Earlier text: THE SABBATH OF THE GENTILESOBEDIENCE TO GOD.
By Wm. Penniman
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he shall deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Dan. 3:17, 18. These words are chosen as the basis of what we may say on this subject, as they seem to best represent the firmness and perseverance which should characterize the people of God, and through his grace cause them to obey him at all times, and under all circumstances. In the conduct of these men we have an example of the strictest adherence to principle and of the firmest trust in God. There was an immense image of gold set up in the plain of Dura. To the dedication of this image all the great men of Babylon were summoned. This was an occasion which would test the principles of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But the pomp and display, the fascinating charms of the music, the exaltation of the king, and all the powers of earth combined had no effect upon these men to cause them to yield to this unreasonable and unholy demand. Look at the firm trust in God which is set forth in these words, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace.” They gave the king to understand that they served God; that he was their God; and that, notwithstanding the king’s power over them, and the power of this burning fiery furnace, their God was able to deliver them. And to make the matter still stronger, they declared, “He shall deliver us [or he will deliver us] out of thine hand, O king.” While the princes, governors, captains, judges, treasurers, counselors, sheriffs, and all the rulers of the vast province of Babylon, obeyed this mandate, these men were immovable. The king told them there was no escape, and that a dreadful punishment would be the consequence of their disobedience. They replied, “We are not careful to answer thee in this matter.” Then follows the impressive language: “But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” In this case, there was no compromise or time-serving policy, no attempt to do evil that good might come, no “obedience to magistrates,” no submission to the “powers that be” manifested. It is plain to be seen that, in this case, the powers that be enacted a law which conflicted with the law of God; hence these men knew they were not in duty bound to obey it. They addressed the king with all due respect, yet would not sacrifice one particle of principle. Said these true men, “If it be so [that is, if we are to be cast into the furnace], our God [not yours] is able to deliver us. . . . But if not [even if he does not deliver us], we will not obey the command.” This language accords with the words of Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Job 13:15. The same faith, trust, and courage, actuated Abraham when he drew the knife to slay his son. We will consider a moment the temptation they were under. They were among the wise and great men of Babylon, the greatest kingdom of the world. Around them was the greatest exhibition of oriental magnificence; and this splendor was not the splendor of barbarism, but of a cultivated people. Nebuchadnezzar was in possession of the ivory throne, the golden knobs and pomegranates, the carved work and the hangings, once found in Solomon’s temple; and also of the gold and silver vessels. Here was an exhibition of wealth such as the world had never seen. The image which met their view was nearly one hundred and ten feet in hight, designed, no doubt, to represent the power and glory of the king. See it sending forth its flashing gleams across the plains of Babylon. Hear the inspiring sound of the cornet, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, tending to make men loyal and patriotic. See the great men fall down before the image in honor of their king. But do these men bow down? They may have stood before the image, or have obeyed the king so far as they could consistently, but bow down—never! They no doubt thought of the words: “When thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee.” Isa. 43:2. They were not in the least moved by flattery, or by any of the influences which were brought to bear upon them. They had been treated with great respect heretofore by the king, and if they had been time-servers they would have yielded once at least. But no; they are unyielding, and are quickly cast into the burning fiery furnace. While the surging flames had no effect upon them, the mighty men who threw them in were slain. Nebuchadnezzar was astonished on beholding the three men, and a fourth in form like the Son of God, walking in the midst of the fire. His proud spirit was humbled, and he gave the glory to the God of Heaven. The image which before had been so great was then looked upon by him and his subjects with contempt. The king called the Hebrews from the fire. Their coats were not changed, “neither had the smell of fire passed over them.” A victory was wrought by the living God in favor of truth and justice, and so it will ever be when men stand up for principle. The lovers of truth who may be sentenced by man to pass the “fiery ordeal,” be it the furnace, the dungeon, or the scaffold, may not always be miraculously delivered, yet the victory will be in favor of truth just the same, and its good effects will last forever. Men love power and honor. They fear the danger of losing some position in church or State, or even some petty position where but little remuneration is received. They will often sacrifice principle to hold these positions, and flatter themselves that they are doing right. Thus they do not render obedience to God. They dread to become unpopular, and to be called singular, forgetting that the people of God are called a “peculiar people.” 1 Pet. 2:9. The case of these lovers of popularity who hate to be called singular may be well represented by the following quotations: “At the signal given, all the princes, governors, captains, judges, etc., fell down, and worshiped the image.” There was one united and universal prostration; it was a full and strong expression of public sentiment. Three men only were seen standing. These men had the presumption to act in opposition to the many! Strange conduct this! at least, so would a time-serving spirit decide. It is not so easy a matter for men to be singular. There is a strong propensity to go with the multitude; and it requires more than an ordinary degree of firmness to withstand the example of the many. All are prostrate on this occasion. There stand the three Hebrews alone. Imagine the ridicule that would be employed to shame them out of their singularity. We fancy we hear a governor yonder saying to his comrades around him, “See those Hebrews standing up. I wonder if they are not ashamed to be so singular.” “I wonder,” says another, “if they think they know more than every body else?” “Ay,” exclaims a third, “they think they are wiser than all our great men. They have set themselves above our statesmen; yea, above our doctors of divinity. Those comparatively young men vainly think that they are going to set themselves up for reformers.” “I suspect,” cries a fourth, “they will learn a lesson by and by, when they feel the fire of yonder furnace kindle on them. I guess they will find it not so desirable as they imagine to smell fire or be martyrs.” “For my part,” says a fifth, “I believe idolatry in the abstract is wrong; but under present circumstances it is right. At any rate, I have no notion of going in advance of public opinion, and I think a man is perfectly fanatical that does it.” “I am not so clear,” responds a sixth, “that falling down to an idol is wrong, for the Bible says an idol is nothing, and surely there can be no great harm for the sake of keeping peace, and, to prevent any disturbance, for us just to fall down now, this once, to that which is, after all, nothing.” “Those men are foreigners,” cries a seventh, “and they have no business to meddle with our domestic institutions; we have worshiped images for hundreds of years. Their worship constitutes a long-established institution, and though it might have been wrong when first introduced, yet it is entailed upon us, and it would bring confusion and ruin to attempt to abolish it now.” There are institutions which have been established by the papacy, and have been handed down for hundreds of years; therefore, in the minds of some, they are right, and should be observed. This class, if they reject the light, are virtually image-worshipers, and will be in favor of a union of church and State, and will eventually set up, not a golden image like that of Nebuchadnezzar, but an image to the beast, and will worship it. May the Lord direct the minds of the people to his truth, and give them the spirit of obedience to his laws is my prayer. THE FUTURE.
By Eliza H. Morton
The future—dim and distant—
No man can read aright.
In wisdom, love unquestioned,
God veils it from our sight. Our feet may shrink and falter,
Our hearts grow sick and faint
At scenes of woe and sorrow,
Anticipation paints. Life may be bright and happy,
Like one long summer day,
It may be wrapped in darkness,
'Tis not for us to say. But God is good and faithful,
And loves his children well,
He knows what best will fit us
With him at last to dwell. It may be some dark trial
Will be the chastening rod
To turn our hearts from idols
To worship only God. Whatever may befall us,
Whatever fears arise,
God never will forsake us;
Faith holds secure the prize. REPENTANCE IN VIEW OF THE JUDGMENT.
By Orlando Soule
“For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” 2 Cor. 5:10, 11. Here the apostle urges the terrors of the Judgment as a reason why men should repent, and also speaks of them as that which nerved his arm to labor and persuade men. The prophets had frequent views of the Judgment; let us hear their testimony concerning that great event. “Our God shall come and shall not keep silence; a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.” Ps. 50:3, 4. “A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The Judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Dan. 7:10. “And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:11-15. Oh, dread tribunal before which all must stand! and to the ungodly how terrible! Here the strong man disdains to humble himself; but there “the mighty man shall cry bitterly.” Zeph. 1:14. Here the proud may trample down the humble and exalt themselves among the honored of earth; but there they shall “be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up.” Mal. 4:1. But how different the scene with the righteous. “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” Isa. 25:9. Why such a contrast between the two classes? Simply on account of the difference in the preparation made by the individuals; for all may be saved. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isa. 45:22. A careful study of the prophecies, to which the New Testament bids us take heed, 2 Pet. 1:19, will satisfy the minds of the candid that we are now living in the last generation. With the facts before us that we are so near the end, and that so much depends upon our personal preparation, with what intense interest the question should be pressed, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer is explicit: “Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts. 3:19. “Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning; and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” Jas. 4:8-10. ORLANDO SOULE. The Duty of Being Lovable.
If my neighbor finds it as hard to love me as I do to love him, I am sorry for him. Christ’s words mean something more positive than the quiescent good will which wishes no harm, and in an emergency would do a kindness. But if there is nothing lovable in a person, how can you love him, except in this negative, benevolent spirit? Christ loved us in our “low estate,” and his children should thus love one another. So the loyal Christian enlarges his heart and broadens his sympathies to live out the spirit of his Master. Yet human nature asserts itself: antagonistic temperaments recoil from each other. Good people are often very disagreeable. Coarse manners and coarse tastes are repulsive, though found in the church. Tiresome people are bores, even if Christians. Our nerves are tortured, our sensibilities are shocked, our temper exasperated by brothers and sisters in the church. There are some who act as if they did not want you to love them. To be let alone is all they want. How shall we have tenderness and sympathy and warm affection, when the heart does not find anything to fasten on? Christ’s new “commandment” must have a reflex meaning. If we are required to love, it is implied that we make ourselves lovable. Are we not to soften the asperities of our temper, “round the sharp knobs of character,” change the repellent manners into a genial approachableness, and sweeten the severities of our virtues so that our condemnation of another’s wrong shall be sorrowful rather than stern? Is it not a duty to avoid those habits which are uncomfortable to others; to check the indulgence of personal peculiarities which may be even more disagreeable than faults, and to cultivate those graces of heart and manner which make our presence a pleasure to others? Are we not to exercise ourselves continually in active, generous service, using all our faculties and opportunities in such a way that others can always believe in us, finding in us an inspiration, strength and joy? Sir Philip Sidney speaks of “A sweet, attractive kind of grace,
A full assurance given by looks,
Continual comfort in a face,
The lineaments of gospel books.”
If we were all seeking to grow into the likeness of Christ, in little things as well as in great, this brotherly love would spring spontaneously in the heart, and we should find continual comfort in each other’s faces. I read the “new commandment” again, and, underlying the familiar words, I seem to see the corresponding precept: “Be lovable to one another.” I look across to my neighbor over the way, and in striving to be lovable myself, lo! I find him so. Has he, too, been studying the lesson, or are my eyes just opened to see the good in him? Possibly we shall find it easier to love our neighbor than to be always deserving of his love.—Christian at Work. Nineveh was fourteen miles long, eight miles wide, and forty-six miles around, with a wall one hundred feet high and thick enough for three chariots abreast. Babylon was fifty miles within the walls, which were seventy-five feet thick and one hundred feet high, with one hundred brazen gates. The Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, was four hundred and twenty feet to the support of the roof—it was one hundred years in building. The largest of the pyramids was four hundred and eighty-one feet in height and eight hundred and fifty-three feet on the sides. The base covered eleven acres. The stones are about sixty feet in length, and the layers two hundred and eight. It employed 350,000 men in building. The labyrinth of Egypt contains three hundred chambers and twelve halls. Thebes, in Egypt, presents ruins twenty-seven miles around, and contained 350,000 citizens and 400,000 slaves. The Temple of Delphos was so rich in donations that it was plundered of $50,000,000, and the Emperor Nero carried away from it two hundred statues. The walls of Rome were thirteen miles around.—Sel. Reading That Enlightens and Strengthens the Soul
No Christian can, no true Christian will, read that which does not enlighten and strengthen the soul. It is a sin to spend the time which God has given man for improvement in reading light and trashy reading. The Emptiness of All Earthly Things
The emptiness of all things, from politics to pastimes, is never so striking to us as when we fail in them. The Visions.
By George I. Butler
While reading Bro. Smith’s searching notice of the work of our enemies against the visions in REVIEW of Aug. 17, I felt a desire kindle in my heart to say a word in regard to them. The old readers of our paper well know that this is a subject upon which I have said much in time past. In this time of rapid transitions and religious somersets it may be allowable to say a word further. While those who have the greatest hatred against our work take so much pains to destroy confidence in this gift, and blacken the reputation of one who has never harmed them, the true friends of this cause should at once conclude that here is a vital point, because of this very fact. He who marshals the forces of our enemies does not throw away his efforts or aim them at points of no importance. He perceives, if we do not, that there is no surer way of weakening this cause, and bringing confusion to our counsels and palsy to our efforts, than by destroying faith in the “spirit of prophecy;” hence, some thirty years of arduous effort to break down the confidence of S. D. Adventists in the testimonies and in the one through whom they have come. And these efforts of the enemy have not been fruitless. All these years examples have occurred more or less frequently before our eyes, showing the effect of losing confidence in them. Has there not been one uniform result? Has there been a single instance, during the thirty years of the history of S. D. Adventists as a people, where a person who had been a firm believer in these testimonies has lost confidence in them; and then become more devoted to the work, more in earnest to advance the cause of Christ, more ready to labor and sacrifice in its behalf than before? Do we not know that in every case just the opposite result has been seen? One of two courses are generally pursued by such persons. Either they soon become the deadliest enemies we have, sparing no pains to tear down the truth they before tried to build up, manifesting a bitterness of feeling and a rancor of spirit utterly uncontrollable; or they are involved in doubt and perplexity, loth to give up many points they held before, but trying to find some way out of the labyrinth into which they have fallen. From my soul I pity this latter class, and would gladly afford them help; but I feel sure they will never find full relief till they again accept the very truth they before believed and in which they greatly rejoiced. The system of doctrines concerning our work for the present time as held by S. D. Adventists, stands or falls together. It is so connected that we might as well think to take a plank out of the hull without endangering the ship, as to remove one of its truths without affecting the rest. In saying this, of course I speak of those who have become thoroughly conversant with the whole of our faith; with those who are investigating, and have never become acquainted with the evidences for our positions, the case is different. On this subject I feel that I can speak advisedly, as within the last five years I have traveled extensively in every Conference organized85 by our people. My observation has taught me this: Wherever, in any Conference or church, the prevailing feeling is one of doubt or suspicion concerning this manifestation of the spirit of prophecy, there may be seen a blight upon the progress of the work, a drying up of the streams of liberality, and a dearth of the spirit of piety. I never knew an exception. Nothing need be said by way of reproof; the matter may be left apparently unnoticed, but the sure result follows. Like a canker, it eats out and saps the strength of our efforts. The people wither, and the work of God languishes. There are large sections of the field more or less affected from this cause. If I needed any other proof upon this point I could find it in my own experience. Like all others with minds naturally skeptical, I have passed through experiences of doubt. When I first renounced infidelity, I could hardly believe the Bible. Of course, it was years before I believed in this manifestation. Oftentimes, in periods of darkness, doubts would come into my mind concerning this matter. But I always find in my own experience the same result I have spoken of in the case of others. Cherishing doubts of this kind kills out of my heart all relish for labor in the cause, and utterly saps my spiritual strength; while, on the contrary, when my faith is strong in the testimonies and I practice reading them, and meditate upon them, the sweet, humble spirit of love and peace comes into my soul. I pity the person who can read these testimonies, and not perceive the true spirit of piety they contain. Their minds must be blinded by hatred, or their hearts hardened by resisting the influences of Heaven. In my very soul I feel that they have been to me a great source of spiritual strength and instruction. They are specially adapted to meet a want of the present time. They expose the special sophistries of Satan, through which he is bewitching the people of this age. It is no wonder to me that he hates them; that he spares no pains to make bitter war upon them; and that he employs agents filled with rancor to do it. But it is a source of deep astonishment that so many of our people are asleep to his devices; and that they cannot see that here is an important point on which to be guarded. The tactics of the enemy should teach them this, if nothing more. Why is it that this one special spiritual gift should be looked upon with such suspicion? There has come to be quite a general recognition of the power of faith, even on the part of the popular churches, and of many of those who oppose visions. I recently purchased a book on prayer, written by a learned professor, which is an admirable work, full of excellent instruction on that important subject. He advocates the doctrine fully that there is power in the prayer of faith, and gives many very interesting instances of the sick being healed, great calamities being averted, and apparent miracles being wrought by it. Why should it be thought more wonderful that God should give visions in this age than that he should raise men from sick beds by the power of his Spirit, especially when he has said he would do so in his holy word? There is no good reason for this difference. It only comes as another fulfillment of prophecy. God has said, “The dragon [Satan] was wroth with the woman [the church], and went to make war with the remnant [the last end] of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. 12:17. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The word of God will be fulfilled. We must pity the poor souls who lend themselves to do Satan’s work, and become channels through which to show his wrath, but we must cleave to the whole truth of God. Soon we shall be beyond his malice. We are in the closing struggle, and may God help us to be true to our King, while our enemies seem determined to be true to theirs.
GEO. I. BUTLER. THE CAMP-MEETINGS.
By James White
The western, early meetings were excellent. The results of the Ohio Camp-meeting were good, but the labor was hard and disagreeable in consequence of the visiting spirit and unconsecration of many. Some of the sisterhood, not excepting old ladies, were decidedly gifted in talking about nothing in particular. When people will talk real sound common sense and religion, we say let them talk; but we confess our utter inability to enjoy hour after hour of common chatter, tinged with vulgar attempts at small wit. If there is anything that can be brought to a camp-meeting which God hates, it is this cheap, driveling nonsense. If the Vermont Camp-meeting had been located where the crowds could have reached us, we should have had much greater freedom. The time has come when the Spirit of God attends the preaching of the word with greatest power before the multitudes of the people. This is a signal to us that the time has fully come to give to the world the reasons of our faith and hope. But it is no small task to make our people see and feel the importance of broader plans, and liberal, energetic, and united action. This good people in Vermont need help. In their present state, suffering from the influence of several aspiring to be the greatest, we recommend that Conference to come more fully under the wing of the General Conference. And we think that body should send back to old Vermont some one of her sons now in the West. If it should please God, and meet the mind of Eld. Geo. I. Butler, the Vermont Conference would joyfully welcome him back to his native State. A strong man is wanted to put his arms under that Conference, and lift it up in the strength of God to a state of prosperity, hope, and courage. And we have no brethren anywhere who would stand by such a man in his labor more faithfully than those of the Vermont Conference. Our Camp-meeting at Groveland, Mass., was a perfect success. The brethren came on the ground with a mind to work, and were greatly blessed. They brought many with them to the meeting who had more or less interest. These became convinced, and not a few committed themselves on the truth. And the outside attendance was large, especially on Sunday. Bro. Haskell had his attention called to what we were doing in the secular papers by our able reporter, Miss Mary L. Clough, and had matters in good readiness before we reached the ground. He had made arrangements with dailies in Boston, Lawrence, Haverhill, Newburyport, and elsewhere, to give a report each day through the meeting. These readable reports stirred the people, and if the Boston and Maine R. R. men had fully appreciated the situation, and kept their trains running each hour, they would have overwhelmed our camp with thirty or forty thousand people. But in running trains to the ground only at 9 A. M. and 2 P. M., we closed services on Sunday with not less than 20,000 persons present. During this auspicious day, Mrs. W. and the writer spoke with great freedom twice each to the quiet sea of humanity before us. Mrs. W. dwelt on her favorite theme, Christian Temperance. Officers of the Haverhill Reform Club present urged that she should speak at the City Hall Monday evening on the same subject, promising a thousand people out, and a liberal collection. Here came a trial to decide duty. The strain of speaking twice on Sunday to the crowd had been great, and the reaction on Monday was inevitable, threatening a partial failure. But the temperance men were exceedingly urgent, and the risk was taken, and the appointment went out. And if cheers, and expressions of thanks, hearty amens, tears, smiles, and kisses from the fair temperance ladies at the close, are evidence in the case, it was one of the good woman's best efforts. She was happy to give the Club the benefit of the collection. A splendid blow has been struck in old Massachusetts which, if fully appreciated by the friends of the cause of truth, and properly followed up, will open an effectual door for the gospel of the third message in the very strongholds of Adventism in 1842-4. As the good camp-meeting at Rome, N. Y., opened the way for the labors of Eld. Canright in that city the present season, so the late camp-meeting near Haverhill, Lawrence, and Newburyport, has opened the way for efficient labor with the tent in these cities next season. These matters will come before our General Conference in September. We are writing this article in our tent on the Richmond, Maine, Camp-ground. The meeting is larger, and thus far better, than last year. It is encouraging to greet new faces here of those who have come to the light since last year. GRAND RALLY IN NEW ENGLAND.
The Massachusetts Camp-Meeting a Great Success.
Twenty Thousand People upon the Ground.
We arrived upon the camp-ground in Groveland, Mass., Wednesday evening, and found eighteen tents already up. The number was speedily run up the next day to fifty-five tents, which was an increase by fifteen tents over any previous S. D. A. camp-meeting in New England; and there was a corresponding increase in the number of brethren and sisters present. This was a good omen upon the start. The ground was pleasantly located in a grove of oaks and pines. A branch of the Boston and Maine R. R. runs across one edge of the ground, over which trains passed each way nearly every hour in the day, stopping at the ground. A few rods beyond the R. R., though hidden from view by the high banks, is the Merrimac river, where two steam yachts landed passengers from Haverhill every hour on Sunday, and twice a day on other days. The meeting started off with great apparent readiness on the part of those present to take hold of the work. This at once brought a free spirit and a good state of feeling into the meeting. In the social meeting on Friday at 9 A. M., one hundred and ten as intelligent and spirited testimonies as one often hears, were borne in about one hour. And in none of the social meetings did those who were conducting them have occasion to prompt the brethren to fill up the time, and but little cause to caution them to be short and to the point. No opportunity was given to throw in directions of this kind. Thus freely moved the social meetings through the entire occasion. No bondage was felt in the preaching. The subjects presented seemed to be appreciated, and every blow struck apparently raised the interest a degree higher. But the great feature of the meeting was the unprecedented gathering on first-day. Eld. Haskell had extensively advertised the meeting in the leading papers of this section. And after the meeting commenced on Thursday, the reports written by Miss M. L. Clough began to appear in the same papers. The interest of the people was thus aroused, and the result showed what may be accomplished in this direction by a little effort. The following description of Sunday’s services by a reporter of the Haverhill Publisher, which appeared in the issue of that paper of Aug. 29, will be of more interest to the readers of the REVIEW than anything we might say concerning it:— “Sunday was the great day at the meeting in the woods at Bradford, by the Seventh-day Adventists, bringing together the largest assembly of people ever convened in this region for a similar purpose, and it appears to have been much enjoyed, not only by the Adventists proper, but by a very large number of people who always enjoy themselves by getting out for a free and easy day of roaming about, and communing with nature in one way and another.” “The railroads were taxed beyond the utmost capacity of all their preparations for the occasion, and large numbers were prevented from attendance by not finding means of conveyance at the time the trains started, or by not finding the trains moving when their effervescent inclinations were just active enough to stimulate them to visit the scene. We understand there were thousands at the station in Lawrence who could not be accommodated with conveyance, all the cars at command being literally packed to overflowing. It was the same at this station, and in the afternoon we noticed a train of sixteen heavy-laden cars slowly pulling out for the camp. In addition, two steam yachts were very busy, and omnibuses and barges were constantly running, while private carriages without number thronged in the way thereto. Had the cars run every half hour, they would have been full, and a much larger number of people would have passed over the road. As it was, it is thought fully twenty thousand visited the grounds during the day. But this was only an experimental occasion; another year an improvement can be made in the facilities for travel.” “The speaking through the day was almost continuous, it being in part an exposition of the doctrines of the sect, and was, therefore, ‘seed sowing’; in addition there were two addresses on Temperance by Mrs. White, of California.” “Eld. White gave himself to the critical work of expounding the religious theory of the sect of which he is one of the chiefs, the leading points of which are, as we have before stated: First, a belief in the literal, personal second coming of Christ; second, the sleep of the dead till he appears; third, the resurrection of the just to join him in the skies for a thousand years; fourth, the resurrection of the balance of the human race, who are to drag out a miserable existence for a season on the earth, which is not only to become a howling wilderness, but a land of desolation and extreme wretchedness, which is to continue till the ‘great multitude which no man can number’ have suffered enough, then they are to be destroyed ‘root and branch,’—that is, annihilated—and in connection with this terrible devastation the earth is to become purified, sin brought to an end, and the earthly creation restored to its primeval purity and glory, when Christ and his saints will descend to inherit it forever, being clothed with flesh and blood as now, but undying.” “Eld. Smith, of Michigan, spoke in the evening upon ‘The United States in Prophecy,’ giving to prophetic words a turn in harmony with the belief which we have briefly shadowed forth. A very important and prominent point in their faith is the observance of the seventh day as their Sabbath and season of rest and worship.” “Eld. Haskell, who was the superintendent of the camp, found his time completely occupied in providing for the various wants of the great crowd, which far exceeded all expectations and provisions made therefor. The supply tent, or sutler’s quarters, was eaten out at an early hour, and a messenger dispatched to this city, who completely cleaned out the Winter street bakery, and even that reinforcement did not meet the wants in satisfying the hungry cravings of the great crowd. Eld. Haskell exerted himself to the utmost, but, not having the power of miracle working, found it hard to feed five thousand with the few ‘loaves and fishes’ at his command.” “The novelty of the gathering, and the auspicious day, contributed to make the assembly an immense one, in the movements of which general good order and quiet prevailed.” “We understand the arrangement is a permanent one for holding the annual camp-meeting in this grove, now fairly dedicated to their cause, and it may be that it will be thus occupied till the time shall arrive which is fixed in the dream which we think constitutes their faith; if so, it may be a very long time, the duration of which the B. and M. Railroad will not object to. It always was the desire and delight of the race to occasionally assemble in great numbers, and in order to do so they must have a central idea to rally round, and that of this sect may as well be one of those ideas as anything else. We, certainly, rejoice with the brethren and sisters of this peculiar faith, so far as the occasion has been to them a joy and a success.” This writer, as is not strange, has made a few inaccurate statements respecting our faith, but what he says is a good general description of the scene of Sunday. In all the vast assemblage, scarcely a trace of the rowdy element could be perceived. They gave evidence of being for the most part persons of intelligence, culture and standing in society. It was as fine an audience as one could wish; and hence the best of order and quiet prevailed throughout. Bro. and Sr. White each spoke briefly, both forenoon and afternoon, thus giving the people four addresses of about 45 minutes each in length. Bro. White confined himself to an exposition of the great themes involved in our name as Seventh-day Adventists, namely, the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath, and the literal second coming of Christ soon to occur. The remarks of sister White on temperance, above referred to, were received with such favor that the officers of the Haverhill Reform Club immediately besought her to speak on that subject in the city. Accordingly, appointment was given out for her to speak in the City Hall, their regular place of meeting, on Monday night. On this occasion, the hall, which will accommodate about eleven hundred persons, was filled to its utmost capacity with the very elite of Haverhill’s society, professional men of all classes, officers of the city, and the most intelligent of the people. Being introduced by the President, Bro. White made a few appropriate introductory remarks, followed by sister White with one of her most successful efforts. She struck intemperance at the very root, showing that on the home table largely exists the fountain from which flow the first tiny rivulets of perverted appetite, which soon deepen into an uncontrollable current of indulgence, and sweep the victim to a drunkard’s grave. She arraigned the sin of mothers in giving so much time to the follies of dress instead of giving it to the moral and mental elevation of their households; and the sin of fathers, in wasting time, health and means on the gross indulgence in tobacco in its various forms, instead of uniting with their companions in noble efforts to dot our land with model households where the parents shall occupy their proper positions, and the children come up with well-balanced and well-disciplined powers, to act a self-reliant and manly part in the world, and thus shut off recruits from the great army of tobacco and liquor devotees. Her remarks raised the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm, which was manifested by several outbursts of applause while she was speaking, and by hearty hand-shaking and words of approval at the close. Monday on the camp-ground was an interesting day. In the forenoon, after a discourse appropriate to the occasion by Bro. White, Bro. Dores A. Robinson was solemnly ordained to the work of the ministry. In the afternoon, after a discourse by Bro. White on the subject of baptism, thirty-three candidates were examined, to whom the rite was then administered by Bro. Haskell in the waters of the Merrimac. The business sessions of the Conference passed off with the utmost harmony of feeling. The religious feeling was at times great. About one hundred and fifty at one time came forward for prayers, and a goodly number made the decision and commenced the observance of the Sabbath at this meeting. The brethren have gone to their homes, pleased, encouraged, strengthened; we trust to work, grow, and overcome. The laborers feel well repaid for all their efforts; and the prospects before the cause in New England were never better.