Earlier text: JUSTIFICATION BY THE LAWJUSTIFICATION BY THE LAW.
By Editor
UNDER this heading will be found in another column an article on which the readers as well as the writer may be entitled to a word of explanation. Some time since, the writer, Wm. G. Springer, wished to engage with us in an investigation of the perpetuity of the moral law. We replied that, for our part, our views were already set before the world in our books and pamphlets; that if he took any exceptions to these and would name them, we would endeavor to defend the doctrine of the books. He answered that he preferred the living writer, because he could explain when called upon; but the pamphlets could not. Again, to this we replied, that wherein he wished explanation from the pamphlets, we would answer in their place; that he might consider said pamphlets the opening argument in the affirmative, and follow with whatever strictures he might see fit to make in the negative. The article referred to is his opening argument. As such we are somewhat surprised at it. It partakes so much of a personal nature, that, were it not for seeming to transfer the controversy, we should hand it over to Bro. Waggoner to answer the imputation of looseness and license in his quotations of holy scripture, as he might think the occasion demanded. In our remarks on Righteousness by the Law, in Review of March 24, we concealed Bro. S. under the cognomen of "friend" for his own sake; for we apprehended that it would save him no small degree of mortification should we suppress his name in connection with a misapprehension of so plain an item of our faith. If he has no sensitiveness on this point, we are confident we shall leave him nothing in the end over which to glory. The burden of his objection to the perpetuity of the law(!) seems to be the idea he has that by it we seek our justification. It will be sufficient to meet his remark on Ex. xxxi, 13 with a simple denial. The Sabbath as quoted from that passage, in "Law of God," page 28, is not used in a sense different from that in which Moses used it, as we shall presently show. He takes exceptions to the remark that if we strike from existence the Sabbath, we search in vain for a substitute as a sign of our sanctification. Having patiently "hearkened" and heard, we will notice the texts he quotes to sustain himself here. They are, 1st. Eph. v, 26. On this text we agree that Christ gave himself that he might cleanse and sanctify the church. 2d. Acts ii, 28. On this we also agree that baptism is one of the steps of obedience for (in order to) the remission of sins. 3d. Rom. viii, 16. Here the witness of the Spirit is spoken of, that we are the children of God. But who has this witness? Is it law-keepers or law-breakers? the observers, or the transgressors of the Sabbath? Assuredly the former; for it is of the children of God that the Apostle speaks. 4th. 1 Cor. i, 30. In this text it is said that Christ is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. To which we reply, Most true! and in this fact we rejoice and glory as much as others. To sum up the evidence of these texts, we find that they speak of Christ through whom we obtain sanctification; of baptism as one of the steps by which we obtain it; and of the Holy Spirit as the agent in the accomplishment of the work: but they say nothing of the sign by which we may know that it is the Lord that doth sanctify us. The passages therefore are nothing to the point in question. Thus far Bro. S. himself has searched "in vain." The proposition will stand until he meets with better success than is here presented. But says S., "It is Sabbaths (plural) in Ex. xxxi, 13, and not Sabbath in the singular: Then we must observe all the Sabbath days of the old dispensation, according to Bro. Waggoner's style of applying scripture, to get a knowledge of our sanctification." True, it says Sabbaths, in Ex. xxxi, 13; but mark, it says also, "My Sabbaths!" and when we reflect that God never applies this expression to the ceremonial sabbaths of the Jews, but always restricts it to the seventh day of each week, which is his Sabbath, we see at once the falsity of our friend's conclusion. But verses 16 and 17, set the matter in its true light on his own ground of reasoning. Hear them: "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath (singular number) throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It (the Sabbath, singular number) is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever." Here is singular number enough, it would seem, for even Bro. Springer himself. But all this he ignores in his hot haste to arrive at a predetermined conclusion. We would therefore inquire of him whether the sanctification of the Jews was accomplished by a different means from that of the church now, that it should require a different sign; or how the Sabbath could be a more appropriate sign of the sanctification of the Israelites anciently than of that of the true Israel of God at the present time. The remainder of Bro. S.'s article has reference to our remarks in Review No. 18. He still understands us as seeking to be justified by the law. And considering all that has been said on the subject, and the access he has had to our publications, we are at a loss to conjecture by what means we can rend the veil and let a ray of light into the chambers of a mind, which seem to be thus lamentably darkened. He has succeeded completely in turning from its legitimate meaning, nearly every passage to which he has had occasion to refer. If he is thus unfortunate in his understanding of the holy Scriptures, we cannot wonder at his conclusions. To be sure, we believe that God gave to man at first a perfect and immutable law, and that that law is the basis and conditions of the promises of God. But why does W. G. S. accuse us of saying that man could not keep it, and therefore necessarily became a transgressor. We have never said it. We have not the hardihood, which he would impute to us, to charge the Almighty with giving man a law which he could not keep, and then taking vengeance on him for not keeping it. This charge belongs on other shoulders. Adam could, and should, have kept the law. His violation of it "brought death into the world, and all our woe." But how was it after the fall? Could men then keep the law? Of themselves they could not. Must they then necessarily violate it? Not even then; for help was immediately laid upon One that was mighty, and by God's grace through faith in him, they could receive strength sufficient for this service. This is the very doctrine of that note which Bro. S. holds up as an absolute declaration that man could not keep the law, and is therefore necessarily a transgressor. Let us read it. Law, p. 57. Note: "By this we would not be understood as teaching that any one since the fall of Adam, can do the law unaided by faith in Christ." This note then has no reference to the time before the fall of Adam, but since. It says that unaided by faith in Christ we cannot now keep it. What is the converse of this? Aided by faith in Christ we can keep it. Yes. Then is any man, even now, necessarily a transgressor? No! Why then does W. G. S. make such unwarrantable use of the language! He further represents us as saying, after the sinner is justified by Christ, "Know also that this does not release you from the law, (the very thing which was the burden)." We did not say that, being justified by Christ, we were not released from the law; but, that we were not released from future obedience. We are released from the law as a conditional covenant of life, but not as a rule of moral obligation. Second. The law is not the very thing which constitutes the "burden," as our friend has it, but the sinner's sin and consequent condemnation; and from this we are freed; for says the Apostle, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." Rom. viii, 1. The law we say is the basis and condition of the promises of God. To inherit these promises, then, men must be law-keepers either in reality or by imputation? Yes. Law-keepers in reality they are not; for they have all transgressed it. How then shall they become such by imputation? Answer, Through Christ. Through him their past transgressions are pardoned; from him they receive strength to render obedience in future; and thus in the eye of God they can be regarded as though they never had transgressed his law, and their title to the promises be redeemed. So God can be just and yet the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Thanks be to God for this wonderful and benevolent plan! As regards S.'s closing extract from Bro. Waggoner's pamphlet, on the justifying nature of the law, which he triumphantly, though blindly, holds up as a clincher on us, we have only to remark that those are the very ideas we were trying to present, when, in our remarks in Review No. 18, we made reference to Adam in the garden of Eden. We thus asked the question, If Adam had not sinned, what would have been the ground of his justification? We showed that it would have been obedience, and that justification would then have been by the law, and Christ need not and would not have died. Bro. Waggoner presented the same idea, when a few lines following the quotation our friend has made, page 58, he says: "If any are yet disposed to deny the justifying nature of the law, we would inquire of them, if man had never broken the law, would he have needed a Saviour? Or, if Christ had broken the law, could he have been a Saviour?" Did Bro. S. read as far as this? Has he ever tried to answer this question? Let him show us the result if he has. To say that the law would have justified its observers had they never broken it; and to say that we have now placed ourselves in a position by sin where we cannot be justified by it, are two distinct things as all must see; and there is no contradiction between them. If he still takes exception to the declaration that only the doers of the law shall be justified, his controversy is with the Apostle, not with us; for it is the Apostle who says this. And if any wish to inquire into the philosophy of this—how it is that a man must be justified by Christ, and yet cannot be justified without doing the law—a few considerations will make it plain: The first step towards justification by Christ, is repentance. Repentance of what? Our former sins or transgressions of the law. And when we repent and ask pardon, we do it with an implied promise, and on an implied condition, that we will live in obedience for the future. There is no repentance nor pardon separate from this. Then when we repent of our past transgressions and promise, through grace, obedience for the future, then and not till then can we be justified by Christ. Thus it is that only when we do the law can we be justified. To think to be justified while living in sin is the most blind and presumptuous folly. We have now noticed every point in Bro. S.'s article which needs comment. In conclusion, let us ask him a few questions to be answered as the next step in this controversy: First. As we are required to develop moral character must not God give us a standard by which to do it? Second. Where do we find this standard? Third. If man had never broken the law would he have needed a Saviour? Fourth. Will God judge the world at last by diverse rules of judgment? Fifth. After we are justified by Christ, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Sixth. If we do not continue in sin what shall be our course of action? We thus transfer to his shoulders the onus probandi in this matter. We thus place in his hand the laboring oar, and wait to see what headway he will make against the mighty current of reason and revelation with which he has to contend. FORESIGHT AND PERSEVERANCE OF THE DEVIL.
By R. F. C.
BUT previous to this time Satan foresaw that the people would need a special preparation in order for them to receive his last great delusion. They must not only believe that man is immortal, but they must be trained to expect the conversion of the world and a spiritual reign. This would prepare them to reject the scriptural doctrine of the literal, visible coming of Christ, which he knew would be preached in the world in fulfillment of the prophecies, and also to receive those mysterious, spiritual delusions which he would be ready to introduce to the world as soon as the Advent messages should be announced. Then, while faith was wavering in consequence of the expiration of the 2300 days, and the disappointment of those who put all on board the Advent ship, it would be a good time for the spirits of devils to commence operations, assuming to be the departed spirits of men, and thus fulfill the expectations of those looking for a spiritual reign. Accordingly, some 200 years ago he set Daniel Whitby and, after him, other commentators to applying those prophecies which speak of the future glory and eternal inheritance of the saints, to a period of 1000 years prior to the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the saints. That reign of Christ and the saints, spoken of in Rev. xx, was to be a spiritual reign, commencing with the conversion of the world, progressing and terminating while the saints of all ages, for the past 6000 years, are sleeping in the dust of the earth. That once strait and narrow way is to become so broad that all the world can walk in it. Consequently the man that goes with the multitude—the greater majority that have a form of godliness—is safe. In pursuance of this plan, when the personal advent of Christ began to be announced to the world, his professed followers, many of them, were ready to reject him by rejecting his word and promise concerning his second coming. Their language seemed to be, We will not have this man—this personal Jesus to reign over us, we will have a spiritual reign. Then God permits Satan to work with power and signs and lying wonders, and their spiritual reign commences. As when his ancient people Israel desired a king, he gave them one in his anger and took him away in his wrath, so he grants the desire of these who have rejected their rightful King. He gives them a spiritual reign in his anger and will soon take it away in his wrath. Satan is permitted to work with all deceivableness in them that perish; "because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thess. ii, 10. The truth rejected is the near personal coming of Christ and the resurrection of the saints. The people have chosen, instead of this truth, the fable of the world's conversion and a temporal millennium. Thus they are well prepared for Satan's last, strong delusion, which does indeed bid fair to convert the world. And since the false christs and false prophets of the last days will show such signs and wonders that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect, [Matt. xxiv, 24.] it is reasonable to expect that all but the elect will be deceived by them. Satan is not only demonstrating the immortality of the soul by spirit manifestations, but as in the beginning he taught a plurality of gods, so now he is teaching a plurality of christs; and these christs have already made their spiritual advent into the world. We are taught that "any just and perfect being is Christ." And the Truth Seeker, a Spiritualist paper, says in its prospectus, "It shall be the organ through which the christs of the last dispensation will choose to speak." Rev. R. P. Wilson, in his lectures on Spiritual Science, says, "We recognize the birth of a Saviour and Redeemer into the universal hearts of humanity, wherein truly the deity is incarnate, dwelling in the interior of man's spirit. We believe that each soul of man is born with his or her Saviour within them, for as man is an embodiment of the universe in epitome, he contains in his central nature an incarnation of Deity." "The Healing of the Nations," which the Spiritual Telegraph calls the "Book of books," expresses the same idea as follows: "Man is his own saviour—his own redeemer. He is his own judge—in his own scales weighed." Thus Spiritualism has as many christs as ancient Paganism had gods. Spiritualism could effect but little, had not the way been prepared by the false teachings of those who profess to believe the Bible. Satan foresaw this, and has managed to get the fundamental articles of his creed into the creeds of all the popular churches. These churches, while they fancy they are about to convert the world through the popular "revivals" of the day, are doing more for the cause of this Satanic delusion than all the world besides. This they will not acknowledge of course, but read their religious papers and see how the "death angel" is eulogized for his benevolence in transporting our friends to the happy "spirit land." Articles in perfect accordance with the anti-Bible philosophy of Spiritualism, are handed about from one periodical to another as a choice bit of true christian philosophy. Such a piece I lately saw in the Sabbath Recorder, copied, I think, from some other paper, and sent out to its readers without note or comment. It was entitled, Benevolence of Death; and the writer held the idea that death was a benevolent arrangement, by which we emigrate to a better country. The doctrine that sin entered into the world and death by sin, is fairly set aside by the writer, and the "last enemy" of the saints of God, which is to be destroyed by the resurrection, is represented as a kind friend. "We must emigrate," says he. Now while such infidel trash, directly contradicting the plainest declarations of the word of God, is passed around among professed christians as a choice morsel of divine truth, what can we expect, but that the great mass of the members of these churches will be carried away with the flood of Spiritualism? Since writing the foregoing I have seen some late numbers of a religious paper; and I find them heavy laden with Spiritualism. Not that the conductors of the paper are professed Spiritualists. No, they are opposed to Spiritualism. They are opposed to the running of the cars. All they do in the matter is to keep the track in good repair. In one paper was a very pathetic account of the death of two little brothers, who were buried in one coffin. Speaking of the sickness and death of the second, the writer says, "The best medical advice was immediately called in, but all remedies were unavailing, and he joined his little brother in heaven at 3 o'clock the next morning." Another notice of the death of a little girl and boy of one family, the boy dying last, is accompanied with the following poetic effusion: Sweet Emily with radiant smile,
And cherub wings of flame,
Stood waiting on that better shore,
Till little Georgia came.
And now far up those dazzling hights,
Seraphs alone have stood,
They soar and sing their song of joy,
Close by the throne of God.
Another obituary has the following: Where life's pure river softly flows,
Through pastures green and fair,
Our golden haired and sinless boy,
Dwells free from pain and care.
We will not murmur at our loss,
Though life seems drear and cold;
We know our lost lamb waits for us,
Safe in the Saviour's fold.
Another was headed, "The Angels." It was a description of the death of a girl about seven years old, who had recently lost a brother, a cousin and an aunt, who had lived in the same family. The writer says, "We are not fond of detailing the scenes of that last struggle with the Great Archer, before mortality puts on immortality." He then describes the death scene. Just before her expiring moments, the little girl brightens up and says, "Hark! the sky is full of music. It is the angels; they come into the room; they come round the bed. O! it is brother, cousin, aunt, and many, many more." The writer describes her as dying with a smile upon her countenance, and says, "Death had daguerreotyped a smile as he gave life to another angel." From a piece of poetry in another number of the same paper I take the following: It doth not yet appear what we shall be,
When death from sin and sorrow shall set free
The struggling spirit—rising hence to soar,
Where sorrow, death and sin, shall be no more.
All these are in perfect harmony with Spiritualism, and in perfect contradiction of the Bible. They represent, with Spiritualism and the Serpent, 1. That there is no death to man, properly speaking. "Ye shall not surely die." 2. That what is called death is a veritable birth into a higher life. While God says, "Dying thou shalt die;" these respond, "Dying thou shalt not die—Ye shall be as gods," or angels. 3. That death, instead of being an enemy, the consequence and penalty of sin, as the Bible teaches, is a real blessing, a benevolent arrangement by which we emigrate to a better country. While the word of God teaches that the saints will put on immortality when they are raised up from death, these teach that at the hour of death this mortal puts on immortality. Says the beloved disciple, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." These respond, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, when death from sin and sorrow shall set free the struggling spirit," taking the power, and the honor and glory from Christ, and giving them to death. They represent the dead as singing "their song of joy, close by the throne of God;" while the Bible says, "In death there is no remembrance of thee." "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence." Paul declares that, in case the dead rise not, "then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." But these would have men introduced, by death, into the presence of God, where there are pleasures forevermore. If I fully believed what they teach, I should earnestly pray for death to set me free from a "cumbersome clog of clay," and that the resurrection might never come, to "re-unite soul and body." And so would they. If they believed it without a doubt, the best medical advice would not be called to keep their friends out of heaven. It is a doubt, that "death is the gate to endless joy," that makes us "dread to enter there." The little girl that recently drank a bottle of laudanum, because she "wanted to go to heaven and see her little brother," believed the doctrine. And those Spiritualists who deny the doctrine of future punishment, if they acted consistently with their professed faith, would follow her example. Holy men of old, when in the depths of affliction, or in view of the day of wrath, have desired to be hidden in the grave, where they would lie still and be quiet, where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. Job iii, 13–18; xiv, 13–15; x, 18, 19. But never did they desire to die that they might go to heaven at death. On the contrary, says Job, "Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; a land of darkness, as darkness itself." &c. Job x, 20. Says David, "O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more." Ps. xxxix, 13. Should these expressions of Job and David be translated into the language of popular theology, they would read like this: "Let me alone; do let me take a little comfort before I go to heaven." Elijah, when fleeing from persecution, sat down under a juniper tree in the wilderness, and requested for himself that he might die. 1 Kings xix, 4. Not because he was as good as his fathers who had died, and as well deserving of being taken up to heaven as they. But said he, "O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." David and Jonathan.
By J. Clarke
"I AM distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman." 2 Sam. i, 26. In contemplating the character of these two illustrious persons, one can never be tired of admiring the friendship which existed between them. Surely we exclaim, There must have been much that was noble, excellent and refined, in both their characters, or this friendship could never have endured the severe tests to which it was exposed. Jonathan, the son of Saul, and natural heir to the throne, sees in David a formidable rival, and with the interest of his own family very near his heart, he loses every selfish consideration, and all desire of self-aggrandizement, and falls in love with David, and becomes his nearest friend and ally, and this too, in the face of his father's openly avowed expression of enmity to David, for the palpable reason, that the family of Saul were in danger of being supplanted by the young warrior, who slew his ten thousands to Saul's thousands. No selfish interest could mar the friendship of Jonathan and David. They confided fully in each other, and more than once did Jonathan save the life of David from the fury of Saul's jealousy; and once at least, did Saul seek to destroy Jonathan for this cause. In vain did Saul seek to imbue the mind of Jonathan his son with his own Satanic jealousy. The more Saul hated David, the more did Jonathan love him, and in no instance did Jonathan act against David, but always sought his interest and happiness. At the time David uttered the above sentiment, he was mourning in unfeigned sorrow of heart for the untimely death of Saul and Jonathan, who had fallen in battle. He recounts their warlike deeds, their virtues, and with princely courtesy he places Saul as first, in valor and noble deeds, and no one could imagine that any ill feeling ever entered his heart against Saul, his mortal foe. Indeed, it is evident that he did after all, love this mortal enemy, even to the last; but towards Jonathan his soul was moved to its lowest depths, and all the prospects now opened before him, could not comfort his afflicted, wounded heart. David, (when we consider his times) with all his blemishes of character, was a wonderful man. His deep flow of feeling, his strong natural affection, his fidelity, his earnest piety, and truth, combined with unflinching integrity, and personal bravery, and moral courage, while it awed his enemies, drew to his interest every noble mind, and won the favor of God. Indeed, in the main, David was a man after God's own heart. True, he sinned; but read his public confession, as recorded in the fifty-first psalm. See how open and frank he is there; no attempt at concealment or self-justification. Doubtless Jonathan was won to David by these traits which manifested themselves on every fitting occasion; and thus we judge of Jonathan, that he possessed a noble mind, that could rise superior to selfish considerations; that could love the character which was developed in David; could subdue every emotion of jealousy or envy; and could commune with, and find pleasure in, David. In this we have the most unequivocal evidence of the goodness and excellence of the character of Jonathan. What an example of brotherly kindness is exhibited in these two manly friends. With personal interests at antipodes, and everything to drive them apart, (in a selfish view,) their souls were knit together in love. O, there was the love of God in the heart, which lay at the root of this friendship. Yes, they saw the golden chain which was hidden from the public eye; that chain which cements the truest friendships, and unites the family of God in all ages. "Weep with Those who Weep."
Bro. W. Allen writes from Pequot, Calumet Co., Wis., March 20th, 1859: "Bro. Smith, and friends of the Bible and lovers of truth: Often have I thought of writing a few lines to the Review, to at least show my gratitude for your kindness and benevolence towards me. But two things have stood in my way. First of these is my limited education; the second, is because I have never been able to send a few dollars for the support of your useful paper without absolutely distressing my family. But I have ardently desired to render my most sincere thanks to those who have contributed to the Herald for the benefit of the poor. I feel I am one of that number, and wish to feast weekly on the crumbs that fall from my master's table. I have previously written to you that the cause of our leaving our native home and friends, and taking up our abode in the wilds of Wisconsin, was sickness and death in our family, with other misfortunes. "In the winter of 1852 the typhoid fever visited my family, and took from our embrace two beloved sons in the bloom and vigor of life; one 20, and the other 22 years. To them we had looked with much confidence in our declining years; but our hopes were cut off. All our care, sorrow and tears, mingled with those of numerous relatives and friends who surrounded us at that time, could not retain them. But the monster, death, did not stop its torturing ravages there. It has pursued my family even in this secluded and lonely retreat, and taken from us another lovely son of but 19 years. Charles E. Allen was taken sick the 11th of Feb. We called a physician as soon as circumstances would admit, who pronounced it the typhoid fever. But all he could do did not check its rage. Our dear child soon became deranged. Our anxiety for him was beyond my power of expression. In this extremity I thought of the words of James. 'Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, &c., and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.' My anxious mind wandered through the adjoining neighborhood, where my son who lives in Galva, Ills., labored one year ago. There were over one hundred then who professed to find peace in believing in Jesus. But who of them should I now call upon to pray for my dying son? Who would have faith to believe that God would hear and answer their prayers? Some would perhaps ridicule the very idea of saving the sick by prayer. Once during his sickness, I, with two or three others knelt down in the room where he lay, and offered up our prayers. I scarcely dared ask his recovery to health, for I believed that for more than one year past he had been seeking an interest in the kingdom of Christ. But I prayed for the return of his right mind, as I often did in some lonely place, as our physician found fault with our attending prayer in his presence. His anxious mother sat beside him with her hand on his fevered forehead. She states that notwithstanding the terrible pain of body, and burning fever, he was perfectly calm and composed, seeming to listen to catch every word that was uttered. About the sixth day of his illness another physician was called to see him. He pronounced his complaint to be the lung and brain fever, or inflammation on the lungs. But doctors' skill was not sufficient. All our efforts to save our loved son were in vain, and the ninth day he cast the last lingering look on his dear weeping parents and bade this world adieu. O that some dear christian friend who can feel the mission would speak a comforting word to our mourning souls, tell us why it is that dark clouds hover around when in family prayer, or why it is that the horizon of our minds is not more clear. "Yours in love, and in the gospel of truth." [We bespeak for this afflicted brother the prayers and sympathy of the church. Has not some one a word of consolation and encouragement for him, such as his loneliness and deep afflictions seem to require?—Ed.] A Call for Iowa Tent Meetings
By A. B. Hanner
Bro. Smith: Through the mercy of God I am permitted this opportunity of expressing the interest of the brethren in this place. We feel that the cause is one, therefore we do greatly desire with the brethren in Missouri, an interest in the tent that will labor in Iowa this season, and would say that we will do all that we can for the support of it, provided we can have it with us a portion of the167 time. The prospect is favorable here at least, that some good will be done in this vicinity. Furthermore, we would cordially solicit Bro. Hull, Waggoner or some other brother that could conveniently, to come this way soon and spend a few weeks in proclaiming the truth. We who profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus here, number sixteen. We feel the need of a deeper work of grace, therefore we desire the prayers of the church that God may bless us, even us, here in this place, with the outpouring of his Spirit and increase of the church here. Yours striving for eternal life. Decatur City, Iowa, March 21st. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."
Isa. lv, 1. Wanderer in a stranger's land,
Thirsting, fainting on thy way,
Seek the fountain near at hand,
Come and slake thy thirst to-day;
Here are waters running o'er,
Drink of them and thirst no more. Pleasure's votary, thirsting still,
For delight unmixed with pain,
Seek ye now this crystal rill,
Where its fullness thou may'st gain;
See the fountain running o'er,
Drink its waters—thirst no more. Mourner in this vale of tears,
Seeking after perfect peace;
Looking on to future years,
Waiting for thy soul's release;
Here's a fountain running o'er,
Drink to-day and thirst no more. Parent, watching o'er thy child,
Keeping back no goodly thing,
Lost in wishes vain and wild,
To this fount thy children bring;
And of waters running o'er,
Bid them drink, and thirst no more. Rosy youth and hoary age,
Dwellers in this world of strife,
Youth and maiden, child and sage,
Freely flows the stream of life;
Come to Jesus—thirst no more,
Here are waters running o'er. Camden, Me., Feb. 28th, 1859. 'Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.' DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I have been thinking of late what I could say to you through the Review that might be encouraging or edifying unto you; and I thought possibly you might be glad to hear that I am still trying to be whole-hearted in the cause of God. I know (if I know my own heart) I have made no reserve, but have laid all on the altar of God; and by the grace of God, I mean to keep it there. I want the sacrifice bound with cords to the altar that it may never get loose again. How inconsistent to think that we can serve God and mammon, when Jesus has told us plainly that we cannot do it. Matt. vi, 24. And again, how inconsistent it is to call Jesus Lord, Lord, unless we are trying as much as in us lies, to do all his sayings. Luke vi, 46. Do we realize that we are Christ's representatives here on earth? Then how needful that we have his mind and his Spirit, that we may do the very things that he would have us do, were he with us here on the earth. It has often been remarked, (and perhaps with truth, too,) that it is a great thing to be a christian; but Jesus has said, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt. xi, 28–30. It seems to me that if we can get the burden of the enemy off from our shoulders, and his yoke from off our neck, and the yoke be destroyed because of the anointing, [Isa. x, 27,] and be sure to get the yoke of Christ upon our necks, it will not be so hard work to be a christian, as it has many times appeared to be. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. Micah vi, 8. O let us believe God; and not think that he is a hard master. Let us lay all upon the altar, and then believe that it is accepted, and not make God a liar! 2 Cor. vi, 17, 18; 1 John v, 10. "Now the just shall live by faith." I mean by the help of God to live by faith, and not draw back unto perdition. Yours, waiting till Jesus comes to be gathered home.
E. GOODWIN. Oswego, N. Y., March 20th, 1859. Bro. L. Martin writes from Bennington, N. H., March 24th, 1859: “It has been a very lonely winter with us. We have had but few pilgrim calls. Week before last Bro. Hastings of New Ipswich came to see us, and our hearts were made glad. Last week Bro. Huntley of Washington came, and our hearts were gladdened again. I think the cause of truth is rising here in the East. We prize the Review and Herald highly. It is truly cheering to hear from the brethren and sisters scattered abroad. May the Lord give you, and all who take part in its publication, heavenly wisdom, and may the paper continue to grow better and better till the dear Saviour comes in the clouds of heaven.” Attractions of the Bible.
God, who made the world, gave us the Bible. The world is full of attraction, and so is the word of the Lord. The Home Journal thus quotes the eloquent language of Dr. Hamilton on the literary attractions of the Bible. "A few simple sentences would have sufficed to tell what God is, and what he would have us be. There was no need for the picturesque narrative and the majestic poem; no need for the proverb, the story, and the Psalm. A chapter of theology, and another of morals; a short account of the incarnation, and the great atonement; and a few pages of rules and directions for the Christian life, might have contained the main truths of scripture, and have supplied us with a Bible of the simplest means and of the smallest size; and, in that case the Bible would have been consulted only by those rare and wistful spirits to whom the great hereafter is a subject of anxiety—who are really anxious to know what God is, and how they themselves may please him. But, in giving the Bible, its Divine Author had regard to the mind of man. He knew that man had more curiosity than piety, more taste than sanctity, and that more persons are anxious to hear some new, or read some beauteous thing, than to hear about God and the great salvation. He knew that few would ever ask, what must I do to be saved? till they came in contact with the Bible itself; and therefore he made the Bible not only an instructive book, but an attractive one—not only true, but enticing. He filled it with marvelous incidents, and engaging history; with sunny pictures from old world scenery, and affecting anecdotes from patriarch times. He replenished it with stately argument and thrilling verse, and sprinkled it over with sententious wisdom and proverbial pungency. He made it a book of lofty thoughts and noble images. A book of heavenly doctrine, but withal, of earthly adaptation. "In preparing a guide to immortality, infinite wisdom gave not a dictionary nor a grammar, but a Bible. A book which, in trying to catch the heart of man, should captivate his tastes; and which, in transforming his affections, should also expand his intellect. The pearl is of great price, but even the casket is of exquisite beauty. The sword is of ethereal temper, and nothing cuts so keenly as its double edge; but there are jewels on the hilt, and fine tracery on the scabbard. The speckles are of the purest ore; but even the scrip which contains them is of a texture more curious than that the artists of earth could fashion it. The apples are gold, but even the basket is silver."