Earlier text: A CONSECUTIVE VIEW OF THE PROPHECIESHISTORY OF THE WORLDLY SANCTUARY.
THAT the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout all the kingdom that whoever there were among them of the people of the Lord, they might go up to Jerusalem. Ez. 1-3. The land of Judea had now lain desolate fifty-two years, dating from the death of Gedaliah, which occurred shortly after the entire destruction of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar, and had thereby enjoyed her sabbaths of which it had been deprived during the reign of her wicked kings from the time of Asa. The Sanctuary was in ruins; but the ministrations of that Sanctuary were not yet completed. The first covenant during which it was to continue was not yet ended. The heavenly ministrations to which the earthly pointed, were not yet entered upon. Hence, the land having fulfilled her sabbaths as the Lord declared that it should in case of their transgression, [Lev. xxvi, 34, 35, 43,] he charged Cyrus to "build him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah." Upon this proclamation of king Cyrus, actuated by a desire to rebuild the house of the Lord, there assembled out of the various parts of the kingdom of Babylon, forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty persons, to go up to Jerusalem. These were not only from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, but numbers of them were from the other tribes also, who availed themselves of this decree of Cyrus; for the decree extended "throughout all his kingdom;" and his kingdom extended throughout the world. Fifty-two years after the destruction of the first temple, the foundation of the second was laid by Zerubbabel. The work had not proceeded far however, when it was stopped by an order of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, which had been procured through the misrepresentations of the Samaritans and others. Ez. iv. It was delayed fifteen years. Verse 24. However, in the second year of Darius, it was re-commenced, and on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of Darius it was finished and dedicated, [chap. vi, 15, 16,] twenty-one years after it was begun. B. c. 515. The glory of this temple was not to equal that of the first. The Lord told Haggai, that it was as nothing compared with the former; [Hag. ii, 3;] and the ancient men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Ez. iii, 13. The Sanctuary, indeed, was being restored, but the glory was diminished. The immediate wound which sin had inflicted upon the nation was healed, but it had left behind it a frightful scar. It was not however with respect to the size, that the first house surpassed the latter; for this was of the same dimensions as the former, being built upon the same foundations. But what was the main glory of the first temple, those marks of the divine favor with which it was honored, which the Jews reckon up in five particulars, were wholly wanting in the second. These were, 1. the ark, and the mercy-seat which was upon it. 2. The Shechinah, or divine presence. 3. The Urim and Thummim. 4. The holy fire from the altar. 5. The spirit of prophecy. What really became of the ark on the destruction of the temple has been a matter of much conjecture and dispute. That it was not carried to Babylon is generally admitted; as, if it had been, it would have been brought back with the other sacred treasures which had been carried thither. Ez. i, 8-11. It is contended by some that it was hid away and preserved by Jeremiah, and is yet to be brought to light. The reason for this view they find in 2 Maccabees ii, which contains the following account of the matter: Jeremy the prophet, "being warned of God, commanded the tabernacle and the ark to go with him, as he went forth into the mountain where Moses climed up, and saw the heritage of God. And when Jeremy came thither, he found an hollow cave, wherein he laid the tabernacle, and the ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door. And some of those that followed him came to mark the way, but they could not find it. Which when Jeremy perceived, he blamed them, saying, As for this place, it shall be unknown until the time that God gather his people again together, and receive them unto mercy." 2 Mac. ii, 4-7. But it is not agreed on all hands to how much credit this book is entitled. Most of the Jews will have it, says Prideaux, that king Josiah being foretold by Huldah the prophetess, that the temple speedily after his death would be destroyed, caused the ark to be put in a vault under ground, which Solomon foreseeing this destruction, had caused of purpose to be built, for the preserving of it." For proof they produce 2 Chron. xxxv, 3. But these "words import no more than that Manasseh, or Ammon, having removed the ark from where it ought to have stood, Josiah commanded it again to be restored to its proper place." As these are but little more than conjectures, we must conclude that the ark "was destroyed with the temple, as were the altar of incense, the shew-bread table, and the golden candlestick." The defect of the ark was, however, supplied as to the outward form; for in the second temple there was also an ark made of the same shape and dimensions as the first, and put in the same place; (see Lightfoot on the temple, c. 15, s. 4;) but it contained no tables of the law, there was no appearance of the divine glory over it, and there were no oracles given from it. As it has been said that the Urim and Thummim were wanting in the second temple, it may be proper to inquire what it was, and what was the use of it. On this point we will content ourselves with the result of a short dissertation by Prideaux, in which he concludes that these words meant "only the divine virtue and power given to the breast-plate in its consecration, of obtaining an oracular answer from God, whenever counsel was asked of him by the high-priest with it on, in such manner as his word did direct; and that the names, Urim and Thummim, were given hereto, only to denote the clearness and perfection which these oracular answers always carried with them; for these answers were not, like the heathen oracles, enigmatical and ambiguous, but always clear and manifest; not such as did ever fall short of perfection, either of fullness in the answer, or certainty in the truth of it. And hence it is that the Septuagint, translate Urim and Thummim by the words, deloin kai aletheian, i. e., manifestation and truth, because all these oracular answers given by Urim and Thummim were always clear and manifest, and their truth ever certain and infallible. As to the use which was made of the Urim and Thummim, it was to ask counsel of God in difficult and momentous cases relating to the whole state of Israel." Connexion, Vol. i, p. 156. Of the Sanctuary thus constituted very little need be said during the remainder of its history. Owing to the corruption of its ungodly priests, from time to time, God suffered it to be visited with judgments. It was profaned by order of Antiochus Epiphanes, B. c. 167. The sacrifices were discontinued therein and the idol of Jupiter Olympus was set up upon the altar. It continued thus three years, when it was purified by Judas Maccabeus. The temple built by the Jews after their return from captivity, falling much short of Solomon's in magnificence, and, five hundred years being now elapsed since its erection, several decays having happened to it, both from the lapse of time and the violence of enemies, Herod the great conceived the idea of rebuilding it throughout. The old temple was therefore pulled down to its foundations, and the building of the new one commenced B. c. 19. This is the temple of which the Jews spoke to the Saviour at his first passover, saying, Forty and six years was this temple in building. John ii, 20.
(Concluded on last page.)157 (Continued from fourth page.)
This building was considerable larger than Zerubbabel's, and was at once the admiration and envy of the world. "Its appearance," says Josephus, "had every thing that could strike the mind and astonish the sight; for it was on every side covered with solid plates of gold so that when the sun rose upon it, it reflected such a dazzling effulgence, that the eye of the beholder was obliged to turn away from it: being no more able to sustain its radiance than the splendor of the sun." "It appeared at a distance like a huge mountain covered with snow; for where it was not decorated with plates of gold, it was extremely white and glistening." We now pass to the time of our Saviour. That covenant which had its "ordinances of divine service and a worldly Sanctuary," was drawing to a close. The Great Sacrifice to which the offerings of the Sanctuary pointed was soon to be offered. Our Lord was performing his ministry. Often would he have gathered the children of Jerusalem together, enlightened the blindness of their minds, and healed their backslidings, but they could not! A final doom is therefore pronounced upon their beautiful temple. Behold, says Christ, your house is left unto you desolate. Matt. xxiii, 37, 38. And as he departed from the temple he declared that it should be thrown down, so that there should not be left one stone upon another. The services of the worldly Sanctuary were now, in the purposes of Heaven, at an end. There was no longer virtue in its ministrations. And the prediction here uttered, was, in the short space of forty years, fulfilled to the very letter. The Roman soldiers under Titus, in A. D. 70, visited upon Jerusalem the destruction which had been foretold. The temple they burned to the ground and utterly demolished. This took place on the same month and on the same day of the month, on which Solomon's temple was destroyed by the Babylonians 650 years before. The Jews have been scattered throughout the world; a fate which the Lord had often pronounced upon their disobedience. Heathens and strangers have possessed themselves of their beautiful land; and upon the site where once stood the ancient temple, now stands the Mosque of Omar. A few thoughts concerning the Sanctuary of the new covenant we may offer in our next. LETTERS TO BRO. SPERRY
By James White
THE KINGDOM OF GOD.—No. 4.
DEAR BRO. SPERRY:—In his article on the kingdom, D. P. Hall quotes largely from the prophecies to show that there are great blessings yet to be bestowed on the literal descendants of Jacob. On Eze. xxxvi, he remarks: "There are but three positions which can be taken in regard to this promise, and many others of like import; viz., They have been fulfilled in the past history of this nation; or they will be fulfilled to those who are Israelites in the highest sense, i. e., after the law of faith; or they remain to be fulfilled to the natural descendants. The last named position is the only one admissible in the scripture now under investigation." In quoting from the next chapter he throws in a parenthesis as follows: "So shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David, (David 2d, Christ,) my servant shall be a king over them, and they shall have one shepherd." &c. After quoting verses 16-24, he says: "Is this in the past? or does it relate to the spiritual seed or Christians from among all kindreds, tongues and peoples? If such plain promises as these can be wrung and twisted to suit such notions, adieu to all instructions from the sacred oracles." We notice here that he has admitted that there are two senses to the term Israel, but decides that it is inadmissible to consider that it refers to Israel in the highest sense, or the Israel of faith. But if it be presumption to consider these promises as referring to the Israel of faith, what shall be thought of his parenthetical comment on verse 24 as quoted? Who authorized him to put "David 2d, Christ" there, while he arbitrarily denies us the privilege of placing Israel 2d in the same connection? And where can he have obtained his special privilege of scripture interpretation? I am not going to deny the correctness of his comment, but I think when he has studied the "sacred oracles" more thoroughly on this subject than he appears to have done yet, he will find that no other kind of wringing and twisting than that he practiced to get "David 2d, Christ," in that passage, will be required to find Israel second, or in "the highest sense," in the same scripture. There are, by his own showing, two Israels, and two Davids; and David 1st has reigned over the first Israel, and now he contends that David 2d will also reign over the first Israel. But the first Israel and the reign of the first David belonged entirely to the old covenant, while the second Israel, and David 2d, are under the new. It is as absurd and impossible to connect the reign of David 2d, with the first Israel, as it would be to connect the reign of David 1st, with the second Israel. Neither can he done unless the scriptures "be wrung and twisted to suit" the notions and theories of men. But he may claim a necessity in the scriptures for referring this promise to Christ, though David's name is used. This I will admit, but I claim that the same necessity exists for referring these promises to the Israel of faith. This necessity may be seen from various and weighty considerations. The gathering of Israel is described in the first part of the same chapter, in the explanation of the vision of the dry bones. The Lord said: "Son of man, these bones are THE WHOLE HOUSE OF ISRAEL: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off from our parts. Therefore, prophecy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord157 God; Behold, O my people, I WILL OPEN YOUR GRAVES, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel." Verses 11, 12. This is the Lord's own interpretation of the vision, and teaches that Israel will be brought up out of their graves, from all countries whither they are gone [verse 21.] and brought into their own land, that is the land promised to Abraham, and to be inherited by the faithful in Christ. Israel after the flesh, or the natural descendants, never had any land that they could call their own; for they did not fulfill the condition of the covenant under which they lived, and of course gained no title under it. But that covenant waxed old, and is vanished away, and now the promises of God can only be inherited under conditions given in the new covenant. And their possession of Canaan was not the fulfillment of the promise, so Paul shows in his letter to the Hebrews. Again, all Israel, all of Abraham's children, whether originally Jew or Greek, circumcision or uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond or free, are now fulfilling that scripture which predicted that Abraham's seed were to be strangers in the land of their enemies. This earth, all of it, was given to Adam; but he sinned—became the servant of Satan, and transferred the dominion, now under the curse, to his new master. The Devil offered it to the legitimate heir, on terms with which he would not comply; [Luke iv, 5-7.] had he accepted it from Satan it would never have been redeemed. Jesus himself acknowledged the truth of Satan's claim, saying, "the Prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me." John xiv, 30. In his prayer for his disciples he said: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." Chap. xvii, 16. Abraham and the faithful of that age confessed that they were "strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Heb. xi, 13. Said the Apostle, "Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." 1 Pet. ii, 11. This shows clearly that all the scattered saints, Abraham's true children by faith in Christ, are in the enemy's land; but they are soon to be gathered according to the scriptures. Isaiah describes the manner of the gathering of Israel. Chap. xxvii, 12, 13. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall be gathered, one by one, O ye children of Israel. And it shall come to pass in that day that the great trumpet shall be blown," &c. The words of the Saviour agree with Ezekiel and Isaiah both as to the time and manner of the gathering of Israel. "And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt. xxiv, 30, 31. Another scripture showing the gathering from the enemy's land is found in Jer. xxxi, 15, 16. "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy." Compare Matt. ii, 17, 18. As the natural descendants of Jacob had no land, no title being conferred under that covenant, the question arises, Have they any land under the new covenant? I answer, No; for they have no special privileges under the new covenant, as can be (and has been) abundantly shown. An Israelite by birth must pass through the same change to become a child of Abraham, and an heir of the promise, that a Gentile must; and without faith in Christ he has no more claim to the favor of God than a Hindoo, or a Hotentot. And when his faith embraces Christ he has no privilege before the believing Gentile. This all must know who have studied the New Testament on this subject. But D. P. Hall says, "It is very unfair, and ungenerous indeed, to give them all the curses, and then take from them all the blessings." That they once enjoyed special privileges all admit; and as they have been disowned and scattered, he seems to think it is their due in fairness and generosity that they be again restored to those privileges. But must the privileges they once enjoyed over other nations pass for nothing? And "is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance," or did they merit these afflictions by abusing these privileges? Most assuredly they did. The truth is, their special privileges belonged to that age; and there is no view that gives them "all the curses" of which I am aware; for in this age they have the same privileges that are enjoyed by people of other nations. They can have the blessings of God if they will accept them on the conditions laid down for all without respect of persons. As a privileged people, when they rejected the instructions and warnings from God given by the prophets, and finally by his own Son, God rejected them according to his sure word; for in the covenant which he made with that people he promised that they should be a peculiar treasure above all people, if they would obey his voice. But they did not obey, as Mr. Hall admits, for he says in another place, "The whole history of this kingdom on the part of its kings, priests and people, tells a dark story of disobedience, until God would bear with them no longer." What he would claim for such a people, to be fair and generous, beyond the privileges they enjoyed, would be an abuse of justice as great as was their abuse of mercy. Now God promised that they should be a peculiar treasure only on condition that they obeyed him; but they did not obey; and now Mr. Hall will have it that they were to be a peculiar treasure above all people whether they obeyed or not. But God's word does not so teach. When the new covenant was confirmed, the promises of the old were withdrawn, for they had forfeited them, and the covenant was annulled; and now there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles in the purposes and promises of God. His "peculiar people" are not rebellious and stiff-necked, but are those "of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues," who depart from iniquity and are "zealous of good works." Titus ii, 14. EXAMPLES PREACH.
By R. F. C.
WHAT Christian has not thought that he would willingly preach the truth, were he only qualified for the work? Who would not wish to do everything possible for the spread of the truth and the salvation of souls? Every heart touched with the love of God responds, It is a glorious work, and I wish to do all I can to forward it. The preaching which I would recommend in this article, all can preach. Every brother and every sister can and ought to engage in it in earnest. It is to preach by example—by a well ordered life—a life in accordance with the truths we profess; and this kind of preaching is the most effectual of any; indeed, without it all other preaching is in vain. But when we have said that all ought to preach by their example, we have not told all the truth. All are preaching in this way either for or against the truth. This is a solemn thought! for who that loves the truth, can bear the thought of opposing its progress? Yet, unless our examples are in accordance with the truth, we are in reality opposing it. It is the business of him who labors in word and doctrine, to preach in favor of holiness and against sin. And nothing can illustrate and enforce the doctrine so well as a living example. For instance: the text, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God," is quoted as present truth—as now having its fulfillment. With what force is the truth carried home to the heart, when a few living, unimpeachable witnesses can be appealed to, of whom the servant of God can say with confidence, Here they are. Such believers stay up the hands of the minister, and illustrate and enforce the doctrine. They preach continually. But suppose the reverse of this is the case. Supposing that those who profess the truth are not living it out, who would expect that sinners would be converted to the law of God? Again, it is sometimes duty to point out the fallen state of the nominal churches, that God's people may flee out of this Babylon, and escape her plagues. One evidence of her fallen state is her pride, the marks of which are not only seen in their houses, public and private, but are worn upon their persons wherever they go. But who shall cast a stone at this soul-destroying sin while the least traces of it can be seen about him? And even if he is confident that the stone he is about to cast will not hurt himself, when he looks around and sees beloved brethren and sisters in danger, how can he throw it? Or, to come at the point without a figure, how can he preach plainness of dress, &c., when, among those who profess to believe his teaching, he can scarcely find one who is a living illustration of his subject? Pride is the first of sins. It is that by which Satan fell from the favor of God. Isa. xiv, 12-14; 1 Tim. iii, 6. And perhaps I should not err very much should I say it is the last to be eradicated from the human heart. At least it is a sin against which every Christian should wage a war of extermination. It will not do to make a treaty of peace, and, by compromise, settle a boundary line with it; for the more you concede to it, the more it will claim. It must be slain, and that daily. None should imagine they have fought their last battle with this enemy, and gained a complete and permanent victory. Many have thought that they had crucified it—that it was dead and buried, and under their feet. But ere they were aware of it, it had risen again and "appeared unto many." Pride of dress and appearance is a serious evil among the remnant of God's people, or I have seen but very few of them. I believe the time will come when these idols will be put away. My prayer is, that many may be cast to the moles and to the bats, before it shall be done to go into the clefts of the rocks, for fear of the Lord, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. How much money is squandered, and precious time worse than wasted upon dress! That money might be used to the glory of God, and to the good of souls, instead of purchasing an idol to take away your affections from the only living and true God. That time spent upon plaits and ruffles, insertions and edgings and all the little follies of finery, might be spent in reading God's word, in devotions, in humbling ourselves and seeking the preparation of heart which all must have in the coming day. Those tears extracted from weary eyes over fine work might much better be tears of contrition on account of the depravity and pride of the heart. Those who see themselves in anything like the light in which God sees them, instead of desiring these vanities, have an utter aversion to them. If we had a just view of our fallen condition, we should have no desire to decorate these miserable, sin-cursed, mortal bodies. Dear brethren and sisters, I beseech you to give this subject the attention which it demands; and let your example preach to those around you, whether saints or sinners. Let not your example give the lie to your profession, but let it say to all, that you believe what you say you do. Read again the article from Wesley, in Vol. VII, No. 1, of the REVIEW, and see if you who profess the increasing light of present truth, cannot come up, at least, to the rule so long ago laid down for Methodists. I exhort you to lay aside all pride, by denying yourself every instance of its gratification. Church Order.
By A. S. Hutchins
BRO. SMITH:—For more than two years I have in some measure realized the necessity of the establishment of Church order in the different Churches. As followers of the meek and lowly Lamb, circumstances which surround us, certainly demand a careful, critical and patient investigation of sure wrongs, and trials, existing among Sabbath-keepers, (or those who have a name to keep God's holy Sabbath,) and an immediate withdrawal of the hand of Christian fellowship from some, unless they shall quickly reform and thoroughly and heartily confess their wanderings from the path of duty. And while exercised with such convictions it has been my humble prayer that we might all be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves;" that we might not move too fast nor too slow in trying to set things in order. But for some time past it has been my settled conviction that in some parts of the field we have moved too slow on this point. Not a few things have laid in the way of messengers in some of their travels, who have anxiously desired to have stumbling-blocks removed. 1st. The want of deacons to aid in this matter. 2d. A general unwillingness on the part of brethren to act in this matter. What has been written on Church order by Bro. Frisbie and others, I hope may be a benefit to the Church. But I wish to ask a few questions here, which if answered, will probably be a help to others as well as myself. 1. If it is scriptural to exclude offending members by a vote of the Church (which I doubt not) is it not equally scriptural to receive members to the Church by vote, or by some other visible expression of the Church? If not, by what rule shall we determine who is, and who is not, a member of the true Church of God? 2. What shall be done by the Church (if any action be taken) when a member about to be labored with for his past wrongs, withdraws from the Church? This has been done by one who had long been a sore grief to the Church wherever his case was known; since which I learn he has professedly been teaching and preaching the Third Angel's Message, yet no action has been taken by the Church. 3. In case of existing trials in the Church, is it scriptural for one, or two, or more, to leave the Church before any settlement of difficulties has taken place, and refuse to be subject to the voice of the remaining members, and also to the advice and counsel of a disinterested committee, yet still claim to be in fellowship with the Church in other places? Do not such individuals rather, virtually withdraw themselves from the entire church? Your brother seeking for the truth.
A. S. HUTCHINS. P. S. Perhaps as Bro. Frisbie has recently written on the subject of Church order he will favor us with an answer to the above.
A. S. H. Extracts from Letters.
By Editor
BRO. J. Philbrick writes from Sunapee, N. H.:— "O let us strive to be faithful. Shall we, after having tasted the powers of the world to come, again fall in love with the fashions and spirit of this world, and lose our reward? No, never! My heart says, onward to victory. And I desire above every thing to be a follower of Jesus daily; to live separate from the world, its fashions and influence; that when the mystery of God shall be finished, I may be prepared to meet my blessed Lord in peace, and this vile body be fashioned like unto his most glorious body; to receive the gift and promise of eternal life. "My heart is often filled with gratitude while reading the Review, and drawn out in love and sympathy for and with God's people, with whom I hope to stand on mount Zion. My daily prayer shall be for their salvation, and victory over a proud and faithless world. "Dear brethren, God has set his hand to a great work, and it will go onward. Then be of good cheer, ye saints of the Most High. Press together! press onward towards the glorious prize, and soon the reward will be yours." In the time of prayer, let no business divert thee from it, that is not of present necessity. When thou hast an opportunity of speaking a word for the good of another's soul, defer not the doing till another time. Sinners Denied of Christ in the Day of Judgment.
By South
To be denied of Christ is a compendious expression of hell. It is condemnation itself; and, what is most of all, it is condemnation from the mouth of a Saviour. O, the inexpressible horror that will seize upon a poor sinner when he shall stand arraigned at the bar of divine justice! when he shall look about and see his accuser, his judge, the witnesses, all of them his remorseless adversaries; the law impleading mercy, the gospel upbraiding him, the devil his grand accuser, drawing his indictment, numbering his sins with the greatest exactness, and aggravating them with the cruellest bitterness; and conscience, like a thousand witnesses, attesting every article, flying in his face, and rending his very heart. And then, after all, Christ from whom only mercy could be expected, owning to the accusation. It will be hell enough to hear the sentence; the very promulgation of the punishment and anticipated execution. If Peter was abashed when Christ gave him a look after his denial; if there was so much dread in his looks when he stood as a prisoner, how much greater will it be when he sits as a Judge! If it was so fearful when he looked his denier into repentance, what159 shall it be when he shall look him into destruction? Believe it, when we shall hear an accusation from an Advocate, our eternal doom from an Intercessor, it will convince us that a denial of Christ is something more than a few transitory words. What trembling, what outcries, what astonishment will there be upon the pronouncing of this subject! Every word will come upon the sinner like an arrow striking through his veins, like thunder that is hard and consumes at the same instant; yea, it will be a denial with scorn, with taunting reprobations! and to be miserable without commiseration is the height of misery. He that falls below pity can fall no lower. And for those whom Christ has denied it will be in vain to appeal to the Father, unless we can imagine that those whom Mercy has condemned Justice will absolve.—South. O, I have wandered earth around
On fancy's airy plume;
And sought to find some spot of ground
Where I might find a home!
Beside the city's gilded dome
I chose a mansion fair,
And thought, "Here will I fix my home;"
But something said, "Not there." I found a lovely rural cot
Beside a crystal stream,
And there, 'mid nature's smiles, I thought
To pass life's transient dream.
Yes, here at last my heart shall rest,
And breathe its evening prayer;
This will be home, I shall be blest,
But something said, "Not there." Where, then? my weary spirit cried;
Is't on some fairy isle—
Away, where southern oceans glide
'Neath summer's changeless smile?
Where nature wears her fadeless green
And skies are pure and fair,
Is there a home of rest serene?
A whisper came, "Not there." "There is no home on earth for thee,
No rest in this dark sphere;
Thou art journeying to eternity,
Build not thy mansion here;
For earth, with all its gems and flowers,
Its bending azure skies,
In prison holds the spirits' powers,
Which struggle still to rise. Away beyond each shining star,
In climes by angels trod,
There is a land more radiant far,
Bright with the smiles of God.
And there are glorious mansions there,
Where all who will may come,
Whose joys invite us to prepare
For heaven, our only home." [Sel. "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another." Keeping God’s Commandments in the Wilderness
By George W. Hamilton
BRO. SMITH:—I am still striving to keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. I am alone here with my family in the wilderness; but I thank God I can rest on his holy day with my family. The Review is a welcome visitor. I have severe trials, but I want to put confidence in God, and I hope God will give me the true faith. I want to be a true child of God and do his holy will, and I ask the prayers of all his dear children to sustain me and my family in serving him. In hope of eternal life at the appearing of Jesus,
GEO. W. HAMILTON.
Duplain, Mich. Brought to the Third Angel’s Message
By William C. Negus
Bro. Smith:—I write to let you know what the Lord has done for me the past year. He laid his hand heavily on me, but it was that he might bring me to the light of the Third Angel's Message. Myself and family were sick and were obliged to call on the neighbors for help. Bro. Ring kindly assisted us until my health would enable me to repay him. I went to work for him last Fall, and became interested in what he said. I borrowed the "Bible Sabbath," and the "Sanctuary and 2300 days," and gave them a careful reading. I read the Review as he received it from week to week. I now send you one dollar for the paper. May I be remembered in the prayers of the church of Christ, and be found among the redeemed at the coming of the Saviour. Yours in hope of everlasting life.
WM. C. NEGUS.
Eaton Co., Mich. OBITUARY.
By Eliza Tompkins
My mother, Amy Tompkins, fell asleep in Jesus the 11th of June, in the 91st year of her age, in the blessed hope of coming up in the first resurrection. We sorrow not as those that have no hope; for those that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Christ's Sympathy with his People.
I HAVE been thinking of Jesus and reflecting upon his character, as a sympathizing Saviour. While passing through this rough and stormy world, how much the Christian needs the sympathy of Christ; he cannot live in the enjoyment of his love without his help and sympathy. He knows how to sympathize with us, for he is acquainted with all our wants. He knows our character, and how frail we are. He can sympathize with us in every circumstance in which we may be placed in life; for by the discipline of his life of humanity, he is prepared to sympathize with, and succor his people in every time of trial and temptation. "He was tempted in all points like as we are," and when temptation comes upon us, we can confidently look to him for strength and grace to enable us to overcome the fires of temptation, and to resist the great adversary of our souls. It seems to me that the present is a time of trial and temptation to the church, and the people of God, when they need much the aid of their divine leader, and to feel their dependence on him for grace to bear up under the trial of faith, which they are called to endure. There is evidently a tendency with many at the present day, to exalt morals above regeneration, and to cut loose from the great doctrines of the Gospel—repentance and faith in God, and their exhibition in the fruits of a well ordered life and godly conversation—and adopt instead thereof the maxims of the world, and to engage in the wrangling and bitter strife of contending parties, which have no higher aim than the honor and enjoyment of office, or the triumphs of favorite political creeds. Christ has no sympathy with the spirit of the world. The Scribes and Pharisees could never draw him into the contentions of political parties. He met them with the command, to "render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's." How different would it be with the church, if Christians lived for Christ and labored for the conversion of sinners to God, as is their privilege and duty to do. How different would it be if all ministers would preach Christ and him crucified and glory in nothing save the cross of Christ. [Sel. ONE dark and stormy night, said a traveler, we were tossing in a rude little native boat, near the coast of Ceylon. As I lay on my low bed in the bottom of the boat, and saw the red flashes of lightning through the thatched covering, and heard the rapid peals of thunder, while the rain was pouring in on all sides, and our boat tossing like a bubble on the angry waves, I could not but think of our danger, for I knew that the native boatmen were timid and ignorant, and many such little barks go down every year on that coast. Trembling and afraid, I raised my head to catch the words of my companion as he inquired for the master of the boat. 'He is in the hinder part of the ship, asleep,' was the reply. Little did the rude heathen who uttered these simple words, know how they made my very soul thrill. In a moment I was carried back to that night when Jesus, perhaps in just such a rude little boat as ours, lay tossing on the stormy lake of Genesareth. Never, did I so realize that our blessed Saviour was once a man, a suffering mortal, and one with us in nature. Far from home and kindred, weak, helpless, and full of fear, for a moment I had forgotten that Jesus was just as near as he was to those fearing disciples, and that he could as easily say to the foaming billows about us, 'Peace, be still,' as he did on that night when they cried, 'Master, carest thou not that we perish.' My fears were gone. I felt that Jesus was near, that I could almost put my hand in his, and hear his voice, 'It is I; be not afraid.' Often since then, in hours of darkness and trial, have I lived over that night, and been comforted by the same sweet thoughts. Dear fellow Christian, in a time of darkness and storm, dost thou remember that Jesus is near? When afflictions come, and mountains of grief stand on the right hand and the left, and the mists of full despair come full and thick in thy face, dost thou draw near to thy Master and trust to his arm to save? This is thy privilege. Oh, come to Him and enjoy it. Do heavy burdens press thee down, fear not to carry them all to Jesus. None are too heavy for him to bear, none so small as to be beneath his notice. In him all fullness dwells. Art thou poor? he is rich. Art thou weak? he is strong. Art thou sinful and unworthy? he is righteous and infinitely worthy. Look up, then, to Jesus. Confide in him. Live very near to him, and be at peace!