Earlier text: The Emperor of the French—His Declining InfluenceA REVIEW OF H. E. CARVER.
GREAT stress is laid upon the declaration concerning the two-horned beast, that he “exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.” So important a place is this statement made to fill in the theory we are reviewing, that it is the great proof offered to show that the two-horned beast must be associated with the leopard beast to make a power identical with the little horn of Dan. vii; a view which we sufficiently disproved in our last. It is also urged to prove that the two-horned beast must be the representative of the spiritual element of the Latin empire. How does it prove this? By showing, it is claimed, that this beast exercises the same power for the same length of time, and hence must be some organization working in connection with the Latin empire; or if it is not, then there must be another power to continue the same length of time, 1260 years, and do a work as oppressive and bloody as that of the papacy. This erroneous conclusion all arises from the very singular assumption that the idea of duration is embraced in that expression. All can readily see that the idea of the continuance of the exercise of that power does enter in any wise into the expression. Should the two-horned beast continue only six months, if during that time he exercised the same absolute control over those within his jurisdiction, as the first beast did over his subjects, then it could be said of him that he exercised all the power of the first beast before him. But the expression, instead of proving that the two-horned beast exercises power for as long a period as the other beast, proves that he does not; for that beast is called the first beast. Mark that. Why is he called the first beast? Simply because he had a prior existence, and came on to the stage of action before the two-horned beast. Their existence ends together; for the two-horned beast, being the same as the false prophet of Rev. xix, 20, is cast into the lake of fire and perishes at the same time with the first beast. He, therefore, does not exercise power for the same length of time as that beast; for that beast existed before him, and is for that reason called the first beast. Again, the two-horned beast exercises his power in the presence of the first beast; for the expression “before him” is, from the Greek word ἐνώπιον, which means “in the sight of,” or “in the presence of.” In the light of this fact, look at the theory of H. E. C. He has the leopard beast represent the civil power of Rome, while the two-horned beast represents the Ecclesiastical. The two-horned beast exercises his power in the presence of the first beast; that is, the ecclesiastical element exercises its power in the presence of the civil! But not only this, it exercises all the power of the civil element; that is, of course, the same kind, and same amount. Then we have two elements in the same empire, each represented by a separate beast, and each exercising exactly the same power and authority at the same time! This is just about as consistent as to talk of two straight lines between any two given points! But if the two-horned beast, the ecclesiastical element, exercises all the power of the first beast, the civil element, we want to know if it does not itself exercise civil power. And if it does, then what is the difference between this beast and the first beast? Does it not thus coalesce with, and become a part of that beast? And again, if the power of the first beast is just the same as that exercised by the two-horned beast, and that of the two-horned beast is ecclesiastical, does not the first beast exercise ecclesiastical power also? In other words, how, if we put these two beasts under one empire, can we keep them separate and distinct? It cannot be done. Hence those two beasts cannot denote, the one the civil, and the other the ecclesiastical, power, of the same empire, as H. E. C. contends. Appeal is made to Rev. xvii, 8, for proof that the leopard beast of Rev. xiii, represents simply the civil power. The scarlet beast of the 17th chapter, it is claimed, is exactly the same as the leopard beast of the 13th chapter; and as the former represents simply the secular or civil power, the latter must represent the same, and nothing more. This is a conclusion for which it would be very agreeable to see a little proof before we are required to adopt it. That the scarlet beast of Rev. xvii, 8, represents in that verse the civil power of the empire, we admit. But no one can fail to notice that the symbol as there used is not designed to stand alone. The woman, the church proper, is immediately associated with it, as a controlling power seated upon, and directing it. The symbols are evidently, to be taken together, representing the church of Rome in control of the civil power. The woman and the beast together, therefore, answer to the leopard beast of chap. xiii, bringing out additional particulars, as suggested in our remarks on this subject in No 22. This is evident, as we have already showed by unanswerable arguments, that the leopard beast does exercise ecclesiastical authority; and it further appears from a comparison of Rev. xiii, with chapter xvii. In chapter xiii, it is the leopard beast that makes war with the saints, sheds their blood, and overcomes them. In chapter xvii, it is the woman seated upon the beast, that is drunken with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus. Here the same character and the same acts are ascribed to the woman, which in chapter xiii are ascribed to the leopard beast; showing conclusively that that element or organization of the empire here represented by the woman, is there included in the beast himself. Thus the argument of H. E. C. fails again of showing that the leopard beast of Rev. xiii, represents the civil power, merely, of the empire, and the two-horned beast the ecclesiastical. Another argument to prove that the two-horned beast is the Romish hierarchy, is introduced as follows: The two-horned beast is the same as the false prophet of Rev. xix; and this is the same as the wonder-working power brought to view in 2 Thess. ii, 9, 10, “which” says H. E. C., “all Protestant writers agree in applying to the Roman hierarchy.” The issue which we take with this is, that all Protestant writers do not agree in applying 2 Thess. ii, 9, 10, to the Roman hierarchy. We have never so believed, nor has the Review at any time so taught. In verse 8 reference is made to the destruction of the man of sin, the papacy, by the coming of the Lord. In verse 9 the words “even him,” it will be noticed, are supplied words, as signified by their being in italics. The verse properly commences with the words, “Whose coming is after the working of Satan,” &c. This makes the coming of verse 9, refer to the coming of the Lord in verse 8. In the Greek this appears still plainer. The two comings are there very closely connected together, thus: Τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ· οὗ ἐστὶν ἡ παρουσία, &c.: “The coming of him; of whom the coming is” after the working of Satan, &c. Can there be any doubt here as to what the relative, οὗ, refers to for its antecedent, seeing it immediately follows the pronoun αὐτοῦ, and is separated from it only by a colon? None at all. The coming, then, is the coming of the Lord. But what is meant by this coming being after the working of Satan? The word “after” does not here mean, through, or by means of, but at the time of. The original word, κατά, is defined to mean, when referring to time, “at, about, during;” and the construction here is exactly the same as in 2 Tim. iv, 1, where this word is rendered at, meaning at the time of: “I charge thee, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and kingdom.” According to these criticisms, 2 Thess. ii, 8, 9, expressed in full, would read thus: “And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; the coming of whom is at the time of the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” And what is this working of Satan with all power, signs and lying wonders? It certainly is not the work of the papacy ages in the past, but is the last crowning work of Satan to deceive the world, just prior to, and in connection with, the second advent of the Son of man. It is the “spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. xvi, 14. A work preparatory to what is here brought to view is now going forward. The fulfillment of this work of Satanic power and lying wonders, has already commenced, and will soon be accomplished, as we verily believe, in the further developments of Spiritualism. And now, if these wonders, mentioned in 2 Thess. ii, are the same as those performed by the two-horned beast, or false prophet, as H. E. C. claims, and as we have no occasion to dispute, then the two-horned beast must symbolize that power in connection with which these wonders are manifested, which is emphatically our own country. Before passing to notice the acts of the two-horned beast, there is one point introduced by H. E. C. respecting the leopard beast, which we cannot pass unnoticed. It is in relation to the head that was wounded, as it were, to death, and afterward healed. “I saw,” says John, “one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed.” Rev. xiii, 3. Which head was this? and when was the wounding and healing accomplished? There is, we believe, perfect unanimity in the view that the seven heads of the beast denote seven successive forms of government in the Roman empire. These are usually enumerated as follows: 1. The Kingly. 2. The Consular. 3. The Decemvirate. 4. The Dictatorial. 5. The Triumvirate. 6. The Imperial; and 7. The Papal. Five of these forms of government had passed away in John’s day, and he was living under the sixth, or Imperial. And this is the head, says H. E. C., which was wounded to death. Then passing to the healing of this head, he speaks as follows: “If it was the sixth head that was wounded, that wound could not be healed by the rising of the seventh head, as interpreters commonly conceive; the same head which was wounded must be healed; and this was effected by the Pope and people of Rome revolting from the exarchate of Ravenna and proclaiming Charles the Great Augustus and emperor of the Romans. Here the wounded imperial head was HEALED again, and hath subsisted ever since.”
If, as this extract says, the sixth, or imperial head was wounded and healed, and “hath subsisted ever since,” then the beast has had but six heads, instead of seven as the prophecy says; for if it hath subsisted ever since, it has never been succeeded by the seventh head, and Rome is still under its imperial form of government! This is certainly news to us, and will be to many others; for the impression, we believe, very generally prevails, that Rome, for quite a length of time, has been under the papal form of government! All this error arises from overlooking one very obvious principle, namely, whatever is spoken in prophecy of the symbol of any government, applies to that government only while it is represented by that symbol. Now Rome is represented by two symbols, the dragon and the leopard beast, because it has presented two phases, the Pagan and the Christian; and whatever is said of the dragon, belongs to Rome only in its pagan form; and whatever is said of the leopard beast, belongs to Rome only in its professedly Christian form. But Rome was pagan in John’s day, who lived under the sixth or imperial head. This shows us at once that six of the heads, including the imperial, belong to the dragon; and if it was the sixth or imperial head that was wounded to death, as H. E. C. claims, then it was one of the heads of the dragon, or one of the forms of government that belonged to Rome in its pagan form, and not one of the heads of the beast; and John should have said, I saw one of the heads of the dragon wounded to death. But he does not say so. It was one of the heads of the beast that was wounded to death. In other words, this wound fell upon some form of government that existed in the Roman empire, after its change from paganism to Christianity. But after this change, there was but one head, except the exarchate of Ravenna, which “continued a short space,” Rev. xvii, 10, and that was the papal. Hence it is placed beyond controversy189 that it was the papal head and no other that was wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed. This wound is the same as the going into captivity of Rev. xiii, 10. It was inflicted when the pope was taken prisoner by Bonaparte and the papal government for a time abolished, in 1798. It was healed when the pope was re-installed, and his government revived. With this view there is harmony in the prophecy. With any other there is not. “The Deceitfulness of Sin.”
By R. F. COTTRELL
Yes, the apostle has well expressed it: the deceitfulness of sin. Sin is a deceiver. She promises largely, but her promises are false and deceptive. Persons sin because they hope to gain something by so doing; but he that sins is the loser every time. Our mother Eve thought the fruit of the interdicted tree was very desirable as an article of food, and to make one wise. She imagined it would be great gain to transgress the prohibition of her Maker. But what a mistake! What an almost infinite loss! The groaning of the earth under the curse for six thousand years, and the utter perdition of the great majority of our race, are the sad results. The murderer, the adulterer, the thief, and the false witness, hope to be the gainers by the course they pursue. Wealth, or pleasure, or the gratification of a malicious, revengeful heart, is the bait which they so eagerly seize; but in the end their gain is loss, their pleasure pain, and their self-gratification torment and sorrow. The sinner promises himself that at some future time he will turn to God and serve him; but he postpones it, because he cannot afford to lose what he is now gaining by sin. His sinful pleasures must be followed, and wealth and fame must be sought and obtained; and then, after giving the best of his time and life-energies to the service of Satan, he proposes to serve the Lord! What a mistake! He is losing all the while. Instead of being better prepared to serve God in the future, he is continually disqualifying himself for his service, and traveling with continually-accelerating speed in the downward road to perdition. And here is the professor of religion who is convinced of his obligation to keep the Lord’s Sabbath, which he is now breaking. He would obey God if it would not cost him so much. He cannot afford to lose what he is now gaining by sin. Perhaps he imagines that the service of sin will so enrich him that at some future time he will be able to serve God. Or perhaps he imagines that obedience to God will destroy his influence in the Christian world, and that he can do much more good in the cause of Christ to remain in disobedience and sin. This is not a fancy sketch. The sentiment has been openly expressed by apparently-pious Christians. “It goes so hard against the grain,
They hope the Lord will not complain,
At least, he’ll not send me to hell,
If I keep Sunday pretty well;
I’ll make it up some other way,—
But pray, do let me keep first-day:
Who keep the seventh are so few,
It seems to me ’twill never do;
I’ll serve the Lord with all my might,
Do anything besides, that’s right,
I’ll go exhort, and preach, and pray,
But only let me keep first-day.
It makes no odds as I can see,
If one is kept as ’t ought to be;
And now the prospect looks so bright,
I think I’ll risk it, wrong or right.”
Oh, the deceitfulness of sin! to cause men to believe that they can even serve God better by breaking his commandments than by keeping them! One could hardly believe that Satan could persuade any person that such a conclusion was truly logical; but facts testify that it has been done. You wonder, my brother, my sister, that any one could be so deceived as to think that sinning against God would prove a real benefit, not only to themselves, but to the cause of God; that telling lies would advance the truth; the illegal means being sanctified by the holy motive, as Papists have held; but let me ask you if you are not deceiving yourself in the same way? Do you not imagine, sometimes, while you are covetously grasping after worldly gain, and heaping up treasures on earth, that you are preparing yourself to do a great amount of good in the cause of the Lord at some future time? And when inclined to follow the foolish and wicked fashions of the world, do you not flatter yourself that it will give you more influence for good in the world? Or, if you are too indolent and careless to make a decent appearance in the world, do you not flatter yourself that you are crucifying self, and glorifying God by your slackness? If you are laboring beyond your strength and breaking down your constitution to accumulate wealth, are you not doing it for the cause? Or, if you are squandering your time and means through idleness, are you not doing so in honor of Him who said, Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth? Are you all engrossed in business, so that you have not time for the duties of religion at home, and are not qualified for the worship of God on the Sabbath, so that, should you get into meeting, you fall asleep? Is it not because an apostle has bid you, Be diligent in business? Is not this your excuse for not being “fervent in spirit when serving the Lord?” Or, if you are slack and careless in your worldly matters, is it not because the Lord has said, Take no thought for the morrow? Is there anything gained by cheating your neighbor that you may give it to the Lord? or robbing God of his tithes and offerings that you may consume it upon your desires? Is there anything gained by fretting because things do not go right in the family, in the church, or in the world? On the other hand, is anything gained by regarding real wrongs with stoical indifference? Will deception and guile profit us in the end? Will it profit us to make the world first in our affections for a time, in order to make the service of God all, at some future time? In short, will anything benefit us but to be honest with God, honest with our neighbors, and honest with ourselves? Will anything be gained by shirking our duties and responsibilities, or postponing them to a more convenient time? No! Idleness is a moral gauge, procrastination is the thief that steals our time, our pride and worldliness is vanity, and our ill-gotten wealth will eat as doth a canker. Sin flatters to decoy. Its promises are deceptive. Oh, that all might realize that nothing is gained by it, but everything lost. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Heb. iii, 12, 13. Report from Bro. Bourdeau.
By D. T. Bourdeau
BRO. WHITE: Sunday, October 14, from the excellent meeting at Pilot Grove, my brother and myself went to Washington, where we met a good reception, and were made comfortable at Bro. Kilgore's. The 16th being a pleasant day, Bro. R. W. Kilgore, who was getting good wages for his labor, left his work, and took us with his own team to Fairfield. This was an agreeable trip, and added to our happiness while separated from our homes and friends. In our interviews that day, we were reminded that a man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesseth, as the Saviour says, and that many who labor hard might be abundantly repaid for throwing off the pressure of their arduous labor and cares at times, with lawful cheerfulness and real enjoyment, though it might at first appear like making a great sacrifice. The 17th, we held two meetings at Fairfield, during which we enjoyed freedom. The church were strengthened, and fifteen promptly presented their figures on S. B., amounting to $73.58. The 18th, we went by cars to Pella, and thence by stage to Knoxville, which we reached late in the night, feeling much fatigued; but found rest at Bro. Hornaday's peaceful and quiet home. Sabbath and first-day, the 20th and 21st, we held five interesting meetings with the church at Knoxville, during which we gave four discourses, one of which was a funeral sermon by my brother, occasioned by the death of our aged Bro. Topping. Systematic Benevolence was arranged, and two united with the church. From the freedom we enjoyed in preaching, and the interest which was manifested in all the meetings, we have reason to believe that the cause is coming up in Knoxville. The 23d, Bro. Conroy kindly took us with his team to Sandyville, where we spent the next Sabbath and first-day in laboring for the church in that place. We were here happy to learn that former difficulties in the church were permanently settled, and that a good feeling exists among the brethren. If they will forget the things that are behind, and press forward toward the mark of perfection, they cannot fail to grow in grace, and receive the prize of their high calling in the end. At Sandyville we found Bro. J. H. Rogers prepared to take us to Altovista, Mo., a distance of one hundred and thirty miles. It took us five days to reach this place. On our way here we held profitable meetings at Osceola and Decatur. The brethren and friends at Osceola were eager to receive the truth, which encouraged us in our weary condition to preach to them. The result was that at the close of our last meeting from fifteen to twenty endorsed the truth, as far as they had seen it, by arising upon their feet. At Decatur we enjoyed freedom in speaking on the dangers of backsliding as illustrated by the history of Lot's wife. We have now held five meetings at Altovista, and though we have had liberty in preaching, yet we regret to see in some the result of preachers dwelling on the mere theory of the truth by way of displaying self and exulting over others, and thereby encouraging a spirit of debate to the neglect of vital piety. Some have felt more anxious for unbelievers than they have for themselves, not realizing that the work should begin at home, and that the most effectual way to help others at this stage of the message, is to get alive to our present duties, preparatory for the latter rain and the loud cry of the third angel's message. Last evening my brother introduced the message to the Laodiceans, upon which hangs the destiny of the church. We expect that some will receive it with readiness and deep humility, in imitation of churches in other parts of the field. Last Sunday we had the privilege of speaking to a large and attentive congregation on practical subjects, which were intended to help the church, and serve as a stepping-stone for a more thorough effort for those without at a proper time. To-day my brother and I separate, he to return to Vermont, and I to remain in Iowa, where we have enjoyed each other's society and counsel in laboring pleasantly and mutually for the upbuilding of the cause, for which we have been willing to deny ourselves and suffer for Christ's sake. We thank God we can see that some good has resulted from our efforts. To him be all the praise. We hope to meet again. But if we should not be permitted to meet in this life, oh that we may unite again, when the whole family of God meet to enjoy the reward of those who have sacrificed for their Master here. To the brethren in Iowa I would say, I feel that as my burdens and responsibilities are now greater than before, I need your especial co-operation. I do not here refer to pecuniary aid; for you have shown a readiness to do your duty in this direction by adopting the plan of Systematic Benevolence, by which the cause is sustained in a pecuniary point of view. But I want your aid in spiritual things. I want you to help me in laboring for yourselves and for your children; in getting where God can consistently use us all to his honor and glory. And one great help to me will be to know that you are reconciled to my following my own convictions of duty in regard to my health. Can I use my liberty on this important point, that I may be enabled to build up and be more useful while among you? I have had but two or three day's rest in all since coming to the West, and would have gained more rapidly if I could have rested more. Shall I have rest when I need it without seeing dissatisfaction on the part of any? Altovista, Mo., Nov. 6, 1866. To be thought perfectly HAPPY pride often makes itself perfectly MISERABLE. Report from Bro. Blanchard.
By H. C. Blanchard
Bro. WHITE: I left home Oct. 3, to labor as the Lord should open the way. I reached Gridley the 4th, and visited among the brethren until the Sabbath, when I preached to them from Heb. v, 8, 9. I found them still pressing Zionward. May the Lord bless and encourage them, and may they strive to excel in love and good works. Sunday, the 7th, I commenced a series of meetings in the village of Gridley, and preached thirteen times. The meetings were well attended most of the time, and a good deal of interest was manifested by some to know what the Scriptures taught. I spoke twice on the subject of the Sabbath. At the close of the first sermon, a Disciple minister arose and called the attention of the congregation, and in reply to my first proposition, viz., The Sabbath was instituted at creation, asserted there was not a man on the face of the earth when God rested on the seventh day. Gen. ii, 2, 8. (!) To sustain my proposition, I read Gen. i, 24-31. Comment was unnecessary. He also stated that Christ kept the law. To which I replied, A very good admission; for John says, 1 John ii, 6, “We are to walk even as he walked;” also, Christ left us an example that ye should follow in his steps. 1 Pet. ii, 21. He asserted that “Christ fulfilled the law and that ended it, and we are not under it,” &c. To which I replied, If the word fulfill means to abolish, it will not do violence to substitute abolish for fulfill in the following scriptures. Matt. iii, 15. For thus it becometh us to abolish all righteousness. Does it? Gal. vi, 2. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so abolish the law of Christ. Must we! Once more: James ii, 8. If ye abolish the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. Do we? Thus he abolished all righteousness, the law of Christ, and the royal law. If this is not wresting the Scriptures, what is it? How much better the following: “Fulfill; to perform what is required; to answer a law by obedience. Webster’s fourth definition of the word fulfill.” At the close of my second sermon, I requested all who believed that Sunday was the Sabbath for us to keep, and was authorized by divine authority, to arise. Not one arose. There being two ministers present, they thereby signified how much faith they had in the divine origin of Sunday-keeping. It rained there for nearly two weeks, and the roads became very bad, so that I concluded to go home and spend a few weeks until the election excitement was over. May the Lord increase the interest that our humble labors have awakened, and may he raise up a people there that shall keep his commandments, and receive the testimony of Jesus Christ. I am now at home resting. I would say to the dear saints that I still love present truth, and desire their prayers that I may, with the Lord’s help, be able to do some good. Princeville, Nov. 2, 1866. Points of Attack.
By E. W. DARLING
We have an insidious enemy, who is ever watching to push his assaults upon every weak point, and take every advantage that change or circumstance may afford, both in open and secret warfare. For this cause we are exhorted in the Scriptures, to watch. “Be sober, be vigilant (watchful); because your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Pet. v, 8. And now as we have entered upon the “last days,” a time when the dragon is “to make war with the remnant,” Rev. xii, 17, when Satan is to work “with all power, and signs and lying wonders, “and deceive, if it were possible, the very elect, “having great wrath because he knoweth that he hath but a short time;” in such a time, we should be like soldiers in a foreign land, ever watchful, ever ready. “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke xxi, 36.
“But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” 1 Pet. iv, 7. We ought to look about us and see if there be any unnecessary weight that might cripple us, or any thing that easily besets us, and cast them aside, cost what they may. While we stand guard through the last and fast-passing watches of time’s dreary night, we should watch with jealous eye every approaching object, lest it conceal the enemy or his artful schemes. Many fail of success in the Christian warfare for want of watchfulness; many fail because their minds are occupied with some great thing to the neglect of a proper attention to, and faithful discharge of, the common duties of life. We are apt to look too high for the cause of our troubles, difficulties and failings. As small leaks will sink a large vessel, so what we term the small affairs of life, if not properly managed, will destroy our prospects both for this world and that which is to come. If we find our business getting tangled so that it interferes with the duties we owe to God or our fellow creatures; or crowding us beyond our powers of endurance; or bringing undue exposure, irregular meals, or food which is not salutary; we should stop and consider if it be not a thrust of the enemy to bring us into condemnation, destroy our prosperity or health, and thus cripple our usefulness. A careless, slack management of business is almost sure to ruin a Christian character. That engagement unfulfilled, that job not rightly done, that large unruly herd overrunning your neighbor’s farm, those bars left down only for a short time, thus exposing your own or your neighbor’s crops, by which means you or they may get out of patience or get into trouble; that unguarded or idle word; that secret revealed; that child not properly governed; that misstatement in deal; that deception; neglected settlements, neglected account-book, neglected correspondence, neglected family-worship; that bustle and crowd of business on Sabbath eve; neglected prayer-meeting, and many such like things;—these are inroads of the enemy; points of attack which if you fail to guard and repair, you will fail to overcome in the contest. Why should we expect a great stir made about our broken engagements? Why should we expect our deception to be detected and blazed round the neighborhood? Why should we expect our tattling to make trouble? Why should we expect some beast to take advantage of the gap we have left open? Because the spirit which led us into such things is from the enemy; it is a snare which he has prepared. Let us not be ignorant of his devices, nor count things trifles which affect the cause of God, and our eternal welfare. I cannot close this article without exhorting once more to watchfulness. Remember what the Saviour has said, “Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matt. xxvi, 41. “Watch ye therefore and pray always.” Luke xxi, 36. Preparing for the Coming Storm
By MRS. JULIET HANCHET
BRO. WHITE: Many a time I have thought I would like to communicate a few lines to those of like precious faith. I love Christ and count all his friends as my friends, and his foes as mine. I feel to rejoice that he has brought me to realize my true condition; that he has given me strength to come out from the world, claim his precious promises, and trust his power to save one as weak, frail, and wayward, as I have been. The Lord is good, I will praise him for his tender compassion toward me. Dear brethren and sisters, we know that nothing but an effectual, practical confidence in Christ can deliver us from the coming storm of Divine wrath. I want to get ready for that glorious day which will bring deliverance to all the saints. I would rather suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Surely our trials and our troubles here will only make us richer there; and how cheering the thought that Christ will never leave nor forsake us, but will be a present help in every time of need. I realize that I am weak, that there must be a great191 work wrought in me to enable me to stand in the time of trouble which is just before us. I adopt the health reform and believe it to be a part of the last message, and am trying to keep pace with it. We must walk out in the light as fast as we receive it, have our lamps trimmed and burning, and be prayerfully waiting and watching, having on the wedding garment ready to go in to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh, what a glorious thought that we may by “patient continuance in well-doing,” have a home in Heaven, where there is “no more death, neither sorrow nor crying,” where we may bask in the sunshine of God’s unchanging love. We are but very few in number here in Albany. We hold our prayer meetings every Sabbath, which strengthens us to press forward in the work of overcoming. My prayer is that we may honorably hold up and live out the truth until it places our feet in the New Jerusalem. The Sabbath in A. D. 54.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
This is the date of Paul's labors at Corinth, as given in our Bible. The apostle worked at his trade on week days, while in this place, but preached upon the Sabbath. It is said, “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.” Acts xviii, 4. The fact that one day in the week was used for religious purposes at this time, while the disciples were laboring upon the other days of the week, and that the Spirit by which they spoke and wrote calls it the Sabbath, without note or comment, is a sufficient refutation of the claim that the Sabbath was abolished at the cross, and consequently that there is no Sabbath for this dispensation. There was then in A. D. 54, a day properly called the Sabbath. No explanation is given, as that it was the Sabbath of the Jews, because none was needed; therefore there was a Sabbath at this date. Again, if there was at that time any day distinguished as the Christian Sabbath, that was doubtless the day observed by Paul and his companions in travel, his partners in the tent-making business, “the Jews and the Greeks.” All these parties and classes were agreed in the day. None complained of having to keep two Sabbaths, or of losing one day's labor in a week. Jews and Christians then kept the same day; and if any day should be designated the Christian Sabbath, that is the day. But that was the seventh day of the week, or Saturday, and not the first day, or Sunday. It was the day on which the Jews worshiped in the synagogues then, and the day on which they still do the same. All are agreed that it was Saturday, so-called, and not Sunday, on which Paul preached to the Jews and Greeks at Corinth. No scholar can be found that would risk his reputation on its denial. “Then the seventh day was the Christian Sabbath when Paul was at Corinth.” But it is claimed that the first day of the week has been the Christian Sabbath ever since the resurrection of Christ; that although it is not mentioned in the account of Paul's labors at Corinth, yet it existed at that time. Let us see if this is possible. “He reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath.” Then there was no Sabbath during this time that was not so occupied. But all these meetings being held on the seventh day, the phrase, “every Sabbath,” includes every seventh day, or Saturday, and excludes every other day, the first day, or Sunday, not excepted. Therefore the first day of the week was not the Sabbath in any sense, while Paul was laboring at Corinth in A. D. 54. The terms, “every Sabbath,” did not include one first-day; therefore they excluded them all. Now if the first day, or Sunday, was not the Sabbath, in any sense, when Paul was preaching at Corinth, when did it become the “Christian Sabbath,” and by what authority?
R. F. COTTRELL. “Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another.” ☞—This department of the paper is designed for the brethren and sisters to freely and fully communicate with each other respecting their hopes and determinations, conflicts and victories, attainments and desires, in the heavenly journey. Seek first a living experience and then record it, carefully and prayerfully, for the comfort and encouragement of the other members of the household of faith. A Church’s Need for Teaching
By S. A. Doud
BRO. WHITE: I feel that it is good for me to acknowledge the goodness of God always. Through his providence, Bro. Byington met with us according to appointment, and found us as a church anxious to hear the word. We feel that there is yet very much for us to learn and the time is short. We were glad to meet with Bro. Byington, as we also were with Bro. Bates, in July last, and learn of them. We thank God that we are remembered. We dearly love our Lord and Saviour, and his servants who teach us the way and the truth; and we love each other. There are as yet no divisions among us. We are pressing “together toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” striving earnestly for the mastery over the world, the flesh and the Devil, that we may not be found wanting in the great day of the Lord. Cannot some brother whose time is not already disposed of, come this winter and teach in Tuscola, Co., those who are desiring to learn of God, his law, and the way to Heaven. There is much need, of such labor. Yours striving to overcome. Vassar, Mich., Oct. 1866.