That Mr. Campbell was a learned, able man, and said many good things, none will deny, though not believing all his theory. With some, his words have great weight. His arguments against sprinkling and infant baptism are strong and well put. The same argument applied to Sunday-keeping would demolish that also. Hear him on the
INSTITUTION OF INFANT BAPTISM.
“If, then, it be a divine institution, it must be a Christian institution; and if a Christian institution, it must have been instituted by Jesus Christ. Of course, then, the proof necessarily lies upon him that affirms Jesus Christ ordained it. We ask for such evidence. Those who have it must, then, produce it. It is not incumbent on us to prove that the Messiah did not institute or claim infant baptism. It is incumbent on them who inculcate and practice it to show the Christian authority under which they act. A positive institution requires positive precept—a positive and express authority. No positive institution has ever been established upon mere inference. To attempt to found a positive Christian ordinance upon an inference, or upon a series of inferences, is, in spirit and effect, to stultify and make void its pretensions. When was there in the history of the Bible a positive institution or a divine ordinance erected, enforced and practiced, upon a mere inference? We ask for a parallel case. It never has been given. It never can be given. We have called upon its advocates times without number for such precept—for such a positive injunction; but hitherto we have asked in vain.” (Christian Baptism, B. 3, Ch. 1, pp. 217, 218.
Apply this test to the fabulous institution of the first-day Sabbath and where would it be? Just where infant baptism is—nowhere.
POWER OF TRADITION.
“The plea of ancient tradition is the strength of popery, and the weakness of Protestantism. We advocate, not ancient, but original, Christianity. The plea of high antiquity or tradition has long been the bulwark of error. It cleaves to its beloved mother, TRADITION, hoary tradition, with an affection that increases as she becomes old and feeble. Errorists of all schools are exceedingly devout and dutiful so far as the precept, ‘Honor thy father and thy mother,’ is concerned.” Id., Book 2, Ch. 2, p. 233.
Tradition is the stronghold of Sunday-keeping, as all know. Indeed, it is about the only argument the followers of Mr. Campbell rely on for their practice in this thing. Wish they would be as consistent in this, as in their arguments for baptism.
Again, on the same point, Mr. Campbell says: “No one need ask, Why then so early introduced and so long in practice, and why believed by so many great, and learned, and excellent men? Ah, me! what profane tenets, what profane aberrations from the Sacred Scriptures may not be maintained and defended in this way! How ancient the alleged saving virtue of celibacy—the fasts, the feasts, the penances, and works of supererogation of papal superstition! Nay, how many excellent Roman worshipers of the Virgin Mary! What Fenelons, and Rollins, and Pascals, and St. Pierres, adorn the annals of, and fill the niches of, papal fame! If great, and learned, and revered names can authenticate tradition, silence demurs, and satisfy weak consciences, there is not an error in popery, nor an imagination in the ramblings of monkish fanaticism and religious buffoonery that may not be favorably regarded, and cherished with a profound and worshipful respect. But we have not so learned Christ.”—Christian Baptism, B. 3, Ch. 3, p. 246.
Good! That is sound Protestantism, and we wish they would all abide by it, not only in regard to baptism, but the whole truth.
PERPETUITY OF THE LAW.
On this Mr. Campbell has said some good things. Listen: “Salvation, in the aggregate, is all of grace; and all the parts of it are, consequently, gracious. Nor do we, in truth, in obeying the gospel, or in being buried in baptism, make void either law or gospel, but establish and confirm both.”—Christian Baptism, B. 5, Ch. 2, p. 285.
INFLUENCE OF THE SPIRIT.
“On the subject of spiritual influence, there are two extremes of doctrine. There is the Word-alone system, and there is the Spirit-alone system. I believe in neither. The former is the parent of a cold, lifeless rationalism and formality. The latter is, in some temperaments, the cause of a wild, irrepressible enthusiasm; and, in other cases, of a dark, melancholy despondency.”—Christian Baptism, B. 5, Ch. 3, p. 286.
It is sad that his own followers have fallen into one of these extremes, that of the “word-alone system.” The fruit is just what he described.
WILL-WORSHIP.
“And, indeed, every religious practice which is not founded upon an explicit revelation of the will of Heaven, is will-worship. The language of it is this: ‘Thou shouldst have appointed this, and we are supplying a defect in thy wisdom or goodness.’ Such is the spirit of every innovation in divine worship.”—Christian Baptism, B. 6, Ch. 8, p. 406.
Good! Bro. Campbell. Now try this rule on Sunday-keeping. Is this explicitly revealed? No one claims that it is; yet they universally practice it, and thereby virtually say that they are left to supply out of their own wisdom an important practice which God’s wisdom omitted to ordain. Hence it is nothing but will-worship.
D. M. Canright.
Glencoe, Minn.
Spiritual Interpretation.
By spiritual interpretation is understood that which is arrived at without recourse to any law of language, but according to the fancy of the interpreter. It is the meaning which any expositor may guess to be hidden under language, the natural and obvious sense of which conveys no such significance. It is in opposition to this, and not to tropes and symbols, that the phrase “Literal Interpretation” is used. Says Mr. Brooks:
“I wish it understood that when I speak of the literal sense of prophecy, or of a phrase, I mean that I understand the words in the primary significance thereof, and not in any mystical, enigmatical, or symbolic sense; excepting such ordinary, figurative, or typical use of them, as would not affect the obvious sense of them at the time they are spoken.
“It seems to be a device of Satan, when he cannot hope to lead men altogether from the faith of Scripture, to become an angel of light, and in that character to lead them to some subtlety in the way of interpretation or application of Scripture which virtually renders it useless; and among these modes is that of setting the ingenuity to work to find out what is called a spiritual meaning.” (Elements of Prophecy, pp. 97, 98.)
It is through this mode of interpretation that teachings of Scripture are falsified by erroneous doctrines, and the word of God brought into disrepute. It was first introduced by Origen, Jerome, and others. They were denominated Allegorizers by Nepos, and others who wrote against them. In opposition to their principles of interpretation, Martin Luther, in his Annotations on Deuteronomy, says:
“That which I have so often insisted on elsewhere, I here once more repeat, viz.: That the Christian should direct his first efforts toward understanding the literal sense (as it is called) of the Scripture, which alone is the substance of the faith of Christian theology—which alone will sustain him in the hour of trouble and temptation—and which will triumph over sin, death, and the gates of hell, to the praise and glory of God. The allegorical sense is commonly uncertain, and by no means safe to build our faith upon, for it usually depends on human opinion and conjecture only, on which, if a man lean, he will find it no better than an Egyptian reed. Therefore, Origen, Jerome, and similar of the fathers, are to be avoided, with the whole of the Alexandrian school, which, according to Eusebius and Jerome, formerly abounded in this interpretation. For, later writers unhappily following their too much praised and prevailing example, it has come to pass that men make just what they please of the Scriptures until some accommodate the word of God to the most extravagant absurdities; and, as Jerome complains of his own times, they extract a sense from Scripture repugnant to its meaning; of which offense, however, Jerome himself was also guilty.” (Ann. in Deut., cap. 1., fo. 55.)
Dr. Mosheim observes:
“After the encomiums we have given to Origen, etc., it is not without deep concern we are obliged to add, that he also, by an unhappy method, opened a secure retreat for all sorts of errors, which a wild and irregular imagination could bring forth.” And after noticing that he abandoned the literal sense, and divided the hidden sense into moral and mystical, or spiritual, he adds: “A prodigious number of interpreters, both in this and the succeeding ages, followed the method of Origen, though with some variations; nor could the few who explained the sacred writings with judgment and a true spirit of criticism, oppose with any success the torrent of allegory that was overflowing the church.” (Ch. Hist., cent. 3, part 2, sec. 5, 6.)
Milner, in his Church History, says in somewhat similar terms:
“No man, not altogether unsound and hypercritical, ever injured the church of Christ more than Origen did. From the fanciful mode of allegory introduced by him, and uncontrolled, by scriptural rule and order, there arose a vitiated method of commenting on the sacred pages, which has been succeeded by the contrary extreme—viz., a contempt of types and figures altogether. And in a similar way his fanciful ideas of letter and spirit tended to remove from men's minds all just conceptions of genuine spirituality. A thick mist for ages pervaded the Christian world, supported and strengthened by his allegorical manner of interpretation. The learned alone were considered as guides implicitly to be followed; and the vulgar, when the literal sense was hissed off the stage, had nothing to do but to follow wherever their authority might lead them.” (Vol. 1, p. 469.)
The same principles of interpretation still widely prevail, and are the prolific source of unnumbered errors in doctrine and in biblical exposition. It is therefore important that they be corrected by sounder principles of exegesis.—Ad. Chris. Times.
Half-Learned Critics.
By Dr. A. Thomson
THE practice of taking advantage of the early morning for travelling is a necessity in the East, in order to get the full benefit of the cooler hours of the day, and to have time for the rest and repast at noon, when traveling would be intolerably oppressive and often dangerous. But while this is the unvarying practice, when proceeding from day to day on a pilgrimage, it is never done on the first day of a departure. On that day the party does not leave until within a few hours of sunset, and often pitches its tent on the first night within sight of the place which it has left. This was our uniform experience. The custom, which has all the authority of a law, is very ancient, and allusions to it can be discovered in Jewish writers at least a century before Christ. The reason in which it appears to have originated was the very simple one that if, on the first evening of unloading the baggage, it was found that anything of value had been left behind, or anything indispensable to the journey unprovided, there might yet be time to return and procure it. This custom illustrates one of the most beautiful passages in the history of our Lord. When Joseph and Mary were on their way back from Jerusalem, on the first occasion of their visit with Jesus to the Temple at the feast, they discovered, when halting at sunset, that their wondrous child was not in the company. The fact has long been used as a stock objection with infidels, and with interpreters who dwell on the border-land of infidelity, and it has even been picked up and appropriated by Strauss, as casting doubt on the reality of the entire narrative. Was it credible, it has been said, that our Lord’s parents could have taken a long day’s journey, and never once have inquired for a child so deserving of their love? This is another instance of that skeptical quarreling with the Scripture narrative which has its origin in half-knowledge. Joseph and Mary, it is probable, were only a few miles distant from the city when they made their painful discovery. We saw Jerusalem on the day of our leaving it from the place of our encampment on our way south-eastward.—Dr. A. Thomson in the Christian Weekly.
The Thistle and the Ropewalk.
“Such a mite as I can do no good,” is the general impression of our boys and girls, when they are urged to do what they can for the good work. But smaller, humbler instruments than you God has made use of to do great works in this world.
A great army, many years ago, invaded Scotland. They crept on stealthily over the border, and prepared to make a night attack on the Scottish forces. There lay the camp, all silently in the star-light, never dreaming that danger was so near. The Danes, to make their advance more noiseless, came forward barefooted. But as they neared the sleeping Scots, one unlucky Dane brought his broad foot down squarely on a bristling thistle. A roar of pain was the consequence, which rang like a trumpet-blast through the sleeping camp. In a moment each soldier had grasped his weapon, and the Danes were thoroughly routed. The thistle was from that time the national emblem of Scotland.
By the harbor of New-London there was once a long, old rope-walk, with a row of square window-holes fronting the water. In time of war, a British admiral was cruising off that coast, and had a very good chance to enter and destroy the town. He was once asked afterward why he did not do it. He replied that he should have done so “if it hadn’t been for that formidable long fort, whose guns entirely commanded the harbor.” He had been scared off by the poor old rope-walk.
God has his uses for even the simplest and humblest of us. Our great business should be to find out what the Lord would have us to do, and then do it with all our might, mind, and strength.—Exchange.
A SCOFFER REBUKED.
By Rev. John Graham
—A man scoffingly asked, “What advantage has a religious man over one like myself? Does not the sun shine on me as well as on him this fine day?” “Yes,” replied his companion, a pious laborer, “but the religious man has two suns shining on him at once—one on his body, the other on his soul.”—Rev. John Graham.
The Vermont Tent.
By A. C. Bourdeau; D. T. Bourdeau
On Thursday, Aug. 29, we decided to pitch our tent in East Charleston, and the next day two young men brought the tent and our baggage with their team, from Irasburgh to this place, the distance of fifteen miles, free of charges; and after 3 o’clock P. M. they aided us in getting the center pole and stakes, and in pitching the tent, etc., while it rained the whole time so that we were all wet thoroughly. We commenced our lectures Sunday morning, the 1st inst., and although the weather has been against us, on account of the rain which continued for several days, yet the attendance has been very good, and thus far the interest has been deepening and widening. The people say that they have never heard such preaching before, and calls to visit families come to us from every quarter.
Last Sunday, we dwelt on the third message and on the Sabbath question. Eld. Smalley, a Baptist minister, changed his arrangement for meetings in this place on that day, and attended three meetings under the tent; and yesterday two clergymen came, one six miles, and the other twenty miles, to the tent to hear us. They asked several questions on the prophetic periods, and purchased some of our works on the prophecies. This is said to be a hard place; but we are encouraged to believe that there are honest souls here who will embrace the truth. We shall endeavor to be thorough in our labors.
Last Sabbath, we met with the Irasburgh church in Brownington, about thirteen miles from here, and enjoyed a profitable season. These dear friends are trying to hold up our hands by their prayers for us, and to assist us also with their temporal blessings.
A. C. BOURDEAU,
D. T. BOURDEAU.
East Charleston, Vt., Sept. 10, 1872.
Hutchinson, Minn.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Since writing our last report, things have lightened up very much. After the first few days the people began to come in more, and our congregation has gradually risen from 30 up to 300, and there seems to be a very healthy interest indeed. They seem to be a very intelligent people, and all classes are represented here,—Infidels, Universalists, Spiritualists, Mormons, Age-to-come, First-day and Seventh-day Adventists, Lutherans, Catholics, and the whole list of Orthodox. We have had a Bible-class in our tent every day, commencing right after breakfast; and frequently lasting nearly the whole day, in which there has been present all the way from six to twenty; and a very interesting time of it we have had indeed. We have given particular attention to the Age-to-come theory. This is the first time I ever met it. I think we have received some light on that theory, particularly on Zechariah 12:13, 14. May write it out sometime.
Friday night, preached on spiritualism. Saturday night, Mr. Potter, trance speaker, a celebrated lecturer among the spiritualists, and their traveling agent for this State, came to town, to fill an appointment; so we had a debate Saturday evening and Sunday forenoon, the first one I ever held with a spiritualist. He spoke in a trance. Our tent was crowded, and there was a great interest among the people. He started off very reverential in his talk about the Bible, as though he believed it, believed in a God, and the Christian religion, and would stand by the Bible as his proof.
Thus, of course, we had the whole advantage of him. In the second session, he came out and squarely denounced the whole thing and said that God told the first lie, and the devil told the truth; and much more to the same effect. The congregation hissed him, upon which he called them geese and other low names. Then they laughed at him, and he got madder still and acted very unbecomingly, until he lost the sympathy of everybody. This made them very enthusiastic in our favor. I think I have never witnessed a better victory in a debate than the truth gained in this. He undertook to lecture in the meeting-house in the afternoon, but he only had about fifteen or twenty to hear him, while we had the tent full; and at night he had to withdraw his appointment, and so came to hear me. I preached on the end of the wicked, with good freedom. At the close of the meeting, some of our outside friends requested the privilege of taking up a collection to defray our expenses, when about $20 were raised.
We sold all our books on spiritualism. It is the general feeling here now that spiritualism is pretty thoroughly killed in this place for some time to come at least. We are having invitations out to visit now in every direction, more than we can fill. Also there seems to be openings around here now for lectures as soon as we are through here. We feel in hopes that we may now be able to accomplish something. So far as we can judge, we have not in a long time seen a better or more healthy interest than we have here.
Bro. Long was at Glencoe last Sabbath, and reports a more encouraging state of things there than we expected. There are twelve keeping the Sabbath as the result of our meetings, and they have regular Sabbath meetings, although all are not near enough to meet with them. Bro. Russell will probably give a course of lectures in some of these openings as soon as labor with the tent is closed. This, either he or Bro. Long are now well able to do, I think. These brethren have taken hold and helped me in preaching and laboring with the tent so that I have got along well. It has been discouraging to see no more interest than we have had all summer, but they have improved in studying and learning to go out alone. Hope our brethren will still remember us.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
Hutchinson, Minn., Aug. 29.
Southern Iowa Tent.
By J. Hare; S. Osborn
As before stated, we pitched our tent at Martinsburg, July 16. Harvest having fairly commenced, we could not expect very many out to hear. We also found that a great amount of prejudice had preceded us, and a disposition on the part of the churches to attack us. The community are mainly Methodists and Presbyterians, who had been preaching against our views before we came, especially the Sabbath.
Notwithstanding the efforts against us, we had a respectable hearing for the first ten days; then a traveling Quaker coming along, he was prevailed upon to stop and speak against us. We adjourned our meeting to hear him. We found the house crowded, and evidently a great anxiety on the part of many to hear. The Quaker proving a failure, the Methodist minister came to the rescue, whose spirit proving not of the kind that comes from above, rather injured, than helped his cause. One of his own members followed him with a few pointed remarks, which exposed him before the house.
This meeting not proving what was desired, a Disciple elder was sent for, although they would not have let him into their church on any other occasion. He came on Friday, and proposed to stay till Sunday evening. We invited him to speak in the tent. He declined, unless we would give him all the time till he left. We, of course, declined this, and he spoke in the Methodist church. We went and heard him the first evening, and announced that we would review him the next evening, at the tent. We had over half the crowd. He then proposed to debate the law question with us. We told him we would, provided the Methodists and Presbyterians would indorse him. At this he took offense. Said he stood on his own foundation, and left. He succeeded in quieting the consciences of many, on the no-law basis. The Methodist minister himself swallowed the dose, so we are credibly informed.
We continued our meetings at this place till Aug. 11, giving twenty-four discourses. Sold about ten dollars' worth of books. Obtained two subscribers for REVIEW, two for Health Reformer, and five good souls have resolved to keep all the commandments of God, and obey the truth as far as they have heard and understand, while others are favorably impressed, who we trust will yet see where their interest lies and take hold of the truth.
The people at this place expecting a tent-meeting, we concluded to pitch here, seven miles east of Martinsburg. A Methodist camp-meeting commencing near by, Aug. 14, we adjourned till the 21st. Have given, up to this time, twelve discourses, with fair congregations. But few books taken, so far.
J. HARE,
S. OSBORN.
Ioka, Sept. 3, 1872.
Wisconsin Tent.
By D. Downer
We write to acknowledge the goodness of God in blessing our feeble efforts here. We have now labored six weeks in this place. Our congregation is not decreasing in interest or number. We have held three Sabbath meetings. The Lord certainly met with us. Thirty-six testimonies were given, many of which were such as to cause tears to flow. Some wept for past sins, others for joy. Sixty-five arose, testifying that they would keep all God’s commandments. Eight who are keeping the whole law were not present. As it rained in the morning, they were prevented, as they had from eight to eleven miles to come. There are very many who are waiting for others to move out and obey God; then they will follow.
There is, as is usually the case, bitter opposition on the part of some who, unwilling to see their fabric fall, resort to slander and meanness, to prop up a crumbling faith and destroy our influence. Their pulpit oratory has entirely failed to turn people’s ears away from the truth. The ministers tell their flocks we are not competent men to teach, because we do not point with pride to high birth and theological schools as the source of our strength, but to Daniel’s God, who, being changeless, answers the prayer of faith no less readily than when he brought his children through the furnace of fire, and shut the lions’ mouths to his own glory. We are confirmed in our former belief that opposition cannot be successful where the opposing party resort to slander. Then let us always fight our foes with truth.
There are, in every place, some who readily embrace new theories. Such are astonishingly few here. Many had firmly planted themselves in infidelity, and bid defiance to theological reasoning to overthrow their positions. Nearly all of this class have found in our exposition of prophecy truth too plain for honest men to deny, and have been among the first to adopt our faith. Others, who have been members of other churches from ten to thirty years, and acknowledged by all as honest people, have gone earnestly to keeping all God’s commandments. Some say, Why should old Bro. M., a faithful old Methodist, leave? He can’t be any better by joining the Adventists. We answer, He has heeded the cry, Come out of her my people, and with many others, can only express his joy with broken words and tears.
Ministers cry aloud, Adventism a humbug! But their best members are embracing it. How do they account for that? They say they have gone crazy, or are deluded, and will soon return again.
Those who have taken hold of the truth here are now anxious to build a church. We are to meet to-morrow night to arrange for this purpose. Several hundred dollars have been already offered.
But Satan always opposes when God works. There is much more of interest that I should like to give to encourage your hearts. But for want of space I forego the pleasure. Permit me to say to the dear scattered saints, Tears fill our eyes often when we think of you as you toil on. We say, Be encouraged. God is certainly moving in a special manner this year among his patient saints. Brethren on the walls of Zion, let us give the last loud call to perishing men, daily agonizing with God for more strength with which to battle Satan’s hosts. What may we not expect if we keep humble and maintain a close walk with God.
The fast ripening fields are calling for more laborers. We now have five especial calls for help. Oh! that our young men would move out to the rescue of perishing men. If your brother was drowning, you would plunge into eminent danger to rescue him. Then will we stand gazing out into the harvest of perishing souls, unmoved as they go down to ruin before our eyes? Will we let Satan surround us and peaceably become captive, with the two-edged sword rusting in our hands? He that can, is not a fit soldier for the army of the Lord. Better111by far lose some battles than never appear on the field to offer your life for the cause which cost Jesus his precious blood. Do we really know, shall we ever know, what God would do if we all would work in complete unity? Some will not work because they cannot wield a sword as large as Goliath did. But let us all pray for more Davids, with sling and pebble in hand, and God to direct, and in this our last struggle we will soon join our voices in the great choir in singing praise to our great Deliverer.
Brethren, is not your very being inspired with glory as we near the promised land? Yes, you all say, yes, we will suffer, bear, and endure a little longer. Bring in your tithes. Fill up God’s store house. Don’t rob God and spend money for that which is not bread. Read but do not forget Bro. White’s advice in REVIEW, No. 10. Move out and let us bring in reports at the end of 1872 that will prove our humble walk with God, and compel our opposers to acknowledge our work as being of God.
D. DOWNER.
Mount Hope, Aug. 28, 1872
EXPERIENCE AND HOPE.
By Mary E. Guilford
Weary, worn, and tired of staying
Where abides no lasting peace,
We are watching, waiting, praying,
For the day of sweet release.
Omens of that day now nearing,
Fill our hearts with grateful praise;
Hope, our languid spirits cheering,
Chants her sweet, melodious lays.
Faith grows strong amid the darkness,
Joy lights up the deepening gloom,
Heaven’s bright smile dispels our sadness,
Peace to all yields sweet perfume.
Soon shall end all bitter mourning;
Soon shall cease all sin and strife;
Earth be robed with fair adorning,
Saints be crowned with endless life.
MARY E. GUILFORD.
Castalia, Ohio.
Missouri Tent.
By R. J. Lawrence
We pitched our tent in this place in a grove in a thinly settled farming country, only two houses in sight, on Wednesday, August 28, and commenced meetings the evening of the 29th, when, to our surprise, about sixty came in. The next evening there were one hundred present, the next, one hundred and fifty, and on Sunday, between three and four hundred Sunday eve, nearly the same. The question was, Where did they come from? The answer was, From one to fifteen miles away. Some who have heard, manifest quite an interest in what they have heard, and say they want to hear us through. They are quite an intelligent farming class of people, and we may hope for success here, by the blessing of the Lord. Pray for us, that we may be humble, and where the Lord can bless us and our labors. We have given six discourses, with a very good degree of freedom. Our tent is pitched about three miles from Bro. Butler’s. We have only one mail each week. Our Post-Office address is Half-rock, Mercer Co., Mo.
Sept. 3, 1872.
R. J. LAWRENCE.
Northern Iowa Tent.
By R. M. Kilgore
Thursday, Aug. 28, closed the meeting at Hook’s Point. Gave thirty-two discourses. The interest was fair, considering the busy season of the year and the number of inhabitants; our congregations averaging about one hundred. On Sunday it was greater.
This community is composed largely of Swedes, who were not able to fully understand preaching in English; though some are deeply interested, and earnestly request that one of our ministers who can talk to them in their own language would come and preach to them this doctrine. They can understand the Danish or Norwegian tongue. I think there is a good opening among this people for good to be done if Bro. Matteson or some of our Norwegian brethren could come and labor for them this fall.
Eld. Martin, of Homer notoriety, not being satisfied with his effort there, came to this place and spoke in the tent on the subject of Man. He evidently thought to settle this question also. He attempted to prove that man came in possession of this immortal principle at the new birth, for that which is “born of the Spirit is Spirit.” Surely, all men, then, do not have it, and away goes his doctrine of falling from grace, since immortality cannot see death. He also showed that souls exist in a conscious state after the death of the body, from the fact that the departed souls of Moses and Elias(?) were seen upon the mount; and that the messenger sent to John on Patmos was one of the “departed souls of the prophets,” which after all was an “immaterial substance.*”
I gave a short reply before the same audience. In one week he said he would preach again upon the Sabbath question. I tarried a few days longer with the tent in order to give our friends an opportunity to hear. Eld. M. failed to make his appearance, and I was invited to fill the appointment.
This closed our meeting. Twelve have signified their determination to keep all the commandments of God, while there are others deeply convicted, and whom we hope will yet yield obedience. Here we had regular Sabbath meetings from the first, the brethren from Homer meeting with us. Organized a Bible-class, in which all are deeply interested.
Last Sabbath, we met with the Homer brethren at the Eslick school-house. Found them all firm, and some have come out since the tent labor. At this meeting, others signed the covenant which we presented at Hook’s Point, making in all thirty-three who have covenanted together to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I meet with them again next Sabbath.
The tent is now pitched in Batch Grove, six miles north-west of Webster city and fourteen miles from Homer. Commenced meeting last night. Congregation small, as it is a country location. I do not expect a large attendance. I am still alone, though my younger brother is with me to care for the tent. I hope for the prayers of God’s people.
My address will now be Webster city, Hamilton Co., Iowa.
R. M. KILGORE.
Sept. 5, 1872.
New England Camp-Meeting.
By George I. Butler
This meeting was held in South Lancaster, Mass., on the ground recently purchased by the brethren for a permanent camp-ground. They have fitted it up with care and taste, and it answers well the purpose. It is convenient to the railroad. The grove is of pine trees, and the brethren there have manifested their liberality in paying eleven hundred dollars to make sure of a permanent place for meetings.
There were some thirty tents upon the ground, and about three hundred brethren. Bro. Andrews and Haskell were present to assist in the meetings. The weather was quite wet, and somewhat cool, and many of the meetings were therefore held under the large tent. The outside attendance Sunday was quite small compared with what it has been in many places. Our meetings passed off very pleasantly and we had no disturbance. All the business proceedings passed off well. Our religious meetings were interesting and profitable, and many expressed themselves as well satisfied with them, and spoke of great personal benefit they had received in attending them, because of the close and practical preaching to which they had listened, and the good social meetings they had enjoyed.
On Sabbath, from one hundred and fifty to two hundred came forward for prayers, still it seemed to me our meetings were hardly as spiritual and profitable as some of the camp-meetings we have held this season; and it seemed as if the work should have been continued till it got a deeper hold of the hearts of the people.
The brethren manifested a liberal spirit in answer to the call for the Hygienic Book Fund, and pledged upward of $1000.00 to that important object. Our brethren in this Conference certainly have set those in other States a noble example in liberally contributing to important enterprises. If the spiritual interests of the Conference are correspondingly prominent, it will no doubt receive a great blessing from the Lord.
In this direction there is no doubt room for improvement. Owing to the many calls upon Bro. Haskell’s time, and the scarcity of proper labor, the brethren no doubt feel the need of help. May God bless his cause in New England, and may there be found many who will give their hearts to God, and their efforts to the advancement of his cause.
GEO. I. BUTLER.
Obituary Notices.
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.
FELL asleep, in Burlington Township, Mich., Sept. 8, 1872, Mary Elizabeth Waggoner, aged thirty-six years, and twenty-one days.
Sister Mary was born in Morgan Co., Ohio. She embraced the present truth in Putnam Co., O., soon after it was introduced in that county by Bro. Cornell. She resided in Michigan, principally in Battle Creek, for about thirteen years past. She was conscientious and devoted in her religious life, and much esteemed by her associates. Her disease was consumption. Funeral at the Methodist house in Burlington. Text, 2 Sam. 14:14. J. H. W.
DIED, Aug. 30, 1872, of dysentery, Linda L., daughter of O. B. and E. A. Sevy, of Greenbush, Clinton Co., Mich., aged six years, five months, and eleven days. She was sick ten days. She had the scrofula at her birth, and when six weeks old was the sorest child I ever saw, from the crown of her head, to the soles of her feet; so much so that we could not find a spot free from sores, except on her face, that we could touch with the finger. Under hygienic treatment, she soon got well, and never saw but one sick day until the time of her death.
She has ever been treated hygienically, and has shown no signs of scrofula, unless connected with the disease of which she died. She was a lovely and obedient child, and we deeply feel the loss.
O. B. and E. A. SEVY. Greenbush, Sept. 3, 1872.
DIED, in Burt Co., Neb., Aug. 8, from injuries received by being thrown from a horse and the horse falling on him, D. H. Hare, son of Thomas and Eliza J. Hare, aged twenty-five years, seven months, and one day. M. D. CLARK.
DIED, at Nashville, Mo., Sept. 2, 1872, of typhoid fever, Francis A. Wood, eldest son of Jos. G. Wood, in his 22d year. Funeral services by the writer, from 1 Thess. 4:13. L. D. SANTEE.
DIED, at Oakland, Wis., Aug. 12, 1872, our youngest child, Nathan Bennett, aged 1 year, 6 months, and 23 days. We miss our little one very much; but we have tried to trust in the Lord, and have felt his sustaining grace, believing that the Lord doeth all things well.
Words were spoken on the occasion by Bro. E. M. Crandall.
OLEY A. & JENNIE OLSON.
California Quarterly Meetings and Tent Campaign Report
By John Norton Loughborough
California.
My last report was dated July 18. I was at that time attending our series of quarterly meetings. The meeting at Petaluma was held the 20th and 21st. The meetings were encouraging to the little flock there; especially were they encouraged by the presence of some who had become interested in reading our works, some of whom they expect will yet take their stand upon the truth.
At Healdsburg, the last of our series of quarterly meetings, we had a good attendance, and an encouraging meeting. Six were baptized at this meeting, five of whom had of late embraced the truth through the reading of books, and the missionary efforts of their friends. We learn that since the meeting another one has come out.
After spending a few days at home, preparing for another campaign with the tent, I came to Woodland, holding an evening meeting in San Francisco, to appoint a leader and treasurer to act in place of our beloved Bro. Johnson, who has been acting for several months as ordained elder of the church, but now goes to his former home at LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
Found the interest still good at Woodland, although by the excessive hurry of harvest the attendance had not been as large as before harvest. Bro. Cornell was somewhat reduced by excessive heat, and needed a few days' benefit of cooler climate. While I took hold here, he went for a week to San Francisco, where the church were encouraged by his presence and testimony, while his system was braced somewhat by their cool sea breeze.
During the excessively hot weather of July, it had become necessary to suspend all day-time meetings in the tent. On my return, we commenced Sabbath meeting again, with an attendance of thirty-five. Several bore testimony. Twelve arose to keep the Sabbath. Five more new ones kept last Sabbath, making, in all, twenty-five that have avowed their determination to us to obey the Sabbath truth.
The day Bro. Cornell was to return here, I was called home, by telegraph, to witness the death of our babe, five months and eleven days old. It had suffered with lung difficulty for several weeks, which terminated in lung and brain fever, which proved fatal. Thus another link in our circle is broken. While we mourn, it is not without hope. Soon the Lifegiver will come, and bring again these little ones from the land of the enemy.
Sunday, last, I returned to this place and spoke in the evening to a tent nearly filled with attentive listeners. Monday evening, a discussion commenced between Bro. Cornell and Prof. Martin, of the Disciples, on the Sabbath question. This discussion, which continued four evenings, and closed last evening, was a complete victory for the cause of truth, and has decided many minds that the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is still binding. We shall now follow up the work as rapidly as possible, and urge the people out to obey.
To-night, J. M. Peebles, spiritualist, formerly from Battle Creek, gives a discourse on the immortality of the soul, and to this Bro. Cornell replies to-morrow evening, if the Lord will. In the discussion on the Sabbath question, the professor introduced some points that were novel. Of these we may say something in our next.