In the Advent Herald of Feb. 14, 1844, a brief statement concerning prophetic time concludes thus: “We must, therefore, if we read the Bible aright, be near the termination of all the prophetic periods. Reader, is it not worthy of your prayerful consideration?”
The Bible was read aright on this point in 1844, by those who, illuminated by the Spirit of truth, were led out to herald to the world the near approach of the Son of man. The prophetic periods were then about to terminate: and that fact was worthy the prayerful consideration of every reader.
But we have now to present to the reader another fact more worthy still of his prayerful consideration, and that is, that the prophetic periods all have terminated. So near are we now to the final consummation, that we are down this side of all the great measuring lines given in the word of God to mark the course of events. An indefinite “little while” only now intervenes before the coming of Him who is soon to come and not to tarry.
The great fact that the prophetic periods have all terminated, is worthy of special consideration, as it brings the coming of the Lord very near. Many are deceiving themselves with the idea that the prophetic periods were given to mark the time of the advent, and hence that there can be no consistent movement on this question without a proclamation of definite time. They have, therefore, as time after time has passed by, resorted to every conceivable species of assumption and guess-work to fix new points in the future. In this they are only virtually saying, “My Lord delayeth his coming;” for there is no prophetic period which reaches to the coming of the Lord. These periods are not given to mark that event. Important movements are to be made, and important works accomplished, between their termination and the actual appearing of Christ; and if they have not yet terminated, it only follows that the coming of Christ is farther off than every other indication would lead us to suppose. It is a false position which thus puts off the coming of Christ, and one which is full of danger. But there is no occasion for it; for the voice of history and the testimony of the word of God rightly read together, shew, not that we are to look to the future, for the termination of the periods, and then to wait for all the events that are to follow, before we can hope to see the Lord, but that we are even now in the very midst, perhaps near the conclusion, of those events which were to follow the close of all prophetic time, alarm the wicked, and bring joy to the saints, as the King of the earth draws near. Viewing thus the prophetic periods all in the past, for which there is abundant proof, we are not led to put off the coming of the Lord, but are brought, as it were, face to face with the great day. Let the reader consider well this solemn truth.
That we are past the prophetic periods is again worthy of consideration, because we are thus brought into the time of the cleansing of the sanctuary. This, in the type, was the solemn day of the year for all Israel, who reverently gathered around the sanctuary and afflicted their souls lest they should be cut off from the people of God. And the period of the cleansing of the new-covenant sanctuary, Heb. viii, ix, is the most solemn period of this dispensation for the Christian church. In this service, performed once for all, the plan of salvation is now drawing to a conclusion. And as Israel of old intently listened to hear the sound of their priest as he came out from making an atonement for them before the Lord, so we are to understand the position of our great High Priest, and watch that we may be ready for him when he shall come forth to pronounce the everlasting covenant of peace with his people.
If the prophetic periods have ended, the angel of Rev. x, has fulfilled his mission, and we are having the last message of mercy; for there is to be only one more message to the people, after the proclamation of that angel is uttered. Verse 11.
If the prophetic periods have ended, the temple of God has been opened in Heaven, and there is seen the ark of his testament. Special attention is drawn to the law of God, and men are called upon to carefully examine, that their lives may correspond to its every precept.
If the prophetic periods have ended, the seventh angel has commenced to sound. Then the anger of the nations has come; and the wrath of God, the reward of the righteous, and the destruction of the wicked, transpire in quick succession.
These are some of the events that follow this portion of prophetic fulfillment. Is not the inquiry, then, whether these periods have terminated, worthy the serious attention of the reader?
The prophetic periods, terminated! Startling fact! Oh, that we could realize its full import! Those long lines of years which from the prophets’ days struck forward almost to the border of the eternal kingdom, are all completed. A little period, indefinite in duration, but full of commotion, calamity, and peril, now remains to seal the probation of a rebellious race. The termination of the periods shows that we have reached this point. Given to guide the church through the labyrinth of time, they bring us to this fearful final hour, and here leave us. And as they are borne away from us into the past on the rapid tide, and we loose our grasp of them, we are to stretch every nerve to gain the immortal shore before us. An indifferent mariner, as he drew near some dangerous, rock-bound coast, sleepy, careless, or drunken, would be the execration of mankind. A careless professor in these closing days of peril, is the grief of angels and the joy of devils. Reader, awake to the times in which we live; for these things are worthy of your prayerful consideration.
NOT AS IT SHOULD BE.
By James White
The present limited circulation of those pamphlets published from time to time, containing testimony for the church, is in a great degree owing to the want of a proper plan for circulating them. Some less than 2000 of those testimonies are taken, while the REVIEW is received by twice as many. This is not as it should be. While all who read the REVIEW, might not be profited by them at present, there are at least 1000 of its readers who should read them, who do not. Those are the very persons, above all others, who need to read them.
The ardent friends of the cause will obtain them and read them with a degree of profit, while those less ardent, less sacrificing and true to the cause, less spiritual and godly, the very ones addressed in the testimonies, the very ones who need them most, do not send for them. Hence the great design in giving them, in writing and publishing them, is nearly lost. It would be better to give these testimonies in the REVIEW. But there are two objections to this. First, they should be in pamphlet form, to be preserved as matters of ready reference. Second, they are testimonies to the church. The circulation of the REVIEW reaches beyond.
I have long been settled on the following, as the best plan to circulate the Testimonies:
1. Print an edition of at least 3500, and send it to the subscribers of the REVIEW, excepting those persons who are not in a state of mind to be benefited by such reading. Should any receive it who do not wish to receive such testimony, or should any wish it to whom it might not be sent, all such persons could give notice. Thus could a large list be obtained of those who would with interest read the Testimonies. This would be nearly double their present number of readers. But what is most to be regarded, they would thus reach a large class of persons, who, above all others, need them. And this would save the stationery, time of writing, and postage of many hundreds of letters ordering each number of the Testimonies.
2. Time in doing the business at the Office relative to the Testimonies in little driblets, and burdening the REVIEW with many names and small amounts, under the head of "Books sent by Mail." Instead of all this, when a testimony is printed, it can be sent out to all who wish it, with less trouble at the Office, and none to those who receive it. The expense can be met by donations from all who wish this kind of reading to be in the hands of those who need it. There would be no difficulty in raising quite a fund for this purpose. The receipts could be given on third page of the cover of each number, with the statement of cost, so that all the friends could see if means were needed. I am prepared to say that in editions of 5000 copies, these Testimonies can be sent out, post paid, at the rate of ten pages for one cent, or ten cents a copy, the size of No. 15.
Number 16 will be ready in August, and will contain matter of great interest to those who believe these testimonies are from the Lord. Those who are in favor of the above suggestions, will please respond immediately. Let churches take action upon the subject, get subscriptions, and let those who approve send their donations or pledges in immediately. Also scattered brethren will please respond. Address Elder James White, Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich. If more convenient, donations for this object can be sent to the Review Office.
I will give $5.00, to send No. 16 as above suggested, and Mrs. W. will give $5.00 more. J. W.
REPORT FROM THE IOWA TENT.
By George I. Butler; Merritt E. Cornell
At the time of our last report, our meetings in this place had fairly commenced. They have continued till the present time, and still the interest is good. Our congregations have ranged from four hundred to one thousand since we have been here. Every person admits there has never been such a stir, upon any subject, in this community since its first settlement. In every house, almost, and in all the stores of the place, the first book to be seen is the Bible. Many people who have scarcely ever looked at their Bibles before, have been studying them much of late. And men who have not been seen to attend meeting for years, have come out, night after night, after working hard all day in the hay or harvest field; indeed, they have come night after night, four and five miles, getting home and to their rest not before midnight. All must see that this shows some interest, in this extremely hot weather, and when business is so driving.
The clergy of the place have mostly acted as the Jews did anciently, when they saw the interest awakened by the preaching of the apostles—they were filled with “envy” and jealousy. It has been noticed by many citizens, that while the ministers have been praying a long time for something to come along to awaken an interest in religion in the place, as soon as the interest was seen, they seemed to be offended at it, and began immediately to act in public and private against us. But our congregations have been large in spite of all they could do against us, while in some cases they have had hardly enough for a meeting. A large circus came here, and it was said by the citizens that it did not pay expenses into a hundred dollars, while our congregation was not perceptibly decreased.
The Sabbath question made a great stir, and the ministers knowing no other way to hold the people, sent invitation after invitation to Mr. Evans, a prominent Methodist champion, of Washington, to come to their relief. He has the reputation of being as well qualified to uphold their side of the question as any Methodist minister in the State. Last week he came in, and the discussion was entered upon at once. He takes Mr. Akers’ position of two changes of the Sabbath, one at the coming out of Egypt, and the other at the resurrection, but he did not bring out the great array of figures which Aker uses, but kept to the Bible. He held that the creation week was composed of long, indefinite periods, and quoted 2 Pet. iii, 4–8, to prove it; that the thousand-year day referred to the days of creation; not that the creation days were just one thousand years long, but indefinite. He held that the Creator’s rest only consisted of the fact that he had finished the work of creation the day before, and that89it had no reference to instituting a rest for man. He tried to make it appear that the day on which God rested was man’s first-day; so that if the Creator’s rest had anything to do with a future Sabbath for man, it was the first day of man’s week; so that he should keep the first day of the week; and that all the Gentiles had kept that day, while the seventh-day Sabbath was made exclusively for the Jews. The fourth commandment, of course, could be stretched to cover any day of the week.
In his proof for the first change of the Sabbath from what he called the true seventh day back to the sixth, it was rather amusing to see the haste with which he quoted a list of scriptures, merely giving the chapter and verse, without reading one of them, and with such haste that a person could hardly follow him and write them down, while if a person should examine them separately he would find himself utterly unable to see their application to the point in question.
Of course all the old arguments for first-day observance were enlarged upon and made the most of. In this report it would not be profitable to take them all up. The whole attempt seemed like an effort to tear up the foundations of the Sabbatic institution, throw much dust and fog, and in the meantime, in the confusion and uproar, make it appear that the “venerable day of the sun” was entitled to the place so long occupied by the Sabbath of the Lord. And if clever pettifogging, strong assertions, and repeated denials of the most direct proof from the other side, would answer, he would have made out a case. As it was he did not succeed, nor could he blind the minds of the mass of the audience. Several of the strongest reasons adduced by Bro. Cornell he did not attempt to answer. For instance, such as this: The reasons upon which the Sabbatic institution is based—the fact that God rested upon the seventh day, blessed and hallowed the day because he did rest upon it, and because of these facts commands us to keep it. While these reasons remain, the institution founded upon them must necessarily remain also; and as these reasons can never apply to any other day but that one on which the Creator’s rest occurred, therefore the Sabbath can never be changed to another day. Although Mr. Evans’ attention was called to these arguments repeatedly, yet he did not see fit to notice them.
We believe the result of the discussion has been good for the cause here. We have not heard of a single person who was favorable to the Sabbath of the Lord, being turned away, while we have heard of a dozen who have become convinced by it that we have the truth; and many remark that while Mr. Evans, at the outset, promised to leave them their old Sabbath, he has failed to do it.
The day following the discussion, Bro. Cornell gave a discourse on the Mark and Seal, and at the close called for a vote of all those who thought we had proved our position on the Sabbath question, from the Bible, to arise. Some three or four hundred arose, while there were many on the outside who could not vote. When the vote in favor of the first day was called for, two rose up. Then he called for a vote of all those who were determined to keep it, to arise. Some over fifty rose up. We think there are nearly seventy-five who have already expressed a determination to keep the Sabbath of the Lord, while many more are convinced, but are fearing the cross. What the final result will be, we cannot tell, but we expect, by the help of the Lord, to see a company of Sabbath-keepers in Brighton. Most of the labor has fallen upon Bro. Cornell, and owing to the extremely warm weather, he is much worn. We hope for the prayers of God’s people, that He may prosper our enterprise, and that much good may result from our labors. We expect to remain here several weeks yet.
GEO. I. BUTLER,
M. E. CORNELL.
Brighton, Iowa, July 14, 1868.
REPORT FROM BRO. VAN HORN.
By I. D. VAN HORN
Since my last report I have spent four weeks in the village of Croton, Newaygo Co., Mich. During this time, I gave twenty-four discourses. But little effect was made on the minds of the people in favor of the truth. Some confessed that it was the truth, but had no willingness to obey it. A few wealthy lumbermen lived in the place, who seemed to control the whole town. Very few came out to meeting, but every pleasure party and dance was well attended. There are between two and three hundred inhabitants in the town, but the professors of religion will not exceed a dozen, and the possessors would be still less. I disposed of about $10 worth of books, but Bro. Roberts took a good share of them.
My going to the place has been of much good to me. I have been made to feel my entire dependence on the Lord, to succeed in any way to do his work. I felt perfectly clear in leaving the place as soon as I did.
Last Sabbath I spent with the church at Wright. This was the first time I ever met with them, and I enjoyed the meeting very much. The Lord gave me good freedom while speaking on the subject of Faith.
Yesterday (Sunday, July 12,) Bro. Buck brought me about twelve miles north of Wright in the neighborhood where Bro. Bell's relatives live. We had about five hours to circulate an appointment for the evening. With this short notice, about fifty came out to hear, which we think is doing well for a common school district in a new country. May the Lord prosper the work here, so that there may be a little company raised up that will keep all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. I. D. VAN HORN.
P. S. My P. O. address for a few weeks will be Slocum's Grove, Muskegon Co., Mich. I. D. V. H.
REPORT FROM BRN. LOUGHBOROUGH AND BOURDEAU.
By John Norton Loughborough; D. T. Bourdeau
Thinking that the friends of the cause would be interested to hear from us often, and to learn how we are progressing in our journey, we improve this our last opportunity of sending a few lines to the Review before reaching the place of our destination. We are now a little less than 200 miles from Aspinwall, at the Isthmus, and about 1800 from New York. We expect to reach Aspinwall to-morrow; and after spending about three hours in crossing the Isthmus by railroad, we hope to get aboard of the “Golden City” (the name of our steamer on the Pacific Ocean), and to get all settled in our minds by the commencement of the Sabbath.
Before connecting this report with our last, we would refer to one or two circumstances which occurred before we left New York city. The first was our going into the steeple of Trinity Church, at an elevation of 250 feet, to get at once the most commanding view of the city, which we had but little time to visit. The scenery was most imposing. We had in a short time a view of the most important parts of this large and populous city. This church is situated on Broadway, which was crowded for miles with people of every age and distinction, and near Wall Street, which is bounded by buildings occupied mostly by the principal bankers and brokers in this city. Here a flood of thrilling thoughts crowded themselves into our minds in quick succession. But we have not time nor strength to mention all. We thought of Satan’s taking Christ on the pinnacle of the temple; of Christ’s weeping over Jerusalem from the descent of mount Olivet; of the voice of God in the time of trouble, which will cause the mountains, and the cities of the nations, to crumble and fall. And the thought occurred to our minds, How few in this proud and corrupted city were prepared for this time of trouble. But God knows those who are his, and will open for them a way of escape.
The next circumstance we wished to mention was, that the bridge connecting the wharf with our boat, broke down under the heavy weight of those hurrying to the boat before its leaving the shore, causing a tumbling of passengers and baggage together toward the water, and terrible shrieks, and great excitement. But no lives were lost. We could not refrain from praising the Lord that we had previously retired to our rooms in the boat, and were not in the crowd at the time, but were only where we could witness this occurrence unmolested by it.
At the date of our last report, we had passed some of the Bahama Islands. Since then, we have passed by Cuba, and in sight of Hayti. It will be remembered by our readers that it was in Port Au Prince on this Island that J. W. Morton was sent as a missionary by the Presbyterians, and where he embraced the Sabbath. He afterward wrote the celebrated work, entitled, “The Vindication of the True Sabbath.”
We have suffered much from the heat since writing our last. This is a far more wearing journey than it would be to go to Europe. First, the distance is nearly double; and second, there is a greater variation in climate and temperature than there would be in going to France or England. Though we have all been more or less weakened, yet our minds are clear, and we are of good courage, trusting in the Lord. The more we journey toward California, the more we become convinced that we are in the path of duty, and that the Lord is going before us. We at times feel the sweet blessing of the Lord. We know that if we go with your prayers and with our lives in our hands, having no other object than to glorify God by saving souls, that we will see good fruits of our labors.
We have also learned that there are many French from France in California. This makes our mission the more interesting to us. But we will need weeks and perhaps months before we can show much fruit of our labors, as it will require time to rest from the wear of this journey, to select a proper place for our head-quarters, and to commence active operations.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
D. T. BOURDEAU.
Caribbean Sea, July 2, 1868.
REPORT FROM BRO. HUTCHINS.
By A. S. Hutchins
Bro. Smith: Since returning home, in addition to setting things in order there, which seemed necessary after being absent so long, I have visited a few brethren, and attended meetings in different churches. Have met with the brethren in Wolcott four Sabbaths. Our numbers here are few, several of the brethren and sisters having moved from here within fifteen months, and gone to other churches. We hope they are striving to overcome, and that those of us who still remain, may so live as to meet them in the home of the redeemed. We were happy to meet with the brethren and sisters in W. again after so long an absence. Think our seasons of worship together were profitable.
The last Sabbath in June we spent with a few believers in Johnson, at Bro. R. Loveland's. This family have passed through many deep afflictions. But they have drawn sustaining grace from the Most High, which enables them to say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted.” Dear brethren and sisters, it is your privilege and mine, to grow in grace and to hold sweet communion with the dear Saviour, even in the depths of trial. Our visit with these dear friends, also with our beloved brother and sister Wiswell, was refreshing.
Last Sabbath we spent with the church in Sutton. Held three meetings here. In the last, the ordinances were celebrated. Was glad to meet with a few from a distance. It is good to see the strength and decision of character which some of the lonely ones manifest. The Lord will bless the faithful, and give strength equal to their day.
I was also glad to here meet again with a brother of the Advent faith, who embraced the Bible Sabbath fifteen years since, while Bro. Sperry and myself were holding meetings in Northern N. Y. This brother we respected and loved. He ran well for a season. He says he does not now see it to be duty to observe the seventh-day Sabbath, yet he frankly confessed that it was not till he had backslidden that he ceased to observe it. We feel deeply anxious that he may again see the light and truth on this important subject, and once more be numbered with commandment-keepers, with them suffer, with them overcome, and with them “enter into life.” A blessed and glorious prospect is held out before such, and their reward will soon be given.
A. S. Hutchins.
Irasburgh, Vt., July 15, 1868.
Sin’s Debasing and Destructive Power
READER, consider seriously that it is sin which in this life debases a person, and in the next life destroys him.
FREEMASONRY.—IV.
By REV. CHARLES G. FINNEY
Credibility of the Books Revealing Freemasonry.
BY REV. CHARLES G. FINNEY.
I FURTHER OBSERVE: (3.) The credibility of these books in which Masonry is revealed is evident from the following considerations:
(a.) The murder of Morgan by Freemasons was an emphatic acknowledgment that he had revealed their secrets. For, if he had not, he had not incurred the penalty of Masonic obligations. They murdered him because he had truly revealed their secrets; and they could have had no motive whatever for murdering him if he had not done so.
(b.) The credibility of these books is further sustained by the fact that adhering Masons did then, and have always, justified the murder of Morgan as that which their oaths obliged them to do. They have said that he deserved it; and that he had taken upon him the obligation, consenting to suffer the penalty if he violated it. In the two small volumes published by Elder Stearns, letters will be found from the most respectable and reliable Christian men, that fully sustain this statement, that the adhering fraternity, with very few exceptions, at that time, justified the murder of Morgan. In thus justifying that murder they, of course, admit that he had violated his oath, and had truly published Freemasonry. I would quote these testimonies; but, as they can be read from the books themselves, I will not cumber your pages by copying them.
(c.) The credibility of these books is sustained by the express testimony of the seceding Masons, who, after hearing them read, ordered them printed.
(d.) The testimony of these books is further sustained by the report of a committee appointed at that time by the legislature of Rhode Island. That body appointed a committee, and gave them authority to arrest and examine Freemasons to ascertain whether the oaths published in these books were truly the oaths of Freemasons. This committee succeeded in bringing before them men that had taken the first ten degrees of Freemasonry. They put them on oath under the pains and penalties of perjury. In these circumstances they did not dare to deny it; but owned to the committee that they were the oaths taken by Freemasons. I said that they did not dare to deny it, because they were well aware that of seceding Masons hundreds and thousands might be obtained who would confront them and prove them guilty of perjury if they denied it.
I should have said that these Masons that were arrested, and that testified before this committee, were not seceding, but adhering Masons. So that here for the first ten degrees of Freemasonry we have the admission on oath of adhering Masons that these books truly published their oaths. These facts may be learned from the records of the legislature, or from John Quincy Adams' letters to Mr. Livingstone, who was at the head of the Masonic institution in the State of New York at that time.
(e.) The credibility of the testimony of these books is still further sustained by the implied admission of the two thousand lodges that suspended because their secrets were revealed, and because they were ashamed any longer to be known as sustaining the institution. These lodges, as I have before said, contained some forty-five thousand members. Now it should be particularly noted that, of all the seceding Masons in the United States, not one of them has ever, to my knowledge, denied that these books had truly revealed the secrets of Masonry; while it is true that the five thousand who did not secede would never acknowledge that these books were credible. A worthy minister, who used to reside in this place, who has himself taken a great many degrees in Masonry, wrote to one of our citizens, a few months since, denouncing the institution in strong terms. He is a man who has traveled much among Freemasons for many years in various parts of the United States; and in that letter he affirmed that he had never known but one adhering Mason who would not deny, to those that did not know better, that those books had truly revealed Masonry. This is what might be expected.
(f.) The credibility of these books is further sustained by the published individual testimony of a great many men of unquestionable veracity—men, standing high in the Christian ministry, and in the church and state.
The books, to which I have alluded, contain very much of this kind of testimony.
But to all this testimony adhering Masons have objected. First, that the movement against Freemasonry was a political one. Answer: I have already said that by its having seized upon all the civil offices, and totally obstructing the course of justice, it was forced into politics by Masons themselves.
It was found that there was no other way than for the people to rise up and take the offices out of their hands by political action. At first there was no thought on the part of any one, so far as I could learn, that it would ever become a political question. But it was soon found that there was no other alternative.
But, again, it is said, Why should we receive the testimony of those men who have passed away, rather than the testimony of the living, thousands of whom now affirm that those books did not truly reveal Masonry?
To this I answer that these men are every one of them sworn to lie about it. If they adhere to their oaths, they are sworn to deny that these books truly reveal Masonry; and, therefore, their testimony is not to be received at all. But thousands of the seceding Masons still survive, and universally adhere to their testimony that those books did truly reveal Masonry.
But it is said that Masonry is reformed, and is not now what it was at that time.
Answer: First, this, then, is a virtual acknowledgment that at that time it was truly revealed. This is contradicting themselves. As long as they can, they deny that these books truly reveal it. But when forty-five thousand witnesses are summoned, among whom are a great many of the most valuable citizens of the United States, insomuch that they can have no face to deny that Masonry was revealed, as it then was, then we are told, “Oh! it is reformed; it is not what it was.”
But, again, if they have reformed, the burden of proof is upon them. It is for them to show whether they have reformed out of those things that rendered it so odious in a moral point of view, and so dangerous in a political point of view, as those books revealed it to be.
Again, their authorities do not pretend that it has been reformed. Their most-recently-published books take exactly the opposite ground, claiming that it is one and identical with what it was in the beginning; and that it neither has been nor can be changed in any of its essential principles or usages. They expressly require of their candidates to conform to all the ancient principles and usages of the institution.
I might sustain these assertions by copious extracts from their works, if it would not too much encumber this article. Let those who wish to know, get their books, and read them for themselves. If anything can be established by human testimony, it is forever beyond a doubt that Mr. Morgan, Elder Bernard, Mr. Richardson, and others that published Masonry, have published it substantially as it was and is.
I have already said that their secrets are never written by themselves. All their secrets are communicated orally. They take a great deal of pains to secure entire uniformity in regard to every word and sentiment which they teach. Each State has its lecturers, who go from lodge to lodge to teach and secure a uniformity as nearly perfect as possible.
And then there is a United States lecturer, who goes from State to State, to see that the grand lodges are all consistent with each other.
In spite, however, of all this painstaking and expense, slight verbal differences will exist among them. But these differences are only in words. The ideas are retained; but in some few instances they are expressed by different words, as we shall see when we come to examine the books themselves.
The fact is, that the great mass of young men who have joined them have been grossly deceived. Having been imposed upon, as I was imposed upon, they have been made to believe that the institution is a very different matter from what it really is.
We shall see hereafter how this imposition could be practiced upon them, and how it has been practiced upon them.
I would not be understood as denouncing the individuals composing the whole fraternity; for I am perfectly well persuaded that the great mass of the young men who belong to the institution are laboring under a great delusion in regard to its real object, character, and tendency.
Lastly, it is inquired why we go to the enemies of Freemasonry for a knowledge of what it is, instead of getting our information from its friends. “Why not,” they say, “allow us to speak for ourselves? We know what it is, and we can inform the public what it is; and why should you go to our enemies?”
To this I answer, that we cannot learn what the secrets of Masonry are from its friends and adherents, because they are under oath to give us no information about them. We are, therefore, under the necessity, if we would know what it is, of taking the testimony of those who know what it is by having taken its degrees, and have, from conscientious motives, renounced the institution. If they are its enemies, it is only in the sense that they regard the institution as not only unworthy of patronage, but as so wicked in a moral point of view, and so dangerous in a political point of view, that they feel constrained to reveal its secrets, and publicly to renounce it. These are the only men from whom we can possibly get any information of what Freemasonry is. It is absurd for adhering Masons to ask us why we do not allow them to teach us what it is; for we know, and they know, that they can do no such thing without violating their oaths, and these oaths they still acknowledge to be binding upon them.
COME, GO TO THE SHOW.
By I. K. L.
A SNARE OF SATAN.
“Let’s go to the fair—they’ll all be there—
The young and old, and the maiden fair;
The streets are lined! just see them go!
Come! come away, let’s go to the show.”
I must forbear, I can’t go there,
Though all the town attend the fair;
’Tis worldly pleasure, pomp and show;
A snare of Satan, I dare not go.
“Yes, ’go to the fair, nought can compare
With the splendid sights they offer there;
Such things indeed, all ought to know,
Come, don’t be a fogy, let’s go to the show.”
Those splendid views, so rich and fair,
Will vanish soon like empty air,
With all who feast on such vain show;
There’s danger there, I dare not go.
“Come, go to the fair, the priest goes there,
And meets with smiles and special care;
Besides, near all his flock will go,
Why scruple then, let’s go to the show.”
The priest is there; but will he dare
To say this world is false, though fair?
If so, and still persists to go,
He’s caught in the snare, and bound to woe.
“Come, go to the fair, how can you dare
To think that you’re so good and rare;
When preacher, deacon, and church can go,
Are you too good to go to the show?”
Through grace, I would be good and rare,And ever live for another fair,Where all the world in tears will go;Say, Are you ready for this solemn show?
Are you ready to meet that fearful day,
When Heaven and earth shall pass away?
For ready or not, you’ll have to go,
And you’d better prepare for that solemn show.
I. K. L.—in World's Crisis.
Buy the Truth, and Sell It Not
“Buy the truth, and sell it not.” Remember you can never over-buy it, whatsoever you give for it; you can never sufficiently sell it if you should have all the world in exchange for it.
Work Instead of Waiting
THERE is no greater obstacle in the way of success in life than trusting for something to turn up instead of going to work and turning up something.
MARY L. FIELD
By Mary L. Field
From Sr. Field.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: With a sense of my unworthiness in the sight of God, yet with a heart filled with gratitude to him for his goodness and mercy to me, I would say, I am still striving to walk in the narrow way. The truths connected with the third angel's message are daily becoming dearer to me. My desire is, that they may have a sanctifying effect upon my heart and life, until I am without fault. Of late, my faith has been increased, and my confidence strengthened in this work as being the work of God, for which I feel to praise his great name. As it is always cheering and encouraging to me to hear of the goodness of God to his people and his care for them, perhaps it might encourage some to hear what the Lord has done for me. While on the way to our State Conference, I was taken ill, and continued to grow worse until Sunday morning, when it was decided that I had typhoid fever and would have to remain there. This was discouraging to me, being seventy miles from home and dear children. I thought of the privilege given us in James, but hesitated some time, feeling too unworthy to ask such a special blessing of the Lord. Yet I felt my desire was to do his will, and believed if it could be for his glory, I should be permitted to return home. Accordingly, Brn. Andrews and Cornell were called. The Lord heard the fervent prayers of his humble, devoted servants. The fever was rebuked, and his saints blessed and encouraged. The next morning I started for home; rode 25 miles. The next day rode 30 miles. The weather was very warm, but I endured the journey as well as could be expected, although very weak when I arrived home. I have been gaining strength daily, and feel to give God the praise. I feel like girding on the whole armor, being more watchful lest I enter into temptation. I want to perform every duty faithfully, and live so that when Jesus comes to redeem his waiting people, I, with them, may hear the welcome plaudit, "Well done."