Every student of the Bible has probably noticed the fact that it is not until a nation is in some way connected with the people of God, that it is noted in prophecy. For instance, the Assyrian empire was founded by Nimrod; but it was not, according to some accounts, till more than fifteen hundred years after this event, when Nebuchadnezzar was seated on the throne, and God was using him to punish his rebellious people, and they had entered upon their term of seventy years' captivity, that the inspired announcement was heard in reference to this kingdom. "Thou art this head of gold." Dan. ii.
Babylon at this time held the scepter of universal empire. Three other kingdoms were announced to succeed it. These, being each in their turn universal, would each of course hold jurisdiction over God's people; hence their appearance in prophecy. With the history of these kingdoms, Persia, Greece and Rome, as they have successively arisen, all are more or less familiar. We here only wish to call attention to the fact, that we do not find them introduced into prophecy, till they have so far developed themselves, as to affect in some way the people of God. Long time, in some instances, were they preparing for that portion of their career which inspiration has seen fit to notice. For even while the first, the Assyrian, empire was rising to the zenith of its glory, far to the westward on the banks of the Tiber, Romulus was opening a city of refuge, an asylum for fugitives from justice, a retreat for all who might wish to shelter within its walls. There were assembling a company of rude and hardy people—the germs of a mighty nation. That city was called Rome; and there existed even then, in embryo, the fourth and last of earth's great universal empires. But prophecy takes no note of it till it has grown able to cope with the nations of the earth; when it is introduced into the drama, as a huge beast, dreadful and terrible.
If then, the righteous hold such a pre-eminent position on the page of prophecy; if the divine regard for them is such that the nations of the earth, the rise and fall of empires, are only to be accounted of as they are connected with them; it follows that no nation with which they have any special connection, will be passed over by the prophetic pencil. History has proved this to be so with reference to all past time; can we then suppose that our nation alone will be an exception to the rule? Of all the nations with which the Church of God has been in any prominent degree connected, will ours alone be passed unnoticed? This is by no means probable. To say then that the United States are not noticed in prophecy, is virtually saying that there are no people of God within its jurisdiction; but, aside from the facts in the case, it could not be supposed that a land like this would long be destitute of a true church, a company of genuine worshipers, whose laws have thus far been so favorable to their growth and development.
From these considerations we might confidently expect to find our government pointed out on the pages of prophecy: it remains that we examine those pages to see if we can find it there.
A wild beast is the symbol generally chosen to represent the governments of earth. Dan. vii; Rev. xiii. Do we find one which may fitly symbolize our own? In determining this we need not go far back. There is a symbol brought to view in the first part of Rev. xiii, in the application of which all Protestants are agreed. As we read from the first to the eleventh verse, we are happy to find ourselves in agreement with the majority of Bible readers, when we say that the power there brought to view is the Papacy. There are at least ten specifications which prove this. 1. The beast rises from the sea—the sea denoting "peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues." 2. It has seven heads, denoting the seven forms of government which have existed in the Roman empire. 3. It has ten horns, showing it to be identical with the fourth beast of Dan. vii, which all know symbolizes Rome. 4. The horns have each a crown, showing that the governments which sprung from the Roman empire would be monarchical. 5. This beast has the characteristics of the three first beasts of Dan. vii; namely, a leopard's body, a bear's feet, and a lion's mouth, showing its existence to be after those beasts had passed away, and making it again identical with the fourth of the series there presented. 6. It has power to make war with and overcome the saints, the same as the little horn of Dan. vii, 25. 7. It opens its mouth in blasphemy, which is also said of the little horn. 8. It was to continue forty and two months, 1260 days (years.) Just this length of time the Papacy did continue from its establishment in 538, till 1798, when it was for a time suppressed by the French. 9. This beast has one of its heads wounded to death. Thus was the Papacy wounded in the event just alluded to, when Berthier, a general of Buonaparte, took prisoner the Pope then occupying St. Peter's chair, and carried him into exile, where he died. 10. The deadly wound was to be healed. This was accomplished in Buonaparte's restoring the Papacy, but not to its former power.
These items are sufficient to fix the application of this symbol. But by reading on in the chapter (Rev. xiii) from the 11th verse, we find another beast introduced. This beast is contemporary with the one just spoken of; for it says [verse 12] that he exercised all the power of the first beast, before him: the word, before, not denoting that the first beast finished his existence before him in point of time, and passed away as he came up on the stage of action, but meaning before, that is, in the presence of, in the sight of; which is the literal meaning of the word enopion, from which it is rendered.
Having then ascertained that these two beasts of Rev. xiii, exist together, and bearing in mind that the first beast embraces the territory of all Europe, we are to notice, in considering this other beast, the following points: 1. Its location. 2. The manner of its rise. 3. The time of its rise. 4. Its age. 5. Its character. 6. The form of its government. 7. Its acts.
1. Its location. Rome was mistress of the world. The ten horns of the beast by which it was symbolized, [Dan. vii; Rev. xiii,] are explained in Dan. vii, 24, to be ten kings or kingdoms which should arise from it. These would of course occupy all the territory which Rome originally embraced. No government of any note has been formed in Europe which was not included in some one of the ten horns at the time of their rise. But it was not said that one of these horns should, by some strange metamorphosis, become another and distinct beast. Therefore we cannot look to the territory of any of the ten horns for the two-horned beast in question. In other words, we are excluded from the continent of Europe: it cannot be there. Being forced to look elsewhere, we take our way "westward" with the "march of empire," till we behold rising in this hemisphere, the colonial columns of our own commonwealth. And surely the degree of power and glory which this nation has already attained, and its growing influence upon the nations of the earth, would lead us to consider it in every way an appropriate subject of prophecy, unless something shall be found forbidding such an idea. But as it may be said that nothing definite is proved by these considerations, only that said beast cannot be located in Europe, we will pass on to show by other specifications that our own country is the power in question.
2. The manner of its rise. It will be noticed that most of the other wild beasts are said to come up by the striving of the four winds of heaven upon the great sea. The sea denoting people, and wind commotion, we see at once that these governments owe their existence to political strife and revolution among the nations of the earth. The two-horned beast comes up in a manner very different from this. "I beheld," says John, "another beast coming up out of the earth." He comes up as a thrifty plant would grow up out of the earth, noiselessly and without commotion. There was no striving of the winds upon the great sea by which it was developed. A short struggle, to be sure, was necessary to the achievement of our independence; but it was not a war of aggression. Our forefathers simply took up arms for a time to defend those privileges which necessity had compelled them to assume. The later war of 1812 is of no note in prophecy as it caused scarcely a ripple upon the stream of our prosperity. In short, this nation has come up just as we should expect a nation would, which was represented as growing up out of the earth; and this is true of no other nation of modern origin but our own. The Dublin Nation has unconsciously borne a thrilling and pointed testimony to this fact, but we have not space to insert it here.
3. The time of its rise. Mark the expression by which it is introduced to us. John says he beheld this beast coming up. It was coming up when he beheld it. It was rising. It had not reached its full development, but was growing. But what is the chronology of this scene? When did John behold it coming up? Ans. It was when one of the heads of the first beast was wounded as it were to death, or went into captivity. This as we have seen was effected by Buonaparte in 1798. It is at this time that the two-horned beast is introduced in the prophecy, and said to be coming up. Is this true of these United States? Were they then coming up, and in their rapid career beginning to attract the attention of the nations of the earth? Most emphatically so. And no other nation on the globe can be pointed to as at that time coming up in a manner answering to the prophetic symbol. Some curious and instructive statistics might here be presented from a comparison of the census of 1792 with one of 1852. But on this point we forbear, as these things are already set forth in our publications.
4. Its age. The age of this beast may in a measure be learned from the preceding specification, but there are some other items which weigh upon this point. This beast is said to have two horns like a lamb. In this we have additional evidence of the youthful character of this power. A lamb with two horns just appearing, or any beast with horns in a similar condition, could not be used to symbolize a power that had been long in existence. We have seen that the Papacy was to continue its allotted time, 1260 years, from 538 to 1798. The close of this period must of course be marked by some change in its condition. We cannot till after this change according to the prophecy look for the two-horned beast. This synchronizing with the receiving the deadly wound or going into captivity, we are brought down at least to 1798 as the period in which this power should begin to flourish. But even at this late date it is represented as a youthful power. Was our government then in this condition? It was: being only twenty-two years from the Declaration of Independence. Point to another prominent nation on the globe at that time answering to the symbol in these respects. It cannot be done.
Every item thus far examined we have found most strikingly carried out in the course of these United States. The remaining specifications we must defer to a future paper.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
By James White
I TRUST that all who have followed us through the investigation of the kingdom of God and the Age to Come, and desire to bow to the authority of God's word, will admit the following facts:
1. The principles of God's universal law forbid the idea of probation after the advent.
2. The facts and conditions of the gospel of Jesus Christ contradict it.149
3. The plain declarations of the prophets show that none will be left of the plagues of God's wrath, and the great battle.
4. The kingdom is set up before the advent.
5. Christ does not subdue the nations during the 1000 years, but the Father does it before that time.
6. The image is smitten and broken to pieces at Christ's coming, and not 1000 years subsequent to it.
7. The saints are taken to Abraham's city, the Capital of Christ's kingdom, the inheritance "reserved in heaven," and not left on the earth between the two resurrections.
8. The saints judge the wicked dead, and not the nations in "this life." 1 Cor. vi, 2. 3.
9. When the dominion under the whole heaven is given to the saints it is not again possessed by other people.
10. The inheritance of the saints is the new, and not the old, earth.
11. There have been no special promises to the Jews since the abolition of the old, and the establishment of the new, covenant.
Did not other duties press upon me, I would offer some further proofs on some of the above points, but inasmuch as there has been sufficient evidence presented to show the fallacy of the Age to Come, I shall pass on to the consideration of the length of "the day of the Lord."
An effort has been made to sustain that theory by first affirming that the day of the Lord is identical with the 1000 years of Rev. xx, and then quoting Zech. xiv, 4, to show that Christ will be on the earth "in that day," or during the 1000 years; but the Scriptures clearly show that the day of the Lord is longer than 1000 years, commencing before, and terminating after the 1000 years of Rev. xx. Peter does not tell the length of that day, as has been asserted. 2 Pet. iii. In verses 8, 9, he refers solely to the faithfulness of God, and that his long-suffering withholds the execution of his judgments on the scoffers; yet this is no evidence of slackness, as his promise is as sure, though fulfilled one thousand years hence, as if fulfilled to-day. With man haste is necessary to the performance of his promises, as his life is but a handbreadth; but not so with God who is from everlasting to everlasting.
The day of the Lord commences before the advent. It has been shown that the voice of God shakes heaven and earth before the Saviour comes; and Isa. xiii, 13, shows that they are shaken in that day; see vers. 6, 9. The great battle is in that day. Eze. xiii, 6; Rev. xvi, 14. It is called the day of the Lord's anger, the day of his wrath, &c., and as in the seven last plagues is filled up the wrath of God, (Rev. xv, 1.) and the battle of that day occurs under the seventh plague, and the heavens and earth are shaken in that day previous to the advent, it appears that that day commences with the pouring out of the plagues, at the termination of "the day of salvation." And if we should admit that the saints reign on the earth during the 1000 years of Rev. xx, 4-6, the earth could not pass away or be melted till the close of that time, for the wicked are raised out of the present earth, and it is not melted till the judgment is executed upon the resurrected wicked. But the wicked are not raised till the thousand years are expired; and Peter says that the heavens and earth which are now, are reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men; and that in the day of the Lord the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Thus we find that the resurrection of the wicked, the execution of the judgment, and the passing away of the heavens and earth, all take place in the day of the Lord, and after the termination of the 1000 years. Therefore the day of the Lord and the 1000 years cannot be identical. We have no more right to infer that that day is just 1000 years long, from 2 Pet. iii, than we have to infer that "the day of salvation" is of that length; and we see that that "day" has already extended nearly two thousand years.
To those who have claimed that the REVIEW is sectarian, I would add a few words. It has already been stated that the subject of the Age to Come was excluded from the REVIEW, not only by the consent of, but in accordance with an agreement made with its associates. Since the opposing parties broke their covenant, we have been willing to have this subject thoroughly investigated in the paper. No article on the Age to Come, written by any of its advocates, has been excluded from its columns. Though some of them have forfeited our confidence, and proved themselves unworthy of the favor and esteem bestowed upon them, we have endeavored to examine their arguments without any reference to their standing personally. And if any of our brethren are still tried with us on this account, we would say that we have no idea of entering into an endless war of words on this or any other subject where it is possible to settle the whole question by an appeal to plain scriptures, and by applying the test of principles either acknowledged or so evident that they cannot be evaded. The most honest and learned may err in their application of certain prophecies, unless they test their applications by such plain facts and principles as are furnished in the word of God, that must have a controlling influence over all doctrines, and are the basis of all correct theology. Such principles we have endeavored to call attention to, and to show the relation this subject sustains to them. And if any wish to convince us of our error, if they think we are in error, they can have an opportunity by meeting these principles first, and if we are proved to be wrong in these we shall concede the whole ground, or go on to the further investigation of the particular texts claimed in support of the Age to Come. And here I would call particular attention to the article on 1 Cor. xv, 23-28, in REVIEW, No. 1, Vol. VIII, and those on the Law and the Gospel, in Nos. 5 and 6, Vol. VIII. There have been other points presented at different times by different writers in the REVIEW, fully disproving the Age to Come, yet I will only refer to these at present, as I consider that they cover the whole ground, and are of themselves sufficient to show the fallacy of that theory. On the subject of the promises to Israel we should of course expect to have them meet us on the foundation or ground-work of the whole subject, to wit., the two covenants, as we should be forced to deny any conclusion, however plausible in appearance, that contradicted the facts of scripture concerning the covenants.
Our friends need not think that we shall shrink from any controversy that it is needful to enter into for the defense of the truth. We are willing to have our writings reviewed, and if they be shown to be fallacious, we will gladly assist in spreading before our readers the light that makes manifest any errors in our faith. But again I would say, we court no controversy; we would not throw forth to the world a challenge in such terms as it has been extended to us at different times. We would remind all that the issue has been pressed upon us, and we have been held up to ridicule and scorn as though we feared to defend our faith. All such scoffs we were willing to bear, and would have continued to bear them in silence, but the precious cause of present truth was also reproached, and in some places was being crushed to the earth under the feet of those who dared to neglect present duty to engage in a work of strife and contention concerning things unprofitable, and that had a tendency to distract the church and divert their minds from the responsibilities of our present position. It has been admitted by them, as we have shown by their own words, that it is not present truth, and contains no test of character. And it has been seen that by their attention to it their minds have been diverted from the present truth, thus proving its tendency to be exactly what we have stated. And I would seriously ask, would it not be better to strive to escape the plagues that close up this age than to lose sight of present duty to inquire into the condition of the world in any future age? We would not by any means speak lightly of any thing which may be proved by the word of God; but even if the Age to Come was not liable to the serious objections we have presented against it, it would have a relative importance far beneath that of the present truth.
The warning to be given to the world at this time is found in Rev. xiv, 9-12; it is the Third Angel's Message, threatening with the seven last plagues, in which "is filled up the wrath of God," those who do not keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. The Scriptures clearly show that these plagues are poured out when the intercession of the "one mediator between God and man" has ceased. This message has been nominally embraced by quite a number within the last few years; and, although the position occupied by them may well be considered far in advance of the great mass of professors of Christianity, it is so far behind the true Bible standard of holiness, that the Lord even now threatens to spue them out of his mouth. The "Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus," present the true elements of Christian character; hence, it is not in keeping these that they will be spued out of his mouth, but it for professing to keep them while they do not; for saying they are rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, not knowing that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. And as the Third Angel's Message has been acknowledged without the faith being kept, even so the admonition of Rev. iii, 14-19, has been confessed as applying to us without producing, to any great extent, a zeal, which manifests itself in good works. So blinding is sin; so prone are we to accept a shadow for the substance, where it will gratify our selfish propensities. Knowing the time in which we live, is it not very dangerous to tamper with any thing calculated to divert our minds from the solemn responsibilities of the present? Do we not presume on our own strength to stand against the power of evil influences when we for a moment lose sight of present duty? Can we at any time shut our eyes against present truth, and court the influence of that which is not present truth, and consistently pray, "Lead us not into temptation?" It is mocking God to ask him to deliver us from evil, and then run, with open eyes, into the danger. If Satan will deceive if possible the very elect, how necessary that we are guarded on every point.
By information recently obtained directly from the West we learn that those who have laid aside the present truth for the Age to Come, have lost the spirit of prayer, and of course have neglected to exercise that watchfulness inculcated by our Saviour as necessary for the time in which we live. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." Luke xxi, 36. See Matt. xxiv, 42-51; Luke xviii, 1-8.
The great harvest is fast ripening under the influence of the last test-truth—the Third Angel's Message. See Rev. xiv, 9-20; Joel iii, 9-16. Satan is working with power, and signs, and lying wonders. His instruments are boasting of their power to work miracles, [Matt. xxiv, 24; Rev. xiii, 13, 14; xvi, 13, 14.] and calling upon professed Christians to prove that the gospel has the power ascribed to it in the Scriptures, thus virtually saying, "Where is their God?" Thousands and tens of thousands have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof. Where is the church—holy, blameless, zealous, overcoming, meek, contrite, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, poor in spirit, watching and praying, denying self, seeking only to do the Father's will—that Jesus can accept in the day of his coming? To whom can he say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?" O that the Lord would truly anoint our eyes that we might see. Surely, the church has been blind! Professing to be rich, with such poverty; such an utter destitution of the Christian graces. O that they would now heed the admonition to "be zealous and repent."
"Wake up, brother; wake up, sister;
Seek, O seek this holy state;
None but holy ones can enter
Through the pure celestial gate." J. H. W.
The Gold.
By A. Woodruff
Bro. Smith: It appears to me that the gold which the faithful and true Witness counsels us to buy of him, is faith in the coming of the Just One. When we get a sufficiency of this faith, it will cause a speedy death to, and separation from this world; a death to sin and self. It will lead us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God; to an entire consecration of all to God.
If this faith (in the coming of the Just One) is strong and abiding, we shall give diligence to make our calling and election sure. It will lead us to be followers of God as dear children, and to purify our souls by obeying the truth, and living by every word of God; showing our faith by our works, or by works make our faith perfect.
When this is done, in deed and in truth, we shall be in possession of the white raiment, and shall be clothed, or covered, and the shame of our nakedness will not appear.
To obtain this treasure we shall have to sell all that we have and buy it. It will take all to buy the field. O how fraught with interest is the present moment! The last counsel of the faithful and true Witness is being given to the just people. If they disregard it, they will be spued out of his mouth. If they heed the admonition, they will be zealous and repent, (reform,) and buy gold, &c. If the enemy can lull us to sleep now, he will make sure his prey. Until one is made sensible that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, (and if not now, when? until too late,) he will not be likely to make any great effort to better his condition. But when one is made sensible of his perilous condition, and sees that he is wretched, and poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, and that the last opportunity is proffered him that he possibly can have to ensure his calling and election, he will awake, and arouse, and put forth all his energies, and escape for life, from the calamity that threatens his destruction.
The counsel of the faithful and true Witness will be heeded by the called, and chosen, and faithful of the remnant, and they will be zealous and repent, &c. But I fear greatly that there are many that will not be apprized of their real condition, and fully awake, until the harvest is past, and Summer ended, and they find themselves without a wedding garment, with no opportunity to get one. Shall I be found among the saved or lost? My soul, this is a question of vital importance to thee. Spare thy people, O Lord!
The remnant in this region are striving to heed the call to the faithful and true Witness. A. WOODRUFF. Palermo, Oswego Co., N. Y., Feb. 24th, 1857.
Unlawful Marriages.
By Joseph Bates
The following testimony respecting this matter should be carefully examined and weighed by all who may cherish any wish or desire to marry again, while they have a wife or husband living, lest they fall into a snare which may eventually prove their destruction.
"And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery." Mark x, 11, 12.
"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery." Luke xvi, 18.
The apostle Paul illustrates the above as follows:
"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man." Rom. vii, 2, 3.
Again he shows what the Lord commands:
"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: but and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband; and let not the husband put away his wife. The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord." 1 Cor. vii, 10, 11, 39.
The Saviour's testimony on this subject, recorded by Mark and Luke, varies a little from the same recorded by Matthew; viz.:
"But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." Matt. v, 32.
Again, "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another committeth adultery; and whoso marrieth her that is put away doth commit adultery." Chap. xix, 9.
But the apostle Paul's illustration of the whole subject to the Romans, and what he says the Lord commands in his letter to the Corinthians, shows very plainly that he viewed the text in Matt. the same as he did those in Mark and Luke.
All who have ignorantly entered into such unlawful covenants of marriage, and have thereby violated the commandments of God, according to the foregoing scripture testimony, will find relief by observing the following rules, viz.:
"And if any of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; or if his sin which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, . . . and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin which he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him." Lev. iv, 27, 28, and last clause of verse 35.
Under the gospel the offering is godly sorrow for sin. Says Paul, "Who was before a blasphemer, (violating the third commandment,) and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief." 1 Tim. i, 13.
JOSEPH BATES.
Battle Creek, March 1st, 1857.
COMMUNICATIONS.
By E. Everts
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."
From Bro. Everts.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: My heart is enlarged towards you. How exceedingly interesting is the little moment that we occupy. Have patriarchs and prophets, kings and wise men, desired to see these things that we see, and hear those things that we hear, and have died without it?
On every hand, things animate and inanimate, bespeak Messiah near. The long dark wintry night of toil and wo of the blighting curse, the painful wages of disobedience, is almost past; the voice of the turtle of peace, will soon be heard. But O when we think of that moment, that our next step takes hold of, my whole being, cries out, Who will be able to stand?
The prophets of God describe the day before us as one of the most gloomy and terrific, that mortals ever beheld. Joel says, "The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted; the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth. Be ashamed, O ye husbandmen, howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished." Joel i, 11, 12.
Jeremiah describes the kingdoms and nations of earth, and the whole world drunken with the wine cup of God's fury: "Behold evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth, even to the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground." "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be delivered out of it." Jer. xxx, 7; xxv, 32, 33.
Yes, thank the Lord, all that wrestle like Jacob, and say, I will not let thee go except the Lord bless, shall be delivered out of it.
My dear brethren, I daily think of you, scattered as you are, and think, Do you almost give up? Do you cry out, Can I ever go through? Who is sufficient for these things?
My dear brethren, my dear sisters, faint not now,151thy reward will quickly be given. "The Lord careth for thee." "The Lord has set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people." "Jacob's face shall not now wax pale." Trust in the Lord, for in him is everlasting strength.
O let us be zealous and repent. O may our blessed Lord help us to make a new effort; the last effort; a whole and an entire consecration. The work if put forth in faith in the Lord, will ensure certain victory.
The solemn hour of judgment is come. The great work of our great High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary, that the Lord pitched, not man, of blotting out the sins of all that "sigh and cry for the abomination that is done in the land," has come.
Call to mind your help. Peter says, "You are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time." 1 Pet. i, 5. Then trust in the Lord; for "if the Lord be for us who can be against us?" "He is a very present help in trouble." Remember how near the Lord was to Elisha when the wicked host of chariots and horses and enemy compassed the city about where he was. How despair seized his servant, and when he cried out, "Alas, my master! how shall we do?" "Elisha answered, Fear not; they that be with us are more than they that be with them."
"Elisha prayed; and the Lord opened the young man's eyes, and he saw; and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." 2 Kings vi, 15, 17. "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them as in Sinai in the holy mount." "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling; because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation. Ps. lxviii, 17; lix, 8-10; Heb. i, 14. "In the days of famine the upright shall be satisfied; bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure." As I look over the exceeding great and precious promises of the Lord, and the willingness, yea, the anxiety, of the Lord to bestow upon his needy children, and the adaptedness of them to our every want, I call on my whole being to hope in God.
I try to think on these things; I try to claim these promises through the worthy name of Jesus; I try to heed the faithful and true Witness, to put forth zeal in turning to the Lord, and give all that I may buy the gold tried in the fire, and white raiment and eye-salve.
I praise the Lord that I have enjoyed some of the most sweet, heavenly seasons, and have seen more of the presence of the Lord, since the thrilling, humbling, and most solemn message to the Laodicean church has stirred the remnant, that I have witnessed since 1844. I have no doubt but the Lord is fitting up the remnant for the last solemn work for the world. How solemn! The end is come! A moment and all is over. Our entreaties, our dear friends will soon hear no more. Lord, help us to be in earnest. I will believe the Lord will be entreated to do those things for us.
Joel says, And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered; for in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the REMNANT whom the Lord shall call.
E. EVERTS.
Round Grove, Ills., Feb. 16th, 1857
CLOSING THE LEDGER.
By H. M.
Close up the Ledger, Time!
Slowly and sadly, but let it be;
Mournfully passeth by the year.
What are the records, for you and me,
Left by the falling fingers here?
What for passion, and what for love?
What for avarice and crime?
What for hope, and heaven above?
What of the Ledger, Time!
Close up the Ledger, Time!
Many a name, for good or ill,
Fills to the margin your blotted scroll—
Many a high and haughty will—
Many a low and humble soul;
Yet one page to each is given,
Marking the changing path we climb—
Holding the balance of hell or heaven;
What of the Ledger, Time!
Close up the Ledger, Time!
Say, are we creditors for aught?
Have we a store of noble deeds,
Springing from high and generous thought,
Such as our fallen brother needs?
Have we laid up for coming years,
Words to weave in a funeral rhyme,
Names that will call up grateful tears?
What of the Ledger, Time?
Close up the Ledger, Time!
Say what promises Hope has drawn;
Say what drafts stern Truth has paid;
Say what bankrupt hopes have gone,
In the grave with memory laid.
Say if the heart has kept its own,
Gathering beauty with lure and lime.
If it has turned to senseless stone;—
What of the Ledger, Time!
Close up the Ledger, Time!
Hark! the knell of the year goes by.
Have I run out my golden sand?
Where shall I be when the next shall die?
Where shall the soul within me stand?
Naught beyond may the Ledger tell—
Naught be known, but in guilt and crime—
Listen! I hear the new year's bell!
Shut up the Ledger, Time! [H. M.
A Song for New Year's Eve
Conference at Rouse's Point, N. Y.
By Charles O. Taylor
BRO. SMITH : The conference at this place was one of deep interest to the waiting ones. The faithful and true Witness who saith, "I know thy works," was with us, showing us that we were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Our efforts to be zealous and repent, were not in vain. There were some twenty-five or thirty of the brethren from the North, South, East and West, whose prayers and exhortations did us much good.
The word spoken by Brn. Sperry and Hutchins was quick and powerful. That we have been lukewarm we cannot deny. That we must arise and put on strength, that we must humble ourselves before God that he may exalt us,that we must have the gold, the white raiment, and eye-salve, that we must open the door, are feelings that are getting deep hold of us. The testimony to the last church is truly timely. It could not have been given till the last message was given, which would bring out the last church, and then that church must fall into a lukewarm state. Although it is a solemn time, I rejoice to know that we are yet on the track of prophecy. I am encouraged to believe that the blessed Bible will be our guide till the perfect day.
May there be no drawing back, but pressing onward. Yours hoping to overcome, and set down with the Saviour on his throne.