Your ShelfYour Projects

Review and Herald, Vol. 50, No. 23.

THE OLDEST CHRISTIAN HYMN
Earlier text: THE OLDEST CHRISTIAN HYMN

BIGOTRY RAMPANT.

By J. A. Killingsworth

[The following report shows what experiences some of our brethren in the South are subjected to. Bro. Reese having shown himself favorable to the views taught by S. D. Adventists, was taken to task by his church in the following style.—Ed. Review.]
“To P. H. Reese.”
“You are hereby notified to be and appear at Mt. Hope church, on the fourth Saturday in October, 1877, to answer before the church conference to the following charges and specifications:—
“Charge 1. Disseminating unscriptural doctrine.”
“Specification 1. You, the said P. H. Reese, being a member and minister of said church, the same being a Congregational Methodist church, subscribing to the doctrine contained in the book of discipline of said church, and being a minister of said church, did on the second Sunday in September, 1877, and on divers other days and times, procure, advise, and assist one Taylor, professing to be a minister of a sect calling themselves ‘Seventh-day Adventists,’ to teach to the congregation and members of said church, and in the pulpit of said church, that the Christian Sabbath possessed no sanctity; that no one was under any obligations to observe and keep holy the said Sabbath day; and that it was sinful and wrong to labor on Saturday,—said doctrine being contrary to the Bible, and the doctrine of the Congregational Methodist Church.”
“Specification 2. That said P. H. Reese, at the times aforesaid, procured, advised, and permitted said Taylor to teach in said pulpit the doctrine that there will be no such thing as eternal punishment of the wicked after death; said doctrine being contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and the discipline of said C. M. Church.”
“Specification 3. That said P. H. Reese, at the times aforesaid, procured, advised, and permitted said Taylor to teach in said pulpit the doctrine that the Scriptures do not teach that the soul of man is immortal, but that said doctrine originated with Socrates, a heathen philosopher, said doctrine being contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and the discipline of said church.”
“Charge 2. Inveighing against the discipline of the C. M. Church.”
“Specification 1. That said P. H. Reese, at the times above stated, consented to, and procured, said Taylor to preach in said pulpit, attacking and disputing the doctrines and faith of said C. M. Church; the said P. H. Reese well knowing that two of the trustees of said church, and other members, and the pastor of said church, were unwilling for said Taylor to occupy said pulpit.”
“M. Pagett, Church Leader.”
Such are the proceedings that have been introduced against Bro. Reese.
Bro. Reese was at the church at the appointed time of trial; but the minister who (a lawyer also) wrote out the charges &c., was not present till the Sunday following, at which time, after the morning service was about concluded, he requested all the members who could to be present at next church conference (which is held the Saturday before each fourth Sunday), as business of importance would come before the church. At this time it is supposed the trial of Bro. R. will come off. Bro. Reese was called upon to preach on the day of trial by one of the brethren, no other minister being present. After a slight hesitation he consented. He gave a good advent sermon, in which he faithfully pointed to the Lamb of God, through whom alone the gift of immortality can be obtained when he comes in the clouds of Heaven.
Bro. R. meets bitter opposition; but the majority of the church are in favor of the stand he took. As he is on the defensive, it will be for them to prove the charges, and make it appear that Bro. Taylor preached anything contrary to the word of God. Dear friends, pray for us in our extremity; for the enemy is on the alert, and is aware that his strongholds are being assailed by that which beareth the victory.
J. A. Killingsworth.
Spalding Co., Ga.

GENERAL PHELPS ON SECRET SOCIETIES.

THE following letter is worth preserving. It was written to the Boston Globe, with a view to the presence of the Episcopal General Convention which was then in session in that city:—
I would beg permission to call the attention of Episcopalians to that article of their organization, the thirty-ninth, which treats “Of a Christian Man’s Oath.” If that article were religiously maintained, no member of the Episcopal Church organization could ever administer or receive such oaths as those that are in use by the Masonic Lodge. These Masonic oaths are unscriptural, extrajudicial, rash, and vain. They are not administered by the magistrate: they serve neither the cause of faith nor charity, and are void of justice, judgment, and truth. They serve the purposes of intimidation, of imposing assessments for wrong purposes, of inspiring hate and distrust, and circumventing law, and destroying the moral sensibilities of the community. The oath administered by the lodge is equally inimical to the vow of the church and the oath of the law, and leads men to trifle with and frustrate both. Yet religious conventions, nevertheless, meet year after year without taking any notice of the frightful demoralization that is being wrought upon the community through the teachings and practices of the Masonic Lodge. It would seem a mystery how this could be done if we had not already been furnished with an extraordinary precedent in the case of slavery, which some churchmen considered a divine institution. But it is exceedingly dangerous to the morals of society for churchmen to term Freemasonry divine, as many of them do.
These views which I express have been entertained and propagated for many years by religious men and good patriots, whose opinions are worth considering; and now I repeat them again, on the assembling of another religious convention in Boston, with the design of calling the particular attention of the convention thereto. We know that the presence of God may be seen in history as well as in church organizations; and it behooves an organization, therefore, wherein God is said to dwell, to prove that its ways have been in moral accord with historic manifestations. The ungodly history of Masonry is known and can be traced. It is possible that our teachers and religious professors may not find time to examine into this question, or American theology may be too new or superficial to go into such subjects, but the historian will hardly be guilty of such neglect. It will be little creditable to our voluntary system of supporting religion if our preachers fear to assail corruptions that are worse than any that might arise from a union of Church and State. What would show a worse state of morals and of church corruption than this fact; viz., that the ladies and gentlemen of the United States never make any objection to sitting under the preaching of men or going to the Lord’s table with them, who have sworn, like so many Sicarii, to forfeit the life of a fellow-being for revealing a secret. This fact is testified to by members of churches themselves.
And another fact hardly less damaging to the morals of the country is that the sums of money spent for erecting temples and altars, buying dresses and regalia, getting up manifestations and parades, with suppers and dances, in support of secret mystic practices, under the pretense of religion and morals, would go far toward maintaining the theological, scientific, and literary institutions of the country; yet the voice of the church remains silent on the subject. It must be self-evident that our civil institutions cannot be preserved without a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles. The wear and tear and dilapidations of democratic tendencies upon the temple of liberty must be often examined into and repaired, and its foundations be kept sound and in good order, or the temple itself will go to decay. And we know of no other instrumentality for making the necessary examination and keeping up the repairs than the church. If the church itself is corrupt and neglectful, our civil institutions cannot stand.
In a country where the political creed is that all men are free and equal, there is a constant tendency to carry this opinion into morals and into the church, and to regard the bad man as just as good as the good man. The man who swears to commit murder and keep it secret; who worships other gods than the Lord; who violates the Sabbath; who habitually and deliberately commits falsehood by maintaining a false institution that is the constant and perpetual source of falsehood and the very spirit of which is covetousness and illegitimate gain; in fine, the heathen or infidel who violates every one of the axioms of moral science, is placed on the same moral level with him who scrupulously observes them all. This is moral confusion, darkness, and anarchy, in which neither true religion nor civil liberty can long exist. Civil service reform is impossible under it. There can be no popular liberty where politics are corrupted and moral distinctions are confounded, as they are by Freemasonry. We have formerly heard a great deal about “chivalry” from the Southern part of the Union. If by chivalry is meant fair, open, and manly dealing, then certainly chivalry is a good thing. But chivalry cannot possibly exist where political men break out of the lists of fair and open conduct, and dodge down into the arts and practices of secret societies to take dishonorable advantage of their adversaries. The people who encourage such unworthy practices cannot long enjoy republican institutions. I would propose a practical measure for the adoption of our church conventions, which is to appoint committees of learned and pious men to examine into and report upon the compatibility of Freemasonry with the Christian religion, the testimonies of preachers and church-members who belong to the Masonic Lodge to be taken in the case.
J. W. PHELPS.

Why Japanese Children Seem So Happy

JAPANESE children—so says the London Spectator—are happy and light hearted. In Tokio one scarcely ever hears a child cry. The reasons assigned for this fact are that the clothing of children in Japan is loose and comfortable; that they are much in the open air and sunshine; the furnishing of Japanese houses is suited to the comfort of children; they are petted, but not capriciously indulged; and their elders enter into sympathy with them strongly. Americans might study these causes of children's happiness to good purpose.

God's Glory Purifies Rather Than Dazzles

God’s glory is the one glory that does not dazzle, but purifies. Moses, when he came down from the mount, vailed his face because the people could not bear its light; but doubtless through that vail he saw them more clearly than he had ever seen them before.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

By Editor

W. H. Kynett: An excellent work on Geology by D. N. Lord, entitled Geognosy, harmonizes with the Bible all that can be claimed from Geology. The first edition of the work is out of print; but Dr. Lord has signified his intention of issuing a revised edition, which we trust may be put upon the market soon.
Were the miracles performed by the magicians in Egypt, real or imaginary? M. L. B.
Ans. Real.
Please explain Heb. 6:1–6. M. E. Carter.
Ans. The apostle is here exhorting to perseverance and progress in the Christian life; and he urges them to this course by the consideration that we are in danger of going so far in the work of apostasy and rebellion as to commit the unpardonable sin, and lose the power and the chance of repentance.
QUESTIONS ON PRAYER. 1. Is there any record in the Bible, of Christ or the apostles praying before or after preaching?
2. Did the “commission” to the apostles include praying?
3. Is there anything in the Bible against “crossing” ourselves as the Catholics do?
4. Is there not a difference between “Blessing” and “Thanksgiving” on one side and “Prayer” on the other? 1 Kings 8:54, 55; 1 Cor. 14:15.
5. Is there not danger of our judging of their practices then, by our habits now?
5. Did the speaker in an unknown tongue understand what he himself said? if so, why “pray that he may interpret”? 1 Cor. 14:13. J. L. K.
To the foregoing queries we reply in the order of their presentation:—
1. Yes, respecting both Christ and the apostles. In John chapters 15 and 16, we have one of the most beautiful discourses ever uttered in this world. Christ preached to his disciples. In the following chapter (John 17) we have our Lord’s inimitable prayer which followed this discourse. And it was a public prayer; for the record says that he “lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come,” &c. We have a similar record concerning the apostle Paul. Acts 20 states the fact that he called for the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him at Miletus. He then preached them a discourse, as recorded in verses 18–35. Immediately following this he kneeled down and prayed with them all. Verse 36.
2. Yes. Christ commissioned his disciples to observe all things that he had commanded them. Matt. 28:20. And as he had given them instruction respecting secret prayer, Matt. 6:5–13, the duty and practice of public prayer is implied; for that was then practiced, Acts 3:1; 16:13; and if Christ had wished his disciples to deviate from that practice, he would have so informed them. Moreover, as above noticed, he himself set them the example of public prayer.
3. No; that is, there is no direction stating explicitly that we shall not make the sign of the cross upon our persons, or the sign of circles or squares, or anything else, if we choose to do so, with any innocent design. But if we should do this in obedience to any system of error, or of superstition, the Scriptures would condemn it.
4. We look upon them as being in nature the same, but different somewhat in form, all being included in public invocation.
5. We think our habits have come from their practices, confirmed by the evidence left on record; hence there is no ground to suppose that a wrong conclusion has been drawn.
6. We think he did; but he prayed that he might interpret for the purpose of edifying others.
Is the “hour” of Rev. 14:7 definite time? If so, why is it not the 24th part of that great day of the Lord, 1000 years? M. C. W.
Ans. The day of the Lord we understand to be more than a thousand years in length. It begins with the pouring out of the plagues, before the thousand years begin, and covers the destruction of the wicked, which probably occupies a long space after the 1000 years terminate. Hence if it means the 24th part of the day of the Lord, it is still a period utterly indefinite. Secondly, the definition of the word conveys the idea of an indefinite space of time. It means “time, i. e., a certain definite point or space of time, season; time of the day, the day. Matt. 14:15,” &c. Thus it is defined as meaning sometimes a “season,” or even a whole “day.” We do not think that the term “the doors” in Matt. 24:33, has any reference to the doors of the sanctuary, but is an expression to denote great nearness, borrowed from the figure of one standing even at the doors of our dwellings and about to enter. We understand that in Acts 1:7, our Lord expresses the idea that it was not for them to know the time, or day and hour of his coming, as stated in Matt. 24:36.
ANSWERED BY LETTER. J. H. Waggoner, C. F. Stevens, C. W. Stone, A. S. Hutchins, C. K. Drury, J. N. Ayers, J. A. Holcomb, M. P. Stiles, S. E. D’Aigneau, Mrs. A. Reed, A. H. Wentworth, Mrs. E. M. Hall, H. Grant, Mary Miller, M. C. Wilcox.

CAN GOD ORGANIZE MATTER TO THINK?

By Dudley Marvin Canright

(Continued.)
It is not the mere size of the brain that is the measure of mental power, but the fineness of the material and the way it is organized must be considered. Hence it is that a practiced phrenologist can read a man's character by simply feeling of his head. What is insanity? Generally the wildest ravings result from some derangement of the brain, a nervous disease, a fracture of the skull, or a derangement of the fluids in the system. Cure the nervous disease, restore the fractured skull to its position, and thus put it in order again, and the mental disorder at once ceases. But if the mind is immortal and indestructible, how can it ever become insane? How can it become diseased?
Another fact proves that the mind results from the physical organization; namely, the fact that the mind grows with the growth of the body, and decays with its decay. Hence, who expects to find a man's intellect in the body of a babe or of a child? As the brain grows up to maturity, the mind also develops; and then in old age, as the body grows weak, the mind grows weak also, till you have second childhood, so familiar to everybody. This should not be so, if the mind of man is immaterial and separate from the physical man. But it is objected that in some cases the body is weak and sickly while the mind is vigorous and powerful; that sometime in old age the mind retains its full faculties, even to the last breath. But this is a very small objection, easily answered. Cases like these are rare; they are the exception. All parts of the body are not always affected alike by health or by sickness. That is, a man may be dying of the consumption, his lungs nearly consumed; and yet his heart may be sound and healthy, his eye bright and keen, his ear sharp to hear. Or a man's eyes may be very weak, but his hearing acute; his liver may be wholly diseased, and his lungs may be sound. A man may be sick in any one part of his body, and well and strong in another. Hence the cases mentioned simply show that while other parts of the body are feeble, the brain is sound and healthy. But the general rule, the world over, is, “A sound mind in a sound body.”
A further fact to be noticed is that the mind, the intellect, can be developed and enlarged by exercise and training the same as any other part of the system. See that awkward, clumsy-fingered young man learning to write. What great, awkward scratches he makes! What is the matter? His fingers have not been disciplined. They have not learned how to hold and guide the pen with ease. But after long training he can execute the finest penmanship with great precision. Or take it in a more physical sense. A strong young man undertakes to lift a heavy weight for the first time. He finds it very difficult. He can not lift much. But he keeps practicing, training his muscles till by and by he can lift several times as much as in the beginning. His muscles have grown stronger by exercise. Just so with the mind. An undisciplined, unexercised mind is very weak intellectually; but close application and continued training develop strong, vigorous powers of thinking. All these facts show that the intellect is wholly dependent upon the physical organization, the same as any other power of a man.
Instinct and reason. Our opponents are constantly decrying matter, and attributing all excellence to immateriality. But an examination of nature shows that the Creator has used this same matter, to bring about the infinite diversity which is seen everywhere, from the grain of sand up to the highest intelligence. First we have matter in its coarsest and crudest form,—mineral matter, unorganized matter, such as a handful of dust, a piece of granite, a wedge of gold. Next higher we have organized and vitalized matter in the vegetable kingdom. Going still higher, we have the same matter more highly organized in the animal kingdom.
I have in my hand a school book, “The Philosophy of Natural History,” by John Ware, M. D. He has so clearly stated many points bearing upon this question that I quote from him, as follows:—
“Practically there is not often any difficulty in distinguishing an animal from a vegetable. But when it is attempted to point out the philosophical or essential principle in which their difference consists, the task is not so easy. In fact, there does not appear to be any such principle lying at the foundation of the distinction between animals and plants, that there is between organized and unorganized bodies; namely, the principle of life. There are certain close points of resemblance between the composition, the structure, the functions, and the conditions of the existence of animals and vegetables, which do not exist between either of them and minerals. So much is this the case, that some writers, among whom was the celebrated Buffon, have believed that there is no exact boundary, but that so close a resemblance of characteristics exists between those living at the two extremes, that individuals possessing peculiarities of animal life in the lowest degree are not essentially different from the plants which possess them in the highest.”—P. 12.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
(To be Continued.)

THANKSGIVING

Services were held in our house of worship, on the day appointed by the State for Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 29.
A large congregation assembled, first, to respect the recommendation of the government, which we should be prompt to do whenever practicable; and, secondly, because we have so much for which to be thankful, that it seemed appropriate to signalize it by a day marked with special exercises for that purpose.
After singing, and prayer by Eld. Haskell, we made a few remarks on the ninety-second psalm, and the remainder of the time was occupied in the presentation of very excellent and cheering thoughts by Eld. Haskell, and Profs. Brownsberger and Bell.
The special reasons why we, as S. D. Adventists, have cause to be grateful to God, as seen in the evident tokens of his hand in our work, and the rapidly growing prosperity of this message, were impressively set forth. The singers enlivened the occasion with some well-rendered hymns and anthems of praise; and altogether it was a cheering and pleasant season, and one, we trust, of profit also.
This festival, instituted by those who no doubt commenced its observance with the purest motives, has been appropriately perpetuated to the present time; and though now perhaps generally perverted from its original design, and celebrated in a spirit far different from that of its founders, there seems to be no reason why it should not be rationally and consistently observed.
For our own part, we should much prefer to see this festival, which finds its beginning in the pious intentions of our Pilgrim Fathers, take the place of Christmas, which, though adopted, like the Sunday, by Protestants generally, has come to us from Roman Catholicism, and is founded in falsehood and superstition.

The Pacific Coast.

The last Signs, from Oakland, brings encouraging reports of the work in that field.
The church in Dayton, W. T., have come up nobly to second the formation of the North Pacific Conference, raising the figures on their S. B., and entering heartily into the missionary work. Outside attendance and interest good.
At Vacaville, forty-six lectures have been given. Twelve or fourteen are now keeping the Sabbath, as the result, with “more to follow.” The clergy are going through the usual metamorphoses in their conflicting attempts to support the Sunday.
Bro. Wood and Rice report meetings in Lakeside, Cal., which have resulted in confirming believers and adding others to their number.
A card from Bro. M. G. Kellogg, M. D., states that, having secured a location two and a half miles from St. Helena, Cal., unsurpassed for a “Rural Health Retreat,” he is to commence immediately the erection of buildings suitable for the treatment of patients on the hygienic system.

THE WORK IN EUROPE.

We have just received No. 5 of the second volume of LES SIGNES DES TEMPS, the French paper issued by Bro. Andrews in Bale, Suisse. It speaks of the work in Holland, where in a very remarkable manner many have been brought to commence the observance of the Sabbath of the Lord, and adds that news has been received from a number of places where the journal is read, that many persons are convinced of the truth, and that some are beginning to obey.
A résumé of the work in America is presented, and special reference made to the resolution passed at the last General Conference, expressive of the interest which believers in America feel for the work in Europe. They respond that they highly appreciate the efforts that have been put forth by the American brethren in behalf of the work in Europe, and that they have no separate interest.
An interesting letter from Bro. Ribton, in Italy, speaks of the work there, and Bro. Bourdeau reports for France and Switzerland, respecting the openings which present themselves, and the desires that are expressed for the presentation of the truth in different places.

GIVE IT ALL AT ONCE.

The following paragraph is so much to the point in reference to brief, sharp, and expressive articles, that we will act upon the suggestion and give it to the reader at once, without any unnecessary introduction. It is from The Christian at Work, but is just as well calculated for the readers of the REVIEW:—
“Abbreviate. Cut short. Eliminate. Expurge. Condense. Weed out. Cauterize. Trim. Deplete. Reduce. It must be done. Pack in the smallest space. Don’t send us introduction and preface. Don’t tell us what you ‘purpose doing.’ Simply do it. You cannot get space in The Christian at Work without it, and you could not get an audience if you did. Greville, in his Memoirs, tells us about a bishop who rose to speak in the House of Lords, and announced that he should divide what he had to say into twelve parts, when the Duke of Wharton interrupted him and begged indulgence for a few minutes as he had a story to tell which he could only introduce at that moment. A drunken fellow was passing by St. Paul’s at night, and heard the clock slowly chime twelve. He counted the strokes, and then looked up to the clock, and said, ‘Why couldn’t you give us all that at once?’ The story put an end to the bishop’s speech. When we get long articles with ‘premise,’ ‘prefatory remarks,’ or in ‘three parts,’ or ‘conclusion next week,’ we sigh as we sadly consign them to a very spacious waste-paper basket, and exclaim, ‘Why couldn’t you give us all that at once?’”

A GROWING DANGER.

By Editor

In the Watch Tower department, this week, is given a significant article on the Southern Problem, showing how the Roman Catholic Church, as soon as the ballot was given to the colored people, set herself assiduously at work to absorb into herself all that element, to secure their power. She cares no more about them religiously than about so many swine; but she wants the political power which they will wield, when brought under her control. Hence her scheming and cunning, and lavish provision of men and means to accomplish that end.
The following article gives statistics relative to the increase of this Catholic power in this country, from which, though covering only a period of 50 years, it appears that in this short space they have changed their relative proportion to the whole population of the country from 1 to 29 in 1830, to 1 to 4, estimated, in 1880. Considering the spirit and purpose of that church, what have we to expect in the future? How significant these remarkable figures become, when we consider that, as a subject of prophecy, this power appears in the last phase of its prosperity here in the United States, acting a part with our own government in the closing scenes of time!
The people of this land are slumbering upon the verge of a revolution, of the extent and horrors of which they have no conception. It becomes the people of God to be awake. We quote from the Christian Press, which says:—
“The Catholic World, published in New York, and said to be the most reliable of all the Catholic Church organs, gives the following as the increase of the Catholic population in the United States; and it is probably pretty nearly correct, as it is indorsed in Harper’s Weekly by Father Stack, of Pennsylvania. In 1830, the Catholics were one in twenty-nine of the population; in 1840, they were one in eighteen; in 1850, one in eleven; in 1860, one in seven; in 1870, one in five; and probably in 1880 they will be one in four of the population.
“Their numbers, however, are not so alarming as the fact of their almost perfect organization. The priests, through the confessional, controlling the people, and the bishops holding complete control over the priesthood, as they are altogether dependent on them for place and income, are able to wield their numbers for political purposes as Protestant ministers never can.
“And when they are numerous enough to hold the balance of power, and, as our figures show, they are annually approaching it, they will then dictate terms to one or the other of the political parties, and we know those terms will be in opposition to education, civil and religious liberty. I speak to wise men, judge ye what I say!”

The Armies of the Lord.

By R. F. Cottrell

Soon the scene is to be enacted described so vividly and majestically in Rev. 19:11-16: “And I saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
This is the sublime description, in symbolic language, of the coming of Jesus Christ, with all the holy angels, as they descend to the battle of the great day of God Almighty. All the wicked of the earth will then be slain, and the saints gathered and taken to those mansions which Jesus has gone to prepare.
But it is of another army of the Lord we would speak more particularly. He has an army upon earth. The Christian is exhorted to put on the whole armor of God, to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, and his reward depends on his fighting a good fight and getting the victory over his foes.
Among men those who faithfully serve the Lord, obeying his voice, constitute his army upon earth. He employs them in his work. He enlightens and leads them, so that they fulfill his pleasure. At the present time he has a special work—the preparation of a people to be redeemed from among men, when the armies of Heaven shall come down in wrath to destroy the enemies of the Lord. For a little more than a quarter of a century he has been enlisting and drilling soldiers to take a part in the last contest between truth and error; and he promises the overcomer a seat with him in his throne. This army must be well disciplined; so that each will be found at his post, and all move in harmony. Enlistments are still in order. Who will take a part in this service?
A great work is before us. The Lord is soon coming; and the world is to be warned. In Ps. 68:11 it is written, “The Lord gave the word: great was the army [margin] of those that published it.” The number of those who are publishing the closing message of the gospel, though small, is increasing. The word of God will not fail of accomplishing its design.
Now who will sacrifice time and means to do the Lord’s work and save men? This work of the Lord is a work of sacrifice and self-denial from beginning to end. The Son of God gave the example—the key-note. He left Heaven, with his high and glorious command. He gave, not only glory and riches, but himself, to toil, to suffer, and to die to redeem lost men. The mercies of God thus exhibited toward us, demand a sacrifice from us. And is it too much that we should give wealth, luxuries, ease, and riches in that cause for which the Son of God poured out his soul unto death? No; it is our reasonable service to offer ourselves and all that we have to God, to be used in the work of saving our fellow-men. Who will take a part in this closing work? Who will begin now? Soon it will be too late. Now you can do something which God will accept. Soon the war will be ended and the harvest be past—the work done and the reward given.
R. F. Cottrell.

REPORT FROM DENMARK.

By John G. Matteson

NORDBY, FANÖ.

I HAVE continued this week to lecture on the prophecies and the second advent of Christ. The interest has increased some, but there is strong opposition constantly. A member of the parish council and another person came one evening for the purpose of disturbing the meeting. Both of them were intoxicated. The first-mentioned person swore, and his actions were entirely unbecoming a person of his standing. We got rid of him in about half an hour. The police came in, and since that time we have not been troubled with such disturbances.
There are some friends here who have respect for the word of God, and rejoice to hear it. The priest speaks some against strange sects, but we never hear him say anything about the drunkenness, blasphemy, vice, and sin with which the land abounds. Strong drink is the cause of three-fourths of all the crime committed in the land, and it is therefore that which strengthens the work of Satan most. But that which is the manifest work of the devil is called innocent amusement. Pride, lust, and vanity are seen everywhere, and pass under the name of Christianity.
The darkness is great. Unbelief is mighty. There are not many voices that ring out with a clear and distinct testimony against sin. Iniquity abounds, and the love of many waxes cold. Pray for us that the message of our Saviour's advent may be blessed to the saving of some souls. JOHN G. MATTESON.
Nov. 5.

WHO WILL FIND HIM?

By Dudley Marvin Canright

I HAVE traveled a great deal, conversed with thousands of people, old and young, rich and poor, high and low, learned and unlearned; yet there is one sort of individual, whom, as yet, I have never found. I should like to advertise for him. I think I could safely offer a large reward for even one man of the kind. Yes, I will risk it; and I do hereby offer a reward of fifty dollars for one specimen of the creature to which I refer. He will be a curiosity. I do not know that we could put him to any use, except simply as something to be wondered at. I should describe him in this way: A person who, after he has received a good, fair education, is sorry that he has obtained it.
Reader, did you ever hear of such a person? Did you ever read of him? Did you ever know of him? I have taken particular pains to talk with people upon this question, not only with those who had earned a living by their education, but with those who had made no special use of their mental training, and not one among them all have I ever found who has expressed one regret that he had obtained a good education. However much time or money he may have spent in obtaining it, I never heard a person say that he was sorry for it.
But, on the other hand, it is one of the most common things of daily observation to hear both men and women expressing their regrets that they had not in some way managed to get a good education when they were young. “If I could only live my life over again, how different a course I would take!” says one. “If I had only known when I was young the advantages of education as I do now, I would have worked my finger nails off to obtain it.” “If my parents had only helped me to schooling when I was young, what a different lot I might have had in the world! But all father cared for was money.” So says another. Such regrets are common, yes, too common. Children grow up to blame their parents for not educating them. Young men grow up censuring themselves for their negligence when young. Everybody hears it, everybody knows it. Every young man and woman has been told it. Every intelligent person says, “Educate yourself while young. If you do not, you will regret it by and by.” A few realize the importance of an education, and act accordingly; while hundreds think it does not amount to much, and go on until it is too late; then they lament about their mistake the balance of their life.
If ever there was an age when ignorance was inexcusable, that age is the present. Schoolhouses on every four corners; books on education cheap and excellent; free schools, or, at most, tuition but little; helping hands on every side. Young friends, what advantage are you taking of these circumstances? What use are you making of your opportunities? How did you spend last year? How do you propose to spend the year to come? Are you vainly saying to yourself, “Sometime I will do it,” but never making a commencement? Straighten yourself up to the task now. Begin at once—enter school next term. Take hold somewhere. Do not be deterred by trifles, neither by greater difficulties. Grapple with them. Rise above them. Instead of letting circumstances control you, seize hold of them and wheel them into line in your favor. Another long winter, with all its advantages of study and school privileges, is now before you. Do not sit holding your hands and idly dreaming till these moments are gone. Decide at once—now—that this winter shall tell for your advancement. Do it, and you will never regret it. D. M. C.
Continue reading: STRAWS