Earlier text: Christ's Yoke and the Yoke of BondageAS THE seventh chapter of Daniel contains the same facts that are contained in chapter 2, with an important additional fact, so does chapter 13 of the Revelation contain the same symbols of the same powers that are given in Dan. 7. The "little horn" of Dan. 7 found no place in chapter 2, though it presents the most important and interesting features of the whole series of symbols. It excelled all the other powers in speaking against the Most High, in wearing out the saints, and in setting aside the laws of God. He practiced and prospered longer than any other persecuting power which ever existed. And so in Rev. 13. This chapter takes up the symbols of Dan. 7, and a power is brought to view at the close of the series which is not contained in Dan. 7. This also is (will be) a persecuting power, even as those were which precede it. Dr. Scott remarked that the little horn of Dan. 7 was not contained in Rev. 13:1-10, and he considered this presumptive proof that the two-horned beast of that chapter is identical with that little horn. But in this he, for the time, strangely overlooked the characteristics of "the first beast" of Rev. 13. Let us examine the series of this chapter. Rev. 12 contains but one symbol of an impious power—the great red dragon. A certain anti-Catholic writer gave in his book the title, "the great red dragon," to the Romish church. But in this he made a great mistake; the Romish church is not represented by the dragon. The dragon of Rev. 13 is identical with "the dreadful and terrible" beast of Dan. 7, before the rise of the little horn. It was no other than pagan Rome; or, more strictly speaking, paganism, having its seat in Rome. It is identified by its being the power which sought to put the "man child" to death as soon as he was born. This child was Jesus of Bethlehem, whom the Roman Governor tried to put to death in his infancy. The child was caught up to God and to his throne, a declaration which will apply to no one born on the earth but to Jesus, the Son of God. Rev. 12:4, 5. In Rev. 13:1-10 we find the description of a beast which has every characteristic of the little horn of Dan. 7. The following are the words of the prophecy:— "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion; and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." 1. Presenting all the elements of the four beasts of Dan. 7,—the leopard's body, the bear's feet, the lion's mouth, and the horns of the fourth beast,—it shows itself to be the successor of the universal empires represented by those beasts. 2. The dragon, paganism, giving him his seat, Rome, and his power, civil authority, shows that this beast is specially the successor of pagan Rome, having his seat in the city of Rome. 3. It is a blasphemous power, as was the little horn. 4. It makes war with the saints. 5. It continued or made war forty-two months, which contain one thousand two hundred and sixty days (year days), the period allotted to the little horn to make war on the saints, in Dan. 7:25. 6. He is overcome by the sword; and so was the dominion of the little horn taken away. 7. No one was able to make war with him; and so of the little horn—"his look was more stout than his fellows." In all these things it is shown to be identical with the little horn of Dan. 7, that is, it is papal Rome. And inasmuch as the two-horned beast of Rev. 12 does its work, noticed in the prophecy, after the power of the first beast to make war was taken away, and in the sight of the first beast, it is proved to be distinct from that beast, or the little horn, and is shown as additional to the symbols given in Dan. 7. It could not be, as some have suggested, the first beast in its healed state, because it does its work in the sight of, and to the honor of, the beast whose deadly wound was healed. The deadly wound of the first beast was given to it at the end of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days; or in 1798. In that year the pope was taken a prisoner, and for a few years there was no pope; the body had no head; it was "wounded unto death." But "its deadly wound was healed;" another pope was created. Yet the power to make war upon and to wear out the saints was not restored, and is not to this day. Now inasmuch as the work of the two-horned beast is located after the giving and healing of the deadly wound of the first beast, it cannot be earlier than in the present century. Thus, chronologically, we are brought by Dan. 2 to 483 A. D.; by Dan. 7, to 1798; and by Rev. 13, into the present century. As the last part of Dan. 7, the little horn was of more interest to the church than any part that preceded it, so the last part of Rev. 13, the two-horned beast is of greater interest to us in this century than any part that preceded it. As these articles are written in answer to a letter inquiring what reason we have for believing that the coming of Christ is near, we need offer no apology, either to the writer of that letter or to any reader, for tracing this line of prophecy, and especially for giving the closing act, the work of the two-horned beast, a careful consideration. The Revelation describes it in the following words:— "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. 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 on 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 a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six." Rev. 13:11-18. 1. It is distinctly called "another beast." It is not the first beast, nor any part of it. 2. Its locality is different. The first beast arose out of "the sea;" this came up out of "the earth." The sea, according to Rev. 17:15, represents multitudes and nations, among whom the papacy arose. The two-horned beast grew up where peoples and nations did not exist; not in the territory represented by the beasts of Dan. 7. These all arose out of the sea; the first beast represented all these. The United States did grow up out of new territory, not peopled by the nations of the world. As a plant grows up out of the earth, so it sprung up, small and tender, not by aggression and conquest; but it literally grew up, and has grown to be one of the greatest nations on this globe. 3. It had two horns, both like those of a lamb in appearance. We have learned by Dan. 7 that a church may be represented by a horn, as well as a kingdom or civil authority. Our country owes as much, in respect to its character and greatness, to its Protestant profession of freedom in religion, as to its civil freedom as outlined by the Declaration of Independence. These controlling or fashioning elements in its growth may be fitly represented by "two horns like a lamb." 4. It spake as a dragon. As the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart, it must possess, in heart, more or less the disposition and spirit of the dragon. This it has shown to some extent, but will show in much larger degree in the future, in encroaching upon both civil and religious rights. 5. He exercises all the power of the first beast; that is, the same power, civil and religious; it is fashioned by, and controls, both these powers. 6. It enforces the worship of the first beast; it causes not only them that dwell on the earth, but the earth itself to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. On this point we will speak again. 7. He doeth great wonders; and deceives by the miracles which he had power to do. They who have tried to apply this symbol to the papacy, say that the Catholic Church always has pretended to work miracles whereby it deceived the people. But this is not the idea of the prophecy. This power deceives by the miracles which it has power to do. The Saviour said that, near the time of his coming, false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show great signs and wonders, so that they will deceive if possible the very elect. And Paul also, speaking of the coming of the Lord, said that Satan will work "with power, and signs, and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." These are emphatically "last day wonders," to resist the truth as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses. 2 Tim. 3. These deceptive wonders—miracles to deceive—are developed in "Modern Spiritualism," and this sprung up in the United States, and American mediums have carried it to the ends of the earth. 8. He causes an image to be made to the first beast, "which had the wound by a sword, and did live." An image to the first beast could only be made by completely uniting church and State; and the forces are in operation, all the elements are in motion which are designed to effect this object. To prove this point we need only to refer to the objects and the utterances of the "National Reform Association," an association having for its avowed object a religious amendment to the Constitution of the United States. 9. He says to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the first beast. And when they make the image, he gives it life. The power in the Government here represented is vested in the people; the administrative department simply gives377 effect to that which the people decree by their election. So it is in the United States, but so it was not under the first beast. Between the two there will be resemblances which will constitute one the image of the other; but there will be differences, also, which disprove the theory of their identity. 10. He causes, or decrees, that all classes shall worship, and receive the mark of the first beast, and he enacts penalties for a refusal. These penalties are, (1) a deprivation of the rights and privileges of citizenship; (2) a deprivation of life. Now we have all the facts before us upon which the God of Heaven bases the most stirring message, the most solemn warning that was ever given to the children of men. It is in the following words:— “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveeth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14: 9–12. In this number we have room to notice only the connection of this message. After it is given, the writer of the Revelation says: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” He came to reap the harvest of the earth, which is done at “the end of the world.” Matt. 13: 39. The actual application of the message remains to be made; but we can now show the bearing of the argument on this line of prophecy upon the question contained in the letter to which we referred. 1. Dan. 2 gives a brief history of the world down to A. D. 483, and then speaks of the setting up of the kingdom of God. 2. Dan. 7 recapitulates, and brings it down to 1798, and then likewise passes on to the kingdom. 3. Rev. 12 and 13 rehearse the same facts, and further bring the history of the world down to the last message and the coming of the Son of man to reap the harvest of the earth. The facts upon which the last message is based are now in process of fulfillment. The warning of the near coming of the terrible judgments of God, the wine of his wrath poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, is now being given. If we had no other line of prophecy but this upon which to rely, we should confidently believe that the coming of the Lord is near, even at the doors. But we have other lines, equally conclusive. And we have already shown that Jesus sits upon the throne of his glory, and that the saints possess or inherit the kingdom when the Lord Jesus comes. Consequently this prophecy of Rev. 14 ends precisely where the prophecies of Dan. 2 and 7 end, with the coming of the Son of man and the setting up of his kingdom. An Important Question.
By Ellet Joseph Waggoner
"AND, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God; but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions." Matt. 19:16-22. The question asked by the young ruler is one that has been asked by thousands, and one that should interest every person. Life is a boon of inestimable value; men will spend the earnings of years, and travel to the utmost limits of the globe, in order to prolong their lives for a few years. How eagerly, then, should they grasp anything which will lengthen out their lives to all eternity. It is indeed wonderful that so few manifest an interest in that which pertains to their eternal welfare, while they are so zealous for life and happiness for a short time. In this the majority of mankind manifest only the wisdom of the infant who seizes the glittering toy, and rejects the infinitely more valuable bag of treasure. But there are some who are anxiously inquiring, "What must I do to be saved?" and to such the words of our Lord himself on this subject must be of all-absorbing interest. The reader will notice that Jesus did not at once answer the young man's question, but asked him one on another subject. "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." Our Saviour did not mean to intimate by this that he was not good. He himself said that it was his meat to do the will of the Father (John 4:34); and again he said to his disciples, "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10. To the Jews he said, "Which of you convinceth me of sin?" (John 8:46), thus demanding the closest scrutiny of his life. Paul says that he "knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21); Peter says of him that he "did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth" (1 Pet. 2:22); and even the devils acknowledged him to be "the Holy One of God." Mark 1:24. His character on earth was the same that it is now as our High Priest, "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners." Heb. 7:26. He was absolutely good; the perfection and embodiment of goodness. This being the case, we can understand his words, "there is none good but one, that is, God," as nothing but a statement of the fact that he himself was entitled to be called God. If there is but one that is good, viz., God, and Christ is good, then Christ must be God. And this agrees with what the prophet had said of Christ: "Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa. 9:6. John also said: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1. Since he is the Son of God, he partakes of the divine attributes; and so Paul says that he occupies a more exalted position than the angels, because "he hath by inheritance a more excellent name than they." Heb. 1:4. He was never on probation, as a candidate for life, as are all created beings, but has "life in himself" (John 5:26), being The Father and the Son are one. John 10:30. Both are worthy of worship. God alone may be worshiped (Rev. 22:8, 9), but Christ did not refuse the adoration of his disciples. Luke 24:52. We are not called upon to explain the mystery of godliness, nor expected to understand it, but Christ has explained to us how he and the Father are one. In his memorable prayer for his disciples, he said: "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are one." "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one even as we are one." John 17:11, 22. This oneness, then, is that of two distinct individuals having the same thoughts, the same purposes, the same attributes. The Father and the Son were one in creating the earth, and one in the devising and carrying out of the plan of salvation. They never worked at cross purposes; and in harmony with Christ's prayer that a like union may exist among his disciples, Paul exhorts us to "all speak the same thing," and to "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1:10. We understand, therefore, that when Christ addressed to the young man the words found in Matt. 19:17, it was because he saw that this ruler, like Nicodemus, did not appreciate the divine character of Jesus, but thought him to be a mere man. Christ penetrated the young man's thoughts, and by this question and reply revealed to him his own true nature. Having incidentally settled this point, our Lord immediately answers the question, "What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" He did not say, "You must not do anything," but said plainly, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." The young man, greatly surprised, asked, "Which?" Being a ruler of the Jews, he had, of course, kept the law, and prided himself on the strictness with which he had heeded all its requirements. The strictness of the Pharisees, extending even to the minutest forms and ceremonies, is proverbial. The young man, doubtless, like Paul, lived after the "straitest sect" of the Jews' religion. We can therefore imagine the astonishment and assurance with which he uttered the word, "Which?" As much as to say, "Why, are there any other commandments? Have you some new ones that are not written in the law? If so, tell me what they are." Jesus calmly quotes a portion of the ten commandments, as showing the law to which he has reference. The fact that he did not quote all of them is no proof that he did not design that all should be kept. He did not quote the first nor the third, yet no one would argue from this that Christ meant to indicate to the young man that he could worship idols or indulge in profanity and still be saved. He simply quoted enough to show that he referred to that which was regarded by all as the law, and that he had no new commandment to offer. Before commenting further on the observance of the commandments as the condition of eternal life, or the truth of the young man's reply in verse 20, we wish to briefly notice what this law is. In a matter of life and death it will not do to make a mistake. If the commandments are to be the test of our fitness for eternal life, we must have those commandments so clearly defined that there can be no doubt. Fortunately, this is not a difficult thing to do. In the third month after the children of Israel left Egypt, they came to the wilderness of Sinai. The Lord told them to make certain preparations, for within three days he would come down upon mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Ex. 19:10, 11. Nehemiah tells us why he thus came down: "Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments." Neh. 9:13. His object, then, in378 coming down was to give the people laws of truth, good statutes. Besides this, Nehemiah says, "and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant." Verse 14. If now we can distinguish between the statutes given by the Lord himself and those given through Moses, we shall have discovered that which we seek—the condition of eternal life. Returning to Exodus, we find that when the necessary preparations had been completed, the Lord did come down upon mount Sinai, with fire and smoke, thunders and lightnings, and an earthquake. Ex. 19:16-18. In the 20th chapter, verses 3-17, we find the words which the Lord spoke from the mount. In Deut. 4:11-13, Moses rehearses the scenes of Sinai and plainly says that the words which God spoke are the ten commandments. But may it not be that there is something besides these? Let us see. In the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy, Moses, in the course of his last charge to the people, repeated in substance these ten commandments as recorded in Ex. 20:3-17. When he had finished the recital, he said: "These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them to me." Deut. 5:22. Of these commandments, Moses said, "Thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes." Deut. 6:7, 8. That these are the commandments, the keeping of which is the condition of eternal life, is proved by verse 25: "And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." We have now found the commandments to which our Lord referred. We are not now concerned with the particulars of the laws given through Moses, since the keeping of them is not required. "What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" is the question in which we are now interested, and those things not pertaining to this may be passed by. We now know what the law is. Next week we will consider the "Nature of the Law," to see why the keeping of it should be able to confer immortality. Monday as the Weekly School Holiday
“A GEORGIA educational journal suggests that Monday, instead of Saturday, be chosen for the weekly school holiday. The argument is that, as a rule, no part of Saturday is taken for study of the lesson to be recited on the succeeding Monday, but that this duty is postponed to Sunday, if it is performed at all. The New England Journal of Education, noting a common remark among teachers, that Monday morning generally brings to the school-room stupid brains, thinks that the idea deserves respectful consideration.” This move is noteworthy as showing the prevailing tendency to ignore those whose consciences lead them to observe the seventh day as a day of rest from all secular affairs. The Burden of Proof.
By Uriah Smith
BETWEEN the two institutions, a true and false Sabbath, the seventh and first day of the week, it would be well for all to understand with whom lies the burden of proof; which party are bound to make good their position. The following acknowledged logical principle will be in point here:— "‘Any ancient institution is presumed to be well founded until its principles can be shown to be false and mischievous, or it can be shown, by fraud or violence, to have supplanted a more ancient institution. In the latter case the burden of proof falls upon the more modern, and the presumption lies in favor of the more ancient institution. It happens, sometimes, that those are called innovators, who are, in reality, the advocates of what is truly ancient and venerable. If they prove this to be the fact, they, of course, transfer the burden of proof to where it justly belongs.’"—Tappan's Logic, p. 482. Applying this principle to the question in hand, the burden of proof will be found invariably to fall upon the defenders of the more modern institution of Sunday-keeping. We are not the innovators—introducers of a new and novel institution, as some would fain have us believe, but are the advocates of that which is truly ancient and venerable. And this institution, the Lord's Sabbath, on the seventh day of each week, has every presumption in its favor; its principles cannot be shown to be false or mischievous; and certainly it cannot be shown to have supplanted by any means an institution more ancient or venerable; for its existence is coeval with the world itself. The burden of proof then is "transferred to where it belongs." The advocates of the more modern institution of Sunday-keeping, are bound to show us its lease of life, the right it has to existence a single hour. It certainly has, with the mass of mankind, in so-called Christian lands, taken the place of the more ancient Sabbath. Is this a lawful succession? or is it a usurpation? Has it gained its present position by divine right, or by fraud and violence? The whole controversy of the first-day Sabbath turns upon these points; and on these its advocates affirm that it exists by legal succession, and divine right; on the same we deny. And remember that every presumption lies with us in favor of the more ancient institution. But not only are the first-day advocates unable to prove what they claim on their affirmation, but we can even turn the negative into a positive, and show that it has usurped the true Sabbath, not only by fraud or violence, but both by fraud and violence. Let these principles and facts be remembered; and let him who affirms that Sunday is the Sabbath, bear in mind how much will devolve upon him to make that affirmation good. U. S. The Missionary.
By S. N. Haskell
IN company with Bro. J. E. White, I left Kansas City for the Beatrice camp-meeting June 4, at 6:30 A. M.; arrived at 2:30 P. M. Elders Farnsworth and Van Horn went to northern Missouri. Beatrice contains between 6,000 and 7,000 inhabitants. The camp-ground was about half a mile from the city. As we saw the 50x125 foot pavilion for regular preaching, with other 40, 50, and 60-foot tents for special services, stationed at proper distances from each other, and the regularly laid-out streets of cotton houses for families and churches, the language of inspiration forcibly came to mind: "How goodly are thy tents, O Israel." God is a God of order. When Israel pitched their tents in the wilderness, perfect order was preserved by the direct command of Heaven. See Numbers 2. We serve the same God, who is no less particular now. A boarding tent which would accommodate not less than 100 persons at a time, was nicely arranged. Preparations in every respect were made for a large gathering of people. It was through this section of country that the short term subscriptions canvass for the SIGNS was extensively carried forward last year. The same had been done this year, besides the work of loaning and selling prepared packages of tracts, doing colporter work, holding Bible-readings, etc. For ten days before the camp-meeting, there had been preaching in the city both in the German and English languages. Two meetings were held each day with an over-crowded tent of eager listeners. At many of the meetings large numbers went away because they could not get a seat or even a sight of the speaker, so great was the crowd of interested persons. Twenty had arisen to their feet at the meetings in the city, acknowledging the claims of God's law, and expressing a determination to keep all of his commandments. Under these circumstances the camp-meeting commenced. On the camp-ground there were services in the Scandinavian and German languages each day. From the first there were at the English services as large congregations of interested listeners as we ever saw, excepting Sunday afternoon, when about half an hour after the services commenced the black clouds and rising winds caused almost a panic. The people might have been quieted, had not a storm of wind which arose the evening before while the crowd was assembling, resulted in breaking the three center poles of the pavilion, and bringing to the ground also three other large tents. Although the preaching tent was comparatively well filled, not one was injured. A few rods from the ground a building 40x60 feet was removed from its foundation. Thus two meetings apparently proved a failure. Notwithstanding the rain Saturday night, a large representation came from the adjoining towns on Sunday morning, some walking three miles to take the cars. The whole country was stirred. Favorable reports of all the proceedings, and synopses of the sermons presented, appeared in the daily paper. This general interest must in a large measure be attributed to the extensive canvass for the SIGNS last year, and the work being followed up by colporters this year. It is repeatedly demonstrated that the distribution of a periodical will leave a community in a better condition for future labor than distributing the denominational tracts at first. If the various Conferences would take the same interest in this branch of our work and expend at least $100,000 in this manner, there would be, in less than two years, the greatest religious movement this country ever witnessed. We as a people are not doing one-twentieth of what we might do and what God would be pleased to have us do to place the light of truth before the mass of mankind. God's providence, both in Europe and America, is greatly in advance of us. There should not be a town, city, or neighborhood, where the language is spoken in which our publications are written, into which the truth should not, by means of these publications and personal labor, find its way within the next twelve months. Add personal labor where it can be done. But for the truth's sake and the cause of humanity, let the mails be a means to carry the truth to the thousands who now have no knowledge of the truths for this time. It was feared by some that the effort of last year for the extensive circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES in this State would not work well financially even if it did spiritually, and that other branches of the work might suffer; but the following shows the present feelings of the friends of the cause: It was recommended by the leading brethren that this Conference raise $25,000, to be appropriated as follows: $10,000 Reserve Fund for capital stock in the State Tract Society; $5,000 for city missions; $4,000 for an Educational Fund; $3,000 for the Scandinavian mission; $2,000 for the European and German mission (last year they raised about $2,000 for foreign missions); $1,000 for a tent and camp-meeting fund. Of this, $12,347 was pledged at the meeting; this, added to $6,000, which had been pledged previous to the meeting, makes nearly $19,000 of the $25,000 actually secured by pledges. Considerable of this has already been paid in. The spiritual interest of the meeting was good. On the Sabbath about fifty made a special move to seek God, by separating themselves from the congregation for the prayers of God's servants. Special meetings were held with the ministers and leading brethren. Daily meetings were held with the children. Instructions were given in canvassing; and Brother White met with the Sabbath-school officers and teachers to consider the best means to revive the Sabbath-school interest. We cannot report the result of the meeting as to the number being baptized, subscriptions received for our periodicals, etc., as I was obliged to leave Monday, before the meeting was over, to reach my next appointment.379 Elders Olsen, of Minnesota, J. H. Cook, and T. H. Gibbs, from Kansas, R. Conradi, from Iowa, L. B. Whitney, from Dakota, and myself were the ministers present from abroad. One feature of this meeting was prominent, namely, individuals laboring for each other. The voice of prayer could be heard by walking in any direction either day or night. This is a commendable feature in any camp-meeting. A healthy spiritual growth is always seen by earnestness, in promptness to attend each meeting, and the discharging of every duty. Prayer can never take the place of other duties, neither can other duties take the place of prayer. From our hearts we can pray for God to bless the Nebraska Conference. A Remarkable Incident.
By Stephen N. Haskell
[THE following letter was received by one of our brethren from a gentleman who is not fully with us, but who is interested in our views and work. He has distributed much reading matter, and a number have already embraced the truth of God as the result. The letter speaks for itself. S. N. H.] DEAR FRIEND: Owing to poor health, I have been unable to write much for a long time; but this morning I feel impressed that I ought to write and inform you of a remarkable—occurrence, I will call it for want of a better word. A young couple who had been married three years—the wife thirty, and the husband thirty-three years of age—refined, highly educated, and wealthy citizens of West Virginia, friends of my wife, made arrangements to pass a few weeks on a visit here late in March or early in April. They had passed through the streets of Erie a short time previously. Although friends, we had never met them personally, but had their photos. They were a noble-looking couple. Days and weeks passed, and no tidings from them came. Wife became uneasy, anxious, alarmed about them; for they lived in the flooded region. One morning the papers contained the following item, the first news we had of their sad taking off:— “Mr. — and wife, widely known and respected citizens of West Virginia, were drowned by the capsizing of a skiff on the Ohio River, during the recent floods. Mr. and Mrs. — had friends in or near Erie.” I telegraphed and wrote for particulars to friends at different points along the river. Yesterday I received a letter from a Methodist presiding elder of the West Virginia Conference. He gave in brief an account of the drowning, the recovery, and the burial of the bodies. He said they were noble-hearted, Christian people, intelligent and talented, but very peculiar. He related some incidents to show how peculiar they were, and among other things mentioned that they were recently walking the streets of Erie, and picked up a couple of copies of a Millerite or Advent paper called SIGNS OF THE TIMES. “These people keep Saturday for the Sabbath, and preach and practice other oddities. On the train they carefully read the papers, and strangely enough adopted the views of this people at once. As long as they lived (four weeks), they kept Saturday for the Sabbath.” There is nothing particularly remarkable about a young couple being drowned, or about their adopting new doctrines and new rules of life; but what seems so remarkable is this: I generally carry copies of the SIGNS or Review, sometimes both, for distribution. One day I was down-hearted, low-spirited, discouraged, was in poor health, and had the blues. My life seemed a wretched failure. I felt that I was one of the most useless men on earth. I am naturally hopeful and cheerful, but that day was a “black Friday” in my life. I was almost in despair. I threw the two copies of the SIGNS on the sidewalk. Looking back, I saw a stranger pick them up. Soon afterward I saw him enter a railway car. I have no doubt whatever but that the gentleman and his wife who found the papers were the same ones we afterwards learned were drowned. It may seem commonplace to others, but to me this is all very mysterious and incomprehensible, and is constantly in my mind. “Paul may plant, and Apollos may water; but God alone can give the increase.” Some things I cannot see as you do; but I am satisfied it is my duty to keep the books you send me before the public. There is good and only good in them. I wish their teachings were more generally practiced.