LET me answer a word to the leader in your last week's paper on "Christ's Doctrine of Fasting." It is not enough to say that I totally disagree with it. I think I know it to be unscriptural, and I believe it to be pernicious in the sentiment.
It allows just one occasion for fasting, and that is a false one; viz., when a man is in so great affliction that he cannot eat. That is not fasting, but simple revulsion from food. The very last thing which an afflicted man should do is to fast, meaning anything by the term. He should rather constrain himself to eat what will sustain him.
The principle laid down that fasting is proper only when it is "a natural expression of feeling" is equally mistaken. It is a use and a very important use of fasting, as of every other kind of expression, that we come by means of it into states and sentiments we before had not, or had only in a lower degree. If the soul is full, and only spills over in expression, we get, of course, no result beyond simply getting rid of the surplus.
But how stands the Scripture? First of all, Jesus himself fasts forty days and forty nights; not because he is afflicted, but because he is tempted—tempted in a considerable degree through the body, that recalls from bearing any so heavy burden. He will bring it under and make it bear the strain of his divine feeling and cross; therefore he fasts.
Next we hear him discoursing, in his Sermon on the Mount, on three great forms of religious exercise; on alms, on prayer, on fasting—treating them all just alike, correcting the same ostentations and hypocrisies by which the Pharisees have corrupted them all. Did he tell the disciples to stop their alms and leave off praying? No more did he put by fasting. It was not the manner of Christ to give up, or bring to an end every practice that had been abused. It was not his way, if repentance runs down to penance, to put a stop to repentance.
Moreover, his promise to right alms, right praying, right fasting, generally annexed to each—"The Father that seeth in secret shall reward thee openly"—does not look very discouraging to either.
Again, explaining why his disciples do not fast when he is with them, he adds, "But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days." "In those days"—that is, in those after times; not for some one or two days, when their grief is fresh and will not allow them to eat. All this on the principle that fasting is in point, not as a propulsion toward what is visible, but only toward what is invisible. How can they fast when the bridegroom is present to their senses? Taken away from their senses, they will fast to find him, and push their way in to the secret place where he dwells.
At a later time, he tells his disciples that the highest power with God is attainable only by fasting—"This kind goeth not forth but by prayer and fasting." Does he mean, by not eating when they are too much afflicted to eat?
Again, Cornelius, the centurion, testifies: "Four days ago I was fasting till this hour," and tells how God met him in the nights of vision, bidding him send to Joppa for Peter. Meantime, while the messengers are on the way, Peter is fasting on the housetop, where, as he "becomes very hungry, and would have eaten," he fell into a trance; and the result of the two fastings of the two men was, the discovery that Christianity was for the Gentiles.
Again, at Antioch, quite a number of "prophets and teachers," including the apostles Barnabas and Saul, are assembled together in fasting, and there the two latter are separated, by the laying on of hands, for a great and important mission.
And, still again, these two apostles, who probably knew what dignity there was in fasting, and whether it was Christian or not, went hither and thither, and "ordained elders in every city, and prayed with fasting," commending them to the Lord.
Once more Paul remembers that he was in "fastings often." He also recommends to the Corinthian disciples that they give themselves occasionally to "fasting and prayer"—"for a time." Not that we hear of their being specially afflicted, but that there were particular reasons why fasting a little might do them good. Are there no Corinthian sensualities and lustings nowadays for which it would be equally good?
But what are the uses of fasting? What rational and practical significance can it have? It may be useless, I grant. Where it is practiced as a superstition, or carried to excess, it can be only hurtful. Maceration is one thing; true fasting another and very different thing. But when rightly practiced, there are uses enough.
1. There is much the same natural use as for Sabbaths: one is a fasting from work, the other from food. And the reason for both is much the same; viz., that the body is dulled and drugged and broken, either by a ceaseless drag on the muscles, or by a ceaseless crowding on the digestion. It will be more supple, and lively, and clear, and capable in both, if a little rest or respite is allowed. I believe it would do us Americans a great deal of good, both as Christians and as men, if we had a set of Sabbaths given for the stomach, and the more so now that the poor fagged organ has more hard work to do on our Sabbaths than at any other time. Besides, nature has a way of getting her digestion-Sabbaths without consent of anybody; appointing, every little while, her day of headache, or cold, or colic, and so, having gotten her rest by a kind of armed cessation, she lets us go on our way, a little more chastised and probably a good deal less recruited than we should have been by a rational fasting.
2. Fasting puts the body under, where it ought to be, and asserts the sovereignty of the mind—trims the vessel to sail even, and hastens in that manner the voyage. Paul set himself to "keep under the body," and put it down also as a fixed matter that he would "not be under the power of any." Could there be a more absurd figure for a Christian than that he is a man whose body is uppermost? And yet what multitudes of disciples have their life hid, not with Christ in God, but under their bodies—drugged by all the stupors, tossed by all the tempests, wrenched by the appetites, fouled by the lustings, fooled by the vanities of the body? And what a noble triumph it is when the soul gets uppermost? How like a sovereign it feels in its empire? How clear and bell-like is the ring of its sentiments.
3. It is another very great use that painstaking is the only way to get near to God; not that the pains please God, but that the taking pains puts the soul in train, harnesses the powers, sharpens and purges the insight, and makes the holy struggle glow because there is heat in it. It does a man's soul infinite good to make sure to itself that it is in earnest, and the only way to do this is to get into the boat and stem the current, not to float down it. We live between two kinds of hunger—soul-hunger and body-hunger. An earnest Christian wants to feel the soul-hunger and somehow get food for the soul; and when he finds how ready the body is to suffer and whimper if it is not fed at the moment, he scores it, he retaliates upon it, demanding that it sometimes allow itself to be postponed, just as the magnificent hunger of the soul is so commonly postponed to it.
But there is an objection heard from all quarters.
"I have tried fasting," says the delicate disciple; "It makes me hungry and sick. I think of nothing but eating, and am utterly incapable of any spiritual exercise." Is he ever capable?—that is the important question. It is very true that if a man knows how to go to his table, and does not know how to go to God, he will most certainly think of going to his table. A fast that only makes a vacuum is likely to be a very unsatisfactory affair. Just contrary to this, a Christian who is able to say to the body, "Stay down there while I go up," and really go up, will be full and fresh and free, and the shortest day that he finds will be the day that misses a dinner. A little skill is wanted in fasting as in everything else, and everything turns on finding how to feed, without feeding always the body.
These strictures I make, not because of the article merely to which they refer, but because I hear so many things, in a similar strain, from our young ministers and our theological students here and there. We fancy that we are going deep, because we touch bottom where we are, when we happen to be in the shallows. This naturalism in which we are steeped shallows everything, and the pigmies and General Thumbs of grace have it for their wedding-day. We are ready to assume that Pharisees and hypocrites are the only fasting men. Have there been no grand witnesses, heroes, mighty men, Titans of God, besides? A little deference to history ought to show us that grown people have lived, even if they live no longer. H. Bushnell, in N. Y. Independent.
Faith, Temptation, and the Strait Gate
Reliance is the essence of faith, Christ is the object, the word is the food, and obedience is the proof; so that true faith is a depending upon Christ for salvation in a way of obedience as he is offered in the word.
God will either keep his saints from temptations by his preventing mercy, or in temptations by his supporting mercy, and find a way of escape by his delivering mercy.
The gate which leads to life is a strait gate, therefore we should fear; it is an open gate, therefore we should hope.
OBITUARY.
By W. C. GARRETSON
DIED in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Feb. 20, 1863, sister Elizabeth Adlon, wife of John B. Adlon, aged 33 years.
Sister Adlon embraced the present truth under the labors of Bro. Waggoner in 1861. Although she had not formally united with the church, she was fully established in the faith, endorsing and highly prizing the gifts of the Spirit. Sister Adlon leaves a kind husband and six children, who feel deeply bereaved by the loss of a wife and mother. Our sympathies are strongly enlisted in behalf of the mourners. May the Lord bless and sustain those tender children, who have lost a loving and pious mother. We hope that her virtuous example and precept may so live in their memory, that they may be constrained to follow her steps, and be prepared to meet her at the resurrection of the just.
W. C. GARRETSON.
F. MORROW
By F. Morrow
Died in Clarence, Cedar Co., Iowa, March 18, 1863, of puerperal fever, my dear companion, Mary A. Morrow, aged 29 years.
She had been a member of the Protestant M. E. church till about seven years ago, when she heard the present truth preached by Bro. J. N. Loughborough. She gladly turned her feet to the testimonies of the Lord, calling the Sabbath a delight. She loved to try to keep all God's commandments and abide in the faith of Jesus. She leaves a large family to mourn her loss. She was endeared to them by a well-ordered life, godly example, and affectionate treatment. She only sleeps for a little while till the Life-giver shall come, then she will come forth to live again.
F. MORROW
CAROLINE E. FRANK
By Caroline E. Frank
Died in Allegan, Mich., March 23, 1863, of congestion of the brain, Joseph A. Frank, aged 2 years and 3 months. After suffering five weeks, he fell asleep to wake no more till the last trump shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall rise.
CAROLINE E. FRANK
APPOINTMENTS.
I DESIGN to meet with the brethren at Middle Grove, Saratoga Co., N. Y., Sabbath and first-day April 25 and 26. J. N. ANDREWS.
OUR next quarterly meeting will be held at Charleston, Vt., April 25 and 26. The church extend a cordial invitation to brethren and sisters from other churches to meet with us. A. S. HUTCHINS.
THE next quarterly meeting of the church at Hundred Mile Grove Wis., will be held May 9 and 10 at the House of Bro. Rankins.
We would extend a cordial invitation to Elder Sanborn, or Ingraham, or Steward, to be present at this meeting; also to the brethren and sisters of the neighboring churches.
In behalf of the church. N. M. JORDON.
Providence permitting I will meet with the church at McConnell's Grove, Ill., the first Sabbath and Sunday in May. Also I will meet with the church at Elkhorn, Ill., the last Sabbath and first-day in this month (April.)
WM. S. INGRAHAM.
PROVIDENCE permitting, Elder John Byington and wife will meet with the church at Caledonia. Apr. 25th.
THE next monthly meeting of the Seventh-Day Adventists of Central New York will be held at Oswego the first Sabbath in May. In behalf of the church.
L. R. CHAPEL.
PROVIDENCE permitting I will commence labors at Lowell, Mich., Friday eve., April 17. MOSES HULL.
General Conference.
THERE will be a General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists at Battle Creek, Michigan, to commence Wednesday, May 20, at 6 o'clock, P. M.
The objects of this meeting, for the general good of the cause of Bible truth and holiness everywhere, have been specified in the REVIEW.
The several conference committees in the different States are requested to send delegates, or letters at their discretion.
The brethren in those localities where there is no State Conference, can also be represented in this Conference by delegates or letters.
All delegates and letters must be sanctioned by some State Conference, or Conference committee, or—where there are no State Conferences,—some church, or meeting of scattered brethren.
James White,
J. N. Loughborough,
John Byington.
} Michigan Conference Committee.
Michigan State Conference.
A SPECIAL session of the Michigan and Northern Indiana State Conference will be held at Battle Creek, May 22d, at 9 o'clock, A. M.
It is desired that every church belonging to this Conference, and those who wish to unite with the Conference, will send delegates with letters, stating their appointment as delegates, the number, condition, wants, &c., of the churches to which they belong.
Ample provisions will be made for delegates and preachers. A general attendance of the friends of the cause from the region round about is solicited at the meetings of worship, Sabbath and first-day, who will receive all the attention that accommodations will permit. CON. COM.
Note to Bro. Waggoner.
By J. W. Wolfe
There seems to be an urgent call for labor in Melmore, near this place. A few of our publications have been read by some of the citizens of that place and they are very anxious to hear a course of lectures. The trustees of the Presbyterian church have offered their house, which is quite a large one. The citizens of the place have also offered to furnish wood and light; and three or four of the citizens have opened their houses for the entertainment of a messenger or messengers. These arrangements have been made without conferring with any of the brethren; therefore it seems there is an ear to hear.
By request.
J. W. WOLFE.
To Brethren in N. Y.
By William Treadwell
I AM requested to extend an invitation to the N. Y. Conference Committee to appoint the next New York Conference at Roosevelt. There are some good reasons why we think it should be held here: First, it is central; and, second, we think we are as well prepared to accommodate a large gathering as any other church we know of.
There may be some things that may appear to be objections: There is no very direct public conveyance to this place; but we will endeavor to be prompt in meeting our Brn. with a sufficient number of teams at Central Square, so that all may be accommodated.
I would state, for the encouragement of the Brn. abroad that through the faithful, judicious labors of Bro. Andrews the church in this place are arising and striving for the unity of the faith and spirit as never before. We can assure our brethren, should they see fit to appoint the Conference here, of our hearty cooperation in the work of striving to advance the cause of present truth.
We would likewise invite Bro. and Sister White to attend this meeting. We think we should highly appreciate their labors.
In behalf of the church.
WILLIAM TREADWELL. Church Clerk.
The Sabbath Lute
THE Sabbath Lute is the title of a valuable little collection of Hymns and Tunes, of 48 pages, now ready. It contains 21 beautiful pieces of Music, and the remaining space is filled with Sabbath and Second Advent Hymns. Price, post-paid, 25 cents, five copies for $1.
Publication Agents.
Our publications can be had of the following persons at Office prices.
J. B. Lamson, Rochester, N. Y., Lyell-st.
H. Bingham, Morrisville, Vt.
S. H. King, Orleans, Mich.
I. C. Vaughan, Hillsdale, "
Wm. S. Higley jr., Lapeer, "
J. S. Day, Monterey, "
Isaac Sanborn, Monroe, Wis.
T. M. Steward, Mauston, "
B. F. Snook, Marion, Iowa.
W. H. Brinkerhoof, Knoxville, "
Geo. I. Butler, Waukon, "
L. B. Baker, Alba, Pa.
L. Lathrop, Freeport, Ills.
Jno. Bostwick, Deerfield, Minn.
Jos. Clarke, Portage, Ohio.
All orders by mail should be sent to the Review Office.
☞ Special Notice. ☜
By Editor
To CORRESPONDENTS.—Please notice the following rules. If you will notice them, you will save our Secretary much perplexity and time.
1. State all your business items distinctly, and put them all on a sheet by themselves, or on the last leaf of your letter, so that it may be torn off when the letter is opened.
2. Always, in writing to this Office, give your Post Office, State, and County. If your Post Office be one name and your town another, give both, stating which is which.
3. If you wish your paper changed to another Post Office, first state the name of the person, the Post Office, County, and State where it is sent, then the person, Post Office, County, and State where you wish it sent.
Bibles.
By Editor
IN consequence of the increased cost of English Bibles, we have obtained a good assortment of American Bibles which we sell at cost as follows:
Small Pica, Plain, . . $2,25, by Express.
Bourgeois, Gilt, . . 1,70, " "
" Plain, 1,45, " "
Minion, Gilt, 1,50, " "
" Plain, 1,30, " "
Pearl, Tuck, . . 1,10, postage 17 cts.
" Clasp, 0,85, " " "
" Roan, 0,65, " " "
Diamond, Tuck, 0,80, " 12 "
" Roan, 0,55, " " "
ENGLISH BIBLES.
Minion, Morocco, Ref. after vs., $3,25, postage 26c
Nonpareil, " " " " 3,15, " 21c.
" Calf., Marginal Ref., 2,50, " "
Pearl, Brass Rim, Ref. after vs., 2,25, " 15c.
Diamond, Brass Rim, Marginal Ref., 1,65, " 12c.
Michigan Conference Fund.
Received from Churches. Church at Brady $4,75. Salem Center, Ind., $I0. Jackson $10. Hillsdale $21. Monterey $8,24. Watson 72c. West Windsor $5. Charlotte $16,50. St. Charles $24. Oneida $2,70. Bowne $18. Lowell $10. Caledonia $15,60. Lapeer $18,46. Woodhull $4. Colon $6,20. Oakland $12. Wright $61. North Liberty, Ind., $30. Allegan $5. Tyrone $7. Convis $6. Orange $5. North Plains $7. West Plains $3. Eureka and Fair Plains $30. Greenbush $6. Chesaning $13,45. Milford $2. Owasso $2. West Windsor $3. Parkville $5. Shelby $9. East Thetford $4.
From Individuals. H. A Wetherbee 13c. H. D. Corey 32c. Sophia Post $1,50. E. R. Whitcomb $1,50. Dr. H. S. Lay $3. A. J. Richmond $2,80. E. M. L. Corey $1. Harmon Barnes $1. M. J. Chapman $1.
Books Sent by Mail.
Eleanor Rathbun 90c. Lucy Spencer 52c. F. A. Stevens $2,15. L. H. Roberts 25c. H. C. McDearman 50c. Eliza Burber 13c. I. C. Vaughan 75c. B. Simonton 90c. J. B. Crane 5c. A. Korb 40c. W. W. Giles 75c. P. Stone 40c. Mrs. B. Bradt 6c. S. Salsbury 12c. R. Packard 45c. Hannah Wilson 75c. A. W. Smith $2,75. Mrs. H. Dime 40c. Wm. Kelley 50c. G. F. Richmond 25c. M. B. Ferree 75c. P. Vedder 10c. Mary Alexander 60c. Jesse Millard 75c. A. H. Pervorse 30c. P. H. Sickles 10c. D. F. Shireman 25c. E. S. Faxon 65c. D. W. Johnson $2. Mary Foster $1,90. L. A. Sargent $1,10. J. A. Demill $1. J. Sanders 25c. S. M. Inman 25c. J. A. Dayton 25c. M. J. Bennet 25c. W. R. Irish 25c. A. H. Clymer 25c. J. Williams 25c. P. Scarborough jr. 25c. L. A. Kellogg 25c. A. J. Richmond 25c. T. Hamilton 25c. O. Mears 50c. C. K. Farnsworth $2. H. W. Decker $1. A. M. Brigham 50c. N. S. Brigham 50c. S. B. Whitney $2. M. Kittle 25c. E. B. Gaskill $2. B. F. Curtis 25c. H. Hilliard $1. C. L. Palmer 50c. M. H. Collins 55c. D. Robbins 25c. L. Bean $1. J. Burbridge $1,25. J. Brinkerhoff 25c. J. D. Hough $1. E. Cobb $1. S. N. Haskell 25c. F. Carlin 25c. E. Vandeusen 25c. L. S. Waters 25c. H. Bingham $1. H. A. St. John 25c. A. C. Bourdeau $1. J. L. Locke $1. Ira Abbey $3. Mrs. B. F. Allen $1. Lewis Bates 25c. S. L. Webster 25c. A. & F. F. Kimbell 25c. E. H. Brown 25c. H. Hutchins 25c.
BUSINESS DEPARTMENT.
RECEIPTS.
For Review and Herald.
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the Review & Herald to which the money receipted pays. If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
C. M. Hemingway 1,75,xxii,1. F. Harpster 2,00, xxi,15. G. Brown 1,00,xxi,10. Mary P. Shaw 1,00, xxii,20. I. C. Vaughan 0,25,xxii,20. T. Johnson 1,00,xx,10. J. P. Lewis 1,00,xxiii,1. A. Korb 1,35, xxiii,1. Joel G. Sanders 2,00,xxii,18. Lucy Porter 1,00,xxiii,20. S. H. Marshall 0,50,xxii,10. M. Thompson 1,00,xxii,1. R. Packard 2,00,xxii,14. H. Wilson 1,00,xxii,20. O. F. Allen 0,50,xxii,1. N. M. Jordan 2,00,xxiii,22. G. B. Wait 1,00,xxiii,20. G. F. Richmond 1,00,xxiii,1. M. B. Ferree for J. Ferree 1,00,xxiii,20. W. P. Ballard 1,00,xxii,6. Mary Alexander 1,00,xxiii,3. Jesse Millard 1,25,xxiii,1. P. H. Sickles 1,00,xxii,1. Ch. in Stowe, Vt. for E. Foster 1,00,xxiii,20. F. E. Peck 1,00,xxi,20. G. W. Kellogg 5,00,xxi,1. J. Rathbun 2,00,xxi,4. Mrs. F. Oliver 1,00,xxii,1. W. H. Dorcas 2,00,xxiii,20.
Missionary Fund.
Sarah Bliven $2,00. L. Pinch $1,00. W. Hargrave $4,00. Edwin Royce $8,00.
For Shares in Publishing Association.
G. W. Kellogg $5.
Books Sent by Express.
Smith Sharpe, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, $5. E. H. Root, Berlin, Mich., $5.