We believe it is to be wholly given up to do and suffer the will of God. And this we believe to be the duty of every one that would be a true disciple of Jesus. If we would have him work in us, we must be subject to his will; because he is our rightful sovereign, not to rule with a rod of iron, but in love, all that are his. If we are not subject to his will, we cannot be his.
How can we be consecrated? By obeying all the commandments of God; not only in the outward act, but from the heart, and by accepting Jesus as a perfect Saviour, and meekly but definitely confessing the grace received through the provisions made by Christ for our redemption. It is said in the gospel, “With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” If we are branches of the true Vine, we will bear fruit to the glory of God. “He that abideth in me and I in him, the same shall bear much fruit.” What we most need is fruit bearers, or in other words laborers, those that are willing to do or dare for the Master.
When we look around and see so many starving for the bread of life, shall we fold our hands, and say there is nothing for us to do? God forbid. Awake, brother; awake, sister. Listen to Jesus: “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” If we would be his, we must be willing to bear reproach for his sake. Let us go forth, therefore, without the camp, abroad in the world, spreading the light of divine truth. We hear the call from every quarter, Come and help us. While we can claim the Lord as our helper, who hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, we need not fear what man can do unto us. L. W. E.
Pawnee City, Neb.
CONSOLATION FOR THE LONELY.
By Mrs. Howitt
THERE is a land where beauty cannot fade,
Nor sorrow dim the eye;
Where true love shall not droop, nor be dismay'd,
And none shall ever die.
Where is that land, oh! where?
For I would hasten there.
Tell me—I fain would go,
For I am wearied with a heavy woe.
The beautiful have left me all alone;
The true, the tender, from my path are gone.
O guide me with thy hand,
If thou dost know that land,
For I am burden'd with oppressive care,
And I am weak and fearful with despair.
Where is it? tell me where.
Friend, thou must trust in Him who trod before
The desolate paths of life;
Must bear in meekness as he meekly bore
Sorrow, and pain, and strife.
Think how the Son of God
These thorny paths hath trod;
Think how he long'd to go,
Yet tarried out for thee the appointed woe.
Think of his weariness in places dim,
When no man comforted or cared for him.
Think of the blood like sweat,
With which his brow was wet,
Yet how he pray'd, unaided and alone,
In that great agony, “Thy will be done.”
Friend, do not thou despair,
Christ from his Heaven of heavens will hear thy prayer.
—Mrs. Howitt.
THE FINAL AND FATAL DISCOVERY.
By R. F. Cottrell
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
How fearful to discover our fatal error too late to correct it! Yet this will be the case with many. Many professors of religion, many that pray to Christ saying, Lord, Lord, will find too late that they made a fatal mistake, a mistake that cannot be remedied. Many praying persons, so far as words are prayer, will hear the word, “Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity.”
When Jesus told the twelve that one of them should betray him, they began to ask, Lord is it? And when we are assured by that same Jesus that many will fail of a part in the kingdom of heaven that have called upon his name, been active in revivals, laboring to convert sinners up to their own low standard of praying without doing, and thought they did many wonderful works, should we not inquire, Is it?
Now we may avoid that fatal disappointment. How? By doing the will of our Father in heaven, by keeping his commandments, as well as the faith of Jesus. In this way we can secure a right to the tree of life, and entrance abundant into the everlasting kingdom of heaven. “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Do the will of thy Father, and escape a portion with the workers of iniquity.
A sad discovery “in that day,” the day of the Lord Jesus! How can this be reconciled with the idea that they have been in conscious torment for years and centuries before that day? Will they think to reverse the decision by which they have so long been in torment, by saying, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
R. F. COTTRELL.
RUSSIA'S STATE RELIGION.
There is a Greek chapel in New York City (on Second Avenue), and last Sunday Father Bjerring, the priest, conducted the services in English in order to explain distinctly to the American public the doctrine of the Greek Church in regard to the Virgin Mary, the saints, and the sacred images. The Greek Church, he said, believes that Mary was a virgin at the time of Christ’s birth, and remained so. The difficulty with Protestants in considering this subject is that they regard Mary as an ordinary woman, whereas no ordinary woman could be the mother of God, nor would such be selected for an office so extraordinary. Mary was chosen for the divine relation not only on account of her own superior merits, but also on account of the superhuman endowments which those very merits, through God’s appreciation, entailed upon her. Mary was the tree that stood upon the boundary line between the old and the new religious dispensations, and which bore us the fruit of truth.
The saints are they who, by the practice of God’s will, have deserved the especial veneration of the church, and have secured eminence in their salvation. Now, as the Christian religion is a religion of divine love, and as divine love, once enkindled, burns with an immortal flame, it must be that the interest that the saints, while in this life took in the religious welfare of their fellow men is continued, if not intensified, in heaven.
So the “Intercession of the Saints” is naturally a Christian doctrine. A Christian cannot help believing that he may with profit pray for the intercession to God of those holy men and women who have attained sainthood. And Mary, the greatest of all saints, the mother of God, is the most powerful, as well as the most sympathetic intercessor before God to whom a human being can address prayer. In the Greek Church there is no idolatry of the Virgin, the saints, nor sacred images. God alone is adored. The others are venerated.
The Greek Church believes in seven sacraments; baptism, absolution (or confession), eucharist, confirmation, matrimony, holy orders, and extreme unction. Baptism cleanses the soul from the original sin in which all men are born, because of Adam’s fall, and immediately places its recipient in the true church of Christ. So efficacious is this sacrament that after having received baptism, the child, too young yet to know the difference between good and evil, may partake of the eucharist, although he cannot appreciate it. Absolution is the forgiveness of sins that the priest, representing God, bestows through the confessional. The eucharist is the sacrament that gives its recipient the real flesh and blood of God at the communion table. Confirmation is the sacrament that anoints and confirms the baptized member of the church as soon as he attains the age of discretion; in other words, confirms him as an intelligent member of the church. Holy orders is the sacrament that confers the priesthood, and anoints the recipient as “a priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec.” Extreme unction is the last sacrament, wherein the limbs and organs of the senses of the dying are anointed with holy oils as a symbolical prayer that if God considers it unmeet to restore their use, he will at least cure the dying soul of its remaining infirmities.
The Greek Church does not boast that it is the only church of God, Father Bjerring continued, but it does claim to have the truth, and to have inviolately preserved it. It acknowledges the errors of conduct of those professing its faith, and even of those representing the church. But these, it claims, have always been errors of conduct and not variations of the truth. The Greek Church does not believe that Christian faith was intended to be a fixed quantity. It believes in progression, in keeping up with the advances of civilization. The magnificent progress of Russia under its present czar well shows the liberal and progressive spirit of that church that directs the morals of Russia. The Greek Church believes in perfect freedom of religious thought, speech, and action; it makes converts by conviction only, never by persecution, nor even by persuasion—its annals are not blackened by any inquisitions or Saint Bartholomew’s days, and they never will be.—Evening News of May 8.
“A FEW NUTS FOR THE ADVENTS TO CRACK.”
By C. W. S.
The above is the heading of a small sheet, printed on one side, that has just been sent us by a friend, who states that it is the production of a certain M. E. presiding elder. We are fond of cracking good, sound, doctrinal nuts, for they contain a good meat that is food for the soul; but on examination, these “nuts” passed over to the “Advents” prove to be wooden nuts, a miserable deception; and we propose to lay them open simply to show that there is no meat in them.
The first nut that we find is in the heading itself, and evidently has a softer shell than surrounds the brain from which it sprung. Does the author know of a sect called Advents? Having frequently heard this mistake ignorantly made, we are prepared to presume that the author wishes to offer these nuts to the Adventists. The whole design of the sheet is to create an apparent discord between the doctrine of corporeal death as the Adamic penalty, and the doctrine of the atonement; and then, with this ethereal support, to prop up the tottering tower of the doctrine of man’s natural immortality. How strange that man should claim to be equal to God in his attribute of immortality, when he expressly declares that he alone is immortal (1 Tim. 6:16), when he offers eternal life as a reward to those who seek for immortality by patient continuance in well-doing! Rom. 2:6, 7. The marvel is that God has opened a way through which we may at last have the gift of immortality bestowed upon us. But to the point. His first statement and conclusion are as follows:—
“1. Christ satisfies the penalty of the law by his own death. Gal. 3:13; 4:5. That which he does not save from is not a part of the penalty. But he does not save his people from corporeal death; therefore corporeal death is no part of the penalty.”
The trouble here is that Christ never proposed to save any one from the curse of the law. To save, in this sense, is to hinder from occurrence, to prevent. Paul does not say that Christ by being made a curse for us saves us from the penalty of the law; but he does say that he redeems us from it. To redeem is “to purchase back; to regain possession of by payment of a stipulated price; to repurchase.”—WEBSTER. Now this is just what Paul says Christ has done. He has redeemed us, repurchased us. “For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God’s.” 1 Cor. 6:20. Our body and spirit are his; for Jesus has bought, repurchased, redeemed them. 2 Pet. 2:1. John was carried forward in vision to see an innumerable company of people who were redeemed or bought (Rev. 14:4; margin) by the blood of Christ. Rev. 5:9.
Now these were redeemed from death, ransomed, recalled, liberated, from the grave. “Ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves.” Eze. 37:13. “All that are in the graves shall hear his [Christ’s] voice, and shall come forth.” John 5:28, 29. Paul speaks of the redemption of the body. Rom. 8:23. To put the matter beyond all dispute, Paul places this redemption of the body, the resurrection from the dead, as the direct undoing of the Adamic penalty. “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive;” that is, Christ will recall us from that death that we die as a consequence of Adam’s sin. 1 Cor. 15:22.
If, then, we can find what this making alive is, we shall know what the dying was, or, in other words, what kind of death was the penalty of Adam’s sin. Paul tells us very plainly. He says first that those that are Christ’s shall be made alive at his coming. Verse 23. This is at the resurrection, and Paul describes it. He says, “The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.” Verse 52. “Together with my dead body shall they arise,” says the prophet Isaiah. We shall have an incorruptible, spiritual body. 1 Cor. 15:42–44.
This making alive, then, being nothing less than the resurrection, redemption, of the man, the resumption of the life of the body and the consequent resumption of thought, brought about by bringing the dead up out of the grave, the dying in Adam can be nothing else than the death of the man, the cessation of thought (Ps. 146:4), and the mingling of the body with the dust from which it came (Gen. 3:19); for “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
We submit that Christ does not save his people from corporeal death; but, on the authority of Paul, Peter, John, the holy prophets, and Christ himself, we state that he will redeem his people from death and the dominion of the grave.
More next week. C. W. S.
RELIGIOUS INCONSISTENCY.
By Joseph Harvey Waggoner
How few are the people who understand their own motives! Judging by their actions and conversation we must conclude that the Christian duty of self-examination is practiced very little by the generality of professed Christians.
Not long since, I had a conversation with a lady on the cars. She was a Baptist. She confessed that the seventh day is the only Sabbath of the Bible, and that there is no Scripture proof in favor of the first day. Her mind had been called to the subject before, and she seemed to be fully decided in this conviction. But she did not seem at all inclined to keep it. She said the Sunday had been so long kept, and the custom was so nearly universal in that direction that it did not seem best to try to make any change.
To this I replied, “If I were in a country where it was the established and uniform custom to baptize children, I would not do it.”
“Nor I neither,” she answered promptly. Of course I smiled, and she laughed outright, at the sudden discovery of her own inconsistency.
The truth is, it is not respect for established custom, but selfishness and a regard for personal convenience, which leads people to put forth such pleas.
I once conversed with a man who pleaded the laws of our country in favor of Sunday, though the State in which he lived recognized the keeping of the seventh day. Knowing his political views, it being the time when the “Fugitive Slave Law” was creating great excitement, I concluded to test the sincerity of his excuse. Turning the conversation to that subject he soon warmed up in opposition to the law, and I remarked that he would be compelled to hunt a fugitive if called upon by a marshal, as the law plainly made it his duty.
“I don’t care anything about the law,” said he, “I never will obey such a law; it is against right and justice.”
“But the law of God is always right,” I replied, “and it commands you to keep the seventh day; yet you plead the law of the land in favor of Sunday against the law of God. If you have so high regard for the law of the land, why not obey the Fugitive Slave Law?”
His looks plainly showed that he felt the force of the application, while I told him his position made it evident that his plea for Sunday did not arise from respect to the law of the land, but from disrespect to the law of God.
Moody, in his direct and blunt style, said that “every excuse is a lie.” When closely examined we shall find that his statement cannot be much improved. When “they all with one consent began to make excuse,” the Lord did not plead nor further invite them. He understood their motives, and declared that not one of them should taste of his supper.
J. H. WAGGONER.
Canton, Mo., May 10, 1877.
MISSIONARY WORK AT BATTLE CREEK.
By Stephen N. Haskell
Could the friends at the SIGNS Office see the eagerness manifested each week to obtain a copy of the SIGNS to use in missionary work, they would conclude that their labor was not unappreciated by the friends of the cause at Battle Creek. Last Wednesday there was not nearly enough copies of the SIGNS to supply the missionary workers. Considerable feeling was manifested on the part of those who had found interested readers, and could not procure enough copies to supply them.
This church takes a club of 503 copies, including 350 copies ordered for three months, besides a number of individual clubs of from six to twelve, amounting in all to about 700 copies. This added to the number of copies of the REFORMER, TIDENDE, and HERALD taken in clubs, which is about 350, makes an aggregate of over 1,000 copies of periodicals, besides tracts, used by this church in the missionary work.
These SIGNS carry the rays of light, not only to every State in the Union, but to every nation where the English language is spoken. About fifty members of this church have become members of the Tract Society by the payment of one dollar, since they commenced this systematic effort, and have united with the Vigilant Committee to do missionary work. Over forty letters have already been received from various parts of the world. These letters give new evidences of the fact that many are becoming interested by reading the SIGNS; also they show that over a score of individuals residing alone and in small companies have embraced the Sabbath, who have never seen others of like faith.
Those who have taken no interest in clubbing the SIGNS and doing missionary work know nothing of the joy it brings to be the instrument in the hands of God in interesting souls in the work of Christ. We confidently look forward to the time when every company of Seventh-day Adventists will be alive in communicating to others the truths which have given them so much joy, by placing before them the publications upon the same. May the Lord speed the time. S. N. HASKELL.
A PLAIN TALK TO THE MURMURERS.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Some Facts for Those Who Are not in Harmony with the Body.
(Continued.)
Some twelve years ago another, similar move was started, which is lingering out a feeble existence still. It happened on this wise: The cause was at that time young in Iowa. We had only about three hundred believers in the State. Elders B. F. Snook and Wm. H. Brinkerhoff were the leading ministers in Iowa. They were men of some talent and, under the circumstances, large influence in that State. There were some lesser lights under their influence, such as Daniel Hull, Shortridge, and others. These men had full sway in everything there. Snook was president, and Brinkerhoff secretary, of the Conference. Underhandedly and in a deceitful manner, these men went to work to sow the seeds of discord and dissatisfaction, and, before we were aware of it, they had another rebellion ripened into maturity. Bro. White met them face to face, and exposed their falsehoods, and convicted them of dishonesty in their wicked work. They came out, and made a full confession of their hypocrisy, acknowledged that they were led by Satan, had abused our people, and abused Bro. and Sr. White.
As these individuals have acted a more conspicuous part than others in this matter, it is but proper that the reader should have the privilege of perusing their testimony. Shortly after the visit of Bro. and Sr. White to Iowa, in July, 1865, Messrs. S. and B. prepared the following statements which appeared in the REVIEW of the 25th of the same month:—
FROM B. F. SNOOK.
“Bro. White: Permit me, an unworthy worm of the dust, to address the brethren and sisters as follows:—
“1. I wish to relieve my mind before you and my God, by confessing that I now feel that I have been led by the wicked one in my movements of late, especially in my opposition to the body. Apparent difficulties in relation to Sr. White’s visions have been accumulating in my mind for some time. These were magnified by the enemy until doubts resulted in unbelief and rebellion. In this distressed state of mind I attended the General Conference at Battle Creek, last May. While there, my mind was impressed that the church there was fast becoming conformed to the world. Without unbosoming myself to the brethren there, and calling for an explanation, I kept those matters to myself till I had a good opportunity to give vent to my feelings by publishing these matters which were a trial to me, to the brethren away from there. I am now convinced that the church at Battle Creek fellowship none of the extravagant fashions that I saw there, and I am now led to believe that they are doing what they can to live out the truth and preserve the waymarks of our faith.
“I wish to say to my good brethren and sisters of the Battle Creek church, that I do most deeply deplore this wrong, and humbly beg of them to forgive me. I also beg the pardon of Bro. and Sr. White for the influence that I have tried to exert against them on account of these things. I also entreat my brethren and sisters in Iowa to forgive me for talking these things to them, and thereby inflaming them to wrong feelings. I do most sorrowfully repent of this grievous wrong, and pray that God and my brethren may forgive me.
“2. I went to the Iowa Conference full of opposition and strongly fortified against Sr. White’s visions. Bro. White took a bold, decided, and thorough stand against my wrongs, and faithfully exposed them. And though my mind was very much blinded, the scales fell off, and I began to see myself a poor, miserable, and undone sinner. Awful conviction seized me, and I was unhappy day and night. Then God in mercy began to restore me from my crazy opposition, and I began to realize that I was the wrong one. In my distress I determined to confess my sins. I thereupon felt relief; and at the first opportunity I began the work; and as my determinations were carried out, I felt the blessing of God return to me.
“I desired to make everything right so far as I could. But there were the visions so full of imaginary wrongs and difficulties, how could I get right on them? I listened to the mighty testimonies of Bro. and Sr. White, driven home to my heart by the power of God. Hard as I had made my heart, it had to break, and well up with many tears that gushed from my eyes. Thought I, can it be possible that those who speak with so much Spirit and power of God are deceivers, are impostors? No, no! Such a thing cannot be. God will not bless the devil’s servants with so much of his Spirit. I then felt the good Spirit of God upon my heart, and the more of that Spirit I felt, the better the visions appeared; and the discrepancies and difficulties soon began to take wings and fly away. I now believe firmly that the devil was working upon me for my overthrow and ruin. But I rejoice that God directed Bro. and Sr. White this way. They truly have been instrumental in my salvation157from the devil’s snare. I hereby entreat their pardon for the grievous trial and heartrending anguish that I have so wickedly brought upon them. May all my brethren, and may God, forgive me.
“I have also felt while in this state of darkness that I was hampered and chained, and longed for a freedom that I now see would result in anarchy and universal disorder. I felt that the General Conference Committee were too domineering, and were fast becoming a kind of triune papacy. Let me say that I have no such feelings now. I believe that God is in our present system and arrangement of order, and my heart’s desire is to conform to it unreservedly, and to live in subjection to God and my brethren of experience in this work. I do most heartily believe that this work, in all its parts, is the work of God, and by his divine aid, I am going to strive to be a more holy, humble, and devoted man, that I, with mine, may go with this people to the kingdom of God.
“Your unworthy brother,
“B. F. S.”
FROM W. H. BRINKERHOFF.
“To the Battle Creek Church of S. D. Adventists: Brethren, With feelings of my unworthiness and liability to run into the devices of the enemy of all good, I send to you the following confession. And although mere words cannot heal wounds that have been inflicted, yet I hope that by actions in the future I may cause the injuries inflicted to be healed.
“On the 16th of May, 1865, I visited your place, to attend the General Conference, with my mind poisoned to a considerable extent against you; and hence I was on the lookout to see if I could not find something by which I might have the wherewith to reproach you.
“After the Conference, my mind being still more poisoned, when I arrived at home I began to circulate impressions of what I had seen in Battle Creek, among my brethren in Iowa, such as that the church were getting proud and fashionable, and were not following out the testimonies. I saw individuals with fashionable hats and bonnets, and artificials in them, but did not stop to inquire whether they were of Battle Creek or not, but in my state of mind conveyed the idea that they were all of your place. Since I have come into a position where I could stop and reflect and investigate, I am satisfied that said insinuations and reflections were wrong, and that I have by my influence placed you in a false position before the brethren of Iowa.
“Brethren, I have been deeply under the influence of Satan, and in this condition I have done you a great wrong and wounded the cause severely, and while you were so kind in taking care of me and providing for all my wants, I was preparing to inflict wounds upon you.
“Oh! may God in mercy pity and forgive me that great wrong. Of all wrongs committed, none are more flagrant than mercies abused. Oh! how could I do so? Yet I did it; I did it!
“In order that I may place you in your true position before the brethren, let me say that I was in the wrong, and not you. I think I can to-day survey the critical position I was in. And although I have acted so cruelly and altogether unwarrantably toward you, and while I would not extenuate myself, yet permit me to say that I was poisoned in my mind toward you, and blinded by prejudice. Yet I ought not to have been in such a position. I should not have given place to the enemy.
“And now may I hope that when you see in me a consistent course of conduct, and that I am trying to make amends for my faults, I may hope for your forgiveness, and to be restored again to your confidence. I will try to find out my place in the message, and struggle more earnestly to live out the truth. And may the Lord forgive me all my sins.
“To Bro. and Sister White I would say, I have also deeply wronged you, and caused you much anguish of heart and mind. I have listened to reports against you, and although while at Battle Creek enjoying your hospitalities, I had a good opportunity to talk with you about said reports, I waited until I came home, then began to spread them, thus alienating the minds of the brethren away from you. I did not stop to investigate them, and while you were far away I was trying to injure you. Oh! why did I do so? You had never harmed me in any way.
“On the 30th of June I went to Pilot Grove, to meet you and Bro. Loughborough, not as brethren, but as enemies; and while there trying to fight my own way through, you fully sustained your reputation as honest, consistent Christians under the third angel’s message. Oh! I feel sad when I think how I have been working for the enemy. Can such wounds be healed? Such stains be washed out? I am now fully satisfied that God is leading this people, and that the visit of Bro. and Sister White, and Bro. Loughborough, was not only timely, but blessed of God, and under his guidance, and that great good has already resulted therefrom. I went there without any confidence in the testimonies of Sister White, and also with doubts on our position in regard to the sanctuary. I would now say that my feet are taken out of the miry clay, and fixed upon the sure foundation of truth, the testimonies not excepted.
“And here I freely confess to you, that I have not only deeply injured you, but also the cause of truth. Words alone are a poor balm for wounds. But if you can still regard me as a brother, though an erring one, I will try to adorn the truth I profess, with a godly walk and conversation in the future. And may the Lord forgive my sins, and strengthen me in every good word and work.
“To the brethren in Iowa I would say, My feet had well nigh slipped, and I was fast losing sight of the landmarks of truth. You that I have had an influence upon while in this state of darkness and doubt, I ask your forgiveness. And let me here say, that my experience, though a sad one, has taught me that to doubt this truth, and the instrumentalities used to bring it out by the Lord, is to speedily lead one into the enemy’s dark dominions, where he can be taken captive at his will. Oh! doubt not this truth. Fear not its ultimate results. Put not forth your hands to steady the ark, as I thought to do. And though angry waves may roll high, God will take care of this truth, and bless its upbuilders, and send confusion and weakness upon those who, like some people anciently, thought to stay the work of God. I shall try in the future humbly to follow on where the Lord may lead. Pray for me.
“Yours hoping for eternal life,
“W. H. B.
“Lisbon, Iowa, July 12, 1865.”
Thus it will be seen that this wicked movement was conceived in sin and born in iniquity. It was a child of Satan, as is confessed by its prime movers, and we have seen no sign of its conversion. After a short time these men again relapsed into rebellion, and went on with their work. They started out just as others had before them. The message was all right, the Sabbath, the advent, the two-horned beast, the sanctuary,—they had no fault to find with these; but those “hateful visions,” and the “one-man power” of Eld. White,—these were the stumbling stones which must be gotten out of the way of God’s work before it could prosper. This holy work they were now to accomplish. As is always the case, they drew quite a large number of sympathizers with them. They divided many of our churches in Iowa, and secured one of our meeting-houses. This was a glorious day for the Iowa Conference. They boasted that in a few years there would not be even a fragment of our people left in the State.
All the remnant of the Cranmer party and the Messenger party and the other exploded parties again lifted up their heads and rejoiced. The old dead office of the Hope of Israel in Michigan was bought, moved to Iowa, and again commenced its work. General rejoicing was felt among the rebels, and I presume that Satan himself had a little hope this time. There appeared to be better material among them, and a more promising prospect than ever before seemed to open up. Congratulations came in again from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin. A great war was to be opened. These visions were now to be exploded forever. A book was written against them, and eagerly advertised by first-day Adventists and all enemies of the third angel’s message. Churches were formed, and conferences organized, and the work set well agoing. But our people told them plainly just what course they would take. After having thrown away the visions, and severed themselves from the body of our people, they would be like a ship without an anchor or a rudder. They would drift whichever way the wind blew the strongest. They would gradually give up this point, then that, then the other, of the faith they once held so sacredly, till finally they would give up the message itself and the whole truth. But they were very confident that this would never be the case; they would show us this time. They now had the experience of all who had gone before them on the same track. They had now started in on a better basis and with a firmer grasp. So at the work they went.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
(To be Continued.)
The Camp-Meetings.
By James White
The present is a more important camp-meeting season than any one in the past. Hundreds, if not thousands, of believers will attend this season for the first time. Scores of young men will receive papers from the several Conferences recommending them to the public as teachers of the word, and many will receive ordination.
We are pleased to see by appointments that the camp-meetings are located where crowds can be assembled to hear. In Kansas and Missouri are very great improvements over last year. Probably the numbers who visit our camp-meeting grounds this season will be double those of last year.
We cannot state definitely what leading speakers will be present at the several meetings. It may not be best that this should be known. There should be a general rally to meet the Lord at each meeting and to wait on him and seek his will. Those who come to camp-meeting, to see and hear certain speakers, rather than to do their own duty, ought to be disappointed. Brethren, come to camp-meeting to seek and serve the Lord, and leave the matter of ministerial help with him. This is the only proper position for the brethren. Then the Lord will send that help most needed. He knows much better of that than we can know.
The Scandinavian brethren of the North-west will miss Elder Matteson, who met them at the camp-meetings last year. And notwithstanding they may feel the want of him here, in the benevolence of their hearts they will be glad that he is soon to commence his work in old Denmark; and they will pour forth their ardent prayers into the ear of the Lord that he will preserve and abundantly bless their very dear pastor, and give him the ears and hearts of honest people in their native land. Eld. Olsen, however, can speak to the Danes and Norwegians at the Wisconsin camp-meeting, Elder Hansen at the Iowa meeting; and most of the Danes in Minnesota can understand English. Danes, Norwegians, Swedes, Germans, French, and all others should be urged to attend the camp-meetings, and care should be taken to give them a chance, when necessary and possible, to hold services in their own tongue.
There should be a good supply of publications at all the camp-meetings. The president of each Conference should see to this, and be individually responsible to our publishing house for all books ordered for the camp-meetings. Tract and Missionary Societies should be able to make complete settlement with our Offices of publication at the time of the State Conferences and camp-meetings. This is especially necessary for the SIGNS Office in its youth and comparative feebleness. On account of rashness on the part of some in working on the “quota” plan, some of the Tract Societies were in debt, and last fall the REVIEW Office forgave more than $3000 of these debts. This never can be done again. And the SIGNS Office must have every dollar due.
Times are hard, and failures in the several branches of business are reported daily; but no one branch has suffered more than that which has to do with the printing art. At present our publishing houses are doing well. But it requires a vigilant eye, and it becomes important to study the strictest economy, to manage successfully in these times. Our patrons should be prompt.
The account of each minister who is in debt, and of each T. and M. Society, will be furnished from both the Michigan and California houses at the time of the annual Conference and camp-meeting; and we urge that full settlement with our Offices be made at that time.
J. W.
THE IOWA CAMP-MEETING.
By Geo. E. Butler
The time for our annual gathering is drawing near, and we want our camp-meeting this year to be the largest and best one ever held in this Conference. Our camp-meetings are a most important means of grace, which our people cannot afford to lose. Those who attend them from year to year find them a great source of spiritual strength. Our ablest speakers come to labor for the good of our people and the public, and we should all place ourselves where we may be benefited.
We shall take pains to advertise this meeting extensively in the country around, and we expect a largely increased attendance over that of last year. The influence of that meeting was good. There has been some increase of interest awakened among our brethren during the past Conference year; but many are nearly asleep, and sadly need the benefit of a good, spiritual meeting, such as we trust our camp-meeting will be.
We hope our brethren and sisters will make a general rally this year. Come prepared, as far as possible, not only to take care of yourselves, but to help others also. But let none stay away if they cannot do this. Especially do we invite the lonely, scattered ones, who have not the privilege of hearing much preaching. This is your time. Come by all means, if possible. Come, and speak for your localities, and set before the Conference your need of labor. Here is your best chance to secure it, when our preaching brethren are all together, and our tents are just about to start out. After they get into a field already chosen, it is hard to get them away. But here you can talk to them face to face.
Let our people take special pains to bring with them all their friends who are partially or largely interested. Here may be the chosen spot where they will take their stand for the truth. You will find no more favorable place. Come, brethren, prepared to labor for others and to point them to Christ. Our camp-meeting should be a grand inquiry meeting, where the wants of the unconverted will be looked after.
We ask our General Conference Committee to furnish us with laborers who can help the people where they need help. We extend to Bro. and Sr. White a special and cordial invitation to be present at this meeting. There will be many present who have never heard them, but have heard of them and who will be greatly disappointed if they are not present. We hope that this camp-meeting will be the largest gathering of Sabbath-keepers in the field, excepting Michigan; and we therefore trust that the General Conference Committee will consider the wants of the cause, and the need that our best gifts be present to reach the people. Let all our churches send their best men as delegates to the State Conference. Each church is entitled to one delegate, and if you number thirty-five members, you are entitled to two, and one more for each additional fifteen members.
Come, brethren and sisters of Iowa and Nebraska, let us make a general rally to our next annual gathering at Marshalltown, Iowa, June 7-12. Bring all the tents you can for your own comfort and that of others. Come the day before the meeting commences, and stay till it closes. Come to work for God and your fellow-men—to get good and to do good. Come to make a new departure from the world, to enter more heartily into God’s work. Satan is wide awake; the world is all astir with its business and folly, the nations of the earth are getting angry, and the hearts of its great men are full of fear as to what is coming in the great war just commencing. We are near the end. Let us awake. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Come up to this meeting to enter anew into the work of God, and to prepare for Christ’s coming. GEO. E. BUTLER.