The principle of mutual obligation lies at the very foundation of all government, in Heaven, or on earth. In love, God made man. In love infinite, he gave his Son to save man, when lost in base transgression. God’s love in man’s creation, and in the plan for his redemption, places man under unmeasurable obligation to God. In the gift of his dear Son, God has given a pledge of infinite love to those who obey him. And the principle of mutual obligation, requiring mutual love, fully justifies the demand of God that man should love him supremely. “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deut. 6:5.
In the administration of his government, God recognizes the justice of rewards and punishments. And these may also be seen in the very foundation of all civil government. Those wise ones (?) of the spiritualistic school, or wherever they may be found, who repudiate punishment for wrong, are simply out of harmony with earth and Heaven.
In the second commandment, the great God reveals himself a merciful God to those who love and obey him, and a God of justice to those that hate him. It was necessary that dependent man should understand, and feel, and recognize the justice of rewards and punishments in the administration of God’s government, and bow in submission to the divine will.
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” Ex. 20:4–6.
Let the great God be exalted, and let all idols fall. This is for man’s best good, and for the glory of God. But if men will have other gods; and if they will hate the only true and infinitely good God, he has a right to withdraw his love from them, and to simply destroy the creatures he has made.
God has pledged his love, and has given assurance of the great things he will do for his obedient children. Having placed himself under such obligations to his people, he has a right to demand perfect obedience of his children, and to punish with death those who disobey, and hate him. The obligations between God and man are mutual. God fulfills on his part ever. If man fails on his part, the obligation of God to save him ceases, and man must suffer the sentence of death, and be “as though he had not been.”
Mutual obligation is the basis of all civil government. The legislative power assumes the obligation of acting for the best good of the people. And all the friends of law and order will cherish the highest regard for such government, and feel under sacred obligations to the government. And thus the obligations are mutual.
All good governments recognize the necessity, as well as the justice, of rewards and punishments. Then who will rebel against all righteous government on earth and in Heaven, and repudiate punishment for wrong-doing?
Some men, and some women too, are becoming insane on this subject. They would rashly throw off restraint. Their foolish hearts rebel at the thought of submission to a supreme Ruler, and they delight in blasphemy against God. But this is simply the ravings of the spirit demons with which they are possessed. To what lengths they would go, were it not for civil law, God only knows.
Mutual obligation must be acknowledged in all successful family arrangement. Parents become responsible for the existence of children, and are laid under obligation for their education and maintenance. But when their children come to that age where they can repay their parents for their support and education, they should be taught their obligation to their parents. Mutual obligation between parents and children never ceases. We do not say that time and circumstances do not affect in a degree this obligation. But we do say that mutual obligation between parents and children never ceases while life lasts.
But one of the prime sins of our time, and that which brings wretchedness into very many families, is the fact that but few young men and young women feel under obligation to their parents. They may be dependent on their parents for food and clothing, and their education, and yet feel under no obligation to honor, love, and obey, them. And when they leave the parental home, and take upon themselves the responsibilities of married life, they may claim from their parents a liberal share of property, and yet at the same time feel themselves under no obligation to follow the riper judgment of their parents in the general management of the very property they receive from them.
The feeling of obligation is not mutual. It is obligation on the part of the parents, and independence on the part of the children. In such cases, which are very abundant, the feelings of the parents are stung with the ingratitude of selfish children, and they are made very unhappy; while, on the other hand, the children deprive themselves of the happiness of gratitude, and are not in a condition of mind to enjoy the liberality of their parents.
Parents should early teach their children the pure principle of mutual obligation. Let this grow with their growth and strengthen with their strength, if they would save their children from ruin. Indulgence, over-much fondness, and petting, stand directly in the way of the development of the principle of mutual obligation in the young mind, and lead it to dependence on parents, and to selfishness. Thousands of dear children are ruined for this life, and for that which is to come, simply because their fond parents ruin them.
The obligation of parents to children who are so young that they are actually dependent on their parents, is not affected by common circumstances. But as early as may be, children should begin to feel their obligation to their parents. And, when grown to manhood and womanhood, if they cast aside obligation to honor the judgment of their parents, the obligation of their parents to them also ceases.
And if parents still hold themselves under obligation to children who will not receive their instruction, but take an independent, willful and rebellious course, they strengthen the wrong, injure their own children, and virtually say to the youth everywhere that they may do as they please, and yet share all the blessings and bounties of parental liberality.
It has been decided long since that the tenderest earthly tie is between mother and child. God has made this so. And all good people, whose youth time was blessed with the pure love of a truly good mother’s heart, will regard the feelings of a mother for her child with greatest respect.
But these good mothers sometimes err for want of having their feelings of love for their children sanctified, and, in a good degree, controlled by the principle of mutual obligation. If they do not teach them their duty to their parents, and if they do not succeed in planting in the minds and hearts of their children the principle of mutual obligation, and their children grow up ungrateful and willful, the indulgences of the mother’s tenderest love only lead these children to still greater wrongs.
And it is not unfrequently the case that a rebellious son or daughter takes advantage of the mother’s unyielding feelings of tenderest indulgence, and the family is made very unhappy, simply because the entire family cannot yield to the unjust wishes and demands of an ungrateful and willful child. Satan leads on the child to bring about this domestic wretchedness, and then exults at his success. The doctrine of mutual obligation is the only remedy for this common evil.
And let the good work of removing this terrible evil, begin with the parents. Let them feel the force of the great truth of mutual obligation, and then they can better impress their children. God speaks to wife and husband thus: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.” Col. 3:18. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Eph. 5:22. “Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.” Col. 3:19. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it.” Eph. 5:25. And the very climax of mutual obligation is taught in the following words addressed to both husband and wife: “Submit yourselves one to the other in the fear of God.” Eph. 5:21.
Indulgent mothers, please stand out of the way, and let the voice of Infinite Wisdom, in all its commanding power, reach your children. God speaks to them, “Children, obey your parents in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Col. 3:20.
Stern fathers, burdened with the cares and perplexities of life, be wise, and save yourselves and families; the keenest sorrows of hearts. God speaks to you: “Provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.” Col. 3:21.
Every father should have with him ever a lively sense of his duty to love, and to cherish with tender care, his wife and children. He may be pressed with the cares and perplexities of life; he may be enfeebled by toil and disease; but should never regard these as an apology for ill-treating his wife and his children. He is to love his wife “as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it.” No stronger figure could be given. “As Christ loved the church.”—Let every husband feel the force of this matchless illustration. “As Christ loved the church.”—Very few husbands have let their minds penetrate the depth of love here set forth. “As Christ loved the church”—benevolent, compassionate, enduring love. God help the Christian husband to feel, and to learn, and to fully know, his obligations to the circle of dear ones who call him husband and father.
Every wife should carry in her bosom ever a fountain of love—benevolent, confiding, enduring, submissive love. What! shall she submit her judgment and wishes to her husband? Let Infinite Wisdom reply: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” But what if she thinks her judgment in matters and things is better than that of her husband? She is probably mistaken as often, to say the least, as every other time, as to her superior judgment. But if she is not, it is her happiest and best course to make the best of her poor choice of a husband, and bear her misfortune with Christian fortitude. God says: “Wives submit yourselves to your own husbands, as is fit in the Lord.”
Whatever may be said of women’s rights, we claim that it is her God-given privilege, and her sacred duty, to entrench herself amid the blessings of mutual obligation, in submission to her husband, sharing his tenderest regards, and the honor and obedient love of her children. She then shares the highest, holiest, and dearest rights that earth and Heaven can bestow. On the very throne of the family realm she sits a queen, by the power of that pure love which is always in harmony with truth and justice, softening hard hearts, bending stubborn wills, smoothing troubled brows, relieving oppressed hearts, and shedding light and happiness on all around. Success to all good women who anxiously claim God-given rights.
But what can we add in relation to the duty of children? We have neither time, space, nor ability, to do the subject justice. This is an unfortunate time. Disobedience to parents is a sign of the last days. There are not ten children in one thousand that feel the obligation to honor, love, and obey, their parents, as set forth in the Scriptures.
We have lost all faith in modern improvements in the art of training children that avoid the Bible doctrine of obedience. The pure, simple declarations of the word of God, sustaining mutual obligations upon husband, wife, and children, are the only regulator and the sure cure, of the almost universal domestic troubles of this sad time. Modern improvements in family government are working sure ruin. While indulgence manifested toward children gives present relief, it paves the way to death and hell.
“There is policy in war.” The children have better success in pleading with the mother for indulgence of excesses in dress, social privileges, and idleness. The mother too often yields to their wishes. Thus re-enforced, they attack the father, and almost always gain the day. The prophet of God looks forward, and describes the pride, and folly, and errors of our time. Read Isa. 3, and mark in particular one prominent feature of our time expressed in verse 12, “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”
The weeping prophet seems to respond to the wailings of the usually more hopeful and triumphant Isaiah as follows: “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and ye shall find rest to your souls.” Jer. 6:16.
Restlessness, instead of rest, is the order of the day in those families where mutual obligation is not regarded, and the household compact moves off more like a disorderly firm, than a family after God’s ancient arrangement. And there is no hope of that rest, which is the result of proper family government, until husband, wife, and children, stand related to each other in the duties of life according to God’s will plainly declared in the Sacred Scriptures.
(To be Continued.)
How Two Days of the Week May Exist at the Same Time.
By John Nevins Andrews
We have seen that the circuit of day around our globe from the time that any day of the week first begins to our earth’s inhabitants, till it ceases to be in the place where it last commences, is just forty-eight hours. And thus it is that those who live where the circuit of day ends are twenty-four hours behind the time of those who live where that circuit commences. It is this fact which makes it necessary, if we would be right in our reckoning, that we change our count of the days one whole day in passing a certain part of our earth’s circumference.
But some may ask, Is it not absurd to speak of day as going round the world? Can time be said to make the circuit of the globe? It will help such persons to a correct understanding of this subject if we first consider another question, What method of measuring time or of reckoning days did the Creator ordain? Did he ordain what may be called absolute time? Or did he establish a reckoning of time which to the earth’s inhabitants would be of a relative rather than an absolute character; that is to say, one that should be earlier in some places than in others? Undoubtedly it was in his power to establish either. He could give to man what may be termed the reckoning of absolute time, and then the day must begin at the same instant to all our earth’s inhabitants. Or, if he saw best, he could give them a method of reckoning time that should cause the day to begin first of all at a certain point or line in the circumference of our globe, and thence begin later and yet later as it moves on its course, till last of all it should begin just where it finishes its circuit.
Which method did he adopt? This can be definitely answered. To give to the inhabitants of our earth the reckoning of what may be termed simply absolute time, he must cause the day to begin to all at the same instant, and of course end then to all. Without doubt he could do this. He is able to light the world without the sun, for he did do this the first three days of creation. Light shone out of darkness at his command. 2 Cor. 4:6. As this was effected by his own direct power and not by second causes, it was as easy for him to light the whole globe in an instant as it was to light simply one-half of it. But he deemed it wisest to light one side of the world and leave the other side dark. And then by causing the earth to revolve he gives the light and the darkness to all its surface. And, as he was pleased to cause the earth to revolve from west to east, he gave to light and to darkness an apparent circuit round the world from east to west. Really light and darkness, as related to our earth, have stood still since God first made one side of our world light, and left the other dark. It is the earth which moves, and not the light and the darkness. But to us the light and the darkness are swiftly and without cessation following each other round the world. “God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.” Gen. 1:5. The evening and the morning, or the darkness and the light, made the first day. And this was true of all the days of the creation. Gen. 1. Whence it follows that each day of the week must have its proper period of darkness, and its proper period of light, or its night and its day. And to have these, each twenty-four-hour day must begin with the commencement of evening, and embrace all the darkness and all the light of the two natural divisions of such days. But evening must begin first at some part of our earth’s circumference, and thence follow round our world to the point whence it started, carrying in its front the commencement of day to all the world. But this proves conclusively that God has not given to the world of mankind the measurement of absolute time. Had he given this, instead of lighting one side of the globe and causing this light to make the apparent circuit of the globe, and by this means making day come later to some than to others, he could have lighted the earth in an instant on all sides, and when the period of light was up, could have caused instant darkness to shroud the entire globe. By this method, which was entirely within his power, he could have given to all mankind the reckoning of absolute time. It would have been true, then, that each day of the week would commence at the same identical moment to all the inhabitants of the earth.
But God has not established such a reckoning of the days of the week. Instead of giving us darkness at the same instant the world over, and after the period of darkness, giving us light in a moment, that should light all the world, he has given the measurement of what may be called relative time; that is, he has given us days that begin earlier to some than to others? To the people of China they begin about twelve hours earlier than with us. And those with whom day first begins its course are, as a necessary consequence, twenty-four hours in advance of those who live where the day begins latest of all. Had God given us the reckoning of absolute time (I use the term for lack of a better one), there could be no such thing as the gain or loss of a day in the circumnavigation of the globe; or rather the change of one day in our count of the days when we cross a certain portion of our earth’s circumference would not be necessary. It exists now because that there is a line whence day begins the circuit of the globe and at which that circuit terminates. But if the whole world were lighted in the same instant, and if darkness came to all the world at once, then day would have no circuit of the globe, and there would be no day line dividing the beginning of the circuit of day from its ending, and making the change in our count of the days of the week when we cross it.
It has pleased God to give us the reckoning of relative, rather than of absolute, time. And as it has seemed good to him to give us a reckoning of time which causes each day to go round the world, we may be sure that this is wisest and best. Yet if day goes round the world it must of necessity have a place whence it sets out and where it ends its course. There must be therefore a day line recognized in our reckoning of time. And while time is relative to all the rest of the world, for its commencement is governed by the distance of each place from the beginning of the course of day, the reckoning of time may justly be called absolute at that line, being governed only by the lapse of time from the creation as may be shown hereafter.
We do not therefore say that time makes the circuit of our globe. But we do say that light and darkness make the apparent circuit of the globe, and that God has called the light day and the darkness night, and that of these two divisions he has made up each day of the week. Day being thus constituted may with propriety be said to make the circuit of the globe.
It cannot therefore be denied that each day requires forty-eight hours to accomplish its mission. It ends where it first begins in just twenty-four hours; and were it true that it begins at the same instant the world over, it would end to all the world in just twenty-four hours from its commencement. But as it begins later to those who live at a distance from this line, it cannot end to them in twenty-four hours from the time that it commenced at that line. And as it necessarily begins twenty-four hours later to those who live on the east side of that line than it does to those who live on its west side, it must continue to exist there twenty-four hours after it has ceased on the west side, whence it set out on its circuit. And this brings us to consider a remarkable fact.
As a necessary consequence of the fact that each twenty-four-hour day requires forty-eight hours to accomplish the circuit of the globe, there are two days of the week going round the world all the time, with the exception of the single instant, each twenty-four hours, which marks the expiration of day where it first commences. For the moment that day ends where it first set out, it begins where it commences latest of all. In other words, there may be said to be just an instant each twenty-four hours when one day completely compasses our globe. This is the moment when sunset has journeyed to the end of its circuit and is just ready to begin another circuit. This is when the day is twenty-four hours old at the beginning of its circuit, and has just commenced at the end of that circuit. These two extremes in the course of day really come together or touch each other. And now observe:
Sunset having brought the beginning of day to that point where it commences last of all, viz., to the east side of the day line, immediately passes that line and begins another day of the week. And as sunset starts out on this new course around the world, bringing a new day in its train, the old day retires before it. When six hours have elapsed from the setting of the sun, at that point where the days of the week first begin, the new day has got one-fourth of the way round the world, and the old, or preceding day, yet covers three-fourths of our world’s surface or three-fourths of the distance round our world. Thus if the new day be the second day of the week it has at that moment one-fourth of the circumference of the globe, while the old day or first day of the week which is retiring before it, has three-fourths of the globe yet to itself. This will explain the remarkable telegraphic feat which will be possible as soon as our world is girded with the telegraph wire, of telegraphing from a portion of our world where it is Monday, through another portion where it is Tuesday, forward to where it is still Monday. More on this point. But it is time to speak concerning the day line and to this we next call attention.
J. N. ANDREWS.
God Warms the Earth with Snow
God warms the earth with snow; can he not also warm the soul with grief?
Churches and Grog-shops.
By J. H. W.
BROOKLYN, N. Y., is often called “the city of churches,” it being somewhat remarkable for the number of its churches, and the comparative number of its church-going people. Its real or comparative church influence may be learned from the following, which we clip from the religious news items of the Boston Journal:—
“A correspondent of the Reflector, writing from Brooklyn, estimates that 37,000 people in that city go to church every Sunday, and 75,000 go to the 1635 grog-shops every day in the week!”
The ministers of most Protestant churches persistently preach that “the world is growing better,” and as Brooklyn is one of the most religious and worshipful cities of Christendom, it presents probably one of the strongest evidences that the millennium is dawning! It is astonishing how well-meaning people will preach this delusive doctrine of the world’s conversion, shutting their eyes both to surrounding facts everywhere presented, and to plain Scripture declarations on the subject. J. H. W.
Rashly Judging.
By D. T. Bourdeau
“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matt. 7:1, 2.
This passage does not imply that we may not decide in the light of God’s word whether the course of others is good or evil; for the Saviour tells us in the same chapter, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” verse 16; and the Scriptures make it a part of our duty to show our fellow-creatures their sins, that they may reform, and not die. The meaning of this scripture is evidently this: We should not condemn rashly, in a final sense, and without mercy, our erring brethren. We are in danger of doing this when we are tried with them, and their faults are magnified to our minds by Satan. Then we are liable to overlook the beam that is in our own eye while trying to remove the mote out of our brother’s eye, and should remember that if we cast off our weak brethren, God will also cast us off. With what measure we mete, it shall be measured to us again. But if we are merciful, we shall obtain mercy. Let those beware who are inclined to rashly judge their brethren.
“The time is coming when the saints shall judge the world,” 1 Cor. 6:2; but it is no part of their work to judge those to whom God is merciful and for whom Christ died. “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts; and then shall every man have praise of God.” 1 Cor. 4:5. D. T. BOURDEAU.
Maxims on Motive, Humility, and Responsibility
By Jos. Clarke
Items.
SOME dread to pay an old debt; others esteem it a privilege and a pleasure to do this.
Humility smooths the path of adversity, and sobers and steadies success.
We may know if a thing is right by asking the blessing of God upon it. If it is right, and our motive is good, we shall be approved by an enlightened conscience. If not, conscience disapproves.
Wicked men think good men are fools; but good men have evidence that when matters are duly weighed the case is reversed.
It is not policy to do wrong; yet we should not do right merely from motives of policy.
We may continue for a time in the path of rectitude from unworthy motives; but unless the motive is purified, some temptation will overturn our hopes.
A very imperfect man with a pure motive is better than a model man with a base motive.
An aptness for business and occupation is natural to most, and this is fostered by practice; but human nature is not favorable to the moral virtues. These are won only by labor, and faith, and prayer.
To feel one's responsibility in all things is the highest attainment of the man of God. Too many ignore this to save labor. It is sweet to rest, and sleep, and say, I am not my brother's keeper nor any one's keeper.
JOS. CLARKE.
“The Heaven of Heavens.”
By G. W. Mitchell
This language, used by several of the writers of the Old Testament, must mean something. We offer the following, as a probable hypothesis: There are, at the least computation, seventy-eight millions of fixed stars. Each star is a sun, the center of a system equal in magnitude, no doubt, to the solar system, which is composed of the sun, primary and secondary planets, asteroids, and comets. Now the position we take is, that these suns are heavens, each one being the center of its own system. Again, these mighty systems revolve around a grand center; which was discovered by astronomers, not many years in the past; and this grand center cannot be anything less than the great throne of the eternal God, and therefore must be the Heaven of heavens. How great is Jehovah! Praise the living and true God.
G. W. MITCHELL.
Zanesville, Ohio.
The Surest Points: On Mental Strength
A RAPID mind continually struggles, a feeble one limps, but a great mind selects the surest points, and upon these it stands.
Report from Bro. Canright.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
AFTER finishing our meetings at State Center, Monday, April 24, Bro. Berry brought us home to Monroe, where we staid two days. Thursday I preached the funeral sermon of sister Romans, and the same day went to Winterset, and stopped at Bro. Koon’s. Friday, I went to Peru, and began meetings in the evening. All seems to be encouraging here. Their Sabbath-school and all their meetings, are well attended. Their house is now seated, so that we have a comfortable place of meeting. I preached on temperance and other practical subjects, so far as I had time. All seemed to receive these subjects well; and most of them have made a good beginning in the reforms. Tobacco is now laid aside by nearly all. Tea and coffee are largely abandoned, and some of them are taking good steps in the health reform. A number of them take the Reformer.
There is no opposition to any of the truth; but all seem to love it, and receive it heartily. This is very encouraging to us. I greatly desired to organize a church, and attend to other business matters, but was prevented by being compelled to hold an eight-days’ discussion with Eld. P. T. Russel, Disciple minister, from Des Moines.
From the first of our coming to Peru, the Christian church have been very hostile to us. They finally sent for Eld. Russel, who came in our absence, and lectured against us several days. He misrepresented us, boasted and bragged in a wonderful manner about what he had done, and could do; and he finally left a very defiant challenge for a debate. When I returned, they again brought him there, and renewed and pressed the challenge, daring me to accept it. Though in many ways they manifested the greatest unfairness, yet finally everything was arranged, and we had the debate lasting eight sessions. I affirmed the seventh-day Sabbath, and he the first-day Sabbath. The positions taken on each side are so familiar to our readers that I will not stop to give them. Eld. Russel claims to be a champion debater, having held thirty-four set debates, has written a large book against Adventism, has discussed with many of our ministers, &c. This, together with his great, swelling words, gave his friends the utmost confidence in him. They were sure of the victory and were very boastful.
We felt that our strength lay in the truth and the help of God. In his name we undertook its defense. I think I can say truthfully that I never engaged in a debate where my opponent so utterly and manifestly failed in every point. He seemed to be confused all the time. Very soon the sympathies of the mass of the people turned against him and remained so to the end. It gave our friends great confidence in the truth and boldness in the work of the Lord. The mouths of the opposition are completely stopped. To the Lord be all the praise.
Knowing that my appointments would not allow me to remain in Peru, or to return there for several months, if at all, Eld. Russel challenged me during the debate to discuss the destiny of the wicked with him. As it happened that day, I learned that our camp-meetings were put off one week, so I could stay a week longer; upon which I immediately accepted his challenge, much to his consternation. When the debate closed, I reminded him of his challenge, and that I had accepted it, and that I was now ready to go right on with the next question. This put him in a bad fix. Both he and the Christian church had got enough of the discussion, and this I knew very well. He only meant to bluff me off and get a chance to brag; therefore I urged the matter. When he saw that I meant work, he simply dropped it, and thus left the place with his challenge accepted. Thus ended the debate.
The last Sabbath that I was there was a beautiful day. Our little house looked clean and neat. Team after team drove up, nearly every one well loaded with whole families of Sabbath-keepers. When it was time to open Sabbath-school, there were one hundred and ten present, including children and young people. With the exception of perhaps half a dozen, all were Sabbath-keepers. When we went there last winter there was only one Sabbath-keeper in the place. It was a sight to do one’s soul good. All looked so tidy, so cheerful, so happy, that one could not but feel happy there. Bro. Larimer, our singing teacher, with the Sabbath-school, gave us some sweet music. Then I talked to them for over an hour. It was a touching and melting time. I could not refrain from weeping most of the time, nor was there scarcely one in the house whose eyes were dry. All these friends seemed as near and dear to me as my own children. I loved them as my own soul, and now we must part. There was no probability of our meeting for long months, if at all. What lies before this little company thus starting so prosperously? We are in the land of the enemy, trials must come, the flesh is weak—some will fall. My mind ran back through the seven years of my labors to the little companies which I have been compelled to leave in a similar manner. For a time it entirely overcame me; but by the help of the Lord we will labor on till the great meeting on Mount Zion. Then we hope to meet a goodly number of these precious souls.
In the afternoon we had an inquiry meeting. It was a precious season. Nearly all took a firm stand to devote their lives to God. Sunday, I preached with good freedom for the last time to a crowded house. At the close of the sermon a number of our firm friends who have not yet taken their stand with us, proposed to contribute something for our expenses; whereupon they raised $35. This we thought was very liberal, considering the circumstances. Then we went half a mile to the river and had a baptism. God added his blessing, and we all felt encouraged. Tuesday I returned home.
Never in my experience has a pure life, the peace of God in the soul, and a good hope of Heaven, looked so desirable and so precious to me as in the past few weeks. These are more precious than silver or gold, or all the joys the world can give. Never did sin appear so exceedingly sinful to me. It seems as though I had never known my own heart before. As God has helped me to see it and to realize how abominable sin is in his sight, my soul has been humbled into the very dust, and I have felt like crying, Unclean, unclean! God has said, “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.” Sin is a hateful thing in any one, but how much more so in a minister of our holy God! A deep sense of this filled my soul with fear and trembling. I marvel that God has ever allowed me to be connected with this most sacred work.
But I hope in God and in his infinite mercy. The blood of Jesus can cleanse from all sin. There is help in God for me, and I must have it. If I can be kept from sin and saved, only through sorrow, disappointment, and humiliation, may the Lord send them in mercy.
“Let cares like a wild deluge come,
And storms of sorrow fall;
May I but safely reach my home,
My God, my Heaven, my all.”
I want to fall upon the Stone now and be broken, Matt. 21:44, rather than remain whole and then be ground to powder at the Judgment. I am fully determined never to rest till I know Jesus Christ and the power of his salvation. The highest ambition of my soul now is to be a faithful, devoted and tender-hearted minister of Christ.
“I’m a lonely trav’ler here,
Weary, oppressed;
But my journey’s end is near—
Soon I shall rest.
Worldly honors, hopes, and gain,
All I resign;
Welcome sorrow, grief, and pain,
If Heaven be mine.”
God is good, and all that he does is right. While I humble myself before him, cast my cares upon him, and rely upon his promises, I have some peace and joy in my soul. Brethren, remember to pray for us. D. M. CANRIGHT.
Northville, Ill.
By Y. M. Steward
SINCE my last report, I have spent the most of the time near Northville, so that I have met with the church there every Sabbath. We have had very interesting meetings, Sabbath days. The opposition is spiteful, but not very strong. A good many are still interested, and are anticipating a feast at the camp-meeting. I have now been home a few weeks to arrange matters so I can leave for the summer. I want to be of some service in this precious cause. May the Lord help me to fully wake up to the times in which we live, and may the good work go on.