Earlier text: PERPETUITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS[We give in the following the substance of an appeal made by Mrs. W., April 16, 1875, on the dangers of delaying obedience, addressed to a man and his wife who were hearing lectures and were hesitating on the point of obedience according to the conviction of their minds. And we are sorry to say that these persons have taken the course that they were warned to avoid. For the benefit of others in similar danger, the appeal is now given. J. W.] Dear Brother and Sister: I had hoped to meet you again before we crossed the plains, but this may not be. I have thought much of our interview at your house, and have prayed that you both may have strength to walk in the path of obedience. You have had light, but Satan will not let you pursue the narrow road, and become loyal and true to all God’s requirements, without contesting every inch of ground. He has his agents in men who profess, as did Satan when he tempted Christ, to be ministers of righteousness. They would belittle in your minds God’s holy commandments. Satan is at war with that law which is the foundation of God’s government in Heaven and in earth. God has let his light shine upon you. Will you, dear friends, cherish the light? Men may come in the garb of holiness, having error and truth mixed together, and many be deceived. Satan quoted Scripture to Christ, showing that he could use Scripture to work his deception upon minds. Those who are acquainted with their own hearts know the necessity of being closely connected with God in order to have divine wisdom to discern the wiles of Satan and to cling, with firm, unyielding grasp to Jesus. There is no nook or corner of the world, however secluded, where error and sin have not found their way. Error is often presented in a specious garb, so that it requires more than human wisdom to detect the falsehood under the pretension of truth. If error was never mingled with truth, it would not be so subtle in its influence upon the mind. If error stood forth alone in its true, hideous form, souls would not be deceived. But there are many who see attractions in error, and will eagerly feast upon it, although it poisons the mind. Error always injures the soul and deforms the character. Error may, at first sight, appear plausible, but its tendency is to corrupt the heart, and to ensnare its victims. We often hear it stated that it matters not what one believes if his life is only right. But the life is molded by the faith. If light and truth are within our reach, and we neglect to improve the privilege of hearing and seeing the truth, we virtually reject it, and choose darkness rather than light. Said Christ to the Jews, “Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” I beseech you, my brother and sister, to inquire of God, as those who are willing to know the right way, What is truth? Do not willingly cheat your own souls of the light which you may have if you will. Like the noble Bereans, search the Scriptures daily, and see whether these things are so. And be true to your convictions of truth and of duty. Many infidels are compelled to be such because they cannot consent to accept truth, the living out of which would require a sacrifice on their part. Convenience is consulted by many who profess Christ. There is a desire to climb up some other way—one that will require less sacrifice. Said Christ, “He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” To follow Jesus fully requires a thorough conversion. Half-way converts make half-hearted Christians. Again, said Christ, “He that is not for me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” The plain words of truth spoken by our Saviour sifted his followers down to a few faithful ones who laid the foundation of the Christian church. Many of the wealthy, honorable, and noble ones of the world were charmed with the teachings of Christ, and had a desire to follow him. But when the truth in its practical bearings was brought home to their hearts and lives, they drew back, and walked no more with Jesus. The young ruler was desirous of following Christ. “Sell all that thou hast,” said the Master, “and come, follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven.” He could not comply with the terms. His poor, selfish heart loved his possessions better than the kingdom of God, and he turned from following his Saviour. He turned from his heavenly treasure, went back to his idolatrous love of his earthly treasures, and lost eternal riches. Jesus requires the entire surrender of the soul to him without compromise. Those who are thoroughly converted will never be among those who cowardly plead, “I pray thee have me excused.” The living Christian loves duty, and enjoys even the severities which he must bear, if he is a soldier of the cross of Christ. We feel the greatest anxiety for souls who are in the valley of decision. We feel a dread of Satan’s attacks upon these poor souls. He watches his opportunity to bring his powers to bear when he sees that there is a possibility of hindering souls from deciding to be wholly on the Lord’s side. While the Spirit of God is convicting you of the truth, do not stop to cavil, but believe. Do not find fault, but listen to evidence. Yield your pride to humility, and exchange your prejudice for candor. Confer not with flesh and blood, but surrender all to God. Take the Bible as your guide, and earnestly inquire, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” When you once yield your natural independence and self-will for a child-like, submissive obedience, and are willing to be taught, you will hear the voice of the true Shepherd saying, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Christ does not propose to teach the self-conceited and self-willed. It is only the meek whom he pledges to guide in judgment, and to whom he will teach his way. If you are in search of truth, obedience will not be difficult. If you really want to know the Master’s will, you will thankfully receive it. We are learners in the school of Christ. A genuine love for Jesus will of necessity create a love for the truth. Treasure up the truth in your heart. Seek knowledge. Make this your daily prayer: “With my whole heart have I sought thee; O let me not wander from thy commandments. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” We are not safe only as we mold our daily life after the divine Pattern. I entreat you, my dear friends, to move guardedly; for you are making decisions for eternity. Walk in the light while you have the light. Let no one influence you to turn from the truth. You can never be sanctified through error. Christ prayed to his Father in behalf of his disciples: “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.” It is a time and age of the world when error prevails, and with nearly all is accepted as truth. Error is no less error because it has been instilled into minds from their very youth. Error is taught in schools, and preached from the pulpit. Theories are advanced which have no foundation in the word of God. You made the remark, “My parents were godly, and they kept Sunday, and will be saved. If I keep the day which they kept, why will not I be as safe as they?” Your relatives and friends may have lived up to the light they had. They are not accountable for the light which shines in your day, which they did not have. If you have greater light than your fathers, and you live up to that light as faithfully as your fathers did to the light which shone upon them, you will be saved by obeying as they will be saved by obedience to the light which the Lord permitted to shine upon them. “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.” We are responsible for the light which shines upon our path. This is our day of visitation and privileges. God is setting before us solemn truth. Will we accept it? Reject not present light, and do not lightly esteem God’s gracious opportunities. If God in mercy has permitted light to shine out of darkness, and has removed the mist from your eyes that have been long blinded to the claims of his holy law, I beseech you to cherish the light and walk in it, lest it become darkness. We are living in the perils of the last days. It is not safe to be careless and indifferent now. With humble hearts and perfect submission to the will of God, we should pray earnestly to be kept from error and that we may be guided into all truth. Truth sanctifies. Error corrupts. The soul can be kept pure and strengthened only by walking in the light as Christ is in the light. My heart has been drawn out in love to you. I have longed to see you moving out understandingly upon the truth, committing the keeping of your souls to God. In faith, press through the moral darkness of error and unbelief, and yield your souls’ best and holiest affections to him. He has claims upon you which you cannot resist and be guiltless. I entreat of you to yield yourselves to God in faith. He can and will receive you with all your peculiarities of temperament, and with all your trials and temptations, and with all your duties, your cares, and burdens of responsibility, and will bear you and also your every burden, and will bring all your powers under the control of his grace. God will come to your help, and will aid you in your warfare. His messages of truth and warning are sent to save you, but not to flatter and amuse you. While truth deals in an unsparing manner with your sins, it has the deepest compassion for your soul. Every taxing duty becomes easy, and every sacrifice becomes a pleasure, to those whom the truth makes free. What a victory is gained when the carnal life ceases, and the spiritual life begins. The Lord guides. The Lord keeps. The love of God, and obedience to all his commandments, bring all the powers of the soul into obedience to his will. What can constrain the heart and affections like love—sanctified love. That love which brings the soul into connection with Heaven is more earnest, fervent, and enduring for earthly relatives than any other. There is nothing in the heart at war with God’s requirements. The mind, submissive and obedient, will love to do all his commandments. Evil will be abhorred, and the good will be chosen. There will be no self-denial or self-sacrifice that is grievous, for the heart delights in doing for Christ, and seeking to save souls from error and from the transgression of the holy law of God. When God has control of the affections, the mind will not be selfish, nor shrink from sacrifices. The committing of the soul to God is essential for our salvation. You cannot follow a course of your own choosing, and be at war with the law of God, living in disobedience to his requirements, and yet be in harmony with God. Entire obedience to the will of God will bring courage, hope, peace, and happiness, to the soul. There will be seen watchfulness, diligence and prayer, self-denial, self-crucifixion and active benevolence. John thus describes the faithful whom he saw in vision upon the isle of Patmos:— “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” What an example have the martyrs for Jesus left us in their lives of self-denial and sacrifice. They were faithful and true to principle. Although prisons, tortures, inquisitions, gibbets, and the stake threatened them, they counted not their lives dear unto themselves. Their love for the truth was here manifested. They chose to obey the truth at the expense of great suffering. The world was not worthy of these heroes of faith. They died for their faith. The pure gold was refined from all dross through trial and suffering. As these shall enter the portals of glory they will shout in triumph: We overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of our testimony. We were faithful unto death, and now receive a crown of life. Shouts of triumph will come from lips that never triumphed before. Those who were too timid to praise God vocally were not too timid to die for their Lord. They struggled and fought the good fight of faith. They were steadfast to the end. They will unite their glad voices in the universal songs of triumph and victory, praising God that they were accounted worthy to receive the heavenly benediction “well done” from the Master they loved, and for whom they suffered. His own right hand will place upon their brows crowns of immortal glory that fade not away. The housewife puts her tea-kettle on; for tea must be made. Shavings are heaped up under the kettle, and are lighted. Soon they are all in a blaze; and for a moment the water begins to simmer; but presently the fire goes out, and she, going out too, forgets her tea; and when she comes back, it is as if there had been no fire. So there is no tea, and there is no meal. How often do we, in like manner, kindle a momentary zeal! How often do we inspire intense enthusiastic feelings that quickly run their course, turn to ashes, destroy our purposes, and turn our feet aside from the true path!—Sel. Excuses for Unkindness Dull Malice's Edge
HE that abounds in excuses for unwarranted unkindnesses robs malice of its keen edge. IN CHILDHOOD AND MANHOOD CHRIST IS ALL.
By N. W. Vincent
I little thought of God,
My mind was dark and vain;
Through fields of ignorance I trod,
Drawn on by fancy's chain. This world was all to me,
I loved its passing toys;
Fondly I grasped what I could see—
What charms while it destroys. I dreamed of love and wealth,
Of knowledge, might, and fame;
Presumed on happiness and health,
And conduct free from blame. My guilty sleep was broke,
God's chastisement I felt;
His Spirit to my conscience spoke,
In penitence I knelt. What heavenly pity flows
From Jesus' mortal wounds!
God heard me, loved me, healed my woes;
His praise my tongue resounds. Aloud I praised him then,
And thought in childish way
I ne'er should grieve my God again,
Ne'er from my Saviour stray. This world most false I found;—
Its wealth sheer poverty,
Its power and fame but empty sound,
Its splendors vanity. The joys of which it sings
Are transitory all;
Its every sin is a death sting,
Its sweetness turns to gall. O my deceitful heart!
Who can thy vileness know?
How keenly hast thou felt that smart,
That bitterness and woe! For years I loved the world,
Indulged its pride and lust;
Now if to hell my soul was hurled
My doom would be most just. All guilty, trembling, faint,
I look to my High Priest!
His blood makes even me a saint,
Although of all the least. Spirit of life and truth,
To Jesus lead our mind;
May childhood, manhood, age, and youth,
In Christ salvation find. The Commandments of the Lord.
By J. M. Gallemore
Says the psalmist, “I have seen an end of all perfection; but thy commandment is exceeding broad.” Ps. 119: 96. David had seen an end of all perfection, but he could see no end to the commandments of the Lord. Solomon also thought the commandments of the Lord very broad. He said, “Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” Certainly, then, God’s commandments are very broad, covering, as they do, the whole duty of man. So very broad and so very important are they that the Saviour himself says of them, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” The commandments of the Lord are not only broad, and to be kept, but the psalmist adds: “All his commandments are sure; they stand fast forever and ever.” And if they all stand fast forever and ever, must not the fourth one also stand? Who will venture to say and teach that it does not? We read in Revelation, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.” The Saviour, speaking of the commandments, says: “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5:19. Hence our admission into the city depends on an observance of God’s law. In 1 John 2:4, we read, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Professed Christian, you who say you love God, are you trying to keep his commandments? Or do you profess to know him, while you are knowingly violating at least one of his holy precepts? Will you not think about this, and examine the ground you occupy? Salvation is too precious a boon for us to lose, or to run the risk of losing, with the word of the Lord against us. We are admonished to make our calling and election sure, and we know of no better way to do this than to obey from the heart all that God has commanded us. Does he command us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy? And does he not tell us that the seventh day is his Sabbath? How read you? The Voice of God.
By James White
IT CALLS FOR MISSIONARY WORK AND MEANS.
We have said a hundred times during the last thirty years that it was not a sin to have a liberal competency in this life, or even to be rich, if means were obtained honorably, and not withheld from the cause of God when calls were made based upon real need. There is no virtue in disposing of wealth simply to get rid of it. But for Christian men and women, who are compelled by force of evidence to acknowledge that Christ is soon coming, and that the world is even now having the last message of warning, to be followed by the unmingled wrath of God in the seven last plagues, to close their ears to reasonable calls for means, and their eyes from the wants of the cause, is taking upon themselves fearful responsibilities. After God’s Spirit moves upon minds that the growing cause demands some new enterprise and more extensive efforts; and after the most earnest prayer for guidance; and after matters have been considered in the most careful manner, then all is laid before our General Conference which is the highest earthly authority of the church acknowledged by our people. Then that body, without one dissenting vote, endorses the proposed enterprise and more extensive operations, and calls for the liberalities of those of our people who are able to give of their substance to sustain the growing cause. Such calls should be regarded by them as the voice of God. If they are not, then how can we ever expect to hear the voice of God in the church, unless it be by direct revelation. God is speaking to us, not only through the united judgment of his people, but directly from Heaven, through dreams and visions. “If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” Num. 12 : 6. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Joel 2 : 17. And as a people we profess to believe that God is thus speaking to us. All our Conferences say by resolutions at each annual session that they recognize the voice of God in the testimony of Jesus, or the spirit of prophecy, which is already being manifested in the remnant church of Rev. 12 : 17. The voice of God is appealing to our people by the hand of Providence in opening up interesting fields of labor without our agency as is seen in the European field; in the united judgment of the highest religious authority on earth recognized by our people; and in the remnant church through the spirit of prophecy, that now is the time for activity; the very time to sacrifice means to send the light of truth to the ends of this dark world. And yet our people, with very few exceptions, are so busy with the things of this world that they do not hear the voice of God which speaks to them. Many of them are eagerly engaged in laying up treasures on the earth, and are doing but very little for the cause of God. Unless the attention of these can be arrested, and they hear and understand the voice of God that appeals to them, they will soon be borne by the spirit of the world beyond the reach of truth and the Spirit of God, and they will be lost in the whirlpool of the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. While we say that it is no sin to have wealth if it be obtained honorably, and if not withheld when the voice of God calls for it, we feel it our duty to say plainly that there can be not a ray of reasonable hope for the salvation of that man who claims a part with the waiting brotherhood, and shuts his eyes to the wants of the cause, and closes his ears to the voice of the Lord that calls for a portion of his means. The epistle of James is addressed to the waiting brotherhood. That practical epistle enters into the duties and dangers of the waiting remnant. It comforts, warns, entreats, and threatens. That epistle evidently addressed to all who are truly waiting for Christ, includes those also who put on the profession of the brotherhood as a cloak. In most fearful words it looks forward to the time when the wealthy, who now turn away from the voice of God that appeals to them, shall find it too late to use their means in the cause of God. Then, instead of calling for their means, the voice of God to them will be:— “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” James 5 : 1–5. Just such persons are now connected with the waiting brotherhood whom James addresses. Some of them are so eager for the world, that they are fast earning the reputation of sharpers. They are disgracing themselves, and the cause of God, and sinking their own souls in perdition through the deceitfulness of riches. Others who have a double or triple competency are making their wills, in order to secure a small part to the cause after they are dead. Probably one dollar would be worth more to the cause now, than ten after they are dead. But it is a fact in the history of legacies to our cause that not a tithe named in these wills ever reaches the treasury. It may be proper under some circumstances to make wills; but we have become so disgusted with this whole matter that we have appointed the writer administrator of his own means in advance. We think the writer better capable of attending to this matter than any other man, and choose that he should attend to these matters while the cause needs money. Twenty years ago, the friends of the cause were very few, and most of these were poor. To start the work then, under such circumstances, demanded great exertion and sacrifice. A few noble men felt called upon to sell their only earthly homes, and use a considerable portion of their value to advance the infant cause. Then, one dollar was worth as much to the cause, and told as much on the final result of its advancement and growth, and will tell as much in the reward in Heaven, as ten dollars put into the treasury ten years later, at the time the Battle Creek Publishing Association was incorporated. All sensible men and women who have real faith in the cause they profess, will approve the liberal course of those who sacrificed so much for the cause twenty years ago. In fact, it was absolutely necessary that somebody should do as these men did, or the cause could not have been started by those instrumentalities, such as God has ever seen fit to employ. God showed himself able to set a table for the Israelites in the wilderness, and he may do the same for his people under like circumstances, but it has ever been his plan to draw upon the means in the hands of his servants when it was needed to advance his cause. Others in our feeble ranks, twenty years since, might have done as these trusting ones did, and could have received the same reward in this, and in the world to come. But they drew back, and most of them are not with us. Had they used a portion of their means when it was so much needed, much more could have been done during the past twenty years to spread the truth, the influence of which would have increased in far greater proportion than compound interest, adding to their joy here as they see the cause advance, and increasing their reward in Heaven. But the golden opportunity for them is forever past. We come down to the time when our Publishing Association was formed, in 1861. Then, friends were comparatively few, yet fifteen thousand dollars were raised for the Office building, printing material, and stock, besides sustaining the cause in other departments. One hundred dollars appropriated to the cause then would tell as much upon the cause in its final results as one thousand dollars in 1875. And in this proportion will the free-will offerings of God’s people decrease in real value, until there shall be no room for them in the treasury, and they will be disposed of by those who withheld them until that time, as expressed by the prophet, “They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed. [Margin, for a separation, or uncleanness.] Their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord.” Eze. 7 : 19. That will be a fearful day for those who have let the cause of God languish for want of the very means they might have given without experiencing the least want. In view of the foregoing facts, we appeal to the friends of the Lord and his cause to do their duty, and to do present duty now. Whether you make your will, or do not make a will, in either case it is your duty to open your hands wide to the wants of the cause now, when your means can accomplish good. Hundreds of our people, who have had an indistinct idea that at some future time the words of Christ, “Sell that ye have, and give alms,” would be obeyed by all believers, have withheld from the treasury needed means, which they have used in making improvements, that their property might bring more money in the “selling time,” as it has been termed. This has been simply a delusion of Satan imposed upon them in harmony with their feelings of covetousness. That those who profess the truth will sell, and many of them rashly, and for small considerations, and that the rapid increase and wide extension of the work will call for much means, we doubt not. But no one who will candidly consider the foregoing will fail to see that it is simply preposterous to neglect present duty in view of some future selling and giving time, when the cause cannot be advanced by their hoarded means. Then he who professes to believe that the last message of mercy is being given, and has a double or triple competency, or even more, and withholds his hand from the cause, while he exerts himself to obtain still more for the fires of the last day, is simply insane. He is going directly from and not in the way of eternal life. And what makes the case appear most painful is the fact that blindness and stupor, resulting from neglect of present duty, come over these so that in all probability they will be aroused to the terrible mistake they are making only when it will be too late to make acceptable offerings to the Lord. We cannot see that it is necessary for our people to sell their only homes at the present time, as some did twenty years ago. Should those in our ranks, who have more than a liberal competency, bring their surplus means to the treasury, a fiftieth part of it could not be used. Or, should all our people put into the treasury a tithe of their yearly increase, there would be abundance. Instead of a tenth of their increase, the Seventh-day Adventists do not put into the treasury more than a fortieth part of their yearly increase. But let us look still more faithfully into this important subject. A tithe of our increase is a tenth part of the annual increase of our entire property. This is not reached by the man who puts down his property at $10,000, and pays only $100 during the year that his property increases to $12,000. His actual increase was 2,000. A tithe of this increase is $200. He paid only $100, and robbed the Lord of just $100. “Will a man rob God?” “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Mal. 3 : 8–10. We cannot expect the blessing of God upon our people, and that the cause of his downtrodden truth in our hands will prosper gloriously until we obey his voice in reference to tithes and offerings. And right here is one of the most important departments of the work of the officers of our Tract and Missionary Societies. It becomes their duty, according to the constitution, “to bring about, as far as possible, equality among our people in the payment of Systematic Benevolence, in accordance with the plan adopted.” We solemnly believe that the S. B. of the Seventh-day Adventists scattered throughout the United States, is not one-fortieth of the actual annual increase of their property, or, on the whole, one-fourth of what it should be. Here is work to be done. To bring our people up to their own adopted figures will require patience, brotherly kindness, love, and energy. The power of moral suasion is the only earthly force that can be employed in harmony with the name, Systematic Benevolence. But men who have not the moral courage, and the faithfulness to investigate, and leave no proper means untried to bring all our people up to the figures, are not worthy of offices in our Tract and Missionary Societies, or to go about from church to church as teachers of the people. We suggest that the duty of God’s people relative to securing to the cause what God requires of them in point of means at this time may be summed up in the following order:— 1. That they all come up to the figures on Systematic Benevolence adopted by our people. Let every man and woman assess his or her property at the figures they would ask for it in case they wished to sell. Then, acting upon the adopted plan, that the increase of property is equal to ten per cent interest, a tithe of our increase would be one per cent annually on all our property. Hence the man whose property is worth only one thousand dollars pays annually only the small sum of ten dollars, or about twenty cents each week, while the man who has ten thousand pays one hundred dollars annually, or about two dollars each week. And while the aged, and infirm, and widows, who are in limited circumstances, may be excused from coming up to the adopted plan, if they choose, the deficiency on their account should be made up tenfold by those young members of our churches whose wealth still remains in their strength to labor, and their ability to accumulate. 2. That those who know that their actual increase is more than one per cent annually on their property, pay into the treasury cheerfully a tithe of all their increase, whatever it may be. With many it would be from two to five or more per cent of all they possessed at the end of the year. 3. That those who have robbed God in tithes and in offerings in past time immediately bring to the treasury their trespass offerings. The amount is stated in Lev. 5 : 15, 16. 4. That those who have received at the hand of the Lord great spiritual blessings on themselves, or on their families, or have been especially blest in the good things of this life, bring unto the Lord thank-offerings liberally, in the spirit of rejoicing and gladness of heart. 5. That all those who have more than a competency, whether they make a will or not, use their surplus means liberally, as the rapidly increasing cause, with its corresponding wants, demands. He who withholds his surplus means from the cause, and puts it into his will for the benefit of the cause by-and-by, after his decease, when perhaps it will not be worth to the cause of God a tithe what it is in 1875, and then to be handled by an administrator whom he would now hardly trust to transact business for him to the amount of twenty-five dollars, is, to say the least, making a great mistake. Why not appropriate your surplus means now, when it will tell the most for the cause of God, and while you live, and can see to its appropriation yourself? Why not? Oh, why not? J. W. The Religious Amendment.
By Uriah Smith
We noticed last week the fact that the Religious Amendmentists had taken steps to become incorporated in law, under the name of “National Reform Association.” The next National Convention will be held in Philadelphia, on the 28th, 29th, and 30th days of June next. The Academy of music has been secured for173 the evening sessions, and the Horticultural Hall, adjoining it, for the day sessions. These are the two largest audience rooms to be found in the city, the former being capable of seating three thousand, and the latter, two thousand, persons. Among the reasons for changing the time from the last of September as heretofore announced, to the last of June, the following are urged:— “The extreme forwardness of the arrangements for the Centennial Exhibition, rendering it certain that the early stages of the celebration will be as attractive as the latter, the inability of professors and students in Colleges to attend at the later date, and the fact that those who attend the Convention at the close of June, can remain to witness the imposing civic and military celebration of the Fourth of July, were among the reasons for this change.” Religious Character of the Centennial Celebration.
By Uriah Smith
Two years ago the Centennial Commissioners, in appealing to Christian ministers, churches, and societies to co-operate in the celebration of the one-hundredth anniversary of our country's independence, enlarged in eloquent terms upon the religious character of the coming celebration, and the devout sentiments which ought to be entertained by a Christian people on the completion of a century of such unparalleled progress, and replete with so many tokens of the divine favor. Among other things they say:— “Let us consider with all reverence and awe, of what this great exhibition is commemorative. It marks our estimate of a political event of more momentous import in universal history than any which had occurred before, or any which has succeeded it, in its bearing on the destinies of the human race; especially in establishing upon indestructible foundations that freedom of conscience in matters of religious faith, which is so fully enjoyed throughout our wide domain. It is commemorative of the birth of a nation whose progress is absolutely without any parallel in the world's experience.” This is remarkable language, but fully justified by the facts in the case. We call attention to it with this query: Is it possible that that nation which is adjudged to have such an important influence on the destinies of the human race, and which has made such unparalleled progress in civil and religious affairs, should be passed by without mention in that prophetic volume which was given to point out all events and agencies connected in any important manner with the people of God? But if this country is anywhere mentioned in prophecy, it is in the prophetic symbol of Rev. 13: 11-17. The evidence is continually accumulating strength that the application we make of that portion of prophecy is correct, and that we are soon to see movements on the part of this government which will put the matter beyond all questionings. U. S.