our neighbor and respect his property rights and at the same time steal his goods? If we may, with such perfect impunity, crack the shell of Sabbath observance and take the kernel out of it, why may we not, with the same impunity, crack the shell of the third commandment, take out the kernel of reverence which it contains, and preserve it, while we openly blaspheme the name of God? It strikes me that the proper place to look for a well-preserved kernel is inside the shell; for when the kernel is taken from the shell, it soon spoils; and so this effort to transfer the spirit of the Sabbath from the day of God's appointment to another day has resulted in almost obliterating the Sabbath idea from the minds of Sunday observers. There is very little sacredness in Sunday-keeping in any of our modern churches. Visiting and pleasure-seeking and feasting are the order of the day after the sermon. The only true, acceptable Sabbath observance will be found in keeping the fourth commandment according to the spirit and the letter. If the reader thinks he can keep the spirit of the Sabbath commandment while he breaks the letter, let him examine the other commandments, and he will soon be convinced that it is impossible to keep the spirit of any commandment while deliberately breaking the letter. Lompoc, Cal., March 21. G. D. BALLOU. The Art of Thinking.
By Sydney Smith
ONE of the best modes of improving the art of thinking is to think over some subject before you read upon it, and then observe after what manner it has occurred to the mind of some great master; you will then observe whether you have been too rash or too timid; what you have omitted and what you have exceeded; and by this process you will insensibly catch the manner in which a great mind views a great question. It is right to study; not only to think when any extraordinary incident provokes you to think, but from time to time to review what has passed, to dwell upon it, and to see what trains of thought voluntarily present themselves to your mind. It is a most superior habit in some minds to refer all the particular truths which strike them to other truths more general, so their knowledge is beautifully methodized, and a particular truth at once leads to a general truth. This kind of understanding has an immense and decided superiority over those confused heads in which one fact is piled upon another without any attempt at classification or arrangement. Some men read with a pen in their hand, and commit to paper any new thought which strikes them; others trust to chance for its appearance. Which of these is the best method in the conduct of the understanding, must, I suppose, depend a good deal upon the understanding in question. Some men can do nothing without preparation; others, little with it—some are fountains; others reservoirs.—Sydney Smith. IN the humblest business, as well as in the very highest aims of life, success practically depends on the exercise of the moral quite as much as on that of the intellectual faculties. Knowledge by itself is only a small power. It is character that converts it into a great power.—Sel. THE greatest truths are the simplest, and so are the greatest men.—Sel. Cause of Infidelity.
By Editor
DR. NELSON wrote a good book entitled "Cause and Cure of Infidelity." We believe that Satan adapts his deceptions to the times, and that the obvious or direct cause of infidelity is different at different times. Recently we noticed the case of a young lady whose life was filled with doubts and darkness, by her pastor depreciating certain texts of Scripture. She thought that if one part could be explained away, or modified, or its inspiration made a matter of doubt, all the rest might be treated in a similar manner. Ministers and religious writers who have a "theology" to maintain, will find in the Judgment, that a fearful responsibility rested upon them because they often maintained their theories by unlawful methods—by perverting the Scriptures, or handling the word of God deceitfully. 2 Cor. 4:1, 2. Instances come to our notice almost every day, of which we here present an example. Somebody sent us an article clipped from the Michigan Christian Advocate, entitled, "The Jewish Sabbath." It is the second of a series. It opens with the following paragraph:— "It will now serve our purpose to note that as the Jews fixed upon the seventh day of the week for their Sabbath rest, so they settled upon certain peculiar methods of observing the day, which methods would not all admit of universal application." If it was the purpose of the writer to pervert the Scriptures, to handle the word of God deceitfully, to mislead his readers, and bring contempt upon the express requirements of Jehovah, then his purpose was well served in that "note." We do not believe that it is our duty to give the writer sufficient credit for ignorance of the Scriptures to leave him innocent in such a perversion. This Sabbath question has come to the front too prominently to allow of ministers and editors being altogether ignorant of the truth of the Bible on the subject. The writer shows lamentable ignorance in his remarks about traveling round the globe; every navigator would correct his errors without a moment's hesitation. But that cannot excuse him for asserting that the seventh day was observed as the Sabbath because "the Jews fixed upon" it. Every reader of the Bible knows that the Creator of the heavens and the earth "fixed upon the seventh day of the week" for the day of Sabbath rest, when "the heavens and earth were finished, and all the host of them." Every reader of the Bible knows that, when God finished the work of creation, he rested the seventh day, and that "God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made." The weekly Sabbath, the sanctification of the seventh day, had no other origin than this. If the Jewish people had not forgotten the Lord's holy Sabbath in their long and rigorous servitude in Egypt, they certainly had lost much of the regard for it to which its sacredness was entitled. Before they arrived at Sinai, the Lord announced his intention to feed them with "bread from Heaven," and that he intended to "prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no." Some of the people went out on the seventh day, the Sabbath, to gather manna, and they found none; the Lord withheld it on his holy day. And he rebuked them for their disobedience of his law, saying: "How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath: therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day." Does this have any appearance of the Jews fixing upon the seventh day as the Sabbath? No; it shows positively, and in a manner which no man of ordinary intelligence can mistake, that the Lord chose the seventh day as his rest day; that he sanctified it as such; and that he, so far from leaving it to the choice of the Jews, enforced it upon them in express terms, and evidently against the choice of some of them who were not inclined to regard God's law on the subject. But this is not all. Jehovah appeared upon Mount Sinai, and declared his holy law in the hearing of the whole nation of his chosen. Then he said:— "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy." They had shown a disposition, in the wilderness, to forget it, or to disregard its sacredness. "Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work." The Lord was not unmindful of the wants of man; he gave him six of the seven days of the week in which to do his own work. And he required that that work should all be done within the six days. "But the seventh day is the Sabbath [of the Jews? No.] of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work." Why? because the Jews fixed upon the seventh day? No. God gave his own reason; it may suit the "purpose" of man to contradict it, and to mislead his fellow-men in regard to it, yet it is truth—it is founded upon eternal truth, which will remain though heaven and earth should pass away. These are the words of the Most High:— "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it." The Lord never denies himself; his words are all truth; they are ever in harmony. His commandment in Ex. 20 exactly agrees with his historical record in Gen. 2. And now, reading these scriptures, we ask any one to answer these queries: Whose rest day is the seventh day? To what work does this rest stand related? Did the Jews create the heavens and earth in six days, and "fix upon" the seventh day as their own, "the Jewish Sabbath"? The Scriptures always speak of the Sabbath as "the holy of the Lord," "the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Jehovah calls it "my holy day." Never in the Bible is it called the Jewish Sabbath, or the Sabbath of the Jews. And as of the day, so of the law regulating its observance. The Jews never "settled upon certain peculiar methods of observing the day." Moses never presumed to legislate concerning its observance. In every instance the Lord himself laid down the rules, commanding Moses every word which he should make known to the people. The writer of the article in question comes no nearer to the truth of the Bible in any of his pretended expositions than he does in this case. Starting off with such a bold misrepresentation of the Scriptures of truth, there is no need to follow him further. As to his "purpose," we cannot conceive that the purpose of any one is so faithfully served as that of the enemy of all righteousness, in thus separating the name and work of Jehovah from his own institutions and laws. "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Ps. 11:3. By thus depreciating the truth of God's commandments, and contradicting the records of his word, professedly religious teachers are destroying the foundations, creating doubts of the truths of the Bible, and flooding the country with infidelity more dangerous than that of Ingersoll, because it has a pious garb, and passes as "Christian liberty" among the unstudied in the word. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13, 14. The Advent Near.
By Editor
THE fact has been noticed that the nations, the heathen, are not given to Christ for their conversion. We go further, and now say that when they are given to him the time for the conversion of sinners will be past. They are given to him that they may be broken with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel. Ps. 2:8, 9. They are given to him as heathen—as heathen they are destroyed. Ps. 110:1 refers to the same event, and locates it definitely. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Paul speaks of this in Heb. 10:12, 13, saying of Christ: "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool." While he is a priest, at his Father's right hand, he is looking forward to the time, in expectation, that his Father will give him the heathen, even the uttermost parts of the earth; they will be put under his feet, and he will break them and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. This will not be accomplished during his priesthood, but after its close. And thus again Paul says: "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God [the heathen], and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Thess. 1:7, 8. There is no text in all the prophecies which is more used or more relied upon to prove the conversion of the nations than Ps. 2. And yet it teaches directly the opposite of that view. And so also the prophecy of Daniel. In chapter 7:13, 14 we read: "I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of Heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." Now the important point of inquiry is this: How does the giving of the nations and dominions to Christ stand related to his dashing them to pieces, or breaking them with a rod of iron? As we read the Scriptures, the nations or kingdoms of the earth will be given to him at the close of his priesthood; they will be given to him as his enemies, put under his feet; given to him that he may destroy them. But some have an opinion that they will be given to him for their benefit; that he will rule over them to bring them into harmony with himself; that he will exercise toward them the twofold offices of ruler and Saviour; and that the conversions after they are given to him will be many more than at the present time. But this opinion we think is highly erroneous, and the error contained in it is very dangerous and fatal. To this point our remarks will now be directed. The first point in our argument will be that of the priesthood,—what is its nature, and what will follow its close. Than this there is no subject of greater importance. We invite the careful attention of every reader to the proofs which we shall offer:— 1. The Scriptures plainly reveal the fact that Christ is, at different times, to possess two different thrones. See Rev. 3:21, which reads as follows:231 "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." That Jesus is now sitting with his Father on his Father's throne, no one will question. Says Paul: "We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the Heavens." Heb. 8:1. And again: "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God." Chapter 10:12; and others. This is called in truth his Father's throne—the throne of his Father in Heaven. But there is a promise made in Luke 1:32, 33 concerning the gift of a throne, which has never yet been fulfilled. "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." This will not apply in any particular to the throne which he now occupies—the throne of his Father in Heaven. The throne which he now occupies is not the throne of his father David; the throne of David is Christ's own throne; because he was born David's son and heir. 2. Israel had a priest and a king. Aaron stood at the head of the priesthood, and David at the head of the kingship. Aaron had no kingship, and David had no priesthood. Now some have inferred that Christ unites the priesthood of Aaron and the kingship of David in his kingly priesthood on his Father's throne. But this is not, it cannot be true. For, 3. Christ is not a priest after the order of Aaron. Heb. 7:11. Indeed he could not be, inasmuch as Aaron was of the tribe of Levi; and, as Paul says: "Our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood." Verse 14. And again, speaking of his priesthood on his Father's throne, Paul says: "For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law." Chapter 8:4. Aaron had no kingly priesthood, as our Lord has; no king sprang from Levi. 4. Christ is not a king of the line of David, on the throne of his Father in Heaven. David could not discharge the duties of priest. One of his descendants, Uzziah, king of Judah, essayed to act as priest, and went into the temple to burn incense; but the Lord smote him for his presumption. 2 Chron. 26:16-21. The throne upon which Christ now sits is not the throne of David. 5. But Christ is a priest after the order of Melchisedec. This Melchisedec was a king; but his kingship had no relation to the kingdom and throne of David. He was also a priest; but his priesthood had no relation to that of Aaron. Christ has a kingly priesthood; he is priest on a throne, but not on the throne of David. The throne of David is his throne by right of birth. His priesthood will sometime cease; he will sometime leave his Father's throne and take the throne of David; and his reign upon that throne will never cease—it will have "no end." We have been thus particular, because it is necessary that these facts be clearly understood, and remembered. Very many of the errors of current theology grow out of confusion on this point. Those prophecies which speak of Christ's kingly priesthood are often applied to his work on the throne of David. Such an application cannot fail to lead to erroneous conclusions. Now we think the reader will be prepared to appreciate the following statement: The heathen, the nations, the kingdoms, are not given to Christ during his priesthood—during his occupancy of his Father's throne. To this fact we have referred in our saying that they are not given to him until he ceases to be a Saviour of sinners—an advocate or intercessor. He sits on the right hand of the Father until the time comes that his enemies will be put under him, and no longer. We have quoted Dan. 7:13, 14, which says that the people and nations are given to the Son of man; and chapter 2:44 says the kingdom which the God of Heaven shall set up, of which Christ will be the head, "shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." The setting up of this kingdom which shall stand forever, is identical with giving to Jesus the throne of his Father David, on which he shall rule forever. But this is not given to him during his priesthood—during his occupancy of his Father's throne. It is necessary here to again call attention to the relation of events presented in Rev. 11:14-19. The last three of the seven trumpets are called woe trumpets. The text reads: "The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshiped God, saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." On this we notice that it is said that the kingdoms of this world are become—not Christ's alone, but—our Lord's and his Christ's. We see but one sense in which they become the kingdoms of the Father, in which the great God takes to himself power, and that is, that the dominion which was given to Adam, and which Adam transferred to Satan (Luke 4:6), God never takes back to himself until the seventh angel sounds. Then he dispossesses the great usurper, takes back the dominion, and gives it to "his Christ"—the second Adam. As to the position of the kingdoms when they are given to Christ, the text further says:— "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them that corrupt the earth." And thus is shown, again, that the nations are angry, warring, rebellious, the enemies of Christ when they are given to him; and as his enemies, are to be dashed in pieces, broken, destroyed. From the first declaration of our Saviour, that the way of life is narrow, and few find it, and the way to destruction is broad, and many walk therein; and of Paul, that in the last days perilous times shall come, to the prophecy of the final overthrow of all the nations and kingdoms of the earth, the testimony of the Scriptures is clear and harmonious. The harvest, the end of the world, comes when their wickedness is great. The dispensation closes in anger and war of men, and the wrath of God upon the wicked people. Clear as this testimony is, the evidence is by no means exhausted. And these things are hastening greatly; they are now impending. God in mercy is staying the vengeance until his servants are sealed in their foreheads, and then destruction will go forth from nation to nation. "Yet does one short, preparing hour—
One precious hour—remain;
Rouse, then, my soul, with all thy power,
Nor let it pass in vain." The Measure of Love.
By Editor
A BOSTON subscriber to a New York religious journal writes to the editor as follows:— “I think your paper the best of the religious weeklies, and can no more dispense with it than with my coffee for breakfast.” We fear that appetite is the standard of regard in too many cases. Here is a man who thinks as much of the paper from which he gets religious instruction as he does of his coffee! If he really thinks as much of his paper as he does of his coffee, he regards his religious privileges more highly than a great many do. We have known men who would leave the church and throw away their hope of Heaven, rather than give up their tobacco; and the number of such men is legion. Appetite is a powerful god, and has the most devoted worshippers; and when a man is found who regards anything as even on a level with the things which minister to his good feeling, you may know that his love is great.