p. 165 | Review and Herald, Vol. 27, No. 21. (4/24/1866)

The Law Must Be Preached

By R. F. Cottrell

1866.

"Since the commencement of the present year, the Western Advocate (Methodist,) it is stated, has reported no less than ten thousand who have been brought into the Church within this short period! It is said believers in revelation have, for more than a thousand years, looked forward to the year 1866 as one in which the Son of God would manifest himself to the Christian world as he never did before."—Sab. Rev.

There are multitudes being converted in these days, who do not know from what they are converted, nor to what. Thousands of them could not tell you where the ten commandments are to be found, and probably a majority of them do not know that such a law was ever written by the finger of God. It is no wonder that those who are converted by mere excitement and without instruction and enlightened conviction, should fulfill the word of the prophet: "A month shall devour them."

If genuine and reliable conversions are to be realized, the law of God must be preached. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul." A. Barnes, on Matt. v, 19, says:—"We learn hence, 1. That all the law of God is binding on Christians. 2. That all the commands of God should be preached in their proper place, by Christian ministers. 3. That they who pretend that there are any laws of God so small that they need not obey them, are unworthy of his kingdom. And, 4. That true piety has respect to all the commandments of God and keeps them."

There is but very little of this sort of preaching at the present time. Anecdotes are told, and "thrilling" incidents are related of sudden deaths and remarkable conversions, with glowing descriptions of great revivals in other places; and children and youth come forward to the anxious seats and get converted that could not give an intelligent answer to the question, What is sin? The commandments of God are not preached; and should it be asked why they are not preached, I think no better answer could be given than that the teachers of religion are not keeping them themselves. Some say they have been abolished, and others that they have been changed; and with either view the Sabbath of the fourth commandment is not kept. Ministers are becoming more and more aware of this; consequently should they preach the whole law of God, they would preach their own condemnation. So the world is to be converted to God without so much as knowing what his law is!

It is no harm to expect that the Son of God will "manifest himself to the Christian world as he never did before," even in the definite year, 1866, provided he comes to fulfill the fabled hope of the conversion of the world; but when we preach the personal coming of the Lord, according to his promise, within a very few years, even in the life-time of the present generation, they will object to preaching definite time, preferring blissful ignorance of the time of such a calamity, and quoting, or rather misquoting, "No man shall know the day or the hour."

There can be no reasonable doubt that 1866 will be an eventful year. The "waking up of nations" for the last great strife is upon us. The prophecy of Joel is meeting its accomplishment. "Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up; beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears," &c. But notwithstanding this word of God is fulfilling, men will dream of peace and safety, and flatter themselves to believe that the world is about to be converted, and the nations to learn war no more. They can hope against hope in this, against the word and providence of God, while his providence is thus evidently fulfilling the sure word of prophecy. But tell them the truth—that the day of the Lord "is at hand;" that it is coming like a destruction from the Almighty; Isa. xiii, 6-9; that Jesus is coming to save his people and take vengeance on his adversaries; and they can see no signs, but begin to ask, with the scoffer, "Where is the promise of his coming."

It is true that the Lord will cause wars to cease to the ends of the earth. But how? Not by the preaching of a corrupted and depreciated gospel; but by dashing in pieces the nations. "Come, behold the

works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cuteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Ps. xlvi, 8-10.

The Lord will cause wars to cease by the destruction of his enemies. After this the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord, and there will be nothing to hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain. The rebellion will be subdued. War shall be no more after all the enemies of the Lord are finally slain.

R. F. COTTRELL.

Scuds in the Political Heavens.

A CORRESPONDENT of one of the N. Y. daily papers, writing from Washington, says:

“The Peace Proclamation of the President will be immediately followed by other action on his part. It will be observed that the legal effect of the proclamation is to place the Southern States in the same attitude precisely toward the General Government that they occupied before the war, and entitled to the same rights that they heretofore enjoyed. Mr. Johnson is determined to follow out this principle to its legitimate conclusion, and to see to it that the Southern States are no longer deprived of these rights by a factious majority in Congress.”

In the N. Y. Semi-weekly Tribune of April 10, we find the following:

“Our Washington correspondent says that a distinguished military chieftain has within the last few days been sounded by two noted politicians, one of whom was in the army, to see to what extent he could be relied upon to favor a coup d'etat by which the Southern Representatives are to be placed in both Houses of Congress. No encouragement was given, but the project has not been abandoned.”

A southern man writing from a southern standpoint, to the N. Y. Independent, speaks thus:

“The political effluvia which is emanating from the stagnant cesspools of slavery is spreading its virus far and wide through the ‘Confederacy.’ Slavery in the South is as much a fact now as it was five years ago; and, having lost nothing but the name—with the increased ratio in which the ‘peculiar institution’ is gaining ground—if the Southern States are reconstructed on the principles enunciated by the President and his copperhead coadjutors of the North, we may say, with the disorganizers of the Chicago Convention, ‘The war is a failure.’”

Gathering Grains for a Crown

WE expect and hope and pray for a crown of glory, but we need not expect it without labor. God has scattered Christian duties, like grains of gold, all through the sands of life, and we must pick up from the dust of the earth, one by one, the grains of gold from which to mould our own immortal diadem. The more abundant the grains we gather, the richer will be our crown. He who gathers not these golden grains, will never be king.

1 Timothy iv, 1--5.

By John Harvey Waggoner

SEVERAL inquiries have been made for an explanation of 1 Tim. iv, 1-5. This scripture has by some been applied to the action of the Catholic church; the points which give plausibility to that view, are found in verse 3, supposed to be fulfilled by the facts of that church, and the disallowing the clergy to marry.

But we do not believe it has its application there. Several points of similarity will not prove identity. The correct application must be where all the specifications are fulfilled. We have applied it to the work of Spiritualism, and still think we must look there for its fulfillment. The first and second verses need no comment: they are too plainly fulfilled. The third verse is evidently not fulfilled. But it is worthy of notice, that Spiritualism is setting the full tide of its influence against the marriage institution. While the Catholics deprive the clergy of marriage, they preserve the institution, regarding it as sacred. And we know of no people, either Christian or anti-Christian, who are waging a war against the very institution of marriage, except the Spiritualists. That marriage should be abused as it is, we all regret, and if these abuses could be corrected we should rejoice. But Spiritualists do not expect or aim to correct the abuses of the system, but to abolish it altogether. Proofs on this point will soon be given.

But we suppose the particular point of inquiry is concerning the commandment to abstain from meats, in connection with verse 4: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving." There seems to be an apprehension that our present position on diet will conflict with this. But we think there is no ground for fear.

1. We do not know of any disposition on the part of Seventh-day Adventists to command to abstain from meats; every one is permitted and expected to "be fully persuaded in his own mind." There has been no "test" established in the matter, nor do we expect there will be.

2. There must be a limitation to the words, "Every creature of God is good." No one believes, or ever did believe that all creatures or all animals were fit for food. It is needless to say that there has always been a difference of opinion as to where the line of limitation should be drawn; but that there is a limit to the expression all agree. And having divided animals into two classes—"clean and unclean"—fit and unfit for food, we must then draw another line, relative to their condition. For some time past in Europe the cattle have been affected with a terrible plague: now if a portion of such flesh were placed before any of our inquiring friends, would they eat it because it is written, "Every creature of God is good?" Or if a piece of filthy swine, crawling with Trichina, certain to cause the most awful suffering and horrible death to the presumptuous eater, was offered to them, would they receive it "with thanksgiving?" Of course they would not; neither would they scruple for fear of coming in conflict with the text in such cases.

But here is just where we are placed. Allowing that there was a time when flesh meats might be eaten with safety or benefit, that time is evidently past. "The whole creation" feels the fall of man, and every thing shows signs of degeneracy and decay. As diseases are on the increase, the animals, too, are sufferers, and the danger of eating their flesh is increased. It is difficult also to determine the state of health of an animal; therefore we purchase at a continual risk.

We look upon it as a special mercy to us as a people, that this subject has been introduced to our notice. We are students of prophecy, we are looking forward to a time of trouble—of persecution and suffering; when we shall not be permitted to buy or sell; perhaps not suffered to dwell in our own homes. Need we raise the query, Who will best pass through these troubles? such as have accustomed themselves to luxurious food, or such as have denied their appetite and learned the valuable art of "eating to live?" The Jews loathed the plain, simple, and of course, healthy, food that God furnished them in the desert, because their appetites craved the accustomed meat from "the flesh-pots of Egypt." Had that generation been trained to a simple diet in Egypt, they would have been saved many trials. This is a voluntary work,—a work of faith. There are more considerations why we should consider this a genuine reform, than can be noticed in one article. Suffice it that we feel perfectly at rest on it so far as the above scripture is concerned.

J. H. WAGGONER.

Battle Creek, Mich.

Definite or Indefinite.

By R. F. Cottrell

It is held very extensively that the fourth commandment is indefinite in respect to the day—that it requires the observance of one day in seven, but does not bind us to any particular day. Hence the day of the Sabbath is changeable; and hence no express precept or revelation is necessary in order to the change of the day.

The use of this theory is readily seen. It supplies a deficiency, not to say a defect, in the New Testament, provided it were a fact that the fourth commandment ever bound any one to the definite seventh day. Those who hold this view should read the fourth commandment carefully, and then point out the change or changes in its language which would be necessary to bind those to whom the Sabbath was given to a particular day. The commandment might be framed so as to require a definite day. How should it read, had God intended to make the Sabbath institution inseparable from the seventh day?

Sabbath-day means Rest-day. "The seventh day is the Rest-day of the Lord"—the day on which the Lord rested. "In it thou shalt do no work." "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Rest-day and hallowed it." Did he rest on one day in seven, and on no particular day? or did he rest on the definite seventh day of the seven? Did he bless and sanctify an indefinite day, because that in it he had rested from his work?

Let us suppose a case for illustration. Suppose the United States should enact for its subjects as follows: Remember the day of the declaration of independence, to celebrate it in due form. The fourth day of July is the day of the declaration; in it thou shalt fire a national salute, and spend the day in reading the declaration, patriotic speeches, and festivities. For in it, after mature deliberation, the American Congress at Philadelphia signed the declaration, declaring the thirteen colonies free and independent States. Wherefore the day of the declaration is thus specially honored.

Would any one say that this law required the observance of no particular day? Would any say the fifth of August would do just as well as the fourth of July? Would any claim that all are at liberty to choose what day they please, and that the day of the fall of Richmond would even be more acceptable than the day on which the declaration was made? No; none of this. No one would think of trifling thus with the enactments of his government, at least no loyal, law-abiding citizen. The day of the declaration is the fourth of July; it is not possible that it should be any other day. No one would think of substituting another day.

So the Rest-day of Jehovah is the day on which he rested. Yet men seem to trifle with the commandment for its observance. Does God live and reign? and will he not bring such things into judgment? Will he not convince the world that his law is not to be trifled with—that he speaks as he means, and means what he says?

R. F. COTTRELL.

A Fit Emblem of the World.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

Just now the ice is breaking up in the river. I stood upon the bank of a river a little below a dam, over which the water was pouring in torrents. Some forty rods above the dam the river was yet covered with ice about eighteen inches thick. At length a large mass about four rods square broke loose. Slowly, gently, and majestically it began to float down the river, as though it feared no danger. To one who could not see ahead, it would appear to be a very safe and pleasant bark on which to ride. But upon close examination it might be seen that it had been perforated by the rays of the sun, with innumerable little holes like a sponge or honey-comb. It was rotten. Foot after foot, and rod after rod, it rode on, on, and on, toward the dam, apparently as safe and sound as ever. As it nears the falls it almost imperceptibly moves faster and still faster, till at length it reaches the verge. One moment, as it seems to have awakened to its impending doom, and appears to stop and look down with terror into the abyss below, it balances, it totters, and then, with a wail, like the voice of thunder, it comes breaking and crashing into the fo ming surges below. I looked again, and that mighty island of ice that was moving so safely upon the gentle water, but an instant before, was now ground into ten thousand pieces.

So with this world. Six thousand years ago it broke loose from its moorings. Since then it has been floating down the river toward its final desuriction . It has moved on and on, and as it moves it gains in velocity, although nearly imperceptible to the careless observer. To him it appears as sound as ever, though it is time-worn, worm-eaten, rotten to the core. As it nears its final doom, the mass of the world are eating and feasting, smoking, drinking, carousing, and making merry. They fear no danger, they heed no warnings. "All's well, a good time coming, on with the dance." If they would but stop and listen, they could hear even now the thunder of the angry waves below. But they are deaf, reckless, spell-bound. On, on they rush with increasing velocity, which grows almost to lightning speed as they near the brink of their final doom. They will awake finally to realize their coming destruction, but too late to save them. With one mighty wail, they will plunge into the eternal abyss below, never to rise any more. Sinner, awake and look around you, and behold the thickening signs all around proclaiming that the last days are here. Leave the doomed world, get into the ark of God, and flee for refuge from the wrath to come.

D. M. CANRIGHT.

Christian Affection.

By Angelia J. Edmonds

How the heart is soothed by little tokens of affection, when the cares and sorrows of this life press heavily upon us; then we feel to praise God, knowing that he has given us friends that can truly sympathize with us. Little feet, also, are more willing to come and go at our bidding, when we cease speaking unkind words and bestow the affectionate kiss.

Why should Christians be afraid to say, "I love you;" why afraid to demonstrate our affection. "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love." On the little word l-o-v-e hangs the whole plan of salvation. God so loved the world that he gave his Son to die for it. By so-doing, he proved to a certainty his love for us.

If a great, a noble, and a kind Redeemer, could humble himself and give his life for his enemies, whom he loved, why should we be ashamed to express by word or act the love we have for near and dear friends?

When brethren and sisters become cold and distant, when they lose their love for each other, sure they may be, that the love of God has nearly leaked out of their hearts.

Oh may we be filled to overflowing with the love of God, that when we meet together, our hearts may be united like two drops of water, which cannot be separated.

Then shall we see the hearty shake of the hand, the holy kiss, and falling tear. Then will each have a word of encouragement for the lone traveler in this world of care.

Let us seek to imitate the little child in holiness, purity, meekness, and simplicity. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven." "Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven."

Angelia J. Edmonds.

Newton, Mich.

Shrewd Retorts.

A PREACHER of the gospel, on being introduced to a skeptic, with the explanation that the man was a skeptic, in the midst of an extended circle of friends, said to him, "I suppose, then, you do not believe anything." "O yes," replied the skeptic, "I do believe many things." "Will you then," said the preacher, "be so good as to tell us what you believe?" The skeptic replied, "I do not believe that old story of the Bible about Cain obtaining a wife in the land of Nod, where there was no body living." "Never mind what you don't believe," said the preacher, "no doubt there is much of that; but tell us what you do believe." The skeptic rallied and said, "Well, I will tell you; I don't believe the account given by Moses, that God commanded the Midianites to be destroyed." "I am not inquiring for what you don't believe, but what you do believe. Tell us what you do believe." Recovering himself a little, and clearing up his voice, he made a desperate effort, saying, "I don't believe that old fable of the Bible, that God commanded the Canaanites to be destroyed." His belief was all disbelief. It commences all the time with "I don't believe."

A Romanist once said to a Christian, "You Protestants could not prove your Bible, if it were not for the Holy Catholic Church, and her great men." "True," said the Christian, "for the Bible predicted that there would be just such an apostate church and priesthood, and here you are, just as the Bible said."

After hearing a discourse, in which much was said by the preacher about God, a skeptic said to him, "What is this God about whom you have been saying so much?" The preacher replied, "God is a spirit." The skeptic fiercely followed up, "What is a spirit?" The preacher quickly turned on him, and inquired, "What is a cornstalk?" "Why—why—why, it is a cornstalk." "Yes sir," replied the preacher, "a spirit is a spirit, and if you cannot tell what a cornstalk is, which you have seen thousands of times, and know has an existence, why do you ask me to tell you what the Infinite Spirit is, or doubt his existence?"

A skeptic once said to a preacher, "If the human body, after death, decomposes and returns to its original elements, how is it raised from the dead and identified?" The preacher replied, "And if the child seven years old has not one particle of the matter in it that was in it when it was born, and if there is not one particle of the matter in it when it is fourteen years old that was in it when it was seven, and if all the old matter has been superseded by new once every seven years, till the person is seventy years old, or if all the old matter has been superseded by new matter ten times, as scientific men maintain, and the identity is not lost, why may not the person go through one more change, in death and the resurrection, and not lose his identity? and why may not this last change take place, as it will require no more power or wisdom to accomplish it, than any of the former changes?"

Coming to Jesus.

By Editor

Into many a house The Independent will come this week, and find there an anxious inquirer for salvation. To that seeking soul let us say a kind word; and we do it more hopefully because some of our readers in times past have gladdened us by saying that our former articles have led them to the Saviour. To this seeking soul we have one simple counsel, first of all and above all, it is—come to Jesus!

Do you ask, "How shall I come? What are the practical steps?" We answer, Your first step is honest prayer. The heart must move, and as it draws toward Jesus, its first instinct is to pray. Do not wait for deep feeling before you go to your knees. You may have but little distress of mind and no agonizing compunction; your eye may be "unsullied with a tear;" but if you sincerely desire a better heart and a higher life, this is enough "feeling" to start with. Do you believe that Jesus is a Divine Saviour and has died for your soul? Then that is enough faith to start with. Go to Jesus in the boldness of prayer. Own up your sins without concealment. Tell your long-suffering Master no lies. Pray honestly, pray simply, and ask Jesus for just what you most want. You have sinned against God's law and his love fearfully; ask him to open your eyes, that you may see yourself. Do you long to have that old account that stands against you on God's "book of remembrance" wiped out? Then ask Jesus, the pardoner; his blood "cleanseth from all sin." Do you want a new heart? Then ask for it. Do you want help from Heaven to meet the first sin that assails you with its sly temptation? Then ask for it as directly as your child asks for bread at the table. Prayer is not a set speech to the Almighty. It is simply asking of God just what you desire to have; no more, no less. Prayer is direct converse with God. By it you confess your sins; by it you tell your wants; by it you offer your thanks to Jesus for his atoning love; by it you bring down infinite blessings. You know what it is to knock at a door you wish to enter. Jesus says, "Knock, and it shall be opened to you."

II. But while you are thus praying one way with your lips, be careful that you do not pray in the opposite direction with your conduct. Do not pray to be delivered from sin, and then go off and straightway commit sin. Let us illustrate this. A man attends an inquiry-meeting, and asks his friends to pray with him for his salvation. The next morning he goes over to his place of business, and among the articles for sale in his store he sees a long row of bottles and demijohns. They have an ugly look to his conscience. One is filled with woes, and another with curses, and another with woman's tears, and another with liquid damnation. But an old customer comes in and calls for a basket of choice wines. "I may as well sell him this and get the profit as any other man," whispers a cunning calculator within, and the bargain is struck. The merchant comes home uneasy at night, and when his pastor drops in to ask him what progress he is making, he sits sullen and moody, or else replies, "I don't know why it is, but I feel no better than I did last night." Why should he feel better? He is further from Christ than he was the night before. His conduct has been praying right against the prayers of his lips all day! He has been grieving the Holy Spirit by doing what he knew was wrong. He has been selling his Master for money as directly as Judas did. How long will it take for a man to become a Christian by prayer who is making himself a sinner by his practice?

This principle of praying one way and living the opposite way is fatal to salvation. What right has a person to pray, "Lead me not into temptation," when he has a ticket to the theater in his pocket? What right has a man to ask Christ to pardon him when he has passed an "enemy" on the street without speaking to him, or has shut his own door against a poor, erring daughter? How can a man expect mercy from Christ when he has been wringing the last dollar from the thin-clad widow who rents her garret from him, or has paid a starvation price to the poor seamstress who sat up all night to make his daughter's rich ball-dress? How can a young girl expect her Saviour's smiles when she is trifling with another's affections, or is concealing the truth from her mother, or is setting her whole soul on frivolities? How can a man of business admit Christ to his heart when every nook and cranny in it is filled with the fierce greed for wealth?

We know of scores in our own congregation who have never yet come to Jesus, even when they were wrought upon in powerful revivals; and the only reason was that they refused to "pluck out the right eye" of lust, or "cut off the right hand" of favorite transgressions. The holy Jesus would not accept them as long as they kept their cherished sins concealed under the garment. Nor will he accept you, my anxious friend, until you not only lay your heart at his feet, but lay down your darling sins also. He that denieth not himself and taketh not up his cross and followeth after Christ cannot be his disciple.

III. Our third counsel is, Take hold of actual duty and perform it.

Salvation is a free gift on the part of God; but on your part it is a work. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Co-operate with the Holy Spirit. Begin to serve God. Lay hold of the first duty at your hand. You have been living to Please yourself; now try to please God. Paul's first question, when awakened to his guilt, was, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" A neighbor of ours who commenced to pray with his family last night, got more help from that one act of duty, than from a dozen sermons.

IV. Finally be in earnest. Make no compromise—no delay. Keep open no door of retreat behind you into the world. When Sherman commenced his decisive march to the sea, he put the torch to Atlanta, and extinguished all hope of retreat. When Cortez set out for Mexico, he burned his ships behind him. Look not back. Christ, the cross, duty, usefulness, hope, honor, Heaven are all before you! Lay hold of them. On the delay of a day may hang your destiny.

"How vain the delusion that while you delay Your heart will grow better by staying away; Come needy, come guilty, come just as you be, The blood of redemption is flowing for thee." [Cuyler.

Lord, Teach Us How to Pray.

By M. S. Irish

"After this manner therefore, pray ye, Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name." What a privilege is granted the disciples to call God "Our Father," and to pour forth our love and gratitude to him in strains of praise and honor, the most sacred. Next dearest to our hearts, comes the theme, "Thy kingdom come." Glorious hope! may he hasten it by every means which he shall consider worthy.

"Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." There all are anxiously waiting, ready to bear a message to those who shall be heirs of salvation. Even our Saviour said, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." Are we doing so? Are we saying, Do thy will with me, whether I in my short sightedness can see why this particular trial is sent upon me or not? It may be a blessing which we shall yet be thankful for. Can we say, "If it is possible let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine be done?"

Second in importance, come the things pertaining to self. 1st, God, his honor, his kingdom, and his will; then food, forgiveness, and help to carry out that part of his will which is assigned to us. For his is the kingdom, and the power, to do his will through our means, if we will yield ourselves willing servants to obey, or through some other means, and we lose the promised blessing by unwillingness, and to him be all the glory forever. M. S. IRISH.

Reward of the Righteous.

By Vesta N. Cudworth

AIR—"What is home, without a Mother?"

Ps. xvi, 6—"The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant places."

Is life's pathway growing lonely, Where earth's flowerets bloomed so fair? Do its withered blossoms only Strew thy lengthened path of care? Jesus beckons, oh! how cheering, Where eternal roses bloom; And the glory we are nearing, Pierces through the night of gloom.

Do not think to fathom glory As you'd measure joys of time; Nor its countless years before thee, Which eternally shall shine With its costly garnered riches, Songs of joy, and gems of worth; Inexhaustless stores of beauty, Gathered for the loved of earth.

Life is just the shade we make it, If we sow our seed with care; If with heavenly plants we set it, We shall reap a harvest rare. Outward things may be distasteful, While within, a heaven bright; If "thy God is all thy glory," How can earth be all a night?

Envious ones may spoil the casket, But the pearl they cannot find; All thine outward jewels perish, But a pure and loving mind— Is a sanctum here for angels, Garnished o'er with every gem; God's own Spirit is its sunshine, Peace its royal diadem.

Sweetly on faith's mighty bosom, In composure fearless lean; Hope's bright star will ever glisten, While you need its kindly beam. "Thou art mine," "I have redeemed thee," (Blessed promise, all thine own;) I have borne the cross before thee, And with thee, will wear the crown.

VESTA N. CUDWORTH.

Springfield, Mass.

A Testimony of Adventist Faith

By Ezra Odell

From Bro. Odell.

BRO. WHITE: As I have been so many times interested and instructed through the letter department of the Review, by our brethren and sisters rehearsing their experience in the present truth, I feel that the passage, "Go thou, and do likewise," applies to myself. It will be five years next June since I heard the third angel's message. It was truly a light in darkness, for when I went back on my experience thirty-five years, I could call to mind the church all radiant with light and life, compared with 1861, when I heard the message. I felt burdened, and sorrowing would say, "where art thou?" not knowing Babylon had fallen. But when Brn. Bostwick, Allen, Lasher, and J. N. Andrews, preached the three messages, the keeping of the commandments, and the testimony of Jesus, it appeared to me that the ancient pillar of cloud and fire had come again to light Israel on their way. I saw the Sabbath, that it was the seventh day, and that death was the opposite of life, and that eternal death was that from which there was no redemption, and it harmonized the Scriptures. I find it a light that shines more and more, showing us our imperfections, and that perfection which should characterize God's people. It showed me the filth of the flesh was a sin, as much as that of the spirit. I saw that I was polluted from the crown of my head to the sole of my foot, and that I was spiritually dead, or dying a suicidal death, for the transgression of natural laws. To illustrate: Suppose you had seen a ghost possessed with spirits, say tea, coffee, and tobacco; then you have my case. I found more room for reform than when first I became a follower of Christ. 1 Cor. iii, 17 spoke to my condemnation. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy." Now I had both seen and acknowledged the truth, and resolved to obey. Then came the test, to leave those idols; for I saw them as such, and still I thought my life was dependent on tobacco; for it was ordered by a physician after he had resorted to all other means, and after it had effected a cure as I supposed, I quitted it; but after three weeks' time my complaint, which was pain in the breast, returned. I then repeated and discontinued the use of it three times—the use of it always removed the pain, while the discontinuance was the opposite. Then came the question of Paul, "shall I continue in sin that grace may abound?" the answer of which was, "God forbid!"

I then came to the conclusion that to continue the use of tobacco was seeking to save my life, and that in so doing I should lose it, and that a more wise conclusion would be to lose my life for Christ's sake, that I might find it. I then laid up my tobacco, and submitted my case to the Lord, and have found his grace according to my day, for which I feel to rejoice. For when the above-named spirits had been cast out, I felt the need of a keeper, which the Spirit supplied. I then let nature fall back to her own resources—cold water for drink, and a vegetable, grain, and fruit diet. Nature, through the observance of the laws of health, and the blessing of God has arisen to more than her wonted strength, and now I am happy that I can say from the heart, Farewell ye flesh-pots of Egypt, and also ye tea and coffee pots of this generation; for there is balm in Gilead, and a physician there, and the word is more than meat.

Brethren and sisters, be admonished by the apostle, "Touch not, taste not, handle not," those things that defile the temple of God. Remember the first sin was eating, and it has been perpetuated by a perverted appetite, and now may the Lord sanctify his people through the truth, and make them an "eternal excellence," is my prayer. EZRA ODELL. Oronoco, Minn.

Sister Baker’s Conversion

By E. Baker

From Sister Baker.

Bro. White: It has been about thirteen months since I first heard an Adventist preach, except one funeral sermon. At that time I was as bitterly prejudiced against Adventists as I could be. I thought they were the most deluded set of beings professing Christianity. I had been told that they put our Saviour on a level with man, and many other erroneous things, which made me feel that it would be a sin for any one to go to their meetings. But now thanks be to the Giver of all good things, I am as bad as the Adventists. Perhaps you would like to know how I became connected with them. I will give it in brief.

I always had a desire to be a true-hearted Christian, but after I had lived long enough to see the sinfulness of my heart, I came to the conclusion that there was no salvation for me. In this awful state of mind I dragged along about six years; finally light began to dawn upon my mind, and there seemed to be as it were, a voice calling me to come;—not only when I was awake, but when I was asleep the invitation was repeated. I soon saw I had been distrusting God's word, and I made a firm resolve to distrust him no more. I made up my mind if I perished I would perish trying to do the will of God. I prayed earnestly for direction and I soon began to feel like a new creature. Little by little light came into my dark mind, and as fast as I saw my duty, I tried with all my heart to do it.

One year last February, I discovered that it was my duty to be baptized; but I saw so much corruption in the churches, I did not want to join them; so I went to a United Brethren minister and asked him if he would baptize me without my joining his church. He said he could not. I was now grieved exceedingly. The next day (which was Monday), as I was busy at work, something seemed to speak very plain to me: "Are you doing the will of God by keeping the first day of the week?" I was uneasy all day, and as soon as night came, and my children were all asleep, I left them alone (my husband being in the army) and went half a mile to a United Brethren neighbor, who I thought was trying to serve God. I asked him if he could show me where Christ or the apostles changed the Sabbath. He said he could; so he got his Bible and read the eighth chapter of Romans, and some other passages, and made it appear to his satisfaction that the law was dead; but I was not satisfied. So I continued to investigate, and thought I would keep Sunday until I became thoroughly convinced that I was wrong. But as the sun began to go down Friday evening, I became more uneasy, and resolved to keep the Sabbath. The next day I went to the Advent meeting determined to see what they would do for me. I thought Bro. Russel to be a good man, though I thought he was very badly blinded, but as long as he was good at heart I thought there could be no sin in having him baptize me. I listened attentively to the sermon, and was greatly surprised. I never heard such a sermon before! I saw Bro. R. after meeting and told him what brought me there. He asked me for my reason for not wanting to join the church. I told him honestly how I had always felt toward the Adventists, but that I knew nothing about them, only what I had heard. I promised to listen to their teachings, and as far as they went in accordance with the Bible, I would go with them. I was baptized the next day. I attended meetings regularly (with few exceptions) from that time until the next October, when we moved nearly 100 miles away.

Pen nor tongue cannot express my thankfulness for the gospel light that I received in that time. When my husband came home from the army, he was soon convinced, and now keeps the Sabbath with me. By request of others I have written this sketch.

Your in hope of eternal life. E. Baker. Neillsville, Clark Co., Wis.

Letters.

"Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another."

This department of the paper is designed for the brethren and sisters to freely and fully communicate with each other respecting their hopes and determinations, conflicts and victories, attainments and desires, in the heavenly journey. Seek first a living experience and then record it, carefully and prayerfully, for the comfort and encouragement of the other members of the household of faith.

Continue reading: Christ’s Coming Is Near