Earlier text: The Law of the SabbathLocke, June 8, 1872
By J. M. Avery
It is not the sting of death that gives us so much dread of it, as the thought of being forever separated from the society of those we love. The idea of sorrow and suffering here until the final result is death, an entire separation from all comfort, happiness, and the society of those we love, never more to see light, or enjoy pleasure, to see our friends suffer and die, and then lay them away in the dark and silent grave, and know that we never more can enjoy their friendship, and then to realize that we may soon follow them, truly seems like a solemn thought. And, indeed, it would be without the blessed hope. But the apostle says, Sorrow not as those who have no hope. So, then, those that have hope need not sorrow as those who have none. Yes, truly, may we comfort one another, when we look at the glorious hope of a resurrection and eternal life, when we realize that Jesus, according to the Scriptures, went down into the grave and has come up again, having the keys of hell and of death, and that we can, through him, have hope that our dear friends, and we too, if we follow them there, shall rest quietly, not to be disturbed by any of the cares and sorrows of this world, not to be awakened by the rumbling and whistle of Nahum’s chariots, which are a sign that that day is near, nor by the cannon’s loudest boom, nor yet by the fearful lightnings and peals of loudest thunder, nor by the most fearful and terrible earthquakes, nor yet by the hailstones and storm of God’s wrath. None of these things shall disturb the peaceful rest of those who sleep in Jesus. Nothing will disturb or awaken them but the sweet voice of Jesus, when he shall soon descend from Heaven with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; then those who sleep in Jesus will awake, and come forth to behold the glorious scene of the King in his beauty, and all the holy angels with him. Such glorious prospects! What a thought! that through his death and resurrection we can have such glorious hopes. Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, and that he has given us his word where we may learn things which give us so much joy. J. M. AVERY. Seventh-day Adventists.
By Maylod J. Pierce
How many of us show by our daily walk and conversation that we expect Jesus soon is coming to gather his loved ones home? The name of Seventh-day Adventist will not save us unless we live up to the truths we profess. Our professing to be keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus is not going to save us in the great and terrible day of the Lord. We have something to do besides professing. If we believe Jesus soon is coming, our actions should be in accordance with our faith. Are we working as best we can for the salvation of our own souls and the souls of others? Do we put forth every effort to overcome our sins and get ready to meet our dear Saviour? If not, our profession is vain. We have many sins to overcome. Let us be watchful unto prayer, putting our trust in Him that is able to strengthen us. Let us strive to get rid of our little sins (as we call them) as well as our great ones. There is no sin small in the sight of God. He does not look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Keeping the seventh day is not going to save us. There is something else to be done. We believe it is right to keep the Sabbath, but that will not save us. We must live in humble obedience to all God's requirements if we are accepted of him when he calls his children home. We are a peculiar people, but are we zealous of good works? Do we not give the people of the world too many chances to say, They are not Christ's, because they have not his Spirit within them? I fear many of us do not live as near our Saviour as it is our privilege to. I fear we do not set such examples before the world as we should, while we profess to be living in the hour of God's judgment. Surely, we should watch well our ways. We have the light of present truth shining upon our pathway. I am determined by the help of the Lord to overcome all my sins, live up to the light as it shines upon my pathway. Shall we not all strive for a home in the kingdom? Who can bear to be left out? Let us, one and all, strive to be prepared for the coming of Christ, as we believe his coming is near. MAYLOD J. PIERCE. Theory and Practice.
By Libbie Thurston
To me there is much significance in either of these; and it seems that both are essential, and, like faith and works, should go hand in hand. We may have a theory of the present truth, may understand every point as far as argument goes, and be able always to give every one a reason of our hope; but this is not enough. We must have the love of the truth, and be so sanctified by it that when we give the reasons of our faith it will truly be with meekness and fear. Is there not danger, while we are so much in earnest to understand the theory, and feel that we have an argument to meet all our opposers, that we rest here, and settle down, as it were, content? I have felt the force of this of late, and have been almost on the verge of despair while living on the mere theory of the truth. I had well nigh abandoned my hope, until my mind was called to the practical part of the truth. Then a gleam of light shone round me. Then I began to feel and see how hard it is to try to fight against sin while the love of it is in our hearts. And the knowledge that our hearts might become pure, so that evil tempers, passions, and desires, would be removed, gave me courage to try and get the practical part of the truth down deep in my heart. I am now satisfied that in order to be what Christians ought to be there must be a renewing of the spirit, a cleansing of the heart. Then we shall love the right and hate the wrong. In my experience, there is no hope of my overcoming evil while the heart, which is the seat of evil, is unrenewed. And now I would say to the desponding one who sees how he fails of overcoming his sins, and is just ready to give up in despair, Let us go to the fountain and have our hearts cleansed, then we shall not always have to fight sin in our hearts, but our fight will be to keep it out. The Christian Warfare.
By M. W. Purdon
The life of the Christian is unquestionably a continual warfare; but we do not engage in this warfare in our own strength. With the world is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us, and fight our battles for us. The life of the Christian is as an army contending with the enemy. The enemy is continually watching for the weak points. He is not going to attack his foe in those strong positions that he holds, at first; but he sees a point which his foe has not guarded sufficiently. Nevertheless, it is a position of great importance, but the army has failed to guard this point. The enemy attacks this point, and if he succeeds in gaining it, he has got a decided victory in his favor. He has taken a point that is of great importance, and it tends to weaken the strength of that army to a great degree. It has possibly cut off communication with the great commander-in-chief, and they have no way to get reinforcements so long as the enemy holds that position. They are in a very critical condition. The enemy is aware of the fact, and he is going to push the matter through, step by step, and finally take the whole army captive at his will. So it is in the Christian race. If we would succeed in this great and glorious warfare, we must guard well every point, and give no chance for the enemy to gain any position whatever. We all know, or may know, our weak points. We should see to it that we guard well those points. As I have remarked, We do not engage in this warfare in our own strength. With us is the Lord our God to help us. From him we can get reinforcements from day to day, to strengthen those weak points. It is not only our duty to hold our position, but we should be continually on the advance, gaining ground. There is no standing still in this warfare. We are either losing or gaining ground. The enemy is ever on the alert, going about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, therefore we should ever be on the watch, keeping our eye on the mark of the prize, and continually getting reinforcements from our great Commander-in-Chief, who has said, Ask, and ye shall receive. Still keep advancing steadily onward with unfaltering step, keeping the enemy at bay, and finally come off conquerors through Christ our great captain, and with all the prophets, apostles, martyrs, and all the saints, join that everlasting kingdom and enter through the gates into that city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Are we Doing the Will of God?
By George Tenney
A sense of the importance of the times in which we live should keep this inquiry before our minds. The apostle says, “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” From the fact that this was written for the encouragement of those who should be looking for the coming of their Saviour, as a people, we have accepted it as addressed to ourselves, and have taken great comfort and consolation amid our many trials, from the promise, “For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” But we have a duty to perform in doing the will of God, before we shall see the promise fulfilled. Perhaps we have thought that in embracing present truth with all its crosses and reproach we had done the will of God, and had only to walk in it and patiently to wait for Jesus to come. This is not all; for after we shall have done God's will we shall not have to wait for the promise. What the Lord would have us do after we have received the light concerning his word and embraced it with all our hearts, is shown, we think, in Rev. 10:11. Nations are yet in darkness concerning the glorious light which we have seen, and many of our neighbors and kindred are ignorant of its importance, which they must soon learn if they are among Christ's jewels at last. The Lord is providing means for us to employ in this work, which, if used with faith and love, will accomplish great results. The organized movement in distributing books is important among these means. Shall we not be more active, more faithful, and more humble while sowing daily seeds of precious truth, which shall bring forth fruit unto eternal life, that, when the earth is reaped, sheaves may be gathered into the garner of the Lord, from seed which we have sown? The National Baptist publishes the following stirring words on this subject. Preparation for that day, which is made so prominent in the Scriptures as that which is to end all probationary scenes, is the true business of this hour. We do well to think upon that day, to consider its characteristics, to ponder its issues, and to mark the nearness of its approach. No greater incentive to preparation can be found, than is involved in such a study as this. One word which the writer uses seems ill chosen for this time: Slowly, he says, the day comes on. Swiftly, rather, should be the word employed. The prophet tells us how it should be regarded near the end, when he says, The great day of the Lord is near “and hasteth greatly.” Absolutely the day is coming no faster now than in the days of the patriarchs or the apostles; but the words of the prophet just quoted plainly imply that when it should be near, the rapidity of its approach would seem to be greatly accelerated. Any person may easily illustrate this point for himself. Take your stand upon a railroad track and watch the train approaching in the distance. At first it seems almost stationary. A faint and indistinct roar, and an apparently small volume of smoke, are the only evidences you have that it is in motion. Steadily but slowly these tokens of its approach increase. At length it reaches a point where it begins to expand rapidly the angle of vision. The engine seems fast swelling out into huge proportions. You begin to see and appreciate its motion. You begin to realize that it is under the impulse of some mighty motor. The ground begins to tremble beneath your feet. And finally with every steel-bound sinew quivering under the terrible speed of its course, it dashes past, with a roar which well nigh stuns you. As the train draws nigh and flies past as on the wings of the wind, it moves with no more rapidity than when first seen in the distance; but its speed seems to increase in geometrical progression. Then it seemed to be almost at rest; now, racing with the lightning. So with the day of God. As it draws near, it seems, as the prophet declares, to be hastening greatly. Its tokens are abroad. Its avant-couriers have appeared in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath. More distinctly visible become each year its flaming heralds, and more audible the rumbling of its chariot wheels. They upon whom this day, with all its forewarnings, shall come as a thief, will be without excuse. “Jesus, in his teachings, often speaks of that day. We instinctively ask, What day is thus set apart from the rest? It is a significant word. We stand in awe of it,—a day somewhere on, standing out like a mountain. It is not a day, but that day. The Saviour thus designates the day of Judgment—a king among all the days. When it comes we know not. We know simply this—it is a fact in God’s government. Slowly and steadily it is approaching. It encamps every night nearer to the race—to us—to me. We have no human almanacs that can foretell its coming. That it will come seems to be one of the fundamental thoughts of our mind, admitted everywhere and always. The Egyptians bore decided witness, in their books of the dead, to the coming of that day. Let not that day come upon you sleeping, said Jesus. Duty is ours; that day is God’s. “Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord.” Matt. 9: 22. It will manifest the life. The husk of life, the covering, will be stripped off, and the man, what he is, will appear. It will not create anything, it will simply unfold and reveal. Without it the world and God’s dealings would be an unsolvable riddle. We sometimes say, “Murder will out,” but it is not true. The court records show that it is but a fragment of the truth. All life, all history, all that we see of God, cry out for such a day. “It shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom,” etc. Luke 10: 12. It will be a day of judging and condemning. Men will sink downward not only by moral gravitation, but also by judicial sentence. It is the doomsday of the soul out of Christ. Then God, who seems sleeping when his laws are broken, will rise up. God is not dead but longsuffering. It seems no wonder that the Latin hymn, “Dies Iræ,”—day of wrath,—got such a hold on the middle ages. It is an overwhelming thought—the day of condemnation. “There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me at that day.” 2 Tim. 4: 8. It is a day of Christian crowning. Midnight darkness comes upon the lost soul, but glorious daylight upon the saved soul. The uncrowned Paul in the Roman dungeon will be crowned Paul at God’s right hand. That day comes, uplifting the oppressed soul, bidding wronged ones to stand by the right. It comes like music amid the disordered notes of this world, saying, “All will be made right there.” Is not the thought of that day sufficient to crush our hearts? It would affright us were we forced to meet it alone. Standing before that day, the redeemed soul can say, “Jesus died for me.” The cross, the blood, make the only hiding place. We are accepted in the Beloved One. My Work on the Sabbath History.
By John Nevins Andrews
After the death of my dear wife, in March last, I found myself in a condition of great prostration. As soon, however, as I was able to rally to some extent, I decided to take my children and go to some place near Boston in order to resume labor on my Sabbath History. Accordingly, I came to this place in May last. Because of the urgent demand for the new edition, and because of some remaining lack of strength for labor, I have, with the advice of those whose counsel I esteem, given myself mainly to this work, and have found it necessary to let other writing wait, for the time. I hope to bring into the new edition some things of much value. Much, however, that I have in preparation cannot be completed for the forthcoming edition. I hope to be able, however, after a little, to finish up these things for use hereafter. Probably the biblical portion of the Sabbath History will not be materially changed. It was my wish to re-write it, and to use in the revision some new matter. But, though I have bestowed much labor on this part of the work, the task is too great for me to finish, as soon as I must, in order to give the work to the press this fall. And, as there is very much more upon my hands than I can do in the part which pertains to the period this side of the apostles, I am constrained to give my attention to that. One important field of investigation will, I trust, be found to have been carefully and faithfully examined. It is that of the church fathers previous to the council of Nice, A. D. 325. This is the age in which the great apostasy was developing, and it is to this period, more than to any other, that an appeal is made in support of the so-called Christian Sabbath. But the work is too important to be accomplished without much painful labor. But, when the truth is fully ascertained, it will be found that there is no excuse for changing God’s commandment on the authority of the traditions of the elders. My heart is in sympathy with every part of the work of God. I feel deep interest in the school at Battle Creek, for I see the need of it, and I have confidence in those who are attempting to give it strength and support. I believe that God is in the present truth, and that he is leading his people by the light of his truth and by the voice of his Spirit. Those who mean to make a success of their share in this sacred work must consecrate themselves to it without reserve. There are many burdens to bear at Battle Creek, besides those which pertain directly to the various officers and helpers connected with the institutions there located. To meet this want we need experienced Christian men and women. The importance of the case has been fully stated by those whose judgment is worthy of respect. Now let us act. Let every one who shall be selected for this purpose by the general voice of their brethren promptly accept the responsibility and in the fear of God enter upon it. I have some further things of importance to offer respecting Eld. Preble’s book, but am obliged to defer them a little. I have to ask the pardon of numerous correspondents whose letters have had to remain unanswered. I hope to attend to some of these after a little. Finally, I ask the prayers of the people of God for help in the work before me. Lancaster, Mass., Sept. 13, 1872. Peculiarities of Certain Prophecies.
By Daniel T. Bourdeau
In studying the prophecies, it is highly important to observe that very often the prophets in treating subjects make a sudden transition from type to antitype, and that certain prophecies have a double fulfillment; and unless the student of prophecy is careful to notice this peculiarity, he will be in danger of applying to the type what evidently applies to the antitype. To illustrate: The history of the Jews, their bondage in Egypt and their deliverance from the same, their entering into the land of Canaan, their captivity in Babylon and the prophecies relating thereto, the final destruction of Jerusalem, etc., are typical of events to transpire either under the gospel, or at the close of this dispensation. In like manner, the fate of Babylon, that of Nineveh, the judgments that fell on the land of Idumea, etc., are all typical of the final punishment of the ungodly and of formal professors. What wisdom is displayed in all this! When the prophets took up their pens to portray and foretell events connected with God’s ancient people, how appropriate for them to so mold their remarks as to also represent events under the gospel. In so doing, the attention of God’s ancient people might be carried even beyond the events that were fulfilled in their dispensation, and they could improve on what emphatically applied in this age. And thus those living in the Christian dispensation have a special interest in those prophecies which applied primarily and typically to the Jews. Thus, in Isa. 1:1, literal Judah and Jerusalem are evidently introduced; but in the very next chapter, verse 1, and onward, Judah and Jerusalem apply unmistakably to the Protestant churches in the last days, just before the day of the Lord. Isa. 13 treats of the fate of ancient Babylon, and the Medes and Persians are mentioned as the instruments to humble that proud nation; yet the prophet, by an easy transition, introduces the day of the Lord, in which modern Babylon and all sinners shall be punished. Compare Jer. 50 and 51, with Rev. 18. Certain promises made concerning the possession of the land of Canaan, are to be emphatically fulfilled when the saints possess the new earth; Gen. 12:7; 13:14–17, etc., Rom. 4:13; yet it seems that these promises had at least a typical fulfillment in the temporary possession of the literal land of Canaan. Deut. 34:4; 2 Chron. 20:7. Mal. 4:5, 6, foretells the coming and work of Elijah, and was typically fulfilled in the coming and work of John the Baptist, Luke 1:17, but will be emphatically fulfilled in those who engage in a similar work to that of Elijah and John the Baptist, “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Compare Matt. 17:11, Isa. 58:12, 13, etc. Mal. 4 could not all be fulfilled at Christ’s first advent, or at the destruction of Jerusalem, as some claim. The burning day, the dreadful day of the Lord, did not then come, the wicked were not then burned up, etc. The book of Nahum opens with “the burden of Nineveh;” yet in Nahum 2:3–5, we undoubtedly have a description of the railroad cars. From the connection, we see that this scripture must meet its fulfillment, (1) In the day of God’s preparation. Verse 3. (2) When God will “make an utter end; and affliction shall not rise up the second time.” (3) When the mountains are about to quake at him, the hills to be melted, the earth to be burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein. Chap. 1:5–9. The rocks mentioned in verse 6, are to be thrown under the last plague of Rev. 16. (4) The whole description of the chariots, how they run, etc., applies better to the “lightning trains” than to anything else. So clear is this application that we are told this prophecy was read at a railroad meeting at the completion of the Rutland and Burlington, Vt., railroad, more than twenty years ago. The burden of Ps. 22 and 69, relates primarily to David, and finally and antitypically, to Christ, and portions of these scriptures are quoted in the New Testament as being fulfilled in Christ. But if you apply Ps. 69:5, to Christ, you make him a sinner. Yet verses 9, 21, etc., were fulfilled in Christ. The command of the Saviour to “pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day,” Matt. 24:20, applied primarily to the early church in Judea before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; yet it will have a special application in the time of trouble that is just before us, when the remnant church who keep the commandments of God, will have to flee from their persecutors. Rev. 12:17; 13 13–17; 14:9–12; Isa. 21:11–16; Eze. 7 15, 16; 2 Esdras 16, toward the close of the chapter. Such references might be greatly multiplied. Though we should be guarded on the doctrine of types, yet applications that are warranted by the general tenor of the Scriptures, demand our candid attention and study. A New Cavil.
By R. F. Andrews
A new evasion to the claims of the Sabbath! The reader would like to know, doubtless, what it is. It is this: To boldly deny that the Sabbath precept is included in the ten commandments, and affirm stoutly that there are ten commandments without it! But you ask how can this be made to appear? I will tell you how a determined opposer undertook this job while we were at Aledo with the tent this summer. He said:— “Now, to show you that the Sabbath is no part of the ten commandments, we will quote them.” He quoted the first commandment just as it is; divided the second, making the second and third out of it; called the third the fourth; expunged the fourth from the law entirely, declaring it was “no more a part of the law than circumcision was a part of the promise which Abraham received.” The remaining six came right of course. The difference between this and the work of the papacy against God’s law is, they expunged the second, changed the fourth, and divided the tenth commandment, while this adversary to the law divides the second, and entirely destroys the fourth command. All that the profane swearer, thief, adulterer,109 or murderer, would have to do, according to the above plan, would be to deny the command forbidding his sin a place in the decalogue, and in its stead accept the fourth precept. He would then have ten commandments just as genuine as this opposer to the Sabbath has. How men do rack their brains to get rid of the Lord’s Sabbath. “God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” R. F. ANDREWS. Pleasant Green, Ill., Aug. 26, 1872. Why Some People Meddle in Others' Affairs
THERE are two reasons why some people never mind their own business. One is that they hav'n't any business; and the second is that they have no minds. The Michigan Camp-Meeting.
By George I. Butler
WHEN I arrived upon the ground, Wednesday night, Sept. 4, 1872, the scene was truly inspiring to a lover of the cause of present truth. Our friends had chosen a beautiful grove about a mile and a half from the city. I think the grove was the finest I had seen in any of the States. The committee had arranged everything very tastefully, and upon a large scale. The circle embraced nearly sixty family and church tents besides the two large, sixty-foot tents for preaching. There were still others which could not come into the circle. This was said to be the largest meeting of S. D. Adventists ever held. There must have been upwards of eight hundred Sabbath-keepers in attendance during the day-time. Nearly that number remained upon the ground nights. It is not my purpose to give a full report of this meeting. The editor of the REVIEW has given its readers the results of his personal observation, of its progress and importance. I wish merely to speak of a few points connected with it. The call, Sabbath afternoon, for all who desired prayers in their behalf, to come forward, was really an interesting sight. I should judge between three and four hundred expressed their desires in this respect, and the Lord seemed specially to bless as we called upon him in behalf of the people. The meetings in the tents after this season of prayer were very precious seasons. Confessions, with strong crying and tears, were by no means uncommon. There was one feature of our meeting that we much regret. There was so much business connected with the Conference, the Tract Society, and the Institute, that it interfered with the spiritual interests of the meeting. This I think should be remedied in the future. When so many hundreds come from long distances to be benefited spiritually, and most of whom cannot feel great interest in business matters, it seems a pity that they cannot receive just that kind of labor that they need. The business, of course, is of great importance, and must receive attention; but it seems to me it would be better to have a special time for its transaction, than that it should interfere with our large camp-meetings. Where there is simply the Conference business to be done, it can be worked in without serious detriment to spiritual interests; but more than this seems to be much in the way. The progress of the cause in this Conference has been indeed gratifying during the past year. Above two hundred have embraced the Sabbath of the Lord within its bounds, and this, with many of its laborers in other fields. Evidently, Michigan is an excellent field for labor, and God has richly blessed the labor which has been expended. Our closing meeting, Monday forenoon, was indeed a blessed one. Short and cheering testimonies, expressing confidence in the work and a determination to be faithful to God, came pouring in rapidly. It seemed hard to break up and go out into the cold world once more. During this meeting, I had the pleasure of introducing our dear Bro. Vuilleumier, who has come among us to learn the truth more perfectly and qualify himself to labor in connection with it. He has made indeed most rapid progress in acquiring a knowledge of our language under the instruction of Bro. Bell. Although he has been with us but two and a half months, he gave us a good testimony that we could all understand in our own tongue. We feel that a heavy responsibility rests upon us as a people that we so conduct ourselves that this dear brother should not receive unfavorable impressions of our piety and consecration. He has set our young men a noble example by consecrating himself to the work of God. We hope many of them may follow his example. Mansfield, Ohio, Sept. 12, 1872. “Prove All Things; Hold Fast That Which Is Good.” 1 Thess. 5:21.
By N. Orcutt
NEVER in this world's history has there existed greater necessity of giving earnest heed to this injunction of the apostle, than exists at the present. Perilous times have come. Much of what Paul saw in prophetic vision has been written as history in the experience of the present generation. “Evil men and seducers . . . wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” Error, hydra-headed, stalks through the land as never before. We encounter it on every hand, and in various forms. Atheism, boldly defiant, challenges us to believe in all unbelief. Philosophy, with its specious pleadings, “oppositions of science falsely so called” (against which the apostle has warned us, 1 Tim. 6:20), would undermine our faith in God and his word. Fanaticism would drown, in its turbulent waters, those whom infidelity cannot freeze, or philosophy overthrow. And Satan’s masterpiece—the monster delusion which has gone forth “unto the kings of the earth and the whole world, to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty,” through the pretended revelations from departed friends who sleep in the dust—challenges our credulity and questions our faith. Error comes to us sugar-coated—mingled with, and partially covered over with, truth, and under the sanction of those who are looked up to, and respected, in the theological world. We live in times of great danger, times when everything, except the progress of the truth, is characterized by startling development and rapid transition. How important, how necessary, that we walk cautiously, scrutinize closely; that we “prove all things;” and “hold fast that which is good.” Such are some of the thoughts suggested by the perusal of an editorial from the pen of Henry Ward Beecher, in the Christian Union of Aug. 28, 1872, entitled “The Life to Come.” He says truly:— “The whole teaching of the Bible, as to the future life, centers on this—that what we are now is supremely important with reference to what we shall be then. Every warning, every encouragement, all the grand and terrible imagery of the Judgment, all the tender assurances of Christ, are directed to that end. The object of them all is to impress the transcendent importance of character. Language and thought are tasked to the utmost to express this. Visions of woe unspeakable, of joy ineffable, are used to picture the results of well-doing and evil-doing, to show that they radiate into eternity, and are immeasurable.” Then, following this declaration of what the Bible teaches, he goes on to say (and here the poison is introduced, a thousand times more dangerous in this connection, and coming from a professed preacher of the gospel than if it came from an avowed spiritualist like Judge Edmonds, or Prof. Denton): “And we have no right to break the force of this teaching, by the assumption that only one of two grand results is possible, and that so a man is saved at last, his misdeeds will hurt him little. That is neither according to Scripture, nor moral reason. He only that is righteous is to be ‘righteous still;’ he that is holy to be holy still.” According as a man has attained in this stage, so is his beginning in the next. He must commence there according as he has finished here, on a high plane or a low one.” The two last sentences of the above quotation express an idea which cannot be misunderstood—an idea that, next to the dogma of inherent immortality, is one of the most important principles in the creed of modern spiritualism. Yet it is no part of the teachings of God’s word. Mr. B. must certainly have based the idea thus presented upon “moral reason,” instead of “Scripture.” We quote again, language to which we can take no exception, every word being true:— “Modern forms of religious feeling do not make so much account as former ones, of preparation for death.” (Especially is this true of present truth.) “And it is no loss that they do not, if only they sufficiently insist on rightness of life. That, taking the words in their largest sense, including faith and love Godward, as well as right action manward, is the only preparation for death that is good for anything. Any other preparation, whether it be receiving church rites, or going through some kind of emotional experience, that will serve as a passport at the heavenly gates, is a delusion. To love God, to trust him and obey him, to be pure, and upright, and loving, that is the only preparation for death, and that is the only true life.” How beautiful the truth! Error, how seductive, and yet, when seen in its true light, how hideous! When we consider that the truth elevates, purifies, sanctifies, how desirable. And when we consider that error degrades, contaminates, destroys, how essential that we are prepared to discriminate—to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” Oh! that we might feel the importance of a thorough knowledge of the great Detector; that we might be led to search the Scriptures, put on the whole armor of God, have our loins girt about with truth; that in our wrestling “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits [margin] in high places,” we “may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Jamaica, Vt., Sept., 1872.