p. 453 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 38. (10/11/1883)

The Doctrine of the Second Advent of Christ Was Known During the Period from Jacob to David.

By John Nevins Andrews

WE have shown that the doctrine of the second advent of Christ, of the Judgment of the great day, and of the resurrection of the dead, was known to the entire ten generations of men who lived before the flood. We have also shown that this doctrine was known to all the nine generations which intervened between Noah and Abraham, and that it was well known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now we are to trace the history of this doctrine from Jacob to David.

Jacob went down to Egypt to die, not having received the fulfillment of the promise that he should inherit the land of Canaan. Gen. 28:13; 35:12; Josh. 24:4. But Jacob had learned the doctrine of the second advent of Christ and of the resurrection of the just from his grandfather Abraham, and from his father Isaac, and from the revelations which were given him direct from God, that he himself should have the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, though in this life he was to be only a stranger in it, and though he was to die in a foreign land. Jacob therefore carried this doctrine with him into Egypt, and when he fell asleep it was in the hope of a part in the resurrection of the just. Heb. 11:9, 10, 13.

Jacob lived seventeen years in Egypt. Compare Gen. 47:8, 9, 28. The stormy and troubled life, which he had hitherto led, was changed to one of tranquility and calm reflection. He had therefore the most ample opportunity in Egypt to instruct his children in the great truths which he had learned from Abraham, and which had come down from Enoch. The mother of Moses was the daughter of Levi, and the granddaughter of Jacob. Ex. 6:16-20. Levi lived 137 years, so that he must have spent more than half a century with Jacob his father, and another period of similar length with his daughter Jochebed, the mother of Moses. Jochebed had the privilege of instructing Moses in his early youth, and she did this so effectually that when Moses became 40 years of age, he left the court of Pharaoh to unite himself with the Hebrews in slavery. Ex. 2; Acts 7:20-23; Heb. 11:23-26. Moses had therefore all the treasures of divine truth which were in the possession of his ancestors, and besides this he had the highest measure of inspiration ever accorded to man. He was therefore well instructed concerning the events of the last day.

Our Lord Jesus Christ made a remarkable declaration concerning Moses: "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Luke 20:37. The words of Christ not only teach that the patriarchs who were dead were to live again, because that Moses has written that God still calls himself their God, but the words of the Saviour also imply that Moses himself understood this declaration to signify that God will raise his servants. The resurrection always implies the coming of Christ to execute the Judgment.

The general opinion of the wisest scholars and critics is that the book of Job was written by Moses, from the facts which he learned during his forty years' sojourn in the land of Midian, which was near the land of Uz, the country of Job. It is certain that Job understood the doctrine of the future Judgment, at which the heavens and the earth shall pass away (2 Pet. 3:7, 10), and the doctrine of the second coming of Christ to raise the dead. If these great truths were understood by Job, they certainly were also understood by him who wrote the book of his life. Thus Job says: "So man lieth down and riseth not; till the heavens be no more they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job 14:12. And again he says: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh I shall see God." Job 19:25, 26.

Near the end of the forty years' sojourn in the wilderness, the children of Israel arrived at the borders of the land of Moab, and Balak, the king of Moab, sent for the prophet Balaam to come and curse the invaders. Num. 22:1-6. But God caused Balaam to bless Israel in the most wonderful manner. Near the close of his prophecy Balaam speaks of the second advent of Christ, for he connects with it his own resurrection, in saying that he should see him who was to come. Thus he said: "I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh; there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." Num. 24:17. Balaam certainly predicted the second advent of Christ, and the destruction of the enemies of Israel. Moses placed this wonderful prediction on record, and understood it as clearly as did Balaam. The children of Israel had the books of Moses to read, and could never forget that a Star was to arise out of Jacob (Rev. 22:16), and that Balaam was to witness his work of destroying the unjust. The prophecy of Balaam, recorded by Moses (Num. 24:17), and the prophecy of Job, recorded also, it is probable, by Moses (Job 14:12; 19:25-27), placed this doctrine of the second advent in a position in the word of God where it must always be noticed by the servants of God. That it was not forgotten during the period which intervened between Moses and David, we know from the words of Paul: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection." Heb. 11:32-35.

We know, therefore, that during this period the doctrine of the resurrection of the just was understood, and of necessity the doctrine of the coming of the Just One to raise his servants must have been also understood. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, thus describes the great day of Judgment: "The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of Heaven shall he thunder upon them; the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." 1 Sam. 2:10.

When we reach the time of David, the Bible begins to utter this doctrine in the most exultant manner. Thus Asaph, the friend of David (1 Chron. 15:16, 17), speaks in this triumphant manner: "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for God is judge himself. Selah." Ps. 50:3-6. And David says: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." Ps. 17:15. We will finish the testimony of David and of the book of Psalms in our next number.

The Law of God and Liberty.

By W. N. Glenn

THE AVERSION to the law of God is a growing evil in Christendom. It has become so prevalent that it may properly be styled religious communism—a nominal allegiance to his Government, with a determined opposition to his law. We are told by those who profess to be teachers of godliness, and are accorded high rank in their profession, that this law is subversive of the liberty of the gospel, that it is a yoke of bondage, that we cannot keep it, that it was never intended by its author that we should keep it; and, furthermore, that Jesus died to relieve us from its obligation. Even those who make the loudest profession of "holiness to the Lord," in their eagerness to get rid of his law, are ready to discard the entire Old Testament, which the Saviour enjoined his followers to search (John 5:39), and which is the only voucher for the truth of the New Testament, which they claim for a guide. Their idea of gospel liberty, is, to do away with any and everything that would work any restraint upon their action. Their attitude toward the Government of God is precisely the same as that of the Communists toward the Government of France; the Nihilists toward the Czar; the Socialists toward the Emperor of Germany, and other elements of a like character toward almost every government on earth. The only difference is that the communists in earthly governments have more or less cause for complaint, while the dissenters from God's law make loud proclamation of his goodness and mercy and tender care. The action of such subjects would indicate that their loyalty is limited to the extent of their license to do as they please, and if ever the King of Heaven should impose any law upon the citizens of his kingdom the no-law party would at once become a troublesome element.

But suppose we set aside the Old Testament, on the ground that it belongs to a law-governed dispensation which ended at the cross. What then? Why, of course we must be consistent and set aside everything else that savors of law. Let us look into the New Testament. In Matt. 5:17-19 we read:—

"Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

We have discarded the Old Testament, but we are not rid of the law yet, for according to the Lord himself, it is not to pass "till heaven and earth pass." Passing along through the New Testament, we incidentally find the position allotted by Paul to the opponents of law, in Rom. 8:7: "The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." It is pretty hard on professed Christians, to say that they are at enmity with God just because they claim freedom from the "galling yoke" of his law; but we have New Testament authority for it. And for the benefit of those who claim to be in a "justified state," yet opposed to the law, we will allow Paul to define their position also: "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Rom. 2:13.

But we turn over a little farther, and in 1 John 3:4 we find this declaration: "Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law; for sin is the transgression of the law." So we are not rid of the law yet; for if so, John could not only have said, "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not" (verse 6), but he could have truthfully added, the infidel and the idolater cannot sin, for "sin is not imputed when there is no law." Rom. 5:13.

Now we will pass on to the closing book, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," which "he sent and signified by his angel unto his servant John." In the 14th chapter the scene is carried down to the very close of time, and those who have resisted the worship of the beast and his image are designated as "they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." So we find by these brief quotations, as also by many others that can be readily referred to by any one desiring to do so, that the law of God is as emphatically maintained in the New Testament as in the Old. Then what will our no-law advocates do, who have cast aside the Old Testament in order to bury the law from their sight? We have supposed that they would at least be consistent. If they insist on maintaining their position of antagonism to the commandments, and wish to be consistent in so doing, there is nothing left for them but to throw away the New Testament also. Having done this, they will stand in their true light, on the platform of their beau ideal of liberty—"not subject to the law of God."

But the question arises, Is the law of God antagonistic to liberty? In reply, we will assume that in Egypt the Israelites were in a great measure prevented from practically observing the law through the rigorous servitude imposed upon them. At least it is recorded (Ex. 5) that their labor was greatly increased when they expressed a desire to worship their God—and of course an acceptable worship would include obeying his law. When the Lord brought them out of Egypt, he said that he brought them "out of the house of bondage." And this he did that they might enjoy the privilege of obeying and serving him in a land "flowing with milk and honey." If not being subject to the law of God is a true definition of liberty, they certainly had a chance to enjoy it in Egypt to their heart's content. But the Lord, in whose special charge they were, and who had a special care for their temporal and spiritual welfare, calls their situation one of bondage. And he repeated his law audibly to the whole multitude, and furnished it to them in indestructible form, to assist them in the enjoyment of their liberty.

In the days of the apostles this same statute was still the "royal law" (Jas. 2:8), and it is affirmed that whosoever shall "offend in one point, he is guilty of all." Yet the same apostle calls it a law of liberty. It is a law of liberty because by obedience to it we are free from its condemnation—the highest phase of liberty that the Christian heart could hope for.

The experience and testimony of David ought to be good authority, for he both carefully observed it and flagrantly violated it. He did not find much liberty as a result of its violation, for he said his "sin was ever before" him—bitter results followed him to his grave. So it must have been the peaceful consequences of its observance that led him to write: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes." Ps. 19:7, 8. Surely a law that converts the soul, rejoices the heart, and enlightens the eyes, cannot be called a very grievous bondage. On the contrary, the "beloved disciple" says "his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3); and one who was "caught up to the third heaven" to be instructed in the gospel declares them to be "holy, just, and good." Rom. 7:12.

W. N. G.

Eastern Trip to Nebraska.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

IN company with Bro. W. C. White, we left Oakland Thursday, Sept. 20. Unfortunately, our tickets were by way of the Rio Grande Railroad from Ogden, running through Salt Lake City and Colorado to Denver. We were three hours late, hence failed to connect at Denver with the Burlington and Missouri Railroad, which delayed us nearly one day. This is a narrow-gauge road, extensively advertised for its scenery. Those who have not been accustomed to see the barren hills of a rainless summer, and have never seen a winding railroad ascending and descending the mountains, may see some attractions in this route. There is, however, a narrow gulch called Royal Gorge, which it would seem that nature left for the Arkansas River to course its way through, that is a wonder to behold. It is about forty feet wide, and upon either side of the river are perpendicular rocks of from 2,000 to 3,000 feet high. The railroad runs by the side of this river, sometimes partially

over it; one end of the timbers which sustain the track being attached to the cliff of rocks, while the other is supported by rods from timbers reaching over the road and across the stream. One could forego even the pleasure of this, if he considered it of any importance to make the connections at Denver with other roads, as we were informed this train was usually from one to three hours late. We could not recommend to our friends the sleeping-car arrangements, if they carry more than one small satchel and measure over five feet and three inches in length. The Union Pacific from Ogden to the Missouri River makes good time and connections, and being broad-gauge has its advantages, as all broad-gauge railroads have, over the narrow-gauge roads.

We left Denver at 7:30 A. M., reaching Crete, the place of camp-meeting, at 2:20 A. M., Tuesday morning. This was the last day of the camp-meeting, it having been continued one day on our account. At the morning meeting, 5:30, the subject of foreign missions was presented; within a few minutes, over $1,200 was pledged. The day previous, over $1,500 was pledged, towards their home missionary work. The capital stock of their tract society has increased during the past year from $700 to about $6,000. The tithe received during the year has been $4,270. This is a growing Conference. There were four churches received into the Conference.

Elders Farnsworth and Van Horn, and Sister White had been laboring here under some discouragement in view of a cold rain-storm, which had made it very muddy and disagreeable. The camp-meeting in Crete was preceded by the SIGNS canvass and missionary work of about two weeks. Quite a number are now rejoicing in the truth. In Lincoln, the capital of the State, twenty miles from Crete, it is reported that twelve are keeping the Sabbath, as the result of missionary effort in securing short-time subscriptions for the SIGNS, and preparing the way for the camp-meeting.

In Johnson County, eleven more are keeping the Sabbath, and many others are interested, as the result of Bible-readings held by a brother from California. The laborers were all paid, leaving money in the Conference treasury. There is no indebtedness in the State upon the tract society or Conference. At the close of the preaching service Tuesday night the laborers met, and about twenty decided to remain to study their Bibles with the aid of the ministers, to better prepare themselves to conduct Bible-readings in their colporteur work. God's providence has certainly gone before them in preparing hearts for the reception of the truth. This was a large camp-meeting, there being one hundred tents upon the ground. Wednesday morning, at 2:20, we left for Battle Creek, Mich., and Eld. Farnsworth for Colorado. Sister White and Eld. Van Horn left Tuesday afternoon for Battle Creek. The brethren returned to their homes apparently much encouraged.

S. N. HASKELL.

God's Providence Favors the Vaudois.

By Stephen Nelson Haskell

Francis I., king of France, made a demand upon the duke of Savoy, Charles III., to march his army through his territories. He was refused; but being determined to have a road into Italy, he seized upon Piedmont and held possession of it, with the Waldensian Valleys, for twenty-three years. Although he hated Lutheranism, the straitened circumstances in which he was placed compelled him often to court the favor of the Lutherans. So while he was burning heretics in Paris, he spared those in the valleys. But April 3, 1559, Piedmont was restored to the rulers of the house of Savoy, excepting Turin; and Charles III. was succeeded in 1553 by Emmanuel Philibert. The Vaudois cherished the hope that now they would be permitted to live in peace, and to worship as their fathers had done. What gave them this hope was that Philibert married a sister of the king of France, Henry II., who had been carefully instructed in the Protestant faith by Margaret, queen of Navarre, and Renee of France, daughter of Louis XII. But this treaty which restored him to the throne of his ancestors, also bound him and those connected with him, to extinguish heresy.

This simply sent him back to his subjects with a dagger in his hand. He was not himself; and thus he issued an edict forbidding his subjects to hear Protestant preachers, under a fine of one hundred dollars for the first offense, and the galleys for life, for the second. This edict was especially designed to take effect on the plain of Piedmont. Then there followed in a short time a severer edict, commanding attendance at mass under pain of death. Individuals of cruel dispositions were to take charge of the inquisition, and to see that these edicts were carried out. A terrible burst of the tempest fell on Carignano. This was about twenty miles southwest of Turin. The wealthiest were selected and dragged to the burning-pile, in order to strike terror into the rest. Many fled into France, frightened by the tempest in front, and many sought refuge in the doctrines which they had left. They could not enter the conflict and pay the cost of exile and death. "Rumors of the confiscations, arrests, cruel tortures, and horrible deaths which had fallen the churches at the foot of their mountains, had preceded the appearance of the crusaders at the entrance of the valleys."

As this cloud was rising, the pastors and leading laymen of the Waldenses assembled to deliberate on what steps should be taken. They fasted and humbled themselves before God, and sought by earnest prayer, the direction of his Holy Spirit. Here they drew up an appeal, which they presented their real condition, their faith, and how they had continued during these 1,500 years to walk in the faith of their fathers, and the belief of the gospel. In this they presented an integrity of soul, and a simplicity which is seldom seen in any petitions that have ever been presented before the princes of this world. Says the historian in speaking of this petition: "Never was a more solemn or a more just, or a more respectful remonstrance presented to any throne. The wrong about to be done them was enormous, yet not an angry word, nor a single accusatory sentence, do the Vaudois permit themselves to utter."

But it was impossible to put themselves in the right, and to humbly state their faith in God, without putting the church of Rome in the wrong. A copy of this was presented to the queen, and one to the council. They were received with a degree of favor, but no answer was returned. For three months there came neither letter nor edict from the court. But those who would have been favorable to the Waldenses felt that they were compelled, under the circumstances in which they were placed, to carry forward the persecution, and to rid the valleys of that people who feared God; so finally a proclamation was posted throughout the valley calling upon the inhabitants to return within the Roman pale, under penalty of extermination by fire and sword. The papal army appeared at the entrance of the Waldensian Valleys with a large number of infantry and horse, determined to bring an end to the much-vexed question that had troubled them so long.

What we have spoken of the sufferings of the Waldenses in a general way now commenced anew. At one time they offered to withdraw their army, and leave them to practice their religion if they would pay the sum of twenty thousand crowns. A portion of this money was raised. The Waldenses did not realize that this and other propositions were made only to deceive them and bring distress upon them. They did everything in their power to conform to anything that might be right to effect a reconciliation, but it was of no use; they were obliged to leave their houses, and again flee to the mountains and the caves. Their houses were pillaged, and the few remaining inhabitants in the valley suffered the terrible outrages of the ruffians.

Many instances are mentioned of old men and helpless girls that suffered at the hands of their persecutors. From time to time they received letters of sympathy and promises of help from their fellow Protestants of Geneva and France. This gave them some courage. They met together with the representative men when they found that nothing but the stake was before them, and solemnly gave themselves to God, determined to die by the faith of their fathers. They then prepared, as they had done before in times of great persecution, to fight before they would give themselves into the hands of the enemy. From time to time the Lord wrought for them, and preserved at least a seed which is seen throughout Europe.

Touching incidents are related of family ties being severed, to go in search of homes in some other part of the country. But it would seem that no effort that could be forth by this chosen people would prosper for any great length of time. The dungeons at Naples and Rome received prisoners from the Waldenses, even those who had quietly retired to some remote, secluded spot where they could worship the God of their fathers as they had done years before in the Waldensian Valleys. But God did not leave them without evidences of his love and tender care.

To repeat the deliverances which God at times gave them, when brought in strait places, especially when their enemies would deride them because they would seek God for his blessing before and, after battle, one would be reminded of the victories given to the people of God during the days of Moses and the judges. If we can credit the historian, many deliverances were as marked as those recorded in the sacred volume; and at times their persecutions were as great, and bore every feature of that referred to by the apostle Paul in Heb. 11 : 36-38. When their lamp was about to go out, God would raise up men of faith and courage to lead them forward, not only to battle with their visible foe, but was to them a no less spiritual guide to the fountains of living waters. Dr. Wylie so beautifully describes their devotion during the time of war and persecution, that we close this article with a quotation from him:—

"Nothing was more admirable than the spirit of devotion which the Vaudois exhibited all through these terrible conflicts. Their valleys resounded not less with the voice of prayer and praise than with the din of arms. Their opponents came from carousing, from blaspheming, from murdering, to engage in battle; the Waldenses rose from their knees to unsheath the sword, and wield it in a cause which they firmly believed to be that of him to whom they had bent in supplication. When their little army went a-field, their barbes always accompanied it, to inspirit the soldiers by suitable exhortations before joining battle, and to moderate in the hour of victory, a vengeance which, however excusable, would yet have tarnished the glory of the triumph. When the fighting-men hastened to the bastion or to the defile, the pastors betook themselves to the mountain's slope, or to its summit, and there, with uplifted hands, supplicated help from the 'Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.' When the battle had ceased, and the enemy were in flight, and the victors had returned from chasing their invaders from their valleys, the gray-haired pastor, the lion-hearted man of battle, the matron, the maiden, the stripling, and the little child would assemble in the Pra del Tor, and while the setting sun was kindling into glory the mountain-tops of their once more ransomed land, they would raise their voices together, and sing the old war-song of Judah in strains so heroic that the great rocks around them would send back the thunder of their praises in louder echoes than those of the battle whose triumphant issue they were celebrating."

S. N. HASKELL.

Missionary Letters.

By W. N. Glenn

NEXT to the circulation of the SIGNS, there is perhaps no more important feature of our missionary work than the letter-writing. In fact the beneficial results of the missionary paper, after it has been carefully prepared and mailed, depends largely upon the promptness with which it is followed up by letters, and the character of the letters. The letter-writing, crude as it has generally been in the past, has been a means of securing the attention of many otherwise uninterested readers to the important contents of the paper, and leading them to a closer examination of the truths therein contained. And with the measure of improvement that nearly all missionary workers may make in this respect, their letters will no doubt yet become a power second to none in "sending home" the facts and warnings of the message to the hearts of the readers of our publications.

Our workers in the various societies, when they shall have become thoroughly imbued with the spirit of the message, will all seek to improve their talents in whatever capacity they are permitted to labor. With a true spirit of progress and effort toward improvement, the matter of letter-writing may be made a most valuable auxiliary to the circulation of our publications. If writers will learn to avoid all guess-work attempts at exposition of the Scriptures or our peculiar denominational views—to be silent rather than to give uncertain sounds—and confine themselves to the ordinary courtesies of friendly correspondence, with assurances of Christian interest in the welfare of the person addressed, and especially manifestations of consecrated zeal for the cause of the Lord, his commandments, and coming kingdom, they will do well. Nearly all doctrinal questions can be best answered by reference to the Scriptures, or the use of expositions by our ripe thinkers and experienced writers, and published by the counsel of those whom the Spirit of the Lord has evidently placed at the head of this work. These works and the Bible should be at least closely consulted before writing replies to doctrinal queries. Justice to the message itself, as well as to those who have borne the burden in the heat of the day, demands care on the part of amateurs lest the work so nobly and laboriously begun be marred at this important crisis.

Our publications have been produced at the expense of much labor and thought, and the sacrifice of hard-earned means by many poor people, and the Lord has signally stamped them with his approval; and those who realize their importance and value, and appreciate the privilege of being co-laborers, will be very cautious in the matter of following them up with written epistles to newly-found readers.

Careless letter-writing may do much to blight the fruit of zealous, devoted toil. While we rejoice at the good results that have followed judicious missionary letters in many instances, we have no means of knowing, and therefore cannot tell the evil that has been wrought by carelessness, lack of judgment, and self-sufficiency in the past. The bad effect of injudicious letter-writing occasionally comes to light, but the Judgment alone will reveal it all.

But the thousands of careful, prayerfully-indicted missionary letters will be a grand source of joy in the kingdom of heaven. They go silently on their mission of love, wending their way in the leathern mail-bags hither and thither, by ship and rail, by stage and pack-horse and footman, from city to city, from village to hamlet, from State to State, and from continent to continent, cementing in Christian affection the honest in heart, and binding together the chosen of the Lord—a people for his name—from every nation, and kindred, and tongue. How many humble, prayerful, weeping correspondents, who will never see each other face to face in this world, will joyfully recognize each other in the earth made new.

O who would not be a missionary worker, and study to be a humble though approved letter-writer, silently gathering sheaves for the Master, and laying up treasures of joy in the eternal kingdom.

W. N. GLENN.

Ill-Health from High Heels.

By Thomas H. S. Pullen, M. D.

WILL you kindly let me say a few words on the consequences of the present fashion of high-heeled boots and shoes, and especially of the unnatural situation of the fashionable heel?

I have at present under my care two serious cases of "sprained ankle," arising solely from their use. The parties tripped, and, losing their balance, were unable to recover themselves without falling, which in the one resulted in partial laceration of the internal, and in the other of the external ligaments of the ankle-joint, and both threatened to end in permanent partial disability.

Again, about a month since, I was consulted respecting a young lady, aged sixteen, whose parents were greatly alarmed at a supposed spinal affection, under which they believed their daughter to be suffering. After an ordinary walk, but more especially after ascending the hills in the locality, she experienced a distressing feeling of nausea, and an amount of pain and heat over the dorsal and lumbar regions, extending, more or less, through the whole lower extremities, and followed by an amount of painful weariness that wholly disabled her for days after, the more muscular parts being painful on pressure. My professional knowledge of both parents and child guided my diagnosis and prognosis of the case. That the spine was all right, and the means of cure simple, I felt no doubt. I ordered the boots she generally wore to be brought to me, and found the heels raised two inches, tapering to the size of a shilling, and, to make matters worse, instead of corresponding to the situation of the natural heel, they were situated immediately under the arch of the foot. I recommended rest in the horizontal position for two or three days, and shoes with half-inch soles, of the breadth of the natural heel, and the toes broad in proportion, to be substituted for those previously worn.

The cure was complete. No nausea, no weariness no pain or discomfort after a four-mile walk, have been experienced since.

In walking under the previous condition every intention of nature—anatomically speaking—was frustrated, and the symptoms complained of precisely those to be expected. Not only were the firmness of step and ease in walking lost, through the natural spring and muscular action of the foot being destroyed, but every muscle whose tendon extended to the foot must have been abnormally strained, the upright position of the body preserved under difficulties, and the center of gravity and adjacent nerve centers seriously irritated—a state of things which, I need not tell my professional brethren, if perpetuated from youth to womanhood, must inevitably end in permanent mischief of some kind; and the sooner the voice of the profession is raised against such an absurd and pernicious practice, the better.

It certainly does not redound to the credit of our good sense or intelligence to see introduced or patronized what became a term of reproach to our ancestors a century since.—Thomas H. S. Pullen, M. D., in London Lancet.

Walnut Grove, Ohio.

By William Henry Saxby, David E. Lindsey

Our meetings began here July 6, and with an interval of a few days during camp-meeting, we have held eighty meetings in all. We took down our tent yesterday. Bro. Rupert was with us the last three weeks, assisting us very materially, in preaching baptizing, and completing the organization of a good society. Forty-five have signed the covenant; twenty-four were baptized. The church was organized with thirty-one members; more to follow soon.

We also organized a tract and missionary society of twenty members; a Sabbath-school with sixty members. Have sold $75.00 worth of books, taken subscriptions for twenty-three copies of the SIGNS, one Review and Herald, two German papers, and thirty Instructors; all subscriptions for one year.

All of our expenses were met. Donations, $15.00. This summer's experience has been the best in our lives. We have great reason to be thankful to God for his mercies, and to him we ascribe all the honor of this good work. We will take measures immediately to secure funds with which to build a house of worship.

W. H. SAXBY, D. E. LINDSEY.

Come

By Spurgeon

I HAVE heard that in the desert, when the caravans are in want of water, they are accustomed to send on a camel with its rider some distance in advance; then after a little space, follows another; and then at short intervals, others. As soon as the first man finds water, almost before he stoops down to drink, he shouts aloud, "Come!" the next one hearing the voice, repeats the word, "Come!" while the nearest again takes up the cry, "Come!" until the whole wilderness echoes with the word "Come!" So in that verse the Spirit and bride say the first of all, "Come!" then let him that heareth say, "Come!" and "whosoever is athirst let him come, and take of the water of life freely."—Spurgeon.

True Religion and Happiness

TRUE religion gives a happy, cheerful, turn to the mind, admits of all true pleasures, and even procures them for us.

Religion’s Mission

RELIGION finds the love of happiness and the principle of duty separated in us; and its mission—its masterpiece—is to re-unite them.

Temperance.

By Kansas Methodist

The Gigantic Obstruction.

It becomes the duty of all philanthropists to inquire seriously, What are the chief hindrances to the progress of the race, especially its moral elevation, "for, if the foundations be removed, what can the righteous do?" All thoughtful people will admit the value, nay the absolute necessity of secure foundations in building, in business, in scholastic culture, and supremely so in morals and religion. Society is composed of the aggregation of individuals; churches of members. Every obstacle, then, which stands in the way of individual morality, lies directly across the path of the progress of society and the church.

The rum traffic is the gigantic obstruction. It is reasonably estimated that eighty thousand men die annually of the drink habit. For at least five years before they die they are effectually isolated from the church and gospel privileges by their habits. It is equally reasonable to suppose that for every one who dies there are five living men who are following so close in their wake that they are as effectually shut off from church society as are these eighty thousand dying men. Here then we have an alarming aggregate of humankind in our own land, who of choice and by habit are placing themselves beyond the reach of gospel privileges. Now if we take the eighty thousand dying, and multiply by the five who we believe are associates, it will give us in America four hundred and eighty thousand precious souls put beyond reach of the gospel; but in five years that eighty thousand have been associated with the great company who go down, annually, and their associates, or quite two million, who for the last past five years have been put beyond reach of the saving influences of Christianity, and schooled in the most faithful school of crime. Reader, imagine that in one year eighty thousand adults have been added to the Christian army, fifty thousand of them heads of families. It is reasonable to believe forty thousand wives and sixty thousand grown children would, with their fathers, be brought to Christ.

Who can compute the changed condition of society with such results? But the rumseller, more than all else, stands in the way of such results. Every church in the land should be awake to the destruction of this giant foe of human kind and God. —Kansas Methodist.

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