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Review and Herald, Vol. 25, No. 21.

The Seven Seals
Earlier text: The Seven Seals

Our Position.

By James White

As a general thing, Seventh-day Adventists take new positions with great caution. But when, by comparing prophecy with passing events, evidence seems complete, they do not hesitate to take positions which appear bold and startling.
The present is a rapid age. The past four years have furnished centuries of history. Prophecy is rapidly fulfilling, and the end is hastening on. The grand and glorious consummation of the Christian's hope is soon to be realized.
The Almighty has a controversy with this revolted world. He will punish crime, and vindicate righteousness. In our own sad country his steps in terrible majesty have been heard, punishing the oppressor, and breaking the fetters of the oppressed. And may we not expect his hand to turn and overturn, crowding the events of a century into a single day, until the great controversy shall close, sin be fully punished, sinners cease to be, and the just be crowned with everlasting glory? We see no other safe position for the waiting, watching ones than this.
We invite the reader's special attention to the articles in this number entitled, The Seven Seals, and War and the Sealing. These were published nearly three years since. The position in reference to a time of comparative peace in our country, in which time the great work of sealing would be accomplished, was then taken by faith in the infallibility of the prophetic word. The condition of our national affairs then promised almost any thing but peace.
A few months since the nation was agonized by another call for three hundred thousand more men for the army and navy. Seventh-day Adventists felt this last call most deeply. In the Review for Jan. 31, 1865, appeared the article, which is given again upon another page headed, Non-combatants—Their Duty in Reference to the Present War. This was endorsed by the General Conference Committee as follows—

DAY OF FASTING AND PRAYER.

We, the General Conference Committee of S. D. Adventists, are gratified with the article presented by Bro. White in another column, entitled, Non-combatants. We are happy to endorse the position he has taken, and agreeably to his suggestions would recommend to all our brethren to observe Sabbath, Feb. 11, as a day of fasting and prayer, for the objects specified in said article. JOHN BYINGTON, J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, GEO. W. AMADON. } Gen. Conf. Com.
Our people were unanimous in the observance of the day and enjoyed a season of self-examination, humiliation, and an unusual spirit of prayer. The work among our people generally deepened, and the burden of the matter rested with great weight upon many of the church at Battle Creek, especially upon those connected with the Office of publication.
In the Review for Feb. 21, 1865, appeared the article from the General Conference Committee, entitled, "The Time Has Come," given again in this number. The four successive days of humiliation, fasting and prayer were observed by our people everywhere. These were meetings of the deepest interest ever held by our people. The burden of prayer was as follows:
  1. That, in the language of the Apostle, "we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
  2. That the impending draft might fall favorably upon those who had enlisted under the Prince of Peace, especially his ambassadors, and were true to the constitution and laws of high Heaven.
  3. That confusion might be sent into the councils of the rebels, and that fear and faintness of heart might seize their leaders.
  4. That Providence would direct in the councils and action of those who were for freedom and union, and bring as far as possible, bloodless victories to the loyal North.
  5. That shackles might fall from the bond-men, and the way be prepared for the message—bearing the seal of the living God upon its front—to be proclaimed in the ears of all, both white and black.
Never have we realized such intensity of feeling—such drawing of the Spirit to the very throne of Heaven—such confidence in the answer of fervent prayers—as during these days of humiliation and prayer. The influence of this season has had a most blessed and sanctifying result upon the church. We have not seen better times in Battle Creek, and testimony from all parts of the field agrees with ours.
Such experience, with so clear a prophecy as that which speaks of the restraining of the winds of war and strife until the servants of God shall be sealed, cannot be set aside as of trifling value. To those who have participated in it, it is of vast importance. And what gives this experience its thrilling interest is the fact that the more than ten-thousand commandment-keeping petitioners have seen already the answer of their prayers to a wonderful degree.
The air rang with shouts, Richmond is taken! and Lee has surrendered! Cities and villages were illuminated. Bonfires and rockets streamed up to the heavens, while cheers for Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan rang again. But God's loyal people were on their knees, blessing Heaven for the answer of their prayers, and weeping with joy over the faithfulness of God in fulfilling his word.
But at the very hour when the North was drunken with joy over victories that made every loyal heart glad, and when many were drunken too with intoxicating liquors, and were making themselves more like devils than like men, the assassin was aiming the deadly shot at the brain of the President. Terrible news flashed over all the wires of the land, and a nation wild with joy, is at once in tears, and draped in mourning. But those who had been learning by happy experience to lean upon a mightier arm than that of man—although they mourned that the chief magistrate, so amiable, humane, and beloved, had fallen by the hand of a ruffian—stood firm, trusting in God, that he would do, and suffer to be done, that which in the end would be best.
Of the future we would speak cautiously. We fear that the hopes of those who look for union and peace, such as our land once enjoyed, and that, too, freed from the crime of slavery, will never be realized. The slave-power has been beaten upon the field of battle; but the spirit that leads men to cool-blooded assassination, and crime of the most fiendish character, still burns in the hearts of pro-slavery rebels.
But whatever may be the history of the future, it seems evident that the end of the great American war has virtually come, and that, too, by the hand of Providence, that the way might be prepared for the proclamation of those great truths which will result in the sealing of the 144,000. What an hour is the present! How grand and glorious is the position of those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Christ! How dangerous delays and disobedience now! And how blessed to labor, and suffer, and weep, and rejoice in the last great gathering of sheaves for the heavenly garner! God help the waiting ones to be faithful!
The masses, who have no faith in the fulfillment of prophecy in our time, cannot appreciate our position. To them it will look fanciful, fanatical, egotistical. And we may expect that blind unbelief will scoff at the precious truth for this time. He who would speak of it, and the answer of our prayers, in a spirit of carnal boasting is unworthy a place with the people of God. While we believe, and enjoy the truth in our own hearts, and our lives are molded by it, let us seek earnestly to know how to speak, and when to speak forth the precious truth of the Lord, so as to glorify its adorable Author, and benefit and bless our fellow-men.

The Time Has Come!

By John Byington, James White, J. N. Loughborough, Geo. W. Amadon

FOR THE FULFILLMENT OF REVELATION VII, 3.

Humiliation and Prayer.

Republished from Review Vol. xxv, No. 13.
DEAR BRETHREN, SCATTERED ABROAD: We have reached a time when we can confidently take our stand upon the position expressed in the heading we have given to these lines: that the providence of God has brought us to a place where the message, or the work, of the ascending angel of Rev. vii, 2, must be fulfilled.
Not to enter into an exposition of that prophecy, let us state a few of its leading features upon which there can be no question:
1. The winds denote political strifes and commotions among the nations.
2. The four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding these winds, are four divine messengers into whose charge God has committed the affairs of the nations, and whose province it is, both to restrain the winds of strife, when the work of God requires it, and also to cause the winds to blow, and to raise up the great whirlwind from the coasts of the earth, Jer. xxv, 32, when the church of God is prepared, and the nations are ripe, for this final commotion.
3. The angel of verse 2, ascending from the East with the seal of the living God, is identical with the third angel of Rev. xiv, 9-12.
4. His crying to the four angels to hurt not the earth, &c., that is, to restrain the blowing of the winds, till the sealing of the servants of God is accomplished, "shows conclusively that some work of strife, war and commotion is beginning to arise which interferes with the sealing work, and which, in the counsel of God, must be restrained till that work is accomplished.
5. As the angel of Rev. xiv, 9, symbolizes a work on the part of the church, so the cry of this angel must denote an earnest petition of God's people, for the restraint of some national or political strife, which is beginning to interfere with their work.
So much we think we read unmistakably from a glance at the prophecy. Let us now glance at the political world, and see if we find any corresponding event.
1. The principal theater of the third angel's message, the final message of mercy which we solemnly believe is now being given, seems to be in our own country.
2. A terrible rebellion has been raging in this land for now nearly four years, drawing more and more heavily on the nation's strength and resources, over fifteen hundred thousand men having already been called for on the northern side alone of this gigantic struggle.
How is this affecting the cause of present truth?
1. Believing that Christians are prohibited by the teachings of the word of God from engaging in carnal warfare, suppose all of our people who are drafted raise the $300 commutation money, a privilege thus far granted: this is a draft upon us for means which cannot long be sustained. The present call for men, whether a draft takes place, or whether volunteers are raised by means of large bounties, will cost the Battle Creek church more than the whole amount of their systematic benevolence for the past four years; and the amount that will be required to clear our brethren generally from the service on this call, cannot be estimated at less than from twenty-five to forty thousand dollars. This means is needed in the cause.
2. If we do not commute, but go into the service in hospitals or to care for freedmen, our own ranks are depleted.
3. Thousands upon thousands who would doubtless hear the truth, and become earnest Christians, are drawn away to the field of carnage, to be mown down in battle, or languish in hospitals or southern prisons.
4. The mind of the nation is so absorbed in this dreadful contest that it is almost impossible to call attention to religious subjects.
Thus we must inevitably lose means, or lose our own members, and lose those who would embrace the truth, and lose the attention of the people. And now suppose this work to go on, and a call for men to come as it almost inevitably would, every five or six months, what could we do? The cause would be crushed. We are thus brought, as it plainly appears to us, to a place where if the war continues, we must stop. We repeat it, The war must stop, or our work in spreading the truth must stop. Which shall it be? Relying upon God, and having confidence in the efficacy of prayer, and the indications of his prophetic word, we believe that the work of God must not be hindered. True Christians are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. If ten righteous persons could have been found in Sodom it would have been spared. God's work in these last days must not, will not stop.
We pray God to arouse the attention of his people to these things. And we would recommend, nay more, earnestly request, all our churches and scattered brethren, to set apart four days commencing Wednesday, March 1, and continuing till the close of the following Sabbath, as days of earnest and importunate prayer over this subject. Let business be suspended, and the churches meet at 1 o'clock on the afternoon of each of the week days, and twice on the Sabbath, to pour out their supplications before God. These meetings should be free from anything like discussion, and be characterized by humiliation, confessions, prayers for light and truth, and efforts for a fresh and individual experience in the things of God. Let the sentiment of Rev. vii, 3, be the guide to the burden of our petitions. And as among the poor bondmen, God may have many servants, pray that the war may result in good in opening the door of truth to them.
During these days of prayer, we recommend on the part of all a very abstemious and simple diet, Dan. x, 3, while some may more or less abstain from food, as their health may permit, or their feelings may prompt. Labor will be suspended at the Review Office, and there will consequently be no paper next week, but one early the week following.
Those who receive this notice previous to Sabbath, Feb. 25, are invited to devote that day to the objects above stated.
We shall expect that all who have the interests of the message at heart, will engage willingly and earnestly in this matter; and we pray that those who do not feel over our present times and prospects may be speedily aroused.
The number of God's servants will be made up; for the prophet so declares; but not till after an earnest work has taken place on the part of the church. We firmly believe the time has come for us to act—then follows the sealing work, or the loud cry of the third message—then triumph—then translation—then eternal life. Amen.
JOHN BYINGTON, JAMES WHITE, for J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, GEO. W. AMADON, } Gen. Conf. Com.

Self-Denial for Christ

They that deny themselves for Christ, shall enjoy themselves in Christ.

The Souls in Hades are Dead.

By R. F. Cottrell

By the term souls we understand persons. All that are in the state of death, whether buried in graves or in the ocean, or left unburied to mingle with the dust, are, in the Bible sense, in hades or sheol, the terms that are so frequently translated hell.
But the faith most popular at the present time is, that hades, in the Greek and sheol in the Hebrew, is the place or receptacle of separate souls, i. e., of living, immortal souls separated by death from their mortal bodies. It is held that the body, at death, goes "down into silence" in the grave, but that the soul goes into hades alive—in full possession of its consciousness, all its faculties and all its knowledge.
In Rev. xx, 13, we read, "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell (hades) gave up the dead which were in them." This testimony represents those in hades as being dead. To accommodate it to the popular faith it should represent death as delivering up the dead bodies, and hades as delivering up the living souls that were in it. But the testimony calls them dead. In the same chapter it is also said of the "souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God," that "they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." But that "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." This language fairly implies that these souls had been dead, but lived again, i. e., lived a second time. And if any language in the Bible represents souls as a separate entity from the body, it is found in the language of this text, viz., "the souls of them that were beheaded."
But we have positive testimony concerning the state of things in hades or sheol, the place where all souls, both righteous and wicked, are represented as going at death. It is this: "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, (sheol or hades), whither thou goest." Eccl. ix, 10. Thus it is positively asserted that there is no knowledge in the place to which souls go at death, and from which they come forth at the resurrection. (See Ps. xvi, 10; Acts ii, 25-31.) Hence it is asserted in the same chapter that "the dead know not anything." Verse 5.
Since it is positively asserted by the Spirit of inspiration, that there is no knowledge in sheol or hades, it follows as an unavoidable conclusion that the language of those passages which represent the inhabitants of that dark region of silence as living, speaking and suffering, is figurative, attributing life and speech to that which is dead and silent. Luke xvi, 23, 24; Eze. xxxii, 21, 27; Isa. xiv, 9, 10. The following are examples of this figure of speech: "The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." Gen. iv, 10. "For the stone shall cry out of the wall and the beam out of the timber shall answer it." Hab. ii, 11. "Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth." James v, 4.
If we are to understand, from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, that those who are in hades do, in reality, suffer torment there and talk with the blessed across the impassable gulf, then the Bible clearly contradicts itself—a thing which I shall not admit;—for, as we have seen, it is positively asserted that "there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom," in that place.
R. F. COTTRELL.

Report of Meetings.

By W. H. Brinkerhoff

Bro. White: I am still engaged in the good cause of trying to win souls to Christ. Since I last wrote, I have been holding meetings most of the time. On March 1, I met with the West Union church, and continued with them through the days appointed by the General Conference Committee. The Lord blessed us at these meetings, and on the Sabbath, we had a soul-cheering time.
March 5, went to Elgin and commenced meetings again. On the 10th, we were made to rejoice by seeing some of the Waukon brethren, who came down to the meeting.
The 12th, seven were baptized. Oh the Lord is good. I was much blessed in these meetings. Praise the Lord! God is love.
On the 15th, went back to Illyria. The weather was so stormy, that but few came out. While at this place, a Methodist Elder from West Union, came down to attend to these Quacks, as he called me and my brethren. He gave one sermon on the Sabbath question. He is a learned man, and as the result of his knowledge, he made ten false statements, and contradicted himself twelve times. We had the privilege of reviewing him. He accomplished considerable good for us in that sermon. 'Tis hard for man to fight against God and his truth.
On the 21st, preached the funeral sermon of Bro. Rice at Lima. Deep interest was manifested here, and as we stood around the grave, a stranger accosted us to know where we were going to preach next, as he wanted to hear more. This was the first Advent sermon ever preached in that place. Many around are anxious to hear.
April 1, had meeting again at Elgin, and on the 2d, organized a church of eleven members, three of whom came out of the West Union church. May God's blessing rest upon this little hand. They seem to be striving earnestly to obey the Lord. There are several more who will unite with this church soon. On the afternoon of the same day, we went with Bro. Oliver Stevens, who had come down from Waukon for us to go there and preach the funeral sermon of Bro. Albert Farnsworth. Here I also preached another funeral sermon of a little child, and spoke to the church once.
On the seventh, in company with father and mother Butler and Sr. Williams, went to West Union to attend the Quarterly Meeting. It had rained a good deal, and the streams were up; but the Lord brought us safely through. At this meeting, we met a goodly number of the brethren from abroad. And although the clouds of darkness seemed to settle over us at first, yet they soon gave way, and we obtained the victory. We had a blessed time in attending to the ordinances. Quite a number had now an opportunity for the first time, to attend such a meeting. I felt well repaid for my toils and labors here, as these dear saints of God were made to rejoice, as the blessing of the Lord rested upon them. It was good to wait upon the Lord, and all felt well paid for coming to this meeting.
I had expected to start for home at the close of this meeting; but on Sunday, Bro. Simpson came down from Waukon to take me to that place again, as father Andrews was fast failing in health. I came up on Monday, almost worn out. Found father Andrews still alive, but so weak as to be scarcely able to talk any. But he is happy in the Lord, and rejoices in the God and Rock of his salvation. To-day (the 12th) he is still alive, but failing.
I am considerably worn down with the labors past, and we have had so much cloudy, damp weather, that my lungs pain me much. But what shall I do? Many are calling all around for labor, saying, "Come over and help us." Let me have the prayers of God's people, that I may have strength to go on, and do some little good in the glorious work before us. I want to live humbly and walk circumspectly before the world.
Pray for me. W. H. Brinkerhoff.
Waukon, Apr. 12, 1865.

The Soon-Coming Kingdom.

By J. Clarke

Many centuries ago, Christ taught that the kingdom of Heaven was nigh at hand, Matt. iv, 17, that is, in the order of great events, the fifth kingdom would succeed the fourth or Roman kingdom then existing. He also taught that it would not immediately appear, in Luke xix, 11. Paul also taught that the day of Christ did not immediately impend; thus indicating that in the order of great events, the day of Christ was then at hand, but in the order of years, it was distant. Many years must transpire, many changes take place, and the man of sin be developed ere the end.
Many centuries have elapsed, the man of sin, the blasphemous papal power, has done as was predicted of him, has called himself God, has thought to change times and laws, and they have been given into his hand for a time, times and half a time, or 1260 days; and multitudes of witnesses have arisen to record his wicked deeds. Thus he is not only revealed as to his true character, not only developed, but these writers and speakers have revealed or published the facts to the world. Now the papal power stands out before the world in its real character. All have heard of the inquisition, with its machinery of torture; all have heard or read of the sale of indulgences, and pardons of sin, purchased with money. Ever since the days of Huss and Luther, have the blasphemies and impurities, and cruelties and errors of the Roman Catholic church been published to the world, until all are to a greater or less degree informed as to the character of this church.
To us the case is widely different from that of the Christian church in the days of Paul. Then the man of sin was in the future; now it is in the past. Then there began to develop in the church, heresy and division. Paul saw, in this, the seeds of apostasy, and recorded the inspired warning.
As we survey our position at this late period in the world's history, now that the prophecies have been mostly fulfilled, and we behold around us marks of earth's decay, evidences of the complete ruin of man's moral and physical powers, we turn from the wisdom of man, to the word of God, and earnestly inquire, Watchman what of the night?
All around in the thick moral darkness of the night of the nineteenth century, we hear different answers given to this question. One says, It is not night now, but light is beaming from the spirit world, and unseen spirits of the dead converse in distinct raps, and that in the circles, great wonders are performed.
Another answers in a confident tone, that the millennium is close at hand, and that soon the whole earth is to be spiritually cleansed, and all will become holy. Another will have it, that all, good and bad will be saved. And a fourth does not believe that a book teaching so many different creeds, can be from God, and disbelieves it all. And so confused murmurs arise from a multitude of voices, each clamorous for his own sect and creed.
The votary of truth, groping his way amid the noise and bustle and tumult and din of voices, and in the darkness, raises his eyes to Heaven for light, satisfied to this, that no light or knowledge from the crowd around him can clear the way, and make his path light about him.
He stops and considers. Meanwhile the giddy throng press down the great highway of nations, regardless of him as they are of the milestones along the way. He turns to release himself from the crowd, that he may have a moment to reflect. Amid the jostling and tumult he presses to the right, until he is free from the current, and finds a place of rest and reflection, on the hillside a little out of the broad path. Upward he presses toward the hill-top, and now he hears the distant crowd he has left behind, and the murmur of their voices sounds to his ear as the roaring of the distant river to one who has just escaped a watery grave. Downward press the infatuated multitude, not asking for the ocean into which this mighty tide of humanity is tending, but each one is satisfied to go with the multitude.
Not so with him who has paused to reflect, and who now is climbing the hill toward the east, over the brow of which, he already sees the ruddy tints of morning, gleaming in beauty and splendor.
Here and there on the hillside he sees in the morning light others, who like himself have become wearied with the jargon, and tumult and confusion, of the multitude left behind in the darkness.
As one who is rescued from a cruel foe, or as one who has escaped the gloom of hades, so he rejoices to find it no uncertain light, which he beholds, and no common ruin which he has escaped. And now clear and silvery voices proclaim a distinct and certain response to his question, Watchman what of the night?
Hope and joy spring up in his heart where despair had endeavored to erect her throne, as evidences of his great deliverance accumulate, and as he finds others who have preceded him in the search for light, and their union and harmony appear, and as the light of the rising sun increases, he is fully decided to get farther and farther from the confusion and the tumult of the infatuated multitude, and nearer to the light.
What a scene now appears to our view? Just when we most need light, behold a church arising, and pointing out the way. Here is light as to the past, and present, and future. Here is kind care for the body, and mind, and estate. Here is a church preparing herself for translation, freeing herself from error and pollution. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
Let us rejoice that we have found this people, and go with them in their journeys. J. CLARKE. Portage, Ohio.

A Jubilee at Charleston.

THERE is no place where it is more gratifying to a loyal man to see or hear of public manifestations of joy over the downfall of the great barbarism that has cursed our nation, than in that slave mart and hot-bed of secession, the city of Charleston, South Carolina. But whether there or elsewhere, the joy of the long down-trodden bondman over his newly acquired freedom is a pleasing feature of the great drama passing before us. For these reasons we give the following paragraphs from the report of a great celebration of the colored people of Charleston, as found in the N. Y. Tribune of April 15, 1865.
“There was the greatest procession of loyalists in Charleston last Tuesday that the city has witnessed for many a long year. The present generation has never seen its like. For these loyalists were true to the nation without any qualifications of State rights, reserved sovereignties, or other allegiances; they gloried in the fact, they adored the nation, they believed with the fullest faith in the ideas which our banner symbols and the country avows as its own. It was a procession of colored men, women and children—a celebration of their deliverance from bondage and ostracism, a jubilee of freedom, a hosannah to their deliverers.
“The celebration was projected and conducted by colored men. It met on the Citadel green at noon. Upward of ten thousand persons were present—colored men, women and children—and every window and balustrade overlooking the square was crowded with spectators. This immense gathering had been convened in 24 hours, for permission to form the procession was given only on Sunday night, and none of the preliminary arrangements were completed till Monday at noon.
“Gen. Hatch, Admiral Dahlgren and Col. Woodruff gave their aid to the movement; and thereby the 21st Regiment of U. S. C. T., a hundred colored marines and a number of national flags gave dignity and added attractions to the procession.
“The procession began to move at one o'clock, under the charge of a committee and marshals on horseback, who were decorated with red white and blue sashes and rosettes.
“First came the marshals and their aids, followed by a band of music; then the 21st Regiment in full force; then the clergymen of the different churches, carrying open Bibles; then an open car, drawn by four white horses, and tastefully adorned with national flags. In this car there were 15 colored ladies dressed in white—to represent the 15 recent Slave States. Each of them had a beautiful bouquet to present to Gen. Saxton after the speech which he was expected to deliver. A long procession of women followed the car. Then followed the children of the Public Schools—or part of them; and there were 1,800 of them at least. They sang during the entire length of the march:
“John Brown's body lies mouldering in the grave.
“This verse, however, was not nearly so popular as one which it was intended should be omitted, but rapidly supplanted all the others, until at last all along the mile or more of children, marching two abreast, no other sound could be heard than,
“We'll hang Jeff. Davis on a sour apple tree!
“The secret of the popularity of this verse was found out after the procession was over. Mr. Timothy Hurly, of Charlestown, Massachusetts, volunteered to teach the children at the different schools to sing this song; but was desired by the superintendent to omit this verse, on the ground of a personal opposition to capital punishment in all cases where criminals are in a position where they can be prevented from injuring society. Many of the children already knew the song, and took the advice not to sing that verse contrariwise—as perhaps, they were expected to do by their volunteer teacher. It did seem that they could remember no other verse, and the zeal with which they sang it showed little appreciation of the position of the opponents of the penalty of death.
“Very few of these children had ever been at school before; not one of them had ever walked in a public procession; they had had only one hour's drill on their play-ground; and yet they kept in line, closed up, and were under perfect control, and orderly up to the last. They only ceased to sing in order that they might cheer Gen. Saxton, Col. Woodford, various groups of Union officers or sailors, or one or two Northern men whom they recognized as their friends. Gen. Saxton and lady were in a carriage at one street where the procession passed, and Col. Woodford and lady at another; and one continuous cheer greeted them, mingled with cheers for an officer whom they supposed to be Gen. Hatch. The colored people know all these officers as their friends. Gen. Saxton is their favorite every where in the department, and they have all learned that Gen. Hatch and Col. Woodford gave them equal rights in the public schools—an advantage which they prize next to freedom. *
“The most original feature of the procession was a large cart, drawn by two dilapidated horses with the worst harness that could be got to hold out, which followed the trades. On this cart there was an auctioneer's block, and a black man, with a bell, representing a negro trader, a red flag waving over his head; recalling the days so near and yet so far off, when human beings were made merchandise of in South Carolina. This man had himself been bought and sold several times; and two women and a child who sat on the block had also been knocked down at public auction in Charleston. As the cart moved along the mock-auctioneer rang his bell and cried out: ‘How much am I offered for this good cook?’ ‘She is an ’xlent cook, ge'men.’ ‘She can make four kinds of mock-turtle soup—from beef, fish or fowls.’ ‘Who bids?’ ‘200's bid.’ ‘Two hundred?’ ‘200's bid,’ ‘250,’ ‘300,’ ‘350,’ ‘400,’ ‘450.’ ‘Who bids?’ ‘who bids?’ ‘500.’ And so he went on imitating in sport the infernal traffic of which many of the spectators had been the living victims. Old women burst into tears as they saw this tableau, and forgetting that it was a mimic scene, shouted wildly: ‘Give me back my children! Give me back my children!’ The wringing of heads seen on the sidewalks caused more than one looker on to curse the policy that would even suggest the possibility that the wretches who had bought and sold loyal men might be or ought to be re-admitted to the rights of citizenship. But there are people here who would even recommend that these persons alone should be regarded as citizens! There is no officer in all the United States who could stand up before the storm of righteous indignation which a fearless record of the lives of the oath-takers here would arouse. And that chronicle of crime is being made here. If ever they attempt to put down the true loyalists here, this record will be sent to THE TRIBUNE.
“Behind the auction-car 60 men marched, tied to a rope—in imitation of the gangs who used often to be led through these streets on their way from Virginia to the sugar-fields of Louisiana. All of these men had been sold in the old times.
“Then came the hearse—a comic feature, which attracted great attention, and was received with shouts of laughter. There was written on it with chalk,
“Slavery is Dead.
“Who Owns Him?
“No One.
“Sumpter Dug His Grave on the 18th of April, 1861.
“Behind the hearse, 50 women marched dressed in black, with the sable weeds of mourning, but with joyous faces,’ as a natural born orator from Bunker Hill remarked on the occasion.
“Various societies were represented. The procession was more than two miles and a half in length, and officers said that it marched in better military style than the great procession on the 6th of March in New York. There was no drunkenness, no riotous disposition, no insolent airs, no rudeness.
“The banners bore among other mottoes these sentences:
“‘We know no caste or color.’
“‘The spirit of John Brown still lives.’
“‘Liberty and Union, one and inseparable.’
“‘Our past the Block, our future the School.’
“‘We know no master but ourselves.’
“‘We are filling the last ditch.’
“‘Our Reply to Slavery—Colored Volunteers.’
“‘Free Homes, Free Schools, One Country and One Flag.’
“‘We are on the way to Bunker Hill.’
“‘Bunker Hill and Fort Sumpter; both shelter the Freedmen.’
“‘The Heroes of the War: Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Farragut, Dahlgren, Potter, Ferry, The Privates.’
“‘The Heroes of Humanity: Butler, Chase, Garrison, Douglass, Greeley, Beecher.’
“‘Massachusetts Greets South Carolina as a Child Redeemed.’—(Wendell Phillips.)
“‘Freedom with Poverty rather than Slavery with Luxury.’
“‘We can respect the purity of the ballot box.’
“The great procession took one hour and twenty minutes to pass any point. On its return to the citadel where a stand was prepared for Gen. Saxton and the other speakers, there were at least 10,000 persons assembled. There were 4,200 men in the procession by count, exclusive of the military, the women and the children.
“A shower of rain, which began to fall as the procession arrived at the citadel, rendered it expedient to postpone a speech.
“Rev. Mr. French led in singing a doxology, and the great assembly dispersed in an orderly manner after enthusiastic and prolonged cheers for Gen. Saxton, the Yankees, the Star Spangled Banner, and a final, tumultuous and long continued three times three for Abraham Lincoln.
“The fears so lately expressed that an outpouring of the colored people would produce a riot, is thus shown to be unfounded.
“Fear the slave who breaks his chain, Free the slave and fears are vain,”
is a truth which these modern Rip Van Winkles who take the oath here and think that they are Union men, do not yet begin to suspect—far less to believe.

GEN. SAXTON AND THE SCHOOLS.

“Gen. Saxton visited the three largest public schools on the following day, and addressed the different departments—about 2,000 children. He spoke to both the colored and the white children, and his theme to all, was education and freedom. He was heartily cheered both by the white and black children. He expressed himself highly gratified at the results thus far obtained, and intends to extend the system already inaugurated here all over South Carolina.

A COLORED MARRIAGE

“I have attended two weddings of the colored people here. The first was a marriage between two of the wealthier class of those formerly free; the second was a wedding of a couple who were recently slaves. At the first marriage there were 16 groomsmen and bridesmaids, and the whole affair was conducted in the finest style. The second was noteworthy from an incident connected with it. The young husband was sold from Augusta last November for $6,000, Rebel currency, and the young wife was sold in December for $7,000. Why was she sold at a higher rate than he? She is a good looking woman, and the chivalry ruled then. They had been engaged to each other for four years before they were sold, and the fact that they were both sent to Charleston was entirely accidental. The young woman was sent to the slave mart to be sold, but was taken sick, and thereby escaped the doom prepared for her, until the Yankees came in one fine Saturday morning and liberated her. So her lover and she determined to celebrate our arrival by a marriage, and invited a Northern minister, Mr. French, to perform the ceremony, which he did. Two white men looked into the room, and instantly withdrew. They were the owners three months ago, of the bride and bridegroom!”
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