Earlier text: THE TWO WITNESSESTHE TWO LAWS.
By John Nevins Andrews
“There is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things.” 1 Cor. 8: 6. From him all beings derive their existence. He who creates and upholds has certainly the right to govern and control. Hence it is that he is represented in the Scriptures as the one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. James 4: 12. Existence being derived from the benevolence of the Creator, all intelligent creatures are amenable to his just government. Of all the creatures made by God to inhabit the earth, man alone is capable of learning the distinction of right and wrong, and he alone is placed under the control of moral law. Deriving his existence from a Being of infinite purity, he was himself once innocent, pure, and upright. He was the creature and the royal subject of God, and God was the author of his existence, and his rightful sovereign. But God did not sustain toward man the character of a saviour and redeemer; for man needed not pardon. As a creature owing all to God, the author of his existence, it is self-evident that he was under the highest obligation to love him with all his heart. The existence of other human beings originates a second great obligation; viz., to love our neighbor as ourselves. This precept is also one of self-evident obligation; for others are equally the creatures of God with ourselves, and have the same rights that we also have. These two precepts are the sum of all moral law. And they grow out of the fact that we owe all to God, and that others are the creatures of God as well as ourselves. In rendering obedience to the first of these two precepts, man could have no other god before the Lord; nor could he worship idols; neither could he speak the name of God in an irreverent manner; nor could he neglect the hallowed rest-day of the Lord, which was set apart at creation in memory of the Creator’s rest. Equally evident is it that our duty toward our fellow-men comprehends our duty to our parents, and the strictest regard to the life, chastity, property, character, and interests of others. The moral law thus divided into two parts and drawn out and expressed in ten precepts, is of necessity unchangeable in its character. Its existence grows out of immutable relations which man sustains toward God and toward his fellow-man. It is God’s great standard of right, and, after man’s rebellion, the great test by which sin is shown. Where shall we look for the record of such a moral code as we have noticed? In the earliest possible place in the Bible, certainly. And yet the book of Genesis contains no moral code whatever. How can this mystery be explained? A few facts will remove the difficulty. The book of Genesis was not written until about 2500 years after the creation. As it was written long after the patriarchs were dead, it could not have been a rule of life for them. It is a brief record of events that occurred during that period, and contains several allusions to an existing moral code. But the book of Exodus, which brings the narrative down to the author’s own time, introduces this code under circumstances of the greatest solemnity. In this book is found the law of God as given by himself in person, and written with his own finger on stone. Indeed, the evidence indicates that no part of the Bible was written until after the ten commandments had been spoken and written by God, and consequently this code is the earliest writing in existence. Such was the origin of the moral law, and such the character of its precepts. Its proclamation by God himself, prior to his causing any part of the Bible to be written, sufficiently attests the estimate which he placed upon it. From its very nature, it existed as early as the principles of morality; indeed, it is nothing but those principles expressed or written out. Those principles do not owe their existence to the fall of man, but to relations which existed prior to the fall. But there is a system of laws that does owe its origin to sin—a system that could have had no existence had not man become a transgressor. The violation of moral law was that which gave existence to the law of rites and ceremonies, the shadow of good things to come. There could be no sacrifices for sin until man became a sinner. In Eden, there could be no types and shadows pointing forward to future redemption through the death of Christ; for man in his uprightness needed no such redemption. Nor did God place upon man before his fall the obligation of carnal ordinances which look forward to the time of reformation; for man was innocent and free from guilt. That it was the violation of moral law that caused the fall of man may be seen at a glance. The motive set before Eve by Satan was that they should become as gods if they ate of that tree, Gen. 3; and as Adam was not deceived (1 Tim. 2: 13), it is evident that he chose to follow his wife rather than to obey the Lord—an open violation of the first commandment in each case. When man had thus become a sinner, and God had promised the means of his redemption, a second relation toward God was brought into existence. Man was a sinner, needing forgiveness; and God was a saviour, offering pardon. It is plain, therefore, that the typical law, pointing forward to redemption through Christ, owes its origin to man’s rebellion, and to God’s infinite benevolence. If man had not sinned, he would have needed no types of future redemption; and if God had not determined to give his Son to die, he would have instituted no typical system pointing forward to that great event. The existence of such a code, therefore, is in consequence of sin. Its precepts are of a ceremonial nature, and its duration is necessarily limited by the great offering that could take away sin. From the fall of Adam till the time of Moses, the typical system was gradually developed and matured; and from Moses’ time until the death of our Lord, it existed as the shadow of good things to come. At Mount Sinai, as we have seen, God proclaimed the moral law, speaking it with his own voice, and writing it with his own finger. By his direction, the two tables on which the law was written were placed in the ark of the covenant, which was made on purpose to receive it. Ex. 25: 10–22; Deut. 10: 1–5. And this ark, containing the law of God, was placed in the second apartment of the earthly sanctuary—the most holy place. Ex. 40; Heb. 9. The top of the ark was called the mercy-seat, because that315 man who had broken the law contained in the ark beneath the mercy-seat, could find pardon by the sprinkling of the blood of atonement upon this place. The whole system of ceremonial law was ordained to enable man to approach again to this broken law, and to typify the restitution of the pardoned to their inheritance, and the destruction of the impenitent. The law within the ark was that which demanded an atonement; the ceremonial law, which ordained the Levitical priesthood and the sacrifices for sin, was that which taught men how the atonement could be made. The broken law was beneath the mercy-seat; the blood of sin-offering was sprinkled upon the top, and its pardon was extended to the penitent sinner. There was actual sin, and hence a real law which man had broken; but there was not a real atonement, and hence the need of the great antitype of the Levitical sacrifices. The real atonement, when it is made, must relate to the law respecting which an atonement had been shadowed forth. In other words, the shadowy atonement related to that law which was shut up in the ark, indicating that a real atonement was demanded by the law. It is necessary that the law which demands atonement, in order that its transgressor may be spared, should itself be perfect, else the fault would, in part at least, rest on the Law-giver, and not wholly with the sinner. Hence, the atonement, when made, does not take away the broken law, for that is perfect; but is expressly designed to take away the guilt of the transgressor. In the New Testament we find the great antitype of all the offerings and sacrifices—the real atonement—as contrasted with the Levitical one. The death of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the great sacrifice for sin, was the antitype of all the Levitical sacrifices. The priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the heavenly sanctuary is the great antitype of the Levitical priesthood. Heb. 8. The heavenly sanctuary itself is the great original after which the earthly one was patterned. Heb. 9: 23; Ex. 25: 6, 9. And the ark of God’s testament in the temple in Heaven, Rev. 11: 19, contains the great original of this law. And thus we see under the new dispensation a real atonement instead of a shadowy one; a High Priest who needs not to offer for himself; a sacrifice which can avail before God; and that law which was broken by man, magnified and made honorable at the same time that God pardons the penitent sinner. We shall find the New Testament to abound with references to the essential difference between these two codes, and that the distinction in the New Testament is made as clear and obvious as it is made by the facts already noticed in the Old Testament. Thus the one code is termed “the law of a carnal commandment,” Heb. 7: 16; and of the other, it is affirmed, “We know that the law is spiritual.” Rom. 7: 14. The one code is termed “the handwriting of ordinances,” “which was contrary to us,” and which was nailed to the cross and taken out of the way, Col. 2: 14; the other code is “the royal law,” which James affirms that it is a sin to transgress. Chap. 2: 8–12. The first is a code of which “there was made of necessity a change,” Heb. 7: 12; the second is that law of which Christ says, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.” Matt. 5: 18. The one law was a “shadow of good things to come,” Heb. 10: 1, and was only imposed “until the time of reformation,” Heb. 9: 10; but the other was a moral code, of which it is said by John, “Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3: 4. The one is a yoke we are not able to bear, Acts 15: 10; the other is that “law of liberty” by which we shall be judged. James 2: 8–12. The one is that law which Christ abolished in his flesh, Eph. 2: 15; the other is that law which he did not come to destroy. Matt. 5: 17. The one is that law which he took out of the way at his death, Col. 2: 14; the other is that law which he came to magnify and make honorable. Isa. 42: 21. The one was a law which was disannulled “for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof,” Heb. 7: 18; the other is a law respecting which he inquires, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law.” Rom. 3: 31. The one is that law which was the middle wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, Eph. 2: 14; the other is that law, the work of which even the Gentiles are said to have written in their hearts, Rom. 2: 12–15, and to which all mankind are amenable. Rom. 3: 19. The one is the law of commandments contained in ordinances, Eph. 2: 15; the other law is the commandments of God, which it is the whole duty of man to keep, Eccl. 12: 13, which are brought to view by the third angel, Rev. 14: 12, which the remnant of the seed of the woman were keeping when the dragon made war upon them, Rev. 12: 17, and which will insure to those who observe them, access to the tree of life. Rev. 22: 14. Surely these two codes should not be confounded. The one was magnified, made honorable, established, and is holy, just, spiritual, good, royal; the other was carnal, shadowy, burdensome, and was abolished, broken down, taken out of the way, nailed to the cross, changed and disannulled, on account of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. That the ten commandments are a perfect code of themselves, appears from several facts: 1. God spake them with his own voice, and it is said, “He added no more,” Deut. 5: 22, as evincing that he had given a complete code. 2. He wrote them alone on two tables with his own finger, another incidental proof that this was a complete moral code. 3. He caused these alone to be placed under the mercy-seat, an evident proof that this was the code that made an atonement necessary. 4. He expressly calls what he thus wrote on tables of stone, a law and commandments. Ex. 24: 12. The precepts of this law are variously interspersed through the books of Moses, and mingled with the precepts of the ceremonial law. And the sum of the first table is given in Deut. 6: 5; and that of the second, in Lev. 19: 18; but there is only one place in which the moral law is drawn out in particulars, and given by itself with no ceremonial law mixed with it, and that is in the ten commandments. An examination of the royal law in James 2, and of the handwriting of ordinances in Col. 2, will further illustrate this subject; the one is in force in every respect, while the other is abolished. “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well; but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.” James 2: 8–12. 1. The law here brought to view is an unabolished law; for it convinces of sin men who transgress it. 2. It is an Old Testament law—it is taken from the Scriptures. 3. The second division of the law is quoted, because he was reproving sin committed toward our fellow-men; and hence he takes the second of the two great commandments, the sum of the second table, Matt. 22: 36, 40; Rom. 13: 9, and cites his illustration from the second table of stone. 4. His language shows that the ten commandments are the precepts of the royal law; for he cites them in illustrating the statement that he who violates one precept becomes guilty of all. This is a most solemn warning against the violation of any one of the ten commandments. 5. He testifies that whoever violates one of the precepts of this code becomes guilty of breaking the whole code. 6. And, last of all, he testifies that this law of liberty shall be the rule in the Judgment. The unabolished law of James is therefore that code which God gave in person, and wrote with his own finger. “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” Col. 2: 14, 16, 17. If this handwriting of ordinances is the same as the royal law of James, then Paul and James directly contradict each other. But they wrote by inspiration, and each wrote the truth of God. We have seen that James’ unabolished law refers directly to the ten commandments. Hence it is certain that the law which Paul shows to be abolished does not refer to that which was written with the finger of God. It is to be noticed that the code which is done away was a shadow extending only to the death of Christ. But we have already seen that the law shut up in the ark was not a shadow, but the very code that made it necessary that the Saviour should die. Not one of the things abolished in this chapter can be claimed as referring to the ten commandments, except the term sabbaths; for the term holy day is, literally, feast day, and there were three feasts appointed by God in each year. Ex. 23: 14. The term Sabbath is plural in the original. To refer this to the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is to make Paul contradict James. What are the facts in the case? 1. The ceremonial law did ordain at least four annual sabbaths; viz., the 1st, 10th, 15th, and 23d day of the seventh month. These were besides the Sabbath of the Lord, and were associated with the new moons and feast days. Lev. 23: 23–39. These exactly answer Paul’s language. Hence it is not necessary to make Paul contradict James. 2. But the Sabbath of the Lord was “set apart to a holy use” (this being the literal meaning of sanctify) in Eden. It was “made for man” before he had fallen. Hence it is not one of the things against him and contrary to him, taken out of the way at Christ’s death. 3. It was not a shadow pointing forward to the death of Christ; for it was ordained before the fall. On the contrary, it stands as a memorial pointing backward to creation, and not as a shadow pointing forward to redemption. It is plain, therefore, that the abrogation of the handwriting of ordinances leaves in full force every precept of the royal law, and also that the law of shadows pointing forward to the death of Christ must expire when that event should occur. But the moral law was that which caused the Saviour to lay down his life for us. And its sacredness may be judged of by the fact that God gave his only Son to take its curse upon himself, and to die for our transgressions. In order that the plain distinction between the moral and the ceremonial codes may be seen at a glance, the following facts in reference to these laws are placed in juxtaposition:— THE MORAL LAW. THE CEREMONIAL LAW.
6. God declares that it shall stand forever and ever. Ps. 111: 7, 8. The apostle declares, “there is made of necessity a change.” Heb. 7: 12. 9. Every “jot” and “tittle” of this shall stand “till heaven and earth pass” away. Matt. 5: 18. Was only “added till,” and passed away when the seed came. Gal. 3: 19. 10. Of this, Christ says, “Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5: 19. Of the other, the apostle said, “We gave no such commandment” that ye should “keep the law.” Acts 15: 24. 13. Is established through faith in Christ. Rom. 3: 31. Is “the law of a carnal commandment.” Heb. 7: 16. 17. Is written on the hearts of the Gentiles; and to it all mankind are amenable. Rom. 2: 12–15; 3: 19. Neither he nor the fathers could bear. Acts 15: 10. 18. Was proclaimed by Jehovah himself, “and he added no more.” Deut. 5: 22. “Was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.” Gal. 3: 19. 19. All the commandments of one law, David says, “are righteousness,” and are “founded forever.” Ps. 119: 152, 172. But the other law Paul says, “stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.” Heb. 9: 10. 20. Contains the commandments of God which it is the whole duty of man to keep, Eccl. 12: 13, which are brought to view in the third angel’s message, Rev. 14: 12, which the remnant of the seed of the woman were keeping when the dragon made war upon them, Rev. 12: 17, and which will insure to those who observe them access to the tree of life. Rev. 22: 14. Is “the law of commandments contained in ordinances,” Eph. 2: 15, “a shadow of good things to come,” Heb. 10: 1, and was disannulled “for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.” Those who rightly divide the word of truth will never confound these essentially different codes, nor will they apply to God’s royal law the language employed respecting the handwriting of ordinances. Reader, are you in rebellion against the law of God? If so, I beseech you to lay down your arms, and seek pardon in the blood of Jesus, before the curse of the law falls upon you. Much of the religion of the present day contrasts unfavorably with the religion recommended in the book of Heaven. In ancient times, religion radically separated its possessors from the world, both in spirit and practice, made them pre-eminently "a peculiar people, zealous of good works," and ardent lovers of the Lord. But now we behold an extensive assimilation to the world on the part of professors, being lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; for this fact is proclaimed by actions which speak louder than words. How averse to the apostle Paul's admonition: "Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." The will of God obeyed, weans men from the world, and fills the heart with the spirit of fervent devotion; and when the love of the world, and a relish for worldly pleasure predominates, the proof is conclusive of a sickly religion in the heart, if, indeed, it is not already extinct. Where is the proof of victory over the world, over self, sin and Satan, enjoyed by the saints in ancient times? How unlike the early practice of being kept "unspotted from the world." Surely God's plan has not changed, but men have swerved therefrom, and hewn out to themselves broken cisterns that hold no water. Let us not accept a counterfeit religion. Take Your Sorrows to Christ
If you have great sorrows, take them to Christ; but if you are ashamed to lay them at his feet, then realize that they are likewise too insignificant to fret and worry you. SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS have a specific message and work, hence, when we speak of “the cause,” we have no reference to any of the operations of the Methodists, Baptists, or of any other denomination. God has given us our work in a special message, in which people of other orders cannot fully and freely unite, without changing their views on several points, especially on the practical doctrine of the Sabbath. And it is as difficult for us to unite with them, with our present convictions of truth and duty. We hope, therefore, not to be charged with exclusiveness as a matter of choice on our part, or from bigotry, or from any other reason, while we confine ourselves faithfully to the work God has given us to do, and do not seek to embarrass others and ourselves with a union with other denominations, which, from the very nature of the case, cannot benefit either of the parties. Seventh-day Adventists do not colonize. Where God calls them, there they remain, to let their light shine, and to develop all those characteristics which make up the decided, active, devoted, philanthropic Christian. “I pray not,” says the dear Saviour, “that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Here is the strongest test of Christian character, to abide where God calls one in the world, may be alone, without the sympathy of one of like precious faith, and yet stand free in Christ, separated in spirit from the evils of the world. “Ye are the light of the world,” says Christ. “A city set on an hill cannot be hid.” To colonize would seem like taking our light from every hill-top, and going down in a huddle in the valley, and hiding our light under a bushel. No, let our people remain in the communities where God has called them, as a rule, and let the moving and shifting about be the exception. But in their scattered condition, our people who live at a distance from any organized church should not be excused from bearing burdens in the great work. Our churches have many local expenses and burdens to bear which scattered brethren know nothing of. And when it comes to the support of the general cause, in justice the scattered ones should do more liberally, as they are released from many local burdens. And yet there are hundreds of scattered ones, who have no house of worship to build and no meetings to support, who neglect to pay into the treasury a tithe even of their increase. Many of these are local in their feelings. They might do something to sustain the cause in their immediate neighborhood, but have no special interest in the general cause. And these will frequently give of their means to help sustain other denominations the leaders of which would rejoice to see our cause come to nought for want of support. It can be hardly expected that all those who commit themselves on the doctrines held by our people will at once feel all that interest to build up the one great cause which the old friends of the cause do. But it is reasonable, to say the least, to expect of those who come out from others, the long distance necessary to be a Seventh-day Adventist, that they will, when fully established, give their influence, and of their means to support the cause. If God has given our people a special message and work, every true man and woman among us will feel bound by obligations the most solemn and sacred to help sustain the God-given work. We are entering upon times of tremendous moment. God in his providence is trying to teach our people great things. Men and demons have tried in every way to hinder the work; but God is teaching us that he is willing to work mightily for us, and that he will work in his own way. Nothing has grieved his Spirit, and hindered the work as much as that unbelief which questions every advance, and frequently ripens into jealousy and downright hatred toward those who labor to advance and build up the cause. We were sorry to see something of this spirit in the Missouri Conference. And we regard the call of the President of that Conference for a day of fasting and prayer most appropriate. One of the reasons stated for the day of fasting was the fact that success had not attended tent labor the present season as formerly. We hope that dear people will turn fully to the Lord, and that all ambition as to who shall be the greatest will be put from them. And on their day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, let them bear in mind that the cause of present truth is ordained of God; that he chooses his own instruments, and that he will have his own way in the advancement of his own cause. Wherever this spirit of blind and stubborn unbelief has been cherished, whether on the Atlantic, in the interior, or on the Pacific, it is there that the cause has come to almost a complete standstill, until it should be removed. While in those Conferences where it does not exist, there God is showing his approval of that consistent confidence which rests upon evidence, by giving his free Spirit to his servants, and causes success in the rapid advancement of his cause. There are reasons why the cause has prospered in Michigan. About one-third of our denominational strength has been in the Peninsular State for the past fifteen years. We expect to meet 2,000 staunch friends of the cause at their camp-meeting the 19th to 26th. God bless our dear people in Michigan. They have ever stood united and firm, ready to receive the testimony of those whom God sent to them with the message of truth. We would say to those who attribute the strength of the cause in Michigan to the labors of able ministers belonging to that Conference, that noble Michigan has for the past ten or fifteen years consented that her able ministers should labor out of the State. Eld. Loughborough has been in California more than eight years. Eld. Waggoner has labored in Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Maine, California, and Oregon. Eld. Cornell’s best labors have been in Ohio, Iowa, New York, Massachusetts, and Maine. Eld. Lawrence has labored in Ohio and Missouri. Eld. Canright in Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Colorado, California, New York, and some in several other States. Eld. Van Horn has labored in Ohio, Minnesota, Washington Ter., California, and Oregon. And the brothers Lane both went out of Michigan to labor before they were ordained, and are now laboring, one in Indiana, the other in Virginia. And during this whole period of her great prosperity Michigan has had but little more than the labors of father Bates and father Byington and a few licensed youths. Happy Michigan, standing in unity, confiding in the judgment and fully accepting the labors of those who have been connected with the cause from the very first, with the blessing of God, could afford to let her ablest and most experienced ministers go to other fields, and annually put $1,000 into the General Conference treasury towards the support of her true sons who were going out into all the world to preach the gospel of the last message. The good brethren in Michigan have been willing that the Lord should have his own way. And they have not stood in the way of those whom God has sent to teach them the way of life. And that strong people are now reaping the fruits of a consistent, confiding faith in those whom God chose to use to carry forward the last message. The providence of God is calling his people out before the world, and pressing home to the minds and hearts of those among us who can discern the signs of this time the fact that the Lord will go out with us to battle. Our recent camp-meeting at Groveland, Mass., in some respects was the most remarkable of any held by us the past ten years. Unity prevailed throughout the entire camp, business meetings moved off with a spirit of good cheer, the social religious services were excellent, and those who labored in word and doctrine enjoyed freedom and power to hold the vast assembly. Our people generally have a very limited idea of the great work to be accomplished by the last message, and, as a consequence, they are almost certain to fall behind the providence of God in their views, feelings, and efforts. A consistent faith would lead them out of the narrowness into which they are inclined to run, and would arouse them from the state of slumber into which they unconsciously fall. But unbelief and the spirit of the world stupefy, hold back from proper advance, and belittle the great cause in the eyes of many who should be fellow-helpers in the cause of truth. The early apostles talked and acted as if the gospel of the Son of God was the biggest thing in their day. They saw this matter as it was. They viewed their message and work in a correct light. They were not extremists. They viewed truth and duty in a proper light. The gospel of Christ with its crosses and persecutions kept them from the insanity of the world, and made them act like sensible men. The great battle for our people is to resist the stupefying influence of the world, and keep awake to the duties and dangers of our time. If the message we teach be the truth of God, for greatness and importance it is incomparable with any subject or interest that can occupy the human mind. If our cause be not the cause of God it should be at once abandoned. But if we are forced by evidence to embrace it as the cause of God, it should have the largest place in our affections, in our efforts, and in our expenditures of the means which Providence has placed at our command. J. W. The Maine Camp-Meeting.
By Reporter
This meeting opened Thursday morning on the same ground as that occupied last year for the same purpose. It is a beautiful oak grove one mile north of the Richmond depot, and about the same distance from the steamboat landing. Looking toward the east, a beautiful prospect meets the eye; the shining waters of the broad Kennebec River sweep on amid the green forests that line its bank, and the blue Dresden Hills bound the distant view upon the farther shore. The ground was nicely prepared, and a large provision stand and dining room had been built and furnished by the Conference. Thirty-four tents were on the ground, including the 60 ft. pavilion for the accommodation of the congregation in case of bad weather. Eld. White and wife, with Eld. Uriah Smith, arrived from the Massachusetts Camp-meeting, Thursday night. They were received with hearty welcome by their old-time friends in this State which was the cradle of the Adventist cause. Some effectual work had been done during the year. Eld. Webber had just closed a series of tent-meetings at Sebago Lake, where he had been favored with good hearings and a growing interest. Quite a number of additions had been made to the church since last year, and a cheering hopefulness seemed to animate the hearts of the people. The social meetings were largely attended and were very interesting. One trembling old soldier of the cross who was present on Friday, bore a testimony that was at once pathetic and humorous, exciting his hearers to smiles and tears. He was one of the old veterans of '42 and '43. He had looked for the Lord to come in those days, and did not yet despair that he might see him appearing in the clouds of Heaven. But in view of the probability of his passing into the grave before that time arrived, he comforted himself with the assurance that when the Lord came to claim his saints the “underground crop would be the best.” “There will be Abraham, and the old prophets and apostles to come up in the resurrection. Ah, yes; the underground crop will be the best,” said he with a sudden lighting up of countenance. It rained heavily all Friday night, but cleared away before noon the next day, and the weather remained beautiful throughout the meeting. The services on the Sabbath were very interesting. In the afternoon Mrs. White addressed the people in her fervent, practical manner, exhorting them to accept salvation. Several came forward for prayers, and a season of earnest effort followed. Before the meeting closed sixty persons signified their intention to seek the Lord; among them were many who had never identified themselves before with the people of God. a crowd came out. A forest of carriages lined the entrance to the grove. A steamboat-load came from Augusta, and no less than 3000 people were on the ground. The weather was perfect except a little too much wind to speak easily in the open air, but the platform was moved into the midst of the congregation, and thus the speaker's voice could be heard by all. Eld. Smith spoke in the morning, and the afternoon was divided between Elder and Mrs. White, he occupying the desk from 1:30 till 2:40, and she following after a short intermission. She took up her favorite subject of Christian Temperance with great freedom and success, commanding the strict attention of the audience. In the evening Eld. Goodrich preached from 1 Cor. 15:1, showing the saving power of the gospel to believers, and the perpetuity of the law. On Monday, R. Webber was ordained to the ministry, and eight persons were baptized in the Kennebec River, Eld. Webber administering the rite. Altogether the meeting has met the expectation of the church here. The progress during the year has been such as to encourage the society. Six new churches have been added to the conference, and the future presents a cheering prospect.