THE sermon on Friday evening was given by Elder D. M. Canright, upon the subject of the Advent.
He spoke of the extreme views of two classes; one of which has set the time for the coming of Christ and the end of the world at several different times; the other of which believes that we can tell nothing about it, whether Christ will come to-day or a thousand years hence.
The speaker took the ground that, although "no man knoweth the day nor the hour," yet we may know when the event is near. His position he very ably proved from the words of Christ in Matthew 25:33: "So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door." He then proceeded to give some of the signs of the last days. Referring to Daniel 12:4:—"many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased,"—he spoke of the many wonderful inventions of the nineteenth century.347Why is this so? Are the men of this age naturally more wise than they were years ago? No. The hand of God is in it. The present facilities for traveling were contrasted with those of former days, and the speaker maintained that this was a wise provision of the Almighty for the carrying of the last message of mercy to the inhabitants of all the earth. He showed that the fact that the gospel has been preached in every part of the globe was a fulfillment of Matt. 24:14, and the sign of the end of the world. He referred to the age of the world which the best chronologers place at about 6,000 years, and the general belief that a great change will take place at the end of the six thousand years, which he claims would be not the conversion of the world, but the second advent.
Another sign he claimed is found in modern spiritualism, which he claimed is plainly foretold in Rev. 16:13-14; Matt. 24:22-27, &c.
As another mark of the end of the world there shall be an unnatural condition of the elements. He read Rev. 11:19, and called the attention of the audience to the terrible storms, floods, winds, earthquakes, and tidal waves, that have become of late so startling and frequent.
The moral condition of the world was taken as another proof, reasoning from Matt. 24:37. The world was very wicked in the days of Noah, see Gen. 6:5. He showed by quotations from several of the leading newspapers that the press is alarmed at the terrible contagion of crime at the present day. The political aspect of the world, the preparations for war (see Joel 3:9; Rev. 11:28), &c., he claimed were just what the Lord said they would be in the last days.
The meeting was held under the large canvas tent, which was well filled. The best attention was given by the audience; and good order has prevailed from the first.
SATURDAY FORENOON.
Saturday morning a sermon was preached by Elder James White upon the Advent.
The speaker claimed that the angel of Rev. 10, represents a great message to go to the whole world. This is represented by his standing with one foot upon the land and one upon the sea. The angel "cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth," verse 3, showing the earnestness with which the message is to go. The little book which the angel held in his hand represents the book of Daniel. In proof of this he showed that the book of Daniel, which gives a history of the world in advance, was to be sealed up till the time of the end (Dan. 12:4), when knowledge should be increased. What kind of knowledge? Answer: That which pertains to the end. The angel has been talking about the end.
As a second proof: The angel lifts his hands and swears that time shall be no longer. Then this little book which the angel holds open is one that contains time, prophetic time, and can be no other than the book of Daniel which contains the great prophetic periods—that book which was to be sealed until the time of the end. That this is prophetic time of which the angel speaks he clearly proved, showing the inconsistency of the idea that the angel refers to the end of the world, the end of days and nights, of literal time, when he swears that time shall be no longer.
Those that entertain the latter idea say that this refers to the coming of Christ and the resurrection; but right at that very time John speaks of another thousand years.—Rev. 20:4. The time evidently is prophetic time, and the speaker claimed that that ended in 1844.
The angel of Rev. 14:6, represents a message that was to be preached, proclaiming the hour of God's judgment at hand. This message has been given in the present century. The angel of verse 8 is another message relative to all corrupted Christianity upon which the speaker had not time to comment. In the 9th verse, and onward, another message follows, containing the most terrible warning within the lids of the Bible against those who worship the beast and his image and who receive his mark.
The 12th verse reads: "Here is the patience of the saints." This applies to the present time, the time when we are waiting in suspense, in expectation of the coming of Christ. "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Verse 12. Right down in the last days, then, will be a people that will keep the commandments of God just as they read, the fourth one not excepted. Such a people the Seventh-day Adventists profess to be. This does not refer to the blind Jews, for the last words of the verse add that they have also the faith of Jesus. The speaker said that he thanked God that he was connected with a people that have a whole Bible, one that embraces the law of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He spoke of the disappointment of the Advent people in 1844, and showed how clearly this was marked out in Rev. 10:9, 10, by the little book that the angel told John to eat. This was not a literal book, of course; but the sweet taste of it represents the joy with which the news of the advent was received in 1844, and the bitter taste which followed represents the terrible disappointment which fell upon the people when the time passed. In the 11th verse the angel said, "Thou must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." This work the Seventh-day Adventists have been doing for the last 25 years. Upon this point he spoke of the providence of God in the success of their printing establishments. About 25 years ago the first issue of their paper was carried to the post-office in a small carpet bag. Now the issue of periodicals from their Office at Battle Creek, Michigan, in one week recently amounted to three hundred bushels, or nearly two tons weight. They are printing largely in French, German, Swedish, and Danish, besides the English.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
Elder D. M. Canright addressed the congregation from Rev. 4:11. In this chapter John describes what he saw in Heaven. In the verses preceding the text, the holy beings in Heaven are represented as worshiping God; and they exclaim, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power, for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." The great idea that the speaker wished to convey was that everything was made for God's pleasure; and if any man lives his lifetime seeking his own pleasure only, regardless of glorifying God, he will find, when he comes to settle his account, that he has made a terrible mistake.
The first object of the gospel, even, is the pleasure and glory of God. This is put first all through the Scriptures. In the ten commandments duty to God is put first. In the Lord's prayer the name of God is hallowed first. "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done" in Heaven and earth, is put before "Give us this day our daily bread."
The speaker maintained that we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19); that the air we breathe, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, all belong to God; that the talents we have, whether they be for preaching, the work of making money, are given by God, and that for them we are all accountable. The man who has a talent for making money is just as accountable for the use he makes of his talent as is the man qualified to preach, for his.
He quoted Deut. 8:18. He said that many in the church would not do any thing because they could not hope to be great men; but God has a place for every one. Men with small talents have been so blessed in the exercise of them that they have become very gifted.
The reward will correspond to the service rendered. The speaker referred to the life and great labors of the great apostle Paul, and said that doubtless thousands will be saved through them. Unquestionably Paul's reward will be unspeakably glorious.
Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. All who are saved will owe it to him; and when the Saviour shall look upon the host of the redeemed, what inexpressible joy will fill his heart? "Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The speaker said the joy of the Lord will consist in beholding the fruits of his labors.
After the sermon, Mrs. E. G. White gave a powerful exhortation, following which invitations were given to backsliders, those who did not enjoy all that light and freedom which they desired, and all such as wished to start for the first time, to come forward. Prayer was offered, and the blessing of God rested down with such power that many were melted to tears. The attendance was good, quite a number being present from the village, from Burlington, and other places.
SATURDAY EVENING.
Mrs. White spoke to a large congregation from the following words: "And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry; and seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon, and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves;" &c., Mark 11:12, 13. Drawing a beautiful picture of the appearance of the temple as the rays of the setting sun shed their soft light upon the city, Mrs. White described the ride of Christ into Jerusalem.
She then spoke some time upon the sorrow of Christ as he wept over Jerusalem. "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes." Luke 19:42. He had come to his own people and they had rejected him. The very people whom he left the courts of Heaven to save would not receive him. The Jews with their religious forms and great professions of holiness, the speaker compared to the boasting fig-tree covered with its green foliage and the appearance of a fruit-ful tree, but was barren, having nothing but leaves; and the Gentiles who claimed no religious virtues, she likened to those trees which had put forth no leaves, which made no pretensions to fruitfulness.
She urged that the words of Christ as he was descending the mount of Olives, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, etc."—that these words were uttered with reference, not only to the inhabitants of Jerusalem before him, but to the people of all succeeding time. There is a truth for every age, and it belongs to the peace of every people to know the truth that belongs to its day.
She spoke at some length upon the light that has shown out upon the heavenly sanctuary. Away down in the last days in the time of judgment, John saw the temple of God open in Heaven, "and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament." Rev. 11:19. This was especially called attention to the law of God, his testament, which we find in his temple in Heaven. The Jews held the Old Testament and cried out, "The Father, the Law, away with Christ!" while the popular religionist of the present day, equally blind, exclaimed, "Christ, the love of Christ, Jesus only, away with the Law!" The speaker claimed that the law and gospel should go hand in hand, and that John should have this to be the case with a people down here in the last days. "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12. The Seventh-day Adventists claim to be this people. They take the whole Bible, Law and Gospel. The speaker exhorted all to receive the truth; to know the things that are for their peace, even in this day; to be in earnest so that when the Master comes they may be found to bear good fruit, and not leaves alone."—Free Press.
Keep at It.
THERE are many discouragements in the path of Christian labor. Seeds fall by the wayside, and become the prey of fowls. Thorns choke the growing grain. Many, like stony-ground hearers, in time of persecution are offended and fall away. Tares get scattered among the springing wheat. Opposers rise up and seek to hinder the work and word of God. Friends forsake, and foes prevail. Slander wags its venomed tongue. Faith falters, and courage fails, and the timorous sink down discouraged and dismayed.
What then? Why, simply keep at it. God lives: the work is his; the means are his; the power and the victory are his; and we have only to keep at our work, doing the right thing at the right time, and casting the whole burden of prosperity and success upon the everlasting arm of Him, who, when Paul has planted, and Apollos watered, alone can give the increase.
We are to sow the good seed, the word of God. Let us take heed that we make no mistake here. The sower soweth the word; not whims, and fancies, theories, guesses, sentiments and doctrines of men; but the old, solid, abiding word of the Lord, which stands when empires fall; which shall endure when heaven and earth shall pass away. This word in its letter and in its spirit, in its fullness and in its richness, we are to pour into the ears of a dying world;—we are to scatter as the choicest seed on every hand. Much will be wasted, but we must sow all the more. Thirty, sixty, and an hundred fold shall be our recompense, and eternal glory will be our reward. And we must search in all out-of-the-way corners for a place to sow this seed. Wherever there is soil let there be seed for that soil, and let us sow carefully, liberally, and constantly. And we must not be deterred by clouds and storms, nor by cold and rain; we must sow in the morning, and sow in the evening; sow when strong, and sow when weak; sow in faith, and sow in hope; and not turn back to fight the birds, nor traverse the field to pull up the tares, but just keep at the work—moving onward in faith and hope and zeal, until eternal joy shall be our great reward.
We would gladly encourage every fainting and desponding worker who truly loves the service of his Lord; and bid God speed to every faithful laborer in the cause of God. Let us not be discouraged by trials, difficulties and obstacles. Let us not expect too much of men, but let us expect everything of God. Let us not repine at our lot; but keep at our work doing the best we can, each in our little sphere, and working solely for the Lord and for his glory. Enemies will hinder, scoffers will rail, work will seem vain, and difficulties will multiply, but we must keep at it! Let us find out our work for the Master, and do it in the fear of the Lord, looking to him for present assistance, and trusting him for ultimate reward. —Sel.
Heaps of Teachers.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
ONE sign of the last days is that many shall heap to themselves teachers. 2 Tim. 4 : 1–4. This sign is abundantly fulfilled. Every little village has a half dozen or more preachers, while one may be found for every school-house in the country.
A Presbyterian paper says :—
“We have a surplus of ministers in the Presbyterian church. We mean that we have more well qualified ministers than we can employ efficiently, and support comfortably. Probably we have about five hundred men of fair qualifications who are unemployed in the ministry, because they cannot find living fields, and our Home Mission Board cannot sustain them.”
And so a Baptist paper says :—
“A great many men in orders are keeping school, writing books, keeping books; are employed on the daily papers, and eke out a scanty living in various ways. Regularly ordained Episcopal ministers who are assistants in churches are regularly in trade, or on the Stock Exchange and on the street; some are well known real estate men, and have offices in the city.”
D. M. C.
The Promise Sure.
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon
THERE is much prayer which brings no results. Mere repetition of good words is not prayer. Prayer is bringing God's promise to him, and pleading it with him. It carries the checks to the bank, and comes away with the cash. Many prayers are defective for want of pleading promises. I cannot pray very long prayers. I just go and plead the promise and come away. I present the check and then go about my work. What would you think of men going to a bank, and loafing around the counter for half an hour together? Praying is not spending a great deal of time upon your knees, and saying a great many things to God which he knows beforehand. Yet though we may not constantly pray very long at a time, we go again and again. Prayer needs faith in the promises. Do you say you cannot believe? Think what that means. What! cannot trust your God! Heaven and earth shall pass away but no promise of God shall fail.
Do we not often miss answers to prayer because we present the check, and then go without waiting to have the cash? Do you expect and actually look for answers to your petitions? Are you like the child who went to prayer-meeting appointed in time of drought to pray for rain, and brought her umbrella with her, because she expected an answer to the prayers to be offered? Do you say to yourself, "True I have asked; true, God has promised, but will he give?" Away with the question! God forbid that it should loiter for a moment upon your minds! Let us be in earnest. Let us have no playing with God! Put your name down, "I do believe this promise. I asked with a real faith."
— Spurgeon.
OCCUPATION.
What a glorious thing it is for the human heart! Those who work hard seldom yield to fancied or real sorrow. When grief sits down, folds its hands, and mournfully feeds upon its own tears, weaving the dim shadows, that a little exertion might sweep away, into a funeral pall, the strong spirit is shorn of its might, and sorrow becomes our master. When troubles flow upon you dark and heavy, toil not with the waves, and wrestle not with the torrent; rather seek by occupation to divert the dark waters that threaten to overwhelm you, into a thousand channels which the duties of life always present. Before you dream of it, those waters will fertilize the present and give birth to fresh flowers, that will become pure and holy in the sunshine which penetrates to the path of duty in spite of every obstacle. Grief, after all, is but a selfish feeling, and most selfish is the man who yields himself to the indulgence of any passion which brings no joy to his fellow-men.
Good Humor.
Good humor is a gift of temperament; it is generally the out-flow of a healthy physical organization. Therefore most good-humored people deserve little or no credit for the cheerful spirits they display amid the ordinary trials and annoyances of life. They are only enjoying their birth-gifts. But good humor may be cultivated; that is, a man can train himself into the mastery of his temper, into kindly speech, gentle manners, into an interest in the welfare of others, and above all, into hopeful views of life, until at last he will be victorious over selfishness, and become a happy man by his advancement in personal goodness. Oh, the pitiable condition of those who yield to ill-nature until they are its slaves! Discontented in youth, they become unhappy in middle life, and can expect no other fate than a miserable old age.
Counterfeits.
SOME persons maintain that since there are so many different kinds of religion, all claiming to be best, it is impossible to determine which is the right one, and therefore it is just as well to do without any. But these persons never refuse to negotiate business because there are so many counterfeit bills afloat, but rather on this account put forth more sagacity to discern the sound ones. If wicked men employ their powers to produce false coin as much like the genuine in appearance as possible, we ought not to wonder that evil spirits should do the same in the matter of religion. No one ever doubted the existence of a pure diamond because there were many imitations. When Moses wrought miracles, the magicians did the same in appearance, but the test of time finally settled which was genuine, as some powerful acid reveals the pure coin. It was foretold that false Christs should arise, but the same test, viz., time, has put beyond doubt which is the true one. We must try them and know them by their fruits.—Watchman and Reflector.
Random Thoughts.
By John Nevins Andrews
NOTHING VALUABLE IN HARVEST BUT FRUIT.
This is sought in harvest, and if there is nothing to be found, there is nothing to repay the labor of the husbandman. He has put forth his efforts for this, and it is this alone that is valuable to him. The fruit is gathered into the garner, and all else is cast away or set aside as simply useless or pernicious. What a solemn admonition to us. If we bear no fruit, or if we bear evil fruit, we shall find ourselves condemned in the Judgment. Yet it need not be thus with us. Not deeds that make a great display, but such as God shall see no self in, are those which he desires at our hands. Acts of patient submission, acts of self-denial, acts of secret good to others, no less than acts of active obedience to the public duties of life, God will accept of us. But if our lives have been spent in seeking only our own good, and we have done nothing for God and for our fellow-men, we shall come to the harvest with nothing but leaves. What sort of an examination shall we sustain in the Judgment? Our lives even now declare the results. With many of us no fruit will appear in the Judgment, simply because we bear none now. Useless lives will end in final ruin. Let us consider our case as it really is, and act as those that must give a strict account.
IMPROVEMENT OF TIME.
Life is at longest very short. We begin to die as soon as we begin to live. Only a limited existence is granted us, and it begins to expire as soon as it begins to be. It is like a machine wound up for action which can run only till it runs down. The Scriptures admonish us in every way of its brevity and its speedy termination. And this grand lesson is urged upon our attention that we make the most of our time by wisely improving it. Of all the commodities granted by heaven, time is the most precious. It is given us in the smallest atoms, and each one is capable of being used to the honor of God, and for the wellbeing of our fellow-men. Eternal things are suspended upon swiftly fleeting moments. We have not one to waste. We are to be rewarded according to our works, and reckoned with according to our opportunities. Who of us is able to meet this strict account? Let us no longer suffer our time to waste, because we have it in atoms. Let every one be used in well doing.
SMALL THINGS.
Life is not made up of great deeds but small ones. It is folly to stand idle, waiting for some great deed to do, when there are plenty of small things which we can do in the cause of God or for our fellow-men. It is the providence of God that assigns our work. We have only one simple rule to follow: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." Ecc. 9:10. Let God appoint our work, and assign our time, but let us work while the day lasts with untiring diligence.
USEFUL LIVES.
We need not lead useless lives. Every one of us can do something for God. Our lives of activity, or our examples of patient suffering, can all tell for Christ. "They also serve who only stand and wait."
WHO APPOINTS OUR TOIL?
Could we bear in mind always that our toil is assigned us by our Lord, we should be more careful how we utter words of complaint at the burdens we bear. It is not for us to murmur, though our lot is hard and that of others is light and pleasant. God says, "Do this for me and I will reward you at the resurrection of the just." If the work be very painful, he will not forget this when he bestows the reward. If others are excused from such burdens, this will not be rewarded with the blessings in reserve for us. He who appoints our toil will faithfully reward our patient labor. Do not murmur against him. It is his business to fix our labor and our reward. Let us be thankful that he has counted us worthy of a place in his great work.
J. N. ANDREWS.
Apostolic Mode of Preaching.
By R. F. Cottrell
The gospel is the good news of salvation to sinful man. It was preached to man soon after he became a sinner. The family of Adam had it announced to them before Abel offered an acceptable offering to God. An apostle expressly says it was preached to Abraham. Gal. 3:8. It was preached to the Israelites whom Moses led out of Egypt; for it is said that "unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them." It is the gospel, the same definite gospel, that has been preached in both dispensations. But as the great plan of salvation is being carried out, new messages of the same gospel become due. These are based upon God's promises given in prophecy, and their fulfillment. When the promised Messiah had come in the flesh, the announcement of this fact was the special message of the gospel. But when he had made the great offering for sin, foreshadowed in the law of Moses and foretold by the ancient prophets—when it had become facts that Christ had died, been buried, and risen again, "according to the Scriptures" a new message of the gospel was to be announced; and this was the message which the first apostles were sent to preach, after these events had taken place. John the Baptist, Jesus, nor his disciples before the crucifixion, though they might and did proclaim the advent, could not preach this message of the gospel because that part of the plan and promises of God had not then been fulfilled.
It will be noticed then that the gospel of the New Testament is based upon the prophecies of the Old. And so we read, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written IN THE PROPHETS." Mark 1:1, 2. Before the baptism of Jesus, John preached the gospel of the Christ about to be manifested to the people; after that event the message could be announced, "Behold the Lamb of God, that beareth away the sin of the world;" but the gospel which Paul preached, as well as the rest of the apostles, after the resurrection of Christ, could not be preached till the resurrection had taken place. Says Paul, "I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you." What is that gospel? "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures." See 1 Cor. 15:1-4.
It will be seen that the message of the gospel which the apostles preached in all the world was based upon the prophecies—it was all "according to the Scriptures." They had no message to the Gentiles even, but what was based upon the Jewish Scriptures. Therefore the Gentile converts were not ignorant of these "Holy Scriptures," as some seem to think. Many years before the coming of Christ they had been translated into the Greek, the most extensively known language in the world; and if any had not thus become acquainted with them, they could not have remained ignorant of them after hearing the apostles preach; for they preached "the word," "the Holy Scriptures," as being able to make men "wise unto salvation," through faith in Christ. See 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 4:2.
After the resurrection of Jesus, and preparatory to his sending out the apostles to preach the glad tidings, he said to them, "These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:44-48. From this it is clear that he did not send them out without "the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God." They were to preach the things that were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Christ, and show their fulfillment in Jesus of Nazareth, of which they were eye witnesses.
Let us hear Paul's testimony as to how well he fulfilled this mission. He says, "Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people [of Israel], and to the Gentiles." Acts 26:22, 23. The gospel that Paul preached, as an "apostle to the Gentiles," was prophecy and its fulfillment. And he appeals to the Gentile king to whom he was speaking: "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest." The Gentiles to whom Paul preached were not left in such profound ignorance of what had been written in the ancient Scriptures as our law-abolishing, no-Sabbath preachers would have us believe. He preached the same gospel to Jews and Gentiles. The writer of the Acts of the Apostles testifies thus of him: "And when they [Jews at Rome] had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening." Acts 28:23. Would it not be well to have some such faithful preachers and expounders of the word of God at the present day? Where are the preachers that are thus expounding prophecy, showing its fulfillment, and thus making truth and duty plain to the people? Is there now no occasion for such preaching? Is it because the people do not need such instruction that they hear instead "enticing words of man's wisdom," finely composed speeches consisting of flowers of rhetoric, eulogies of men, and man's wisdom and progress, prefaced perhaps by a fragment of Scripture? Was it not in view of just this state of things that Paul charged Timothy, and through him all succeeding ministers, to "preach the word," adding, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." See 2 Tim. 4:1-4.
But time and space will not allow me to trace out all those passages that bear upon the manner of the apostles' preaching. Suffice it to say that all are in harmony with those I have cited. And now in closing I will cite the reader to a model discourse preached by Paul in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia, to Jews and Gentiles. Please turn and read it in Acts 13:16-41. It will be seen to contain, 1. A brief historical sketch of God's dealings with the people of Israel, from the time they were in Egypt to the days of David. 2. A reference to the promise to David of the Saviour and King of Israel descended from him, with the announcement that God had fulfilled the promise in Jesus. 3. The testimony of John the Baptist is referred to in proof of this fact. 4. Salvation is offered to all through this Saviour. 5. The Jews at Jerusalem, not knowing the "voices of the prophets," had fulfilled them in condemning Jesus to death. 6. "But God raised him from the dead," of which there were many witnesses. 7. He appeals to the Scriptures to show that his resurrection had been promised in prophecy. 8. He proclaims forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ. 9. And then he concludes with a cautionary exhortation which has in it something of the "terror of the Lord," clearly teaching that unbelievers will perish.
R. F. COTTRELL.
A Solemn Question.
By James Harvey Waggoner
Two men were conversing in the tent at the close of a meeting. One seemed to be making excuses, as though we were too particular on some points. Said the other, We must consider how God regards sin. If one sin involved the whole race in ruin, how must God regard the condition of the race in their multitude of sins? How does he look upon our daily sins?
A great error prevails in regard to God's estimate of the nature and desert of sin. Many seem to think that sin is easily set aside now, since Christ has died; that God does not greatly abhor it, if we only have faith in Christ. This laxity of morality and disregard of the precept of the law because of faith in Christ, is a perversion of the gospel, and a standing reproach to the cause of Christianity. Jesus said that his coming into the world removed all cloak or excuse for sin. Paul regarded it as impossible to escape if we neglect so great salvation as is brought to us in the gospel. That is, our sins are more inexcusable and blamable now than if Jesus had not died. The sinner now not only tramples on the holy law of God, but he despises the blood of the covenant of grace. Violation of the law is rebellion against the authority of God: neglect of the gospel is adding to that rebellion by the abuse of his mercy. By the first the justice of God is dishonored; by the second his love is trampled under foot.
We learn somewhat of God's hatred of sin by his dealing with Adam, and with the race of which Adam was the head. But if we wish to know more fully how God abhors sin, we must go to Gethsemane and to Calvary. See Jesus in his agony praying that if it be possible the bitter cup may pass from him. Behold him on the cross, as he cries out in the anguish of his soul, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me." Why did he endure all this? Because his Father's law had been transgressed, and he was "magnifying the law and making it honorable" (Isa. 42 : 21), by suffering its desert, that God "may be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3 : 26.
O sinner, if the blessed Son of God thus suffered because sin was laid upon him for the sake of man, how will you appear before God in the Judgment with your many sins upon your head?
"Will you see him bleed in vain?
Still to death pursue your Lord?
Open tear those wounds again?
Trample on his precious blood?"
"Shall we sin that grace may abound? God349forbid." "He that sinneth is the servant of sin." Jesus came—not as the minister of sin, but the minister of righteousness— to save his people from their sins; to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. To put away whose sin? Not his own, for he had none. Does he, can he, put away our sin if we continue to sin?
His heart is yet grieved by the reproach put upon his Father's law by the transgressor, and by the carnal professor who seeks to "make void the law through faith." Blessed Saviour, help us to follow thee in thy love to do the Father's will. To be fully reconciled so that we may "delight in the law of God after the inward man." J. H. W.
Vermont Camp-Meeting.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
AUGUST 18, Bro. and Sr. White, and myself left Battle Creek for the East. For two days and nights we rode upon the cars. Even this afforded a good rest to Bro. and Sr. White from the overwhelming labors of the past three weeks. I greatly enjoyed this privilege of conversing with them. I am glad to see and know that God is abundantly blessing them and sustaining them with health and cheerfulness in their increasing labors.
We arrived upon the camp-ground Friday morning, and were cordially received by the friends. We found forty-two tents pitched upon the ground beside two large preachers’ tents. Actual count showed three hundred and sixty-eight encamped on the ground. The tents were all of good size and neatly kept. All seemed to be of good courage and hopeful in the work.
Vermont has had but little labor for years, and many have gone West to strengthen the cause in those new States. Yet under these circumstances Vermont holds its own, with perhaps some gain, which shows that it is a good field and that the cause has faithful friends here.
After so brief a rest both Bro. and Sr. White took hold and spoke with as great freshness, interest, and power as I ever heard them. This being a new place for the camp-meeting, the people turned out by hundreds in the day-time and evenings of other days besides Sunday, and they paid the best of attention.
Sabbath afternoon Sr. White made a special appeal to the unconverted and to the backslidden to come forward and seek the Lord. One after another arose with tears and weeping and separated themselves from the congregation. We exhorted and sang for an hour, and still they came till about eighty were upon the mourners’ seat. Many of these were young men and women, the sons and daughters of Sabbath-keepers, who had grown up unconverted. Now they gave their hearts to the Lord. Angels rejoice at such a scene, and so did we.
As we bowed to pray for these the Spirit of God was present in great power. Many touching confessions were then made. Several of the old friends of the cause were there, and spoke of their experience in the message twenty-five years ago. This called out some touching remarks from Bro. White which caused the tears to fall freely.
Sunday we had a good audience; but our meetings were somewhat broken up by rain; yet as many as could be packed into the big sixty-foot tent remained all day, and it was also full at evening. Bro White spoke in the morning with good freedom, on Our Faith and Hope. In the afternoon Sr. White spoke for two hours, with a clear voice, securing perfect attention from the crowded audience though it rained most of the time. Few speakers could have done this. Altogether, Bro. White spoke four hours on Sunday, Sr. W., two hours, and I, one hour and a half, all of which was heard by hundreds who never heard our message before. The only church in the village near by, dismissed their meeting to attend ours.
On Monday, we had fine weather and a large audience again. Several told us they were fully convinced upon the Sabbath, and some said they should keep it. We know that a deep impression has been made upon the community.
Not the least disorder occurred during the whole meeting. The business transactions, as is always the case with our people, passed off in perfect harmony. On the whole, we feel well pleased with our camp-meeting, and the friends will go to their homes much encouraged.