Earlier text: THE HOLY SABBATH OF THE LORDSECRET SOCIETIES.
By Editor
BRO. SMITH: Being in something of a quandary, and thinking perhaps it may be a question troublesome to some of the brethren scattered abroad, as well as myself, I thought it well, in order to come to the unity of the faith, to address you, and ask you, or some other brother, qualified to decide, through the Review, and learn what is duty in relation to it. The case is this: I am a firm friend of the temperance reform movement, which I think every child of God should be, keenly feeling for the woes of his fellow-man, who is the victim of the withering curse of intemperance, and strive to stop by all fair and lawful means the works of those who labor under the curse of God, as recorded in Hab. ii, 15. "Woe unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, that putteth the bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on his nakedness!" During the winter past the friends started an organization of the Washingtonians, to which I felt it duty to give my name and influence. It has done a great deal of good; and a thrilling course of lectures recently given by Mr. Chance, the temperance lecturer, has thoroughly awakened the people on the subject, which they needed bad enough; but the difficulty is here: outside of their open organization, they have established an order of Good Templars, making it a test of temperance principle to join it. Now, believing secret societies wrong in general, and contrary to the spirit of the gospel, which requires us to love, and seek the good of the universal brotherhood of man; let him be of whatever color, name or nation; not obliging the priest and Levite to return and take care of their fallen kinsman, because he is their kinsman, but because he is human, and needs their assistance—believing, I say, secret societies thus wrong in general, can a desirable end justify them in particular? They have strong arguments on the side of humanity, which would call forth one's aid and sympathy; but being a secret society, can it be duty to extend them the hand of fellowship? I sincerely believe they could do as well, if not better, by throwing open their doors, retaining their ritual and regalia, and working like good soldiers in the midst and very presence of the enemy; but so long as they will not do thus, what is one to do to "love God with all the heart, might, mind and strength, and his neighbor as himself," in this particular? Yours in the love of God.
H. F. BAKER. We placed the above in the hands of Bro. Waggoner, upon which he has favored us with the following remarks: As far as the question of principle is concerned, we think you have correctly answered the question you propose to us. We deny the right of any secret society to prescribe tests of temperance principle, or any other. On the contrary, the Christian is bound by principles of the highest order, to reject* their fellowship. Their basis of brotherhood is unscriptural. Matt. xii, 48-50. They do not give the evidence presented in scripture that they are doing works of truth. John iii, 19-21. Their titles, regalia (ensigns of royalty—Webster), &c., are foolish, unchristian, and anti-republican. That which is wrong in general cannot be justified in particular, for the supposed accomplishment of a desirable end. Rom. iii, 8 gives the doom of those who "do evil that good may come." Here is the Christian's test. "And if a man also strive for masteries, yet he is not crowned except he strive lawfully." 2 Tim. ii, 5. Secret temperance societies, we verily believe, have been a detriment to the cause of temperance. He who labors on principle does not value them, while he who values such tinsel and vain ornaments with high-sounding titles will not long rest content with these societies, but will pass on to the Odd-fellows and Masons. REVIEW OF ELDER RUSSELL.—No. 3.
By M. Hull
WE shall next consider the question of the time when the kingdom spoken of in Dan. ii and vii shall be set up. Eld. R., in his debate with the writer at Fairfield, Iowa, said, “In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom; the phrase, these kings, can refer to nothing else but the four kingdoms of which he had previously spoken.” Truly, if Mr. R.’s assertion is good proof, he has proved more than he is willing to believe; for the above position says that the kingdom was set up four times between the time the king dreamed this dream and the day of pentecost. But if that be true it proves four times as much as Mr. R. designed to prove by it. There is a rule in logic which says, “That which proves too much proves nothing.” Mr. R. having seen the dilemma in which the above position places him, has come to the conclusion that the phrase, these kings, refers to the Roman Cæsars. But this cannot be; for the Cæsars are not the subject of remark. Again, will Eld. R. take the position that the kingdom was set up in the days of both of the Cæsars? If so, his kingdom was set up more than once. But if not, we would ask, In the days of which one of the Cæsars was the kingdom established? The phrase, these kings, cannot apply to one of the Cæsars to the exclusion of the other, any more than it can apply to Alexander and exclude all other kings. The fact is, Mr. R. is so anxious to carry everything back to pentecost that he makes sad work of some of his interpretations of scripture. The facts in the case are these: 1. In verse 40 we come to the fourth or Roman kingdom, which is represented by the legs of iron. Here, according to one of R.’s positions (for they are numerous), the God of heaven must set up a kingdom. But in verse 41, where the prophet explains the feet and toes, he says, “the kingdom shall be divided,” and in verse 44 he says, “and in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom.” 2. The phrase, these kings, refers to the divided state of the kingdom as symbolised by the toes. To prove this we only have to refer to Dan. ii, 41–45. But to make assurance doubly sure, take the admitted fact that the same power is represented by the toes of Dan. ii, and the ten horns of Dan. vii. In verse 24 Daniel says, “The ten horns are ten kings that shall arise out of the earth.” 3. It is a well known fact that between the years A. D. 356 and 488, the Roman kingdom was divided into ten. But the fact that it was not divided in the days of the Roman Cæsars will preclude the possibility of the kingdom of God having been set up at that time. 4. When the kingdom of God is set up, it breaks all other kingdoms to pieces. Dan. ii, 44, 45. But all other kingdoms are not yet broken (dashed, Ps. ii, 9) to pieces; hence we must come to one of the following conclusions. Either (1) in 1800 years trial the kingdom of God has not been able to do what the prophet said it should, or (2) it has not yet been set up. The time has not yet come for the dashing of the nations to pieces; for it is not until the Lord comes that he rules them with a rod of iron and dashes them like a potter’s vessel." Rev. xix, 14–16. 5. After the kingdom is divided into ten, another little horn must arise, and pluck up three of the first horns, after which it must wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws, and they must be given into his hands for a time, times, and the dividing of time, before the judgment sits. But the judgment sits before the saints take the kingdom. The above being true, the saints could not take the kingdom at the day of pentecost; for the judgment was37 in the future when Paul preached to the Athenians, saying, God will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained. Acts xvii, 31. It was still in the future when Paul reasoned before Felix of judgment to come. Acts xxiv, 25. The fact that the kingdom lies over beyond the judgment may account for the difference of opinion between Mr. R. and Paul about the saints now being in it. See Acts xiv, 22. 6. Mr. R. admits that the little horn is a symbol of the Papal power, and that the time, times, and dividing of time, is 1260 years. He also admits that the papal power arose in the sixth century, that would carry us down to the 18th or 19th centuries at least before the saints take the kingdom. Hence, if the saints have taken the kingdom, they have not done it until within the last century. Mr. R. says [p. 37], “Isaiah, Daniel, Micah, and other of the Old Testament prophets, together with John the Baptist, Jesus, the twelve and seventy disciples all proclaimed the kingdom in time to them future.” While the truthfulness of the above statement is admitted, I cannot see how Mr. R. can draw the conclusion from it that the kingdom was set up at pentecost, for the apostles this side of pentecost as really preach the kingdom in the future, as the prophets did. See Acts xiv, 22; 2 Tim. iv, 1, 2; 2 Pet. i, 11, &c. Again, Mr. R. says, “John the Baptist cries the kingdom of heaven is at hand; the Saviour reiterates the same good news.” While this is true, it is only true in the sense that John and Christ were in the fourth universal empire and the kingdom of heaven is to be the fifth. The meaning of the word, at hand, is, approaching, or to come. See Eze. xxxvi, 8. In this sense the kingdom of God is yet at hand. Proof. In Luke xxi, 25–30, the Saviour gives a class of signs of his second advent (which Eld. R. says have not yet been fulfilled), and in verse 31 he says, “When ye see all these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” The fact that the kingdom of God is at hand in the last generation [see verse 31], is evidence that it is not set up prior to that time. WITHOUT GUILE.
By Isaac Sanborn
“And in their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God.” Rev. xiv, 5. Dear brethren and sisters, we believe that this text has reference to the remnant people of God who are preparing for translation when Jesus comes. Let us then all apply the rule to ourselves and see if there is guile found about us. What is guile? Webster says, Cunning, craft, deceit. Do we find any of these deceptive words in our mouths? If we do, we are not the people spoken of in the text. But some may say it is impossible to live so. But stop a little, till we look at our pattern. Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should walk in his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. 1 Pet. ii, 21, 22. Again, Jesus speaks to Nathanael in whom he says there is no guile. John i, 47. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Eph. v, 20. Dear brethren and sisters, are we members of that church? If we are, the above are some of our characteristics. Let us examine ourselves, and prove our own selves, and see if there is any guile in our mouths. We are all aware that it is an easy thing to profess to be the people of God, but quite another thing to produce the fruit by which Jesus says we are known. And while I have heard individuals talk about holiness, and about their own hearts being holy, and at the same time confess that they had prejudice in their minds against their brethren or sisters, or fellow-mortals, I must confess that I was constrained to believe that there was guile in their mouths, and that they were thereby deceived, and needed to go to Jesus and have their eyes anointed that they might see that they were poor, blind and naked. O Lord, “Wake up thy slumbering people,
Send forth the solemn cry.” Yes, dear brethren and sisters, those who heed that solemn Laodicean cry will follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and they will be meek and humble, and will not possess that contentious spirit which characterizes many at the present time. “Without fault before the throne!” Yes, glory to God, it is our high privilege to come to that holy position in character through our Lord Jesus Christ, that in the review of our characters before the throne of God in heaven we may be without fault. Come, dear brethren and sisters, let us arise. We are living beneath our privileges. The following language of the poet sounds beautiful to me: “Press forward, press forward, the prize is in view,
A crown of bright glory is waiting for you.” By the grace of God I will go on. Pray for me, brethren and sisters, that I with you may stand on mount Zion with the Lamb. THINGS WORTH KNOWING.
By E. Macomber
JoB xix, 25 : "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." Chap. xlii, 2: "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from38 thee." Psalms li, 9 : "When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back. This I know; for God is for me. Ps. cxxxv, 5 : For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all Gods." "Ps. cxl, 12 : "I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and the rights of the poor." Eccl. iii, 14 : "I know that whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever : nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it; and God doeth it that men should fear before him." Chap. viii, 12 : "I know that it shall be well with them that fear God which fear before him." Isaiah l, 7 : "For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint; and I know that I shall not be ashamed." John ix, 25 : "He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no I know not, one thing I know, that whereas I was blind now I see." Chap. xii, 49, 50 : "For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak; and I know that his commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." And we know that the Revelator in closing up the book of Revelation, says, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." 1 Cor. xiii, 12 : "For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face : now I know in part, but then shall I know even also as I am known." Yours in love, waiting thus to know and be known.
E. MACOUBER. Evil Speaking. Soon as the story commences, take your pen or pencil, and carefully note down every particular minutely, reading it from time to time to the relator, as he or she progresses in the relation of its various parts, and see that it is exactly copied from himself, and correctly stated, with the object of the person who relates it to you, and file the paper away with others like it if you have any such, continue this practice, and evil speakers will soon reform themselves or avoid you. An Error. To think to bring into the third message all or any of the evil practices of the Babylon we have left behind. Some seem to suppose that they have embraced this message rather as its patrons, and that their favorite hobbies must be favored and yielded to, or they will withdraw. Such entirely mistake the message and its Author, they mistake its character and its power, and such are preparing for a terrible disappointment. Sensual.—Not having the Spirit; that is, the Spirit of God will not dwell where sensuality reigns in the heart; and its opposite is true, that if the Spirit of God fills the soul, sensuality cannot enter. Know then oh tempted one, thine only safety is in a full surrender of thine heart to the influences of the Holy Spirit, and cling to this rock as thine only and last hope: invite the good Spirit persistently, and receive the blessing joyfully, hold to this rock manfully: venture not out of this guardianship. Prophets. Those who foretell future events. There are both true and false prophets. Not every true prophet is an Elijah, and we find a Balaam and a Saul among the prophets. It does not always prove a man to be a good person, because he has had a revelation; and Nebuchadnezzar was a proud heathen tyrant when he had his dream, and perhaps Satan quiets down those whom he would destroy by some wondrous display of power. Satan perhaps might lure his victims by bait of this kind, as of any other: or perhaps give success in the hunt, or chase, or trade, in answer to some dream. Try the spirits, test them. Prove all things. God will not be impatient while we test all that purports to be supernatural; in fact, he would have us do this. The Trial. The offended brother perhaps imagines, that if it had not been for this particular trial or circumstance, he should not have given way to temptation. Why, dear brother, that was the very trial to test you, which if you had overcome, had made you strong. Stand then to your post, firm, upright, like the oak, always erect, with outspread arms, worshiping the Creator. Ignorance. We do not despise the ignorant when they desire to improve; but the dolt who boasts of his ignorance, and deprecates learning, is mad. With him the sun is a satellite of earth, and religion a cloak of mail, to cover an idiotic conceit. God chooses the ignorant, not because they are ignorant, but to make his power known, and he rejects the learned, not because they are learned, but for their pedantic, proud selfconceit. God chooses the humble because they are teachable, and he will educate and polish them. Heaven is a grand university of learning, all will get liberal education there. Boast not of ignorance. CONFERENCE IN LYNKVILLE, WIS.
By Jno. Bostwick
Bro. Smith: Pursuant to appointment Bro. Ingraham met with the little church in this place, stopping over three Sabbaths. The strait testimony on the blessed truths of the third message afforded the little band of Sabbath-keepers in this place much consolation and comfort, confirming us in present truth. Eleven willing souls were buried with Christ in baptism. The Lord's supper was administered, church order established among us, an elder and deacon set apart by the laying on of hands and prayer to perform the work assigned to them in the word of God. Truly it is solemn, and yet sweet to the soul to attend to the ordinances of the Lord's house. Through the labors of Bro. Ingraham some have been convinced of the truth, and have made up their minds to go with the remnant to mount Zion. Others were willing to acknowledge the truth, but owing to a lack of the spirit of self-denial and sacrifice, have concluded to hold on to the world a little longer, waiting perhaps for a more convenient season. Some Adventists of the no-Sabbath faith came out to hear, and were willing to confess that we had some grounds for our position on the perpetuity of the royal law. We have hopes of them, believing they will yet see the glorious truths of the third angel's message, which to my mind is the only thing that will ever unite the Israel of God in the last days, and thus prepare them for translation. When we look over the track of the Advent people, and contrast their present position with what it was fifteen or twenty years since, it is lamentable. And more so when we are led to examine the cause. But the hand of the Lord is in the work. A sifting is going on among the Adventists who are willing to hear the message. And by believing and obeying the law of God we become a distinct people, of whom it can well be said, "Here are they who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." I thus remain your brother in hope of eternal life.
Jno. Bostwick. A TRULY refined and Christian politeness exhibits itself at home with intimate friends. It is manifested toward husband or wife, towards children and domestics; and none are better witnesses to the politeness of the Christian gentleman or lady than inferiors and dependents, and those who witness the daily struggles of the man for existence. To such is exposed the inner man, and to none is more apparent the utter hypocrisy of that individual who affects a gentlemanly bearing towards superiors, but is harsh and unpleasant towards those who are more in need of his soft and tender tones. Counterfeit politeness affects much of courtesy in certain places, and among certain people, but behind the scenes you view the naked deformity of the character manifested in harsh, rough tones and words to those who were first won by blandness and suavity. This counterfeit politeness is the bane of worldlings, but the death of godliness. Let us lay it aside, and get the genuine government, the true, untarnished, unalloyed gold, the ways which Christ had, who was alike kind and polite to old and young, to prince and peasant, to bond and free, to publican and pharisee, to rich and poor. Get the politeness that does not fade nor wear out nor grow old, but sits as gracefully upon the old and decrepit as upon the youth. Comfort in the Fellowship of Believers
Sister M. A. Streeter writes from Pulaski, N. Y.: “Though I am a stranger to most of the Sabbath-keepers, yet it is a great comfort to me to read their letters. It seems like a conference meeting at home. I feel to sympathize with the lonely. I have heard but one sermon since 1844, yet I feel to put my trust in the Lord and take courage. The warfare will soon be ended; and if we are faithful the victory will be ours; and when the Saviour comes he will say, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joys of your Lord. I cannot close without thanking the dear brethren and sisters for the papers and books they have sent me, Said the blessed Saviour, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me.” L E T T E R S .
By W. M. Allen
"Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to another." BRO. SMITH: I have been lecturing in Brotherstown, Wis., for a short time past. All things went off very well until I came to the third angel's message and began to enforce the Sabbath as a seal of the living God, when a Christian minister was called out to show the other side of the question. He was considered a Bible student and a great historian. I gave a discourse on first-day A. M. upon the commandments of God—their nature and obligation. Eld. S. gave notice that there were two sides to the question, and he would that afternoon show the opposite. He took the position that the Gentiles were never under any law but love. I reviewed him the next evening, showing that the law of love implied the keeping of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. He gave notice he would review me the next night. He then coupled the moral law, the Mosaic institutions and ceremonial law, all together, and nailed them to the cross. He then quoted Rom. vii to prove that the law was dead and buried, and said if we wanted to dig up the old carcass we had a right to; he did not wish to. I gave notice I would review him again the next evening; and I felt that, by the assisting grace of God the truth lost nothing. Eld. S. did not come out. Three have decided to keep the Sabbath, and many others are almost persuaded to embrace the truth. Let your prayers be to God that they may be fully persuaded to obey the Lord and keep his commandments. I baptized two, according to the injunction of the Saviour. I gave four lectures at Chilton. The congregations were mostly Spiritualists and Catholics, and did not like such doctrine. There were a few, however, who seemed to be very much interested. I would ask the prayers of God's children that he would preserve me blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. I delight in the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. My prayer is that God will direct all our ways that we may be a pure people without spot or blemish, prepared for the coming of the bridegroom. May the Lord bless all his scattered saints. Brotherstown, Wis., June 6, 1860. BRO. SMITH: As I have just returned from attending a funeral of a child about 15 months old, where I heard a sermon preached by a M. E. elder, I thought perhaps it might benefit some candid seeker for truth to place some of his assertions by the side of the Bible and see how they will harmonize together. His text was in 2 Sam. xii, 23. After laboring some time to drive from the minds of the people the chilling thought of the unconscious state of the dead, annihilation of the wicked, &c., the Eld. said, "The child is not dead, but gone to heaven;" but the text says the child is dead. Ell. M. says, "The child has not ceased to think, and act, and move;" but David says, [Ps. cxlvi, 4], "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish." Eccl. ix, 6. "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy are now perished." Eld. M. says, "It may be sent on errands of mercy to other planets, or even back to this earth;" but the text says, "He shall not return;" and the wise man says [Eccl. ix, 6], "Neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." Eld. M. says, "The fact that men are here alive today is evidence to me that they have been redeemed," "that death is not now the penalty for sin;" but Paul says, "The wages of sin is death." Rom. vi, 23. Again he says, "The child has gone to heaven." We ask, "Did the child brought to view in the text go immediately to heaven? If it did, we will yield that point; but what says the text?" "I [David] shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." Now if we can find where David went we may know where the child went. "So David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David" [1 Kings ii, 10]; and more than 1000 years after his burial, Paul declares that he (David) has not yet ascended into the heavens, but is both dead and buried." Acts ii, 29-34. Now, dear friends, which will you receive? the assertions of men (for these assertions are common among modern divines through the length and breadth of the land), or the testimony of holy men of God, as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. i, 21. And remember if they speak not according to the law39 and to the testimony, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii, 20. Unless there is a resurrection they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 1 Cor. xv, 18. But there shall be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and the unjust. Acts xxiv, 15. Says Jesus, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live." John xi, 25. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory [Col. iii, 4], on the condition that you seek for glory, honor, immortality, eternal life, by patient continuance in well doing. Rom. ii, 7. Brodhead, Green Co., Wis. ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT.
By Jos. Clarke
LET the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. What a princely majesty and brevity there is in this sublime petition! What sweetness, and beauty, and excellence! How appropriate! yea, how indispensable to the Christian, that his words and his thoughts be acceptable to God. O sublime attainment! all my words and thoughts acceptable to God! Shall I attain to this? Can it be done? O yes, praise the Lord! it may be accomplished with the help of God, or this prayer would not have been indited. This prayer comprehends in its scope the whole work of keeping the heart and tongue; and happy indeed is that saint who can realize the full import of this prayer, and feel that this is his desire, his hourly, constant prayer and aspiration, that can feel its divine influence upon the soul, uprooting lust, avarice, ambition and pride, and installing therein the glorious light from heaven, instead of these corroding corses of the carnal heart, and so the Christian graces spring up like pillars of light, like lively stones for the heavenly building. Here in this petition is the panacea, the great moral cure (figuratively speaking) for diseases of the heart. O tempted brother or sister, is Satan too hard for thee? Art thou drawn away by him? Does thy heart lapse into lukewarmness, or does the world often claim thee, and does God hide his face from thee, and does thick darkness enshroud thy mind? O then let this be thy prayer. Often as the heart wanders from the pure, the holy rule of life, so often breathe this prayer from thine inmost soul, to him who pleads for thee before Jehovah. Perchance this is the mystic word which is to break thy chain and set thee free, the word at which Satan is to flee before thee. Then, O my soul, be on thy guard, and as often as ill thoughts or desires intrude, so often cry out, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. THE EVERLASTING MEMORIAL.
FROM BONAR'S "HYMNS OF FAITH AND HOPE." Up and away, like the dew of the morning,
Soaring from earth to its home in the sun,—
So let me steal away, gently and lovingly,
Only remembered by what I have done. My name and my place and my tomb all forgotten,
The brief race of time well and patiently run,
So let me pass away, peacefully, silently,
Only remembered by what I have done. Gladly away from this toil would I hasten
Up to the crown that for me has been won;
Unthought of by man in rewards or in praises,—
Only remembered by what I have done. Up and away, like the odors of sunset,
That sweeten the twilight as darkness comes on,—
So be my life, a thing felt, but not noticed,
And I, but remembered by what I have done. Yes, like the fragrance that wanders in freshness
When the flowers that it came from are closed up and
gone,—
So would I be to this world's weary dwellers,
Only remembered by what I have done. Needs there the praise of the love written record,
The name and the epitaph graved on the stone?
The things we have lived for—let them be our story,
We ourselves but remembered by what we have done. I need not be missed if my life has been bearing,
(As its summer and autumn moved silently on),
The bloom and the fruit and the seed of its season;
I shall still be remembered by what I have done. I need not be missed, if another succeed me
To reap down these fields which in spring I have sown;
He who ploughed and who sowed is not missed by the
Reaper,
He is only remembered by what he has done. Not myself, but the truth that in life I have spoken,
Not myself, but the seed that in life I have sown,
Shall pass on to ages—all about me forgotten
Save the truth I have spoken, the things I have done. So let my living be, so be my dying;
So let my name lie unblazoned—unknown;
Unpraised and unmissed, I shall still be remembered;
Yes, but remembered by what I have done. Sister Allen’s Pilgrimage and Hope
By H. A. Allen
Bro. Smith : I would like to say a few words through the Review. I feel that I am but a pilgrim and stranger in the land. I am journeying to a better land, where my Saviour will wipe all tears, and where trials and persecution will never come. I often feel lonely when I am traveling with my companion among strangers in the flesh, and strangers to God and the truth; but my trust is in God who has given such blessed promises to all those that shall endure to the end. We have sacrificed home and friends to go and attend to our heavenly Father's call, and warn a gainsaying world of their danger, and of the things that are shortly to come upon the earth, that they may be ready. But many will scoff at the commandments of God and the soon coming of the Saviour, but when we have done all that God requires at our hands we will leave the event with him who is just and good. I can say with the Psalmist, "I delight in the law of the Lord;" for it is holy, just and good, and not grievous to be borne by those who truly love their God with all their heart, and do not want to worship the beast nor his image. I desire to so order my ways in this life, that I may be judged worthy to enter in through the gates into the city, and have right to the tree of life together with all God's dear children who are scattered abroad.
H. A. ALLEN.
Brotherstown, Wis. Truth Crushed Shall Rise and Shine
Bro. J. D. Hillis writes from Pleasantville, Marion Co., Iowa: “Pleasantville is 12 miles from Knoxville; but, thank God, we can have some happy seasons of communion and fellowship with our Knoxville brethren. Many of the brethren from this place attended the meeting at Knoxville when Bro. and sister White were there, and we praise the Lord for the powerful manifestations of his love on that occasion. Many were made to rejoice in the redeeming love of the Saviour, and such christian fellowship and unity as was manifested on that occasion is seldom witnessed upon earth. Several were added to the church at this meeting, notwithstanding Satan seemed to rage more than usual, and endeavored to bring his powers to bear in union with many professed Christians (for he has learned that in union there is strength) to break down the truth; but truth crushed beneath unhallowed feet will rise and shine with greater power. Babylon’s walls are tottering in this western region, so much so that she is obliged to bring all her powers to oppose and try to break down the truth; but God will sustain and uphold his own cause. Pride may cause some weak ones to fall away from the truth (as has been the case in Knoxville); but this only gives strength to the cause. As clogs on the wheels cause slow moving, so when those clogs fall off all moves on harmoniously. Brethren, let us try to keep ourselves free from clogs and burdens of iniquity, and trust in God alone for strength, and he will support us. “We have great reason to praise the Lord here in Pleasantville for his sustaining grace, and for his truth, which has been so clearly manifested to us, and for the steady advancement of his glorious cause, and for the love and union existing among the brethren here; there is more love and christian union prevailing among the Advent brethren than is common with other churches, as far as our observation leads us; but while they seem to love and respect each other as one common family, they try to obey the instructions of the Saviour where he says, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despisefully use you, and persecute you. They are willing to observe this rule, that they may be the children of their Father which is in heaven. “We are glad that we have a tent in which to have God’s truths preached in Western Iowa this coming season; for it is a truth that while the churches will open their doors for shows, lawsuits, and almost every kind of preaching, fairs and feastings, against the true word of God their doors are shut. But God has means by which he will work, and that to the pulling down of the strong-holds of iniquity. If it must be done in tents, so be it; if in groves, prairies, highways or barns, be it so; let the truth spread and go free. God can work and none can hinder. Brethren in the east, remember us out here in the far west in your prayers.” Sister M. Bean writes from E. Brookfield, Vt. : “I have thought much on this passage of late, ‘Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it.’ And again, ‘Exhort one another daily, and so much the more as we see the day approaching?’ Well how is this to be obeyed by many of the remnant as we are scattered far and wide, and as some of us seldom see or meet with those of like precious faith? I have come to the conclusion, that it is through this medium, the Review, that some of us are to live out the word in this respect. I hold my peace many times because of my inability to write for the public eye; but my mind is now made up to do my duty in every place, and leave it all with the Lord. I feel very solemn when I look around and see what is going on in this world. I am led to say, ‘We are living, we are dwelling in a grand and awful time;’ and I see we must have every part of the armor on so as to be enabled to stand in these last days of peril. I tell you dear brethren and sisters, we must be pure in heart or we shall never see God in peace. I feel it is time that we as a church arise and press forward and seek more earnestly a deeper work of grace. We must grow in grace as we are commanded to do. I have thought sometimes that the progress of some in religion (I will say myself) was like one on a journey who should leave home and travel well and quite a distance, but turns about and come home for the night; go on next morning, travel well for a season, but return perhaps part way home. At that rate when would he reach his journey’s end? We must forget the things that are behind and press forward to the mark for the prize. Often my heart is made glad when I read the spirited communications, especially those on holiness. It is meat and drink to me to hear from the dear saints scattered east and west, north and south. It appears we all have one Lord, one faith, one baptism; and I hope we shall more than ever be joined together in one Spirit, our hearts being knit together in love. When we first embrace the truth I have thought we are much like the rough stones right from the quarry; we have to be hewed, made straight and polished; and I am thinking it will be the trials by the way that must do this work for us. We don’t go through here on flowery beds of ease, when the Captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering; and it is given unto us not only to believe on Jesus, but to suffer for his sake. Shall we refuse to follow the Man of sorrows, who when here on earth had not where to lay his head? I am ashamed that I have not always been patient in tribulation, when Jesus has not only suffered, but died that I might live. I can say that thus far my trials which have been many and severe have worked for my good. I expect there are more sufferings for us as we near the end. There are none of us yet who have been through Paul’s catalogue of sufferings, and Paul says he reckons the sufferings of this present life not worthy to be compared with the joy that shall follow. So we must make up our minds to endure hardness as good soldiers for Jesus, fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. Then there is rest for the weary. We have got to give up our idols if as dear as right eyes, hands or feet. If it is pipe or tobacco or anything of the kind, do not touch taste nor handle. The best way to overcome is to begin in earnest, to seek for holiness of heart, to be cleansed from all impurity. Thus we may be, and must be; for no unholy thing shall enter that holy city, whose maker and builder is God. And when made pure we can say, ‘All the glorious heights of bliss
My everlasting portion is,
And all that heaven is ours.’ ”