"But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: for these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: and I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come." Acts ii, 14-20.
It was on the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were all filled with the Holy Ghost, that the Apostle gave the above testimony. The multitude seeing the results of being filled with the Spirit, and not being competent judges, were amazed, doubted, and mockingly said that the disciples were full of new wine. The object of Peter in his remarks seems to be to correct this wrong idea. He taught them that what they saw and heard, resulted from the operation of the Spirit of God, and not from drunkenness. "This is that," says Peter,61which was spoken by the prophet Joel." That is, this is the effect of a cause prophesied of by Joel, and not that the prophecy quoted by the Apostle had its complete fulfillment on the day of Pentecost as some urge, and therefore the last days ended on the day of Pentecost, and there has been none of the genuine since! We object to this view for the following reasons:
1. Because the remarkable dreams and visions of Paul, Peter and others, and the visions of John on the isle of Patmos, were after the day of Pentecost.
2. Because these things were to occur in the "last days," and as there can be no days later than the last, these signs must reach to the very close of the gospel age.
3. Because it would be the greatest absurdity to urge that the wonders in heaven above, the signs in the earth beneath, and the signs in the sun and moon occurred on the day of Pentecost; or that there were old men present asleep dreaming on that all-exciting occasion.
4. These things all constitute signs, and were to occur "before that great and notable day of the Lord come."
Facts in the case compel us to take the position that the prophecy of Joel, referred to by Peter, belongs emphatically to the last days. When Peter says, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel," he referred only to the Holy Spirit, whose effects were before their eyes. There is no record that any were having visions on the day of Pentecost. They were exercised with the gift of tongues only. There were none dreaming at that time, neither were the signs in heaven and earth, sun and moon there fulfilled.
But let us look at Joel ii, 32, and see where he locates the prophecy. "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call." It is the REMNANT that is to witness these things. It is the remnant (or last portion of the Church) that keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, (which is the spirit of prophecy, Rev. xix, 10,) most certainly, that is to share this deliverance. "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord," in the time of trouble such as never was, will share that deliverance. "Shall not God avenge his own elect which cry day and night unto him?" Luke xviii, 1-8. This calling on the name of the Lord is also symbolized by the angel [Rev. xiv, 15] crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, "Thrust in thy sickle and reap; for the time is come for thee to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
God has ever manifested his power to his children according to their necessities and their work. And can we for a moment suppose that God's people will pass through the perils of the last days, and face the time of trouble such as never was, and he not manifest himself to them through those gifts which he himself has set in the Church? Nay, verily. God has by the prophet Joel promised to do great things for the REMNANT "before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come."
J. W.
Adding To, and Taking From.
By James White
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Rev. xxii, 18, 19.
1. Jesus, and not John, is the Revelator. The last book in the Bible is "the Revelation of Jesus Christ." Chap. i, 1. Jesus sent his angel to signify it unto his servant John.
2. The "words of the prophecy of this book" do not mean the book of Genesis, the book of Job, or the book of the Acts; neither does it mean the entire Volume of inspiration; but "this book"—the book of the Revelation. Some understand this matter as though John had before him, while on the isle of Patmos, the entire Volume of inspiration as now compiled, and was writing this threatening in the last pages—A singular oversight! John "bare record of all things that he saw." Chap. i, 2. This record penned by John comprises "the prophecy of this book."
3. This solemn warning was evidently given to guard the book of Revelation, as it should pass down through different hands, from being corrupted.
4. To add to the book of Revelation would be to insert in that inspired book sentiments dictated by human reason over the signature of Jesus Christ, or as being a part of that Revelation of Jesus Christ. To take from that book, in the sense of the text, would be to reject, or leave out a part of that book in its publication, and present it thus diminished as the whole.
5. Jesus Christ is not forbidden to add to his own revelation; but the testimony is to every man, "If any man shall add," &c. Jesus Christ could add to the book of Revelation, or give a hundred new revelations written in as many books, for all this text forbids.
6. A new revelation, true or false, the genuine or counterfeit, would no more be an addition to the book of Revelation, than to the book of Daniel, or Ezekiel, or any other book of the Bible.
7. Any amount of spurious books, such as the Book of Mormon, the works of Swedenborg, Andrew Jackson Davis, and the whole host of Spiritualists, are not so many additions to the book of Revelation, as no one of them claims to be a part of that Revelation of Jesus Christ to John while on the isle of Patmos.
8. The text [Rev. xxii, 18, 19] is used to prove that all revelation from Jesus Christ to the human family ceased, A. D. 96. But it proves no such thing. It is a warning against corrupting the book of Revelation. This is all that can be made of the text. It has nothing to say whether Jesus Christ would, or would not, afterwards reveal himself to others of the children of men; but other scriptures do.
J. W.
Divine Manifestations and the Fountain of Light
"When peculiarly favored with divine manifestations, consider them not as the chief good; but as a ray only of that refulgence which proceeds from the Fountain of light, and which is given as a conductor to the Fountain itself."
Extracts from Krummacher.
By Friedrich Wilhelm Krummacher
O THAT we were not so impatient when our gracious God occasionally denies our requests! How kind it is with respect to our real and best interests, that the Lord gives us according to his will, and not according to our own; and that he condescends so graciously to guard us against the attainment of our poor and often foolish wishes! We may rest assured that whenever we pray without success, that which we desire is not only not best for us, but it is either injurious, or at least inferior to what he really intends for us.
What a blessed gift is faith to the children of God. Its wondrous power deprives privations of their horrors; it nourishes us with the promises made to Abraham; it sustains us with the strong consolation of the oath divinely sworn unto Isaac; it gives us the staff of Jacob to support our steps; it enables us with Moses' rod to divide the sea, and with David we leap over the wall and rampart! O faith, faith! thou door-keeper of every sanctuary, thou master over all the treasures of God, may he that is thine Author draw near unto us; and he that is thy Finisher incline himself toward us.
To the Church of God.
By Editor
DEAR BRETHREN:—You are aware that the financial responsibilities of the ADVENT REVIEW Office, also the Editorial responsibilities, (except what assistance the Committee could render, situated in different places,) has up to this time rested upon Bro. James White. These responsibilities, he has reluctantly taken as they have been urged upon him, there being no one willing to take these responsibilities, or a portion of them. He has toiled on in the cause a number of years, borne down with care and anxiety for the cause, (asking no more for his services than convenient food and clothing,) until his constitution is broken down, so that he is obliged to disconnect himself from the Office at present at least.
You have seen Bro. White's statements in the REVIEW relative to the Office being the property of the Church; also his call to establish it on a proper basis. The friends of the cause of present truth in Michigan have decided to take the responsibility of moving the Press from Rochester, N. Y., and establishing it at Battle Creek, Mich. Bro. White has consulted with the brethren East, the past Summer, and learned that they had no objection to the Press' being moved to Michigan. We think Battle Creek, Mich., nearer the center of the future field of labor than Rochester, N. Y.
At a meeting held in Battle Creek, Sept. 23d, 1855, we were chosen a Financial Committee, to move the Office to this State, and to publish the ADVENT REVIEW. Also, to call on the Church at large to send in their Free-will Offerings to defray the expenses of moving the Office, and to supply it with those things necessary to publishing and Editing the REVIEW.
We shall, Providence permitting, move the Office, and commence the publication of the REVIEW weekly this Fall. Four brethren have purchased a building lot, and are erecting a building suitable for the Printing Office, Editor's room, &c. The expenses of moving the Office, including boxing up Press, Type, &c., freight from Rochester to Battle Creek, and loss on some things not movable, and others not worth moving, (which will have to be got new at Battle Creek,) will be about $200. The friends of the cause are now invited to send in their Free-will Offerings to this amount, for the above named object, to Henry Lyon, Battle Creek, Michigan.
It becomes our duty to suggest a plan on which the ADVENT REVIEW shall be conducted. Not that we object to the manner in which it has been conducted, only that it has thrown too much burden on the Editor. We cannot hope that any plan will fully meet the views of all, but we do hope to enter upon the best plan, and then shall expect the co-operation of all who "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." The object of suggesting a plan on which the REVIEW should be conducted is to call out the views of the friends of the cause on this subject, so that at a future General Meeting those assembled may act understandingly, in harmony with the Church abroad.
We suggest the following plan: Let there be chosen by the Church a Resident Editor, whose duty it shall be to take charge of the local interests of the Editorial department. Also let the Church select four or six brethren, from different portions of the field to act as a Committee, or corresponding Editors, who shall have equal voice in conducting, assist in the Editorial department as their circumstances may admit, and who shall have equal voice with the Resident Editor in deciding what is proper to be published in the REVIEW.
We ardently desire those interested to respond to this call immediately, and freely state their views of the proper manner of conducting a paper for the Remnant. Please address your letters on this subject to Henry Lyon, Battle Creek, Michigan.
Your Brethren and Servants of the Church.
HENRY LYON.
CYRENIUS SMITH.
D. R. PALMER.
Trials of Faith and Worldly Attachments
By F. Merritt
"In all these exercises and trials of faith, God has the uniform design to wean our hearts from all inordinate attachments to the present world, and to place our whole desire on him alone."—F. Merritt.
A TEST.
By Editor
THERE is a class of persons who are determined to have it that the REVIEW and its conductors make the views of Mrs. White a Test of doctrine and christian fellowship. It may be duty to notice these persons on account of the part they are acting, which is calculated to deceive some.
What has the REVIEW to do with Mrs. W.'s views? The sentiments published in its columns are all drawn from the Holy Scriptures. No writer of the REVIEW has ever referred to them as authority on any point. The REVIEW for five years has not published one of them. Its motto has been, "The Bible, and the Bible alone, the only rule of faith and duty." Then why should these men charge the REVIEW with being a supporter of Mrs. W.'s views?
Again, How has the Editor of the REVIEW regarded Visions, and the gifts of the Gospel Church for more than eight years past? His uniform statements in print on this subject will satisfactorily answer this question. The following is from a Tract he published in 1847:
"The Bible is a perfect and complete revelation. It is our only rule of faith and practice. But this is no reason why God may not show the past, present, and future fulfillment of his word, in these last days, by dreams and visions, according to Peter's testimony. True visions are given to lead us to God, and to his written word; but those that are given for a new rule of faith and practice, separate from the Bible, cannot be from God, and should be rejected."
Again, four years since, he wrote on the Gifts of the Gospel Church, re-published in the REVIEW for Oct. 3d, 1854, from which is taken the following:
"Every Christian is therefore in duty bound to take the Bible as a perfect rule of faith and duty. He should pray fervently to be aided by the Holy Spirit in searching the Scriptures for the whole truth, and for his whole duty. He is not at liberty to turn from them to learn his duty through any of the gifts. We say that the very moment he does, he places the gifts in a wrong place, and takes an extremely dangerous position."
Now if these paragraphs were not in print, his enemies might accuse him of changing his position; but as one was printed eight years since, and the other four, and re-printed one year since, they are nails driven in right places. Slanderous reports must fall powerless before facts of this character.
Again, in the REVIEW Extra, published March, 1855, is the following statement from the Church that had been personally acquainted with the facts in the case for three years:
This certifies that we have been acquainted with Bro. and Sr. White, and their teachings, and labors in church trials, and have never known them to urge the visions on any one as a portion of religious faith, or make them a test of fellowship.
In behalf of the Church,
J. T. ORTON,
S. T. BELDEN, } Deacons.
T. B. MEAD.
Visions and Scriptural Foundations
By James White
The Publishing Committee have also spoken upon this subject, yet these persons will have it that the Visions are made a test. This same story was repeated over and over by the Harbinger, to raise prejudice against the Sabbath. These men have now taken it up, if possible, in a meaner style. They have relieved Eld. Marsh in this department, and some of them far out-strip him in zeal and malice.
But what deserves especial attention here, is the unrighteous use some are making of the Visions. They take the advantage of the common prejudices against Visions, misrepresent them, and those who are not ready to join them in anathematizing them as the work of Satan, then brand any view held by the body of Sabbath-keepers as the "Vision view," and not the Bible view of the subject. In this way an unhallowed prejudice can be excited in the minds of some against any view, and even all the views held by that body of Christians called Advent Sabbath-keepers. This course has been, and is being pursued on the subjects of the Two-horned beast, Sanctuary, Time to commence the Sabbath and period of the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth. It should be here understood that all these views as held by the body of Sabbath-keepers, were brought out from the Scriptures before Mrs. W. had any view in regard to them. These sentiments are founded upon the Scriptures as their only basis.
E. R. Pinney held as early as 1844, that the Kingdom of God would not be established on the earth till the close of the seventh millennium. The Editor of the REVIEW has taught the same since 1845, five years before Mrs. W. had a view of this subject—that the saints would go to heaven at Christ's second advent, [John vii, 33; xiii, 33, 36; xiv, 1-3, 28; 1 Pet. i, 3-8; Rev. v, 10] that the 1000 years' reign of the saints in judgment [Rev. xx, 4; Matt. xix, 28] would be in the "Father's house" above—New Jerusalem—which Jesus has gone to prepare for his followers, while the earth remained desolate, [Jer. iv, 19-26; xxv, 15-33; Isa. xxviii, 21, 22; Zeph. i, 2-18; iii, 6-8; Isa. xiii, 9-11; xxiv, 1-6; 2 Thess. i, 7-9; ii, 8-12,] and that at the end of the 1000 years, Jesus would return to the earth with his SAINTS, [Zech. xiv, 5; Jude 14, 15,] to execute judgment upon ALL, from Cain to the latest ungodly sinner, which cannot be until the62second resurrection, when all ungodly sinners will be raised.
Now, Mrs. W.'s view of this subject was not till 1850, yet the view of this subject held by the body of Sabbath-keepers before and since 1850 is now branded as the "Vision view," and those who hold it are represented as forsaking the Bible and taking another rule of faith. A brother writing from the West to a brother in N. Y., on this subject, says: "God will as certainly reject James White if he rejects his word as he has rejected Himes and Marsh." Now it has come to this, that in order to be sure to avoid the charges of infidelity and heresy from these men, it is necessary to renounce every point of religious faith with which Mrs. W.'s views are in harmony. Every friend of truth and right should protest against so unrighteous a course. Brethren, be on your guard against this crafty mode of action to divide the Church of God. Let the Visions stand upon their own merits. It is our duty to teach, and to hold up the hands of those who teach the word of God; also to mark those who cause divisions.
But these men are not willing to leave the Visions on their own merits, and let people alone who believe them, who take the Bible as their only rule of faith and duty. No, some among them pursue them with deception, and slander. The publishing and preaching of such is an issue of bitterness against the Visions, and those who will not join them in their work of death. They make the Visions a test. Their principal theme, even before an ungodly rabble, is opposition to, and ridicule of, the Visions, and their highest ambition and glory is to disaffect persons and divide Churches and families. Of this they boast from place to place, and in their sheet of scandal. All persons may now see who it is that make Mrs. W.'s views a test. While we take the Bible, and the Bible alone as our rule of faith and duty, and are rigidly devoted to teaching the word, these persons, as they go out from us, seem to become at once enraged against the Visions, and embued with bitterness against their former brethren, (R. Hicks is a good example,) and engage with a rash zeal to divide Churches, and separate the nearest and dearest friends. What is their test in this work?—The Visions!
Now we shall go right along believing and teaching the word of the Lord. This is our business. And if we choose to believe Mrs. W.'s views which harmonize with the Word, this is our business, and nobody's else. But if we should leave the word, and look for a rule of faith and duty by some new revelation, then it would be the business of the Church to silence me as a religious teacher.
We have exposed some of the false statements of these men, and supposed this was sufficient. We care not a straw for their slanderous falsehoods on our own part; but if those who are prepared to show up their falsehoods, think the cause demands their exposure, let them forward their testimonies to the Office, and we will thoroughly expose them. This may be best. J. W.
Jannes and Jambres.
By James White
"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." 2 Tim. iii, 8.
The Apostle in this chapter draws a picture of the "last days;" not of the whole Christian age, but, of these times of apostasy. The message of truth for this time is to be resisted in the same manner as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses. How was that?
"And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land." Ex. vii, 1, 2.
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent."
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men, and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart that he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said." Verses 8-13.
So will it be in the last days. Men will have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. Whenever God has sent forth a message of truth, he has accompanied it with the power of his Spirit, with signs and the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Mark xvi, 20; Acts v, 12; xiv, 3; 1 Cor. ii, 4, 5; Heb. ii, 3, 4; Rom. xv, 18, 19. These manifestations from God have been according to the necessities of his people. Will he withhold them from his people in their greatest perils, as they enter the greatest time of trouble? No! no! "IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAITH GOD, I will POUR out of my Spirit." It will come upon the remnant, not only as the dew, or the gentle rain, but God will pour his Spirit out upon them. "Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants, and on my hand-maidens, I will pour out IN THOSE DAYS of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy."
These manifestations of the Holy Spirit will of course fully attend the last message of the last days, when in its greatest power and glory. Then men having the form of godliness, will deny the power. Then they will deny the power of the Holy Spirit which will attend the last message of truth. And as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses through whom the power of God was manifested, SO will these in the last days resist the truth.
In order for the truth to be resisted AS Moses's message was, it must be accompanied with the power of God as his message was. Therefore when the prophecy of Joel, in regard to pouring out of the Spirit, shall be fulfilled on the remnant, and their message confirmed by signs and wonders, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, then modern magicians, Spiritualists, will resist the truth with miracles and wonders by the power of Satan. God's people will yet be met face to face as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses and Aaron.
No man can show that God has taken away the gifts he put in the Church. They may faintly appear all the way through the Church in her apostasy, her sack-cloth and her connection with earthly kingdoms, but in her last work God will manifest the gifts in their glory. He will, as it were, bring the two ends of this dispensation round till they meet.
The Counterfeit and no Genuine
By James White
Would be the greatest possible absurdity. Yet some professing to be Bible men, who hold forth that the great Counterfeiter is in the field "with all power, signs and lying wonders," assisting men and women to speak with power, heal the sick, and see future events, yet doubt whether it be the plan of God to manifest his power in assisting men to preach his word, in healing the sick, and in the gifts which he placed in the Church. This would be like circulating spurious notes on a bank in some town and State in unexplored regions, or counterfeiting some celebrated medicine that never existed. Be assured, Satan understands his work full well. His counterfeits are out at the right time, and are of the right sort to accomplish his purposes. He, knowing "that he hath but a short time" to sink men in perdition, determined to pre-occupy the field, and draw as many as possible into his bewitching snares, then try to make all others doubt the genuine, because of the counterfeit.
But this subject viewed correctly, the existence of the counterfeit assures us that the genuine also exists. And what a scene will the closing conflict present. Satan inspiring the corrupt hearts of men with "all power and signs and lying wonders," and the great God pouring out his Spirit on the humble and despised remnant, so that the closing message will be confirmed by signs and wonders, and mighty deeds of the Holy Ghost. God save us from throwing all away because of the spurious. But, rather, let us "Prove all things, and HOLD FAST that which is good." J. W.
The Bible Preacher.
By Dr. Justin Edwards
"He must declare all the truths which God reveals, in the connections in which he reveals them. And he must declare them with those feelings which these truths, clearly apprehended, cordially embraced, and faithfully obeyed, will inspire. The only reason why preaching of any kind is ever effectual to the salvation of men is, God has appointed it, and attends it with his blessing. And he has appointed not only that men should preach, but has told them what to preach. 'Preach the preaching that I bid thee.' 'Hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.' 'He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.' This requires him to preach whatever God reveals, and as he reveals it. A preacher has nothing to do to invent new truths, to preach those which God does not reveal, or those which he does, in any different manner and connection from what he reveals them. To the law and the testimony—if preachers speak not according to these, there is no light in them. The law of the Lord, as he reveals it, is perfect, converting the soul. It needs only to be understood and obeyed to prepare men for heaven. The testimony of the Lord, as he gives it, is sure, making wise the simple. All that a preacher has to do is, in the clearest and kindest manner, to exhibit this; illustrate it to the understanding, and impress it upon the heart. 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.' This gospel is the revelation which is made to men in the Bible; all of which is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work. The whole of this revelation, would you be instrumental to the greatest extent in saving souls, you must preach, and nothing more. The Bible must be to you what the pillar of fire and of cloud was to Moses. Where that goes, you must go. If you stop, God moves on without you. You are left behind in a wilderness, without a guide, without a helper. Your safety and your success both depend upon following him. Where he stops, you must stop. If you move, go which way you will, you go without God. Fight as you may, you only beat the air, instead of conquering, you are conquered. Or if you seem to yourselves to gain a temporary triumph, and begin to scowl upon less adventurous spirits, who dare not move without God, it is only a feint of the enemy to draw you into thicker ambush, and sink you into deeper ruin. You may imagine that you have hosts strong and mighty, who can overcome in battle; but like the Egyptians in the sea, the more numerous your hosts and the heavier your artillery, the deeper you sink. In a warfare like this, nothing can be done without God, and he will accompany none but those who follow him."—Dr. Justin Edwards in 1824.
Present Truth and Prophetic Fulfillment
By Uriah Smith
There is much truth in the above, and many of its particulars are well illustrated in the history of the church and world for the past few years. Truth is progressive. As new events are continually transpiring, so new truths are being continually unfolded, both in regard to these events, and those which are to come; and present truth in every age of the world is truth concerning those scenes in the fulfillment of prophecy to which mankind hold the nearest relation, be they past or future. Thus has it ever been; and the world has been borne on by the tide of time, through way-mark after way-mark in its history, till now all the light of the past, and every indication of the present, betokens the speedy end of all things.
With John the Baptist, as he went forth to herald the approach of one mightier than he, present truth was, The coming of the Messiah. But after the Messiah had come, the duty of mankind was, not to believe that he was coming, but to believe on his name. So it is not with us present truth to prove that the Babylonian empire, the golden head of the great image, has held its period of universal dominion; nor yet that Persia succeeded in this dominion, nor that Grecia rose after them and fulfilled her part in ruling the world; nor that Rome, the fourth great kingdom, followed on in course to tread down and devour the whole earth, and is now in the last stages of its shattered existence; but these are all necessary to, and conspire to shed light on, that which is present truth, namely, that the fifth universal kingdom, the next in this chain of prophecy is about to be set up by Him whose dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away. And as on this point so, on every other: the past tends to throw light on the present and the future; and therefore every new truth that is developed in the divine order of events, has stronger claims to our acceptance and belief, than any which preceded it.
The remark with which we were particularly struck in the above extract from Dr. Edwards, is this: "If you stop, God moves on without you." As truth is progressive, this is a necessary result. In the light of past experience, then, let us apply this principle. It will not do for the people of God at any time to imagine that they have truth enough, and so calmly settle down upon that and look for no further light. And here, we conceive, is where the churches have made their fatal mistake. When it became evident from the revelations of prophecy and the light of history, that the second advent of the Saviour was just at hand, that message was forthwith heralded to the world. It would have been supposed that the churches, professing as they did great love for him, would hail that message with joy; and had they indeed loved him, this would have been the case; but how different has been the result. Here was a criterion which was to test the true state of their affections. They could not love the Lord supremely, and at the same time love the world, directly opposed to him. They could not be setting their affections on things of the world, and at the same time desire the coming of him before whose presence they were to pass away forever. This criterion they could not avoid; and it revealed at once their true condition. It showed that their interests were all interwoven with worldly things; that the love of earth had supplanted their love to God; and pride and formality had taken the place of sincerity and devotion. The truth was proclaimed; they heard it; but their worldly interests got the ascendancy, and they rejected it. They had set their hearts upon ease and comfort and prosperity and carnal security, and were unwilling to give them up. They imagined they had truth enough to convert the world and here they stopped. They looked for, and cared for, no further light; therefore are they still down in the plains of Shinar, endeavoring to build their tower.
But truth is onward; and God's Spirit always accompanies his truth; and if we do not keep pace with the one, we cannot enjoy the other. The churches stopped. They would not walk up to the light that was given, and therefore the Spirit of God is departed from their midst. The almost universal complaints among them of coldness and barrenness in spiritual things, the absence of genuine conversions in their midst, their still greater display of pride and formality, and the tenacity with which they cling to fables contrary to the living Word, have been ever since that time, and still are, witnessing to this solemn truth: THEY STOPPED; AND GOD HAS MOVED ON WITHOUT THEM! U. S.
Popular Poisons.
By George Trask
An Appeal to the 30,000 Clergymen in the United States.
[As the subject of the use of Tobacco is engaging the attention of many of our brethren, in different places, the following which we copy from the Advent Herald will be read with interest. Although it makes the soul something distinct from the body and intellect, and speaks of its effects on that undefinable principle—a distinction which we could not endorse—the article is nevertheless mainly to the point.]
THE common use of Tobacco, like Alcohol, is a violation of life, and assails body, intellect and soul. What right has a man to whip himself into the use of a nauseous, noxious poison, which, in time, will blunt the acumen of all his five senses, disturb his appetite, diminish nutrition, muscle, strength, and all his capacities to serve God? Is it no sin to rob God? What right has a man to use a drug which disturbs the healthful action of his mind, disposes it to be irritable at one time and sottish at another, and, in cases sadly numerous, smites it with forgetfulness, idiocy, or outright insanity? Is it no sin to destroy intellect?
What right has a man to enslave his soul? This drug, by narcotizing, debilitating, and sensualizing the soul, binds it in chains, and makes it an absolute slave. I speak with reverence, if the eye of God sees a slave on earth, in the way of eminence, he is probably made such by the potency of this drug. Is it no sin to enslave the soul?
Man's organic structure my brethren, is perfect; for God is its Author. God's will is as manifest in this organism as in the ten commandments. Whoever injures this "divine workmanship," by the use of a deadly thing, plants his will in conflict with God's will. What is this but man striving with his Maker? What is this but rebellion? What is rebellion against God but sin? In your pulpits, many of you ring the changes on the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the world over and elsewhere. But sin is no undefinable phantom. Sin is the transgression of law, written by the finger of God on the whole organism of a man, as well as in the Bible; a transgression which usually carries conviction to the soul, unless stupified by abuse. The common use of tobacco is in all cases a violation of physical law. The victim may or may not have come to a knowledge of63this violation; if he has not, with him it is no sin or merely a sin of ignorance. But, the moment he becomes conscious of this violation, the violation is no longer simply physical, but moral; the act becomes a sinning act, a sin, and the actor a sinner. Millions sensualized by this drug are mournfully defective in moral discrimination, but this is not true of all its devotees.
I knew one who said, "Sir, I can hear no more, for all you say on this drug is true, and cuts me to pieces. I have been a slave to it twenty years, and shall die a slave; but, if my son uses it, I will disinherit him!" Here was consciousness of slavery and sin.
I knew an excellent deacon, who was an inveterate "chewer," who, on reading the passage which bids us glorify God, whether we eat or drink, said to his wife, "I cannot glorify God in the use of this poison." He dropped it, once for all, and became a holier and a happier man. Here was the consciousness and renunciation of sin. A ceasing to do evil in one form.
I can name a clergyman who was much enslaved to his snuff; he sometimes reproved a neighbor who was a drunkard. At length the drunkard said to him, "If you will give up your snuff, I will give up my rum." The bargain was made. But within forty-eight hours the clergyman was in perfect anguish for his snuff. He set a spy over the drunkard to watch for his downfall. When told that the fatal cup had passed his lips, he flew to his snuff-box with the fury of a maniac, made himself idiotic, and died a fool! Tell us which was the greater drunkard? Or, as sin is the point in debate, which was the greater sinner?
The time would fail me to tell of men, Christian men, and Christian ministers, who have renounced this sin as they renounce other sins, and who, with rejuvenated health and jubilant hearts, bless God for their escape from these "bonds of iniquity."
Yours fraternally,
GEORGE TRASK.
Fitchburg, Mass., 1855.