Earlier text: The Coming Reign of TerrorEld. W. M. Jones, of London, in his paper, The Sabbath Memorial, has an article entitled, “Progress of the Work,” from which we quote the following paragraphs:— “In Scotland and in Ireland there have been found, quite recently, persons who embraced the Sabbath ten and twenty years since, without the knowledge of the existence of any of like faith, and others whose experience is of a later date. Besides the churches of Natton and Mill Yard, there is now a Sabbath meeting established in Glasgow, the result of the Sabbath Conference held there on the 8th of October last. There are others in various parts of the country who are seeking the truth on this great question. “The Seventh-day Baptists have added many to their churches during the past year. There is increased activity in the Sabbath-school department, and earnest work continues to be done in the academies and colleges. The Pennsylvania Sunday laws being of an oppressive character, renewed efforts are to be made for such alteration of them as will relieve conscientious Sabbath-keepers from fines (from which they are exempt in many of the States), for pursuing secular business on the first day of the week. Besides its large weekly (the Sabbath Recorder), the Tract Society publishes more than thirty tracts and books on the Sabbath question, and has on its list nearly a dozen new ones. The Woman’s Tract Society promises to be an important aid. What is needed is the personal work of TO-DAY, in giving, sacrificing, and doing in behalf of the Lord’s despised Sabbath. “The Seventh-day Adventists appear in the field in strong force. The number of publications in English, Swedish, Danish, French, and German, which they send forth is something wonderful; and then their threescore preachers seem to have one very necessary qualification for this our common pioneer work, and that is grit: they take hold of a place and hold on till something is done for the Lord and his Sabbath. Preaching every day, arguing against all sorts of whims and dodges, enduring hardness, and filling their cotton tents with eager, solemn listeners,—such is the order of business. Success, though hard earned, does attend them. “The Sabbath Convention recently held at Locle, Switzerland, was a decided success. Eld. Andrews had so far mastered the French language as to be able to give three addresses at the meetings. ‘The urgent necessity for publications was considered, and it was voted to raise 2000 francs to commence the work,’ and 1800 francs were paid down. A printer who has quite a large business at Basle, is interested in the Sabbath, and will, probably, be an important aid to the brethren. The Lord favors them, and happily they possess the courage to do all in their power. A small monthly, or rather, a weekly, paper is just what these brethren need to help forward the cause of the Bible Sabbath. Their self-sacrifice and energy will doubtless prove to be equal to the demands of the hour. The Lord grant ‘that with all boldness they may speak his word.’” Woful Ignorance.
By Wm. C. Gage
It is not so much a matter of surprise that the people betray ignorance of the doctrines of the Scriptures when they have so little knowledge of Bible facts. If we tell a congregation of people who are hearing for the first time on the doctrine of immortality alone through Christ that the phrase “immortal soul” is not to be found in all the Bible, the chances are that some one will openly dispute the statement, while all will receive it with great surprise. The prevailing ignorance on this and kindred subjects is not so much to be wondered at when we consider that their spiritual guides are in many cases no better off. I once knew a minister, the pastor of a flourishing city church, who boldly declared that the New Testament asserts that we must “keep God’s holy Sunday!” And that man, so ignorant of the plainest facts in the Bible, was a teacher in Israel. A recent illustration of the clerical ignorance concerning Scripture facts has just come to my notice, the occasion being the funeral of an influential citizen of this town. The minister cited the case of Moses and Elias, and their appearance at the transfiguration, as an evidence that the man whose funeral they were attending was still conscious. Said he, in substance, Here we have the case of two men who died and were buried by their friends, with the funeral ceremonies incident to such occasions, just as we to-day are about to bury our brother who lies before us; and yet these two men, who were thus buried, came and talked, and were seen by the disciples, &c. Now, every Sabbath-school scholar ought to know that Elias (the New Testament name for Elijah) went to Heaven without tasting death, and hence he was not buried, with “funeral ceremonies incident to such occasions,” while even the most casual reader of the Scriptures might be supposed to know that Moses had no such ceremonies, for the Bible distinctly declares that God buried him, and even the place of his sepulcher was unknown. In view of these facts, what shall be said of a professed minister of the gospel who can make such declarations in a public congregation? Verily, the “people perish for lack of knowledge.” The Sabbath at the Fall of the Manna.
EXTRACTS FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARY.
Ex. 16:22. It is evident that the miracle on this occasion consisted in the larger quantity of manna that fell on the sixth day; which caused it to be so much thicker on the ground than at other times that the people gathered twice the quantity, with little additional labor (29); and not in a subsequent increase of the quantity which each person had gathered. As the rulers came to inform Moses that the people had gathered twice the usual quantity, it may be supposed they were appointed to superintend the distribution, and wanted his directions in the present case: and this gave him the opportunity of more fully stating to them, and by them to the people, the obligation of keeping the Sabbath as a holy rest unto the Lord. It is generally thought they were forbidden to bake or seethe it on the Sabbath-day; though the language used does not necessarily imply this. It is remarkable that three miracles were wrought, every week, in honor of the Sabbath, even before the promulgation of the Mosaic law. Double the quantity fell the day before; none fell on the Sabbath-day; nor did that corrupt which they kept for that day. This confirms the opinion that the institution of the Sabbath was from the beginning. Indeed the whole narrative implies that reference was made to an institution before known, but not properly remembered or regarded; and not to any new law given on the occasion, neither the inquiry of the elders, nor the language of Moses, can be consistently interpreted of an entirely new institution.—Scott. Ex. 16:22. We have here, 1. A plain intimation of the observing of a seventh-day Sabbath, not only before the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, but before the bringing of Israel out of Egypt, and therefore from the beginning. Gen. 2:3. If the Sabbath had now been first instituted, how could Moses have understood what God said to him (verse 5) concerning a double portion to be gathered on the sixth day, without making any express mention of the Sabbath? and how could the people so readily take the hint (verse 22), even to the surprise of the rulers, before Moses had declared that it was done with a regard to the Sabbath, if they had not had some knowledge of the Sabbath before? The setting apart of one day in the seven for holy work, and, in order to that, for holy rest, was a divine appointment ever since God created man on the earth, and the most ancient of positive laws. The way of Sabbath sanctification is the good old way. 2. The double provision God made for the Israelites, and which they were to make for themselves, on the sixth day (verse 29) appointing them to rest on the seventh day. He took care that they should be no losers by it, and none ever will be losers by serving God. On that day they were to fetch in enough for two days, and to prepare it. (Verse 23.) The law was very strict that they must bake and seethe the day before, and not on the Sabbath-day. 3. The intermission of the manna on the seventh days (Verse 25, 26). This showed it was not produced by natural causes, and was designed to confirm the divine authority of the law to be given by Moses. Thus God took an effectual course to make them remember the Sabbath-day, they could not forget it, nor the day of preparation for it. “Every Eye Shall See Him.”
By N. S.
“Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11. What a blessed promise, and how encouraging to those faithful followers of Jesus, when, after they fully realized that Jesus had left them and gone to his Father, they were assured that they should in like manner behold him descend to earth again. But they lived and have long since died, and the coming of the Lord is still in the future, and how is that promise to be verified unto them? Only by a resurrection from the land of the enemy, the grave. First, is there any proof that the Saviour is coming back to this earth again? We read in 1 Thess. 4:11, as follows: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” Again, we find that the one spoken of here as the Lord means Christ by comparing this text with Matt. 24:30, “And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Further, that at the coming here spoken of, there will be a resurrection. 1 Cor. 15:23, 52. “But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits: afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. For the trump shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.” We might quote other Scripture to the point, but this is sufficient. Thus are we assured that those sorrowing grief-stricken disciples will be raised from their dusty beds to see their Master appear in the clouds of heaven when he comes to make up his “jewels.” Who are his “jewels”? By reading Mal. 3:16, 17, we find that they are those who fear the Lord, and think upon his name. Those who fear God are those who strive to obey him—those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14. Is it possible that we, who are living down near the close of probation—in the time when Satan like a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour—may be numbered among the “jewels”? that we can so live amidst the corruption around us, that we may gaze upon the brightness of Jesus? Yes. By a humble obedience to the will of God—keeping “all the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. 14:12. The student of prophecy knows that “the end of all things is at hand.” The signs heralding the appearing of the Son of man have been fulfilled, and we are in the waiting, watching time spoken of by Paul in Heb. 10:35–39. Oh! let us seek for patience and faith, that we draw not back to perdition, always striving to watch unto prayer. Be sober-minded, always exerting an influence over those with whom we may associate that will gather with Christ and not scatter abroad, that in the day of his appearing we may say: “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us.” Isa. 25:9. N. S. The Truth Is Spreading.
By C. P. Whitford
THE following is an extract from a letter just received from a gentleman in South Carolina:— “DEAR BROTHER IN CHRIST: I failed to get the papers you sent, until a few days ago, and that has prevented me from answering your letter before, as I should have done. A friend of mine had taken them out of the office, and read them before he sent them to me; and I thought I would read them myself before answering you. “My friend, I must say I feel both happy and thankful for the kind interest you have taken in my welfare, by sending me those papers. They have opened to me new light on the Bible, and explained to me things that before were mysteries. I have examined the third angel’s message, which you marked, and I am satisfied with the arguments, and know that this message certainly must be delivered before the prophecies are fulfilled. “I would like very much to read your views and understand them thoroughly, as I have never heard of your sect before. Remember me in your prayers; for I am one of the scattered sheep from the flock, but hope to be gathered to the fold when Christ comes.” We first became interested in this gentleman by reading a letter from his pen published in an Eastern paper. We felt impressed to write him a letter and send him a few tracts and papers. With what profit, the above letter will show. We have ordered The Voice of Truth, to his address one year, and shall send him a package of books and tracts. We have also received two letters from a minister in Oregon, whose name we obtained in the same way. He expresses feelings of gratitude for the light he is receiving. He has already sent three dollars to the REVIEW Office for publications. Dear brethren, the truth is rapidly spreading. Our time to labor is short. The day of God is hastening. Upon us rests the responsibility of setting forth the truths of God’s word in their purity, and of giving to our fellow-men the message of warning which he has committed to us. We must set ourselves to this work as those who labor to save the perishing, and who think not of their own ease, or convenience, or comfort. Missionary workers! God calls us to labor and not to faint. Who will respond to his call? Very Consistent.
By S. B. Whitney
TO-DAY I heard a minister in a social meeting, while speaking of unconsciousness in death, and referring to the cases of some young persons who had died, make the remark that if he believed they are not, or that their souls are in a dormant state, it would be a perfect hell of misery to him. Now we blame no one for mourning the loss of dear ones; for Rachel refused to be comforted because her children were not, and the Lord does not reprove her; but all the comfort he has for her is the assurance that “they shall come again from the land of the enemy, to their own border.” Jer. 31:15–17. It is to be supposed the Lord gives the best consolation that could be given; hence it follows that the person above referred to either has found a source of consolation better than the word of the Lord, or his comfort is of a deceptive character, based upon a notion contrary to that word. I leave the reader to decide this point while I query respecting those, equally dear to some one, who have died without the hope of salvation. Is it less dreadful to think of them wailing in the torments of hell than quietly sleeping in their graves awaiting the resurrection, to receive the just sentence of a righteous Judge? How far is a “hell of misery” on earth alleviated by the consciousness that others are enduring a worse hell somewhere else? How blind are the votaries of error, but how clear and beautiful is truth to those who will open their minds and hearts to receive it. Benson, N. Y. Jan. 24, 1875. Smatterings: On the Value of Partial Knowledge
The following paragraph on smatterings which we find afloat in the papers, we can commend, with a caution or two, to the favorable consideration of all. The caution is, Do not be content with smatterings only. Better to have a little knowledge of any subject than none; but do not be content with that little, if you can consistently acquire more. And again, Do not set up as a professor on any subject of which you have only a smattering. “SMATTERINGS.—Learn everything you can. It will come in play. Don’t be frightened away from any pursuit because you have only a little time to devote to it. If you can’t have anything more, a smattering is infinitely better than nothing. Even a slight knowledge of the arts and sciences opens up a whole world of thought before us. We appreciate a fine painting better because we have taken a few strokes of the pencil, and know something of the difficulties of the task. Ignorance is restricted to a very few pleasures; it is only intelligence which delights in all things. “A limited knowledge of the natural sciences will give one a life-long source of happiness. We stand at the portal of these pure joys afraid to enter as we look at the long, long vistas beyond; but the moment we have crossed the threshold we begin to experience pleasure. We have not to wait until we reach the end; there is a compensation given us at once for every effort we put forth. A little systematic endeavor—one hour, or even half an hour a day—and a man may be considered learned before he dies. “Learn thoroughly what you do learn, be it ever so little, and you may speak of it with confidence. A few clearly-defined facts and ideas are worth a whole library of uncertain knowledge. As we change about among a continually shifting people, we are frequently placed in positions where we may learn with scarcely an effort on our part, and yet we hang back because it takes so long to acquire a mastery of anything. Let the end alone! Begin! learn! do what you can to-day, to-morrow; and though after all it prove to be but a mere smattering, you have gathered some intelligence on one point more than you had before, and you have found happiness in seeking it.” “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Here is the true secret of educating the human mind in all that is good; it is by constant effort, and continued labor. Evil in the heart, like weeds in the garden, needs no special aid; but all that is good, and useful, and holy, needs the skillful, industrious, persevering effort of the careful trainer. The carnal heart is very retentive of evil and corruption; but memory does not perform her office so well when good is the lesson to be retained. It is truly wonderful how soon good and holy impressions and lessons are eradicated from the mind. To-day the human heart stands in the light of Heaven, and in the attitude of confidence and praise; but to-morrow, perhaps, the tables will be turned, and God be forgotten, like Saul, to-day a prophet among the prophets, and to-morrow a worldling in the race of self-gratification and worldly honor and gain. The appetite and the carnal heart may seem to-day to be in complete subjection, and calm and holy feelings may rule the hour; but before to-morrow passes, there may be fierce struggles for the mastery, a victory or a defeat. But the Master saw it would be so, and he has instituted a system of education for men which meets all his wants. The fickle, changeable mind is firmly and surely drawn along by the hand of God, in a straight and narrow path, and is made firm and stable. For line is given upon line, and precept upon precept. Sabbath after Sabbath offers its high and holy pleasures. Good books and periodicals are laid before us, fresh like the banquet of a king; and seasons of daily devotion, social and private, with meditation and prayer, and self-examination; all these are the varied means our Heavenly Father uses to draw our souls heavenward, and cause our thoughts to travel in high and holy paths among the bright and shining landscapes where angels dwell. The Bible, the testimonies of the inspired writers, above all else, when sweetly attended by the Spirit of God, are the most powerful, and are the basis of all that is good in training the deluded mind of man in the channel of truth and purity, and freeing it from the webs of error, and the dust and smoke of tradition, and the filth of carnality. Line upon line; great is the patience of the great Teacher. Well laid and skillful are his plans to deliver man from the arch foe. Let the weakest be of good courage. R. M. KILGORE
By R. M. Kilgore
I RETURNED to Iowa Jan. 5, after an absence of seven months. Remained with the friends at home one Sabbath. On the 15th began meetings with the church at Victor. They have just finished a very neat and commodious house of worship 26x38, with 16-feet posts, and seated with patent reversible seats. This enterprise was undertaken last May when the church was organized, and within themselves, without any experience, by faithful, persevering, united effort, this building stands free from encumbrance, a monument of the power of the truth upon the hearts of those who received it in the love of it. About fifteen months ago, these brethren were virtually strangers to each other, and some of them strangers to God, and without hope in the world; filled with prejudice against the truth and the name of “Adventist,” reveling in their pork, tea, coffee, and tobacco; and some of them enjoying the pleasures of the dance, the wine cup, and the billiard table. Since receiving the truth, these friends have shown a zeal according to knowledge, which is truly commendable. Though they have had but one visit by a minister since the church was organized, they have kept up regular prayer and Sabbath meetings weekly. Their former beverages are dispensed with, and the unwholesome diet no longer burdens their tables, and their interest in the truth and reforms is as great as ever. The meetings continued every evening and over two Sabbaths and Sundays, during which time we tried to raise the standard upon more practical duties. We felt that God was indeed near to us, and gave us a refreshing from his presence. Sunday, Jan. 24, the dedication services took place, when we all felt to give ourselves, as well as the house, anew to the service of God who had wrought so wonderfully for us. During these meetings six were received into the church. Brn. F. A. Barlow and J. W. Allen were set apart, by laying on of hands, to fill the sacred offices of elder and deacon. The meeting closed with the celebration of the ordinances of the Lord’s house in which all took an active part, with a ready mind, though many had never engaged in them before. This was a precious season to us, for the sweet Spirit of God was manifestly with us. As usual, I was alone to labor in this meeting, and felt disappointed that others, of more experience, could not have been with us. But God was with us, and to his name be all the praise. I am now on my way to meet with the friends at Adel. The Promises of Jesus.
By M. Wood
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.” Rev. 3: 5. What thrilling realities hang upon these promises of our divine Lord! How encouraging and soul-inspiring to the weary, waiting pilgrim who is looking forward with longing desire for the consummation of that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Who of all the vast multitude of rational beings will come off victorious, and stand before the throne of God clad in white raiment with palms in their hands? Who will be recipients of these blessed words, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord”? Christ is a master who will prefer his servants who acquit themselves well. He has honor in store for those that love and honor him—a crown, a throne, and a kingdom. Here Christ’s dear children are but beggars. In Heaven, they will be rulers. The upright will have dominion. Christ’s servants are all princes. The faithful servant of Christ will not be put off with bare commendation; all their work and labor of love will be rewarded in the kingdom of God. And observe the disproportion between the work and reward. There are but few things in which the saints are serviceable to the glory of God; but there are many things wherein they shall be glorified with God. What work we do for God in this world is but little, very little compared with the joy set before us. Put together all our services, all our suffering, all the good we have done, and it is not worthy to be mentioned on the day when the glory is to be revealed. Oh! for grace to be humble, in all things showing ourselves a pattern of good works. May the Lord help us to break off from every sinful indulgence, remembering that Jesus has said, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Temporal Power of the Papacy.
At the late annual meeting of the Scottish Reformation Society, a great speech was made by Dr. Duff, from which the following is an extract. “Of late much has been said and written about the temporal power of the pope. Now, what is meant by this temporal power? Many, I find, are apt, hastily and inconsiderately, to conclude that it denotes merely his civil power as sovereign over the States of the church, which is now lost by the absorption of these States into the kingdom of Italy. If this were all, it were comparatively a small and harmless matter. But this is so far from being all that it is scarcely the thing at all. A brief statement of facts may best serve to indicate what it really meant. As far back as the sixth and seventh centuries, Romish prelates throughout Europe began in many ways to mix temporal with spiritual jurisdiction; and this incongruous mixture of things temporal and spiritual or things ecclesiastical and secular, proved, as might be expected, highly detrimental to religion. In the eighth century they carried their insolent encroachments on the civil power still further. In the coronation of monarchs they came to occupy the chief place, and by that ceremony they pretended to bestow on the king his kingdom, and that, too, by an authority which they professed to have derived from God. “They also began to assume the right of sitting in judgment on civil rulers in their own ecclesiastical councils, and if they proved refractory, of deposing them. In the case of certain royal but timid superstitious weaklings this was literally done; and the kings, with bowed down and craven spirits, actually submitted to the gross indignity and humiliation. In other cases, however, where they had manlier natures to deal with, there was a stout and stubborn resistance to such ignominious treatment. At length the pope, looking out from his lofty eyrie in the seven-hilled city, with envious and jealous eyes on the usurping proclivities of his underling prelates, not unnaturally concluded that he himself had fully as much right as any or all of them put together to regulate the affairs of sovereign princes, not by way of proffered friendly mediation and counsel, but of autocratic plenipotentiary authority—even to the extent of summarily disposing of their crown and sceptres, or of giving and taking away their temporal dominions. In the eleventh century this increasingly ambitious disposition on the part of the popes attained its climax when the celebrated Hildebrand was made pope, under the title of Gregory VII. Of him it has been truly said that he was the first who completely “subverted all the ancient privileges of kings and princes, of councils and bishops, of clergy and laity, and established the dominion of the pope as king of kings and lord of lords.” He did not hesitate fearlessly to proclaim his paramount right as head of the church and successor of Peter, for whom he impiously claimed all in Heaven and on earth; to create kings, by investing them with royal title and dignity; to pronounce judicial sentence upon princes as vassals of the Church of Rome, who, as such, were bound to take the oath of fealty, and humbly render to her due homage and tribute; as well as his paramount right, in the last resort, to dethrone all sovereigns who might persist in contumacy and rebellion against her divine and infallible authority. This latter right he based chiefly on his plenary power of excommunication. Now, let it be borne in mind that an excommunicated person was placed under a ban, and became simply an outlaw from all society—to be studiously shunned as a moral plague or pestilence—his wishes or commands to be utterly disregarded—all intercourse with him to be rigorously interdicted, and himself to be contumeliously treated and scornfully abandoned by the whole world. “In this way he literally dealt with no less a personage than the emperor of Germany, whom he excommunicated and thereby deposed—declaring his throne vacant, absolving his subjects from their oath of allegiance and imperiously commanding them to choose another in his stead; thus distracting and filling his dominion with sedition and tumult, strife, contention, and bloody wars. And in the following centuries other popes, imitating his example, and arrogating the same temporal supremacy over the governments and kingdoms of the earth, enacted a precisely similar part toward other monarchs and States, with precisely similar disastrous results. Of this daring and blasphemous claim of the popes to be absolute lords and proprietors of the whole world we find, toward the close of the fifteenth century some notable and striking illustrations. When Columbus, for example, returned to Spain after his famous discovery of western realms of fabled wealth, the Spanish sovereigns, though greatly elated by the glowing prospects thus opened up by them, and burning with intense desire to take immediate possession of the dazzling prize, durst not venture to do so till they had first humbly asked and obtained leave from their supreme lord and proprietor the pope. On being formally applied to for this end, His Holiness, with unbounded generosity, was generously pleased to grant his royal petitioners a free gift of all countries already discovered lying west of a certain named meridian—including, of course, the whole of the West India Islands, with North and South America! In like manner not long afterward, when the pope was similarly applied to by the king of Portugal, a free gift was made to him of all the countries already discovered, or to be discovered, east of a certain named meridian—including, of course, all Africa, Asia, the Indian Archipelago, and Australia—while at the same time, he graciously conferred on the king the magnificent title of “Lord of the Navigation, Conquests, and Trade of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and India”—a title still retained by his royal successors. Here, surely, was a marvelous exercise of the usurped temporal power of the pope, on a scale of stupendous world-wide magnitude! Soon, however, was to be verified the sacred adage of pride going before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Amid the assertion and display of these high-handed prerogatives, the Reformation suddenly burst upon Europe with the upheaving force of an earthquake—in some countries shattering the colossal fabric of the papacy into pieces, dealing heavy blows and discouragements to it in others, and greatly lowering its prestige and authority in all. No47wonder that the proud tyrant of the Vatican should be exasperated beyond measure when he descried millions of once crouching and cowering devotees, now treating his baseless and impious pretensions with derisive scorn. No wonder that his bosom should be surcharged with a redundancy of bile and chagrin that could only find vent for itself in a succession of angry bulls and cursing anathemas which, though fulminated with all the old volcanic rage, fell on the newly-awakened and resuscitated manhood of the nations like the dash and froth and spray of the foaming billow as it furiously breaks on the solid rock that bounds the ocean’s shore, and soon sinks down into impotent exhaustion at its unshaken base. Now, it is the exorbitant temporal power and ascendancy thus partially lost in some lands at the time of the Reformation, and wholly so in others, which the popes have ever since been striving with might and main to recover and reassert in all. It is the arrogant and overbearing claim to this temporal power and ascendancy, under its new name of Ultramontanism, which the noble Emperor William and his grand Oliver Cromwell-like Chancellor Bismarck (applause) have of late been so strenuously resisted in their beloved Fatherland. And unless we soon learn to shut our ears to the plausible lies of Jesuitism and Jesuit-inspired Romish priests and prelates, and wholly repudiate the temporizing schemes of a spurious and hollow Liberalism, this is the arrogant and overbearing claim to temporal power and ascendancy which, through the cowardice, treachery, or ignorance of rulers in church and State, our children or grandchildren may have yet to resist, and that too, it may be, like our heroic forefathers, at the rekindled stakes and re-erected scaffold of martyrdom.” Another day is ended,
Another milestone passed;
How have I spent the hours,
That glided by so fast?
Have I with eager striving
Been faithful in each thing?
Or served I only pleasure—
Myself, and not my King? In the sweet fear of Jesus
Did I begin the day?
With longing and thanksgiving,
Did I kneel down to pray
That, as a ransomed sinner,
Each hour, each thought might be
To His glad service given
By whom my soul is free? Have I in the life calling
Where he hath placed my lot,
Been diligent and zealous,
His praise forgetting not?
Ready to serve my neighbor
With open heart and hand,
All for the sake of Jesus,
Obeying his command? And as the day went softly,
How have I ruled my breast?
Have I found time in business
To glance up toward my rest?
Have I gone my way rejoicing
In God's most precious love,
And rested all my efforts
On Him who rules above? And how have been the hours
That I with friends have spent?
Was my heart for friendship ready?
Spoke I only what I meant?
Was my fervor always gentle?
My spirit single, true?
Said I nothing—did I nothing
Which I fain would now undo? And then among my household,
How have I moved this day?
Has my sweet example bound them
To watch, and live, and pray?
Had I grief for every sorrow,
And help for every care?
When a prize was drawn by others,
Did my heart the gladness share? Was the very thought of straying
A bitter pain to me?
Have I fought each wrong desire,
And wrestled to be free?
And if my Heavenly Father
Should close the book this night,
Am I willing, am I ready,
To appear before his sight? Northern New York.
By S. B. Whitney
AFTER so long a silence I have concluded to let the friends of the cause hear from me again in the way of reporting. About the first of December, with the advice of the Conference Committee, I started on a brief tour in Essex Co., in compliance with an urgent call for help from that quarter. Visited Keene, Jay, North Elba, Bloomingdale, and Vermontville. Found the brethren in need of help, but in a condition to be helped, and left them much encouraged. One encouraging feature, which I noticed in particular, is the growing interest, in nearly every community, in present truth. Outside friends greeted me with great cordiality, and my public appointments, on short notice, were well attended even where there had been the most bitter opposition. An interesting young lady decided to keep the Sabbath, and serve the Lord in Vermontville. In Jay, I met a striking illustration of “Bread Pond.” A man and his wife, whose attention was called to the present truth by two of our preachers who visited Ansable Forks about twenty years ago, have embraced it during the last season, as the result of tract and missionary work watering the seed sown so long ago. The 21st, Bro. Locke brought me to this place to fill a call made by the introduction of our periodicals, etc. Commenced meetings the 22d. As the district is sparsely settled, and the weather has been very forbidding, so much so that several meetings have been broken up by severe storms and high wind, the attendance has been small, but better than I could have hoped. I have enjoyed freedom in speaking the word, and believers are rejoicing in the truth. Eight or ten have commenced to keep the Sabbath. Backsliders have been reclaimed, and others have been quickened in their faith and zeal. But this, as usual, has stirred up the ire of the dragon, and some faint efforts at opposition have been made. The cry of false prophet is raised, and last Sunday the minister sang, “Thy little flock in safety keep,
For oh! the wolf is nigh.” We have had two good Sabbath meetings, and I expect to be with them till after next Sabbath. S. B. WHITNEY. Benson, N. Y., Jan. 27, 1875. Holden, Johnson Co., Mo., Jan. 29, 1875
By J. H. Cook
SINCE our last report, have visited the church at Lee’s Summit, Jackson Co., Mo. Held meetings over Sabbath and first day, Jan. 9 and 10. Then went to Pleasant Ridge church, in Lafayette Co., where I remained from the 11th to the 27th. Here I met with decided opposition. But the Lord helped; and as the result, three more covenanted to keep all of God’s commandments. The little company appeared much encouraged. Holden, Johnson Co., Mo., Jan. 29, 1875
The Secret of Prayer.
By A. P. Lawton
No one can have any just claim to being a Christian who does not practice secret prayer. Many may, and probably do, practice what is termed secret prayer, who are not Christians; not because they love it, or feel their need, but to ease their conscience. The secret of prayer is to feel our need, our lost condition without help; to break our hearts before Him who has said by the psalmist, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” We are to claim the merits of Him alone through whom we may have access to the Father. “Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; and though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” He loves to have us believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. If we do not get an answer to our prayer at once, leave it on the altar. Perhaps there is something in the way—confessions to make, broken vows to be performed, or a brother to be reconciled. It may be neither of the above. God may be testing us. Sometimes we have ‘need of patience after we have done the will of God, that we may receive the promise.’ Do not be content, dear reader, in simply saying your prayers. Does God hear the ravens when they cry? and will he not hear us whom he has made in his own image? It is cheering to know that the great and terrible One, who holds our destiny in his hands, will condescend to hear us notwithstanding our errors, wanderings, and unbelief. This is not human, but like God. The poor sinner who has opened the door of his heart, and bidden Jesus an unreserved welcome, has become heir to an incorruptible crown; heir with Jesus, the Son of God. What honor that we may be called the sons of God. May we, dear reader, be of the happy number who love to pray, and who will finally enter into the city of God.