Earlier text: The Divine GovernmentChrist’s Second Advent in Prophecy
By John Nevins Andrews
WE have shown that the doctrine of the revelation of Christ in the clouds of heaven to judge the world was known to the antediluvians, to the patriarchs, and during the entire period from the patriarchs to the reign of David. We will now trace this doctrine from the time of David to the first advent of Christ. Thus Psalms 45:3–6 speaks of the second advent of Christ, as may be seen by comparing the passage with Rev. 19:11–16: “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter.” This prophecy relates to Christ (compare verses 6, 7 with Heb. 1:8, 9), and it relates not to his first advent but to his second. The second advent must be intended in Ps. 68:1, 2, 3: “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered; let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.” Compare these verses with 2 Thess. 1:6–10. In verses 20–22 this psalm speaks of the resurrection: “He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. . . . The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea.” Compare with this Rev. 20:13. The resurrection of the just at the coming of Christ was distinctly understood by the psalmist. “Thou, which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” Ps. 71:20. Compare this with Ps. 17:15. The second advent of Christ to judge the world is thus predicted: “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord; for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth; he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.” Ps. 96:11–13; 98:7–9.463 The second advent is also predicted in Ps. 97:3–5: “A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world; the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.” The second advent of Christ and the great day of Judgment is predicted in Ps. 76:8, 9, though the past tense is used for the future, as is frequent in the prophets: “Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from Heaven; the earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment to save all the meek of the earth.” Solomon believed in this great day of Judgment, for he said: “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:14. Isaiah predicted the second advent of Christ when he said: “And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isa. 2:19–21. Compare this with Rev. 6:12–17. Isaiah thus predicts the second advent of Christ, and the resurrection of the just: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth; for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isa. 25:8, 9. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isa. 26:19–21. And again he says: “For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh; and the slain of the Lord shall be many.” Isa. 66:15, 16. Jeremiah predicts the battle of the great day of God, which is connected with the second advent of Christ: “The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord. . . . And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” Jer. 25:30, 31, 33. Compare this with Rev. 19:11–21. The resurrection of the just is at the sound of the last trumpet (1 Cor. 15:51–54), when the Lord descends from Heaven. Matt. 24:29–31; 1 Thess. 4:15–17. This resurrection is thus described by Ezekiel: “Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves.” Eze. 37:12, 13. The events of the Judgment are thus described by the prophet Daniel: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the Judgment was set, and the books were opened. I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Dan. 7:9, 10, 13, 14. See also what Daniel says of the resurrection. Dan. 12:1, 2. Hosea speaks of the resurrection of the just, which takes place at the second advent: “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O, death, I will be thy plagues; O, grave, I will be thy destruction; repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.” Hosea 13:14. Joel predicts the events of the last day: “The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Joel 3:15, 16. The prophet Micah predicts the second advent in these words: “For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured out.” Micah 1:3, 4. And Nahum describes the last day thus: “He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers; Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth. The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world and all that dwell therein.” Nahum 1:4, 5. The prophet Zephaniah testifies: “The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. Zeph 1:14; 2:3. Zechariah describes the events of the great day of God, in which he says: “The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” Zech. 14:5. And Malachi says of that day: “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” Mal. 4:1, 2. We have no further testimony to consult till John the Baptist came to act as the herald of Christ. It is certain that John understood the prophecies concerning the coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven at the last day, for he announced the “wrath to come,” and almost in the words of Malachi declares that the chaff should be burned up with “unquenchable fire.” Matt. 3:7, 12. Thus we have traced the doctrine of the advent of the Lord in the clouds of heaven, and of the Judgment of the great day, through the entire period of more than four thousand years, which intervened between the creation and the first advent. In our next article, if God permit, we will trace this doctrine through the New Testament. THE DOCTRINE OF HIS COMING IN THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN WAS KNOWN DURING THE PERIOD FROM DAVID TO JOHN THE BAPTIST.
Are You Discouraged? Why?
By Uriah Smith
In one of the familiar hymns which we so often sing, occur these words:—
“Yet let nothing spoil your peace;
Christ shall also conquer these.” This language is spoken of those “foes within” which so often “betray us into sin.” How will Christ conquer these? He will in the end, by an exertion of his own almighty power, destroy them, by destroying death and him that hath the power of death, that is the devil, the author of all those evil propensities by which men are drawn away and enticed. While it is a great source of encouragement to know that this will be so in the future, and the promise is one which is most precious and very full of comfort, its practical benefits, so far as they affect our present circumstances, are at best but indirect. The trouble we have with these foes is now; and the question with us is, is there any way in which they are conquered for us in the present tense? Yes, there is a sense in which Christ proposes to conquer these foes for us even now. He does not do this independently of any action on our part, but he conquers them by giving us the strength we need to overcome them. So while it is true that our inward foes are not conquered for us absolutely without our co-operation, while we cannot stand idly by and have them brought and thrown lifeless at our feet, it is nevertheless true that we are not required to prosecute this warfare at our own charges, nor to depend for final victory on our own strength. Our Lord has made provision for every emergency. He has arranged to supply every want, and told us to whom to apply in every time of need. Yet with all this we find some at times giving away to discouragement, and saying that they might as well give up the struggle; for they cannot accomplish the labor they have to perform, nor successfully prosecute the warfare in which they are engaged. If we had to depend on our own resources, we might well feel and talk and act thus; but when we consider that all needed help is promised us from on high, this puts altogether a different complexion on the matter. With this fact in view, those who yield to discouragement, and propose thereupon to cease their efforts to run the Christian race, do one of three things: They disbelieve the Lord’s promise to give them help when needed, or they insult his majesty by acting on the supposition that all the help he can impart is insufficient to meet the necessities of the case, or they despise their birthright by proclaiming that they care nothing for the object to be gained nor for the means by which to gain it. How is this treating the Lord? Take an illustration: A person of wealth and ability takes another person into his employ. He assigns him a certain piece of work to perform. He gives him at the outset minute instructions, and informs him that at certain stages of the work it will be necessary for him to incur considerable expense, and at other times it will be necessary to bring to bear great power in order to accomplish certain operations. But he tells him to come right to him whenever any expense is incurred, for he has ample funds, and will supply all that may be needed; and when power is demanded he has all the mechanical contrivances and other means necessary to furnish it, and will produce them as occasion requires. With matters thus arranged the man commences the work. Soon he incurs some expense, and thrusts his hand into his own pockets, and finds nothing to meet it. He comes to a hard place in the job, takes hold to exert what little strength he can, personally, and finds he can move nothing. Then he sits down and says, “I am discouraged. Here is expense that I cannot meet, and work to do that I am not able to perform. It’s no use trying. I will give it all up.” What would his employer think of such service? Would he not say to him somewhat sharply, “What do you mean? Did I not tell you to come to me whenever funds were required and I would furnish them? And did I not tell you that for all the hard places, I had the means to produce the necessary power, and would furnish them at call? Do you doubt my word? Do you distrust my ability to meet my pledges? If so, I prefer some other person in your place who will show me more confidence and respect.” Just in this way does every discouraged Christian treat the Lord. What right had the man in the illustration to become discouraged and treat his employer as he did? What right has the Christian to act exactly thus toward the Lord of glory? Our short-comings and failures are owing to the fact that we try to meet the expense out of our own pocket, and carry on the work in our own strength. The fault is not with the Lord, nor with his plan. The plan is marked throughout with infinite wisdom, and the armory of Heaven is full of weapons, all placed at our disposal through the key of faith and the channel of prayer. Let there be no talk of discouragement nor of giving up the struggle. But let there be a going to the Fountain for life and vigor; let there be appeals to the Wise for wisdom, to the Strong for strength. The Lord has the means we need, even the gold tried in the fire; he has the clothing we must procure, the white raiment; he has the wisdom, the eye-salve with which he counsels us to anoint our eyes that we may see. With the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength; and if we are his children, and work in, the way he directs, that strength is ours. The Waldenses in Southern Italy.
By S. N. Haskell
THESE valleys had their numbers largely increased by the Albigensian refugees, who escaped from the massacre of Innocent III. in the south of France. This caused them to feel that their valleys were somewhat overcrowded; and the young among the Waldenses, feeling a spirit of enterprise, sought some other point where they could settle in seclusion. They did not desire to go into any other parts of Europe unless they could find some place where they could colonize by themselves, and worship God as they had in the mountains. One day, about the year 1340, two youths were at Turin, and became quite earnest in conversation upon this point. A stranger stepped up to them, and said, "Come with me, and I will give you fertile fields for your barren rocks." He described Calabria, which was the southern extremity of the Italian peninsula. He set forth this country in a manner that created a great interest in the Waldensian youths. They reported back to the elders of the Vaudois people, and they listened with interest. Finally a committee was appointed to visit this country. The explorers returned with a flattering account of the country they had been invited to occupy. There was a great contrast in the country of southern Italy and the country that the Waldenses inhabited. There the summit of the mountains were covered all the year with snow. In the gorges furious gusts swept down, which at times would strip their sides of corn and vines; but Calabria to them was a land of promise. Gilles, in describing the country, says: "There are beautiful hills clothed with all kinds of fruit-trees, spontaneously springing up according to their situation; in the plains, vines and chestnuts; on the rising ground, walnuts and every fruit-tree. Everywhere were seen rich arable land, and few laborers." Quite a colony emigrated to this new country. The young men took partners with them, and they carried with them their Bibles, "that holy ark of the new covenant, and of everlasting peace." Their prospect was an undisturbed exercise of their worship. Muston says: "By a convention with the local seigneurs, ratified later by the king of Naples, Ferdinand of Aragon, they were permitted to govern their own affairs, civil and spiritual, by their own magistrates, and their own pastors." They settled near the town of Montalto. About fifty years later there arose the city of San Sexto, which afterwards became the capital of the colony. They were greatly prospered. Towns and villages sprung up in the country which before was thinly inhabited and but poorly cultivated. The land became a smiling garden. Swelling hills were clothed with fruit-trees, and the plains waved with luxuriant crops. Lands were offered them, that they might build cities and plant vineyards. Not only were they privileged to surround their cities with walls, but they were especially authorized to do so. Toward the close of this century another body migrated to the south of Italy. These new comers settled in Apulia, not far from their brethren. They, too, were prosperous. In a short time villages and towns arose, and a new face was placed on the country by the improved arts and husbandry of the colonists. Nothing seemed more enjoyable. Their lands were covered with the olive and the vine; and their prosperity was a marvel, and became the envy of their neighbors. About the year 1500 another emigration from the valleys went to what seemed to them like a land of promise. The third body of colonists established themselves on the Volturata, a river which flows from the Apennines into the Bay of Tarento. With their increase of numbers came an increase of prosperity. Their neighbors knew not the secret of it, and were lost in wonder and admiration. It seemed that the very touching of the soil by the plow of the Vaudois created a charm that made it open its bosom and yield a ten-fold increase. The vines which came under the hands of the Vaudois bore richer clusters; and the fig and the olive seemed to try to outdo all cultivation by other individuals, in their richness and production. Says Wylie: "How delightful the quiet and order of their towns, and the air of happiness on the faces of the people! And how sweet to listen to the bleating of the flocks on the hills, the lowing of the herds in the meadows, the song of the reaper and grape-gatherer, and the merry voices of children at play around the hamlets and villages. For about 200 years these colonies continued to flourish." Historians say that it was a curious circumstance, but one to be looked upon as especially providential, that they found this southern home, and that they flourished as they did unmolested for two centuries. But the secret of their being left to themselves no doubt was partly owing to the fact that they strictly paid their tithes to the priests; and, as they prospered, the tithes so much increased above others that the priests could rest with satisfaction by receiving the wealth from the colonies. It is stated that Petrarch first acquired a knowledge of the Greek tongue from Barlaam, a monk of Calabra. Learning revived in their midst. Their souls thirsted for knowledge. They established schools, and the Bible still was to them the source of knowledge, and sciences were brought in, the study of which was carried to a greater extent than it was in the valleys. There were but a few towns in southern Italy where the Vaudois were not found, and there were not less than 6,000 of that nation in some of their cities. The Waldenses ceased their missionary spirit in thrusting their opinions upon the notice of their neighbors. In process of time they were watched more narrowly. They noticed that it was foreign teachers who taught their children; that they had neither images nor lighted tapers in their churches; that they never went on pilgrimages; and they buried their dead without the aid of the priests. They also noticed that they never brought a candle to the Virgin's shrine, or purchased mass for their dead relatives; and the reason that they were so quietly let alone was the punctuality and fidelity with which they paid their tithes. They were visited by ministers from the valleys; but the time finally came that they called for ministers to labor with them, which would revive that missionary spirit which existed in the valleys. For, since locating in southern Italy, the salubrious climate, the temporal prosperity that attended them, had proved ruinous to the missionary spirit. The spirit of giving the word of God to others, that had ever been a characteristic of that people, was left, in a great measure, to those who inhabited the valleys. The missionary spirit was revived, and with it came persecution. While Satan could lull them to sleep in temporal prosperity, he let them remain quiet. As soon as they began to stir themselves to give the light to others, one would think that all hell had broken loose upon them. To repeat the sufferings which came upon them would only be to present the most terrible persecutions that ever fell upon any martyrs during the papal persecution. A large army was raised, and they fell upon them while unprepared, and they were driven from their lands and tracked to their hiding-places in thickets and caves, and slaughtered as sheep. Powerful blood-hounds were set upon their track. Some of the fugitives climbed the craggy summits of the Apeninnes and hurled stones back upon the soldiers who attempted to follow them. This resistance was only for a short period. The Waldenses offered to migrate and leave the country, but nothing would answer but return to the pale of the church. While they were tortured in every possible way, there could not be extorted any confession that would lead them to renounce their faith. In order that the zeal of those who were endeavoring to torment them might be quickened, it is said that Marquis di Buccianici had the promise of a cardinal's hat if he would clear Calabria of heresy. We will not recite the persecutions that came upon this people, but we will give a copy of a letter written by a Roman Catholic, as recorded by McCrie about one circumstance, where eighty were butchered:— "Most illustrious sir: I have now to inform you of the dreadful justice which began to be executed on these Lutherans early this morning, beginning the 11th of June. And to tell you the truth, I can compare it to nothing but the slaughter of so many sheep. They were all shut up in one house as in a sheep-fold. The executioner went, and bringing out one of them, covered his face with a napkin, or beuda, as we call it, led him out to a field near the house, and causing him to kneel down, cut his throat with a knife. Then taking off the bloody napkin, he went and brought out another, whom he put to death after the same manner. In this way the whole number, amounting to eighty-eight men, were butchered. I leave you to figure to yourself the lamentable spectacle, for I can scarcely refrain from tears while I write; nor was there any person, after witnessing the execution of one, could stand to look on a second. The meekness and patience with which they went to martyrdom and death are incredible. Some of them at their death professed themselves of the same faith with us, but the greater part died in their cursed obstinancy. All the old met their death with cheerfulness, but the young exhibited symptoms of fear. I still shudder while I think of the executioner with the bloody knife in his teeth, the dripping napkin in his hand, and his arms besmeared with gore, going to the house, and taking out one victim after another, just as a butcher does the sheep which he means to kill." This persecution continued until the few surviving Vaudois returned to their native land to find their brethren in a distressed condition from persecutions by the same power. But their brethren received them with open arms. They were welcomed to all the blessings which they enjoyed, however meager they were. Thus did that prosperous colony become extinct. The Michigan Camp-Meeting.
By S. N. Haskell
We arrived at the Michigan camp-ground Thursday, Sept. 27. The meeting had been in progress a number of days. It was one of unusual interest. There was probably as large a gathering of Sabbath-keepers as has assembled for hundreds of years. It was estimated that upon Sabbath-day there were upwards of fifteen-hundred of those who keep the Lord's Sabbath present. Sister White spoke, and the blessing of God rested upon the people in a large measure. Over two hundred came forward for prayers. There was a general move through the camp, and a desire manifested to seek God in a manner which showed that hearts had been touched by his Holy Spirit. On Monday the subject of the foreign missions was presented by Eld. Butler and others. The brethren felt the necessity of doing something in advance of what they had done in the past. About $8,000 was pledged. This is more than twice as much as had ever been pledged for foreign missions at any one camp-meeting this side of the Rocky Mountains, with the exception of Iowa. It is evident the missionary spirit is deepening, and our faithful brethren are becoming convinced that the time has come for an advance move throughout the entire ranks of our people. The cause is rising, and many are trying to seek God for that preparation of heart that will enable them to bear some humble part in the advance moves that are being made. Another move was made Monday forenoon to call forward those that were backslidden in heart and separated from God, and those who never had commenced to serve him. A general breaking down before God was manifested. Some who had long been wandering from the right path made humble confessions. Some that had given up all hope desired to make one more start to serve God. The Spirit of God came in to convert hearts, and many were especially blessed. The subject of Bible-readings was introduced at this meeting, and the brethren manifested as deep an interest as we have seen in any place. At an informal meeting of the ministers and leading brethren, the morning the meeting broke up, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:— Whereas, The holding of Bible-readings in connection with other colporteur work has been recommended to precede and accompany the preaching of the truth; and, Whereas, Those who think of engaging in this work feel the necessity of a special preparation; therefore, Resolved, That we hold a ten-days' institute immediately preceding the General Conference for improvement in this direction, and that we request Eld. Haskell to conduct this institute. Several of the brethren spoke with much feeling of the importance of this institute, and expressed thankfulness at the prospect of sharing its advantages, after which the resolution was passed by a rising vote. It was also voted to invite all the delegates to the General Conference to attend the institute, and all others whom the Conference Committee shall recommend. Accordingly, the appointment has been made for a meeting of the leading tract and missionary workers and officers, and also the ministers and licentiates of the Michigan Conference, to hold a meeting commencing Oct. 30, and continuing till Nov. 7, when special instruction will be given upon the subject of Bible-readings; also in canvassing for the Signs, and "Thoughts on Daniel," and the colporteur work.465
It is evident that our brethren are waking up to the necessity of preparing themselves to enter the work of God in a manner that they never have before. Hundreds of men and women are wanted to labor in the harvest-field. We want men of judgment; men of good, sound moral character; those who are not moulded by influence brought to bear upon them; individuals of sterling moral worth, that will sway and not be swayed; those who can mould minds, and interest men and women in the solemn truths which we profess. The department of special instruction to be given in the Bible, at Healdsburg, Cal., has commenced none too soon. In fact, we are at least one year behind. It may not be necessary that some individuals remain a full term before they go out to labor; but correct ideas should be entertained how to properly relate ourselves to the work of God. Not only young men and women are wanted, but men of mature years; even if their heads are sprinkled with gray hairs, they are none too old to visit families and tell what God has done for them, and read the Scriptures. At this camp-meeting there were between 130 and 140 tents on the ground. Everything considered, it was thought that the results of the meeting were as good as any meeting ever held in the State. We look forward to great good and advance moves in this State, if the resolutions are carried out that were made on this camp-ground. Our friends will be pleased to hear that Sister White has been specially sustained of God, and her testimony was never clearer and more powerful than upon this trip East. For all of these blessings we can only say, praise the Lord for his goodness manifested to his people. Colorado Camp-Meeting.
By E. R. Jones
THIS meeting was held in Denver Park, just outside the city limits. The ground was pleasant, and the weather very fine during the entire meeting. There was not as large an attendance of our people as we had hoped to see. Fifteen tents, including the large one, were pitched on the ground with about fifty campers. There were but few who attended from the outside. In this we were not disappointed, for three years' experience has taught us not to look for large congregations of unbelievers in Colorado. We firmly believe deep and lasting impressions were made on the minds of the most of those who did attend, and that the results will be seen in the kingdom of God. At the very opening of the meeting I was taken quite severely sick, which utterly unfitted me for any active part during the entire week's services. Early on Thursday, Bro. Farnsworth came upon the ground in excellent health, and immediately took the burden of the work. His preaching was with force and convincing power. But little burden was felt for doctrinal discourses, but nearly all the sermons given were of a close, practical nature, and all the people felt that they were indited by the spirit of God, and were meat in due season. The Sabbath-school on Sabbath morning was a profitable occasion, and gave those who have newly come to the faith a good idea how this branch of the work is to be carried on. All were deeply impressed with what a power for good our Sabbath-schools may be if rightly conducted. The business of the Conference was attended to. Fifteen delegates, representing four churches and two classes, took into consideration the wants of the cause in this State. In looking over the work it appeared that more had been accomplished the past ten months in bringing souls to the truth than in any previous year. Two brethren received licenses and Bro. A. J. Stower was ordained to the gospel ministry. On Monday morning seven were baptized. Early Tuesday morning was our last meeting, when many feeling testimonies were given. Hardly a soul had left the ground previous to this service, and when it closed the camp soon disappeared. Thus ended our first camp-meeting in Colorado. The people returned to their homes with their faith and confidence strengthened in God and his cause and in one another. Adulterated Wine Exposed
By Editor
THE following story from a foreign journal (Galignani) gives an impressive view of the components of some of the mixtures sold as wine. Stuff like this, and even viler, is what some churches innocently persist in buying for the celebration of the Lord's Supper: 'In our last issue we gave an account of a meeting of the Paris retailers of wine, in which they endeavored to show that they were the victims of intolerable oppression. They would have the public believe that they are more ‘sinned against than sinning.’ The following story, however, told by M. Scholl in the Evenement, goes far to prove the contrary: ‘Breakfasting at home recently,’ he says, ‘I ate a certain rognon saute, which I shall not soon forget. At the third mouthful I stopped. My palate and lips were on fire. ‘What have you put into this sauce?’ I asked my modest cordon bleu. ‘Sir, as I had not the key of the cellar, I bought a bottle of Chablis at the grocer’s for fifty cents.’ ‘Is there any left?’ ‘Yes, about half.’ ‘Bring me that Chablis.’ I poured a spoonful into my glass to taste this new sort of wine. It had no taste. There was no trace even of raisins, nor of brandy. But I burned my tongue with it, and that horribly. I had the stuff analyzed by a chemist. It was merely water mixed with sulphuric acid. The maker had not even gone to the expense of a bunch of raisins or a few drops of alcohol. This composition is sold openly at fifty cents a bottle, under the name of Chablis Superieur. What must inferior Chablis be?’ —Sel. Effects of Tobacco on Boys
Dr. G. Decaisne has had in his charge thirty-eight youths, from nine to fifteen years of age, who were addicted to smoking, and has made known some interesting results concerning the effects of tobacco upon these boys. The extent to which tobacco was used varied; and the effects were unequal, but were very decided in twenty-seven cases. With twenty-two of the boys there was disturbance of the circulation, palpitation of the heart, imperfect digestion, sluggishness of intellect, and to some extent a craving for alcoholic stimulants. Twelve patients suffered from bleeding at the nose; ten had constant nightmare; four had ulcerated mouths; and one became a victim of consumption. The symptoms were most marked in the youngest children, but among those of equal age the best fed were the least affected. Eleven boys stopped smoking and were cured within a year.—Woodland Democrat. The Decline of Protestant Christianity
According to the Rev. Dr. Crosby of New York, Protestant Christianity is in a bad way. He says, in a recently published lecture, that "the great bulk of the Protestant Church is identified with the world. It has a name to live while it is dead. It has turned its doctrine into naturalism or rationalism, and its life into selfishness. The old land-marks are gone. Family prayer is given up. Sunday newspapers are read, prayer-meetings are ignored, worldly partnerships are formed, social sins are connived at, even excused, the pulpit is made a stage on which to strut and pose before a gaping world, and religion is made one of the instruments of fashion. We may not cure this dreadful evil, but we may ourselves avoid it and its doom. We may look to ourselves and to our own families, that we go not with the multitude of Christians to evil and to perish in the hour when Christ shall come as a thief to their dismay." Who Support the Grog-Shops?
Who Support the Grog-Shops?—In a recent address at a temperance meeting in Brooklyn, a speaker said what it would be well for Christians to think about: "It is Christian people who support the grog-shops. Eighty-seven per cent. of all the liquor-holes in Brooklyn are owned by people who profess to love God and to believe the gospel. I will also say that eighty-seven per cent. of the property in New York City used for the sale of rum and other abominations is owned by professing Christians and church-members. It is all well enough to blame the politicians for the success of the rum traffic, but the politicians are what the people make them, and rum will never be put down so long as Christian people vote with the rum-seller."—Ex. The Hon. J. G. Blaine gives this testimony as to prohibition in Maine: “Intemperance has steadily decreased in this State since the first enactment of the prohibitory law, until now it can be said with truth that there is no equal number of people in the Anglo-Saxon world among whom so small an amount of intoxicating liquor is consumed as among the six hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants of Maine.” The Cost of the Liquor Traffic
By Lever
It may be true that millions of revenue may be raised from the liquor traffic, but what good does it accomplish? Every cent of it goes for whisky. If the tax were doubled or trebled it would in no case pay the drink bill. The whisky bill of the State is represented by the expense caused by the liquor traffic. It takes not only the tax on the traffic, but millions of revenue derived from other sources to pay it. Get rid of the traffic.—Lever. Rare Wines at the White House
The National Baptist, referring to the notices in the papers of the "rare wines" at the White House, makes the capital point: "But the wines were much more rare in the days of President Hayes and President Garfield." Suffering and Our High Calling
The seal of suffering impressed upon our destiny announces in clear characters our high calling.