A PERSON may be converted to any theory of philosophy or science, and yet but little change be wrought in his character. He may, for example, adopt some new mode of practical agriculture, and the effect on his heart and conversation be but slight.
But when a person is converted to the belief of the truth, on which depends his hope of eternal life, how great the change! Especially at a time when God's people expect in a very short time to see the salvation of God. And yet, strange as it may seem to every feeling mind, there is such a thing as assenting to the theory of the present truth, from the clearness of the arguments which support it, and yet the heart and life be unaffected. Yes, a man may even attempt the advocacy of the truth, thinking that he believes it, before it has had effect enough on his own heart to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.
Such would do well to wait till they are sure they believe the truth themselves, before they attempt to teach it to others. What! Believe the soul thrilling truths that the Lord is at hand; that the last merciful warning is being given, to call out and prepare God's servants to stand in the battle of the great day of God Almighty; to prepare them to be redeemed from among men—caught up, without seeing death, to meet the Lord in the air; and set about the advocacy of these glorious truths, with all the coolness with which you would give your views of the best method of pruning a peach tree!
I assure you, brother, that the truth, fully believed, produces such a breaking down of soul, such consecration to God, and such a weaning of affections from the world, as you have not yet experienced. O, brother, pray to God for a realizing sense of the present truth, of what you are, and of what you must be in order that you may stand in the day when Jesus shall come in the glory of his Father, in his own glory, and in that of all the holy angels. O! My Father! Prepare me for the scenes of that all-important day.
R. F. COTTRELL.
Mill-Grove, N. Y., Dec. 1852.
JOHN T CHASE
By John T. Chase
From Bro. Chase.
DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Through the goodness of God given us in Jesus Christ our Saviour, we live to see this day when truth must triumph. I do praise the name of the great Author of the Holy Sabbath, for the sweet heavenly composure attending those holy hours.
O that men would search for arguments, wisdom and grace, and hold up to their fellow beings, God's holy law, and thus be co-workers with God! And not to search for something by which to destroy it.
I must confess, when I shall strive to destroy a part, or all of God's law [Ex. xx] that I have reached the height of impiety. O God, have mercy, and save me from a step so dreadful!
We are few in this place; but by the grace of God, we will make no compromise with those who rebel against our Righteous Sovereign. Our watch-word shall be, "The commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Our trials, dear brother, are not worth mentioning. If Jesus' life was our pattern, we must expect to drink a cup of suffering, or not reign with him. I do not say that we are not sharing largely with the remnant; but the Lord is doing so much for us, that we think it ingratitude to murmur. The Review is like cold water to a thirsty soul.
JOHN T CHASE
Stanstead, C. E., Dec. 20th, 1852.
S. W. RHODES
By S. W. Rhodes
From Bro. Rhodes.
DEAR BRO. WHITE :—I arrived in Oswego to-day, and found our Bro. Ingraham laboring in word and doctrine among the dear saints here, and he thinks he can stay a few weeks in this vicinity, and labor in company with me.
The way is open, as I wrote to you before, to present the truths of the third angel's message. The Lord is at work in Oswego and vicinity. Souls are beginning to seek the Lord under the influence of present truth.
S. W. RHODES
Oswego, N. Y., Jan. 1st, 1853.
Meetings in Rochester.
By Editor
On the Sabbath, 124 Mount Hope Avenue, at 10½ A. M., and at 2 P. M.
On First-day, at Bro. Orton's, Union St., third house from Monroe, at 2½ P. M., and 6½ in the evening.
Tuesday evening, at Bro. Secly's No. 3, Alexander St. at 6½.
Appointments.
By Samuel W. Rhodes
THERE will be a Conference at Brookfield, N. Y., in the Christian Meeting-House, west side of the Cedar Swamp, near Bro. Ira Abbey's, to be held Jan. 15th and 16th.
Also, at Preston, Chenango Co., at the house of Bro. Silas Rogers, Jr., Jan. 22d and 23d.
And also, at Lincklaen, wherever the Brethren may appoint, Jan. 29th and 30th.
Bro. W. S. Ingraham will attend these meetings with me.
SAMUEL W. RHODES.
AGENTS.
By Editor
THE following is a list of Agents whose duty it shall be to forward the names and address (in plain writing) of all who should receive the Review; also, to give information of such to whom it should be discontinued. And to receive the free-will offerings of their Brethren and Sisters for the support of the Review and other publications, and forward them to this Office. The traveling Brethren are also solicited to act as agents.
MAINE.
N. N. Lunt, Portland. | S. Howland, Topsham.
S. W. Flanders, Canaan. | W. T. Hanniford, Orrington.
Cyprian Stevens, Paris. | Wm. Bryant, Wilton.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
J. Stowell, Washington. | S. Bunnel, Claremont.
MASSACHUSETTS.
H. Flower, Ashfield. | O. Davis, N. Fairhaven.
O. Nichols, Dorchester. | L. Paino, Ware.
VERMONT.
R. Loveland, Johnson. | W. R. Lockwood, Waitsfield.
H. Bingham, Morristown. | W. Morse, East Bethel.
S. H. Peck, Wolcott. | L. Titus, E. Charlston.
Lewis Bean, Hardwick. | J. T. Chase, Derby Line.
H. A. Churchill, Stowe. | E. Everts, Vergennes.
E. P. Butler, Waterbury. | H. Gardner, Panton.
Josiah Hart, Northfield.
CONNECTICUT.
E. L. H. Chamberlain, Mid'town. | A. Belden, Kensington.
NEW YORK.
W. S. Ingraham, Bath. | John Wager, Orangeport.
A. Ross, Caughdenoy. | L. Carpenter, Oswego.
David Upson, Moreland. | A. H. Robinson, Sandy Creek.
R. F. Cottrell, Mill Grove. | E. A. Poole, Lincklaen.
PENNSYLVANIA.
M. L. Dean, Ulysses.
Instructions for Writing Letters
By Editor
WE are always glad to receive letters from our brethren and sisters; but we must be allowed to complain a little of those who mix up matters in their letters, that should be kept separate. Let business matters be on a separate sheet, or a part of the sheet by themselves. Let all names of towns, and of individuals, be plainly written. We shall not spend so much time over carelessly written letters as we have done.—To avoid this, we shall return them. We do not complain of those who cannot write elegantly, by no means. But our complaint is against those who can write plainly, but are careless, and leave us to spend much more time in guessing out what they mean, than it would take them to write plainly.
Aid for Bro. Thomas A. Cheney
By Editor
WE have received a letter for publication from Bro. Thomas A. Cheney of East Clarendon, Vt., stating his distressed temporal circumstances, and calling for aid. We do not feel at liberty to publish a letter of this character, from an entire stranger; but would suggest the propriety of the brethren in Vermont living near Bro. Cheney ascertaining his wants, and if proper, reporting them to us.
To Correspondents.
By Editor
O. DAVIS.—The Review has been regularly sent to Mrs. P. D. Lawrence, Falmouth, Mass.
I. CRAMER.—The money was received.
O. NICHOLS.—We have sent the Books as requested. The Hymn Books should be left with yourself.
J. H. WAGGONER.—We have sent six Hymn Books to Bro. Southwick.
P. GIBSON.—Bro. E. P. Butler's address is Waterbury, Vt.
L. TITUS.—We received an excellent letter from Bro. Wheeler of E. Charleston, Vt., stating his circumstances, &c.; but we had no idea of withholding from him the REVIEW. It is for the benefit of such, that it is published.
F. FULLER.—We cannot publish your communication. We have not the least sympathy for spiritualism. May God save you and others from its blinding, bewitching influence.
Youth's Instructor.
By Editor
WE are happy to say that there seems to be an increasing interest in this little sheet. For want of time, we have not been able to make the Sabbath-School Lessons what they should be. We shall do all we can, with other duties, to make them interesting and instructive.
Those who have written, will receive our thanks, and we hope they will continue to write. Articles for so small a sheet, should be short, and to the point. This will give a variety.—Those who can select, and forward to us good matter from juvenile papers and books, will confer a favor to do so. We print 500 copies more than we send out, and have all the back numbers. Brethren, let the Instructor be circulated. We will send six copies of the present volume, to one address, for $1.
Hymn Book Available
By Editor
We have a quantity of the Hymn Book on hand. It can be had of us, of Bro. Otis Nichols, Dorchester, Mass., and of the traveling brethren generally.—Price 30 cents. Those wishing to send pay for it, less than $1, can send postage stamps.
Accounting for New Printing Type
By Editor
We have recently purchased $57 worth of new type. In No. 15, $35.50 was receipted for Printing Materials. The remaining $21.50 is paid as follows:
S. B. Craig $5, L. V. Masten $5, P. Lampson $5, H. O. Nichols $5, E. G. White $1.50.
Letters received since Dec. 23d.
By Editor
H. S. Boyd, R. R. Chapin, M. E. Cornell, E. P. Skillins, A. S. Hutchins, E. Tompkins, E. W. Waters, S. W. Rhodes, R. G. Lockwood, D. Upson, F. Fuller, F. H. Howland, A. R. Smith, J. Martin, J. Bates, M. C. Andrews, A. A. Marks, E. M. Barrows, E. P. Butler, B. B. Brown, J. M. Stephenson.
Receipts.
A friend, C. Totman, J. Grinnell, W. Morse, S. Willey, a friend, D. Wakefield, M. Loveland, H. Greenwood, L. Lockwood, F. Robinson, J. Backer, J. T. Chase, M. Aderton, J. S. Wright, G. Stulis, N. W. Rockwell, J. Crandall, J. Crump, J. Catlin, W. Hyatt, M. A. C., P. Folsom, E. P. Burditt, Bro. Thompson, M. Capen, L. Cossey, B. Temple, J. Lewis, E. Andrews, E. R. Seaman, E. Hardy, B. Bryant, Wm. Bryant, J. Tallman, M. Brundage, S. D. Sparks, D. Briggs, each $1.
M. Edson, M. Lockwood, G. Hoxsey, A. Ellenwood, M. L. Bauder, A. Wiley, T. Pennoyer, L. Hall, C. Drew, J. Griswold Jr., C. Brown, each $2.
H. Smith, I. Cramer, L. Lowrey, each $3. J. Paine, $2.50. O. Nichols, $4. L. Woodworth, $4.50. L. Sillaway, $5. E. Fairfield, $1.25. P. Gibson, $1.50. F. M. Shimper, J. Fuller, H. E. Spencer, each 75 cents. I. Camp, O. Davis, each 50 cents. J. C. Day, 70 cents. F. Dawson, 25 cents.