DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I have felt of late that the time was near when God would pour out the fullness of his Spirit upon his people. I have seen also that there is a great work to be performed in our hearts. We must be pure in heart. Every Christian grace must be perfected, or we are unprepared to receive the gifts. Unless we are entirely consecrated to God, and are in his hands as clay in the hands of the potter, we should be exalted, and they would prove a curse instead of a blessing to us. Dear brethren and sisters, are we contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints? Are we putting forth every effort in our power to get out of this lukewarm state, and to get that holiness without which none shall see the Lord? Do we realize that it will take all to buy the gold? Have we examined our hearts to see if all is on the altar, if there is not a wedge of gold, or a Babylonish garment hidden away in our hearts? God will not save us until all is given up. Our hindrances will vary; some will have besetments that others will not; but if we lie passive in the hands of God, and desire above all things else to be pure and right, God will show us our faults and give grace to overcome.
I fear there is not that self-denial in the church that there should be. There is too much gratifying the carnal appetites. We think too much of our ease; we are not willing enough to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts. I fear we do not humble ourselves by fasting and prayer. We are living in a time when Satan is putting forth his most powerful efforts to hinder and destroy all he can, and will we let him destroy us when all heaven is engaged to save us? God forbid. We must fight if we would reign. Let us bestir ourselves, and take no rest until we get the victory over this lukewarm state, and the abiding witness that the blessed Saviour has come into our hearts, and we can say of a truth, he sups with us, and we feast on his precious love. Glory to God for the gift of his Son.
The love of Christ is beyond expression. If we have it perfected in our hearts, it will set every wheel in motion. Will you delay, dear brethren and sisters? My heart goes out after you. We are all one family. I feel the same interest in your welfare as in my own, although it is an individual work, and each must strive for himself.
One year nearly, since the message to the Laodiceans was given. I feel that if there is not a coming up soon where God can use us in some way to carry forward his work, that while cases are being decided, many will be spued out of his mouth. O church of God, awake out of your slumber! Do not say, A little more sleep, a little more slumber, but make haste, arouse, shake off this lethargy, lest you sleep on until it is too late. The blessed Saviour stands knocking; rise and let him in.
As I afflict my soul, by denying myself, light and joy increases; and I am expecting a perfect victory through faith in the merits of Jesus.
Yours striving to overcome.
CORNELIA LAWTON
Winfield, N. Y.
A. H. ROBINSON
By A. H. Robinson
From Sister Robinson.
Bro. Smith : I wish to say that I feel grateful to you and others connected with the publishing department for sending me the paper. I love the truths it advocates, and I think all my interest and sympathy is with God's remnant people, who are trying to keep all his commandments, and are purifying themselves by obeying the whole truth. I want to be a co-worker with them, and with the Third Angel, and with Jesus, who is now finishing his work in the heavenly Sanctuary. I want the victory over every wrong word and action, over pride, selfishness and the love of this world, that I may share in the latter rain which I think is soon to be poured out upon God's people.
Last Sixth-day and Sabbath, brother and sister Wheeler met with us. We had an interesting time. On Sixth-day two were baptized. Sabbath forenoon, Bro. Wheeler spoke from these words. Wherefore beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless. 2 Pet. iii, 14. It was meat in due season.
A. H. ROBINSON
Sandy Creek, N. Y., Nov. 11th, 1857.
Sister Bean’s Testimony
By M. Bean
From Sister Bean.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: My heart is made to rejoice from week to week while reading communications from you through the Review. Although most are strangers to me in the flesh, yet I love you, and trust I enjoy the same blessed hope of soon seeing Jesus. With you, dear brethren and sisters, I am striving to keep all the Commandments of God, and the Testimony of Jesus, and I often rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. I feel that my treasure is in heaven, and my record is on high. It will be one year next June since I with my husband commenced keeping the commandments of God. I rejoice with my whole heart, while I often mourn that above six years of my life was lost. It is all a blank, because I did not walk in the light, as it was shown me by the Spirit of God; but Oh, the goodness, the long-suffering of God to me, his most unworthy creature, in bringing my poor soul out of prison, in answer to the prayers of the dear saints. Praise the Lord forever, for what he in mercy has done for me. I want to say to sister Butler, I was glad to hear from you through the Review. I can say with you, I want to meet the saints of all ages, prophets, apostles and martyrs. We have in gone by days, often met and rejoiced together; soon if faithful, we shall, with all the saints, rise to meet Jesus in the flaming skies.
Not a Sabbath keeper in this place; but I expect, I hope and trust we shall have our children here to go with us. I think they are searching for truth, and are willing to receive the light and walk in it, as fast as they see it.
Yours seeking for glory, immortality and eternal life. M. BEAN.
Swanton, Vt., Nov. 23d, 1857.
Purified and Made Ready for Christ’s Coming
Bro. E. Merrill writes from Kalamazoo, Mich. Nov. 22d, 1857. "I feel that we are living in a time when Christ sits as a refiner and purifier of his people, and if we are ever purified and made ready to enter through the gates of the city of God it must be now, before he leaves the Sanctuary. I feel the need of this purifying, when I look back for fifteen years and see how much wrong there has been in my life, and how much I have to do before I can abide his coming.
"It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him we shall also live with him. We may think we are dead to the world when we are not, for the heart is deceitful. The young man in the Scripture thought that he was in the strait and narrow way till the Saviour showed him his idol. Let us see that we are really dead to the world and alive to God."
A GOOD THOUGHT.
Having in my youth notions of severe piety, says a celebrated Persian writer, I used to rise in the night to watch, and pray, and read the Koran. One night while I was engaged in these exercises, my father who was a man of practical virtue, awoke while I was reading.
"Behold," said I to him, "thy other children are lost in irreligious slumber, while I alone awake to praise God."
"Son of my soul," he answered "it is better to sleep than to wake to mark the faults of thy brethren."—Sel.
Satan’s Cruel Wages
SATAN hath one property which no other master hath, how cruel soever: to plague and torment those most, and to give them the worst wages, who have done him the most continual and faithful service.
An Importunate Beggar at Grace’s Throne
Be an importunate beggar at the throne of grace.
Business Items.
By Editor
N. N. Lunt. We give you credit in this No. for the dollar omitted, through mistake, last June.
We have received a letter from Compton, C. E. bearing date Nov. 27th, containing $3, but having no signature. One dollar we receipt to O. Frizzle, according to direction, but know not to whom to credit the remainder. Will the writer give us his name.
S. B. McLaughlin. We send the paper as you request.
S. W. Rhodes. You did not give us the P. O. address of A. E. Colson, but we send the paper to him to Oncida, Ohio. Is this right?
S. Haselton. We continue your paper free.
Good Example.
By James White
BRO. D. R. Palmer writes to this Office, Nov. 26th.
"I have enclosed $100,00 and sent by express. Received the Review last evening, and saw your request, and was ready for the good work . . . By the doings of the Conference I see that I was chosen one of seven to receive donations for the good of preachers and the cause generally. Have $25,00 on hand. If I had time I would write more."
This reads well, and we hope to hear similar news from fifteen or twenty more, who will follow this good example. We want to go right along republishing books just as though the times were easy, which we cannot do without help of this kind. J. W.
Liberty! Freedom!
By J. Clarke
Much is said and written in favor of freedom, and many conflicting opinions are held in regard to the best mode of governing free states. Many loud boasts are made of our free country; but I will venture to assert that real liberty and true freedom is unknown to the world. Satan holds the world in bondage.
Politicians make a noise; States and statesmen grasp the shadow; and while they struggle for the substance, it eludes their grasp. Satan laughs at their folly, while he listens to the clanking of their chains, which he has forged. He gloats over his success. Burdened consciences, broken hearts, contemners of God's law, criminals of prison dye, or fashionable sharpers, whitewashed professors, and all the variety of sinful humanity, are his victims. They talk of freedom; but ah! well does the arch-fiend know how strong the fetters which bind them to his car. Oh the folly, the madness of poor man!
It is joyful to know that there are a few exceptions. Yes we are sure that some are free in the best sense of the word. The Christian who walks with God, who takes up his cross daily, who conforms his life to God's holy law, who worships him in Spirit and in truth, he and he alone is truly a free man.
While his body is here, his freed spirit soars to heaven, and while he visibly converses with men, his soul is communing with God. While his bodily powers are wearing away in labors, and trials, his mind is being trained to meet the exigencies of that hour, when the voice of God shall wake the dead, and call the living saints to meet him in the air. With such aspirations and hopes, and such faith, the Christian soars far above the cares and temptations which enslave and intoxicate the world at large.
On the other hand the lukewarm or cold professor, who becomes proud and careless, is a very oppressed man. Conscience worries him, memory haunts him, demons torment him. The wicked are no solace to his chafed heart. Life is a load of care, and death a hell to him.
But let him rise in his Saviour's might, and gird to him his spiritual armor, with the shield of faith, and the sword of the Spirit, and like a true soldier fight manfully, how soon do spectres flee, and evil men and spirits withdraw.
Onward, he exclaims, to the prize. His mind once dark and troubled, is now peaceful and serene. A chastened, holy zeal, an intrepid boldness animates his soul; his being is lost in God, his thoughts, words and actions are alike subdued by the bright light shining upon him from the glorious risen Saviour. No unholy influence can draw him from the mount, where he sees, by faith his adorable Saviour transfigured before his enraptured vision.
To him earthly thrones and dominions, crowns and diadems, are level with the dungeon and hovel; he sees with angel's vision, and longs for full communion with God; but with Christ he prays, "Not my will, but thine be done." At the call of duty he comes anew to the conflict, invigorated and inspirited, he draws fresh courage and new strength from the exhaustless fountain, he drinks the cool draught of the river of life by faith.
Thus refreshed and strengthened, he sees difficulties vanish, clouds scatter, enemies flee, mountains are removed, and to him the promise is sure, "one shall chase a thousand."
With the eye of faith he sees how awful the chasm which separates the wicked from a holy God, what fathomless depths! what woe and sorrow! Oh folly! Oh madness! to tempt the terrible God. By faith he grasps the ladder Jesus has cast from heaven to earth, so strong that none but God can remove it. On it, Enoch and Elijah outrode the storms of earth. On it, the prophets and apostles sent up their prayers, and by its means, full assurance of a blessed resurrection, has been transmitted to millions of persecuted saints, tossed upon life's troubled sea; martyrs at the stake, on the wheel, in the dungeon, or amphitheatre, torn by wild beasts, or wilder and more brutal men; these mangled, distressed ones, have by faith borne all with patience, and often with pleasure and holy joy.
Oh faith, truly thou art the gift of God, nothing less could work such wonders as thou hast wrought.
Oh thou frail man, whoever thou art, cast off thy vanity. Abase thy pride. Lose thyself in God. Prove this faith. Be strong, and thus obtain true freedom and real liberty.
J. CLARKE.
Additional Testimony for the Church
By James White
SINCE the publication of Testimony to the Church, No. 4, other testimony for the Church relative to the present and future, of great interest has been given, which we print on eight pages and add to the book, making in all forty-four pages. About two hundred were made up and sent out. Those who received the book of thirty-six pages, can have the other eight, by sending for it. J. W.
Receipts.
By Editor
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the 'Review and Herald' to which the money receipted pays If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
FOR REVIEW AND HERALD.
E. Pomeroy 1,00,xii,1. R. Harmon 0,50 each for E. Bangs and M. P. Foss 1,00 each to xii,1. A. Byington 3,00,xiii,1. J. F. Byington 2,00,xii,1. T. Colburn 1,00,xii,1. C. Byington (for E. Dalgrien) 1,00,xv,1. A. Southwick 2,00,xi,1. C. Bailey 2,00,xii,1. D. Hewett 1,00,xii,1. N. N. Lunt 5,00 (2 copies) xii,1. J. Mills 1,00,xi,1. W. S. Fairchild 1,00,xii,1. M. E. Mory 1,00,xii,1. C. Lawton 1,00,xii,1. Wm. Lawton 2,00,xiii,1. C. Lawton (for E Thompson) 0,50,xii,1. S. Brigham 1,00,xii,1. J. Farnsworth 3,00,xiii,1. O. Frizzle 1,00,xi,14. L. Howard 0,50,xii,1. F. Pierce 1,00,xi,1. A. S. Tuttle 1,00,xii,1. S. B. McLaughlin 1,00,xii,1. Juo. Young 1,00,xii,8. H. D. Corey 1,00,xii,1. W. G. Kendall (for H. Lamb) 0,50,xi,17. W. G. Kendall 1,00 xii,1. A. Graham 1,00,xii,1. S. J. Voorus 1,00,xiii,1. A. C. Morton 1,00,xii,1. R. Moran 1,00,xi,1. Wm. Lawton (for L. Potter) 1,00,xiii,1. R. L. Daniels 1,00,xi,12. Wm. Herald 1,00,xii,1. A. Stone 1,52,xii,1. H. Gardner 0,50,xi,14. J. Stone 2,00,xii,1. T. T. Wheeler 1,00,xii,1. E. Rew (0,50 each for L. A. McKee W. W. Everts and S. Pratt) 1,50 each to x,14. E. Rew 0,50,xi,14. B. E. Place 1,88,xv,1. A. Lanphear 2,00,x,14. Wm. H. Brigham 1,00,xi,1. D. Robbins 1,00,x,1. A. H. Huntley 2,00,xii,1. A. H. Huntley (for A. Youngman) 0,39,x,3. H. E. Goodwin 2,00,xii,10. A. Stowell (for S. J. Buswell) 1,00,xiii,1. H. W. Dodge 1,00,xii,1.
FOR MICH. TENT. S. A. Snyder $2.
FOR REVIEW TO POOR. Sr. Coburn $1.
Books for Sale at this Office.
By Editor
Hymns, for those who keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. This Book contains 352 Pages, 430 Hymns and 76 pieces of Music. Price, 60 cents.—In Morocco, 65 cents.
Bible Tracts Bound in Two Volumes. These Volumes are of about 400 pages each, and embrace nearly all of our published Tracts. We are happy to offer to our friends the main grounds of our faith in a style so acceptable.—Price 50 cents each.
Sabbath Tracts, Nos. 1, 2, 3 & 4. This work presents a condensed view of the entire Sabbath question.—184 pages. Price 15 cents.
The Three Angels of Rev. xiv, 6–12, particularly the Third Angel's Message, and the Two-horned Beast. This work maintains the fulfillment of Prophecy in the past Advent movement, and is of great importance in these times of apostasy and peril.—148 pages.—Price 12 1/2 cents
Bible Student's Assistant. This is the title of a work of 36 pp. It has been prepared with much care, and considerable expense, and can be had at this Office for $4,00 per 100, or if sent by mail, post paid, 6 cents a copy.
A Brief Exposition of Daniel ii, vii, viii, ix, also the 2300 Days and the Sanctuary.—This is the title of a Work just published, it being our old Work on the Four Universal Monarchies of Daniel, &c., somewhat improved. Price, post-paid, 10 cts.
The Two-horned Beast of Rev. xiii, a Symbol of the United States.—Price 10 cts.
The Sanctuary and 2300 days by J. N. A.—Price 12 1/2 cents.
A Refutation of the claims of Sunday-keeping to Divine Authority; also, the History of the Sabbath.—Price, 6 cents
The Atonement. This work opens a wide field of Bible truth, and will be found a valuable assistant in the study of the great theme on which it treats.—196 pp.—18 cents.
Man not Immortal: the only Shield against the Seductions of Modern Spiritualism. We commend this work on the Immortality question, as an able discussion of the subject.—148 pp.—12 1/2 cents.
An Examination of the Scripture Testimony concerning Man's present condition, and his future Reward or Punishment. In this work we consider all objections to the mortality of man and the death of the wicked fairly and fully met. Price 18 cents.
Review of Crozier. This work is a faithful review of the No-Sabbath doctrine as set forth in the Advent Harbinger by O. R. L. Crozier. It should be placed in the hands of those who are exposed to that heresy.—Price 6 cents.
The Bible Class. This work contains 52 Lessons on the Law of God and the Faith of Jesus. with questions. It is peculiarly adapted to the wants of those of every age who are unacquainted with our views of these subjects, especially the young.—Bound 25 cents. Paper covers, 18 cents.
The 2300 Days and Sanctuary by "U. S."—Price 5 cents
Why Don't you Keep the Sabbath? Extracts from Catholic works.—Price 5 cents.
The Celestial Railroad.—Price 5 cents.
The Sabbath. Containing valuable articles on 2 Cor. iii, Col. ii, 14–17, Who is our Lawgiver? The two tills of Matt v. 18, Consistency, &c.—Price 5 cents.
The Law of God. In this excellent work the testimony of both Testaments relative to the law of God—its knowledge from Creation, its nature and perpetuity—is presented.—Price 12 1/2 cents.
The Bible Sabbath, or a careful selection from the publications of the American Sabbath Tract Society, including their History of the Sabbath. Price 10 cts.
Perpetuity of the Royal Law.—Price 5 cents.
Christian Experience and Views.—Price 6 cents.
Last Work of the True Church.—Price 7 cents
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The above named books will be sent by Mail post-paid, at their respective prices.
When not sent by mail, liberal discount on packages of not less than $5 worth.
All orders, to insure attention, must be accompanied with the cash except they be from Agents or traveling preachers.
Address URIAH SMITH, Battle Creek, Mich.
The Youth's Instructor.
By James White
The receipts of the INSTRUCTOR, for the first four years fell much short of expenditures. The last year its subscription list increased one third, and receipts have been equal to expenditures. I have endeavored to stand by this little teacher in all its poverty and weakness, until it has gained friends and help to sustain itself, and now I wish to add it to the publishing department as the property of the church. I presume none will lose any interest in this precious sheet because of the change. They should not. While I shall expect a more general interest in the little paper in consequence of its being the property of the church.
I rejoice to see this day, when I have no personal interest in the REVIEW Office. In common with my brethren, I have a deep interest in the prosperity of our Office of publication, and shall labor as arduously as ever to promote its general good. With many thanks, dear brethren and sisters for your timely aid, I now commit the INSTRUCTOR, which I trust has blest your children, to the care of our Publishing Committee, who now hold in charge all the property of the Office. And may the numbers of its readers, supporters and contributors greatly increase,
The terms of the INSTRUCTOR for the next year will be as follows—Single copy 36 cents. Those who order it for their friends, 25 cents. From five to ten copies addressed to one person, 25 cents each. From ten to twenty-five copies addressed to one person, 20 cents each. From twenty-five to one hundred copies addressed to one person, 15 cents each.
There are two reasons for reducing the price where a quantity is sent to one person. First, much time is saved in sending a package to one person, instead of writing the names on each paper. And second, we wish to induce persons to take large quantities to distribute. After filling the list of regular subscribers, the type being set, we can print a few surplus hundreds for those who wish a quantity, cheap. JAMES WHITE.