Review and Herald, Vol. 14, No. 7.
THE INDIGNATION. DAN. VIII, 19Page 1
"Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation." These words were addressed by the angel Gabriel to Daniel, when he had seen in vision the nations that would continue the desolations of Jerusalem and the treading under foot the sanctuary and the host. They refer to the time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, that shall come upon the desolators of the church of God, when Michael shall stand up for the deliverance of those "that shall be found written in the book." The following passages of scripture refer to this subject. The commencement of the indignation was the anger of God against the kingdom of Judah for their idolatry, and rejection of his law, and the counsels and admonitions of his servants the prophets. The house of Judah was his pleasant plant—his chosen people—the mount Zion which he loved—who built his sanctuary in Jerusalem, which he had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there for ever. For profaning his Sabbath, and for "the provocation of Manasseh the king of Judah, which he did in Jerusalem,—the Lord said, I will remove Judah out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I have chosen, and the house of which I said, my name shall be there." 2 Kings xxiii, 26, 27. Isaiah foretold the indignation against Jerusalem in the following words: [chap. x, 5, 6;] "O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil, and take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon was the appointed rod of God's anger, to carry into effect his purpose against Jerusalem. Jer. xxv, 9; xxviii, 14; xxxii, 28–35. "Behold I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing and perpetual desolations." The going into effect of the indignation, commenced at Jerusalem. Verse 29. "For lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name." Ezekiel refers to the same, and the duration of the captivity of the kingdom of Judah. Chap. xxi, 26, 27. "Thus saith the Lord, Remove the diadem and take off the crown. . . . Perverted, perverted, perverted [margin] will I make it—the kingdom of Judah—until He comes whose right it is: and I will give it him"—that is, to Christ. The Gentile rule over Jerusalem, and the church of God, commenced in Jehoiakim's reign. 2 Kings xxiv, 1–4. "In his days, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. And the Lord sent against him bands of Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets. Surely at the commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh: for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood which the Lord would not pardon." From the above, and other passages of scripture, we understand that the indignation was the captivity, and utter ruin of the kingdom of Judah, and the removal of the people of Jerusalem to Babylon—"out of his sight;" and the continual subjection of the church of God afterwards to the arbitrary rule of the Gentile nations, under "yokes and bonds," by whom "the sanctuary and the host have been trodden under foot." The duration of the indignation is shown in Dan. xi, 36. "The king"—that is, "the abomination that maketh desolate, [verse 31,] shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done." The latter clause is explained in chap. ix, 27: "He shall make it desolate—Jerusalem—even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolator. [Margin.] Isaiah foretold what was determined upon the desolation of the church of God. Chap. x, 12, 25. "When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria . . . and mine indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction." See also chap. xiv, 24–27. The fruit of Assyria, in the time of the end of Zion's controversy, is the last of the series of the successors of Babylon—the present nations that rule the church of God. We will now refer to some passages which show more particularly what will be at the end of the indignation. If the indignation was the subjection of the Lord's people to the rule of their enemies, which has ever continued from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the present time, then what will be the end of "the rebuke of his people," unless it is "the bringing again their captivity," the "breaking of their yokes and bonds," and their "deliverance from the power of all their enemies?" There are many passages in the Old Testament, which speak of the "bringing again the captivity of his people," which have not been fulfilled, but are connected with the events that will occur at the end of the gospel dispensation. David looked forward with earnest desire to the time when the saints are to be delivered from their enemies. Ps. xiv, 7; cxxvi. "O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad." Joel speaks of this event, and the time it takes place, [chap. iii, 1, 2,] and the events that are connected with their fulfillment. Verses 9–16. "For behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations." The fulfillment of this prophecy is in connection, after the time of the latter rain—the pouring out of his Spirit upon all flesh, and the prophesying of your sons and daughters, with "dreams and visions;" when "the remnant" are delivered at the commencement of the great and the terrible day of the Lord, described in chap. ii, 28–32. The gathering "of all nations," is for war. "Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near. Beat your ploughshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let all the heathen be awakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle for the harvest is ripe. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision;" or "threshing,"—margin. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, . . . and the heavens and the earth shall shake," &c. The valley of Jehoshaphat is literally "a narrow glen between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives, through which the brook Kedron flows." It is impossible that "all the heathen shall gather themselves" to this limited place; therefore the term cannot be understood in its literal sense. The signification of Jehoshaphat, is "the judgment of the Lord." In this sense it should be understood. The terms, Israel, Judah, Jacob, mount Zion, Jerusalem, which are connected with the bringing again the captivity of my people, or his people, are the remnant that are delivered. These terms will only apply to the holy people, that are scattered among the nations—those that "have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Rev. vii. "They are not all Israel which are of Israel. Neither because50they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children. They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God. But the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved." Rom. ix, and Gal. iii. Zephaniah speaks of the assembling of the kingdoms at the end of the indignation upon the saints. Chap. iii, 8, 19, 20. "Therefore wait ye upon me saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and gather her that was driven out: and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame. I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity, before your eyes saith the Lord." See Rev. iii, 9, 10. "Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial [Whiting] which shall come upon all the world to try them." Is not this time of trial that is to come upon the saints, "the decree" or "consumption" that is determined, which shall "go forth" just before the captivity is turned: and the trial that shall come upon all the world, the "time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation"—the pouring out of his indignation, even all his fierce anger? Zeph. ii, 1–3, 7. "Gather yourselves together, O nation not desired. Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment: seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." The "nation not desired," are the holy people, the remnant that keep the commandments of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ. The decree evidently refers to the edict of the image-beast. Rev. xiii. The day of the Lord's anger, refers to the last end of the indignation, when Michael stands for the deliverance of his people. Isaiah refers to this time and the events connected with the decree. Chap. x, 12, 20–23, 27. "When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria. . . . And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One for a flame, and it shall burn and devour his thorns and briars in one day. And the remnant of Israel, such as are escaped of the house of Judah, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the Holy One of Israel. Though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with righteousness. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee. For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. And the Lord of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him; and in that day, his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing"—the Holy Ghost. See chap. lix, 19, 20. The Spirit of the Lord will put him to flight—margin. Jer. xxx, 3–8. "We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace"—the going forth of the decree. "Wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned to paleness. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble: but he shall be saved out of it. For in that day saith the Lord of hosts, I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him." Isa. li, 22, 23. "Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury: thou shalt no more drink it again. But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee," &c. Isa. xxxiv, 1, 2, 8. "Come near ye nations to hear: and hearken, ye people. . . . For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their enemies: he hath delivered them to the slaughter. . . . For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion." Isa. xxvi, 20, 21. "Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." Dan. xii, 1. "At that time shall Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Here is the turning of the captivity of the holy people, in the time of Jacob's trouble, and their deliverance from the power of all their enemies. Then the indignation of the Lord is poured out upon all nations, and "the saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even forever and ever." The above are some of the passages of scripture that show what will be in the end of the indignation referred to by the angel Gabriel in Dan. viii, 19. Day and night, with solemn greeting,
Unto me are still repeating,
“Life is wasting, time is fleeting,
For the end prepare!
Look beyond thy low condition,
Upward to the great transition,
To the land of open vision:
Night comes never there!" May each night, while slowly falling,
Be to me mine end recalling,
Lift my mind from time's enthralling,
And my spirit bear
Thither where no sin distresses,
Where no fear nor gloom oppresses,
Where the soul God's glory blesses;
For no night is there! Lord! my light and my salvation,
Grant that in thy habitation
With thy saints may be my station,
In this bliss to share,
Onward still my steps be tending,
Upward still my thoughts ascending,
Till I reach thy rest unending:
Night comes never there! Similarity of the Doctrines of Modern Churches and those of Infidels.
By D. W. Hull
I HOPE the intelligent reader will not think for a moment that the following remarks were prompted by any ill feelings whatever towards any church; for it is not the case. While I love many persons now in mind, who belong to churches, which have articles of faith similar to those stated below, I regard them as deeply in error. The errors which I shall proceed to notice this time, are the views entertained by several different denominations concerning God, and I am sorry that the views entertained by Infidels on this point are so nearly similar to those entertained by orthodox, that there is no contrast between them. The applicant for membership in one church is required to believe that "God is without body or parts, circumference, center or locality." The articles of faith of another denomination require us to believe in addition to all this, that God is also "without passions!" so that he cannot even be compared to a stone or a block of wood; for while they lack the attribute of passions, they have all, body, parts, circumference, center and locality. In the above description the reader cannot fail to see a full description of nothing. Let us compare. 1. God is without body. Just so with nothing. 2. He is without parts. Exactly so with nothing. 3. He is without circumference. Precisely so with nothing. 4. He is without center. Where is the center of nothing? 5. He is without locality. Just locate nothing! 6. He is not subject to passion! Can you give a more complete description of nothing? I think not. How much then, are you ahead of the heathen? The heathen worship a real, tangible god; you do not! An Atheist can join a church with such articles of faith as these, and not violate his views of God in the least. Spiritualists and Infidels have nearly as good conceptions of Deity as that given above. That the reader may compare their views with those of the orthodox, I make the following extract from a letter, written by T. P. Wright, published in the "Age of Freedom," last year: "My conception of Deity is the aggregate intelligence of the universe,—the all permeating principle of life, motion, change, and consequent progression. The all-perfect—or all of present perfection—yet constantly progressing to still greater perfection. The omnipresent, because all-permeating. The all-powerful,—all-wise,—all-just, all-benevolent; because the aggregate of all power,—wisdom,—justice,—benevolence! Am I degraded by the concept or contemplation of such a Deity? Is not my respect, my reverence called out by the discovery and contemplation of a small degree of these attributes in man,—the atom! How infinitely more then should these feelings be called out and expressed towards Deity,—the aggregate!! I am an atom of his aggregate intelligence,—a spark of Divinity is in me,—I live not by sufferance,—my right to life is inherent in me, and cannot be taken away,—I cannot be annihilated,—Deity cannot destroy himself, or any part of himself; for, if the minutest particle could be destroyed every particle could, and so the whole could! But why talk of destruction or fear it? Is the general tendency of intelligence good or evil? Is good destructive? no! It destroys only to save!—I too, like 'Voltaire,' 'esteem my God too highly to fear annihilation or any other ill, that will not be more than repaid by good, to me or to some of the universal family.'" No person will fail to see in the above a great many peculiarities of the orthodox church. Very true, he holds that man "is an atom of this aggregate of intelligence," but many of our churches have gone full as far. It is frequently held that God inspired Adam with a part of himself. Hence he was immortal. That the reader may see the legitimate result of this theory, I make an extract from Mr. C. M. Overton, another Spiritualist and Infidel. "For myself I am a Pantheist; believing in an All-Present, Esoteric, Life Principle; not the Creator, but the sustainer and invigorator of all that is. I sometimes call this power God; but I can see no good cause for that squeamishness which will not hear the question discussed, whether it be proper to call the All Pervasive Spirit of the universe, God." I am sorry it is the case that views compare so favorably with the Infidel's. But such is the case, and we must deal with theories as we find them. This theory is not only in opposition to reason but it also arrays itself against scripture. Moses was permitted to see a part of God as he passed before him, and Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Acts vii, 55, 56. If God was without body, parts, etc., it follows that Stephen was mistaken, and did not see Jesus at God's right hand. So of other scriptures which we often meet with of a like import. In this last quotation we read of two opposite passions. The Bible is full of expressions of the love of God. He loves his own Son; yet he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son to die for it, the just for the unjust. The epistles of John abound with the love of God. "God is love," says he, and "love is of God." 1 John iv, 7-11. But sufficient has been said on this point. I had intended to show that the orthodox and Infidel-Spiritualists were at one on other points, but I am already getting too lengthy. I will however make one quotation on the life and death point, and close. "Our orthodox brethren may thank Spiritualism for the almost total eradication from the public mind, of the once fast-spreading doctrine of annihilation." The cloven foot is here plainly exhibited. What the Bible failed in establishing, Spiritualism is doing.
D. W. HULL. From the Sabbath Recorder. The Reign of the Saints.—No. 1
By Poor Pilgrim
"Thou hast made us unto our God, kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth." Rev. v, 10. In the first several volumes of the Sabbath Recorder, if my memory serves me right, we had occasional articles upon this interesting subject. James A. Begg, Isaac P. Labaugh, Halsey H. Baker, and some other writers furnished matter for a free discussion of the subject; and so far as I have learned the theme was interesting to most of our people. Of late years, I understand the conductors of the Recorder have ignored the subject, except so far as it is connected51(or rather supposed to be connected) with the Whitbyan theory of the conversion of the world, and the spiritual reign of the saints in the kingdoms of this world; or as it is commonly expressed "the reign of Christ in the hearts of his people." Why this thing is done I know not; except it be the fear of our wisecacres that what is unpopularly called, Adventism should find a lodging among our people. Well, what is the consequence? This: We have driven off two churches (in Ulysses and Hayfield, Pa.), and many other individuals, whose piety is as unquestioned and unquestionable as any that remain among us. (Whose mark is this? Let Rev. xiii, 16, 17, answer.) And now so far as I am acquainted, and so far as I can hear of the sentiments of the churches, the doctrine of this prescribed class is gaining ground among us with great rapidity, and a thorough sifting with a Whitbyan (alias orthodox) sieve would thin us out a great deal more. In the fear of the Lord, and on the behalf of all honesty in professions and principles, I hope the present editorial committee will take off the ban from this subject in all its shades and positions. We profess to be a scriptural people, to be guided and determined by the plain word of God alone, and vauntingly have dared Sunday-keepers to contest our Sabbath-keeping positions. But what avails it? What better are we than others if there is a fair christian question of Bible teaching that we ignobly refuse to entertain? The senior of the editorial committee is reported to have once said: "The defense of the Sabbath of Jehovah and its advocacy in these last days of the apostasy, is rolled upon us as a people, and if we are unfaithful to the cause, God will raise up some other people to whom he will give that high and holy work." Or words to that effect. If these are prophetic words they are surely fulfilling; for the despised Sabbath-keeping Adventists have made seven thousand converts to the Sabbath in a little less than ten years. They publish a weekly paper with 2300 subscribers. They have forty different pamphlet publications, of which they annually sell and give away many thousands, which are constantly being reproduced on a steam-power press of their own. They sent out six tents, each capable of holding 3000 hearers during the summer season into all the north-western States, in which the laws of the ten commandments is boldly faithfully and uncompromisingly preached; and all men warned of the danger of refusing or changing any one precept of Jehovah's holy law. Put what we are doing in contrast. Our people profess to have existed two hundred years, and scarcely number seven thousand now. The Sabbath Recorder has existed fourteen years, we have 1800 subscribers; we have eighteen tracts some quite small. Who has heard us preach on the Sabbath question beyond our own churches? Who has distributed our publications beyond our own connections in society? What need have we for a steam-power press? We can hire all the printing done that we need or want to have done. Why this contrast? Oh, we have become a very respectable people. We are conducting ourselves very respectably, and this ADVENTISM, soul-sleeping until Christ comes, and then having paradise—new heavens and new earth—on this old geologically rotten, crazy, volcanic, fire-bellied world, is such strange, unpopular doctrine, we shall lose the respectability we have acquired in society if we admit it among us. Then it makes those who believe Christ is near, "that day" just at the doors, dress so plain; and their manners become so unfashionable who believe that Sunday-keeping is a mark of the wild beast of Revelation, that all who advocate these doctrines must content themselves to be accounted speckled birds. Then there's our academies, colleges, universities; what will people think of us if we preach the law of God in connection with the speedy coming of Christ to give immortality to his saints, and set old Paul and Peter and John and the other nine of them to judge the world a thousand years? Why, we have a number of ministers who have had a regular college course, have been through a theological course under some of the best theological preceptors we have on this continent, and they have a great bearing to modern Calvinism; and although the voice of prophecy makes no part of the course, the system chimes best with Whitbyanism, (alias, the conversion of the world), and we cannot hope that they ever will become Adventists until they actually see part asunder, and the sign of the Son of Man illumine the heavens from horizon to horizon, and from the zenith to the nodes. Now is it not reasonable to suppose that such a doctrine will introduce wonderful confusion among us? and to keep the safety-valve on? Now Messrs. editorial committee, you must look out for your own interests, and if you don't let the steam-pipe blow freely, why look out for your boiler, for I tell you the fire's burning. I am right glad to see you let Hobart speak and answer W. M. A. and Inquirer. I think he misses it in calling Solomon the bad names he's given him, but I can stand that better than bursting a boiler, or seeing the church turn a poor soul out doors, because of their loving the appearing of Jesus Christ and telling that they are waiting for his second coming. If you don't shut the door upon this, I believe I shall try and write some more on paradise, and sleeping souls, and the second death. NOTE. Bible truth is evidently working in the minds of many who do not operate fully with us. We are rather pleased with "Poor Pilgrim's" remarks, though we must confess some things he says seem sharp, and rather severe on the conduct of the Recorder, more so than anything that has appeared in the REVIEW. "Poor Pilgrim" gives a very correct statement of our operations, with the exception of the size of our tents. They seat only from 800 to 1000 persons. Below we give the editor's remarks, which are as favorable on us and "Poor Pilgrim" as might be expected from those who labor to sustain their denomination. It may be true, as this editor says, that their "ancestors were not such 'wisecacres' as to know the time and manner of his coming, any further than they were able to learn from what is revealed in the sacred writings;" but if we are not mistaken, these words were designed to mean more than they say, and give the impression that Adventists are wise above what is written in regard to the time and manner of the second glorious appearing of Jesus Christ. Those however, who are informed in regard to our views know well that we believe and teach that it is our privilege to know just what is revealed on this subject in the sacred Scriptures, and no more. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us, and to our children for ever." Deut. xxix, 29. J. W. Response to Poor Pilgrim
By Editor
In relation to the article signed "Poor Pilgrim," we have somewhat to say. In the first place we wish to correct what we think a mistake that "Poor Pilgrim" has somehow fallen into. To us it is altogether news that the RECORDER had at any time declined to publish articles on account of their advocating the doctrine of the second coming of Christ. So far as this fact is a matter of prophecy, it has been the avowed doctrine of the denomination. But our ancestors were not such "wisecres," (weisagers,) as to know the time and manner of his coming, any further than they were able to learn from what is revealed in the sacred writings. We are inclined to the opinion also that "Poor Pilgrim" lies under a mistake in thinking that our opposition to the doctrine of the second coming of Christ has driven from our fellowship those churches he has named. Indeed, we were not cognizant of the fact that they had left the connection. That members (and we know not how many), have left us in consequence of having adopted sentiments in connection with Adventism, not common to the Seventh-day Baptist churches, we admit; but we think "Poor Pilgrim" does us injustice in charging us with driving them from us. As far as we are acquainted with facts, such persons have disowned and discarded us. We have never known of a case of church censure or complaint against any member of any one of our churches, on account of opinions in relation to this subject. When members have refused to fraternize with us, merely because of their peculiar opinions in connection with this subject, or because we have extended to other denominations of christians some cordiality, it is ungenerous to charge upon us that we have driven them away from us. “Poor Pilgrim” says: “I understand the conductors of the RECORDER have ignored the subject, except so far as it is supposed to be connected with the Whitbyan theory of the conversion of the world, and the spiritual reign of the saints in the kingdoms of this world, or as it is commonly expressed, ‘The reign of Christ in the hearts of his people.’” We are certainly not posted up in this matter. We ignore all such ignoring. By what means did “Poor Pilgrim” come to the knowledge of this fact? In regard to the action of our predecessors on this subject, we are ignorant. If they are justly liable to the rebuke of “Poor Pilgrim,” we are not apprized of their reasons for becoming so. We, however, believe it could not have been through fear that “Adventism should find a lodging among our people.” Nor that they were afraid that by admitting the subject to the columns of the RECORDER, our people would lose our great popularity; but be that as it may, we will assure “Poor Pilgrim” that these things are no bugbear in our way. We do most sincerely rejoice in the great good our Advent brethren are represented as doing, and it affords us pleasure to learn that they have so successfully labored in leading such a multitude to embrace the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And their severe proscription of us as a class of christians, does not materially abate this pleasure. We would that they could do a thousand times more good than they have yet done. “Poor Pilgrim” expresses the hope “that our present editorial Committee will take off the ban from this subject, in all its shades and positions.” Well, if there be any ban upon the subject, it is unknown to us. And now, we would in all kindness ask “Poor Pilgrim” if he can recollect any remark published in the SABBATH RECORDER equally denunciatory against “this proscribed class” of christians, with that which he has addressed to us? After telling us that we have driven from us two churches and many other individuals, whose piety is as unquestionable as any that remain among us, referring to our people who remain, he says, “Whose mark is this? Let Rev. xiii, 16, 17, answer.” And what answer does this text give? why this: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or name of the beast, or the number of his name.” If this reference does not represent our people in close fellowship, and in intimate relation with the master spirit of all evil, it would be difficult to select language that would. We think the writer, whoever he be, is under obligation to state to us in plain and unequivocal terms, what he wishes us to understand by his referring us to this text. If we understand him correctly, then he is bound to inform us what the characteristics of this mark and number or name of the beast is, that we have so conspicuously upon our hand or forehead. Unless he can and will do this, “Poor Pilgrim” ought not to expect us to write such hard things against ourselves, and we certainly will not against our brethren. So far as we may be capable of judging, as to what is right, we intend to do what is right, and we will try to do it in the right way. We design to look well to our boiler and safety-valve, and avoid being blown up, if possible.—Eds. Recorder. There is no way for men to discern their names written in the book of life, but by reading the work of sanctification in their own hearts. I desire no miraculous voice from heaven no extraordinary signs, or unscriptural notices and information, in this matter. Lord, let me but find my heart obeying thy calls, my will obediently submitting to thy commands, sin my burden, and Christ my desire; I never crave a fairer or surer evidence of thy electing love to my soul.—Sel. Dare to change your mind, confess your error, and alter your conduct, when you are convinced you are wrong; it is manly, it is scriptural.