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Review and Herald, Vol. 37, No. 11.

The Alarm
Earlier text: City Working Women

Thoughts on the Book of Daniel.

CHAPTER XI (CONTINUED).

VERSE 30. For the ships of Chittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant; so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
The prophetic narrative still has reference to the power which has been the subject of the prophecy from the 16th verse, namely, Rome. What were the ships of Chittim that came against this power, and when was this movement made? What country or power is meant by Chittim? Dr. A. Clarke on Isa. 23:1, has this note: “From the land of Chittim it is revealed to them. The news of the destruction of Tyre, by Nebuchadnezzar, is said to be brought to them from Chittim, the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean; for the Tyrians, says Jerome, on verse 6, when they saw they had no other means of escape, fled in their ships, and took refuge in Carthage, and in the islands of the Ionian and Ægean sea. So also Jochri on the same place.” Kitto gives the same locality to Chittim, namely, the coast and islands of the Mediterranean; and the mind is carried by the testimony of Jerome to a definite and celebrated city as situated in that land, namely, Carthage.
Was ever a naval warfare, with Carthage as a base of operations, waged against the Roman Empire? Those who have read of the terrible onslaught of the Vandals upon Rome under the fierce Genseric, can readily answer in the affirmative. S вailing every spring from the port of Carthage, at the head of his numerous and well-disciplined naval force, he spread consternation through all the maritime provinces of the empire. That this is the work brought to view is further evident when we consider that we are brought down in the prophecy to this very time. In verse 29 the transfer of empire to Constantinople we understand to be mentioned. Following in due course of time as the next remarkable revolution, came the irruptions of the barbarians of the North, prominent among which was the Vandal war already mentioned. The years A. D. 428–468 mark the career of Genseric.
“He shall be grieved, and return.” This may have reference to the desperate efforts which were made to dispossess Genseric of the sovereignty of the seas, the first by Majorian, the second by Leo, both of which proved to be utter failures; and Rome was obliged to submit to the humiliation of seeing its provinces ravaged, and its “eternal city” pillaged by the enemy.
“Indignation against the covenant;” that is, the holy Scriptures, the book of the covenant. A revolution of this nature was accomplished in Rome. The Goths, Huns, and Vandals, who conquered Rome, embraced the Arian faith, and became enemies of the Catholic church. It was especially for the purpose of exterminating this heresy that Justinian decreed the pope to be the head of the church, and the corrector of heretics. Then it was decreed that the Bible was a dangerous book, and should not be read by the common people, but all questions in dispute should be submitted to the pope. Thus was indignity heaped upon God’s word. And the emperors of Rome, the eastern division of which still continued, had intelligence or connived with the church of Rome which had forsaken the covenant, and constituted the great apostasy, for the purpose of putting down heresy. The Man of Sin was established by the defeat of the Arian Goths, who then held possession of Rome, in A. D. 538.
Verse 31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
The power of the empire was committed to the carrying on of the work before mentioned. And they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, or Rome. If this applies to the barbarians, it was literally fulfilled; for Rome was sacked by the Goths, Huns, and Vandals, and the imperial power of the West ceased through the conquest of Rome by Odoacer. Or if it refers to those rulers of the empire who were working in behalf of the papacy against the pagan and all other opposing religions, it would signify the removal of the seat of the empire from Rome to Constantinople; which contributed more than anything else to the downfall of Rome. The passage would then be parallel to Dan. 8:11, and Rev. 13:2.
“And they shall take away the daily sacrifice.” It was shown on Dan. 8:13, that “sacrifice” is a word erroneously supplied; that it should be desolation; and that the expression denotes a desolating power of which the abomination of desolation is but the counterpart, and to which it succeeds in point of time. The daily desolation was paganism, the abomination of desolation is the papacy. But it may be asked how this can be the papacy; since Christ spoke of it in connection with the destruction of Jerusalem. And the answer is, Christ evidently referred to the 9th of Daniel, which is a prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem, and not to this verse of the 11th, which does not refer to that event. Daniel in the 9th chapter speaks of desolations, and abominations, plural. More than one abomination, therefore, treads down the church; that is, so far as the church is concerned, both paganism and the papacy are abominations. But as distinguished from each other, the language is restricted, and one is the daily desolation and the other is preeminently the transgression or abomination of desolation.
How was the daily, or paganism, taken away? As this is spoken of in connection with the placing or setting up of the abomination of desolation, or the papacy, it must denote, not merely the nominal change of the religion of the empire from paganism to Christianity, as on the conversion, so-called, of Constantine, but such an eradication of paganism from all the elements of the empire, that the way would be all open for the papal abomination to arise and assert its arrogant claims. Such a revolution as this, plainly defined, was accomplished; but not for nearly two hundred years after the death of Constantine.
As we approach the year A. D. 508, we behold a grand crisis ripening between Catholicism and the pagan influences still existing in the empire. Up to the time of the conversion of Clovis, king of France, A. D. 496, the French and other nations of Western Rome were pagan; but subsequent to that event, the efforts to convert idolaters to Christ were crowned with great success. The conversion of Clovis is said to have been the occasion of bestowing upon the French monarch the titles of “Most Christian Majesty,” and “Eldest Son of the Church.” Between that time and A. D. 508, by alliances, capitulations, and conquests, the Arborici, the Roman garrisons in the West, Brittany, the Burgundians, and the Visigoths, were brought into subjection. From the time when these successes were fully accomplished, namely 508, the papacy was triumphant so far as paganism was concerned; but though the latter doubtless retarded the progress of the Catholic faith, yet it had not the power, if it had the disposition, to suppress that faith, and hinder the encroachments of the Roman pontiff.
When the prominent powers of Europe gave up their attachment to paganism, it was only to perpetuate its abominations in another form; for Christianity, in the Catholic sense, was only paganism baptized.
In England, Arthur, the first Christian king, founded the Christian worship on the ruin of the pagan. Rapin, who claims to be exact in the chronology of events, states that he was elected monarch of Britain in 508. Book ii, p. 124.
The condition of the see of Rome was also peculiar at this time. In 498 Symmachus ascended the pontifical throne as a recent convert from paganism. He reigned to A. D. 514. He found his way to the papal chair, says Du Pin, by striving with his competitor even unto blood. He received adulation as the successor of St. Peter, and struck the key note of papal assumption, by presuming to excommunicate the emperor Anastasius. The most servile flatterers of the pope now began to maintain that he was constituted judge in the place of God, and that he was the vicegerent of the Most High.
Such was the direction in which events were tending in the West. What posture did affairs at the same time assume in the East? A strong papal party now existed in all parts of the empire. The adherents of this cause in Constantinople, encouraged by the success of their brethren in the West, deemed it safe to commence open hostilities in behalf of their master at Rome. In 508 their partisan zeal culminated in a whirlwind of fanaticism and civil war, which swept in fire and blood through the streets of the eastern capital. Gibbon, under the years 508–514, speaking of the commotions in Constantinople, says:—
“The statues of the emperor were broken, and his person was concealed in a suburb, till, at the end of three days, he dared to implore the mercy of his subjects. Without his diadem, and in the posture of a suppliant, Anastasius appeared on the throne of the circus. The Catholics before his face rehearsed the genuine Trisagion; they exulted in the offer which he proclaimed by the voice of a herald of abdicating the purple; they listened to the admonition that, since all could not reign, they should previously agree in the choice of a sovereign; and they accepted the blood of two unpopular ministers, whom their master, without hesitation, condemned to the lions. These furious but transient seditions were encouraged by the success of Vitalian, who, with his army of Huns and Bulgarians, for the most part idolaters, declared himself the champion of the Catholic faith. In this pious rebellion he depopulated Thrace, besieged Constantinople, exterminated sixty-five thousand of his fellow-Christians, till he obtained the recall of the bishops, the satisfaction of the pope, and the establishment of the council of Chalcedon, an orthodox treaty, reluctantly signed by the dying Anastasius, and more faithfully performed by the uncle of Justinian. And such was the event of the first of the religious wars which have been waged in the name, and by the disciples, of the God of peace.” Decline and Fall, Vol. iv. p. 526.
Let it be marked that in this year, 508, paganism had so far declined, and Catholicism had so far relatively increased in strength, that the Catholic church for the first time waged a successful war against both the civil authority of the empire and the church of the East, which had for the most part embraced the Monophysite doctrine. The extermination of 65,000 heretics was the result.
With the following extract from Apollos Hale, we close the testimony on this point: “We now invite our modern Gamaliels to take a position with us in the place of the sanctuary of paganism (since claimed as the ‘patrimony of St. Peter’) in 508. We look a few years into the past, and the rude paganism of the northern barbarians is pouring down upon the nominally Christian empire of Western Rome—triumphing everywhere—and its triumphs everywhere distinguished by the most savage cruelty. . . . The empire falls, and is broken into fragments. One by one the lords and rulers of these fragments abandon their paganism and profess the Christian faith. In religion the conquerors are yielding to the conquered. But still paganism is triumphant. Among its supporters there is one stern and successful conqueror, (Clovis.) But soon he also bows before the power of the new faith, and becomes its champion. He is still triumphant, but, as a hero and conqueror, reaches the zenith at the point we occupy, A. D. 508.
“In or near the same year, the last important subdivision of the fallen empire is publicly, and by the coronation of its triumphant ‘monarch’ christianized.”
“The pontiff for the period on which we stand is a recently-converted pagan. The bloody contest which placed him in the chair was decided by the interposition of an Arian king. He is bowed to and saluted as filling ‘the place of God on earth.’ The senate is so far under his power, that on suspicion that the interests of the see of Rome demand it, they excommunicate the emperor. . . . In 508 the mine is sprung beneath the throne of the Eastern Empire. The result of the confusion and strife it occasions is the humiliation of its rightful lord. Now the question is, At what time was paganism so far suppressed, as to make room for its substitute and successor, the papal abomination? When was this abomination placed in a position to start on its career of blasphemy and blood? Is there any other date for its being ‘placed’ or ‘set up’ in the room of paganism, but 508? If the mysterious enchantress has not now brought all her victims within her power, she has taken her position, and some have yielded to the fascination. The others are at length subdued, ‘and kings, and peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues,’ are brought under the spell which prepares them, even while ‘drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,’ to ‘think they are doing God service,’ and to fancy themselves the exclusive favorites of Heaven, while becoming an easier and richer prey for the damnation of hell.”—Ad. Manual, pp. 79–81.
From these evidences we think it clear that the daily, or paganism, was taken away in A. D. 508. This was preparatory to the setting up, or establishment, of the papacy, which was a separate and subsequent event. Of this we will speak in our next.

To Correspondents.

By Editor

J. W. N. asks, Are the new birth and regeneration synonymous terms? and, Is baptism a part of, or connected with, the new birth?
We understand regeneration to mean a renewal of being, a reproduction, or formation into a new and better state. This will be fully accomplished for us when we are made immortal and enter upon eternal life. So we think birth is used as a figure to illustrate comprehensively this great change in man—a change from a sinful, mortal state, to one that is holy and eternal. But this consists of a number of steps. First, conversion is necessary; and with this baptism is connected; then a growth in spiritual life, and a perfection of Christian character; and finally a change to immortality by translation, or a resurrection from the dead. We think all these are included in the term, new birth.
G. E. MCCORD: We think the action of Paul, as recorded in Acts 21: 26, is one of the instances in which he tried to become all things to all men, that he might save some. He here endeavored to allay the prejudices of the Jews by conforming to a custom, which, although it was of no virtue, would do no hurt. It does not appear that this was the wisest course; for he does not seem to have been prospered in it any more than in his appeal to Cæsar. Chap. 25: 11; 26: 32.
P. W. B., Jasper Co., Iowa: We understand the gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, of 1 Cor. 3: 12, to refer to the different classes of persons a preacher brings out upon the truth. These are a test of his work; for the kinds of persons he brings out, and their proficiency in the divine life, depend upon his own standard of holiness and his faithfulness in setting before them the way of obedience. And the day that is coming will test his work. If his converts endure, and he can present at last a large company of faithful souls who have overcome, as the result of his labors, he will have great reward. But if his converts fail to stand the test of the Judgment, he will have nothing to show as the result of his labors, and will consequently suffer loss; though the circumstances may have been such that he himself will be saved.
2 John 10, if we rightly apprehend its meaning, teaches us that we should not show to the advocates of error, either by word or deed, that we approve of, or sympathize with them in, their work. We do not, however, think it forbids our doing whatever acts courtesy or charity may require toward them as individuals.
W. C. of Ohio: The “one thing needful” and “good part” spoken of, in Luke 10: 42, we understand to mean giving attention to the wants of our moral and spiritual nature rather than the physical. This was of first importance; other things were secondary. Martha had made it her chief anxiety to prepare a sumptuous entertainment for her guest; while Mary had made it her chief concern to hear words of instruction from his lips. Jesus rebuked the worldly-mindedness of Martha in giving paramount attention to temporal concerns, and commends the course of Mary in attending first to the spiritual. To say that Christ meant to say that only one dish, or kind, of food was necessary for a meal, as some do, seems to us like greatly lowering the dignity of his words. —In regard to attending funerals on the Sabbath, we think it should be avoided unless circumstances are such that a refusal to attend would create prejudice, and hedge up the way for the advancement of the truth.
I. A. LANPHERE: We would recommend the Youth’s Instructor, published at this Office, as a paper calculated to interest the minds of your children in the present truth. We have question books on the History of the Sabbath.
J. HANSON: What is said in Luke 14: 31–33, of the king who goes to war, is given as an illustration of the course a person should take who sets out to serve the Lord. Just as a king, any king, going to war, would carefully consider whether he was able to meet his enemy, and if not, take measures to secure peace; so the servant of God should consider what it will cost him to be a Christian, and if he cannot comply with the conditions (for it will cost him all), he had better not claim to be a disciple of Jesus.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH: Respecting the German of John 20: 19, appeal to the Greek, from which that translation was made, as well as ours. All translations must preserve their fidelity to the original.

The Cause in California.

RETURNS from the State of California not having reached us in season to be presented at our late Conference, we give them in the paper, as all our readers will be interested in the encouraging report from that State.
The number of S. D. Adventists in the State at the time of last report, was 130. Losses during the year by death, removal, and apostasy, 10. Additions, 30. Net gain, 20.
Amount of s. b. pledged at time of last report, $800. Decreased by the loss of the ten above mentioned, $50.00. Present pledges, $1140.13. Net gain of s. b. $340.00.

CALIFORNIA STATE TREASURER'S REPORT.

Balance in treasury at last report $5.01
Received during year 1031.04
Total $1036.05
Paid out as per book 718.16
Balance in treasury Jan. 31, 1871 $317.89
The following is the appeal sent to our General Conference:
To the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists assembled in Battle Creek, Michigan, the churches and friends of this cause in California send greeting:
May that God who spake his law from Sinai's top; who gave his Son to die to redeem us from transgression, who is now bringing before mankind a specific message, that they may understand all the bearings and obligations of his commandments; that God, before whom we must all soon render account of our stewardship and labors, guide you by his Spirit in all your deliberations.
Our sympathies are with you, and our prayers ascend to Heaven that wisdom may be granted you, and prosperity attend all your devisings for the spread of the third angel's message.
Our standing, as a State, you will learn by accompanying “reports of standing and finances.” As you will see, our mission is not only free from debt, but there is a balance in our treasury of $317.89 coin, deposited for future use. Our s. b. pledges for the coming year amount to $1140.13. So that we are not only able, with present resources, to sustain our present laborers, and meet tent expenses—if thought advisable to run the tent—but we can also sustain another laborer here, if you can spare the man.
If you can send us a “laborer,” the means can be raised outside of s. b. pledges to pay his fare here.
You are aware of the facts that have reduced our laborers here to one. It seems to us, that to properly care for the work already commenced, and to extend the truth to adjacent counties, and places which are calling loudly for help, we need another man to come on and throw his whole energies into the work.
We do not deem it our prerogative to dictate to you who shall come. Whom God shall move upon, and you, seeking him, approve, him we will try to thankfully receive and sustain. May God's will, in all things, be done, and his cause be advanced, is our prayer.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Committee of J. BOWMAN, Cal. State Meeting of S. D. Adventists.
Attest H. T. HEWITT, State Secretary.
As it is not convenient to call a State meeting before Conference, each church indorses this document, which is indeed a more full indorsement than we could get at a State meeting.
J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH, Pres. of Cal. State Meet.
To this was appended a certificate from each church in California, indorsing the foregoing address.

Pray Without Ceasing

If once a year all people were invited to make their requests known to God, what anniversary would equal that in their estimation? Oh! the trembling hearts that would await the hour, the fears that something of moment would be forgotten, the requests that would then be presented. Or were the occasion less august, such an opportunity once a month would be greatly valued. But, dear friends, God does not so deal with us. He does not limit us to one day in a lifetime to present our petitions. He does not say, “Only once a year you may seek my face,” or “But once a month you may pray to me.” There is no time during the hurry of the day, or the long hours of darkness, in which his children may not pour their requests into his willing ear. In his great mercy and condescension he even says, “Pray without ceasing.”

The Council of Nice.

THE following request explains itself:
BRO. SMITH: I would like to see something in the REVIEW concerning the Council of Nice. Infidels, you know, claim that that Council made a Bible. Many are inquiring of me just what that Council did do. I have not the authorities at hand, neither can I go at present where I can search up what I want on that subject. A little information, such as I presume you can give without much trouble, will help a number of your readers on this coast. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.
California, Feb., 1871.
ANSWER: We can find no evidence that the Council of Nice, A. D. 325, decided what books should be considered genuine, and compose the canon of the New Testament. Lardner, Vol. IV, pp. 55–68, gives a very full history of that Council. Concerning the matters it had under investigation, he says:
“The three points debated and determined there, as appears from all the ecclesiastical historians, and from the synodical epistle of the Council itself, were the Arian controversy before mentioned, the time of keeping Easter, and the affair of Meletius in Egypt.”
The Council was called, as all authorities agree, especially for the purpose of condemning the doctrine of Arius. Lardner expressly says that it did not compose any catalogue of the books of Scripture.

Test of Loyalty.

By Roswell F. Cottrell

THERE are two branches of the law of God; the one growing out of our relation to our Creator, teaching us how to love him with all our heart; the other founded upon our relation to our fellow-creatures, teaching us our duty to them, that is, how to show that we love our neighbor as ourselves. The first four commandments of the decalogue constitute the first branch of the moral law; the last six, the second.
Eight of the ten precepts are negative, teaching us not to do certain acts, not to insult God or injure our neighbor; while two of them are affirmative, requiring us actually to show honor to God and to such of our fellow-men as, from our mutual relation to each other, demand our reverence and obedience. One of these belongs to the first branch of the law, namely, the Sabbath commandment; the other is included in the second branch, the one requiring us to honor our parents.
It may be objected that the fourth commandment is negative, forbidding labor on the Sabbath day; but it positively requires us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and then forbids such acts as would profane it.
The Sabbath, being a memorial of the Creator's finished work, and instituted on purpose that his creatures might, by special act, honor him, is better adapted to test man's loyalty, than any other precept of the decalogue. Hence he calls it a sign between him and his Israel, for a perpetual covenant. Ex. 31: 13, 17; Eze. 20: 12, 20. And when he proposed to prove his people in the wilderness, whether they would walk in his law, or not, he chose this very precept as the best calculated for a test of their loyalty. Ex. 16: 4, and onward. The keeping of the Sabbath is an acknowledgment of the only living and true God, and this by a positive act of worship, or obedience; hence it is a better test of loyalty than any one of the precepts which precede it.
The last message of probationary time will test the people upon the commandments of God. Rev. 14: 9-12. But as all professed believers in the religion of the Bible, or at least all Protestants, are agreed in their teachings concerning all the commandments, except the fourth, the test of necessity must come upon the fourth commandment, the Sabbath law. All the poor evasions that have been invented to excuse the almost universal neglect of the only weekly Sabbath of the Bible, only increase the danger of the people in the test that is coming; but he has clearly revealed his purpose of proving this generation, enlightened by all the light of his word and providence, whether they will walk in his law, or not. And so it is not only highly proper, as we have seen, but strictly necessary, that the final test of loyalty to God the Father should be upon this very precept, upon which he tested his people in the wilderness.
It is a remarkable fact, that the only precept of the moral law, instituted as a special sign of our loyalty to the great Creator, and by which alone, by a special act of outward obedience toward him, we can exhibit our reverence to him as such in the sight of our fellow-men, should be esteemed a non-essential, a thing of no importance, an institution that all are at liberty to bend or abolish to suit their own convenience. But so it is. And this is the reason why the fearful warning of the “third angel” is sent before to apprise all of their danger in the last, grand test of loyalty which is before us.
Oh! that men would open their eyes and see that their Creator has a right to be honored by exact obedience to that precept which he instituted as his memorial, and as a test of our loyalty to him.
R. F. COTTRELL.

Drunkenness Increasing.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

How is it possible for ministers to preach that the world is becoming better, with such terrible facts to the contrary before them? Some are honest enough to speak out. Hear the Rev. T. L. Cuyler:—
What will you drink? This is the established formula now in divers places—from the gentleman’s dining-table down to the bar of a country tavern on town-meeting day. Tippling is on the increase. The use of alcoholic medicines is on the increase. The wine-bottle is slyly stealing back again into certain circles from which it was once banished, and “Bourbon” is becoming as common in sick-rooms as paregoric used to be in our nurseries. Half of the customers of the restaurants, at least, call for liquors every day at their dinner. As a natural result, diseases of the kidneys are increasing in frequency, brandy-flavored breaths are detected in cars and in nearly every crowd, and drunkenness is growing frightfully! The number of those who are rescued from the terrible habit and restored to sobriety cannot be more than one out of every twenty.
Let the reader compare this with Isa. 56 : 9–12.
D. M. CANRIGHT.

Every Day Is a Little Life

EVERY day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated.

A Day all around the World.

By J. H. Waggoner

I CANNOT withhold the expression of my gratification with the argument just presented by Bro. Andrews on the definite day on a round world. This question gave some trouble recently in California, where the fact is well known that a change in the reckoning is made at some point, to avoid confusion. But a solution of the apparent difficulty in preserving the definite count of days they did not have. Our opponents, who have tried to make great capital out of a simple fact, have plainly shown that they did not understand its bearings; they did not perceive that if their objection was valid, to carry it out fully would disarrange all dates, and throw every computation of time into confusion. And still they persist, against all their own caviling, to urge the claims of the definite first day of the week! Why? Evidently, because they have more confidence in facts than in their own theory, even though they do not understand the facts.
I am happy to learn that in California, where the objection has been pressed upon the Sabbath-keepers, this argument of Bro. Andrews' is appreciated. But it cannot be expected that all will at once understand a profound argument where comparatively few have realized that any difficulty existed to be met, or that the objection was based upon a fact which must be, and now is, explained.
But some say they do not understand this argument. One reason of this is, doubtless, because they read without sufficient thought or study. I will give an instance. Read the following sentence:
“The first sunset in creation week was at that point farthest east at which the sun could be first seen.”
An intelligent reader was asked, toward what point the beholder was supposed to be looking, in this sentence, and replied, “Toward that point farthest east at which the sun could be seen.” But what is the subject? The first sunset. Was it ever known that a person looked toward the east to behold sunset? No. It needs no explanation to show that the observer is supposed to have been standing at the most eastern point at which the setting sun could be seen. But the connection or relation of things must be kept in mind or the whole argument will be lost.
And now, to show that the fault is with the reader, and not with the argument, I will quote a familiar text of Scripture:
“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
I venture the assertion that a majority of those who read this, unless their attention has been called to the point, believe that the wise men, looking toward the east, saw the star. But the contrary is true, for they followed the star westward. Of course they, being in the east, saw the star to the west of themselves. Where the question is one of relative position, as is the case of this argument on the commencement of the day, a mistake of the nature of that noticed above, so confuses the mind of the reader that the force of the argument is entirely lost to him. Read it with care; yes, study it point by point, and you will be thankful for the clear light, and be confirmed in your faith that we have the truth of God on the Sabbath question, which will prevail against every objection. J. H. WAGGONER.

Vermont.

By A. C. Bourdeau; D. T. Bourdeau

WHEN we wrote our last report, Dec. 5, 1870, we were holding meetings in a school-house in the eastern part of Bakersfield, Vt. On account of the stormy weather and bad roads which we had at that time, we could not expect to do much. A family who had recently embraced the Sabbath by reading our publications, had an opportunity to hear a short course of lectures. Five who are heads of families are now keeping the Sabbath. Others have become acquainted with our views, and are having an opportunity to read our works. An arrangement has been made, so that brethren in Enosburgh meet with the few there Sabbath afternoons, once in two weeks regularly.
After the close of these meetings, we held several meetings interchangeably, at Montgomery, Enosburgh, and Jericho. Had encouraging seasons in each place. Bro. A. S. Hutchins has also made two profitable and timely visits with the friends in Jericho.
Our open weather in Vermont this season has made it very difficult thus far to travel by private conveyance, and to hold meetings; especially west of the Green Mountains, where we have little or no sleighing this winter. The first week in January, 1871, we attempted twice to go out with our team to hold meetings; but, failing each time on account of bad going. On Wednesday, Jan. 11, we took cars at St. Albans, reached New Haven station the same day, and spent the next night at Mr. H. Everts', in Waltham, Vt., where we had an interesting visit with him and his family. The next day, Mr. E. took us and our baggage gratuitously to Bristol.
We spent ten days in New Haven and Bristol, during which time we visited several families, held twelve meetings, baptized six new converts, arranged Systematic Benevolence, amounting to $119.08, increasing the figures about $40.00. Organized a church of fifteen members, and appointed an elder, a clerk, and an S. B. treasurer. Evening after the Sabbath, Jan. 21, we enjoyed a happy season in attending to the ordinances of the Lord's house. The young Sabbath-keepers who have just started in the good way, were greatly strengthened and encouraged.
A. C. BOURDEAU, D. T. BOURDEAU.
P. S. On Friday, Jan. 27, my brother took his family to Bristol, purposing to remain there several weeks to keep up the interest, and to give one or two courses of lectures in that vicinity. I design to join him in this work soon. A. C. B.

Giving Made Easy.

By JOHN

THIS is an age of improvements. Hard work of all kind is being made easy. But what is harder than for a close man, a covetous man, a stingy man, to be benevolent, and give liberally? What a great benefactor of mankind he would be, who could invent a mode by which these men could give easily! Well, be of good courage, friends; I have found a plan, which, if acted upon, will do the very thing! It is worthy of being patented; but it has made me feel so good, and so benevolent, that I shall freely give it to the world.
This subject had long perplexed my mind! I deeply felt the need of some plan by which I and my brethren could give more easily and liberally. I examined this plan, that one, and the other; but there was some defect in them all. Different benevolent objects came up, for which I greatly desired to do something. My will was good, my heart was in it; but I had not the money to give. I could not do it. I owed debts, and they must be paid. I had wants which must be supplied. When I received a dollar, I had five ways for it. It slipped from my fingers before I knew it. I was not stingy, nor covetous. Certainly not. I despised a stingy soul. I loved to see my brethren give. It did me good. I also would have delighted to give; but then I could not. However, occasionally, I felt a little troubled about the matter, till I hit upon the following plan; and oh! how easy my conscience has been ever since! It has worked like a charm! I have given much more than I expected to, and oh! so easily!
This plan is as follows: I vowed to the Lord that I would carefully and conscientiously give to him one dollar in every ten of all that I received as an income from any source. This dollar I would lay aside just as fast as I received each ten dollars, no matter how hard pressed I was, or how many ways I had for it. Before I was hardly aware of it, I had five dollars laid aside for the Lord, then another five dollars. I did not seem to miss this at all. In this manner I have given much more than ever before, and much more easily. It works so well that I feel anxious that all my brethren should be benefited by it. Try it one year, and report your progress. JOHN.
P. S. I have just taken up an old book lying before me, one said to have been written a great many hundred years ago. Judge of my feelings, to find this same plan of giving there fully described and carefully carried out by holy men, for many generations! But then it has been so long neglected and forgotten that it may be called one of the lost arts. An old man called Abram seems to have known this easy way of giving. Gen. 14 : 17–20. Jacob, his grandson, also practiced it. Gen. 28 : 22. Moses enjoined it upon his people. Lev. 27 : 30. I also found suggested in the same book, the plan of laying apart a portion of all our income as fast as we receive it. 1 Cor. 16 : 2. Even once every week we are to do this, be it much or little that we receive. From the testimony of these ancient men, together with my experience and observation, I am satisfied that this is not only the proper and best, but the only easy, plan by which to give. J.

THE PREACHER.

He took a shaft both strong and straight, A shaft he had polished with labor great.
He winged it with sweet eloquence, With learning and with subtle sense.
Boldly he drew, and he aimed with care; But it wounded only the idle air.
A second he took, both straight and strong, Winged with a passionate sense of wrong.
He drew it stoutly and aimed it true; The mark he aimed at was plain in view.
Swift it fled, yet it lighted wide; For it touched on a rock, and it swerved aside.
He reached his hand, and took from above, A slender arrow, barbed with love.
He aimed it with a little art, Yet it touched and wounded a human heart.
His last, his lightest, was winged with prayer, And he shot it forth through the yielding air.
No careful aim the preacher took, For he turned to Heaven his upward look;
Yet it pierced a heart both hard and proud, The hardest heart in all the crowd.
—Sunday at Home.

Bad Axe, Wis.

By David Downer

Since my report in January, I have finished my labors at Trempealeau. There was much opposition; but some good was done, and the brethren were encouraged. I closed my labor there Saturday evening. Sunday, was called to preach a funeral sermon eighteen miles from there, at Amsterdam. This was a new field. I have reason to believe the remarks on that occasion were received by the people. They are anxious to hear more of the new doctrine.
I started for this place on Feb. 13. There is work enough in Vernon Co. for four faithful men. I review a sermon to-night preached against the commandments last first-day. A minister is to review me next first-day. It may terminate in a discussion. May the Lord qualify his servants to give the trumpet the certain sound that people may prepare for coming events, and enter in through the gates into the city. DAVID DOWNER.

The Comfort of Doing One’s Duty

No man's spirits were ever hurt by doing his duty; on the contrary, one good action, one temptation resisted and overcome, one sacrifice of desire or interest, purely for conscience' sake, will prove a cordial for weak and low spirits, far beyond what either indulgence, or diversions, or company, can ever do for them.
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