gods these were whose sacrifices the Israelites ate at Baal-peor.
Ps. cvi, 28. “They joined themselves also unto Baal-peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.”
The gods, then, to which these sacrifices were offered were deified dead men. And they were confirmed in worshiping these dead heroes because they received such wonderful responses, so perfectly characteristic of the men. But though they supposed themselves receiving responses from the souls of these dead warriors to whom they thus sacrificed as gods, Paul tells us who really received this worship, and of course who returned the response. Thus he says:
1 Cor. x, 20. “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God; and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”
They worshipped dead men in name, and devils in reality. They had no doubt that these departed warriors and kings still lived, for they had manifest and characteristic responses. But who can not see where these responses come from, or what being it is that has an interest that men should believe in their own present immortality?
But who taught the heathen this doctrine that the soul of man is immortal, or that men became as gods by dying? If we go back to Satan’s first great lie, we shall find this doctrine stated in express terms: “Ye shall not surely die: . . . ye shall be as gods.” Gen. iii, 4, 5. Here is the fountain head of heathen philosophy, and of almost every false system of religion. With this idea of natural immortality established in the minds of men, Satan has been able by means of witchcraft to control the world to an unlimited extent. He sends his evil angels in the name of their dear departed friends, and imitating the peculiarities of those friends most perfectly, he throws them off their guard, and instilling into their minds the doctrines of devils, leads them captive at his will. To see what kind of morals attend the practice of witchcraft, read and compare Deut. xviii, 9–14 with Lev. xviii, 24–30.
Witchcraft, or the dealing with familiar spirits, is Satan’s system of spiritual gifts; for he holds communion with men through his evil angels, as God does through the holy angels. But as they cannot deceive us if they come in their own name, they have chosen effectual disguise, and so come to us in the very form and manner of our dearest departed friends.
We can understand why Satan has made so great an effort to draw men into the sin of witchcraft; for it gives him control of their minds, and makes their ruin almost certain. And we can see the mercy of God in closing up this pretended avenue to the most wonderful knowledge. The whole thing is a deception and a fraud; and God has fenced up the road with his prohibition that we may understand it to be a dangerous and fatal thing to travel that way. God is equally merciful in what he commands and in what he prohibits. It was Satan, therefore, with his first great falsehood, that originated the principles and established the practice of witchcraft among mankind.
VII. What are we to expect from this great satanic manifestation in the closing scenes of this dispensation?
That Modern Spiritualism is not slandered when represented as a continuation of ancient witchcraft is shown by two facts. 1. The Old Testament shows that the practice of witchcraft in the days of ancient Israel was precisely the same as the work of Modern Spiritualism. 2. Spiritualists do not deny, but do frankly acknowledge the identity of modern spirit mediums and ancient dealers with familiar spirits. Before we ask what Satan is to do in the final display of his utmost power, let us consider what he has done already in the revival of this mystery of iniquity. From an obscure beginning in Western New York some eighteen years since, Spiritualism has extended itself over the whole earth, and gained a foothold in every district of which we have any knowledge. It is already the religion of many millions of the human family. Its success has been the result of two things: 1. Its wonders. 2. Its doctrines. Its wonders are the wonders of ancient witchcraft in enabling men to converse with the dead. Its doctrines deserve notice. Among the most important are these:
1. That the Bible is full of errors, and not worthy of our confidence.
2. That the moral law is of no authority as a standard of moral character.
3. That there is no difference between right and wrong: for whatever is right; and no such thing as sin exists.
4. That there is no need of salvation through Jesus Christ, but every man is his own Christ.
5. That there is no resurrection of the dead; no future judgment, and no final account.
6. That the God of the Old Testament is the spirit of a dead man.
7. That all men compose a part of God; or, all men in death become so many separate deities.
8. That the souls of men are immortal, and at death enter a higher sphere.
These principles are not always openly avowed in plain terms, but are dealt out as the hearer can hear them. But when men have become established in this system, the spirits do not hesitate to avow the “doctrines of devils” in the plainest terms. It is probable that, like Mormonism, a large share of the success that attends this wonderful satanic manifestation is due to its teachings and practices in regard to the seventh commandment. The morals of ancient witchcraft may be seen by comparing Deut. xviii, 9–14; Lev. xviii, 24–30. Perhaps Modern Spiritualism cannot be worse; but it is certainly not one degree purer. There are thousands of people now standing in the outer courts of this infernal diabolism, who are comparatively unaware of what exists in its sanctuary. Would to God that they could be warned before they drink deeper of this strong delusion.
The future of this system of ruinous delusion and mighty satanic wonders is given in the prophetic Scriptures. Of the period immediately preceding the second advent of Jesus Christ, Paul speaks thus:
2 Thess. ii, 9–12. “Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
A short space of time in the close of this dispensation bears the dread appellation of the hour of temptation:
Rev. iii, 10. “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
These spirits have an important part to act preparatory to the battle of the great day of God Almighty:
Rev. xvi, 13, 14. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
The false prophet, out of whose mouth one of the unclean spirits goes forth, is the same as the two-horned beast. Rev. xiii, 19. This fact gives us a clew to the agency by which the two-horned beast is to perform its astonishing miracles in the coming hour of temptation.
Rev. xiii, 13, 14. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell upon the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live.”
At a period of time not very far distant in the future, this mighty satanic delusion will have absolute control of those who have not made Christ their portion, and his truth their shield and buckler.
VIII. What is furnished us as a safeguard against this deception?
The prophet points us to this in the words of the text: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Our safeguard from satanic delusion is the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Those who heed this warning will be able to escape the tempter’s power; those who do not heed it shall be carried away by it. This certainly indicates that when the grand struggle shall arrive, men will be found gathered into just two classes: 1. Commandment-keepers. 2. Spiritualists.
If we treat the law of God as Isaiah bids us, we shall not only acknowledge its authority, but we shall have its holy principles written in our hearts. Then we shall be able to appreciate the vileness of this satanic doctrine, and ever be on our guard against it. And if we regard the testimony of Jesus Christ which is the spirit of prophecy, Rev. xix, 10, we shall understand how great a difference there is between the teaching of the Holy Spirit and the doctrines of devils.
Finally, if we would stand in the hour of temptation, we must now keep the word of Christ’s patience. The present is the period of the saints’ patience: it is for each of us to be of that number who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
THE WAITING HARVEST.
By R. C. Baker
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.” Luke x, 2.
The harvest is whitening, the laborers are few,
And fainting and weary, their work they pursue;
Broad, broad, are the acres of ripening grain,
Few and scattered the reapers o'er all the vast plain.
From bearing the burden and heat of the day,
Some weary, and falter, and faint by the way;
But true to their mission, and smiling at pain,
They rise and return to their toiling again.
Dear Lord of the harvest, before thee we plead,
O listen and help in this time of our need.
O send forth the laborers in power and in might,
To reap down the fields which for harvest are white.
Ere long the dark shadows of evening will fall,
Then in vain the poor sinner for mercy will call;
Now, now, is the time for the warning to sound,
Now the guilty may come, and sweet pardon be found.
O send forth the laborers, dear Father, we cry,
Endue them with Spirit and power from on high,
To awaken poor souls from their slumbers profound,
Ere they wake in despair at the last trumpet's sound.
Dear Lord of the harvest, the poor sinner spare,
O answer thy people's importunate prayer;
For soon the glad time of ingathering will come,
And fain would we gather rich sheaves to our home.
R. C. BAKER.
Mackford, Wis.
The Second Advent.
By JOS. CLARKE.
THE Second Advent of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, about which so much has been said and written by those who love his appearing, is doubtless near at hand. His first coming, according to previous appointment in the prophetic Scriptures, is a sure guarantee that he will fulfill his promise to come the second time without sin unto salvation. To doubt upon this point is clear evidence of an uninformed mind or a perverted judgment. This glorious event has been the fervent desire of the church from the days of Enoch. All have looked forward to it with ardent longings and rapturous anticipations; and though the ancient worthies knew that centuries would intervene between their time and this sublime event, yet they waited just as patiently and expected it as certainly, as we do now, who with joyous anticipations are expecting to witness the most sublime and glorious scene ever beheld since sin came into our world. Upon no point of doctrine is the Bible more clear and distinct than upon this. Signs in the heavens above and in the earth beneath, and events among the inhabitants of the earth, all contribute testimony to the same effect. This subject has been the theme of inspired men of every age; and as they meditated upon it their hearts became warm with holy fire, they became more heavenly and angelic, and a power and an eloquence more than human became manifest in their language and writings. This noble subject lifted them from the groveling sphere of the unbelieving world around. They peered far into the future by the light of inspiration; and from the dim and shadowy future they drew solid consolation and support.
The future! oh! how dark to the mere statesman, politician, or worldling! How constantly are their hopes and plans for the future shifting and uncertain! Not so with those holy ones who have resigned themselves to sleep, in the full assurance of the resurrection at the coming of our Lord. Their hope is not the illusion of the imagination, nor is it a dream, but it is a full assurance and well grounded hope, very soon to be realized. Those sleeping saints have slept through the long night of error and darkness; but behold the day breaketh! soon they will awake! Does not the Lord have a desire to the work of his hands? Does he not desire to behold his servants who have slept so long? Is he not as weary waiting for the Bridal Morn as we? Do not angels weep with longing, aching hearts to see the faces of those devoted ones who went with holy calmness to the martyr’s cruel death? Are we alone in desiring the soon coming of our blessed Lord who promised to come again, having prepared mansions for his saints? Ah! there are preparations being made for the sleeping saints; they will not be ushered into a place unprepared and confused, but all will be ready ere they awake.
Come then, blessed Master, and awake thy holy people from their long sleep, and rescue thy waiting ones that remain upon the earth. JOS. CLARKE.
Who Shall Stand When He Appeareth
Who shall stand when He appeareth.
They are Getting Rich.
By James White
No class of the common people are becoming wealthy so fast as Seventh-day Adventists, notwithstanding the fears and absurd cries that they are wasting their time and property, and are coming to want. What is there to hinder from getting rich? Let us look at a few facts.
1. The keeping of the Sabbath, which many have feared would bring them to want, is no real disadvantage to the farmer and the mechanic, with few exceptions. Once it was; but the public confidence in them is so restored, and has become so great in their strict honesty, that keeping the Lord's Sabbath has opened the way for them to transact business to greater profit than before they embraced it.
As an illustration of the above, in point of public confidence, we give the case of a Bro. J. of Battle Creek. The school board of that city were about to expend $50,000, in building. They called on different builders for their figures on the smallest house, and they gave them in at $11,000. The board then called for Bro. J.'s figures, which were $12,300. They gave him the job, although it costs the city $1,300 more, and give him the privilege of working on Sunday. The simple reason of this is, the general punctuality, honesty, and faithfulness, of that large class of the brethren in Battle Creek, have gained the entire confidence of the people of the city. However they may regard our faith, this is their opinion of the men.
2. This public confidence throws a great amount of work in the way of our brethren, so that the poorer class of mechanics get the highest wages, and all work themselves almost within an inch of their lives.
3. Seventh-day Adventists, in separating from the world, have no holidays, on which to spend time and money, but continue the ceaseless round of work, work, work. They have cut off the needless expenses of tobacco, tea, coffee, flesh as food, and finery for their persons and their houses generally. Industry and economy have become almost a part of their religion, and the ruling passion of many of them is, the love of money. It is no uncommon thing to find, on the present tour, men who put down their property at four thousand dollars on the S. B. book, and their figures are not often too high, who, when we were in Northern Michigan four years since, were worth hardly a dime. And the figures of the more wealthy have generally risen a thousand a year, while this year's possessions of from one to four thousand, are rising to four, and all the way up to ten, thousand. This is nearer as it should be.
It is the poor of this world, with few exceptions, who embrace the Sabbath; yet, with all the common embarrassments of humble life, we soon see them along side of their neighbors, in point of property. We discard the idea that Providence has fated some to be poor, and others to be rich. The foregoing are among the causes which bring their sure results. You will hardly find a poor man in the society of Friends, while, as a body, they are rich. Their separating from the world has led them on the same road to wealth in which Seventh-day Adventists are pursuing. The world-wide reputation of the honest Quaker gives him the advantage anywhere.
But we are compelled to admit that there are instances where economy is followed by extreme penuriousness and meanness, and then by the withering blast of the Lord upon the prosperity of such. We have spoken of things as they generally stand. But while Providence has made decided examples of some, scattering their increase and more or less of the principal, others should take warning. Dishonest gain, whether obtained before or since embracing the third message, will sooner or later be a curse to the man in whose hands it may be found. But says the guilty conscience, “What can be done at this late hour?” Truth and honesty answer, “Restoration, confession, and a change of course.” They need to share largely in good, old-fashioned, Zaccheus religion, which restored four-fold.
Be not deceived, O ye rich. Not all that you hold with an iron grasp comes under the blessing of obedience. Already may the word be going forth, “Go to now, ye rich men,” gather up unholy gain, and prepare it to be mingled with the miseries that are before you. This terrible language does not seem to us to fix the unchangeable state of those addressed, but is made while a ray of hope lingers. At least, it speaks of the miseries as being future,—“That shall come upon you.” You may stintingly pay S. B., on this unjust gain which you have drawn from the pockets of others, or the blood and bone of laborers, out of, or in, your own families; yet, remember, all such offerings are an offense; God counts them as moth eaten, rust, and corruption.
We close, by suggesting the remedies for that which threatens Seventh-day Adventists as a people, namely, they are getting rich. While the Word of God does not condemn industry and economy, and enjoins a plain and simple life, it does require,
1. Temperance in all things, labor not excepted. Besides the rest at night, and the ceasing of manual labor on the Sabbath, God's ancient people had, among other sacrifices, certain days in which they were to do no servile work. You should have your periods of relaxation from toil and care, that you may be refreshed.
2. And while God's word does not condemn the man who holds property honestly gained, it plainly points out his duty to the widow, to the orphan, and the worthy poor, and his duty to the cause of God. It is the uniform custom of some, when their duty to the poor is mentioned, to commence at once setting forth the lack of industry and economy of some who claim to be the Lord's worthy poor. Behind these they hide themselves, and do but little, if anything, for any one. What if there be unworthy poor? this is no proof that they have no duty to the poor. And what if they should give to some who should prove afterward to have received their liberalities unworthily? Should they for this reason stop giving, as though this had changed God's requirements? We look back upon the past fifteen years, and a shade of sadness comes over us, because of the fact that three out of four who have shared our liberalities have become our worst enemies. And then again light and joy spring up in the heart, on reflection that we have never turned away the poor who have appealed to us for help. We would not recommend rashness, in distributing to the poor, and would suggest that the truly worthy poor are but few, in this land of plenty. It is the advancement of the cause of truth that calls for a living, smoking, consuming, sacrifice. And although it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven, as illustrated by our Saviour, yet it is possible, if he be willing to become poor. Many are called, but few chosen of God as his precious jewels; and the heirs of the kingdom will finally be of the poor of this world who are rich in faith.
JAMES WHITE.
Greenville, Mich., Jan. 30, 1867.
Report from Bro. Loughborough.
By John Norton Loughborough
DECEMBER 20. I again left Battle Creek for Lapeer, where I arrived the day following. Began meetings with the church in Lapeer at the commencement of the Sabbath, and continued there till the evening of the 26th. During this time I preached five times in Lapeer, held one business meeting, and preached on first-day, a funeral discourse in Hadley, twelve miles from Lapeer, for our aged Bro. Mills, a member of the Lapeer church, who died near Hadley, his place of residence, some three weeks previous to that time.
I found that the effort made during the two weeks of my previous visit in Lapeer, had not been altogether in vain; still all the difficulties were not remedied. There was more work to be done. I tried to preach to them those truths which would be calculated to present their true condition before them; and, in our business meeting, to attend to those things which were ready to be done. Perhaps it is due to say here that on account of trials growing out of an unwise course with some, and hard feelings on the part of others, in their meeting-house enterprise, a sad state of affairs existed in Lapeer, and the cause, spiritually and financially, was very low. Systematic Benevolence, which was organized four years ago, when I was last there, to the amount of some $200 or $250, had run down to almost nothing.
In our business meeting there was a rally on the subject of S. B. The figures were given in to the amount of nearly $300, and some steps were taken to relieve the meeting-house question of the perplexing aspect it presented when the meetings began. We did what we could then in the way of righting wrongs, but left with some reluctance, feeling that there was yet a work to be done there when matters were ripe for it, and not seeing how the cause could really prosper until this work was done. I have learned since leaving the place that the Lord has given some testimony concerning the state of things there, and, as I have had an opportunity to read it, I will say, I think it delineates the true state of things, and the cause of the difficulties. If all will come up with true humility of heart and life to do their duty as there pointed out, there will be better days for Lapeer church, a better influence without, and again the light of truth will draw souls into the fold of Christ.
Dec. 27, Bro. Jonathan Hoffman kindly carried me nineteen miles toward Memphis to the house of Bro. James Dixon, in Dryden, and the next day his son, Bro. Norman Dixon, carried me nineteen miles further, to Memphis. It was excessively cold, but as we were quite well bundled up and the wind was on our backs, we went on our way with but little suffering, and with thankfulness in our hearts that it was no worse, as it might have been had we had a head wind to face. On this trip I was led to reflect, and of late, still more, why is it that so many are so unhappy in this world? It is because, instead of considering how much worse their condition and surroundings might be than they are, and being as Paul admonished us, content in our condition, they are ever magnifying their ills and misfortunes, brooding them over in their minds, murmuring against those who have really, or in their imagination wronged them; and this of course will have the same effect upon that, which otherwise would be but a slight speck upon their peace, that constant115picking will upon a pimple, namely, it will cause an angry, and grievous sore.
I arrived in Memphis a few minutes before the commencement of the Sabbath, Dec. 28. Found Bro. Cornell in Memphis, where he had been holding meetings and laboring under unfavorable circumstances for some two weeks.
First, the weather was such that it hindered the church from coming together, especially that portion scattered through the country round about. At first it was rainy with deep mud; then it turned suddenly very cold. As there were no sheds connected with the place of worship, it was very bad for teams when rainy or extremely cold.
Second, the sects of the place had combined together to stay away from the meeting, which they did for the most part.
Shortly after I joined Bro. Cornell in Memphis the weather became more favorable, the brethren and sisters more generally turned out, and the interest in the meetings arose. There was sickness however in some of the families of the Sabbath-keepers, which kept them from sharing the benefits of the meetings.
Here I would say, I regret to see, in any place, a lack of zeal in getting out to meeting. Many times trifling excuses keep people away from meeting. The apostle's admonition is, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhort one another, and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.” Do we see the day approaching? I know not where a person can be looking who cannot see the tokens of the day of the Lord near. Pride, formality, love of the world, love of pleasure, and all the eighteen sins spoken of by Paul in 2 Tim. iii, are among the nominal professors of this time. Shall we allow selfishness, self-interest, love of ease, or any slight cause, to take away our interest in the cause of God? This very lack of zeal in the church is a token that the end is near. Christ said, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares, for as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” Thus, when we see the church of Christ, who are looking for his coming, settling into a lack of zeal, it is itself a token that we are on enchanted ground, and that Satan is trying to blind our minds and dampen our zeal, that we may be overtaken by the day of God unawares. Rouse! brother, sister, to the conflict; the end surely approacheth.
How is the heart of the servant of God pained, after toiling through mud or cold to get to the place where he is to speak the word of life, desirous that all may be there, that all the church may be mutually benefited by those truths he has tried to select from the great store-house of truth, those truths pointing out to them their condition, their dangers, to find, alas! one and another are absent. Where are they? Oh! they have so zealously followed their labor through the week that they cannot muster energy enough to get to the place of meeting. Business meeting is called; all are requested to be there without fail, as matters of importance pertaining to the cause are to be considered. You get there and find two-thirds of the members, perhaps, present, the rest cannot spend time, or else think they have nothing to do but to feast on the truth; no burdens to bear; dodge every place where they think there is a burden. Will Christ say to such, “Well done?” Never. What have they done? Nothing. Are you dreaming of getting to Heaven “at this poor dying rate?” If so you may as well rouse from your slumber now, and cease your dreaming, or your slumber will be at last broken by that voice which will say, “Depart, I never knew you.”
A brother said to me not long since, “I have seen the time that I worked all day and then went three miles at night, to hear the truth preached, every night for a week; and I could do it again; and so could others find a way to get to meeting if they had that same interest they had then.” This is true, and may the Lord help us all to make the truth, and the things of the kingdom of God of the highest importance, so may we gain, not only eternal life, but that promise, “and all things else shall be added unto you.”
I tarried in Memphis over two Sabbaths, till Jan. 7, and held in all eleven meetings, besides attending several in which Bro. Cornell preached. One of these meetings was a business meeting, in which Systematic Benevolence was arranged for 1867. When it was first organized in Memphis, it was not exactly on the plan carried out by our churches in other places, and so it has been a tug to bring all of them up to the work. I suppose as they were involved in meeting-house matters, it was thought by those organizing, that the Conference would not expect much of Memphis, and so there was not that thoroughness on S. B. that should have been.
It is of the greatest importance that matters are started right, in organizing a church; then there is no falling back upon lame work, when an effort is made to bring the church up on higher ground. As I said to the Memphis brethren, “If you had been organized on S. B. upon the plan carried out by our other churches, you would have been raising means by system.” The Conference, in your condition, would have let you off measurably for a time on paying much to its funds, and your house would have been out of debt long ago, and you now would have been all in harmony with the body on these points.” The blame was not on the church at the time the S. B. was first organized; for, as they say, they were then willing to do anything that was shown to be duty. To my ministering brethren I would say, Let us not, out of false delicacy, fail to present the right principles before the church, and urge them to come up. Of course there is no compulsion in this matter, but all are left to develop character. But put the true principles fully before them to develop character by. Bro. Gurney had succeeded in raising the figures considerably before our visit; but at the above business meeting, another raise of some $80.00 was made.
The meetings in M. seemed to give a new impetus to the cause there. Some who were on the back ground were aroused to start anew, and some new ones made a start for the kingdom. The interest was such that it was deemed advisable for Bro. Cornell to remain and labor on, following up the interest with prayer-meetings, visiting from house to house, and lectures, which I have since learned were having a good effect. I left the place Monday, Jan. 7th, in good health and cheer, and came with Bro. Randall to Oakland.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
Grand Rapids, Jan. 31, 1867.
A Christian Convention on Sunday-Keeping.
A CONVENTION of all the religious denominations of Detroit, Mich., has lately been held for the purpose of discussing points which they consider of vital importance to their religious prosperity. The sixth topic proposed for consideration was, “What can be done to arrest the growing desecration of the Sabbath?” The report says that the discussion of this subject was opened by a gentlemen urging that “at the next election a Common Council be chosen to give us a Sunday law to enforce the observance of the Sabbath day.”
Mr. Fiske thought a great deal of the trouble lay in the demoralizing practices of church-members attending to secular duties, reading secular newspapers or books on the Sabbath, instead of making it a day of rest, and in training up their children and families in the way they should go.
Mr. Phelps and Mr. Hickey advocated the disuse of street-cars, and the refusal to buy papers on Sunday, the latter preferring to take care of the newsboys, so that they would not be obliged to sell newspapers on Sunday.
Mr. Scott declared it a shame that the Sabbath was not better observed. Men who break the Sabbath find little to restrain them from committing other crimes.
Mr. McCorkle said the determination should be made not to vote for a man for any office except he be a man of principle who would stand up against the evil-doers in this respect.
Mr. Zug said it was useless to talk about votes and official influence, so long as men were received into the church who disregarded the Sabbath, as many were so received; referring to different trades and classes, as masters and owners of vessels, loading and unloading along the decks on the Sabbath. Any of these men on making application would be received into the church.
Appeal to the Brethren in Ohio.
By I. D. VAN HORN
DEAR BRETHREN; The word of God, when considered in the light of prophecy, clearly opens the view to us all that the last days, with the perils thereof, are upon us. I need not present evidence to show this to you, for you are all well acquainted with the facts that sustain it. The Lord is soon to appear, to gather all his faithful ones to himself; and, in view of this, the question uppermost in your minds is, “What shall I do that I may be prepared to meet him?” You are all aware, then, that a preparation to meet him in peace is necessary.
The glory and beauty of present truth is shining around you, and you all rejoice in its light. You want your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you. You profess to have the light, and the Lord requires of you to “let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.” By your good works, then, you are to show to those whom you would have receive the last warning message, the sincerity of your hearts, and the beauty and harmony of the truth.
In view of the above facts, and of the solemn and important time in which we are living, allow me to present a few things for your consideration.
You have done nobly, the past few years, in sustaining the cause among you, though you have passed through many severe trials and discouragements. The most of you have stood faithfully at your post, even when you saw the laborers in word and doctrine all forsaking you. God has blessed you for this, and you will not lose your reward. Your prayers for help have ascended on high, and they have been answered. Last June, Bro. Lawrence and myself came among you, and we have spared no pains or time, nor consulted our own convenience, but have labored almost incessantly in the fear of God, to advance the cause of truth among you. Our labors have been fruitful, but not so abundant as we had hoped. I have visited you in the Quarterly Meetings, and was made to rejoice to see your earnestness in maintaining the truth. I have made arrangements to visit you again, in as many places as I can in the limited time that I can be with you. Let every one that can, make preparations to attend these meetings. Make some sacrifice rather than to stay at home. Come with a mind and will to do your duty, and bear some part in the work. Let these meetings result in good to you all, and to the glory of God.
You all have a duty to do in other respects besides attending meetings. The Review claims your attention. As it now comes to you in its enlarged form and new dress, it is the best religious paper in the world. Many of you would not part with it for double its price. There are others who love its weekly visits, yet they do not realize what it costs to send it to them, and they become slack in paying for it. Now let me ask you, Shall it be sustained? Let every one who is behind on their subscription answer, Yes. Not by words merely, but by paying up, and a year in advance, immediately.
Systematic Benevolence should not be forgotten by you. There are none that ought to excuse themselves from it under any consideration. You are all well pleased to have ministers come and labor among you, and you should realize that they must be sustained. The plan of s. b., well kept up, will abundantly do this. Let every one, therefore, enter into it, the lonely ones as well as those living in organized churches. When I come around among you, I shall look after these things. May God help you, dear brethren, to be alive to these things, and to all the interests of the cause of present truth.
The Health Reform should not be lost sight of. It is doing a wonderful work for us as a people. It demands of us immediate action. If we move out in the way the Lord directs, there will be no danger. A great work is to be done in this direction before we get through. Brethren, the Lord is in the work. Be faithful, and he will reward you with eternal life.
I. D. VAN HORN.
Appleton, Ohio, Jan. 29, 1867.
Monthly Meeting at Portland, Me.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
According to appointment, we assembled Jan. 25. Friends were present from Topsham, Woodstock,116North Berwick, Falmouth, and Portland. As there are but few Sabbath-keepers in any of these places, and these some distance apart, of course we did not expect a large gathering. Sabbath evening, about thirty met in the hall and enjoyed a very good prayer-meeting. Bro. Howard was present. Sabbath morning, we had a free social meeting, nearly all taking part. Neither of us had much freedom in speaking to-day. In the evening we enjoyed an excellent social meeting. All were free and lively, and seemed to feel good courage to go forward. The church in Portland is making considerable progress. Much better unity prevails here now than when I was here last fall. Indeed they are all united, with the exception of one member. We all feel greatly encouraged about the cause here. That they have their hearts in the cause and mean to work, was made very manifest on Sunday evening when we came to re-organize Systematic Benevolence. They were doing very well before; but when we laid before them the wants of the cause in Maine, they came forward promptly, and nearly every one doubled their figures of last year. This raised their s. B. from $125.32 to $268.84. Some who paid here last year, pay in other places this year; but some of the brethren from North Berwick took their places here in the s. B., making the number about the same. Some here, who work with their hands and have little or no property, pay from fifty to ninety-six cents per week. When brethren take hold so, God will bless them.
Bro. Howard's visit here did much good. He is now fully decided on the whole truth of the third message, and, as he expresses it, “All there is of me is going this way and with this people.” We all feel to thank God for that.
On Sunday, we had a goodly company out. In the afternoon the hall was full. Bro. H. gave them an interesting discourse on the atonement. We felt as though there was a chance for doing good here, and for bringing in others. Two decided to keep the Sabbath. We all felt glad for this. This young couple have our prayers and our confidence. May God bless them. One was added to the church.
Thus closed our first Monthly Meeting in this section. We all enjoyed it much and felt that it had been a profitable season. Now let every one ask God to bless these Monthly Meetings, and then do all they can to sustain them.