Earlier text: STORMSTHE PAPACY.
By J. M. Gallemore
In the days of our Saviour’s humiliation, Pagan Rome held universal dominion. It was this power that put to death the male children under two years of age, in order that the Saviour, whose birth had been foretold, might be destroyed. And it was this power that crucified the Saviour of mankind at the close of his earthly ministry. The Saviour died upon the cross, was buried, was raised from the dead in accordance with the Scriptures, and ascended to his Father, to plead his shed blood in behalf of sinful man. Years rolled on, and Pagan Rome became Christianized, so-called, and was no longer Pagan Rome, but Papal Rome. Pagan Rome we find symbolized in the book of Revelation by the great red dragon, while Papal Rome is symbolized by the beast with ten horns, representing Rome in its division into ten kingdoms. To this beast (Papal Rome) the dragon (Pagan Rome) gave its seat and power. Being possessed of the same power and actuated by the same spirit, the beast, or Rome Papal, also persecuted the Lord and Saviour in the person of his followers, millions of whom were put to death on account of their faith. In Rev. 13, this antichristian power is represented by the beast with “a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.” Of this presuming, persecuting, and blaspheming power, there is a great deal said in God’s word, which contains a terrible threatening against it. In the book of Daniel, seventh chapter, the head of this Papal power is symbolized by a little horn, which arises, speaks great words against the Most High, wears out his saints, and thinks to change times and laws (of God). In 2 Thess. 2: 3, 4, this same presuming power is represented as the “man of sin,” “who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” So, in the Revelation, we have the “beast,” in Daniel the “little horn,” and in 2 Thessalonians the “man of sin,” all referring to the same power, Rome Papal, as generally admitted by Protestants. In each instance, this power speaks the same blasphemous words, performs the same wicked acts, and, lastly, comes to the same terrible end—destruction in the lake of fire that shall destroy the tares when the angel reapers shall come to reap the harvest of the world in the last day. Dear reader, there is no surmising or guess-work in the above. It is plainly revealed in God’s word. The word of the Lord is against this wicked power; and it is also against those who, in the last day, will be found possessing its mark. For the papacy has a mark of its power, in contradistinction to the memorial of God’s power, the holy Sabbath. It has set up an institution which is the rival of the Sabbath. This institution is the Sunday, a day to be kept for a different reason from that given by God for the observance of his Sabbath. And because all the world, as it were, acknowledge, by their words and acts, the authority of the Papal Church to make this change in God’s law, substituting the first day of the week for God’s Sabbath, it therefore claims Sunday as its mark of power. Now, dear reader, against the reception of this mark of the beast, in the full light of all the facts in the case, God has a solemn warning. If you wish to read this warning, turn to the fourteenth chapter of Revelation, in which is a definite message from God, to be proclaimed to the world just prior to the coming of our Lord and Saviour from Heaven to receive his waiting people. As you value your soul’s salvation, do not put this subject away without giving it a thorough investigation. The great Author of creation, with infinite wisdom, has “placed lights in the firmament of the heaven, . . . for signs, and for seasons, for days, and years.” If our lives were not marked by the revolving years, we should have nothing to remind us of the swiftness of time; but as it is, each successive year is a guide-board to eternity. The following is a fit revery for the gliding years: “The years, how they have passed! They have gone, as clouds go on a summer day. They came, they grew, they rolled full-orbed, they waned, they died,—their story is told. Years that have wrought upon us in thought and deed with the force and power of eternity, years whose marks we shall carry forever, have been dissolved like dew, and their work is finished.” Though the years of our lives be many, they will, if misspent, prove our eternal ruin. But, if rightly used, they will prove the greatest of blessings; for with them we may win the “eternal reward.” If our lives are crowned with God’s love, and our days spent in his service, then our “years shall not fail,” and in the new earth we shall go up to Jerusalem from year to year “to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” NORMAN MACLEOD once attended a meeting of scientists in which the meteoric theory was discussed. He seems to have been greatly stirred by the assumptions of what is called advanced thought; for he made a speech whose wit charmed if its logic did not convince. He afterward wrote to a friend that “perhaps the men of science would do well, in accordance with these last results, to re-write the first chapter of Genesis in this way:—” “I. The earth was without form and void. “II. A meteor fell upon the earth. “III. The result was fish, flesh, and fowl. “IV. From these proceeded the British Association. “V. And the British Association pronounced it tolerably good.” “Just once,” is the devil’s plea, an enticement which has ruined many a soul. One hour of passion may blast a life of carelessness. One hour of sleep on the part of a pilot may send the noblest vessel to the bottom of the sea; and one single indulgence in the intoxicating cup may throw the balance of a man’s will into the devil’s hands, and he, knowing that it is his only chance, may do his worst. “Never,” says Dr. Jabez Burns, “shall I forget the end of one member of the church of which I was pastor at Perth. He was a moderate drinker, and at the solicitation of a traveler with whom he had business, retired one evening to the hotel. For the first time in his life he became intoxicated, went home, and in the heat of passion excited by liquor, committed upon his wife injuries of which she died. “In due time he was tried, the evidence was conclusive, and a sentence of death pronounced. Never will it be effaced from my memory. I attended him in his cell, and was the last to leave him on the scaffold; and there, within sight of the church of which he had been forty years a member, he was hung like a dog.” Beware of being once drunk—beware of the first glass, and you need not fear the last.—Sel. Has not the church almost to learn yet what is the power of prayer? What conception have we of believing prayer, before which mountains depart? What of persevering prayer, which causes us to stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day time, and which sets us in our ward whole nights? What of importunate prayer which storms Heaven with its violence and force? What of united prayer, gathering us together to ask help of the Lord? What of constant prayer, which regards no iniquity in our hearts? What of practical prayer, which fulfills itself? Let such prayers be understood; let our spirit but break with such longing, and the expectations of our bosoms shall not be delayed. “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”—Dr. J. Hamilton. The Gift of Power to Use Gifts
It is not desirable to be one of those men who possess almost all gifts except the gift of power to use them.—Kingsley. FAITH AND WORKS.
By James White
SERMON PREACHED BY ELDER JAMES WHITE, AT BATTLE CREEK, SABBATH MORNING, AUG. 11, AND REPORTED FOR THE REVIEW AND HERALD. Text: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. James 2:18. The drift of the apostle’s reasoning is evidently to show the absurdity of salvation by faith without works. In this connection he conveys the idea that a man shows by his works all the faith he has; or that works are the measure of the Christian’s faith. I have so much Scripture to present upon this subject that my comments must be very brief. In fact, I would rather let the apostles, James, Paul, and John speak upon this subject of faith and works than to speak myself. I will read from the second chapter of James, commencing with verse 10: “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” What law? Let the next verse answer:— “For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.” By law he means the moral code, as he quotes two of its precepts. “Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” The moral code, in contrast with the law of types which presented redemption only in figure, is called the law of liberty. “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath showed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?” If James’ brethren were here, we should hear a chorus of voices answer, No, no indeed, faith alone cannot save him. The apostle illustrates:— “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit?” Answer, nothing. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Will the formalist have works alone? God pity him. Will the fanatic have faith alone? God pity him also. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” Both the formalist, who trusts in his good works, and the fanatic, who trusts in his faith without works, are here rebuked. “Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well. The devils also believe, and tremble.” This reference to the believing devils, who do not hold to good works, is a most biting rebuke of the heresy that men may be saved by faith alone. “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Next comes an illustration. An eminent patriarch is introduced to illustrate this great subject of faith and works. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” Abraham believed fully, and obeyed. His act in offering Isaac is the measure of his faith. It is said that he was justified by works, faith being understood as the measure of his act in offering his only son. The full statement according to the doctrine set forth by the apostle would be, that he was justified before God because he believed God, and because he obeyed God, and that is the way we may stand justified before God. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his”—faith? Did I read that right? “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” I now call your attention to that blessed white-robed throng. “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these that are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:13, 14. There is work in washing. What would you think of the washer-woman who should get around her basket of soiled clothing, and then sit down and talk of washing them by faith? It is no less absurd to denounce works and hold that the Christian can believe himself into Heaven without obedience. Conversion is to cease to do evil, and learn to do well. Not in our own strength, however, but in the strength of Christ. The washing is done in the blood of the Lamb. The Christian works in Christ. What the formalist does out of Christ is not accepted of God. How did the unnumbered throng pass through great tribulation up to the shining shore? How did their robes become white? How did they obtain a moral fitness to stand in the presence of the great God and his Son, and of the holy angels? Here is the process, and be assured there is work in it: “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Oh! may the Spirit of God flash the truth home to every mind and heart that hears the living word of God read here this day. We are living in an age of extremes, and on no subjects are men prone to go to extremes as upon religious subjects. There is one class who see no beauty in Christ. They do not discern the efficacy of his blood. They have counted the blood of the covenant an “unholy [common] thing.” They regard Christ’s atoning blood as of no more value than that of any good man. Here is one extreme, laboring to build up a moral fitness for Heaven, leaving Christ out of the question. Another extreme is seen in those who set aside good works, and hang their hopes of eternal life on a sham faith in Jesus Christ, while their lives are not in harmony with the commandments of God. Which of the extremes is the more dangerous and fatal, God will judge. Not long since, I heard the statement that the Scriptures say that our righteousness is filthy rags. That expression occurs but once in all the Bible, and that is in Isa. 64:6: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Is this the language of the living church of Christ, standing in the freedom of the gospel? No, indeed. Read verse 7: “And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.” To apply these words to the church of Jesus Christ is the highest insult to our adorable Redeemer and his dear people. Some people talk as though they had nothing to do but to sit down and wait, and believe that by-and-by a white robe, manufactured, may be, up in Heaven, is to be brought forth and put upon men and women to cover the stains of sin that are upon them, as the light falling snow covers the dung-hill. God save us. The white-robed throng came out of great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They had worked in Christ, and in him had cleansed their robes of character. Christ identifies himself with his working people in Matt. 25:34–46: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me.” “Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” There is doing all through this blessed scripture. If you do these things to the smallest, and poorest, and feeblest disciple of the Lord, you do them to Christ. “Then shall he say unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” “Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, When saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment [because they did not do anything]; but the righteous into life eternal.” And this was because they did something. They believed in Christ, and this was why they worked. Wherever doing is mentioned, there believing is understood. Our works are the measure of our faith. God will judge men according to their works. “For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:10. This text needs no comment. Read also Rev. 20:12: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. Now, if we are to be saved by faith alone, why are not the angels writing the sum of our faith in the books in Heaven as we pass along toward the final Judgment? But the dead are to be judged according to their works, which are the measure of their faith. The reward in Heaven is to be according to works. Rev. 22:12: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Paul says, in 2 Tim. 4:6–8, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith [he is not speaking of his faith alone, but of what he had done], henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day.” Rom. 2:6: “Who will render to every man according to his [faith alone? No!] deeds. To them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality,—eternal life. [This is the reward.] But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.” In the very last book of the Bible there is a most remarkable statement. It is the benediction of the Son of God upon the doers. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Christ is the speaker. He speaks of his Father’s commandments. Hear ye him, my beloved congregation. Hear ye him, ye doubting souls. Hear ye him, ye who think to enter the pearly gates by faith without keeping the commandments of God. Hear ye the Son of God. J. W. THE TWO BODIES.
By James White
Under this caption we gave an article in the REVIEW for October 12, 1876, relative to “the relation which the S. D. Baptists and the S. D. Adventists sustain to each other.” From that article we copy the following paragraph, which contains our statement in substance upon the point, made before the S. D. Baptist General Conference at Walworth, Wis., on the evening of September 27, 1876:— “Both bodies have a specific work to do. God bless them both in all their efforts for its accomplishment. The field is a wide one. And we further recommend that Seventh-day Adventists in their aggressive work avoid laboring to build up Seventh-day Adventist churches where Seventh-day Baptist churches are already established. If ministers or members from the Seventh-day Baptists regard it their duty to come with us, under the impression that they can serve the cause of God better, we shall give them a place with us. But we see no reasons why there should be any effort put forth on the part of our people to weaken the hands of our Seventh-day Baptist brethren in order to add to our numbers from those who were before us in revering the ancient Sabbath of the Lord.” It will be seen that we, in our article in the REVIEW, from which we take the foregoing paragraph, did fulfill all that we pledged to the S. D. Baptist General Conference. In a few weeks after returning from the S. D. B. Conference, we went to California, where we remained until May, since which time our labors have been confined to Battle Creek. And during all the time since our very pleasant visit to the S. D. Baptists we had known nothing of the movements of our people in Minnesota only what was reported in the REVIEW, neither had we heard a word of complaint from Elder James Bailey of the S. D. Baptists, or from any of his brethren, until we saw in the Sabbath Recorder, the organ of the S. D. Baptists, that to which Elder Curtis calls attention in another column. Under these circumstances we greatly deplore the rashness of Elder Bailey and his brethren of the North-western Association. According to the statement of Elder Curtis, real grounds of complaint from our S. D. Baptist brethren have not existed. But admitting that our brethren in Minnesota have not acted fully up to our view of the matter expressed at the S. D. B. General Conference, Elder Bailey and his brethren should have appealed to us in the matter before publishing our name and our people to the world in so prejudicial a manner. If Elder Bailey did not hold us responsible for the action of our people in their relations to the S. D. Baptists in Minnesota, why publish us to the world? If he did hold us responsible, why did he not communicate with us in the matter before acting with the North-western Association in rashly passing sentence in the case, and giving our name, and that of our people, to the world in a manner calculated to excite bitter prejudice? For more than twenty years we have urged our people to treat the S. D. Baptists with great respect. We stood with Elder Andrews in the first Address from our General Conference to theirs, in 1868, which brought about relations enjoyed since that time by both bodies. We deeply regretted the havoc made in some of the S. D. Baptist churches in Pennsylvania, more than twenty years since, by men who do not now stand with us. For while that work weakened the S. D. Baptists, it brought but very little strength to our cause. In some localities there now exist both S. D. Adventist and S. D. Baptist churches. We cannot advise our brethren to give up the ground. We exhort them to respect the S. D. Baptist brethren, and seek to be in peace with them. We cannot shut our doors against the S. D. Baptists. And if under convictions of duty they wish to change church relations, we cannot refuse to receive them. But we do recommend that our preachers choose other localities for labor to raise up churches besides those where the S. D. Baptists have churches, and we have none. In most cases, the same amount of labor that would convert ten S. D. Baptists, and make them S. D. Adventists, would convert as many from the Roman Sunday and from the infidel world to all the doctrines of the S. D. Adventists. And with all respect to our S. D. Baptist brethren, we pen the honest convictions of our own mind that the best timber to build up our cause is that hewn from the forest, upon which there has been no theological lining and hewing. S. D. Adventists could hardly be tempered down to the moderation of S. D. Baptists, and it would be equally difficult for the S. D. Baptists to come under the inspiration of the advent faith, and keep pace with the vigilant movements of our people. Both bodies have been called into existence in the direct providence of God, and both have places to fill. The wide harvest field is before them, and each should labor to bring numerical strength to themselves without weakening the other. J. W. We copy the following from the Sabbath Recorder of Aug. 2, 1877:— TO THE EDITOR OF THE SABBATH RECORDER: In the Minutes of the North-Western Association, recently published in your paper, I find this preamble and resolution, offered by Eld. James Bailey, viz: Whereas, Eld. James White, of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, gave assurances to the Seventh-day Baptist General Conference at its last session that their laborers be advised not to go into our societies; and, Whereas, Since that time increasing labors have been performed by them in our churches in Minnesota, to the damage of our cause; therefore, Resolved, That the pledged faith of the head of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, for fraternal union, has been violated, much to our grief, and prejudicial to our unity with them. It appears from the record that the preamble and resolution was received, discussed, and adopted by the Association. I apprehend that61 Bro. Bailey could not have been well informed in regard to the facts in the case referred to; for had he been, it seems to me that he would not have introduced such a resolution into the Association, and I am confident that if the Association had known the facts, they would not have passed it had it been introduced. It appears to me that justice to all parties demands that a simple statement of the facts in the case should go before the readers of the Recorder, that, after having read them, they may the better judge as to whether any “pledged faith” “has been violated” so as to be a just cause of “grief” to any party, or be “prejudicial to” the “unity” of the two bodies. I therefore beg the privilege of a little space in your columns for this purpose, as it is of labors performed in the Minnesota churches that Bro. Bailey complains. And first, I will say that, as my home has been in the midst of the Carlton church, I have preached there two or three times within the last year by request of Eld. Backus, and once, as I was about to move away, by request of several of the neighbors. This, with the exception of one discourse by Eld. Babcock one evening last winter as he was passing, is all the labor that has been performed by our ministers in that church. At Dodge Center, we have a church which holds Sabbath meetings regularly in the village, and also quarterly meetings, some of which are attended by some of our ministers and others not. Thus much for this church. Two years ago this summer, Bro. Ellis and myself spent some weeks in meetings a few miles from the Transit Seventh-day Baptist church, and some of the members of that church attended once or twice. Several of them attended our last year's camp-meeting, and were very much interested. They requested Bro. Ellis and myself to visit them and hold some meetings with them. They occasionally met with our church at Round Grove, and our brethren, in turn, met with them from time to time. Last November we visited the Round Grove church, and spent a few days with them and one Sabbath. On the next Sabbath, with a number of our brethren, we attended a meeting with the Transit church, and were invited by the leading members of the church to remain and hold some meetings with them; and we did so, staying over the next Sabbath, presenting some of the leading features of our faith, apparently to their edification and satisfaction. I have never heard that any of the Transit brethren thought that our labors there were “to the damage of their cause,” nor do I believe that they feel so to-day. From there we went to New Auburn, nine miles distant, a place where Satan had long held sway, and there we labored for upwards of two months, the Lord working with us, and the Seventh-day Baptist brethren living within reach working heartily with us, making common cause without jar or discord. There we subsequently organized a church, consisting at first of six members, but since increased to fourteen, four of whom had been members of the Transit Seventh-day Baptist church. As the result of that labor, eight have been added to the Seventh-day Baptist Church, five or six of them being converts both to Christianity and the Sabbath as the direct fruit of our work at New Auburn. It is claimed by the S. D. B. brethren there, that what was gained to our church from theirs was no loss to them, while those added to them, as the fruit of our labors, they consider as valuable accessions. (See Eld. Backus's report from New Auburn, in Recorder.) These being the facts in the case, I can but say that, had Bro. Bailey been well informed in regard to them, I believe he would not have introduced such a preamble and resolution; and had the Association known them, it would not have taken an action that was not only totally uncalled for, but calculated to strengthen prejudices already existing, and to create them where none existed before. I deeply regret the course taken by the Association, but can only pray the Lord to so overrule it that no hindrance may thereby be interposed to the advancement of the precious cause in which, as his people, we are engaged. Before concluding, I will say that for a year and a half, the brethren in and around Dodge Center, have been earnestly pleading for help, and in response to those pleadings, Bro. Ellis and myself are now here with our tent, holding meetings every evening, and on Sabbath and first-day, with good congregations and close attention. We shall remain here so long as the interest and prospect of good demands. Dodge Center, Minn., July 18, 1877. ONE DAY AT THE DANVERS TENT.
By Stephen N. Haskell
Yesterday I spent with the tent company at Danvers. So many interesting things occurred during the time, that I am sure the brethren generally will be interested with a short account of the day. Danvers is a quiet little town of about five thousand inhabitants. It is four miles from the large city of Salem, and nineteen miles from Boston, and large cities and little villages are thick on every side; but Danvers itself is rather a rural town, and very beautiful. Withal, it is a temperance town—not having a licensed rum-seller in the place. Coming into town, we found the tent pitched in a very conspicuous place. Everybody who passes through town must see it. It is in a large, vacant lot, well sodded over with green grass. The brethren have two family tents, one 16x24, tastefully arranged, divided off into bed-rooms and a sitting-room, well furnished with carpet, chairs, table, and other conveniences. Then they have a kitchen tent, 12x16, conveniently furnished with stove, cupboards, tables, etc., all of which give the company a very comfortable and cheerful appearance. In the morning, the brethren began by repitching the big tent. I soon saw that it makes a great difference in the looks of a tent how it is pitched. Now, it sets as solid as a house, and as trim and neat as a tight-fitting boot; while before it looked loose and shiftless. As they need every foot of room for their audience, the stand and all the seats were arranged in the closest possible manner, so as yet to leave room to get around. And, by the way, I like the looks of their stand very much. The platform is broad, and neatly made. The stand extends the whole length in front, but is only twenty inches high. It is covered with a marble oil-cloth, instead of the usual black one which looks so somber. Then the elder has a neat little box large enough for his Bible and lamp. In the center, at each end of the stand, a post is driven down, on which a lamp rests. At evening, I noticed that everything looked light and cheerful. Instead of an ugly-looking board hung upon the center pole, they have four iron rods, each about four feet long, held by staples driven into the center pole. Then there were four more posts driven up in proper places in the tent, on each of which was a large lamp; so there were ten lamps, in all, in the sixty-foot tent. Every lamp was as clean and bright as a new silver dollar. This lights the tent as it should be. We have frequently seen tents with only a couple of little lamps on the stand, and two from the center pole. Of course, everything was dark and gloomy. What a contrast to the neat appearance here presented! Then the seating. Every seat has a back to it; and it is made in so cheap and simple a manner that we wonder that all our tent companies do not have them. A board about thirteen inches wide is set up for the back, and pieces of hoop iron, one at each end and one in the middle, are fastened just over the top of the back and under the bottom of the seat. This holds them securely. One man can put backs to all the seats in a tent in a day, at a trifling cost. The comfort is worth more than enough to pay the expense. As to the interest, Eld. Canright says that in all his labors he has never seen so great an interest as this, and I should judge that this was so. Soon after breakfast, a gentleman came in with six quarts of rich, fresh milk, just from the farm, five miles away. He said that was his little offering; and what is better, he proposes to visit them every day with some of the same substance. Soon after, another farm wagon drove up, and a gentleman said he had a little something for the tent folks. It was a fine lot of potatoes. A friendly neighbor sent in some nice green corn. Soon after, another good-hearted neighbor sent over four pounds of sugar as his token of interest. The next thing was a lot of berries from another interested hearer; and close following this was a mammoth loaf of the most relishable home-made bread. I believe the last offering of the kind came at evening. A gentleman drove up from a place eight miles distant, said he had a little gift for the folks, and emptied into their kitchen a bushel of early rose potatoes, the nicest of the season. Well, I thought and said, there was no danger of our brethren starving in this section, if this was a sample of the way they fare. I noticed several ladies called through the day, so that sisters Canright and Lamson were kept busy in entertaining them. One lady said, “Four of you must come to our house to dinner to-morrow.” By and by another lady came, and said, “We want your whole company to come to our house the next day.” About noon, a reporter came in, and said that he wanted a column of matter about our meetings for a large, weekly paper, which has an extensive circulation in all this region; but he had no time to write it. Would not the brethren write it for him? Certainly, that was just what they were anxious to do. Prof. Stone was soon seated at his table, and in two hours had a very racy, readable article ready for the printer. Another reporter called and wanted something good for three Boston papers. Eld. Canright took that job, and soon had an article which the reporter pronounced, “All right.” A man who is the head of a shoe firm told me that he employed over forty hands, and that every one of them was in the tent every night. He said that the tent and the doctrine there preached was the whole subject of conversation in his shop. Nothing else was talked about. Though the meeting was appointed at eight o’clock, yet as early as seven the people began to come in, in order, as they said, to get a good seat. By half past seven there were two hundred in the tent. Prof. Stone took his place at the organ, and entertained them with some sweet music and appropriate hymns; while sister Canright, sister Lamson, and the elder were busy talking with this one and that one, and getting acquainted with the people. Ten minutes later, the crowd began to come. I stood on an eminence, and looked up and down the streets each way. There was just one continuous stream of people till the streets were lined. They came afoot, in single carriages, in double buggies, in farm wagons, in hacks, etc. We inquired from whence they came, and were astonished to learn that some were here from cities four miles away, some six, some eight, and others as far as fourteen miles. Every region of country is represented, I should judge. At a quarter to eight every seat was full, and Eld. Canright went through the audience and urged them to sit as close as possible. City officers were in attendance, and aided in seating the audience. I learn that all classes of people, from every church, and every society, and every creed were represented in the audience. Ministers, deacons, and Sunday-School superintendents were there. The singing was sweet and rich. Occasionally a hymn was chosen in which all the audience would join. At just eight, the Elder began his discourse on the two-horned beast. As I looked over that grand audience of so many hundreds of people, drawn together in this manner to hear the present truth in this old State where some thought little could be done, I felt that it was a token from God that times were changing, and that New England is yet to be awakened by the third angel’s message. For an hour and ten minutes the audience scarcely took their eyes from the speaker once. Not a man slept, and not the least disturbance. Everything was solemn and quiet as a funeral. At the close of the discourse the books were advertised, as they had been every time before. Now what a rush. They crowded around the stand, reached out their hands with money, and for a quarter of an hour or more Bro. Canright, Stone, and Mead were all busy as they could be handing out books and making change. And it was astonishing to see how some of them bought. One man called for a pamphlet, handed out twice as much as it cost, and would take nothing back. Another man bought a five-cent tract, handed out a dollar bill, then turned and walked away. They called after him, but he said it was all right. Another man wanted a little pamphlet. He put his hand into his pocket, drew out a whole handful of silver pieces, handed them to Eld. Canright, and walked off. Bro. C. called to him; but he said, No: he had got more than his money’s worth. The ladies crowded around the sisters, expressing deep interest and sympathy. Well, we said, thank God for what we have seen at the tent to-day. We believe that God has heard our prayers in New England, and that we shall see fruit of our sacrifices. The Great Gain of Contentment
The Bible tells us there is great gain in contentment. Yes, what a joyous comfort is contentment. One who possesses that enviable quality has indeed a precious treasure, and more to be desired than piles of gold, or earthly fame. It shines like a meteor in the dark night of sorrow, not only blessing the fortunate possessor, but radiating all that may come in contact with it.