Earlier text: “THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS.” REV. 3: 14-22Second Coming of Christ.
By WM. FELL
THE coming of Christ will be the greatest event that the world has ever witnessed. The awful grandeur and glory of that day will infinitely surpass anything that the finite mind is capable of conceiving. Prophets, apostles, and saints in all ages, have looked forward to that day with the profoundest interest. At the present day, the children of God are waiting patiently for their Lord and King. Though it is not essential to our salvation to know the time he is coming, yet the Lord has told us to “watch, therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.” Matt. 24: 42, 44. These words are very applicable to us, who are now living in this wonderful and eventful age. “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” 1 Thess. 1: 2. “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” 2 Thess. 2: 3. These words of the apostle have been literally fulfilled in this nineteenth century. Jesus did not reprove his disciples for asking the question with regard to the signs of his coming and the end of the world, but said, “Take heed that no man deceive you.” Matt. 24: 4. He cautioned them, and then told them the awful state the world would be in before his coming, and said, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of Heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matt. 24: 36, 37. He never said one word about the millennium, as modern professors do at the present day who are waiting for the world to be converted, and imagine they are living on the eve of that day; but said, “Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?” Here is where the Gentile world will be deceived in the second coming of Christ, as the Jews were in his first coming. Christ will find a few that are waiting and living for him when he comes; but oh! how precious few they will be in comparison to the masses that are unsaved! Christ saw the awful state the world would be in just before his coming. He saw that they would be covetous, grasping, and seeking for position and honor; connecting themselves with secret societies, and organizations of various kinds, so that he was led to ask the question, “Shall he find faith?” There is no room for faith to work, where men and ministers are trusting in secret societies, wealth, and position: faith is dead with nothing but skin and bones hanging to it. Why! it don’t even compare with the faith of the devils: for they “believe and tremble.” It means something to have faith in God. A man that is trusting in God is not trusting in anything else. Take property, friends, reputation, and all that he has, from him—yea and his life—and he is trusting in God, and he is like “Mount Zion, which cannot be removed.” God can do as he pleases with him; he is living for God, and doing all the good he possibly can. His life is a life of faith on the Son of God; and when “Christ, who is his life, shall appear, then shall he also appear with him in glory.” The Lord let the beloved Paul have a view of the awful state of things that should be on earth just before his coming. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Tim. 3: 1–5. This is a correct representation of the present day. There never was a time when people loved worldly pleasures more than they do now, especially professors of religion. Talk to them about the power, and they will scout at the idea. Talk money to them—they know what that means; talk theater, tea-meetings, festivals and fashions, and they are right at home with you on that subject. But the power—the real life of God in the soul—they are strangers to. And the real child of God is as much of a wonder to-day as ever. It requires as much grace and courage to live for God, as in the days when the bloody ax and the torturing wheel were the test of every man’s religion. Yes, Christ is coming very soon; for he says, “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Rev. 22: 12. He is coming, to take his children home. “Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matt. 24: 30, 31. This will be the end of their sorrows, and the beginning of their eternal joys. “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.” Rev. 1: 7. Children of the Most High, look up and regulate your lives in view of this glorious day! Worldly professors do not like to hear much about the coming of Christ; but God’s children do, and so did the apostles: for they referred to it in almost all their epistles,—they kept it fresh in their minds, and it was a glorious incentive to a holy and useful life. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself.” 1 John 3: 2, 3. Oh, glorious hope! big with immortality. Christ is coming quickly, to avenge his children who call on him day and night. “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day.” 2 Thess. 1: 6–10. He is coming soon—much sooner than many of us expect. He told John to “seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.” Rev. 22: 10. The world is growing old with age, and ripe for the Judgment fires. The armies of Heaven are preparing for this great and glorious day. “Great triumph day of God’s incarnate Son,—
Great day of glory to the almighty God.
Day whence the everlasting years begun.
Their date, new era in eternity,
And oft referred to in the songs of Heaven.” Christ is coming as a mighty conqueror. He has conquered death, hell, and the grave, and ascended up on high and led captivity captive. “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” The busy world will be suddenly startled at the unexpected appearance of Jesus Christ in the clouds. Behold, he cometh, not as the once despised Nazarene, and the Man of Sorrows, acquainted with grief, but as the “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” and as the “Judge of the quick and the dead.” “Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.” Ps. 50: 3, 4. Stop, dear reader, just a moment. Are you living and regulating your life in view of this “great and terrible day of the Lord”? This will be the day that is to end the affairs of this world, and to determine the destiny of all mankind. Have you a living faith in God and not in circumstances, a faith that overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil? Are you kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation? Are you living a holy, useful life, and doing all you can to win souls to Christ, and to help on the cause of God? “He that winneth souls is wise.” Should we fall asleep in death, it will not be long before the trump of God will sound, and we must all march to the “judgment-seat of Christ.” “And every eye shall see him.” “For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. “Behold, I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15: 51, 52. Oh, glorious and happy change! “Behold him, ye followers of the Lamb, and wonder and love! This is he who bore all your iniquities on the ignominious cross. This is he who fulfilled all righteousness for your justification. Behold him, ye despisers of his grace, and wonder and perish! This is he whose merciful overtures you have contemned, and on whose precious blood you have trampled.” You would not give Christ the pre-eminence in your heart, but now he comes to gain it by conquest. Christ will come with a shout, and every living creature will hear it, and the trump of God will sound, and that will shake the pillars of heaven and startle the dungeon of hell; and the sleeping millions will hear that sound, and understand what it means, and come forth—“they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” The world moves on, and has for several thousand years, and the coming of Christ to many has become an old fable; and the apostle Peter says, “Beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. . . . But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Pet. 3: 1, 3–10. Dear reader, what a dreadful day this will be for you if you are unsaved! And oh! what a consternation and excitement will seize the guilty world then! All business, of every description, stops at once; all the busy marts have closed. No idle spectators looking on now, but every living soul that God has made is tremendously interested. They had no time for these things once, but now they must take time. Everything of an earthly nature sinks into insignificance. The children of God have been living for this day, and they are prepared to meet it with triumph and joy. All earthly pomp and display sink into contempt. The rich and the noble—where are they now? They, with the multitudes, are trembling and frantic with fear, and rushing here and there in wild amazement, looking for escape. But alas! alas! escape is hopeless. “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Rev. 6: 14–17. The uprisings of nations, and the downfall of kingdoms and empires; the dethronement of the man of sin, the pope, and his right-hand man, Napoleon, and the turbulent state that mankind are in, and the dreadful corruption of both church and state—are fulfillments of the word of God. “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Rev. 22: 20, 21.—WM. FELL, in Earnest Christian. Reading the Scriptures in the Pulpit
Prof. Park tells the ministers that whenever the Bible is read in the pulpit, the looks and tones of a reader are far more appropriate than those of a decl a i m e r. The pastor need not gesture when the apostle is speaking. Faith as a Substitute for Sight
FAITH is a substitute for sight. “When you can’t unriddle, learn to trust.” Poor Bargains.
By Chas. L. Boyd
“And Esau said, Behold I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birthright do to me! . . . And he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way.” Gen. 25: 32-34. We look upon this trade as being the height of folly on the part of the poor youth who sold his birthright. But what did Esau sell? 1. His father’s chief blessing, and a special consecration to the Lord. 2. His share in his father’s estate, which was twice as large as his brother’s. 3. His right to succeed to the official dignities and privileges of his father. And what does he receive for this so great hereditary possession? Simply one meal of victuals. A poor bargain. Are there any bargains of the same nature made in these days? What pay does the drunkard receive for his right of a standing in society, for his once happy home, and hope of an inheritance with the redeemed? What does one receive for indulging the cravings of a perverted appetite? Ask the poor dyspeptic? Esau was on the point of starvation, and inquired, “What profit shall this birthright do me?” and for it he received that which saved his life; although but a “morsel of pottage.” Each of the above-named poor traders receives far less than did Esau. For the wealth and honor promised by Balak, Balaam persistently sought to curse Israel. Contrary to the command of God, Saul saved some of the spoil of the Amalekites. In his sight it was too precious to be destroyed. Did this bargain pay? Says the prophet, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” “The Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.” Are there any at the present day who would have done so foolishly? Many are convinced that the seventh day is the Sabbath, and that the commandment requires its observance. But it is unpopular. Perhaps their trade must be given up if they obey God. What must be done? Many do as Saul did—disobey. But the same jealous God reigns now that reigned then. He requires a strict obedience to his just commandments. All are invited to come to Jesus; but one is so much taken up with his farm that he puts it off till an uncertain hereafter. The cause needs help, or a poor brother has died, and his family are destitute and need help; but there are forty acres of land joining his farm which he must have; for in three years it will, doubtless, be worth twice its present value, and for forty acres of land he sells his—well, he lets that poor family suffer for want of the necessaries of life, and loses the privilege of casting in of his means to forward the work of God. Many of our dear youth sell their birthright for the fashions and pleasures of this life. They do not mean to make this exchange, but grieve the Holy Spirit, and barter conscience, little by little, for what this world has to offer, till it has so strong a hold upon them that they never break away. Judas sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. He returned the money, confessed his crime, and in the depth of despair went and hanged himself. The young man turned sorrowfully from the Saviour when he offered him a treasure in Heaven in exchange for what he had of this world’s goods. Oh! can men make such mistakes? The cause of God needs help, but not half so much as we need to help it; for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also. Have we a treasure in Heaven? May God help us to examine our standing and see where we are, and what kind of bargains we are making. “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul.” CHAS. L. BOYD. Coleridge and Thelwall on Children's Minds and Liberty
THELWALL told Coleridge that he thought it unfair to influence a child’s mind by inculcating opinions before it had come to years of discretion, and was able to choose for itself. Coleridge soon after showed him a portion of his grounds which was overgrown with weeds and thorns, and told him that was his botanical garden. “But it is covered with weeds,” said Thelwall. “Oh!” replied Coleridge, “that is only because it has not yet come to its age of choice and discretion. The weeds you see have taken the liberty to grow, and I thought it unfair in me to prejudice the soil toward roses and strawberries.” Our Periodicals.
By Editor
For several years we have been deeply impressed with the importance of our periodicals, and that they should be, in all respects, the very best of the kind in our country. To this point we have labored, and feel gratified to witness great improvements. And, still, there is room for greater advance. There will be seen no want of real talent among our people, when it can be manifested in systematic effort to enrich the columns of our periodicals. We went for our mail, by carriage, over the rough mountain road to Black Hawk, July 7. This is our nearest post-office. Besides the package of letters from old, tried friends, we were happy to receive the latest numbers of the REVIEW, Reformer, and Instructor. On our way home, Mrs. White read four blessed letters before she took up the papers. The horse leisurely walked, and the miles and the hours passed delightfully; and when we reached home, we felt very much as Christians used to feel when they had enjoyed a good, old-fashioned protracted meeting. The REVIEW is a host of itself. What streams of light, and instruction, and good cheer, have been poured through its columns for the past year! And here we might mention the editor's articles relative to the immortality theme, and Bro. Littlejohn's discussion of the Sabbath question, in particular. These truly important questions have been ably and candidly treated. And then, many other subjects have been handled in a clear and Christian manner, by a host of other writers. The REVIEW is rising in interest and importance, and is acknowledged by ministers and men of the several denominations to be a power in the land. Let its light and power increase, brethren, and let its influence be felt everywhere. As Mrs. W. turned over the leaves of the Reformer, first, to glance at its general making-up, and editorial arrangement in our absence; and, secondly, to read here and there, we decided that the July number was the best one that had ever been printed. But the reflection that it could not be read by at least fifty thousand families, cast a shade of sadness over our minds. The articles from “M. G. K.,” “J. H. K.,” and “J. E. W.,” are excellent. The people want to know how to make good bread, the facts relative to sugar, as food, and what is being done at our Health Institute. We hope these brethren will let the true light, relative to life and health, shine out through the Reformer, as a series of the best hygienic books ever issued. In behalf of suffering humanity, we say, Let the facts come. Let the Reformer be the very best periodical of the kind in the land. And may all its friends, everywhere, help to push it into as many families as possible. The Youth's Instructor is a noble sheet. Relative to size, general taste, richness and variety of matter, it is decidedly the very best juvenile paper in our country. Who has not been disgusted with the dog and cat stories, and a thousand and one silly things they have read in nearly all the children's papers in the land? And what seems the very climax of folly, is the effort of many writers to come down to an insipid, baby-talk style in their chaffy productions. As with very many of the books in the Sunday-school libraries, so in many of these youth's periodicals, they are cursed with a sort of religious fiction. We are glad to see the Instructor dealing in, not only the great matters of religion and the world to come, but also the most interesting and instructive matters of fact relative to this world and this life. We have never seen a youth's paper that fully met our views and feelings relative to what such a paper should be. But the Youth's Instructor comes the nearest. And we shall labor to the point to make it what it should be. We have not had time to write for it; but we have encouraged others who have both time and ability to write, and shall continue to do so. The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association is fast becoming a powerful institution. With the aid which the Tract and Missionary Societies are giving this Association already, which will soon be increased tenfold, in the collection of dues and obtaining new subscribers, we are prepared to make the following statements in regard to the terms of our periodicals:— 1. The prices of the REVIEW, Reformer, and the Instructor, considering their size, the amount of original reading matter, in the absence of advertisements, are very low. All our old subscribers, and all who subscribe and pay, themselves, must pay the full prices. 2. Those who wish to make a present of any or all of our periodicals to their friends, far and near, and actually pay for them themselves, can have them sent to their friends for one-half the regular prices. 3. We make the same offer to all the branches of our Tract and Missionary Society, everywhere. The Publishing Association will furnish our periodicals for worthy poor brethren and sisters, to ministers, and to all other persons judged proper by the officers of the Society, and paid for out of the treasuries of the Society, at one-half the regular prices. 4. Let it be distinctly borne in mind by our ministers, and all our friends, that our periodicals are not offered to the people below their regular prices, where the subscriber pays, himself or herself—with the single exception of the REVIEW, in times of general interest, at tent-meeting, or when courses of lectures are given, after all the decided friends of the cause have been urged to subscribe at the regular price, the REVIEW may be offered to the crowd for three months, for the trifling sum of twenty-five cents. This is done as a means of introducing it to very many, in the hope that some of them, at least, may be induced to become permanent, full-pay subscribers, at the end of the three months, who otherwise might not. The REVIEW is a cheap paper at $2.00 a year; and, in most cases, the people would as soon pay that sum, as to pay less. In most cases they would think more of the paper after paying full price. The terms of the ADVENT REVIEW AND HERALD OF THE SABBATH are $2.00 a year in advance, to all who pay for it themselves. When furnished as a gift to others, by individuals, or by the Tract and Missionary Society, the terms are only $1.00 a year, in advance. The terms of the Health Reformer are $1.00 a year, in advance, to all who pay for it themselves. When furnished as a gift to others, by individuals, or by the Tract and Missionary Society, the terms are only 50 cents a year, in advance. The terms of the Youth's Instructor are 50 cents a year, in advance, to all who pay for it themselves. When furnished as a gift to others, by individuals, or by the Tract and Missionary Society, the terms are only 25 cents a year in advance. The Publishing Association offers, in the foregoing, great inducements to individuals, and to the Tract and Missionary Society, to furnish all our worthy poor brethren and sisters with all our periodicals, and to extend their circulation to ministers and to others, to any extent they please. The way is now fully open to all our people, and to the Tract and Missionary Societies, to do their duty in extending the circulation of our periodicals. And we would here give notice that we are making preparations for a grand rally for a trial volume of twenty-six numbers, for 50 cents, to commence the first of November, 1873, and close the first of May, 1874. These six months embrace the most leisure, reading portion of the year, and the most favorable for such an enterprise. This gives the friends of the REVIEW ample time to correspond with distant friends, and make up their long lists of names; while, in the same time, before the first of November, we can be securing the best leading article for each of the twenty-six numbers. We close this statement by saying, We have ample time to make preparations, the talent to produce the matter, and, as a people, thousands of dollars to expend in the enterprise. And, by the grace of God, we will let our light shine through the REVIEW, to tens of thousands, in whose minds and hearts the spirit of inquiry is awaking relative to the reasons of our faith and hope. It will be expected that the Tract and Missionary Societies, and all the friends of the REVIEW and the Instructor, will take active measures to obtain all the full-paying subscribers for these periodicals they can, without pay in this life, only the satisfaction of doing good. But it is thought proper to offer to all the friends of the Health Reformer, in addition to the pleasure of laboring to extend its circulation, a premium of 50 cents for every new subscriber obtained, accompanied with $1.00, to be paid in health tracts and pamphlets, such as have been, and shall be, published at our Office. When sent by mail, these premium hygienic books will be furnished, post-paid, at published prices. When sent by express, or as common freight, they will be furnished at one-third discount. Let the members of the Tract and Missionary Societies become judicious agents to canvass for the Reformer, and in this way furnish their Societies with an abundant supply of health publications. Efforts are being made to prepare and print large editions of health tracts and pamphlets, just such as the times demand. Specimen copies of Reformer furnished free of charge. “The Permanency of the Cause.”
By George I. Butler
It is with feelings of real joy that I read the article thus headed, from the pen of Bro. White, in this week’s REVIEW. I wish to express my most earnest interest in the plans there suggested, and shall try to give my hearty co-operation in carrying them out. The work in which we are engaged is either the special work of God for the last days, or it is one of the greatest delusions the world has ever seen. It is one thing or the other. Many around us, no doubt, believe it is the latter. Some in our own midst seem to be undecided which it is. My mind is made up, that it is what it professes to be, a warning message preparatory to the coming of Christ. Who are to be warned by it? “Peoples, nations, tongues, and kings,” the Scripture says. It is not, then, to be done in a corner. It is surely to be a great thing, in the fullest sense. We have been at work about twenty-five years. Our system of theology is well developed. It is plain, reasonable, and consistent, carrying conviction to every mind that will take time to listen to it candidly. Our organization is quite well perfected. It is simple, and well designed to accomplish what we want it to do, and oppressive to none, and republican in its character. Our plan of raising means for the support of the cause has been in operation for years, and works well, and we can safely say it is the best in the world; light and easy upon the poor, and not oppressive upon the rich, and equal in its workings. Our tract societies are getting into successful operation, which are designed to make our people a unit in acting and carrying out the plans which our own chosen leaders shall inaugurate, as well as to see that our tracts, pamphlets, books, and periodicals, are circulated in all directions. Thanks to the wise management of those who have had charge of it, we have, under God, a Publishing Association capable of flooding the land with documents setting forth the reasons of our faith. We have a Health Institute already in working order, and which is doing much good, but should do tenfold more, and will, when it is set upon the basis indicated by Bro. White in the article under consideration. We must have our school, and we shall, with the blessing of God; for this cause is not going backward. For twenty-five years, it has stood up under the bitterest opposition, and it has been gaining in volume, in spite of foes without and unconsecrated influences within. It is not going to stop now. And I rejoice to see steps contemplated which will enlarge its basis and put it in a position to do the work it professes to have in view. The moving of men to Battle Creek is, in itself, an evidence that this work is no common matter. It costs sacrifices to thus take men of influence and means away from their associations, and move them there at a great pecuniary loss. But it should be an evidence to our people that we intend to leave no stone unturned to place this work on a right basis. If right influences do not exist at head-quarters, they must be created, and they will be, too, with God’s blessing. This cause is not going to stop. We greatly regret that cares and labors have broken down Bro. White’s health so that he cannot personally oversee the work at present. It becomes us who have helped to bring him there by our murmuring or holding back or casting a wrong influence, to deeply repent and reform, and no longer stand in such a position. I feel no doubt but God will, in due time, raise up his servant; and, in the meantime, when we miss his help so much, instead of sinking down in discouragement, let us take hold with increased energy. In no other way can we do our duty. If the work goes hard, we must put forth the greater effort. Every important work seems to move slowly at first. So it was with the anti-slavery movement; but the crisis came at last, and the hydra-headed system went down with a crash that shook the nation. The time has fully come when we must broaden our work and get out of our little, half-bushed circle. This message is a world-wide message. Let us act as though we believed it. If things are not right, we must cry aloud and make them right. If abuses exist, we must give them no quarters. If dear friends get in the way of the work of God, they must get out of the way. If somebody’s feelings are hurt, we cannot stop. Souls will be lost by procrastination. We expect murmurers, grumblers, fault-finders, and unbelievers will always exist, as they always have. We must simply tell them we cannot stop, we cannot come down from our important work. The work of God for the last days is committed to our hands as a people; let us attend to it. We must be terribly in earnest. It is no time to talk discouragement or darkness; there will be plenty of both anyway. The ten spies who brought back an evil report gave quite a correct account of the difficulties that stood in the way. Why were they destroyed? Because they discouraged the people. Courage in the Lord, should be our watch-word. We want an intelligent zeal that moves right forward; and if danger confronts it, and darkness envelops it, and trials surround it, it must then be the more active. This fair-weather religion is hardly the thing for these times. This spasmodic zeal, that goes ahead now and then by a sudden dash, to slacken and give up ten times as long, will never do. Let us move forward intelligently, judiciously, but firmly and earnestly. GEO. I. BUTLER. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, July 11, 1873.