Earlier text: OUR FIRST LOVECOMMON THINGS.
By Clara B. Heath
[Republished by request.] They lie around on every side,
For every day some blessing brings;
We look upon them without pride,
For what are they but common things?
So common that we have not known
The loss that we should feel to-day
If they were gathered, one by one,
And hidden from our sight away. So common that we use or waste
As if they were our very own;
We sweeten this or that to taste,
And revel in our joys full blown.
We lay them down, or take them up,
No thankful thought about them clings,
We do not care to fill our cup,
Life’s golden cup, with common things. We want some rare and precious pet,
That common people cannot buy;
We want the best that we can get,
No matter if the price is high.
Our birds are all too commonplace,
Bring us some foreign one that sings,
Some beauty that our halls would grace;
We’ve had enough of common things! We want the best the world affords—
Pray who should have it if not we?
We want the gold the miser hoards,
We want the pearls that gem the sea.
The world moves slow—we long to fly,
How many of us sigh for wings,
Yet we should pass them coldly by,
Were they once classed with common things. Whatever is most rich and grand,
Whatever others most desire,
We fain would hold within our hand—
To things like these our thoughts aspire.
We would have stars to light our way;
Our choice of all Dame Fortune brings;
Let us remember when we pray,
That many lack for common things. —CLARA B. HEATH, in Watchman and Reflector. THE SERVICE OF GOD.
By C. H. Foster
As I look out upon the beauties of nature, on this holy Sabbath day, my heart goes out in love and thankfulness to our Heavenly Father for his loving-kindness toward his erring children. We have many things to be thankful for. The blessings that are showered upon us in this life, but more especially the rich provisions of the gospel, call for gratitude. What a glorious manifestation of the love of God was the gift of his Son to die for us. Cannot we love such a God as this? Let us show our love by obedience to his commandments. This is the test he gives us. We need the love of God deep down in the soul. We need to draw sap and nourishment from the living Vine continually, in order to grow up into Christ. I like Peter’s rule of addition: “Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance,” etc. The service of God is delightful. His grace helps us to bear the disappointments and trials of life. We need much of this grace in this sinful age; we need to do much praying and watching. The enemy is on our track. Sin abounds on every hand. Time is short. We have a great work to do. The world is asleep in reference to the near advent of Christ. Honest-hearted men and women, who are living up to what light they have, are breaking one of God’s plain commandments every week. Their minds must be called to the truth. “Who is sufficient for these things?” Oh! what responsibility we assume when we present the truth to others; so much depends upon the way we handle the truth, and the spirit we manifest in presenting it. It requires much heavenly wisdom to win souls to Christ. May God help us to labor earnestly for the salvation of the perishing, and always manifest the spirit of the meek and lowly Jesus. DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF.
TO RETAIN or recover health, persons should be relieved from anxiety concerning disease. The mind has power over the body—for a person to think he has a disease will often produce that disease. This we see effected when the mind is intensely concentrated upon the disease of another. We have seen a person seasick, in anticipation of a voyage, before reaching the vessel. We have known people to die of cancer in the stomach, when they had no cancer in the stomach or any other mortal disease. A blindfolded man, slightly pierced in the arm, has fainted and died from believing he was bleeding to death. Therefore persons should have their minds diverted as much as possible from themselves. It is by their faith that men are saved, and it is by their faith that they die. As a man thinketh, so is he. If he wills not to die, he can often live in spite of disease; and if he has little or no attachment to life, he will slip away as easily as a child will fall asleep. Men live by their minds as well as by their bodies. Their bodies have no life of themselves; they are only receptacles of life—tenements for the mind, and the will has much to do in continuing the physical occupancy or giving it up.—Sel. “How are you, sir? you seem to be a gentleman.” “Well, yes; I count myself a gentleman in every sense of the word.” “Well, I am glad to meet one once in a while. It is so seldom one meets a gentleman in every sense of the word that it does a fellow good. I suppose you belong to church?” “O yes, certainly; count myself a good Christian.” “Then you believe in the Golden Rule?” “Certainly—‘do unto others as you would have them do to you.’ Oh, certainly, certainly; could not think of deviating from it.” “Well, I suppose you have a great influence in society.” “Well; yes, they count that I have. A great many come to me for advice, and follow my example. In short, they count me a model man.” “Yes; a fine little woman she is. It would do you good to see her.” “Yes, four of the nicest little chicks you ever saw—two boys and two girls.” “Does your wife use tobacco?” “Oh, my! She is too nice to think of such a nasty, filthy habit as that. I could not think of living with her if she did. Just think of it!” “Do your boys talk of smoking?” “Oh, no; I would not have them acquire the habit for anything in the world.” “Do your daughters use snuff?” “No, no; hope they will never indulge in such a filthy habit.” “Well, well! Do you smoke? I see a case of cigars in your pocket.” “Well, yes, sometimes, just for pastime. Will you have one?” “No, thank you. I would not have my wife, sons or daughters use it, and it would be contrary to the Golden Rule if I did, and how could I claim to be a Christian? And then if I have an influence over the rising generation I want to wield it in a better cause.” “Oh, yes; but I acquired the habit while young, and can’t quit.” “So did I, and of swearing and drinking; but in order to be a Christian I had to quit.” —Observer, in Eureka Herald. We think that the power of money is, on the whole, overestimated. The greatest things which have been done for the world have not been accomplished by rich men or by subscription lists, but by men generally of small pecuniary means. The greatest thinkers, discoverers, inventors, and artists have been men of moderate wealth, many of them little raised above the condition of manual laborers in point of worldly circumstances. And it will always be so. Riches are oftener an impediment than a stimulus to action; and in many cases they are quite as much a misfortune as a blessing. The youth who inherits wealth is apt to have life made too easy for him, and so grows sated with it, because he has nothing left to desire. Having no special object to struggle for, he finds time too heavy on his hands, remains mentally and morally asleep; and his position in society is often no higher than that of a polypus over which the tide floats.—Sel. Man's way is, “Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;” God's way is, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Man, in his self-sufficiency, would wait till he can give or do something to earn salvation for himself; but, when taught of God, he comes empty-handed, and joyfully receives at once eternal life as “the gift of God through Jesus Christ.” It is then that he inquires, “What shall I render to the Lord?”—working not for life but from life, as the old divines would say. Gathering Thorns: Reflections on Worldly Busyness
“How many people,” says Jeremy Taylor, “are busy in the world gathering together a handful of thorns to sit upon?” THE SAINTS SHALL TAKE THE KINGDOM.
In Daniel 7:18, we find the following statement: “But the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.” The question suggests itself how this declaration can be made to fit the idea of the spiritual kingdom, which so many think is the kind of kingdom here intended; and we propose this query to those who think that all the kingdom which Christ is to have, and all the one that is described by the pens of the prophets, is a kingdom of grace in the hearts of believers, a church kingdom set up on the day of Pentecost, or some manifestation of the work of the gospel among men. “The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom.” Who are the saints of the Most High? They are the ones who already have this work of grace in the heart, the ones who already constitute the church of God on the earth. If they were not people of this kind, and had not this work of grace in the heart, they would not be the saints of the Most High. But they are the saints of the Most High when it is said of them that they shall take the kingdom. They have all the work of grace in the heart, and sustain all the relations to each other necessary to constitute all that makes a spiritual kingdom, and yet they are not in possession of the kingdom which the prophet brings to view, and it is said of them that they shall take that kingdom. Now we ask, Is this a spiritual kingdom? If so, how could they take it? How can those who have the work of grace so far developed in their hearts that they are saints of the Most High, and members of his spiritual kingdom, then take a spiritual kingdom, which consists of the same things which they already possess? They could not. Then it was not a spiritual kingdom to which the prophet referred. Amen. But the saints shall take the kingdom—such a kingdom as they can take—not a spiritual kingdom, but the kingdom of God which he shall establish under the whole heavens. HEALTH REFORM.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
Shall we go back? If we have gone wrong, it becomes us to repent; but if we have started in the right direction, it is a shame to go back. Some have been very cautious about going too fast, and it has resulted in going fast the other way. While we admit we have precious light, let us constantly walk in the direction of the light. Each has the privilege to choose for himself. There is no compulsion. If others do not come up to our ideas of the reform, we have no quarrel with them. If any think it a grievous task to follow the light on this subject, they are excused, so far as we are concerned; but our reason for following the testimonies is that we fully believe it to be for our own good. We believe such testimonies as the following: “Adam fell upon the point of appetite.” “Christ began his work of redemption by reforming the physical habits of man. The declension in virtue and the degeneracy of the race are chiefly attributable to the indulgence of perverted appetite.” “There is a solemn responsibility upon all, especially upon ministers who teach the truth, to overcome upon the point of appetite.” “Intemperance in eating, even of food of the right quality, will have a prostrating influence upon the system, and will blunt the keener and holier emotions.” “Intemperance commences at our tables.” “The only safe course is to touch not, taste not, and handle not, tea, coffee, wines, tobacco, opium, and alcoholic drinks.” “The highly seasoned flesh-meats, and tea and coffee, which some mothers encourage their children to use, are preparing the way for them to crave stronger stimulants, as tobacco, and the use of tobacco encourages the appetite for liquor. The use of tobacco and liquor invariably lessens the nerve power.” “Men who are engaged in giving the last message of warning to the world, which is to decide the destiny of souls, should make a practical application in their own lives of the truths they preach to others.” “As our first parents lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, our only hope of regaining Eden is through the firm denial of appetite and passion.” “The idea should never be given that it is of little consequence what we eat, because we, from principle, leave meat, butter, mince pies, spices, lard, and that which irritates the stomach and destroys health. There are some who go to extremes.” “Flesh-meats, and rich food, and an impoverished diet, will produce the same results.” “Large quantities of sugar and milk eaten together are injurious. They impart impurities to the system. Animals from which milk is obtained are not always healthy. They are diseased. A cow may be apparently well in the morning, and die before night. Then she was diseased in the morning, and her milk was diseased, but you did not know it. The animal creation is diseased. Flesh-meats are diseased.” “Sugar clogs the system.” “Flesh-meats will depreciate the blood. Cook meat with spices, and eat it with rich pies and cakes, and you have a bad quality of blood. The system is too heavily taxed in disposing of this kind of food. Mince pies, which should never find a place in any human stomach, and the pickles, which never should have any place there, will give a miserable quality of blood.” Believing these testimonies, and others similar to the last, respecting cheese, saleratus, etc., we must be excused in trying to live in harmony with them. Instead of backsliding, we ought to progress in the direction of healthful living. And we believe it will be seen by and by that those who have followed the light most closely on this subject have taken the wisest course. We believe the light has been given because we need it; and that the time is at hand when those who have neglected it will realize a great loss. R. F. COTTRELL. AN INTERVIEW.
By C. W. Stone
One afternoon a Catholic lady came into our tent at Danvers, and sat down for a few minutes’ talk. She was Irish, and apparently possessed of more than the average of natural intelligence of her class. After a few moments’ conversation, she was invited to come to hear the lectures. She replied that she lived fifteen miles away, and that she should not come to hear even if she lived close by. This led to the discovery that she was a Catholic, and we took occasion to ask her a few questions. She said she did not believe the Bible, for that had passed through the hands of men. She went by the word of God. The Bible has passed through the hands of the printers, and we can not tell what part of it is true, and what is false; but the word of God is a safe guide. We tried to find out where she found the word of God, and soon learned that it comes in its purity from the “one church,” “the church that Christ left,” and is handed down from the pope, and dealt out by the priests. I thought I could discern the echo of that blasphemous cry of “infallibility,” that rang out from Rome not long ago; and I was reminded of what Paul said concerning this same power,—“he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Thus he teaches men that they are not capable of reading the Bible understandingly, and selecting the truths from the errors it contains; therefore they must get all their Bible, or word of God, from the priests; and having the implicit confidence of his ignorant followers, the pope has long had the track laid on which to issue his infallible (!) mandates and dogmas. And he is not content with giving his own interpretations merely of the written word, but he “exalteth himself above all that is called God,” assumes the legislative seat of the world, and thinks to change the law of the Creator. See 2 Thess. 2:4; Dan. 7:25. “How foolish,” cry a host of Protestants, “thus to follow the leadings of a wicked church, or bow to the laws of the pope of Rome!” Certainly, we say; and we add, How inconsistent for these same Protestants to bow to one of the chief institutions of this church,—the first-day Sabbath, while they stand with their feet upon the down-trodden Sabbath of the Lord! And the Catholics boast of it. They advertise in their catechisms as the badge of their authority their power to change the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first. After some further talk, we asked the lady again to come and hear; and she said she would if she were near enough, but added that she should never change her faith whatever she might hear. “The Catholic Church that was established by Christ is united, while the Protestants are all divided. Go to the Methodists, and you hear one thing; to the Baptists, and you hear a different thing; and so on through the list,” said she. Thought I, What hope is there of those whose ears are closed to reason? But the mother church is not so blind but that she can see Babylon in her daughters. Confusion is engraved upon the face of Protestantism. I told her that we have in our church several who were once stanch Catholics. With a look of intense scorn she arose to go, and said, “No one who was ever a good Catholic, and attended church, has ever backslidden like that.” I assured her that it was true, and that a young man who was two years ago French Catholic from France, was now preaching our views to Catholics and Protestants in America. Said she, “He had better not come to Lynn, if he knows when he is safe.” How quick, had she the power, would the papacy revive the Inquisition, and deluge the soil with the blood of saints! And how quickly, when her image is formed by Protestant America, will the slumbering elements of society spring to activity, ready to re-enact the scenes of former religious oppression! But the servants of the living God, who have his seal in their foreheads, need not fear. At that time they “shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” How glorious is the light of truth. Let us thank God for it, and walk in it; and at last we shall come to Zion with the redeemed, with songs and everlasting joy. C. W. Stone. WATCHFULNESS
By A. S. Hutchins
The duty of watchfulness is plainly enjoined upon the followers of Christ, and more repeatedly as the end of all things draws nigh. But we are in danger of failing here, it may be, more than in any other duty. We read the account of the terrible agony of the Son of God in the garden on the night of his betrayal and apprehension. To three chosen witnesses his language77 was: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with me.” In the agony of his soul, Jesus falls upon his face, and prays to the Father as never man prayed. Angels witness his untold anguish. They behold the heavy load he bears. They behold his tears, “and his sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Oh! why could not these disciples watch? Why found sleeping once? why twice? why the third time? We ask, Why? We have not been favored with seeing Jesus, and hearing his gracious words, and being with him, as were his disciples and apostles. But divine revelation sets before us his life of humiliation and suffering; his ignominious death upon the cross; his burial, resurrection, and ascension to glory; and heralds the joyful tidings that he will come to earth again. And, dear reader, he bids you and me, watch. We have an example of watchfulness in the case of Elisha, as Elijah was about to be taken from him. The last interview that he could here enjoy with this man of God had come. Thrice Elijah bade him “tarry” while he should pass on. The emphatic language of his whole being was: “As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.” Together they journey, till they stand upon the banks of the rolling Jordan. Its waters are divided, and they pass over on dry ground. The moment of separation hastens on. A blessing of no small magnitude awaits Elisha if he complies with the conditions, as Elijah is upward borne to the celestial regions of paradise. A double portion of his spirit is to fall upon Elisha, clothing him with power and authority. He separates not from his master, he sleeps not. Behold him steadfastly watching till the chariot of fire and horses of fire part them. Elijah ascends to the courts of glory. As was Enoch, he is brought to the heavenly rest without passing through the domain of the grave. Elisha remains to be fitted for the same glorious state through the school of affliction and trial, and cheerful obedience to the Lord. The desired blessing falls upon him, and is apparent to those who behold him. Quickly the testimony is borne: “The spirit of Elijah doth rest upon Elisha.” This blessing would have been lost by inattention, as many are at present, and ever have been. We are weak when we might be strong. We might enjoy many seasons of sweet communion with God, seasons of spiritual refreshing, seasons in which our views of heavenly things would be expanded, and new light break into the soul, filling it with joy and gladness. Dear reader, are you sleeping, or watching? Says the apostle, “Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” There are thousands of avenues through which the enemy may allure us into sin. We reason ourselves into unbelief, into pride, and into disobedience, and often find ourselves in the meshes of Satan’s net ere we are aware of it. Some little trial or misunderstanding may arise between brethren; quickly Satan arouses us now to take the defensive ground. The trial assumes gigantic proportions, growing perhaps continually. We really feel wounded. We have been abused. But how differently all this matter would have appeared had our hearts been filled with Christian love and sympathy. A little explanation given, a little yielding on our part, a drawing near to God and one another, and we find relief. How much better to have watched and kept the temptation from the heart, and how much better for the cause of truth if each one were always careful not to lay a stumbling-block in the way of any. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” “Blessed is he that watcheth.” “The Saviour bids us watch and pray,
For lo! the Judge is near;
Oh! may we joyfully obey,
And watch till he appear.” THE OHIO CAMP-MEETING.
By Uriah Smith
We gave last week a partial account of this meeting. The situation did not materially change so far as pertained to attendance by the brethren and sisters; but the outside interest continued to increase. This was the best we have ever witnessed. The absence of prejudice, so marked at first, ripened into positive friendliness before the last. Such was the desire on the part of the people to learn our views, that the preaching was, with the exception of two opening discourses, all doctrinal, such as would be given at a tent-meeting rather than at a camp-meeting. Most of the great themes that constitute the present truth for this time were canvassed, very briefly of course, in the twenty-nine discourses given; and yet the desire to hear further on the same subjects increased to the close. Even the police in some instances requested our brethren to stand out on guard during the hours of service, that they might be at the tent and listen to the preaching. On Sunday it was estimated that at least ten thousand persons were present. Excursion trains were run on all the roads, bringing multitudes from all the region around. Five discourses were given on this day, speaking being maintained in two places on the ground, both forenoon and afternoon. Several voluntarily came forward and expressed their determination to keep the Sabbath and prepare for the soon-coming of the Lord. Others are thoroughly convinced and deeply convicted. In view of this state of things, it was thought best to follow up this camp-meeting with a tent-meeting in Newark. This meeting will commence Friday, Aug. 31, when it is expected that Bro. St. John's health will be so far restored that he can go forward with it. Bro. Waggoner will return to Ohio from the Illinois camp-meeting, to assist in the work at Van Wert or Newark, as circumstances may demand. We cannot close even this brief notice of the meeting without speaking of the nature of the preaching to which we listened on this occasion. Discourses, especially from Elds. Waggoner, St. John, and Butler, were of a more than ordinarily high character; and we did not wonder that they mightily convinced the people. The brethren who were on the camp-ground look forward with much interest to the coming effort with the tent in Newark. If that shall result in saving the interest already developed, and raising up a church there of such sterling and substantial people as are now inquiring, they will feel that the camp-meeting of 1877, though attended by so few of the brethren and sisters, was nevertheless a great success. TISE, DENMARK.
By John G. Matteson
The Lord is gracious to us. His mercy is now over us each day and each week. We find friends here, where a short time since we were entire strangers. Our countrymen in Vendsyssel have been very obliging and friendly at every place that we have been. And they do not tire of hearing the blessed word of God. Monday and Tuesday we held two meetings in Renbak with a congregation of from seventy to one hundred persons. Some of our Baptist brethren and their minister attended our meetings at this place. They were also friendly toward us. The next three days we held meetings in Lökken and Vrensted. Lökken is a little market town or village. It lies on the west coast. Along the coast toward the north and south are high sandbanks which form a natural dike. They are planted with grass; otherwise, being quicksand, they would cover and injure the fruitful fields farther in the country. In places they extend half a mile in from the sea. At Lökken a large warehouse was placed at our disposal to hold meetings in. This is where the Methodist missionary Hansen held meetings last winter. There are many here who are desirous of hearing the word spoken. Sabbath afternoon we had a Bible-class in Alstrup, and Sunday forenoon preaching in Saltum. There was present an audience of three hundred, who listened attentively to a sermon on the kingdom of glory. Many were deeply affected. Before our meeting, I attended the service at the church, where the minister warned against heretics. His sermon lasted seventeen minutes. At the close, the people thronged to the barn where our service was held. The blessing of the Lord came in our midst. At the close of the meeting a school-teacher by the name of Kristensen asked permission to read an article in regard to the Sabbath, that he had written. He very modestly waited until all but fifteen or twenty had left the house, before he began to read it. When he had finished, I remarked that if there was anything good in what he had read, it would have been better to read it before a larger number of people. I asked him if he would read it again next Sunday in the meeting, so that I could have an opportunity to answer it. This he said he would do. In the afternoon I had a congregation of about two hundred people in Tise. The word spoken made a good impression here, and I received an invitation to go to Stenum, where the people are very liberal-minded; but further labor cannot be bestowed upon these places where we now have become acquainted and found friends, before the work is further advanced in Alstrup and Saltum, where we first began. We have obtained six subscribers to ADVENT TIDENDE, besides fifteen names to whom the paper is sent by clubs in America. JOHN G. MATTESON. Alstrup, pr. Brønderslev, Denmark, Europe, Aug. 7, 1877. REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY.
By Albert Stone
The law of God is a perfect measuring rod. By it human actions are measured. In this balance character is weighed. Which of the ten commandments has the semblance of laxity in its demands? What is the nature of the fourth commandment in this respect? Can it be bent or twisted to suit the caprice of professed friends? Let it be borne in mind that the law is the product of infinite love and goodness; that in each of its sacred precepts is consulted man's greatest possible benefit; and that the least departure from it is a sin against God, and an injury to the transgressor. Where in the Bible is the permission to do any work for our personal profit or pleasure, on the Sabbath day? Is not such work positively forbidden by the fourth commandment? For one who keeps Sunday to work in the sugar place on the first day of the week, to prevent waste, or in the field, to get hay or grain into the barn, lest it be rained on, or to do any other similar work, is perhaps all well enough; because the authority for first day observance rests solely on tradition. There is therefore a show of consistency in the idea that tradition should, in certain cases, authorize labor on that day. But tradition must not be permitted to authorize labor on the Sabbath of the Lord, because that rests on the authority of God. “In it thou shalt not do any work.” Ex. 20 : 10. THE WALDENSES KEPT THE COMMANDMENTS.
By D. T. Bourdeau
Before me are two volumes entitled, “Histoire de l’Eglise Vaudoise,” written in French, by Antoine Monastier, from which I take the following extracts:— “An archbishop of Turin, Claude de Seyssel, who, about the year 1517, sought to persuade the Waldenses of the valleys to return to the Roman Church, says of them: ‘As to their lives and manners, they are irreproachable among men, devoting themselves with all their power to the observance of the commandments of God.’”—Vol. i. p. 135. On pp. 142, 143, Sacco, the inquisitor, represents them as saying: “Among us women teach as well as men, and a disciple seven days old teaches another. It is rare to find among them [the Romanists] a doctor who can quote correctly three consecutive chapters of the New Testament; but among us persons are not rare who can recite the whole Testament in the vernacular tongue. . . . They [the Romanists] strive to keep human traditions rather than the commandments of God.” Among other interesting documents, Vol. ii. contains a catechism of the Waldenses. In chapter two of this catechism I find the following:— “Q. By what may you know that you believe in God. “A. By this, that I know and observe the commandments of God. “Q. How many commandments of God are there? “A. Ten, as may be seen in Exodus and Deuteronomy.”—P. 299. Among the works of antichrist, the Waldenses mention that of “turning away the people from the true religion, and from the commandments of God.” And in contrast with this they claim to hold to “holiness of life (or holy conversion) and to the faithful accomplishment of all the commandments by faith in Jesus Christ.”—Page 239. A CHEERING REPORT.
By A. C. Bourdeau
Two weeks ago Bro. and Sr. Owen decided to go and labor in a new field in a part of this Province about forty miles from here. They write that, unexpectedly to them, last Sabbath they found fifteen in Barford, Canada, assembled to keep the Sabbath. This little company had embraced the present truth since last January by reading our tracts and the REVIEW. Not one of them had heard any of our preachers. They wept for joy while hearing for the first time on the rise and progress of the third angel’s message. Four started to keep the Sabbath that day. On Sunday, through the day, Bro. O. held meetings in the same place in a school-house; and in the evening, by invitation, he preached in a chapel. He continues holding meetings there. Myself and Mrs. B. are still here in Frelford. I continue to hold tent meetings evenings and Sabbaths, and Sundays. Among those that have embraced the Sabbath here we have the Methodist class-leader and his wife, who for many years have been pillars in the cause of religion in this village. We are happy to find a pilgrim’s home under their hospitable roof. We have had, for a few weeks past, a good representation of our brethren and sisters from Bolton, Stukely, and Warden, at our Sabbath meetings under the tent in this place; and at our last meeting when it was ascertained by the REVIEW that Bro. and Sr. White were designing to attend the Vermont Camp-meeting this season, the friends of the cause unanimously voted that Eld. James White and wife be cordially invited to come and hold a meeting with us at Waterloo, while on their tour East. My post-office address is still Waterloo, P. Q. A. C. BOURDEAU. TO THE BRETHREN IN N. Y. AND PA.
By B. L. Whitney
We appeal to our brethren once more in reference to attending the coming camp-meeting. There are reasons why the brethren in every part of the State are especially interested in this meeting. Our State Conference and annual Tract Society meeting will be held in connection with it, and for these reasons there should be a more general interest taken in this meeting than there was in the meeting held last spring. We hope to see every church in our Conference represented by delegate at this coming session. Then there are many of our brethren in the western part of the State who attended the camp-meeting this spring, who are abundantly able to go again this fall, and we hope to see them at the northern meeting. But especially are we anxious to see a full attendance of the brethren from the central and northern part of the State. It will be upon these brethren that we shall have to depend mainly for the turnout. This meeting, brethren, is in your midst, and its success will depend largely upon you. Will you do what you can to make this one of the best camp-meetings ever held in the State, by attending yourselves, and using your influence to get others who may be benefited by the meeting to come? Do not stay away because you are not provided with tents, as there will be provision made for such as have not arranged for themselves. Bro. Hall has ordered an extra tent for the scattered brethren in St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, and other arrangements will be made for those who are unprovided for. The location of the grounds is all that we could ask. The cars land us on the ground, without the annoyance and expense of a transfer of passengers and baggage two or three miles as heretofore. Every effort will be made to have the expense of the meeting as light as possible, by the practice of rigid economy, and of care in fitting up the ground; and to this end we extend an urgent invitation to any and all our able-bodied brethren who can do so, to be on the ground as early as possible on Monday of the week of meeting, to assist in fitting up the ground, and making preparations for the meeting; and that they do this for the good of the cause, without expecting compensation therefor. Let all who will do this report immediately to Bro. Wm. H. Brown, Munnsville, N. Y., so that we may know what we can depend upon. And now we have something to say to those who may not attend the meeting. It is a fact that in all parts of the State there are brethren who are owing our Tract Society for periodicals for which the Society has become responsible at the Office of publication. Every dollar that is owing to the Society in this way we are owing to our publishing houses, and they are to-day in need of it. Now we ask our brethren who are owing for their periodicals to make a special effort to pay up this indebtedness between this time and the time of the camp-meeting, so that we may be prepared to settle our accounts with the Publishing Associations. We advise those brethren who are laboring with the tents not to leave a good interest to come to the camp-meeting, as we want to see all accomplished that may be as the result of the present tent season. May the blessing of God attend our coming Conference and camp-meeting, and the precious cause of present truth still go forward in our midst. B. L. WHITNEY. Wellsville, N. Y., Aug. 24. ERROR DEEP-ROOTED.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
If men's minds were like blank paper, it would be an easy matter to write the truth in them. If errors did not fill the mind, the truth could be as easily learned as the child can learn the alphabet. It is a greater task to get men to unlearn their errors, than to teach them the truth. False ideas fill the mind, which must be dislodged before there is any room for the truth. To expel these is the hardest of the battle. “For error cherished long, e’en when confessed,
With deep reluctance leaves the human breast.” For example, a person has the popular idea of disembodied, human spirits, a sort of living entity which the Bible does not mention, and it seems impossible to make him see that the spirit that returns at death to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7) is merely the breath of life which God breathed into his nostrils. The spirit in his vocabulary is an immaterial, conscious entity, living, acting, and immortal; therefore the plainest testimonies of Scripture, clearly defining the spirit of man, cannot find a place in his mind, because his mind is full of a false theory. If he were rid of his false definition of spirit, it would be easy for him to learn that, as man became a living soul when God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, so when the spirit returns to God, and the dust to the earth as it was, it is merely the unmaking of man, or resolving him into the original elements; and is equivalent to the expression, “Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.” Ps. 104 : 20. “The body without the breath is dead.” James 2 : 26. Job says, “All the while my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils;” and then in the margin it is said, “That is, the breath which God gave him. Gen. 2 : 7.” R. F. C. As I scanned the pages of our much-loved paper, the REVIEW, under date of Aug. 16, 1877, especially the pages devoted to the progress of the cause, my mental exclamation was, God bless the harvesters in the vineyard of the Lord. Truly, what we have seen and heard during the past few weeks of the interest awakened in the New England Conference calls for thanksgiving and praise to Him who rules the hearts of men. It has been said heretofore that New England is the hardest field of labor within the pale of the General Conference; and some who have stood foremost in the ranks of Missionary workers have become heart-sick and nearly discouraged, because they could see no immediate good resulting from labors and sacrifices made for the advancement of God’s precious truth in this Conference. But what a wonderful change has been wrought within a few short weeks! God has gone out before us. The hearts of the people are preparing for the reception of present truth. Already two churches have been raised up, one by Eld. Canright in Massachusetts, the other by Eld. Robinson in New Hampshire. God, in his infinite goodness and mercy, has prepared the way before his servants. He has given Bro. Canright the field. Thousands are flocking to hear the words of eternal life. Read his report, brethren,—never such an interest to hear during all his ministry. See Bro. Haskell’s article, “One Day at the Tent,” in the paper above-mentioned. Nor does the interest stop here. The Bostonians have caught the spirit of inquiry and investigation, and the question is asked daily, When will Eld. Canright erect his cloth meeting-house in Boston, and preach the same words to us? The Boston dailies give us a very liberal notice in their respective columns, by which means thousands and thousands are having their attention called to the solemn truth that the hour of God’s Judgment is come. M. Wood.