Earlier text: THE LAW OF GODCOME UP TO THE HELP OF THE LORD.
There is a curse pronounced upon inactivity. The Lord wants workers in his cause. When he makes bare his arm for his people, he wants them to second his effort by working for themselves and him, “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof.” Why? what evil had they done? None that we know of. This was not the charge against them. They were condemned for the good they had not done; “Because they came not up to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” How solemn and impressive a warning is this for our admonition! As much as to say, Curse ye the idlers, curse ye those who when all heaven is interested in their behalf will take no interest themselves, who when God has done and is doing all that he can consistently do for their salvation, will put forth no efforts themselves; curse ye those who still give themselves up to lukewarmness, stupidity and indifference. None will be carried to heaven as if they were paralytics—or mummies. They must show some signs of life for themselves. Think of the many exhortations, we might say, commands, we have to work, to do something. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Phil. ii, 12. Make your calling and election sure. 2 Pet. i, 10. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matt. vii, 21. Go up in the gaps, make up the hedge for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Eze. xiii, 5. But the inhabitants of Meroz were required to join in the literal battles of the Lord against literal enemies; thus they could easily come up to the help of the Lord, and their absence would be severely felt. But the cause of the Lord is not now carried on in this manner. How then can I come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty? Do you ask how? Know then that the great conflict between the powers of light and darkness, is not less fierce and extensive now, than in the days when the Lord was driving out the heathen to give his people a typical rest in the land of Canaan; and there are battles to be fought now, no less so than the literal and temporal conflicts in which God’s people were then required to engage. And in all these we can come up to the help of the Lord; and we can come to his help, too, against the mighty; for the powers against which we wrestle are mighty—even “principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places.” Eph. vi, 12. Examine then your position. How far have you taken a stand against the powers of darkness? We are required to be on the Lord’s side. There are his open enemies and his open friends; with which of these have you arrayed yourself? The Lord requires us to turn our feet into his testimonies, to repair the breach which has been made in his law. Have you done this? Have you commenced the observance of the great memorial day of God? Have you thrown up this bulwark against the insidious approach of forgetfulness of God? Have you taken those external steps which publicly identify you with the people of God, in opposition to the ranks of the enemies? If so, you have thus far come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. And all who have not done this, we would exhort to do so speedily, lest the curse of God rest upon you bitterly. Do you then say, all this have I done; and am I required to come still farther to the help of the Lord? How am I to do it? We reply: the conflict in which we are engaged is not wholly an external one. It is a warfare in which every man’s heart becomes a battle field; and here continually and effectually we are to come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. It is not enough to be identified with the people of God. The inhabitants of Meroz, though the location of that place is not definitely known, were probably among the Lord’s people, and were nominally his. They were not his open enemies. But this was not enough. Their position did not save them. They failed to work for the Lord, to come up to his help, and so were cursed bitterly. And so we, although we have openly sided with the Lord’s people, and may be endeavoring to walk in all his ordinances publicly, are required to come up still farther to the help of the Lord against our foes. The enemy approaches us with his temptations. He takes advantage of our proneness to evil. He labors for the co-operation of our carnal natures. But the Holy Spirit strives; and we have a part to act in this matter. We have a will and an influence to exert on one side or the other. Shall this be given to the enemy or to the Lord? Will we give our foe an easy entrance, and suffer him to work upon our evil propensities to our destruction? Shall we resist the Devil that he may flee from us, and draw nigh unto God that he may draw nigh unto us? Shall we labor for the Lord against the enemy, or for the enemy against the Lord? Here we are required to take a stand continually. Here we are called upon by every emotion of gratitude which the great plan of salvation is calculated to inspire in our hearts, by every feeling of tenderness which the Lord’s great mercy and goodness towards us should continually produce in our breasts, by every inducement in his great and merciful designs towards us, the heights of glory to which he labors to elevate us, and the great reward promised to us; and on the other hand the evil end to which the enemy would bring us—by all this we are called upon as no other motives and feelings could call upon us, to come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. The Lord calls us to his help, not because he needs us, but to stimulate us to action; not but that he could carry out any design and accomplish any purpose of his, by a slight manifestation of his divine omnipotence without our co-operation; but it is not in accordance with his all-wise designs, and our free agency, thus to do in the matter of our salvation. He opens the way before us to the heavenly city, provides armor for us to battle successfully with every foe, in every temptation makes a way to escape, and then calls upon us to act. Shall we yield to the tender entreaties and the gracious influences of his Holy Spirit? Let us with a will give our energies to that side of this controversy which has claims upon us in every respect, and in which ought to be enlisted every enlightened sympathy of our nature, and our deepest emotions of gratitude and love. TENT-MEETING AT VINTON, IOWA.
By M. E. Cornell
This meeting of five weeks duration, closed yesterday. I am much worn both in body and mind, and cannot now write much about it more than briefly to state the result. Forty have decided to keep the Bible Sabbath, and twenty-five have subscribed for the Review. Three were baptized yesterday. There are many more who are convinced, but are “halting between two opinions.” One man, living five miles from town, says he does not know of but one dissenting voice in his whole neighborhood, and the present truth is the all-absorbing topic among them. About twenty-five dollars' worth of book have been sold here, and from three to five dollars' worth given away. The discussion with Dr. A. G. Lucas (Disciple Elder), was the means of deciding several upon the truth. Even one of their own ministers admitted that he had made an entire failure upon the Sabbath question. Arrangements are made for two meetings here each week. May the Lord water this branch, and this people live out the “present truth.” When we came to take our leave of this people it was manifest that we had many warm friends here outside of the church. Great kindness has been shown us here by those in authority; and in fact by all except some few who were blinded by cruel prejudice. May the Lord have mercy on such. Three loads came up from Marion and took hold of the work nobly in the last social meeting. It was a good meeting. We go to Marion, Lisbon, Fairview, Anamosa and Rome, to see how the believers do, to exhort them to continue faithful and bid them farewell, and we hope to arrive at HOME in time to attend the conference. The thought of this is a pleasure, and our hearts leap141 for joy at the thought of once more seeing the faces of so many dear friends. M. E. CORNELL. Our best pleas in prayer are those that are fetched from the glory of God's own name. Lord do it, that thy mercy may be magnified, thy promise fulfilled, and thine interest in the world kept up. We have nothing to plead in ourselves, but everything in thee.—Henry. Is frequently called the weeping prophet. His writings abound with pathos and deep sorrow. As he viewed the sad state of his people, his heart, overflowing with love to them, was continually burdened, and often he breaks out as in chap. xxiii, 9, “Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of the words of his holiness; for the land is full of adulterers, for both prophet and prince are profane, yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord [verse 11]; I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem a horrible thing; they commit adultery and walk in lies.” Verse 14.
Jeremiah began to prophesy in the thirteenth year of the reign of king Josiah, and we find that he lamented for the death of king Josiah [see 2 Chron. xxxv, 25] of whom he was probably an intimate companion, perhaps nearly of the same age, as we find that he was young when he began to prophesy [see Jer. i, 6, 7] and was probably a great help to the piety of young Josiah. Thus we see guards thrown around those whom God would make instruments for good. The age of Josiah had a few very good men, and much was done to stem the torrent of wickedness which was overflowing the land, and probably these good men had high hopes of the reformation of the nation; but Josiah could only check the tide, and after a prosperous reign of thirty-one years, his wicked son came in his stead, and all their high hopes were blasted. Jeremiah was a lover of his people. He had seen a prosperous season of thirty-one years, had seen good men and good principles legalized, protected and encouraged by a good king; but death took away the last hope of his nation, and now came trouble. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and this lamentation continued, not for Josiah, but for a wicked and perverse people, for a ruined nation, for lost virtue, for false prophets, and a scattered flock, a city burned with fire, and a nation in disgraceful captivity. The weeping strains of Jeremiah convey to our minds some idea of the feelings which God and holy beings experience when his people depart from him, and from his law. Jeremiah in his drooping melancholy strains, did just as God would have him do. His people were joined to idols; his favorite nation who had been gifted as no other people had been, had squandered those gifts; and now they were captives in a strange land. Jeremiah had seen their fall, had warned and entreated, but in vain. Perhaps a few, like Daniel and his companions, had treasured up his words, and mingled their tears with his, and perhaps a revival in the great passover of Josiah [see 2 Chron. xxxv, 18] had awakened better thoughts in the minds of a few, who were as the salt of the earth; and for these the tears and lamentations of Jeremiah were not in vain, but sprang up gloriously in after years; and it is a pleasant thought that the companion of Josiah perhaps was in his old age the counselor of Daniel. But the people had decided in favor of the world and its vanities; and what to them were the warnings of one who never approved of their doings? But, as he had prophesied, the enemy came. Now was the opportunity for Jeremiah to say to the wicked people, “We have brought this ruin upon yourselves, by your own stubbornness and sin.” But did he say thus to them? Nay; hear him: “Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider and behold our reproach. Our inheritance is turned unto strangers, our houses to aliens. We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are widows; we have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.” Lam. v, 1-4. After all his warnings, and all he had suffered from wicked people, see him making common cause with them: “We are orphans.” Oh how he felt for the orphan, the fatherless, and the widow! “We have drunken our water for money. Verse 14. “The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their music” [verse 17]; for this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim.” Where are now the Jeremiahs, who mourn in the secret places for the crying abominations that are done in the land, whose tears flow because of the judgments about to fall upon a ruined world? Whose low wailing cries ascend to God with every breath? “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heaven. Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, renew our days as of old.” Oh would it not be for the good of Zion, if the tears of Jeremiah could go with the doctrine of the third message? If more agonizing cries could accompany the logic which shakes the walls of Babylon? A world in ruins! who can forbear to weep? A world just sinking below the reach of mercy! and are there no tears, no groans, no sobs, as we view them rush more and more madly down the fatal steep? Alas! our hearts are hardened by contact with evil, and with false theology, and light literature. We are on enchanted ground, and many are indulging in visions of present happiness; who should be mourning and weeping over the ruins around us, and even now, as the day is almost spent, mercy’s star is almost set, many are hoarding and coveting. I would rather have been with Jeremiah in the low dungeon, in the deep mire, or driven, as he was, from place to place by his enemies, than be the most favored of earth. He has a bright inheritance in store; his tears are all remembered, and his crown is bright with stars. He has sown in tears; he will reap in joy. Though his nation rejected him, as at a later day they rejected the Lord, yet some few mourned with him, and their reward awaits them. Are there those who weep over the moral fall of our age? Restrain not your tears; there is a cause; but it must be in secret places; the world besotted and blind will laugh at your tears, and make merry over your sorrow. By and by they will appreciate these lamentations, and when yours have ceased and been turned into joy, they will take up the sad wail, but too late, too late. Blessed are they that weep now, for they shall be comforted. Weep, O daughter of Zion. It is your safety now to mourn. Alas! there is a cause, not the world only, but lethargy that has settled in our midst, and the people of God, who have the commands of God, and the faith of Jesus, are lukewarm, and many are this moment being left behind in the darkness. COVETOUSNESS
By D. HILDRETH
The tenth precept of the decalogue is the only one which refers exclusively to the affections. The other nine take cognizance of actions as well as thoughts. The Bible student can but be struck with the force and beauty of the decalogue. It is in all respects worthy of its divine Author. After giving five precepts regulating our conduct towards our fellow creatures, the finishing touch is given to the divine code by giving a command which restrains every improper desire for the things which belong to others. “Thou shalt not142 covet thy neighbor’s house, . . . nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” What a comprehensive conclusion to a perfect law. What a perfect safeguard to the rights of all mankind. Every person in the world is commanded not to covet a thing which belongs to me. Who could ask more than this of a law-giver? If this law was kept by all, we should have a heaven upon earth. As a general rule the tenth commandment is necessarily broken before the eighth; that is, a man will covet a thing before he steals it; but this rule has exceptions. There are thieves who become so addicted to stealing that they will take things which they actually do not want, and have no use for, merely from the force of habit, or for the sake of stealing. The force of habit is seen in many other things; for instance, a man will put his hand into his pocket many times for tobacco, even when he is trying to quit it; and again, the swearer utters oaths many times when he is unconscious of it. The sin of covetousness is truly grievous in these last days. Selfishness and covetousness are stamped on almost every face and character. It is to be feared that many who even fancy that they are about ready for the Lord to come, have so much of this pernicious characteristic about them, that if immediately ushered into the holy city, they would perhaps covet the glories of the place for themselves. But we now ask, Has this reasonable, just, and beautiful command always existed? “O no,” says neighbor No-law, “It was not known before Sinai.” If there were but few who are ready to give such an answer as this, it would be a great relief to those who have respect to all God’s commandments; but this lawless class of people are numerous in the nineteenth century. They try to make us believe that the ten commandments were not known until the children of Israel came to Sinai. They do this, not out of pity for the ancients, but for their own benefit. They would be perfectly willing to have the ancients bound by a hundred decalogues if they could only get out from under this one. Oh woeful case, to be under such a yoke of bondage, and that without remedy! They think if they can make out the law limited in the first part of the world’s history, there will be a better show for them to make it out limited in the last part, merely because a peculiar dispensation comes in the middle. What a preposterous idea, that a rule of right is changed by time or circumstances. Just as well try to make out that the multiplication table was different under the Jewish dispensation. Sin is the transgression of the law, therefore he that tries to make out the law abolished, tries to make out that he is at perfect liberty to commit sin. With what abhorrence must a just law-giver look upon such work as this! Nor are men entirely insensible of the bad tendency of such loose morals. The man who teaches that one commandment is good for nothing is looked upon with suspicion by honest people. If one commandment is openly declared to be dead and buried, they fear the rest are, or will be, and conclude that locks and other safeguards are necessary. If they tried half as hard to keep the commandments as they do to get away from them, they would be considered decent people to live with in the world. The person that loves to do right will love to keep the whole law; for the law is the rule of right. It follows then that the person that does not love to keep the law, does not love to do right. But it is plain that the commandments were known before Sinai, the tenth not excepted. When Jethro heard of all the Lord had done for Moses and Israel, he came to see Moses in the wilderness, and when he saw that Moses judged the people alone he said, “The thing that thou doest is not good.” No doubt Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, was a righteous man; and here is part of his advice to Moses: “Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties and rulers of tens; and let them judge the people at all seasons.” Ex. xviii, 21, 22. His counsel was followed, and the people bore the burden with Moses. How can this testimony be evaded? Beware of covetousness, for it lurks unseen in many hearts.
D. HILDRETH. “AND THE DRAGON WAS WROTH.”
By Moses Hull
To me it is more evident every day that we are living in the time when this prophecy is being fulfilled. The dragon's ire is being manifested here in Hartford, not in open hostility, as it is in some other places, but the secret works of darkness are brought to bear against us. Night before last while honest men were in bed, some of the dragon's agents found way to the tent, and cut eleven holes in it. Some of them were four feet in length. They also cut nine ropes, one in six places, another in four, others in three, and others in two. When I see such evidences of human depravity, I can hardly reject the old doctrine that it is “total,” and sometimes I think it is even worse than that; that nothing short of te-total depravity could be guilty of such things. When I reflect upon the fact that God will reward every man according to his works, I pity such cases as those who, for no cause whatever, would commit such an assault upon the house of God. May God have mercy upon them. M. HULL. THE MOTE AND THE BEAM.
By A. S. Hutchins
“AND WHY,” says Jesus, “beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Matt. vii, 3. Individuals sometimes get in their own mind, the mote and the beam misplaced. In their own eye there is but a mote (if anything), while in their brother’s they clearly discern the beam, and in fevered haste set themselves about the work of casting the beam out of the eye thus affected. With a manifest view to correct such, the great Teacher says, “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Verse 5. Had this principle always been lived out, how much hatred, jealousy, envy and malice would this poor, dark world have been spared, how much strife, and confusion, and backbiting. O that each would learn to visit the gospel mirror sufficiently often, and tarry long enough, to become familiar with the defects of his own heart and life, and be suitably humble in view of it, and obedient to the above precept. Says the apostle, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Gal. vi, 1. Here is a call to the spiritual—to those whose hearts possess the “wisdom that is from above,” that is first pure, peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” Let all our efforts to help the erring, be dictated by this heavenly wisdom, and some would quickly turn their attention to the beam in their own eye, and feel the force of the injunction, “Physician, heal thyself.” SUNDAY--A. D. 321.
By A. S. HUTCHINS
Not long since I heard a discourse delivered by an aged preacher on the subject of Sunday Schools, in the course of which he read from Goodrich's Church History, to show the time of their first organization. And having been urged to be seated in the desk, I deemed it not improper at the close of the services, to ask the preacher if he considered that history an authentic work. A very decisive answer in the affirmative was given, assigning as a good reason the fact that all commentators quote from it. I then opened the book at page 496, and read, “321, Sunday appointed to be observed,” raising at the same time the question, How do you understand that? Though the minister did not recollect that this record was in the history, yet here it was, in a work regarded as authentic by commentators, and endorsed by himself. “I don't know,” often the only outlet leading away from a frank and honest acknowledgment of the truth, would hardly do here. So I was informed that great men differed as well as little men, and that even the apostles differed, &c., and his mind was to love all who give evidence of being Christians, whether they believe as he does or not. But look here, if that history is, as he firmly believes, authentic, what room is there to differ respecting the appointment for Sunday observance? The fact that men have not seen and do not see alike on other things, is no argument on this point. If so, the same circumstance would justify a difference of opinion respecting the year when Columbus discovered America, or the time of the declaration of the Independence of the United States; and indeed, we might differ on the same principle relative to all historical dates and records, and were it a matter of the least importance to disagree on, we certainly might differ respecting the time when Sunday Schools were first organized. Truly, “consistency is a jewel.” Of how large a class it may be said, “Eyes have they but they see not!” A. S. HUTCHINS. “Then they that feared the Lord, spoke often one to another.” DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: My heart is cheered while, looking over the Review, I read the testimony of the brethren and sisters who are trying to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. It is but a short time since we commenced keeping the Sabbath of the Lord, through the labors of Drs. Ingraham and Bostwick, and the blessing of God. Eighteen have commenced following the word of God, rather than the traditions of men, while others are almost persuaded to be Christians. The Lord is with us; and while we meet to worship him on his holy day, his Spirit is with us, and we are enabled to rejoice in God. May God speed the truth. May his work prosper in the hands of his servants, and may a people be raised up who shall be truly looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus with omniscient eye, looked through the mists of years,
And spake the fall of Judah’s towers, high rising tiers on tiers; He wept as he beheld the woe poured out on Judah’s head—
The curses of that holy law they broke, as oft they read; Then asked the lowly band and few, Lord, when shall these things be?
How shall we know the end draws nigh? and how thy coming see? Jesus did neither mock nor chide their curious desire—
He spake not to them mystic words; not so he answers prayer. He spake as friend doth speak to friend, and gave the much-wished sign.
He spake the sober words of truth. His words are all divine. He told them that when Judah’s woes, God hurled in torrents down,
And when upon the desolate his judgments should be shown— The “abomination” spoken of in Daniel should be found,
With impious feet outspread, upon “the holy place” around— And when with watchful eye, you see this plainly given sign,
Leave, leave the city, one and all; obey the call divine. And as this sorely troublous time cannot be turned away,
Pray that in winter ye flee not, nor on the Sabbath-day; For sorrows long and bitter come, and troubles shall be—
And persecutions followed by apostasy and sin; Again, When Judah’s day of trouble came, the Christians knew the sign.
They quickly fled—were safely kept—beheld the hand divine. His words of solemn import reach e’en to the end of time,
And to each great event he gave its own peculiar sign; And what he said to that little band, he plainly said to all.
“Watch,” watch for every given sign, watch, ’tis the Saviour’s call. We’ve passed the stout-faced little horn, adown the stream of time.
The annals read of papacy, and know his fearful crime; The darkened sun and moon bespeak the nearness of the day,
And falling stars proclaim that soon the heavens shall pass away. The Mormon cries, “He’s with us here, come to our Zion, come.”
He is not in the “desert” place, and there is not our home. The call from “secret chambers” is, “Lo Christ, lo Christ is here.”
They work the works of darkness, and to them we’ll not draw near. The evil servant saith, “’Tis false, the Lord doth long delay
His coming, and it will not come, at least, in this one day. It matters not what hour he comes, if we do but prepare.
You cannot know the day or hour; he cometh as a snare. Meanwhile he surfeiteth himself, and joins the drunken band,
And beats his fellow-servant—oh behold his rope of sand, And many a lustful scoffer cries, “Pray, when do you go up?”
And talking of “ascension robes,” forgets the sinner’s cup; No promise of his coming sees, nor wants to see a sign;
And though one spake from heaven, would scoff e’en at the voice divine. There is a generation who the light of truth despise,
Who in their own esteem are found to be the only wise. As in the days of Solomon, these self-wise ones were found,
So in these days of evil will they surely abound. But a righteous generation God faithfully will keep,
Who walk in his commandments, and wake while others sleep. Through fires of persecution they cheerfully have gone,
Content if in the end, they hear the welcome sound, Well done. The present generation shall not wholly pass away,
Till every sign shall be fulfilled in its appointed way. Until the mourning nations see the glorious Saviour come,
As lightning from the east to west to take his people home. We herald not the day, nor hour; no, that is not our cry; But when we see the fig-tree bloom, we know that summer’s nigh.
And when we see the signs fulfilled—the nations angry roar— We can but know the end is near—the Saviour at the door.
Yes, what he said to that little band he plainly said to all, “Watch,” watch for every given sign, watch, ’tis the Saviour’s call.
For had the good man known what hour the prowling thief would come, He’d ne’er been taken by the snare, nor lost his house and home. Faith in Christ’s Coming
By M. C. Butler
Dear Brethren Scattered Abroad: I take this opportunity to write a few lines to inform you that a few of us here are endeavoring to do His commandments in that way that we may have a right to the tree of life, and enter through the gates into the city. I am trying to live in such a way that I can feel God's approbation resting down upon me continually; but I feel my weakness and inability without aid from on143 high. I see so much to overcome I feel to exclaim with Paul, Who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death! I thank God, through faith in his dear Son we can have access to a throne of grace, and find pardon for all our sins. What a beauty I see when I search the Scriptures in the order of God under both dispensations! Who can doubt the Bible when they read the prophecies? How exactly and literally they were fulfilled under the Jewish economy! Who can doubt but the declarations of Christ and the apostles will be literally fulfilled in their time. But some do doubt and scoff at the idea of Christ's coming in the clouds of heaven to take vengeance on them that obey not the gospel. But Peter tells us of these men in his second epistle, chap. iii, 3, 4, 5: “Knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” — Brethren, pray for me that my faith fail not, and I wish you may get the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, and stand on mount Zion with the Lamb who taketh away the sin of the world. Yours in much love,
M. C. BUTLER.
East Thetford, Mich. GOING IN BAD COMPANY.
By J. CLARKE
Solomon the wise man has asserted that, “he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Prov. xi, 20. What should we think of the person who would go in the company of drunkards and gamblers, and when remonstrated with on the practice, should answer, “I frequent the gambling saloon in order to get strength to resist the temptations to drunkenness; and I visit the brothel in order to get a greater dislike to impurity, and to strengthen my love of virtue; and I attend theaters, shows and public gatherings generally, in order to increase my hatred to worldly objects, and to attain to greater heavenly-mindedness. “I reason,” he continues, “thus, by seeing all kinds of vice, and contrasting them with virtue, I am encouraged to go on in pursuit of good.” Thus reasons neighbor Know-nothing. All who have any acquaintance with human nature, will at once distrust the professions of neighbor Know-nothing, and will say inwardly that if he truly hated the ways of the transgressor, he would not be so fond of his company. But neighbor Know-nothing is not more inconsistent than those who, having left Babylon, her creeds and her papal sabbaths, her lewd practices and abominations, and having protested loudly against them, do still attend their assemblies, and listen to their preaching, and when you remonstrate, say, “O I get strength by hearing their strange contradictions.” A Christian may be forced to enter a gambling house to obtain the dead body of a ruined acquaintance; so you may be forced to listen to lies when performing the last burial rites of your friend; but to attend upon the ministration of error needlessly, is as dangerous and as preposterous as for neighbor Know-nothing to frequent bad company to strengthen his love for good. J. CLARKE. The Sweet Rest of Faith
By A. P. Lawton
O how it rejoices my poor heart to see in the Review the rich experiences of full and free salvation. This is food. It is meat in due season. What encouragement to the soul longing and panting for rest; not rest from labor, care and toil, but a calm rest in God through faith in the precious promises, which, to those who claim them, are so many gems. On such deep water how easy to sail. The bark may be frail, and sometimes the waves may seem to roll almost mountain high, but we know that the Father is at the helm, and his Son is our pilot. Having full faith and confidence in them, how securely we ride! These, and those only, who have experience in this sweet rest in God, know its value. This sweet Canaan of rest we know when we enter, it is no guess work. Different temperments may be exercised differently, and the same individual may be exercised differently at different times, but all by the same Spirit. My brother or my sister is no sure guide for me. There are gifts differing. It is not for us to select. God knows best how to adapt himself to us. My heart says, Let him come in in his own way; any way, only come in. It is our privilege to know that his words abide in us, and that we abide in him. There may be high states of feeling without grace, or the true Spirit of God, yet the Spirit of God is always attended with feeling. As I before said, it is not always the same. The Spirit of God works like leaven in those who are filled with it. It leavens the whole lump. All the graces are set in order, active, and developed in their proper places, and times. I have proved by an experience of thirty-three years, that the same Spirit differs in the same individual. Sometimes we are wrapped in a sacred awe that dares not move, lest the gentle, sweet, all-pervading influence should be disturbed. Sometimes it gushes up, and must flow out in praise to God, which is comely, and may not be restrained with safety to our spiritual comfort. At other times we may not be sensible of either of those influences, and yet retain the consciousness that we please God, and our offering is accepted. However strictly we may conform to the letter, if we have not the Spirit of God, we are none of his. Clouds, storms, buffetings, &c., are not contrary signs. These must be met. Trials are the tests. All the graces must pass the crucible. They must be tried. Perhaps patience, under all circumstances, is the most sorely tried, and the most difficult to retain. Impatience intrudes into things great and small, and must be watched against at every turn. She is vigilant, and pleads her rights under many assumed names. Patience is to be a prominent grace of the last church. “Here is the patience of the saints.” We have need of patience, &c. I do thank God and take courage that I see this holy living pointed out in the Review. We have it all in the Bible, but these living experiences tell for present truth. If one can (with this baptism) chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, who could calculate the result if the entire church should get the whole armor on? There is no room nor time in a heart or church thus consecrated, for strife, backbiting, envy, jealousy, tale-bearing, whispering, &c. Though we are to watch over our brother, and he his keeper, yet it should be in love. O what love will then run from heart to heart. We should then be often upon our knees in the secret place, pleading for the erring brother, and our own erring hearts. With what tender solicitude would our hearts go out after him! and how carefully would we study to approach him, in a manner not to wear but to win: and how cordially would we open our arms and our hearts to receive him returning, and give him our aid and sympathy, and strengthen the things that remain that are ready to die. Dear brethren and sisters, I would be glad to enter into a covenant with you to pray and live for this state of things. I have not meant to be personal in anything I have said. It is the overflowing of a full heart, and an ardent desire to know and do all the will of God.