Earlier text: (Kimball, Minn.)SOUTHERN UNION CONFERENCE.
By A. G. Daniells
The first session of the Southern Union Conference has just closed. As this has been an interesting, important, and profitable meeting, and as many of the readers of the REVIEW are especially interested in the Southern field, I shall feel free to give a more extended report than would seem best under different circumstances. This Conference was held at Nashville, Tenn., January 3-13, in the chapel of the Southern Publishing Association building. There were about forty delegates present from the local Conferences. But there was a much larger attendance than this, owing to the presence of members of the General and Union Conferences, a large number of canvassers, and quite a number of interested friends who were anxious to take part in the first session of the Conference. We were especially pleased to have a good representation of our colored brethren. The entire delegation was entertained by our brethren and sisters in Nashville, and by the Southern Publishing Association. The managers of this association were the recipients of many hearty expressions of appreciation from the delegates and visitors for the excellent arrangements made for their entertainment, and for the warm, hearty reception given to every one in attendance. All united in the hope that the hard work and sacrifice of these brethren will be amply rewarded by earnest co-operation throughout the Southern field. Although Sister White remained in the South several weeks to attend this Conference, she was too feeble to be present at many of the meetings. At South Lancaster she contracted a severe cold, which affected her so seriously that she was too weak to bear any part to speak of in the Conference. This was a great disappointment to all attending the meeting, and especially to our people in the South who had not previously met her. The few words she was able to speak to the congregation were greatly appreciated. The many friends of Elder Geo. I. Butler will be pleased to learn that he not only attended this Conference, but that he took a very active part in all the proceedings. In many respects, Brother Butler’s sojourn in Florida has been a great blessing to him. Perhaps he would not have remained there so long had it not been for his afflicted companion. While she lived, he felt it to be his duty, as well as esteeming it a blessed privilege, to remain with her, and tenderly minister to her needs. Now that she sleeps, his mind turns to the needs of a lost world, and he responds to the call from his Lord to take up again the duties of the public ministry. All who met at this Conference rejoice that he comes forth from his retirement with good health, a clear mind, a tender heart, and a burning zeal. During the meeting, he manifested much of his old-time energy and thoroughness in Conference affairs. Although retired from public life, he has not been asleep to the trend of affairs. He appreciated the necessity for the reforms called for at the last General Conference, and heartily unites with the efforts being made to respond to this call. Because of his long experience in Conference management, and the great and perplexing burdens of the Southern Union Conference, Brother Butler was elected President. Elder R. M. Kilgore was elected Vice-President; Elder Irving Keck, Treasurer, and Brother C. L. Kilgore, Secretary. This is certainly a strong, efficient staff of officers. But the field is large, and difficult enough to require the full strength of all. With this statement regarding the general features of the meeting, I will now give some of the most important details of the work in the Southern field. The following portion of the president’s address to the Conference will be of interest. Speaking of the Union Conference, he says:— “It was organized as a Union Conference during the session of the General Conference held at Battle Creek, Mich., in the month of April, 1901. Its separate life began May 1, 1901, with three organized Conferences,—Tennessee River, Florida, and Cumberland,—the larger portion of the territory being unorganized mission fields. “The territory of the Southern Union Conference comprises the States of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, with an area of 531,205 square miles, and a population of 14,908,768. Of these at least 8,000,000 are colored. “During the council of the entire committee at Graysville, Tenn., in the month of June and July, a legal association, known as the Southern Conference Association of the Seventh-day Adventists, was organized, with seven incorporators, and by-laws were adopted. The charter was granted by the State of Tennessee, and registration was made at Dayton and Nashville. A president, secretary, and treasurer were elected. “The past summer the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Alabama were organized into five State Conferences, the boundary line of each State being the boundary of each Conference, with the exception of the Carolinas, which were united, and compose the Carolina Conference. There is in the Conference a total of twenty ministers, twelve licentiates, and forty-six missionary workers. We have sixty-seven churches, with a membership of 1,460, and 460 isolated Sabbath-keepers. “The amount of tithe received during the period ending September 30 was $9,634.31. Thirteen camp-meetings have been held, and after-meetings have followed most of these, with good results. Some companies have been raised up, and in a few instances, church buildings erected. “We have five departments, namely, the Educational, the Publishing, the Medical, the Missionary, and the Sabbath-school. “The remarkable growth of the publishing work at Nashville is phenomenal. From nonentity less than a year ago, this institution has sprung into existence as if by magic, and has assumed large proportions. A legal association was organized and incorporated. The demand of the field which the publications of this association are to supply, call for all that is projected in the plant. Its promoters have succeeded in establishing the work on a basis which promises good results, and it is their purpose that the work in the future shall prove that it was the ‘planting of the Lord.’ Our people should rally to its support, both by a hearty co-operation in all that pertains to its work and object, by giving of their means, taking shares at five dollars each to increase its capital stock, and by a much larger circulation of its publications. It is important that all should unite in making this institution all that it should be. “That this may be accomplished, there must be a good understanding as to the relations existing between the workers in the publishing house and those in the field. Co-operation is essential to the accomplishment of satisfactory results in all branches of the cause. The makers of books, the canvassers, the ministers, and the people must be one in all that pertains to the advancement of the Third Angel’s Message. There can be no personal interest to serve where Christ is the controlling power, and reigns within the believers. The effort now being made to push the canvassing work is meeting with success, and the prospect brightens. New recruits are joining the ranks, and more experienced canvassers are engaging in the work. Our churches are called upon to unite their interests with this movement, and to select and encourage those who can, to enter the field, and go forth bearing the precious ‘seed baskets.’ “A large army of these faithful soldiers of the cross must be enlisted, organized, and trained for service.” Further details of the meeting must be reserved until next week. A. G. DANIELLS. WANTED — A POSITIVE RELIGION.
By A. J. B.
LIFE and light are positive. Death and darkness are negative. Faith and love are positive. Doubt and suspicion are negative. Health and cheerfulness are positive. Disease and dread are negative. The great need of to-day is for something positive. The world is tired of “Don't's,” and longing for a positive religion — positive Christianity. The surest way to make children disobey is to fill their heads full of negative commands. On the other hand, nothing will make them obey so promptly as the offering of a few positive suggestions calculated to draw the mind over to a different line of thought. The evil thought must be replaced by a good thought. But appearances are often deceiving. Some things which, in form, appear negative are, in reality, positive. For example, “anti-wrong” is always equivalent to “pro-right.” The Ten Commandments are negative in form, but positive in essence. Jesus himself defined the summing up, or essence of the commandments in the following terms (Matt. 22:37-40), than which nothing could be more positive:— “Thou SHALT LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. “This is the first and great commandment. “And the second is like unto it, Thou SHALT LOVE thy neighbor as thyself. “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” To all who have been delivered from the bondage of sin the Lord still says: “I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt [spiritual darkness], out of the house of bondage.” To all such the Ten Commandments themselves become GLORIOUS, POSITIVE PROMISES, instead of negative commands or prohibitions. It is a blessed thing to thus behold God's law as a chain of golden promises. The teachings and the life of Jesus were positive. The teachings and daily life of the Pharisees were negative. Jesus told the people what to do to be saved. He pointed out the true way. The Jewish leaders told the people what NOT to do, but failed to tell them what to do. The writer once heard a Methodist bishop tersely define the difference between love, which is positive, and hatred, which is negative. Said he: “Love INTERPRETS. Hatred MISUNDERSTANDS.” Christian positiveness comes from true power. The only source of TRUE POWER, whether in things material or things spiritual, is KNOWLEDGE of the truth concerning the things in question. Therefore, he who would be truly positive as a Christian, must have within him a saving knowledge of the truth itself. Christ was filled with the truth. He was, therefore, a great power in the earth — a greater power than the combined power of all his enemies. In positiveness lies safety — temporal and spiritual. The mariner's compass is a positive affair. It tells him positively WHERE safety lies, WHICH41 direction to steer, WHAT to do. It points out to him the true way. A boat-load of compasses telling him just where he should NOT go, would never bring the lost mariner into port. What a man does NOT believe, will never save him. The evil that one sees in others will never save one. Negative fault-finding starves the soul. Brooding over evils does not improve them. It makes one negative. Of all people, Seventh-day Adventists should be filled with positive religion — positive information concerning the Third Angel's Message — concerning all truth. And that Seventh-day Adventist will succeed best who fights error and darkness by preaching in a quiet, positive manner, truth and light. Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time
It is the very essence of all right faith to do the right thing at the right time.—T. C., Vol. VI, page 24. Onward, Ever Onward: Watchword of Faith
Our watchword is to be, Onward, ever onward. The angels of God will go before us to prepare the way.—T. C., Vol. VI, page 29. AMERICA FULFILLING PROPHECY.
By L. A. S.
It is with no spirit of boasting that the assertion can be made to-day that the United States of America is taking the lead in industry, and therefore in influence among the nations of the earth. This statement is not a conclusion deduced from the strained logic of fervid patriotism, but a statement summing up plain and indisputable facts. And the reason such a statement is made in these columns, is that inspired prophecy has pointed out the rise of this nation, and that in becoming great, as it has, it is preparing for the fulfillment of that which the word of God has spoken concerning it. Thus to Seventh-day Adventists, and to all who would understand the prophecy of Rev. 13:11–18, the position of this nation among the Powers of the earth becomes a matter of practical importance, as much as the fulfillment of any prophecy is a matter of importance to those who are privileged to be witnesses of the events which it foretells. There are many facts which testify to the influential position among the nations that is held to-day by the United States. Here are some which we find given in a recent issue of the New York Sun:— “The total production of coal in the United States in 1900 was 240,065,017 tons; in France, 32,270,385 tons; in Germany, 140,551,058 tons; in Belgium, 23,462,817 tons; in Austria-Hungary, 38,728,372 tons; in Russia, 16,137,736 tons; in Great Britain, 225,181,200 tons; in Canada, 5,507,842 tons; in Australia and New Zealand, 7,337,000 tons. England exported 44,080,107 tons in 1900, and the United States 7,900,000 tons. “The first iron works in the United States were set up in Virginia in 1610. The first iron not made from native ore was cast at the Lynn foundry, in Massachusetts, in 1645. The first American steel was made in Connecticut in 1728. The first rolling mill was erected in 1816 in Pennsylvania. These facts are from the last annual report of the American Iron and Steel Association, which gives a total world’s production of pig iron in 1900 of 40,400,000 gross tons, of which the United States made 13,780,242 tons, or thirty-four per cent. In the same year the world’s production of steel was 27,200,000 tons, of which the United States made 10,188,320 tons, or over thirty-seven per cent. “Our exports of iron and steel more than doubled in value from 1897 to 1900, and in the same time our exports of agricultural implements increased in value more than threefold. We are producing twice as much iron ore as Great Britain, ninety per cent more pig iron, three times as much Bessemer steel, and three times as many Bessemer steel rails. We have constructed and equipped our own railroads, and have made the machinery to develop our own farming, mining, and manufacturing interests, and now we are doing more to develop and supply other countries than any other nation.” In the prophecy to which we have referred, this nation is described as “saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the Beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” This plainly implies that the Power that will do this will at the time occupy a commanding position among “them that dwell on the earth.” The United States has heretofore been conspicuous among the nations not by reason of its products or of its wealth or its military power, but by reason of the principles of its government. Its power in the world has been the power of the appeal and invitation of liberty, enthroned in this free government, made to the heart of every oppressed individual in other lands to whom its message could be borne. But now it is swiftly looming up as a “world Power” in the material sense of the term,—a nation possessing the greatest resources, the greatest wealth, among the Powers, and wielding that potent influence which wealth commands in every land to-day. Almost, if not quite, this nation is in a position to influence “them that dwell on the earth” in the manner which the prophecy describes. “As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example.”—“Testimonies for the Church, Vol. VI, page 18. And thus will this nation say “to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the Beast.” As this nation rises higher among the Powers of the earth, and its prestige and influence are augmented, it is to us a token of the nearness of the hour when the prophecy will be fulfilled, and this nation will influence the Protestant nations of the world to form an “image to the Beast,” and will revive the spirit and work of the papacy in all lands. It is a token that the end is near. “CHRISTIAN SCIENCE:” ARE ITS DOCTRINES TRUTH OR ERROR?
By George I. Butler
The Belief of Mrs. Eddy and Her Disciples, in the Bible.
In the previous article we briefly noticed the rapid progress Christian Science has been making since its rise, about one fourth of a century ago. It is indeed making quite a stir in the world already. Reports come from various quarters that many intelligent people are accepting it. Mrs. Eddy claims it is yet to do great things, even to absorb the great mass of professed Christians. One reason why it is so readily received is because it claims to be Christian, and to accept the Bible as the word of God. Christian Scientists claim to have more faith in the Bible and to read it more than any other people. Mrs. Eddy says (“Science and Health,” page 20): “The Bible has been my only text-book. I have no other guide in the ‘strait and narrow way’ of this science.” She claims to have made it her constant study. In their regular religious services on Sundays, instead of sermons, they have readings from the Scriptures and from selections from “Science and Health.” These readings are provided beforehand in their Christian Science Quarterly for all their churches. At the close of this exercise—or the readings from the texts of Scripture and from their standard book of authority, “Science of Health,” which they call “our sermon”—they have an experience meeting in which various persons tell what great things Christian Science has done for them. Such meetings are largely attended, far more so than ordinary preaching services in the churches. It will be seen, then, that Mrs. Eddy and her people present before others high pretensions to faith in the Scriptures. These claims have no doubt been one of the reasons why so many are drawn toward this new religious cult. They suppose it to be derived from the Scriptures. Let us now examine this claim somewhat carefully, and see if it is founded on truth. The book of standard authority among them—Mrs. Eddy’s volume, “Science and Health”—purports to have a “key to the Scriptures.” This portion of her book begins on page 495, and embraces seventy-four pages. In this space she takes up the larger portion of the first chapters of the book of Genesis, giving what she supposes to be the meaning of the same. In the latter part of the “key,” beginning with Revelation 12, she quotes a very small portion of the remaining chapters of that book, giving her version of these scriptures. This comprises her “key to the Scriptures.” This “key” is a very weak imitation of the work of the famous Emmanuel Swedenborg, who lived in the seventeenth century. He claimed to be a true prophet of the Lord, who could converse with angels or spirits at his pleasure. His leading doctrine was that the Bible as now written could not be understood; that its teachings were utterly unreliable in the literal sense of the words of the text; that in order to be understood, it was necessary to have the “key” which had been lost in the long, dark ages of the past; but that God had very mercifully revealed this lost “key” to him, Emmanuel Swedenborg. He then very graciously proceeded to write out the meaning of practically the whole Bible in large Latin books, so that we poor creatures could comprehend the real meaning. Suffice it to say, no mortal could possibly have guessed from the reading of the text, without this “key,” what its meaning was had he not graciously told us. Among the various things he told us the Scriptures meant to teach us were these: that the last judgment took place about the middle of the seventeenth century, when the great masses of the departed spirits of the dead, which had been accumulating for long ages, and were undisposed of, were finally relegated to their various heavens and hells, and thus disposed of in an orderly manner; so that after that great judgment day, as they dropped out of their human sphere, they could go at once to the proper divisions of heavens and hells, which were ready to receive them. He was a great believer in disembodied spirits. He also kindly told us in excellent Latin that Christ would never come the second time; that the account of the New Jerusalem was a mere allegory, or figure of speech; that there would never be a resurrection of the body, etc. Emmanuel Swedenborg was indeed the great prophet of all these spiritualizing systems of religious teaching which have sprung up in such numbers since, denying the literal sense of the Scriptures, and Christ’s personal coming, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, and the glorious and literal future kingdom of God, where the saved of all ages shall be gathered at the personal advent of Christ our Lord, to reign with Him for evermore. Swedenborg was indeed a wonderful man. All the rest are but weak imitations. To give the reader a little idea of this wonderful “key” with which Mrs. Eddy unfolds the account of creation, I will give a few specimens verbatim:— “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Gen. 1:1. She says: “This creation consists of the unfolding of spiritual ideas and their identities which are embraced in the infinite Mind and forever reflected. These ideas range from the infinitesimal to immensity, and the highest ideas are the sons and daughters of God.” “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” Gen. 1:2. Now, dear reader, notice what Mrs. Eddy tells us this language means: “The divine principle and idea constitute spiritual harmony,—heaven and eternity. In this universe of truth, matter is unknown. . . . Christian Science, the Word of God, saith to the darkness upon the face of error, ‘God is all-in-all,’ and light appears in proportion as this is understood. It reveals the eternal wonder,—that infinite space is peopled with God’s ideas, reflecting Him in countless spiritual forms.” Who in his senses would ever dream that this explanation (?) had any connection whatever with the text quoted? When I tell the reader that Mrs. Eddy everywhere teaches that matter is a complete nonentity, does not exist at all, never did and never will; that it is wholly an illusion and nonexistent; while spirit, without body, without parts, that which never can be known by any of our senses, is the42 only real substance in existence, he will begin to get a little glimpse of her theology. One more quotation: “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” Mrs. Eddy interprets again: “Understanding is the spiritual firmament whereby human conception distinguishes between truth and error. The divine Mind, not matter, creates all identities; and they are forms of thoughts, the ideas of spirit, present to mind only, never to mindless matter.” And so she goes on, page after page, taking the simple, sublime statements of Holy Writ in which the great steps in creation are portrayed so simply that a child may be enlightened by reading them, and perverts them into her mystical, visionary, foggy, roily sophisms that nobody can comprehend, because there is nothing real about them. Thus she seeks to obscure the true sense, literal and clear, into the same kind of nonsense Spiritualism had brought out before her. I have not found so much as one clear, sensible comment in all her pages devoted to the creation and the early history of man. She claims to believe the account of creation as she explains and spiritualizes it away, in Genesis 1. But when she comes to the second chapter, where the creation of the first pair, their temptation, fall, and reception of the penalty are more fully given, the account is so diametrically contrary to her theories and teachings that she is forced to cast it aside altogether as entirely unworthy of belief. At the close of chapter 1, page 374, she states: “The continued account [in chapter 2] is mortal and material.” “Now the opposite error, a material view, is to be set forth. The second chapter of Genesis contains a statement of this material view of God and the universe, which is the exact opposite of scientific truth. The history of error or matter, if veritable, would set aside the omnipotence of spirit; but it is the false history in contradistinction to the true.” She has page after page reiterating her statement that this portion of the Bible is utterly untrue. The making of man from the earthly elements, material and corporeal, his testing by the eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree, his temptation by that “old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan,” his condemnation because of disobedience, and the final sentence of death for sin, is over and over utterly denied. This is a clear and forcible presentation as an illustration of her faith in the Scriptures, characteristic of her whole treatment of the Bible throughout her book. What portion of it she can partially quote,—paraphrase—frequently giving a meaning the very opposite of the plain sense, sometimes misquoting, spiritualizing it away, many times perverting it,—these portions she uses, seeking to enforce her “discoveries” and peculiar doctrines. In all my reading, I have never seen a stronger effort made to mystify, mangle, pervert, and misconstrue Scripture than she makes all through her book. It is no wonder she had to study long and hard to erect such a structure as she has brought out. She utterly rejects the idea of Christ’s personal return to this earth, the resurrection of the dead, a future judgment, and a glorified home in heaven. She denies the existence of good or bad angels. These, and many other plain doctrines of the Bible are utterly discarded from her system. Believers of Christian Science take her book, “Science and Health,” not only as equal to the Bible as a book of authority, but really superior to it. Their belief in the Bible is the acceptance of it in the sense Mrs. Eddy holds it in her doctrinal book, “Science and Health.” Any portion of the Bible in conflict with her views has about as much effect in changing their minds as the pouring of water upon a duck’s back would—it makes no impression. Such belief in the Bible is really no belief at all. It is giving second place to that great storehouse of revealed truth, and putting Mrs. Eddy’s mysticisms, mind wanderings, foggy speculations, and cloudy imaginations in the first place. In our next we will present evidences to prove these statements true. Criticism That Discourages God's Workers
Nothing so offends God as an act that injures the influence of those who are doing His service. He will call to account all who aid Satan in his work of criticising and discouraging.—T. C., Vol. VI, page 42. Reaching Men Where They Are Without Delay
We have no time to lose. We must do our utmost to reach men where they are. The world is now reaching the boundary line in impenitence and disregard for the laws of the government of God. All that can be done should be done without delay.—T. C., Vol. VI, page 32. [Designed for the consideration of such questions as will be of interest and profit to the general reader. All correspondents should give their names and correct post-office address, that queries not replied to here may be answered by mail.] 847.— Immortality of Christ.
1. Was Christ immortal before His incarnation? 2. Was He immortal during His incarnation? Is He immortal now? INQUIRER. ANSWER.—1. Yes. 2. Yes. 3. Yes. The query that lies back of all these questions doubtless is this: How, then, could Christ in positions 1 and 2 give up His life to die for men? He simply laid aside His immortality, as stated in Heb. 2:9, “for the suffering of death, . . . that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” Emerging from the tomb, He says, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, . . . and have the keys of hell and of death.” Rev. 1:18. If we ask Nicodemus’s question, How can these things be (John 3:9)? 1 Tim. 3:16 gives an answer in a general way. 848.— Date of Christ’s Birth.
Is there not a prophecy of the time of Christ’s birth? And was it not fulfilled according to Dan. 9:25? J. E. R., Elk Rapids, Mich. ANS.—The answer to the question respecting the date of Christ’s birth, the reader will take notice pertained to the day of the week, which is not known, and not to the year as marked by a prophetic period, which is well known. 849.— Man in Death.—Plurality of Worlds.
I have recently had the opportunity of coming in contact with several of your literary works, which I have studied with deep interest. Your arguments on the Sabbath question are especially convincing. I conclude you are well informed on Biblical questions, and I would therefore feel greatly obliged if you would spare the time to answer the following questions: 1. Has the soul of a person, whether saved or unsaved, after death, any conscious existence apart from the body? or must we regard death as an unbroken sleep till the resurrection? 2. Is the teaching of a plurality of worlds contrary to the teachings of the Scriptures? I have read a work by Sir David Brewster, entitled “More Worlds than One,” in which he quotes divers passages of Scripture to show that other planets must be inhabited by rational beings. L. B., Gunnedah, N. S. W., Australia. ANS.—1. The Scriptures represent men in death, good or bad, as asleep. Dan. 12:2; John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15. There is no knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, whither they go (Eccl. 9:5, 6); for in that condition they do not exercise any thought (Ps. 146:4); but all rest in unconsciousness till they awake and are raised out of their sleep. Job 14:11, 12. See the work published at this Office, entitled “Here and Hereafter,” in which all these problems concerning the nature of man, his condition in death, and the final destiny of both the righteous and the wicked, are fully discussed. 2. The Scriptures we think plainly teach a plurality of worlds, inhabited by Christian intelligences. There is a striking declaration made by the prophet Isaiah, from which no other conclusion can be drawn: “For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.” Isa. 45:18. What is here said concerning the earth may be applied to all the starry worlds on high. Indeed, it would be inconsistent to apply it otherwise. God seeks the glory of His creatures, and to be glorified through them. That was His purpose concerning this world, and consequently concerning all other worlds which have a place among His handiworks. But these are not to be confounded with the “Father’s house” of “many mansions,” which Christ, at His ascension from this earth, went to prepare for His people. John 14:2, 3. This is that “inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven” for the subjects of God’s mercy (1 Peter 1:4); of which it may further be said, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Cor. 2:9. 850.— Baptized for the Dead.
Among the doctrines of the predominant Church in this State is the doctrine of baptism for the dead. See 1 Cor. 15:29, which we know is erroneously applied. Kindly give us a few thoughts on this reference, and oblige. F. S., Ogden, Utah. ANS.—This question pertains to the Mormon doctrine that if one has a friend who has died in unbelief, this friend may be baptized in his place, and thus unite him to the Mormon Church, the same as if he had himself been baptized, and united with that Church, when he was alive. A very easy way to swell the enrollment of that Church! But as the correspondent says, We know it is misapplied. The Bible rule is, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved:” but a dead man cannot believe; “for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Solomon, speaking of the same condition, also says, “Their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10. What possible object could it be for any one to stand in the name of one in such a condition, and then go through the form of baptism in reference to which the dead one would have no knowledge, no understanding, and no consciousness? But that is not what it means. Paul’s discourse is an argument for the resurrection of the dead, and the special point before his mind is the resurrection of Christ. “When all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. Else [that is, if this is not so] what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” The formula given for baptism is, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Matt. 28:19. The condition of the Son is the fulcrum on which the whole argument turns, and in 1 Cor. 15:13–20 the apostle had plainly taught them that all depended on the resurrection of Christ; that if He had not been raised from the dead, then there was no resurrection of the dead, and their faith was vain, they which were fallen asleep in Christ were perished, and the whole scheme of redemption and eternal life was fallen into irretrievable collapse. Why, then, should any one be baptized “in the name of the Son,” in the hope of life through a dead man if the dead rise not at all? That seems to be Paul’s conclusive argument at this point. What day is referred to in John 14:20? “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” C. B. S., Bellefontaine, Ohio. ANS.—The New Testament day, which is a day of knowledge and joy. It was not clearly and fully known that Jesus was the mediator between God and man, and that everything was to be asked and granted in His name, till after He had shed His blood, opened heaven, and sent down the Holy Spirit upon His Church, and till so many of the gifts of the Spirit, and so many miracles wrought by the apostles had appeared in the world. Plainly does the Spirit of Christ show the children of the new covenant the mystery of God’s paternal love. I am in my Father and ye in me, and I in you. All this the risen and ascended One showed plainly without the veil of parable to His disciples, from the first word which Mary Magdalene heard from His lips and carried to His disciples, to the very last which the Spirit saith unto the churches,—all are the showing of the Father by the Son, that is, that the Father of Jesus Christ may be known as the true Father of all who are in Christ, and Christ in them. “In that day,” He says, “ye shall know this.” It strikes us that there is no difference between the gift promised in Acts 2:38 and the one promised in Acts 1:5-8. A MEETING was appointed with the church at Santiago for Sabbath and Sunday, November 29, 30. Elder Baber and myself attended the meeting, and we are confident that some lasting good will result. A few brethren attended from other places. The question of selling our Spanish missionary paper, the Las Señales de los Tiempos, was presented to the brethren, and we were truly rejoiced to see the good missionary spirit which they manifested. Those present agreed to sell each month nearly one thousand copies. This, if carried out, will result in great financial help to the paper, as well as in giving the brethren a good experience in missionary work. One brother agreed to sell five hundred copies, giving all his time to the work. He expects to make a living by selling them, as we agreed to furnish the paper at five cents (Chilean) a copy, and it sells for ten cents. Could not many of our brethren support their families by selling papers? On Sunday, word came to us that a man and his daughter, living twelve miles away, desired baptism. So an appointment was made to go and baptize them the next day. Accordingly we, with a number of the members of the Santiago church, went on the train the next morning to San Bernard, to meet and baptize them. Before the baptism, Brother Thoman spoke in the open air to a large crowd that had gathered, following us from the depot to the water. There were some disturbers (drunken men) present, but there were others who interested themselves in endeavoring to keep order. A baptismal scene in Chile is a rarity, as most of the churches are Catholic, and the Protestant denominations largely follow the custom of Rome, in sprinkling; so immersion attracts considerable attention. After the baptism, we, all together, began to carry into effect the plans of the day before; so we scattered to all parts of the village, selling the Señales. We had but a few hours in which to work before the train should return to Santiago, but we sold about seventy copies of the paper, at ten cents each. We are sure that in that village there were but few families who did not hear of that day's events before the sun went down. And as the papers were sold all over the town, it will give them opportunity to read and meditate. We presume that the people thought that we had come to take them by storm, as nothing of this kind had ever been witnessed by them before. When God's people arise as one man to give the Third Angel's Message to all the world, not only will one village be stirred, but there will be a stir in all the earth. The message is to be given not by one or two loud voices in a few localities, but by many voices in every part of the world. Are we each doing our part? We have now been in Chile just one month. It is a very needy field. Sin here, as in other countries, is rife. What religion there is, is a mere formality. But the truth is finding an entrance; the cry is, “Come over and help us.” We need workers and means with which to carry forward the work. Pray for the work here. Casilla 1125, Valparaiso, S. A.