Earlier text: INIQUITY INCREASINGThe “Angel of Mercy,” with calm, sweet face,
Came down on her errand of love and of grace,
And she paused to speak to the busy throng
Of a Saviour’s love as she passed along;
But my heart was sick when I heard the cry,
As the beautiful angel passed them by,
“We will choose the world, with its pleasures gay,
With its fame, and its riches,—go thy way.” Then she saw in her pathway an erring child,
Alone on the mountains, drear and wild,
And she sought in pity her heart to move,
By the wondrous tale of a Saviour’s love;
But the answer came with a reckless smile,
“Let me laugh and be gay for a little while;
I will heed thine entreaties, but not to-day.”
So she said to the angel, “Go thy way.” Then she paused to plead with a maiden fair,
“Choose not for thy portion earth’s sin and care,
For nothing but sorrow its joys can give;
While mercy is waiting, O look and live!”
But she turned on the angel her laughing eye,
“I’ll prepare for eternity by-and-by,
When my form is bent, and my locks are gray,
Till then,” said the maiden, “go thy way.” Still she speeds on her errand of love, and now
She has placed her hand on the student’s brow;
But he heeds her not, and with earnest look
He bends once more o’er his treasured book,
And these hollow words from his white lips came,
“Ambition! Ambition! The world,” and “Fame!”
“Oh! speak to me not of a Judgment day.”
And he said to the angel, “Go thy way.” Then the sorrowing messenger stood beside
The graceful form of a beauteous bride,
And the angel saw in her sparkling eye
Bright hopes of bliss in the by-and-by,
And she laid her hand on the fair, young head,
“Thy Saviour is waiting for thee,” she said.
But the world and its pleasures were bright and gay,
So she said to the angel, “Go thy way.” Then the angel saw, as she passed along,
A lost one—spurned from the heartless throng;
But the pitying angel sought to win
The wanderer back from the haunts of sin,
“Too late! too late!” was the sad reply;
“For womanly virtue has passed me by,
My heart is too hardened, I cannot pray,
And the world will not pardon me—go thy way.” The beautiful messenger paused beside
The palace of wealth, in its stately pride.
“O man of the world!” said the angel then,
“Go—give to the suffering sons of men;
The riches and honor that throng thy path
Shall profit thee not in the day of wrath,
Go labor for treasures that ne’er decay;”
But the rich man answered her, “Go thy way.” The miser sat by his hoarded pile,
And counted it o’er with a greedy smile,
For he worshiped the pieces of shining gold
That he grasped in his fingers blue and cold;
But the messenger whispered, “Thy gold will rust,
And thy hoarded treasures will turn to dust;”
But he brushed from his temple his thin locks gray,
And muttered impatiently, “Go thy way.” The pitying visitor paused beside
A grief-stricken mother whose babe had died,
And she murmured at God, for her brain was wild,
And her bosom yearned for her precious child;
But the angel whispered, “Thy God is just,
And thy babe shall rise from the mouldering dust;”
But methought, ’mid her moaning, I heard her say
To the pitying angel, “Go thy way.” Then the bright messenger kindly flew
To a gay saloon, with its reckless crew,
The foolish youth in his pride was there,
And the aged man with his silvery hair;
While the angel pleaded with love divine,
They filled their cups with the sparkling wine,
And she sadly wept as she heard them say,
“We will follow the multitude—go thy way.” The pleading messenger hasted then
Where wretches dealt in the souls of men,
Where human creatures were bought and sold
By their fellow-men, for a purse of gold;
And she cried in her anguish, “Almighty God
Will punish the land with the chastening rod,
And cruel oppressors in vain shall pray;”
But the answer came angrily, “Go thy way.” Soon the “Angel of Mercy,” with wing unfurled,
Shall take her flight to a better world,
And then will the sinner in anguish cry,
When the Spirit forever has passed him by,
“While mercy was pleading, I dwelt in mirth,
I have bartered my soul for the joys of earth.”
And the mighty Judge in his wrath shall say,
“Thou said’st to my Spirit, ‘Go thy way.’” LILLA D. AVERY.
Locke, Ingham Co., Mich., June 9, 1876. AN unkind word falls easily from the tongue, but a coach and six horses cannot bring it back. WHERE IS YOUR TREASURE?
By Moody
The reason why a great many professed Christians are in darkness is that they are conformed to the world. I once asked a Sunday-school to tell me, so I might put it on the blackboard, the treasures of earth. They spoke them out: “Money, land, houses, fast horses, friends, pleasure, tobacco, rum.” At last the list was exhausted, and we took up the treasures of Heaven. The children said: “Jesus, mansions, robes, crown,” and so it went on. The teacher, who I had supposed was a Christian, after looking at the list, said: “What a fool I am!” That was the first soul God gave me on the Pacific Coast. A great many people think that the church is a place to rest in; but this earth is the place for work; we will rest up yonder for eternity. What a glorious privilege it is to be a co-worker with God! Then the reward! The trouble with people is that they are looking for the reward down here. But we will have our reward up yonder; a crown of righteousness is laid up. I fully believe there will be a great many crownless Christians up in Heaven, just got in as by fire. Paul’s life makes us ashamed of the Christians of the nineteenth century. The Jews had given him ninety-nine stripes, and were going to scourge him again. A modern Christian would have said, “Now, Paul, sit down and rest awhile; the opposition is too bitter.” What would he answer? “This one thing I do; I press toward the prize.” You don’t suppose I am going to lose my crown? “Don’t be so radical, Paul; be more conservative,” I hear them say. But he was looking for his wonderful final reward. A wealthy farmer out West took a friend once and showed him all his immense fields, flocks and buildings, saying, “I came out here a poor boy, and all these are mine.” The man pointed upward and said: “Well, what have you up there?” “Nothing.” “You are not making such a wreck of life as that, I hope? Not any treasure in Heaven?” A few months after that he died, as he had lived, a wealthy pauper. What are all the treasures of earth compared to eternal life? Who will lay up treasure in Heaven to-night?—Moody. It is reported of Dr. Byles, of Boston, that he was once asked why he did not preach politics. He replied: “I have thrown up four breastworks, behind which I have entrenched myself, neither of which can be forced. In the first place, I do not understand politics; in the second place, you all do, every man and mother’s son of you; in the third place, you have politics all the week; and in the fourth place, I am engaged in a work of infinitely greater importance. Give me any subject to preach on of more consequence than the truths I bring to you, and I will preach on it the next Sabbath.” If some of those who are so deeply immersed in the political measures of this present evil world would concern themselves a little less with such things, they would have much more time and energy to inquire and search the news of the coming kingdom. There is a tendency of men in life, through the inquisitiveness of some, and through the morbid curiosity or the combativeness of others, to make a bad use of the truth. In the battle of life, in its rivalries, in its conflicts, men do not think it safe to let other people know many things they know, and it may not be safe. It does not follow, because you are to be truthful, that you must tell everything you know. There are thousands of things you have a right to keep to yourself, and that it is every man's duty to conceal; but so far as there is overtness in the matter of speaking, it should be according to the law of truth. It sometimes may be unpleasant, and may produce disturbance, but in the long run it is the safest. It makes a nobler character, wins more confidence, and prepares the future for better achievements than a resort to indiscretions or equivocations.—Sel. CHRISTIANS who seek for ecstatic joys, or showy gifts of the Spirit, or anything else rather than the pure love of God, make a mistake. Hence the importance of giving earnest heed to Wesley’s admonition: “Let no one be satisfied with the direct witness of the Spirit without the fruits of the Spirit.” Enlightenment Necessary for Steadfast Christians
IGNORANT people may be made enthusiasts; they may be made superstitious; but before they can be made steady, consistent Christians, they must be enlightened. THE FIRST ANGEL'S MESSAGE.
By G. W. Mitchell
It appears that not many Adventists are aware of the extent of this message. Bro. Wm. Miller told me, in a private conversation I had with him at McConnelsville, Ohio, in September, 1844, that he had counted fifteen hundred ministers, in various parts of the globe, who were proclaiming, “Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his Judgment is come.” The great mass of those were in North America and Great Britain. Among those of England were Bickersteth, Birks, Brooks, Brock, Habershon, Plym, Freemantle, Nathan Lord, McNeil, Winters, Cummings, etc. These gentlemen were among the most talented men of England. Mr. Wolf, missionary from England to Palestine, preached this message very extensively. It was proclaimed at every missionary station on the globe. It was taught by a sect on the shores of the Baltic. It was proclaimed by Hentepeter, the ablest minister of Holland. It was defended by Hengstenburg, the most talented theologian of Germany. A young Russian, seeing the words “Second Advent,” over a door in New York city, went in to learn its meaning. He became a convert, and declared his intention to preach it in his own country; and after informing himself as to the doctrine, he set sail for Russia. This young man's name was Rusch. And lately we learn that it was proclaimed in Sweden in 1844. I became acquainted with a number of men and women living in obscurity, who solemnly believed this truth, without hearing anything upon the subject. Truly, the great and mighty God is with us. THE SANCTUARY.
By Uriah Smith
Twenty-seventh Paper.—Cleansing of the Earthly Sanctuary.
Our last article closed with the query, What was further done with the sins which were borne into the sanctuary? The Bible fully informs us. Their transfer from the sinner to the sanctuary was not the final disposition of them. They were not borne into the sanctuary, either to remain there forever, or to be considered as blotted out and removed. But they were treated as still in existence, and as hateful and evil things, respecting which a further ministration must take place, in order that the camp of Israel might become forever free therefrom. We have already noticed the service through which the sins of the people were borne into the sanctuary. We now come to notice that by which they were taken out. This work was performed only once a year, and was fixed invariably to the tenth day of the seventh month. The work itself was called the cleansing of the sanctuary, or the atonement; and the day upon which it was performed was called the day of atonement. To accomplish this, an apartment of the sanctuary, into which no man through all the year had been permitted to enter on pain of death, was solemnly laid open, and the ministry of the high priest transferred thereto. So Paul says that into the second apartment of the sanctuary, or most holy place, “went the high priest alone, once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people.” Heb. 9:7. When this was accomplished, a complete round of service in the sanctuary had been completed. Then the most holy place was closed again to mortal presence for another year, and the work in the first apartment, or holy place, went on as before till the next tenth day of the seventh month. The description of this special or yearly ministration in the most holy place, which constituted the cleansing of the sanctuary, is found in Leviticus 16. Let us look briefly at some of the principal features of the scene. Through Moses the Lord gave the following instruction to Aaron the priest: “Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.” Lev. 16: 2. The Lord sometimes met with his people in other places; Ex. 29:42, 43, &c.; but in the earthly tabernacle, the place over the mercy-seat between the cherubim, may be considered as the place where God generally manifested his presence, and from which he had ordained to commune with them. At all events, he promised to meet the priest there on the great day of atonement. To come thus into the immediate presence of God was an act of fearful solemnity, and was not to be performed without suitable preparation, and certainly in no trivial or careless manner. Therefore, the priest was to offer a young bullock for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering, and make atonement for himself and his house. Verses 6, 11–14. Having thus, so far as that service could go, become free from sin himself, he was prepared to act in the remaining solemn services of that day, as mediator between God and the people. He was then to take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Verse 5. One of these goats was to be slain, and his blood ministered in the most holy place; the other was to be the scape-goat. But which of these it should be was not left to Aaron to decide: the Lord determined that by the lot which Aaron was to cast for this purpose. Verse 8. This being decided, he was to slay the goat upon which the lot fell for the Lord, for a sin-offering for the people, and bear his blood within the vail, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat eastward, and before the mercy-seat seven times. Two special purposes are stated for which this blood was offered: 1. To make an atonement for the transgression of the children of Israel in all their sins. 2. To cleanse, or make atonement for the holy sanctuary. These vital facts are clearly stated in Lev. 16:15–22, a portion of which, for the benefit of the reader, we here transcribe:—VERSE 15. Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat. 16. And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins; and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. 20. And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat; 21; and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness; 22; and the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited; and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. The margin of this last verse reads, instead of a land not inhabited, a land of separation. This goat was separated from the people. He came no more into the camp. And with him, the sins he bore upon himself were considered as forever separated from the people, to appear no more against them. Tradition has it that this goat was hurled from a precipice, and so dashed in pieces. However this may be, beyond question he in some way miserably perished; and with him, also, perished the load of guilt he had borne away from Israel. The man who led away the scape-goat was obliged to wash both himself and his clothes with water before returning into the camp. The whole service was calculated to impress the Israelites with the holiness of God and his abhorrence of sin, and to show them that they could have no contact with it without becoming greatly defiled. With the sending away of the goat, the people were free from the effect of those sins to which the atonement related. Till then they were not. For every man was to afflict his soul while the work of atonement was going forward; and whoever refused to do this, was to be cut off from among the people. Lev. 23:29, 30. The work of the priest in the cleansing of the sanctuary is again summed in verses 29, 30, 33, 34: “And this shall be a statute forever unto you; that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you; for on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.” “And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses.” The view of the subject here presented suggests some pertinent thoughts relative to the forgiveness and remission of sin. The acceptance of a substitute for the sinner was not for the purpose of making in the body of that substitute an end of the punishment due to the transgressor’s sin, but simply to remove the guilt from the sinner. The pouring out of the blood of that victim was not to cancel the sin, but to provide a means of its transfer to still some other object or party. Through the blood of the victim the sin was transferred to the sanctuary. So far the sinner’s work was an acknowledgment to the law, through blood, of his guilt, and a desire for pardon through faith in a substitute. But he was as yet only relatively or conditionally free. The law still held him, and unless its claims should be more directly satisfied, the remission of his sins would not be secured. On the day of atonement, the priest, taking an offering from the people, not for the purpose of bearing sins into the sanctuary, but of making an atonement for those already there, appeared with the blood of this general offering for the people, and sprinkled it upon the mercy-seat directly over the law, to make full satisfaction for its claims. Its demands being thus met, the law released its hold of all the sins in the sanctuary, and through them of the sinners from whom they had come. Then the high priest, if we may so express it, gathered the sins all upon himself and bore them from the sanctuary. Placing his hands upon the head of the scape-goat, he confessed over him all these sins, thus transferring them from himself to the goat. The goat then bore them away, and with him they perished. Remission means a sending away. Remission of sins is that absolute disposal of them that removes them forever, so that they can no more appear against the sinner. Pardon of sin was secured through the sinner’s offering; remission, only through the atonement. Pardon was conditional; remission, absolute. We have now before us a general outline of the ministration and cleansing of the earthly sanctuary. This was performed, says Paul, unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. From this service, we are, therefore, to reason concerning the ministration and cleansing of the sanctuary in Heaven. U. S. THE MINNESOTA CAMP-MEETING.
By Uriah Smith
This meeting has proved an astonishment, both to its friends and its foes. Brethren continued to come in from the commencement, till there were fifty-four church and family tents erected. Two of these were forty-foot tents, occupied by seventeen families, and rated as equal to four common tents each. This would make the tenting capacity equal to about sixty tents. Besides these, there were some twenty covered wagons used for tenting purposes in the rear of the main tent circle. A census of each tent’s company showed the number present to be five hundred and fifty, with scattering ones enough to make the number up to six hundred. It was the largest camp-meeting we have attended outside of Michigan. And the character of the meeting was good in proportion to its size. The social meetings were lively and spirited, as many as eighty-five sometimes speaking in the allotted hour. Of great interest among these were the testimonies of quite a number who here committed themselves fully for the first time to the truth. The words of Eld. H. W. Babcock, S. D. Baptist, in one of the social meetings, were sound and to the point. He advised all inquirers for truth not to be afraid of investigation. He said he could assure them that so far as the doctrines of S. D. Adventists were concerned there were no lions in the way, and nothing that would harm them by looking into these things, and coming in contact with them. He had received light, and experienced much joy in the society of these brethren. Others, not of our faith, were constrained to testify that the Spirit of the Lord was in the meeting, and that this was the people of God. From one neighborhood, eight who had come to the meeting, interested but not decided, all took their stand fully on the side of truth. This was a meeting of much joy and praise to the Lord. The general interest among the people, and power of the appeals to the unconverted and backsliders is shown in the fact that about one hundred and fifty came forward for prayers. Twenty-two were baptized. More would have gone forward in that ordinance, but all were advised, as far as possible, to perform this duty in their own churches at home. Friday, A. M., Eld. Babcock spoke from 2 Cor. 5:14. With words which commended themselves to all who heard, he dwelt upon the fact that all who loved Christ would be willing to accept of his truth, from whatever source, and by whatever means he might see fit to send it to us. It might not be presented in the smoothest language or the most polished phrase, but if it is the truth we should be none the less willing to receive it. Not many doctors of divinity are willing to learn and practice the simple and humble truths of God’s word; and he who is willing is, in the hands of God, a more effective agent than the one too proud to learn; for he can make no use of such. The entire discourse was listened to by all with the greatest pleasure. The growth of the cause in Minnesota has been most encouraging. Nine new churches were added to the Conference at this meeting. Bro. P. Lindblad, who gives promise of making an acceptable laborer among the Swedes, was ordained on Monday evening, June 26. Bro. White gave a discourse appropriate to the occasion, and Bro. Matteson gave the charge and right hand of fellowship. It was an interesting season. In the forenoon of this day, Bro. H. W. Babcock, already mentioned, from the S. D. Baptists, and Bro. N. Battin, an ordained minister from the first-day Baptists, who bore a very interesting testimony at different times during the meeting, fully united themselves with our people, and by vote of the Conference first, then by the whole congregation, were received as members of the Minnesota Conference to receive credentials as laborers with other ministers of the State. Both of these brethren, in stating how and why they had come to accept the doctrines held by S. D. Adventists, spoke of the great truth relative to the nature and destiny of man, and the relief it had brought to their theology, investing, as it does, the resurrection with that importance which the Bible ascribes to it, and enhancing the glory of the position and work of Christ as the great Life-giver, the author of immortality to all his people, and leading us onward to the time when nothing of evil will be left to defy the power of Jehovah and mar his fair creation, but the foul vestige of sin will be wiped away, and we will once more have a clean universe, holy and happy. This view, besides being scriptural, commends itself to all as infinitely preferable to the old view of everlasting sin and suffering, evil made eternal by that very Being who abhors it. With the three ministers now added, Minnesota will have in the field the present season seven ministers and seven licentiates. Believers in the State, according to reports to the Conference, now number about one thousand. There was a good representation of the Scandinavians upon the ground. Bro. Matteson held daily services with these in their own tongue. Bro. and sister White also addressed them, Bro. Matteson interpreting. These were seasons of great interest to that people, tending to confirm and strengthen them in the truth. The degree of union they manifested with the work, notwithstanding the bitterly poisoned and distracting influence recently brought to bear against them, was most cheering. The weather was pleasant throughout, and the outside attendance was large. Even on Sabbath many came in from the surrounding country, and the grove presented a very animated appearance. On Sunday, it is estimated that between 2500 and 3000 persons were present. Bro. White spoke in the forenoon and Sister White in the afternoon, with usual freedom. The Minnesota Conference, and the Minn. & M. Society, held the usual sessions necessary to transact their business. As in other Conferences, so here also reigns the most complete union and harmony, both of feeling and action. At the closing session, Tuesday morning, the subject of finances was introduced, and the query raised as to what should be done for the support of tent labor the present season, the treasury being exhausted in meeting past obligations to laborers in the State. A subscription was at once taken up, which returned over one hundred and thirty dollars, exceeding the expectations of all, and adding in the hearts of the members of the Conference, a new degree to their already lively courage. Sister White, on this occasion, spoke words which moved all hearts; and thus this triumphant meeting came to a most triumphant close. The brethren showed their appreciation of the labors of Bro. and sister White at this meeting by a resolution, which will appear in the business proceedings of the Conference, also by a rising vote of the entire congregation, as the closing act of the parting meeting. We have never seen the beauty and harmony of truth better appreciated than by the brethren at this meeting, especially by those who by thorough investigation have newly come to the faith. It is becoming, as it should be, a controlling power in many hearts. May it thus become in all. U. S. THE GREAT SURPRISE.
By Uriah Smith
The greatest surprise a man meets is to throw himself with all energy and determination into any work with confident expectation of accomplishing a certain result, and then have it turn out exactly the contrary from what he intended. In looking over the history of this cause, we see many places where such surprises must have overtaken those who have risen up against the truth to overthrow and demolish it. They strike a blow at the car of truth with which they intend and expect to hurl it from the track, if not to demolish it altogether. A little dust is raised which for the time being may obscure the work. But when that clears away, lo! the cause is found steadily advancing, brighter and more vigorous, rather strengthened than otherwise13 by the efforts meant to crush it, the attack having about as much effect in hindering the work as smoke would have in checking a railway train. So we find it at the present time in Minnesota. An unaccountable outburst, a wild raid has been made since last camp-meeting, against the cause in that State. In the expectation of its enemies, the cause was to be immediately revolutionized there, and Seventh-day Adventism blotted out. But no meeting ever held in the State was equal to the camp-meeting just closed. Nowhere was the cause there able to show such numerical and mental strength, nor give better promise of the future; and this, if not as a permanent result of the opposition against it, at least, in spite of it. And thus it will always be. The wrath of God will cause to praise him; and the remainder thereof he will restrain. Men can do nothing against the cause of God, but for it. Let us keep steadily on with the work we have in hand. The Review and Herald.
By Editor
“Sanctify them through Thy Truth: Thy Word is Truth.” BATTLE CREEK, MICH., FIFTH-DAY, JULY 6, 1876. JAMES WHITE,
J. N. ANDREWS,
URIAH SMITH, } . . . EDITORS. THE JEWS ON THE TWO LAWS.
By D. M. Carrington
The “Jews’ Letters to Voltaire” is justly celebrated among all believers in the divine origin of the Bible as an able and critical work. It is well worth reading. In treating of the laws of the Old Testament, these letters make the same distinction between the two laws, the moral and the ceremonial, that we do. Here is what they say:— “But are these ritual laws, which you quote, only the divine law of the Jews? Are they the principal and most essential parts of it? Our prophets everywhere say the contrary. The decalogue, that most excellent compendium of morality, and so many other admirable precepts on the duties of man toward God, toward himself and toward his fellow-creatures, are the foundation and first part of this law; and whatever wise rules are given for external worship, and for everything that concerns it, on the authority of magistrates, on inheritances and suits, on trials and the manner of making peace or war, etc., in a word, on the whole administration, ecclesiastical, civil, and political,—these are the second part.”—Jews’ Letters to Voltaire, Part Second, Letter I. pp. 177, 178. In a foot-note they add: “The divine law of the Jews is distinguished into divine natural law, which comprehends the moral laws founded in the nature of things, and into divine positive law, which comprehends the ceremonial laws, the laws of civil polity, etc., which are founded merely on the good will and pleasure of God.” These plain and truthful statements by those learned Jews to that noted infidel are valuable. We can use them to good effect in our sermons on the two laws. On the words “for ever” the above learned Jews say:— “Your critics insist on the words ‘for ever,’ in sempiternum, to ‘the end of all ages.’ We may answer them that the Hebrew words which are thus rendered, signify only a long and indefinite space of time; there are numberless instances of this in Scripture.”—Jews’ Letters to Voltaire, A Short Commentary, Extract V. p. 423. This is also good and sensible. It proves that the learned Hebrews who certainly ought to be good critics on their own language, do not regard these words as necessarily meaning eternity. D. M. CARRINGTON. Those who teach that the law was done away at the time of Christ often quote this text: “The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” This is thought to teach that the way by which man must enter the kingdom of God has been entirely different since the time of John, and that we are not now required to regard any law of the Old Testament. A close examination of the text will show that this is not its meaning. To what law does it refer? To make good English, it was necessary for the translators to supply a word. They supplied the word “were;” but does that convey the original meaning? There is nothing in the text itself to indicate what word should be used, but in the parallel text, Matt. 11:13, the right word is found in the original; it is not “were,” but “prophesied.” The text reads: “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.” The law prophesied as well as the prophets; that is, it pointed forward to future events. The law here spoken of cannot be the ten commandments; for they are not of a prophetical nature, but are strictly moral precepts to regulate the characters of men in all ages. The reference must be to the law of types and offerings, which pointed to, or typified, the events to take place in the time of John and Christ; and as surely as heaven and earth remain, not one tittle will fail of having its antitype or prophecy fulfilled; nor will any part of the moral law fail of being God’s rule of right for man. F. R. RICHMOND.
Brightwood, Mass. A WORD MORE TO OUR FRIENDS IN IOWA AND NEBRASKA.
By GEO. L. BUTLER.
Having received further information concerning the lack of money to pay off the indebtedness of the Conference for last year, and for the running expenses of our tents now in the field, and not knowing the address of all the leaders of our churches in the Conference, I will say a word further to our brethren through the REVIEW. I learn from our former treasurer that there are claims allowed by the Auditing Committee of the last Conference, amounting to about four hundred dollars, still unpaid for lack of funds. And furthermore, there are no funds in the treasury to meet tent expenses this season, and some of our tent laborers are calling for means to enable them to pay expenses. The friends of the cause will see at once, from these plain facts, the necessity of helping us out of this difficulty. They surely will not want to see the cause hindered, and men whose claims have been allowed to be just denied their dues. To meet this difficulty, we urge all those in every church in the Conference, who are behind on their S. B., to pay up. Had all these paid the pledges they voluntarily made, much of this difficulty would have been avoided. Do not, dear friends, embarrass the cause by a neglect to live up to your promises. Make the effort, and pay to your church treasurer your back pledges at once. We also request those of our brethren who can, without distressing themselves by so doing, to pre-pay one or two quarters of their S. B. for the present year to their church treasurers at once, to help their Committee out of their present embarrassment. We request the elders and leaders of our several churches to notice this article, and call the attention of the brethren and sisters to it in the public meetings. And finally we ask the church treasurers in all our churches to forward promptly to the State treasurer, Bro. A. R. Henry, of Indianola, Iowa, such funds as come into their hands, either by money order, draft, or registered letter. There are good omens of success to be seen in this Conference. Our increase last year, of 14 churches, and nearly 1400 members is certainly gratifying. Good openings are all around. Bro. Kilgore and Farnsworth are now setting the new tent in Dakota Ter. Our tents are starting in Nebraska; Bro. Morrison is with me here in Mt. Pleasant. We have just commenced meetings in the big tent 50x70, pitched in the public square, on the green grass under the beautiful trees—a great favor indeed, granted by the city councilmen. We commenced last night with an audience of upwards of two hundred, who gave good attention. There are many intelligent people in this city of 4000 or 5000 inhabitants. It is called the Athens of Iowa because of its educational privileges. We want your prayers; for we feel a great burden for this place, that God will bless our effort. We shall advertise largely, and do all we can. Our strong Conference ought at least by another year to send a new tent, properly manned, to Colorado, to start the work there. Dear friends, we have a great and glorious work committed to our hands, let us cheerfully do our part. I will speak of another point. If our brethren and sisters in our old churches will take hold with us to help where the cause needs help, we will try to afford especial labor from our best gifts, in those churches which seem to need it, after the cool weather comes. We believe labor could be very profitably bestowed in many of our older churches, and that an increase of membership might be expected and the old members much encouraged. We have such a work under contemplation. Let us all arouse, work in the good cause of God, scatter the tracts, and try to think of something else besides this poor world of sorrow and sin. This is the work of God, and the Lord is soon coming. Take hold with us in the work of God, brethren and sisters, and the Lord will help us. I invite those who think there are good openings in any part of our Conference to correspond with me. I also invite our ministers, and licentiates to correspond with me from time to time in reference to their plans, their success and their contemplated fields of labor. The Conference Committee should understand such matters. Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, June 29, 1876. HOW DO YOU COUNT?
By Roswell F. Cottrell
In a public discourse, I promised to read every place in the New Testament where the first day of the week is mentioned. At the close a comment was made that I had omitted that place where it is said that “after eight days,” the disciples being met received another visit from the Saviour. John 20 : 26. Let us consider this matter. It was “toward evening,” and that first day of the week, in the morning of which the women had gone to the sepulcher and brought back the news of the resurrection, was “far spent,” when the two disciples, with Jesus, arrived at Emmaus, sixty furlongs (more than eight English miles) from Jerusalem. Luke 24 : 29. After their supper was prepared, and they were seated at the table, their eyes were opened that they knew Jesus, and he vanished out of their sight. The same hour they arose and walked over about eight miles to Jerusalem, and found the eleven together, and told them the joyful news of a Saviour “risen indeed,” but they did not believe them. Mark 16 : 12-14. Then Jesus stood in their midst, and after saying, “Peace be unto you,” he upbraided them for their unbelief, showed them his hands, his feet, and his side, and then called for food and ate in their presence, all to convince them that the same Jesus that was crucified was really risen from the dead. Luke 24 : 36-43 ; John 20 : 19, 20. By the time all this was done that first day was nearly, if not wholly, past. This was Sunday evening. Now let us count. Monday evening would be one day after, Tuesday two, Wednesday three, Thursday four, Friday five, Saturday six, Sunday seven, and Monday evening would be eight full days; so that Monday could be truly said to be after eight days. But how after eight days should mean more than seven days, I leave others to show. To show the Scripture use and meaning of such phraseology, the reader is referred to the fact that what two inspired witnesses expressed in the phrase, “after six days,” Matt. 17 : 1 ; Mark 9 : 2, another says was “about an eight days after.” Luke 9 : 28.