THE promise to Abraham is the very ground-work and assurance of the Christian's hope. And because of the immutability of God's word of promise to Abraham, the Christian's hope is not a nullity.
Some object to our dwelling on the promise made to Abraham, and wish us to confine ourselves to the teachings of the gospel. Well, if we preach the gospel (which we hope we shall ever be found doing) we must needs teach elementary principles before entering upon the great truths of the gospel. Those first principles must be connected with the first gospel-sermons, and Paul says, God "preached before the gospel unto Abraham."* This promise to Abraham is thus recorded: "And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever."†
After the Lord made this covenant with Abraham and was about to confirm it, he said to him, "Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age."‡
We are told that these promises which were made to Abraham were concerning the temporal possession of the land of Canaan. To this we object,
1. If it was only a temporal possession of the land that was promised, then Abraham would have received it in his life-time; but, according to Stephen's testimony, he never received it in his life-time: "And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on."||
2. It could not be a temporal possession that was promised; for he was to have it forever, and for an "everlasting possession." If we should admit that the terms forever, and everlasting, are limited§ in this testimony, and the promise had been fulfilled, we should find Abraham still on the land; for the everlasting is not limited by Abraham's life; but it is the possession which is to be everlasting, and he would needs be on the land as long as the land continued.
In Gen. 17:1-8, the Lord enters into covenant with Abraham respecting the possession of the land: "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect, and I will make my covenant between me and thee."
This charge given to Abraham, as we learn by the marginal reading of the text, was to "be upright, or sincere." Uprightness and sincerity can only be developed by a perfect law, and so we conclude that the very conditions here given by which the inheritance is to be obtained is keeping the law of God.¶ The blessing of the covenant is stated again in verse 8: "And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession."
The promise made to Abraham was renewed to Isaac. The Lord said to him: "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee, . . . . and will give unto thy seed all these countries: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws,"**
This promise we also find confirmed to Jacob, as he had a view in his dream of the ladder: "And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land wherein thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed."*
But we now wish to inquire into the nature of the Abrahamic promise. Some say that all God ever designed by the promise was accomplished when the children of Israel went into the land of Canaan.
Was this simply a promise that Abraham should have a temporal possession of the land of Canaan? If it was, the promise failed; for he died "in a good old age," and "he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on." We shall not admit that he did not receive it because God failed to fulfill on his part; but, that the promise of a possession made to him is yet to be fulfilled, and be fully realized in a future possession of the earth. Paul says Abraham "sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country."† It is vain that men strive to find a fulfillment of this promise, either to Abraham or his posterity in the past; for it cannot be done. Simply a possession of the land of Canaan does not meet the promise; for Paul says the promise was that "he should be the heir of the world."‡
To gain further light on the nature of the Abrahamic promise, we will look at the comments of Paul. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds,|| as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ."§
If the seed to whom the promise was made was Christ, then the promise could not be fulfilled prior to the coming of that seed, consequently, not prior to the first advent of Christ. With the view above, we readily perceive that there is no ground for the claim which is made by some, that the promise made to Abraham was all fulfilled when the children of Israel sojourned in the land of Canaan. Were Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob with them when they went in to possess the land? No. "They carried up Joseph's bones." Here are four generations that did not receive the land while alive, and yet the Lord said to Abraham, "I will give it [the land] to thee." To Isaac, he said, "For unto thee I will give all these countries." To Jacob, he said, "The land wherein thou liest, to thee will I give it."
If we allow due force to the above language, when the promise is fulfilled, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will personally have the land with the rest of God's people.
Although Christ is the seed to whom the promise was made, to the church has been granted the privilege of joint-heirship. Paul says, "If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."¶ Christ's children could not be said to be heirs of a promise that is fulfilled. Jews after the flesh are not heirs simply because they are descendants of Abraham; but, as expressed in verse 9: "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham."
Paul says, "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."** This testimony shows that when Abraham was in the land, the promise was not fulfilled; but "he should after receive it. Again, when he receives the accomplishment of this promise he is to receive "a city whose builder and maker is God,"—The New Jerusalem.
In verses 12, 13, Paul testifies of these ancient worthies: "Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." This language can mean only one of two things, either that these worthies died and God never made any promise to them, or else they died without receiving the accomplishment of the promises he had made. The latter, of course, is the only conclusion we can consistently draw from the text. Well, says the objector, this means they died without seeing the Saviour; the promise is respecting him. True, the promise is respecting the Saviour; he is the true seed, and he is the one with whom we are to be joint-heirs to the land. And your admission proves too much for you; for the possession could not be till after the heirs came, and so could not be in Abraham's life-time.
This chapter mentions a number of worthies, and says time would fail to tell of them and the work they accomplished through faith. In verses 39, 40, this conclusion is given in regard to them: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Did God fail to fulfill his promise because he had concluded to do better for his people than he promised Abraham? We do not so understand the text. The "better thing" is not a better inheritance, but something better than that these ancient worthies should receive the promise in their day, and others be receiving it all the way along, as expressed in song:—
"If you get there before I do,
Look out for me, I'm coming, too."
No, the Lord has provided a better plan, which is that this promise be realized when all those whom Paul styles us, shall have been gathered out by the gospel preaching. It refers to the perfect state. Had this promise been accomplished to the ancient worthies, they would have been made perfect without us. It is to be accomplished when our perfection shall come, which is when "we shall know even as we are known;"* when faith is lost in sight.
Paul says of this promise, "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail."†
Would Paul claim that the Christian's hope was sure because God confirmed the promise with an oath unto Abraham, if that promise had no reference to the future, but had been all fulfilled in the past? Certainly not. Again, he says: "And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers; unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?"‡ He is willing to be judged for this hope relative to the promise to the fathers. He saw that the people would inquire how Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could receive this promise if they were dead; so he inquires why they should think the resurrection incredible. It would be strange indeed if Paul should submit himself to be judged in a Roman court, liable to be condemned to death because of a hope inspired by a promise that was all fulfilled. The fulfillment of this promise is beyond the resurrection. And the evidence is most conclusive that the Abrahamic promise reaches the new-earth state.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
(Continued.)
Hear Ye Him.
By D. M. Canright
THAT this is the true meaning of Christ's language is positively proved by the following verse, "Whosoever, therefore," in view of the foregoing facts. Now he draws a conclusion from what he had previously stated. What is this conclusion? Is it that the law need not be obeyed? No, indeed. "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:19. As much as to say, Peter, James, John, &c., you are soon going out to teach men. Do not you break one of these commandments yourselves, nor do you teach others to; for, if you do, you shall be least in the kingdom of heaven; but, if you will obey them yourselves, and teach others to do it, you shall be great in the kingdom of heaven. What is meant by the term "kingdom of heaven?" Manifestly the same that Christ meant when he said to Peter, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." Matt. 16:18, 19. The kingdom of heaven, manifestly refers to the church of Christ in the gospel age. And so the language in our text, beyond controversy, applies this side of the cross. It is a false and foolish assumption that Christ in this language simply referred to how the law should be regarded in the old dispensation. The term kingdom of heaven, is never applied to the Jewish age. Christ was not preparing his apostles for teachers under the old dispensation, but as heralds of the kingdom of Christ. Indeed, nothing could be plainer, than that the language which we are considering in Christ's sermon upon the mountain, does apply in the gospel dispensation.
Christ is instructing them very carefully what they shall teach when they go out to disciple all nations. What then does he instruct them to do and teach concerning the law? His words are unmistakable. "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven." Least commandments supposes that there are greater ones.
Turning to Matt. 22:36-40, we read, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." There are two great commandments. First, To love God supremely, and second, To love our neighbor as ourselves. These were not new commandments, as given by Christ; but were given in the old law through Moses. The first in Deut. 6:5; and second in Lev. 19:18. Says Christ, "On these two commandments hang all the law." He does not say, all the law used to hang on the two commandments, but I have now dropped it all. Nor does he say that nine-tenths of the law hangs upon them, but he says all the law hangs upon them. Love to God includes the first four. Love to our neighbor the last six. Therefore of these lesser ones, that is the ten commandments, Christ speaks when he says, Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments. How could language be stronger than that? First, Jesus endorses and ratifies the law as a whole, in stating that he did not come to destroy it. Second, He endorses every commandment in ten, even to the least one of them—"Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments." Third, He endorses every letter in the law. "Not one jot," says he, "shall pass away." A jot is the smallest letter in the Hebrew language. Fourth, He endorses even the smallest tip of a letter, "Not one tittle shall pass away." Thus by the authority of Jesus Christ our Lord, we have the law of the Father entire brought over into the gospel dispensation without any change.
Some say that we have no authority in the New Testament for the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. But we ask, was not the Sabbath one of the commandments? Certainly it was. Hear Christ's language: "Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments." The Sabbath is one of them, and hence it is included in Christ's words. But more than that, not one letter, or even a corner of a letter, was changed in the whole law, every jot and tittle stands and reads just as it did before; and will so stand while heaven and earth stands. So says our Lord and so we believe. Hence that law still reads, The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God.
But Jesus does not leave this important subject here. He continues, "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Verse 20. For I say unto you, Peter, James, John, you my disciples, "that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." Righteousness is keeping the law. Thus Moses says, "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." Deut. 6:25. "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law." Isa. 51:7. "For all thy commandments are righteousness." Ps. 119:172. Righteousness, then is perfect obedience to God's law.
But says one, The very thing that Christ condemned the pharisees for was their strict obedience to the law. No my friend, that is a sad mistake. Read Matt. 15:1-9. "Then came to Jesus scribes and pharisees." Here is the very class under consideration. Now notice what he says about their keeping the commandments. "Then came to Jesus scribes and pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites; well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Verses 1–9.
That is the way they keep God's commandments; that is, they do not keep them at all. They very piously regarded their own traditions; but God's law they set aside. Stephen charges them with the same thing. "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did so do ye." "Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it." Acts 7:51, 53. They pretended to keep God's law, but it was a hypocritical pretention. They did not do it. Hence Christ warns his disciples carefully upon this point, saying, "Except your righteousness," that is your obedience to this law, "shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." If they treat that law no better than the pharisees did, they will be shut out of the kingdom.
Now to leave them without any doubt, he takes up two of the commandments and illustrates by them what he meant concerning the whole law. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I says unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." Matt. 5:21, 22. The law said, Thou shalt not kill. The pharisees had taught that a man must actually take life to break this commandment; but Jesus tells them that the commandment is broader than that, extending even to the motives of the heart. Whoever entertained anger in his heart against his brother was a murderer, and had broken that law.
Again he says, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Verses 27, 28. Here the same principle is brought out. It was not simply the positive act of adultery that would break this commandment; but even the desire entertained in the heart. Mark, Christ is not giving some new law, touching adultery, murder, &c., but is simply stating what is, and always had been, the meaning of the law. He showed that it extended farther than the doctors had said it did. Thus he fulfilled what the prophets had foretold of him, "He will magnify the law and make it honorable." Isa. 42:21. He was not to abolish the law and give a new one; but was to magnify the law and make it honorable. To magnify a thing is to make it appear larger than it appeared before; to cause it to be seen more clearly. And this is just what Christ did touch God's law.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
Santa Clara, Aug. 28, 1874.(Continued.)
The Kingdom of God First.
By J. N. Loughborough
“WHEREFORE, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore, take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, what shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek); for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matt. 6:30-33.
In Luke, we read, in the record of the same discourse, “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of a doubtful mind,” or, as the margin reads, “Live not in careful suspense.” Luke 12:29.
In the above discourse of Christ is a plain promise that those who, in all their doings, make the first and important object of their pursuit “The kingdom of God,” —meaning thereby the service of God and the advancement of his cause—shall have the prospering hand of God with their lawful endeavors to secure the needful things of this life.
But, alas! with the masses, the first great object of pursuit is this world, and their first and greatest inquiry, “What shall I eat?” and “What shall I drink?” or “How shall I accumulate the wealth and honors of this world?” This absorbs nearly all the thought, the planning, and the investment of means. What such do for God's cause must be either something that can be spared just as well as not, or what enters into their plans for the extension of the truth comes in after they have planned for everything else. This ought not so to be. The cause of God should occupy the first place in all our calculations, in all our plans.
Solomon says, “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase; so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Prov. 3:9, 10.
We can see from the Scriptures very clearly how the case ought to be; but how is it? It seems to us more in accordance with Malachi's description of the dangers of our times. He inquires: “Will a man rob God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” See what a promise is made on condition that they cease to rob God, and bring in their tithes and offerings; “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mal. 3:8, 11.
The danger of God's professed people in this time is the same as expressed by Paul in his time. When contrasting the unconsecrated ones with devoted Timothy, he says: “I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.” Phil. 2:20, 21.
Now what is needed in these times, and especially in the important work of giving the last notes of warning to the world is just such consecration as that of Timothy. Then as ministers, as officers, as individuals, we should be faithful in all our duties, making the work pertaining to the various stations we occupy, of more consequence than anything else. With such a sense of our labor, and a corresponding consecration to the Lord, we should so magnify our office that the “Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently,” should not be pronounced against us.
Did we thus stand, instead of shrinking from duties and burdens and crosses and sacrifices and cares, we should be ever pressing humbly forward in the work with the saying on our lips, “Here am I, Lord, send me.”
With too many, alas! there is a lack of earnestness, a lack in making the business of God's cause of more consequence than anything else. There is needed more of a missionary spirit. The mere machinery of a Missionary Society is not going to do the work alone. We must, individually, get our hearts imbued with a love for souls, with a desire to do what we can to save them. Where such a spirit exists in the church and individual members, the Society comes in as a regulator of our efforts, and points out channels where we can labor.
While meditating on the condition of things in this State, the great work to be accomplished, and how we can individually act faithfully our part in this cause, the foregoing thoughts pressed upon my mind. We must, as a people, take higher ground, and dedicate our energies more fully to God and his cause. As we come to the Camp Meeting may it be with desires, and earnest prayers from the heart to God that he will enable us to so consecrate ourselves to him that we shall hereafter “seek first the kingdom,” be ever zealous in his cause, and “shine as lights in the world.”
"THE field is wasted, the land mourneth ; for the corn is wasted. Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen ; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley ; because the harvest of the field is perished*. For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number." Joel 1 : 10, 11, 6. I never was so impressed with the meaning of this chapter as I have been during the last few weeks. Letter after letter we have received from persons requesting the SIGNS, saying they would gladly pay double the price of the paper but the grasshoppers have destroyed their crops. One brother from Kansas says : "The grasshoppers have destroyed every green thing, and God only knows how I shall support my family." Another writes from Arizona, "My corn is wholy destroyed by grasshoppers, and other grain is not a quarter crop."
What does all this signify ? Joel continues in verse 15, "For the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come."
J. E. W.
Report from Vallejo, Cal.
By John Norton Loughborough
AFTER three more lectures we close our tent meetings in Vallejo. I commenced here July 17th, since which I have given fifty-seven lectures. We were earnestly requested to come here by Bro. and sister Howard, who received the truth by hearing at our camp meeting last year, and by reading.
We found here a company of First-day Adventists in a divided condition. A major part of them holding with Elder Grant on the “holiness” question, the minor party, some twelve in number, holding with Elder Fassett that the work of holiness is not simply a blessing suddenly received, but a “growth in grace.”
The Eld. Grant party, have, with a few exceptions, kept away from the tent, and taken as gospel truth all the slanderous statements made in the Crisis against Seventh-day Adventists. Some of their number even going so far as to collect crowds on the street corners, and peddle out to them their slander. Notwithstanding this we have had a good, attentive audience from the first. The ludicrous part of the matter was, that those who had not been to the tent, were trying to tell those who had been there what was preached at the tent. They made splendid failures at it. I never saw such bigotry in any sectarian church, as the “holiness Adventists” have manifested here. May God pity them, and open their eyes to what they are doing.
The minor branch of the Adventists have followed the lectures closely and endorse the truth. Most of them have signed a covenant to keep the Sabbath, and meet for worship on the Sabbath. Thirteen names are now attached to the covenant here. These were not all Adventists before. They have arranged to hold their meetings, for the present, in a private house. They are all of the poor of this world. May they be rich in faith, and receive the kingdom at last.
There are a few others who admit the truth, in theory, but still hesitate. We trust in their cases the bread cast upon the waters may be gathered, though it be “after many days.” We have sold $30 worth of books, and the people contributed $58, toward the expenses of the meeting. A few have subscribed for the SIGNS OF THE TIMES. This is a town of mechanics, most of them work in the navy yard, and it requires a love for the truth, for any one to move out to keep a day conflicting with the arrangements of Government works.
Among those who have come out is a Bro. Davison, 84 years of age, formerly a sea captain ; hale and hearty, a day laborer on the navy yard. His father lived to be over 140 years of age. This brother was once a Seventh-day Baptist. He had left the Sabbath, but when he heard the truth here, he knew the sound, and is again gladly keeping God’s commandments.
We leave here on the 11th to attend the quarterly meetings at Oakland and Napa, and prepare for our camp meeting.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Vallejo, Cal., Aug. 8, 1874.
Santa Clara, Cal.
By D. M. Canright
We have now been here over one month, and the interest is better than at any previous time, and the attendance fully as large. Have sold over $50 worth of books, and obtained quite a number of subscribers for the Signs. Over twenty have embraced the Sabbath. We had a cheering Sabbath meeting yesterday. The friends were over from San Jose. About sixty in all were out, most of whom took part in social meeting. Besides these, a large number of the leading citizens and wealthy men are deeply interested. We see no prospect of getting away from here very soon.
A few bigoted men who had the control of the public plaza, where our tent was pitched, stirred up a fuss and compelled us to move our tent. The charge was that we were stirring up the people, dividing families, &c. This action created indignation against them on the part of the candid people of the place. A large number of the leading citizens and influential men turned out and helped us move the tent; and then attend the meetings themselves, and influence their friends to come and hear us; so that now the interest is larger than before. So this mean persecution has turned rather to the advancement of the cause.
We are of good courage and freedom in the work. Bro. Cornell has left us and gone to labor in Lake Co., and so I am laboring alone with the tent. D. M. CANRIGHT. Santa Clara, Cal., Sept. 6, 1874.
Walla Walla, Washington Territory.
By I. D. VAN HORN
As the time is near when we shall move our tent from this place to commence labor at another point in this valley, I will give a brief report of the work as it now appears here.
1st. Our long stay in this place with the tent may seem unnecessary to some, but it has proved the very thing essential to the starting of the work right in this valley. Walla Walla is the largest town in Washington Territory, and is the center of business east of the Cascade Range. A firm foothold here will give us influence with the people throughout the valley.
2nd. August 8, was a good Sabbath day with us here. In the morning at 9 : 30 we were happy to see the good interest taken in our Sabbath school and Bible class. At 11 o'clock we gave a short discourse on the "Purity of the Remnant Church," Rev. 14 : 5 ; after which we went to the water where we enjoyed the happy privilege of administering the ordinance of Baptism to six willing souls who had turned from the world to keep the commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. At 3 : 30 P. M. we all assembled at the private dwelling of Bro. Wood, where, for the first time in this place, a church of Seventh-day Adventists engaged in celebrating the humiliation, sufferings and death of Christ by participating in the Ordinances. The blessing of the Lord rested in our midst.
3rd. The interest on the part of those who embrace the truth to advance the work is good. Our cause is held by many outside with a good deal of favor, and only a few manifest any opposition. Our work has moved steadily on from the beginning so that we number up to the present writing fifty-eight members. About thirty of these have embraced the truth since the tent was pitched here.
4th. Efforts are being put forth to build a house of worship. Over $1,300 have already been subscribed. Articles of incorporation to hold church property have already been made out and are in the Auditors hands for record. Work will be begun on the house in a week or two. The prospect therefore looks favorable in this direction.
5th. The influence of this meeting has extended all over the valley, which will help us much when we move our tent to another place. We are of good courage, and feel thankful that our efforts to carry on the work are owned and blessed of the Lord.
I. D. VAN HORN.
August 13, 1874.
Quarterly Meeting at Oakland.
By J. E. W.
According to appointment in last SIGNS, our quarterly meeting was held last Sabbath and First day. Sabbath our little hall was well filled with the brethren and sisters from Oakland and San Francisco. A few were down from Napa and other places. Bro. Loughborough spoke Sabbath morning on “Commemorative Institutions,” in which he brought up the subject of the “Ordinances of the Lord’s House.” In the afternoon the ordinances were attended according to the instructions given in John 13. It was a new scene to most that were present; but the promise “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them,” was literally fulfilled, for the blessing of God came down abundantly. Bro. Loughborough spoke also Sabbath evening and twice on Sunday on close, practical truths pertaining to our times. Sunday afternoon we had a business meeting. Five tents will go up to camp meeting from Oakland, and probably more will be added as the time of meeting approaches. $65 a year was added to our Systematic Benevolence, bringing it up to $665 a year. J. E. W.
OBITUARY NOTICES
DIED, in San Francisco, Cal., Aug. 16th, of pleurisy, Sister Lizzie Goodwin, aged 24 years. Sister Goodwin came to this coast some two years since, from Nova Scotia, a Baptist. She attended the tent meetings in Napa last Summer, where she embraced the present truth. Her name was enrolled with the company in Napa. She sleeps in Jesus. Remarks at her funeral in San Francisco, Aug. 18th, by the writer, from 2 Sam. 14 : 14. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
FELL asleep, at his residence, in Napa, Cal., after an illness of two weeks, Col. M. D. Richey, in the 70th year of his age. He was one of the California pioneers, having immigrated from Illinois to this county in 1846. While crossing the plains he assisted in the rescue of the Donner party from the Indians. He came to this coast a Presbyterian. He heard the lectures at the tent in Napa last Summer, since which time he has observed the Sabbath, and met with the Napa church. Discourse at his funeral, in Napa, Aug. 22nd, by the writer, from 2 Cor. 2 : 3–5. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.