DEAR BRO. WHITE:—While many of the dear brethren and sisters who love our Lord Jesus Christ and rejoice in the glory to be revealed at his appearing and kingdom, are met together on his holy day, exhorting and comforting each other, and realizing the faithfulness of the coming One, who has said, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst; there are others like myself whose language is,
I'm a lonely traveler here;
Weary oppressed;
But my journey's end is near;
Soon I shall rest.
Dark and dreary is the way,
Toiling I've come,
Ask me not with you to stay;
Yonder's my home.
I am still trying to keep the commandments of God that I may have right to the tree of life, and that I may enter in through the gates into the city. Although there are many trials and difficulties to pass through, yet if I am faithful, his grace is sufficient for me; and though I live in a dark, unfriendly place, with no meetings to go to, and no Sabbath-keepers near, except a part of the family, I can truly say, that the Lord is with, and blesses me; for I well know if he did not care for me, that I should not be able to bear up under my many trials that I have to pass through.
O for a realizing sense for what is so soon coming on the earth; for it truly seems that the time is not far distant when the Lord will put on his garments of vengeance, and take his seat on the white cloud with his sharp sickle in his hand; and who shall be able to stand? None but those who have pure hearts and clean hands. My prayer is that I may be one of that happy number.
The Review is a welcome messenger, and I hope the time will soon come when we shall have it weekly; for the truths which it contains from the Bible, and the warm communications from the dear brethren and sisters scattered abroad, are truly cheering to me.
DEAR BRO. WHITE :—I wish to address a few lines to the brethren and sisters scattered abroad whom I love in truth. I still feel interested in the present truth under the light of revelation. I can base my eternal interest upon the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. The commandments of God contain our duty to God and our fellow men, and are the basis of practical religion: the faith of Jesus is the faith of the gospel God has given of his Son our Saviour and Redeemer; for all the promises in his word are yea and amen to the glory of God the Father. I believe in keeping the fourth precept according to the commandment or letter of the law. A good understanding have all they that do thy commandments. The wise shall understand both time and judgment. The wise shall understand, the wicked shall not understand. By this shall we know that we love God when we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous unto us; they are well calculated to make God lovely in the sight of his creatures, and us, as his creatures, blest and happy here in this world, and fit us for that world of glory where the Redeemer reigns alone. They are a constitutional law of Jehovah, and need no amendment; they are conditions of eternal life; for saith our Saviour, If ye will enter into life keep the commandments.
Trials await us on every hand. Let us endure trials as good soldiers, for when we are tried we shall come forth as gold. It is through much tribulation we enter the kingdom.
We have passed through many trials here, but the Lord is with us and he that has begun a good work in us is able to carry it on until the day of the Lord Jesus, and present us faultless before the throne of32his majesty with exceeding joy; to whom be glory forever.
Yours waiting for redemption when Christ comes.
DAVID UPSON
Chemung Co., N. Y.
OBITUARY.
By Uriah Smith
DIED—In Wilton, N. H., July 26th, 1855, of consumption, my Sister, Annie R. Smith, aged 27 years. The following lines which she composed the day but one before her death, show with what feelings and hopes she fell asleep in Jesus, to wait the glad morning of the resurrection.
"O, shed not a tear o'er the spot where I sleep,
For the living and not for the dead ye may weep;
Why mourn for the weary who sweetly repose,
Free in the grave from life's burden of woes?
"I long now to rest in the lone, quiet tomb,
For the footsteps of Jesus have lightened its gloom;
I die in the hope of soon meeting again
The friends that I love, with Him ever to reign."
URIAH SMITH.
H. D. COREY
By H. D. Corey
From H. D. Corey.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—I would say to my dear brethren and sisters scattered abroad, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. The enemy is at work, rallying his forces against the advocates of Bible truth, and if ever there was a time when the church of God was called upon to be actively engaged in the work of the Lord, it is in these days of peril. O let us gird on the whole armor, stand in defense of the truth, and be always ready to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear.
It is about 18 months since I saw the light on the Sabbath, and as I had never seen any authority in the Bible for keeping the first day of the week as the Sabbath, I was ripe for this truth when it came, and was enabled with the help of God to embrace it without delay. I was alone for a few weeks, but soon found others who were willing to bear the reproaches of the world, and of the nominal churches, for keeping the commandments of God; since which time we have kept up Sabbath meetings regularly.
Our preaching seasons are few and far between; yet we mean to walk according to the best light we have, and so live that we can hail with joy the Son of God when he shall appear in the clouds of Heaven to take his weary servants home.
Yours looking for the Saviour.
H. D. COREY
Meridian, Aug. 6th, 1855.
Finding and Keeping the True Sabbath
By J. Edmonston
From Sister Edmonston.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—It is some years that my mind has been ill at ease concerning the keeping of the fourth commandment, as the nations of the earth keep it. I could not understand why the first day should be kept when the Bible plainly declares that the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord, &c., and I was a diligent searcher after truth. Nothing can satisfy my mind but the truth, and when I get it, I know it, for God seals it on my heart. Praise God for ever, that he that hath ears can hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
I was not alone trying to find out the true Sabbath. There were others that sought the Lord with all their hearts, and they also felt that we did not keep God's Sabbath. At length the Lord moved Bro. J. Bates to come and give us the third angel's message, and this set the matter right. We saw God's Sabbath and the Pope's, and how the change was brought about; and now we are keeping the true Sabbath, and Israel's God is with us. We are but five or six in number, but we have thus far been able to give our enemies a reason for the hope that is within us. They cannot gainsay it, and so they satisfy themselves by saying they do not see it as we do, and so settle down to sleep and dream of peace and safety when God says "there is no peace."
It rejoices our hearts to hear from the brethren and sisters who are keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Fear not, little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Your sister in the Lord. J. EDMONSTON.
A Canadian Embraces the Sabbath
By P. H. How
From Bro. How.
Bro. White:—I take my pen in hand to address you for the first time. You will not much wonder at this, when I tell you that it is only since last Winter that I have come out fully on the Sabbath. It is true I read your pamphlet called, The Present Truth, just after it was printed. Since which time I have been opposed to keeping the first day of the week as the Sabbath; but I used to argue that Ezra and Nehemiah did not keep the Sabbath while they were in the Babylonish captivity, but as soon as they came into the promised land, then they were zealous of the law. But it now looks reasonable that there should be a Rest day for all mankind, which is the seventh day. I have preached the Advent for seven years, and I now believe this present war is the last which will bring the final consummation.
I traveled all last Winter, and expect soon to start on a Summer tour. I would like to get acquainted with some of the brethren who keep all the commandments, as I have lately come out fully in the faith. I am, I believe, the only one who travels in Canada, and believes in the seventh day. I have but little time to visit any in the States, as I wish to do all I can for Canada. There are a few in this place who are trying to keep the commandments of the Lord, that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. We are poor, but expect a kingdom soon where there will be no more wars. May the Lord bless all the dear saints.
From your brother.
Mariposa, June 25th, 1855.
P. H. How.
Secret of Good Writing.
The grand secret of good writing seems to be in this very simple maxim: Be sure you have an idea before you attempt to express it. If you clearly comprehend in your own mind what you wish to communicate, nature and reason, together with a little practice, will most certainly teach you how to say it in an appropriate manner.
A single idea is fully sufficient for one mind to manage at one time. And it may be added that if the idea is of much importance, it would be the most dignified by being honored with a private carriage.
Divide and conquer; is as valuable a rule in literary as in military tactics. The more extensive the theme which the writer proposes to himself to discuss, the less, usually, he has to say upon it. Some subjects can be mastered with ease only by descending from generals to particulars, and treating of the subjects in their individual parts.
There is nothing more popular, especially with young writers, than brilliancy of style. This manner of writing is certainly excellent in its proper place, but there are many topics which do not require this quality, and many are much injured by it. The language of every dissertation should be that which is best calculated to express the thoughts in the happiest manner.
As the rays of the sun will not kindle a blaze unless brought to a focus, so the thoughts of the writer will not set the hearts of his readers on fire, unless all are made to converge to a single point.
Some writers seem unable to express themselves in a cool, rational manner on any subject. With them every virtue is God-like, every fault villainy, every breeze a tempest, every mole-hill a mountain. They appear to think their manner of writing is sublime; but their judicious readers (if they have any such) call it tragidity and absurdity.
The design of language is to give expression to thought—that style of writing, therefore, must necessarily be the best which most perfectly conveys to the reader's mind what the writer intended he should understand.—Goethe.
The Lord's Day.
By Editor
[Bro. P. H. How sends us the following comment from the (Catholic) Douay Bible on Rev. i, 10. We do not find it in the edition which we have, printed in London, by Simms and M'Intyre, 1852.]
MANY noble points may be marked here. First, that even in the apostles' time there were days deputed to the service of God, and so made holy and different, though not by nature, yet by use and benediction, from other profane (or as we call them, work) days.
Secondly, that the Apostles and faithful abrogated the Sabbath which was the seventh day, and made holy day for it the next day following being the eighth day in count from the creation, and that, without any scripture or commandment of Christ that we read of; yea, (which is more,) not only otherwise than was by the law observed, but plainly otherwise than was prescribed by God himself in the third (fourth) commandment; yea and otherwise than he ordained in the first creation, when he sanctified precisely the Sabbath day and not the day following. Such great power did Christ leave to his church, and for such cause gave the Holy Ghost to be resident in it, to guide it into all truth, even such as in the Scripture are not expressed. And if the church had authority and inspiration from God to make Sunday (being a work day before) an everlasting holy day and the Saturday that before was a holy day, now a common work day; why may not the same church prescribe and appoint the other holy feasts of Easter, Whitsuntide, Christmas, and the rest; for the same warrant she hath for the one that she hath for the other.
Thirdly. It is to be noted that the cause of this change was, for that now we Christians esteeming more our redemption than our first creation, have the holy day which was before for the remembrance of God's accomplishment of the creation of all things, now for the memory of the accomplishment of our redemption; which therefore is kept upon that day on which our Lord arose from the dead to life, which was the day after the Sabbath being called by the Jews, una, or prima, Sabbath, the first of, or after, the Sabbath. Matt. xxviii, 1; Acts xx, 7; 1 Cor. xvi, 2.
Fourthly. It is to be marked that this holy day by the Apostle's tradition also was named Dominicus dies (or Lord's day) or the Dominic which is also an old ecclesiastical word in our language. For the name Sunday is a heathenish calling as all others of the week days are in our language: some imposed after the names of planets as in the Roman time, some by the names of certain idols which the Saxons worshipped, and to which they dedicated their days before they were Christians. Which names the church use not, but hath appointed to call the first day the Dominic after the Apostle here. The others by the name of Ferias until the last of the week, which she calls by the old name, Sabbath, because that was from God, and not by imposition of the heathens.
Lastly. Observe that God reveals such great things rather upon holy days and in times of contemplation, sacrifice, and prayer, than on other profane days; and therefore as St. Peter [Acts x] had a vision, and Zechariah at the hour of incense, [Luke i,] Cornelius at the hour of prayer, [Acts x,] so here St. John noted that he had all the marvelous visions upon a Sunday.
Look on this Picture, and then on that!
I have subdued the nations of the earth—is there no other world for me to conquer?
Alexander the Great.
I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness.
St. Paul.
My life is in the yellow leaf,
The fruits and flowers of love are gone;
The worm, the canker and the grief
Are mine alone.
The fire that in my bosom burns
Is lone as some volcanic isle,
No torch is lighted at its blaze—
A funeral pile.
Lord Byron.Written the year he died
Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk.
I am taking a leap in the dark.
Hobbes, when dying.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
David.
O, God, if there be a God, have mercy on me.
Tom Paine, when dying.
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 shall I see God.
Job, in view of death.
The Sin of Doing Nothing.
IN an old religious magazine there are the following questions on the words, "Curse ye Meroz." The writer says :
"By whose authority? The angel of the Lord.
"What has Meroz done? Nothing.
"Why, then, is Meroz to be cursed? Because he did nothing.
"What ought Meroz to have done? Come to the help of the Lord.
"Could not the Lord do without Meroz? The Lord did do without Meroz.
"Did the Lord sustain, then, any loss? No; but Meroz did.
"Is Meroz, then, to be cursed? Yes, and that bitterly.
"Is it right that man should be cursed for doing nothing? Yes, when he ought to do something.
"Who says so? The angel of the Lord,—'That servant who knew his Lord's will, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.' Luke xii, 47."
If thou favorest evil, thou art worse than he who committed it. Thou actest deliberately; but he was acted upon by temptation.
FOREIGN NEWS.
THE SIEGE OF SEVASTOPOL.—A French dispatch, dated July 20 says: "Our approaches on the side of the Malakoff advance considerably. We now touch the place. Everything is prepared for a general action in about fifteen days."
July 21.—Gen. Simson telegraphs: "Cholera has nearly disappeared. The Russians continue to hold their strong position on the Mackenzie, and the strong range of heights overhanging Urkusta and the Valley of Baidar. It is reported they leave also a force of artillery and infantry at Aluska. The French have pushed forward the whole of their cavalry into the Valley of Baidar, resting the Sardinians upon the left bank of the Souhai River, and communicating with the French upon the Chernaya, while the high ridge protecting Balaklava is guarded by the Turkish army."
The Times correspondent writes: "Stagnation seems to reign in the camp and trenches; even the heavy firing has died away, yet the approaches advance, and every day sees the Allies nearer the crest of the Malakoff, which it will now require all the tenacity of the Russians to hold. A few days since the Russians succeeded in establishing rifle pits in front of the French sap."
Between the 23d and 27th nothing of importance occurred.
July 28.—Gorchakoff telegraphs: "Yesterday the enemy opened a heavy fire which lasted two hours, against the Flagstaff Bastion. We replied with vigor."
LATER.—Advices from the Crimea to the 29th announce continued preparations for a grand expedition. All the lighter vessels of the fleet were assembled at Kamiesh.
It was reported in Paris on the 3d inst. that the French Government had official notification that the bombardment of the Malakoff and Redan had been resumed preparatory to another assault.
Kamiesh and Balaklava were crowded with vessels recently arrived for the secret expedition.
The French Government has chartered ninety seven small steamers for river navigation, each to convey 500 men. The boats belong to companies on the Rhone and Saone.
THE VERY LATEST.
By Telegraph from London to Liverpool.
LONDON, Saturday, Aug. 4—Noon.
The Weekly Newspaper, just issued, says:
"We learn that the siege of Sevastopol is about to be raised. Also that a communication has just been received from Germany by the Western Powers which may lead to startling results."
A Valuable Book.
By James White
I HAVE just received a quantity of The Bible Class. It is a Work of 125 pp., containing fifty-two Lessons on the "Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus," by R. F. Cottrell. We regard this as one of the best Works published at the REVIEW Office. The following is from the preface:
"The Lessons it contains are upon subjects of the greatest importance, and which should claim the first attention of every student of the Holy Scriptures. While the author of the following Lessons has had in view particularly the instruction of children, he has prepared them so as to render them profitable to adults, especially all those who are commencing to investigate the themes on which they treat. May this little Work go forth under the blessing of God, and prove instrumental in leading many to the knowledge of the truth relative to the Commandments of God, and the Faith of Jesus."
This is a good Work for children, for parents, for ministers, for all. Parents, let it find a place in your children's little library. Brethren, put it into the hands of those you wish to learn the truth. Its value cannot be estimated.
It can be had at the REVIEW Office, and soon of Agents and traveling brethren. Bound, 20 cts.; in paper covers, 15 cts.—Liberal discount by the quantity. JAMES WHITE.
Paris, Me., Aug. 16th, 1855.
APPOINTMENTS.
By John Norton Loughborough, Roswell F. Cottrell
PROVIDENCE permitting there will be a tent meeting at Olcott, Niagara Co., commencing Sabbath, Sept 1st. The Brethren and Sisters in the adjoining counties are requested to attend. Provisions will be made for them and their horses.
A tent meeting will be held at Mill Grove, near Bro. Smalley's, commencing September 15th.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, R. F. COTTRELL
To Correspondents.
By Editor
S C COURTER :—In answer to your inquiries we would refer you to the leading editorial in REVIEW, Vol. V, No. 18. We think the subject is there set forth in its true light.
For Tent in New York,
By Editor
Dunscomb, P A Gammon, Sr Sawyer, each 50 cents.
For Tent in New York,
J. Lamson $5.
TO PURCHASE HORSE FOR J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
I. Abbey $3.
To pay Arrears on Vol. VI.
A. Petrie $1. M. Courter $0,25. A. Chaffee $1. R. Stevenson $0,50.
TO SEND REVIEW TO THE POOR.
M. Courter $0,75
Receipts.
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