THESE words of solemn admonition were addressed, by Moses, to the two and a half tribes that proposed to remain on the east side of Jordan. He feared that they would depart from God and fail in the fulfilment of their solemn vows. He knew that if such should be the case, they would bring upon themselves lasting sorrow and final ruin. See the case as stated, Num. xxxii.
“Be sure your sin will find you out.” “Sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John iii, 4. “All unrighteousness is sin.” 1 John v, 17. These are Bible definitions of this terrible evil. Sin is a very short word, but every kind of evil thing is embraced in its meaning. It is that terrible moral disease typified by the laws concerning leprosy. Lev. xiii; xiv. Like that, it is a disease that never gets well of itself. Like the leprosy, also, it is a contagious disease. The sinner contaminates the very atmosphere. He introduces pollution where all before was comparative purity. The society of the sinner is calculated to lead others to sin. There is more reason for us to fear such influences, than there is to fear the infection of the leper.
Like the leprosy, it is a terrible disease. It eats up its victim alive. The leprosy, while its victim is alive, will eat up a man’s hands, his arms, his feet, his limbs, and, atom by atom, it will prey upon the man till it reaches his vitals. And sin will not only do the same thing, but far worse. It will poison the blood, destroy the eyes, ruin the stomach, benumb the sensibilities, render the brain incapable of action, break down the vital powers, turn the hair gray, make the countenance wear a look of malice, or of pride, or of deceit, or of sensuality, cover the body with sores, fill the mind with pollution, stain the conscience with guilt, bring the transgressor to a premature grave, and at the Judgment consign him to the second death, in the lake of fire.
The leprosy is a disease that cannot be hidden. You may conceal it, possibly, for a time, but it will, without fail, after a little, reveal its existence. Your hands will show it. The fingers, in spite of your best endeavors, will consume and drop off. The face will show it. It will appear upon your forehead; it will discover itself in the sight of all. But it is an easy thing to conceal the leprosy compared with the task of concealing sin. God has put a voice in every thing to rise up and bear testimony against this abominable thing which his soul hateth. And so at the moment when we least anticipate such a result, some little thing proves the secret spring that lays open our whole lives, and reveals all our hidden iniquity.
Sin promises us great advantage. We may have by it vain honors, unjust gain, and unlawful pleasures. Try it, says sin. You can get these in no other way. The wrong connected with the transgression will only make the acquisition more valuable to you. Moreover, I will conceal the shame of your wrong, by hiding it from the knowledge of men. Oh, vain and empty promise! Rather I should say, Oh, monstrous and satanic deception and falsehood! The things promised are only placed before you as the bait is used to lure the wild beast to the trap. Sin takes no care to fulfil its promises. The pleasures which sin offers, you may entirely fail of obtaining. The sting of a guilty conscience you will certainly feel. That is the manner that wrong-doing adds to our joys. And as to hiding your guilt, you will find the only thing that sin hides is the trap that it is trying to lure you into, and that when once you are fast therein, you are exposed to the gaze of the world. Sin cannot be hid. Even could we conceal it from men, the eye of God cannot be escaped by us. Sin is that one thing which God cannot suffer men to commit without taking notice of it. Indeed, if you wish to bring the eye of God upon you, venture upon the commission of some deed of evil. You will find that your sin was not only naked and open to the sight of the Almighty, but that the recording angel stood in your immediate presence and wrote down every thing pertaining to your sin. You may hide yourself in sheol, but God’s hand shall reach you there. Death and sheol shall both give you up. Amos ix, 2; Rev. xx, 13–15. You shall then be no longer concealed in the darkness of sheol. You shall be no longer unconscious in death. You shall appear before God. There shall you meet the books of record with an exact statement of all your sins. Were you disposed to deny the record, there are the angels of God as witnesses, who, unseen by you, beheld all your evil deeds. Even your raiment stained by sin shall bear witness against you. And if the Judge shall bid you hold up your hands, the stain of your wrong acts upon them shall bear witness to your wicked life. And as if all this were insufficient, conscience, that may have long slumbered in your heart, shall now be awakened with such terrible powers of reproof, and with such perfect remembrance of your whole life of evil, that your tongue shall be silenced and your lips sealed from one word of excuse or extenuation. And then added to all this, the eyes of the Judge shall be upon you that shall pierce you through. The eyes of Him against whom you sinned, and which witnessed every act of your sinful course, shall be so insupportable that even to be dashed in pieces by the fall of mountains, would bring infinite relief. At this awful tribunal every knee shall bow and every TONGUE CONFESS.
Oh, that they had confessed before! Oh, that they had bowed the heart and bent the knee while it was possible for them to find pardon! Oh, that they had put away their sins by that repentance which God can accept! Oh, that they had been cleansed from their leprosy by the great physician of souls! The gospel offered them pardon. It bade them cease to do evil, and learn to do well. It bade them seek God with brokenness of heart and contrition of spirit. It taught them to be converted and become as little children. It insisted that they should put away all evil from them; that they should remove the stains, the spots, and even the wrinkles from their raiment; that they should cleanse their hands and purify their hearts. It offered to make them new creatures in Christ Jesus; it offered to establish truth in the inward parts, and to wash them till they were whiter than snow, so that they should be found unblamable and unreprovable in his sight. It promised the forgiveness of sins, the restoration of lost innocence, and the remembrance of their guilt no more. Alas! all this so freely promised and so urgently pressed upon the guilty conscience, was neglected for a more convenient season, till mercy ceased to plead, and the gospel no longer offered its gracious blessings to sinful men.
The gospel having done its work, the law of God which had waited to give men a chance to repent and be pardoned, now waits no longer. “The strength of sin is the law.” 1 Cor. xv, 56. Now sin finds out the transgressor. Now the law of God gives terrible force to men’s guilt. Each man’s own transgression returns upon him, with the weight of a mountain, to crush him in perdition. The law of God, which men have transgressed, must now be vindicated, and the lake of fire make an utter end of sinful men and of sinful deeds. Not one sin shall then pass unremembered and unpunished. Shall our sins be effectually hidden by the work of our High Priest, or terribly punished in the lake of fire?
WORDS OF ADMONITION.
Hosea vii, 2; “And they consider not in their hearts that I REMEMBER ALL THEIR WICKEDNESS; now their own doings have beset them about; THEY ARE BEFORE MY FACE.”
How this declaration should alarm us when we do wrong! What a restraining influence should these words have upon our minds to keep us from evil. All our evil deeds are plain to God’s view, as being directly before his face. And he declares that he will remember all our wickedness. How soon our wrong deeds pass from our minds! But God remembers them all.
Eccl. xii, 14: “For God shall bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Then the Scriptures mean something when they say God remembers all the wickedness of men. He designs to call them to account for it in the day of Judgment. What an alarming statement is this! Even all the secret things will be inquired into, and opened before all. We cannot hide sin by committing it in secret. It is all naked and open to the Judge of men.
Rev. xx, 12: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
So it appears that God not only sees our conduct and remembers it all, not even our secret sins being hidden from him, but that he even causes it all to be written in the books of his remembrance. It further appears that the decision of that final day shall be according to what our works have been. What words can express the difference that shall be made between the righteous and the wicked! Those whose names are in the BOOK OF LIFE, shall live forever with the Lord. And those whose names are not found in that record of immortal fame—and every name therein is what Solomon commends as a name of priceless value—every one whose name, I say, is not found in the book of life shall have his part in the devouring fire, which is the second death. Isa. xxxiii, 11, 12, 14; Rev. xx, 14, 15; xxi, 8. The following words which may have some application even to judgments in this life133present the final overthrow of the wicked in language that should cause fear and trembling.
Eze. xvii, 14: “Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it.”
Of what use is it that we harden our hearts? We can make them hard enough to render ourselves incapable of fearing the judgments of God; but, when the judgments shall be inflicted, can our hearts then endure, can our hands then be strong? How much better is a tender heart, that feels the first approach of sin and flies from it. How circumspect should all our conduct be in the light of such testimonies as the above.
1 Sam. ii, 3: “The Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.”
If God weighs our actions, would it not be well for us to weigh them? If we must come to the Judgment, would it not be well to bear it in mind in every thing we do? If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall such as ourselves appear?
WESTERN TOUR.
By James White
SEPTEMBER 23, we left Battle Creek for the Clinton, Wis., Camp-meeting, and reached the place of meeting the 24th. Bro. Andrews was on the ground one day before us; and when we arrived, the meeting was in successful progress.
There was quite a general attendance of the brethren from Wisconsin and Illinois, probably the largest meeting of these States ever held. We were happy to meet Elds. R. F. Andrews, I. Sanborn, and T. M. Steward, and join with them in the interests of this Camp-meeting.
Those who spoke from the stand enjoyed freedom; and the social meetings were deeply interesting. There was much interest taken in our very dear Bro. Erzenberger, from Switzerland, by all, especially by our German, Norwegian, and Danish brethren. The meeting was one of harmony and sweet union. The word was spoken with plainness and power, and deeply affected all. The one Spirit moved on the minds and hearts of all, and it was truly delightful to see Americans, Germans, Norwegians, Danes, and Swiss, all enjoying the one faith, the one hope, and the one Spirit. None felt that they were strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.
The business sessions of the Wisconsin and Illinois Conference were held between the religious services, excepting the Sabbath, and were conducted with great harmony and general satisfaction. And the Camp-meeting closed up well, leaving a cheering influence upon all. The time was short, and the weather, a portion of the time, stormy, and we had not all that opportunity to labor for the conversion of sinners that we wished. A good impression was made on the minds of the people, and not a few came forward to seek the Lord.
The people of Clinton Junction were moved with feelings of sympathy and liberality toward our people, as they were suffering from a terrible storm, and took them to their houses. They also gave us a good hearing, and showed us great kindness and respect.
It was decided to hold two Camp-meetings within the limits of this Conference, next June, one in Illinois, and the other in Wisconsin.
The 29th, we left Clinton Junction for Minnesota, and reached the camp-ground at Wasioja, the 30th. It was a long, hard route by railroad and steamboat and carriage. Mrs. W. was in good spirits, but we were all weary.
We found several tents on the ground. By a strong effort, many brethren and sisters had come together. But recent rains, flooding the streams and sloughs, prevented some. We put up our tent, and made preparations for the night. Here we were happy to meet Dr. Russell, who remained with us, lodging in our tent, with Bro. Andrews and Erzenberger, till the meeting closed. We also here met Elds. Pierce and Ingraham, formerly from Vermont.
In the evening I spoke to the people, showing why we believe as we do. It was a place of freedom. The night was cold. I preached with my overcoat on. And I could see my breath float out upon the cold, clear air, far from me, as I spoke. Yet the people heard me with fixed attention.
This meeting was marked with great freedom in preaching the word, and a spirit of confession among the people. We were happily disappointed in the brethren and sisters in Minnesota, and hope to be able to meet a more general gathering at their Camp-meeting the last of June next. May God bless the labors of preaching brethren in that new State, and raise up many witnesses for the truth there.
We feel a deep interest in the Danes in that State, and shall see that Danish publications are furnished at reasonable prices, and a portion to circulate gratuitously. Dr. Russell left us free in spirit, settled in faith, expressing the strongest confidence in the truth and work of God as held by Seventh-day Adventists. His many friends wish to hear from him through the REVIEW.
We sold many books at this meeting, and gave from the book fund about two hundred dollars' worth. We are ready to send English and Danish publications to that new field when needed for gratuitous distribution. May God bless the cause in Minnesota.
JAMES WHITE.
Battle Creek, Oct. 17, 1869.
THE CLOSING MESSAGES.—NO. 10.
By R. F. Cottrell
We come now to examine the frame of a city—that great city, the city of confusion. Its measurement is so fully given—it is so accurately described, with its towns and villages—that the candid and unprejudiced inquirer after truth need not fail to identify her. To aid us in our inquiries, this mystical city is also symbolized as a family, a mother and her daughters, all formally married, and professing fidelity, to the best of husbands, only as a screen to cover a life of lewdness. The mother, as a representative of the whole family, holds a golden cup in her hand, emblematical of purity, but “full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.” Rev. xvii, 1–6.
Babylon is a professor of religion, but false, apostate, and corrupt. In Rev. xii, the true church in her purity is represented by a woman. She is clothed with the sun, and the moon is under her feet—clad in the armor of light, and raised above sublunary things. In chap. xvii, in the wilderness state of the true church, the apostate is represented by a woman sitting upon a wild beast of earth, arrayed in all the insignia of earthly pomp and power, and drunken with the blood of saints. Who cannot see in this description the features of the apostate church controlling the civil power of the divided empire of Rome, symbolized by a beast with seven heads and ten horns, and through the aid of kings, with whom she commits lewdness, persecuting to death the saints of God? This is so evident that none but a Romanist will deny it. Consequently, all Protestants, who have any position on prophecy, are agreed that the harlot is the corrupt, apostate, worldly, persecuting church of Rome. We believe this; and we believe more. When any other church, professing to be a church of Christ, exhibits the same characteristics—worldliness, corruption of the doctrines of Christ, and seeking the aid of civil law to enforce her self-imposed rites and observances—she proves herself false to Christ, her professed husband, commits lewdness with earthly rulers, and identifies herself as a portion of that great city which “made all nations drink of the wine of its raging fornication.”
We do not, as some fanatics have done, apply the term Babylon to every organized church in existence, as though church organization was the sin of Babylon; but all those who bear the features of the “mother,” and follow in her footsteps of corruption, apostasy, and unlawful connection with political governments, may justly claim a place in the family. It is not yet understood by all, that the self-styled orthodox churches of our land, are, at this moment, wooing the State, and seeking the aid of more stringent civil law to enforce their unscriptural and anti-scriptural doctrines. Let all look well to it. It was a trait of the mother, to supply her lack of Bible testimony, by calling on the State to enforce her dogmas by civil laws and penalties. The contrary is in this family from other women, in that they do the wooing, offering gifts and rewards. Eze. xvi, 33, 34. The State, in this country, has been backward to reciprocate the advances of the church; but politicians are becoming too corrupt much longer to repel her advances and reject her enticements.
The combined symbol, of a city and a woman, is the chosen representative of a church, or the professed people of God, in the Scriptures. Zion, or Jerusalem above, the antitype of the earthly, is the mother of all true believers. Gal. iv, 26. The false church, professedly allied to Christ, but really united to the world—having the form of godliness, but denying the power—is symbolized as Babylon the great, the mother of harlots. When the chosen people of God, the Jews, apostatized from him, and joined themselves to the surrounding nations, and worshiped their gods, they are symbolized by their city, Jerusalem, as a lewd woman, playing the harlot with many lovers. See Eze. xvi; Jer. ii, 20; iii, 1. And in view of this, Isaiah exclaims, “How is the faithful city become an harlot.” Chap. i.
From evidences like these, it is certain that the Babylon of the Apocalypse is the symbol of the apostate, false, and corrupt church, professedly Christian. And she is not a unit. Her name, Babylon, confusion, derived from the confusion of tongues at the building of the tower of Babel, which resulted in scattering abroad the builders, and the founding of various nations and tongues, is the most fitting appellation to signify the divided, discordant, confused state of the various churches professing Christianity of different nations, some of them closely wedded to the civil governments of their several states and nations, and others desiring to be; for “all nations” have drank of her wine, whether Catholic, Greek, or Protestant, and “the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
Babylon is the apostate church; professedly Christian, but really anti-Christian. The beloved disciple was familiar with the martyrdom of the church at the hand of Pagans. He was himself in banishment for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. But when he saw in a vision of the future, a power professing to be the church of Christ, reigning over, and directing, the movements of the kings of the earth, and “drunken with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus,” which she had caused to be shed, he “wondered with great amazement.”
Her fornication is her unlawful intercourse with the wicked powers of earth, attained by mingling truth with error—the doctrines of Christ with the doctrines of men and devils.” “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James iv, 4. The wine of her “raging whoredom” consists of these false doctrines and principles of action, which have been diffused among all the nations, especially the lust of civil power, which, when attained by an apostate church (and it is sought for by no other), never fails to lead to oppression and persecution. Hence, when the Reformation began to expose the corrupt doctrines and practices of the Roman harlot, exhibiting her in her true character, unprincipled and ambitious kings, queens, and princes, and bishops and priests, drunken with the wine of the mother, and eager for civil power and control, stood ready to unite in casting off the galling yoke of the Roman papacy, at the same time establishing law-religion at home, which enabled them to persecute Papists and others who dissented from their mongrel creeds. The Reformation was right; but these made a wrong use of it. “As is the mother, so is her daughter.” From the oppression and persecution of these, our forefathers sought an asylum in the wilds of America. But all nations have tasted this wine; hence our nation is not exempt. Its intoxicating qualities have been seen here, in the persecution of Baptists and Quakers. Future developments will speak for themselves.
R. F. COTTRELL.
The Second Blow Begins the Quarrel
An old Arabian proverb says: “It is the second blow that begins the quarrel.”
P. WATERMAN
By P. Waterman
From Bro. Waterman.
Through the kindness of thoughtful brethren, I have had the privilege of having the REVIEW to read for some six or eight months. I thank them much for their kindness, and for their labors in this place. I feel to thank the Lord that I have had the privilege of hearing the gospel preached in its simplicity and beauty. It has been my prayer for years that I might be able to come to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Christ. I want to be obedient to all of God's requirements. I have been forsaken by friends because I had embraced the Advent doctrine, but I did not feel that the Lord had forsaken me. I am trying to live nearer to God, and consecrate myself to the service of the meek and lowly Jesus. May God help me to overcome every besetting sin, and to run with patience the race before me.
Shortly after beginning to keep the Sabbath of the Lord, I studied the truth for myself. Some passages of Scripture left doubts in my mind, whether it was binding on us still to keep the seventh-day. The light shown on these passages in the ADVENT REVIEW, has enabled me to more clearly understand this subject. I now expect as long as I live to regard the Lord's day, although I am alone in this place. I expect to meet with difficulties on the way. I spend the Sabbath in reading my Bible and REVIEW. It is all the preaching I have had in a long time. I ask an interest in the prayers of God's children, that I may prove faithful to the end.
Yours in Christ,
P. WATERMAN
Olmsted Co., Minn.
From Sr. Mott.
By Josephine Mott
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: I united with the Seventh-day Adventist church last March, just before Bro. H. C. Blanchard left this place. I had before that been a member of the Christian church at this place, but I fear that I had only the name; that I was not right in the sight of God. I feel most heartily to repent of the sins I have committed, and hope that Jesus' blood will avail even for me.135
Since I have been trying to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, I have had more true peace and happiness than I ever knew before.
My mind has been much exercised on the subject of re-baptism. It does not seem as though my former baptism was valid, and I feel as though I ought to be buried with Christ in baptism. I want to do my whole duty.
God has been very good to me. Although I have been afflicted at times, it has been all for my good, and I know that if I put my trust in him I shall never be moved. May we all continue faithful, and at last meet on Mount Zion, is my prayer. Yours in the blessed hope.
JOSEPHINE MOTT.
Peoria Co., Ill.
REPORT FROM OHIO.
By I. D. Van Horn
From Sept. 22 to 27, I was with the church in Strongsville. During this time, I held eight meetings. The brethren and sisters all testified that they were much encouraged by the meetings, and felt determined to go on and engage more earnestly in the work of the Lord. There was some interest on the part of a few that came to our meetings, to hear and profit by the truth. May the Lord bless the effort there made to the good of all.
From Sept. 28 to Oct. 13, fifteen days, I was with the church in North Bloomfield. I found them in a low state spiritually, and the enemy, taking advantage of this, had set them to finding fault with one another. The elder had become discouraged, and felt like moving away.
While I was with them, we had twenty-three meetings. My first effort was to raise their minds off from themselves, and get them to contemplate the sufferings of Christ, and how much he had done for them. In this I succeeded. I then urged them to begin to work for themselves, and try, by earnest searching of heart and prayer, to get near the Lord and in union with his Spirit. I showed them by the word of the Lord, that if they were in fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, they would be in perfect union with each other. In this we succeeded beyond our expectations. As the rays of heavenly light began to shine into their hearts, the darkness gave way. They began to confess, and their little difficulties that seemed like mountains before, now became so small that they were readily removed. The love of Jesus filled their hearts and they began to press together.
Bro. Mears was with us on Sabbath and Sunday, the 9th and 10th. His testimony proved a great help. He had passed through similar trials, and he was prepared by experience to take hold and help in the work here. The Lord let his blessing rest on us all, and the result of the meeting has been good. We left them very much encouraged.
May they all seek to glorify the Lord hereafter, and may his rich blessing rest on them all.
I. D. VAN HORN.
Belleville, Ohio, Oct. 15, 1869.
PERPETUITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
By H. C. Miller
ALTHOUGH the following does not agree with the popular idea in regard to the perpetuity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, yet it is a good answer to those who contend that only faith abides of all the gifts set in the church by the Great Head. Joel prophesied that it should “come to pass in the last day that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; . . . your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions,” &c. History gives account of the fulfilling. We copy from a sketch of the Life of Nathan Bangs in Ladies’ Repository for June, 1869, a dream of his:
“Nathan Bangs was born May 2, 1778. Was awakened and converted in 1800. Began to preach in 1801. . . . His first year was one of great trial. He preached with all the ardor of a youthful evangelist, full of fire and vigor, but souls were not converted. Temptation came; his heart and courage failed; and he was disposed to quit his work and go home. One night after a weary day of fruitless labor, he slept heavily and dreamed. He was working with a pick-ax on the top of a basaltic rock. His muscular arm brought down stroke after stroke for hours; but after all, the rock was hardly indented. He said to himself, at last, ‘It is useless; I will pick no more.’ Suddenly, a stranger of dignified mien stood by his side, and spoke to him. ‘You will pick no more?’ ‘No.’ ‘Were you not set to this task?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘And why abandon it?’ ‘My work is vain; I make no impression on the rock.’ Solemnly the stranger replied: ‘What is that to you? Your duty is to pick, whether the rock yields, or not. Your work is in your own hands; the result is not. Go on!’ He resumed his task. The first blow was given with almost superhuman force, and the rock flew into a thousand pieces. He awoke; went to work with fresh zeal and energy, and a great revival followed.”
H. C. MILLER.
FALLING FROM GRACE.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
THERE are those who claim that a man once in grace, can never fall from it,—once soundly converted, he never can fall away. This doctrine is both unreasonable and unscriptural. Ezekiel most plainly teaches that the righteous man can become a wicked man, and die such. Thus he says, “But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.” Ez. xviii, 24. It would seem that language could not more plainly state the fact that the righteous man can fall from his righteousness and become wicked. Paul says, “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Gal. v, 5. Paul, then, believed in falling from grace. In Heb. vi, 4-6, he teaches the doctrine still more plainly, showing that they can fall away so far as never to be reclaimed again. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” So in Rev. iii, 5, it is shown that there is danger of having our names blotted out of the book of life after they have once been written there. In verse 11, Christ says, “Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Here the same idea is conveyed, that a man may lose the crown designed for him. A host of other scriptures might be quoted to the same effect. Indeed, the whole teaching of the Bible is in harmony with it.
But now I will give an example of a man who was once converted, had a new heart, and the Spirit of God given him, and yet fell away, apostatized, and died a wicked man, a suicide. Saul, the son of Kish, met Samuel, the prophet, to inquire of him. Samuel informed him that God had chosen him king of Israel. Samuel anointed him, as we read in 1 Sam. x, 9, 10: “And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day. And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.”
Here we find that God gave Saul another heart, and there the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied. Most certainly, then, he met with a change of heart, and received the Spirit of God as a witness of his conversion. All are familiar with his history after that; how that after a short time he became exalted, self-sufficient, and very wicked, murdered the priests of God, and tried to kill David, and, finally, the last day of his life, he bore this record of himself, “God has departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams.” 1 Sam. xxviii, 15. Soon after this, Saul killed himself by his own hand. Chap. xxxi, 4. His case furnishes a remarkable instance of a man’s falling from grace. This most clearly shows that we need, even after we are converted, to watch and pray lest we be led into a snare of the devil, fall from our righteousness, lose our crown of life, and have our names blotted out of the book of life.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
Sigourney, Sept. 25.
Foolishness—to Whom?
A CAREFUL reader of the Bible was assailed by an infidel with such expressions as these: “That the blood of Christ can wash away sin is foolishness; I don’t understand or believe it.”
The Bible student remarked, “You and Paul agree exactly.”
“How?”
“Turn to the first chapter of Corinthians and read the eighteenth verse.” The infidel read, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.” He hung his head, and ever after studied the Bible, and found it to be God’s power unto salvation.
A Testimony of Faith
By Mary M. Roe
From Sr. Roe.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: By the grace of God, I have been led to believe in present truth. Less than a year ago my sister was convinced of the truth, and commenced keeping the Sabbath. This was a great trial to me, but it led me to desire to live nearer to God. Last winter, God was pleased to revive his work in this place, and my heart shared in the blessing. I was enabled to consecrate myself entirely to the Lord, and then, through faith in Jesus, such a blessing as filled my heart, tongue can never express. Oh! eternity will be only long enough to praise my Saviour in. Soon after this, Bro. and Sr. Saunders visited us, and conversed on prophecy, and the third angel’s message. And now, as I had no desire to reject the truth, the light of the Sabbath shone upon my mind, and I received strength to take up the cross, and keep the Sabbath of the Lord. My faith in this truth has been growing stronger ever since; and I can say with the psalmist, “My delight is in the law of the Lord.” Through the strength of Jesus, I have determined to go forward in the discharge of my duty. Pray for me, that I may overcome every temptation, and the sins that so easily beset me, that when Jesus comes, I may receive some humble place, and unite with his saints in singing praises unto Him who has loved us, and has given himself for us.
I wish to express my thanks to the brethren who have sent us the REVIEW. I prize it next to my Bible, for I have not the privilege of hearing Sabbath preaching.
Yours, striving to overcome,
MARY M. ROE.
Penfield, N. Y.
From Sister Edmunds.
By Angelia J. Edmunds
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: To you who have been believers in the truth many years, I would write a few lines. And first, do not turn a deaf ear to the warnings of God's worn and tried servants. Those who have borne the heat and burden of the work love us. How many sacrifices they have made, that this precious truth might reach us; and now when God is reproving us and pointing out the straight and narrow way through the testimonies, oh! do not rise in rebellion. Those who doubt the gifts, do not live a better life; they soon become cold, lose their spirituality, and break God's holy commandments. Solemn thought! “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” Rev. xiv, 12. Again, speaking of the same company, it says, “which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Rev. xii, 17. And in Rev. xix, 10, we are told that, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Yes, the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus, or spirit of prophecy, must go together in these last days. If you drop one, you will the other, sooner or later.
I look back to the rebellion that arose against the testimonies in 1854. Not only against them, but against the humble servants God has called to lead out in this great work. Many of that party had been reproved for wrong doing. They did not humbly acknowledge their wrongs, but commenced in a secret manner to backbite and slander our leaders.
Satan urged the rebellious ones on, until finally they would come to our meetings and talk out publicly what was in their hearts; and oh! such a chill would creep over us. There was none of that sweet, melting spirit of love manifested, but such a cold bitterness attended them. They commenced printing a paper called the “Messenger of Truth,” falsely so-called, for it was filled with words of slander.
Some may ask the question, “Where is that party now?” I will tell you, “The latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” The editor of that paper taught school, and in a moment of excitement drew a weapon of death at some of his scholars, and left for Canada. A messenger who had been the means of bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, went with them, and was soon heard to utter the profane oath. Nearly all have given up keeping the Sabbath. I write these lines because I fear there are many now who do not realize where they stand. Many that stood up boldly for the truth then, are now following in their footsteps. Often now we hear those worn servants of God spoken of in a light and trifling manner, which must be very displeasing to him.
Dear brethren and sisters, do, I entreat of you, stop and think what you are doing.
That great day of the Lord is right upon us; light has been given to help us cut loose from the world and overcome lustful passions; but some have rebelled and suffered a faultfinding spirit to dwell in their hearts, because the way was so narrow and self-denying. Look back at the “Messenger” company, and tremble for yourselves. Shun their example before it is too late to find acceptance. Is there not great danger of sinning against the Holy Spirit? I fear that there is. May we all humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God at this time, and stand when Jesus appears. ANGELIA J. EDMUNDS.Johnstown, Mich.
From Bro. Treat.
By Samuel Treat
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS IN THE LORD: As it has been more than a year since I have written, I thought that by the help of the Lord, I would say, that through the tender mercy of my God I am yet living; although through the infirmities of age, I feel as though my usefulness is about done, and my warfare almost ended. I hope, through faith in the atoning merits of Christ's precious blood, to come off victorious over all my spiritual foes, and be introduced into a state of blessedness, where sin and death can never enter, and where tears shall be wiped from off all faces. Glory to God in the highest.
My memory is much impaired, yet I have not forgotten to love the present truth in all its parts. I think, as time passes along, the light on the soon coming of the Lord increases; and it seems to me that it never was so hard to live for the Lord, and keep a conscience void of offense toward God and man, as at the present time.
The world holds out every inducement for us to drink into its spirit and maxims. Oh, the world, the world! And yet how deceitful! Evil men and seducers are waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; and my daily prayer is, that I may be kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation. We need not look for any better times while we live in this sin-cursed world. But be of good cheer, brethren and sisters; the Lord reigns. Let the earth rejoice, for he has power to fulfill all his purposes; not one jot or tittle of his word and promises will fail of their accomplishment. He has promised that though Israel be as the sand of the seashore, a remnant shall be saved. Praise the Lord! I want to be one of that number, and I hope and expect, by the assisting grace of God, that I shall be. But oh! the dangers that lie in the way. Oh! for more living faith, that purifies the heart from dead works, and overcomes the world. Hold on, brethren and sisters; watch and pray, lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. It is a sleeping time, and we need to exert every power of the mind and will, to escape the pollutions of the enemy, and the allurements and flatteries of this ungodly world. May you all, with myself, be kept without spot or blemish until the day of Jesus Christ. Amen.