p. 64 | Review and Herald, Vol. 9, No. 8. (12/25/1856)

COMMUNICATIONS.

By Lester Russell

'Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another.'

From Bro. Russell.

BRO. SMITH :—I am striving to keep all the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus; but I feel that there is much for me to overcome to be like the Pattern. I want to heed the counsel of the True Witness, and buy of him gold tried in the fire that I may have true riches where moth nor rust will not corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal.

O is it possible that any of the remnant will let the Saviour stand at the door and knock, and will not hear his voice and let him in? Let us be zealous therefore and repent, and open the door of our hearts that he may come in and sup with us and we with him. Then, and not till then will we have our eyes anointed that we can see. Then let us be overcomers that we may sit down with our Saviour in his throne, as he also has set us the pattern and overcome and set down with his Father on his throne.

We have our meetings on the Sabbath, and Wednesday and Sabbath evenings. The Lord is with us. Last Sabbath one sister commenced for the first time to keep the Sabbath. Another that has been seeking the Saviour, seems to be getting into liberty; and some others are inquiring the way to the Saviour. Pray for us at Otsego. May the Lord sustain you and all connected with the Office, that it may be truly as your motto is, 'Holiness to the Lord.'

Yours in hope of eternal life at Christ's appearing. LESTER RUSSELL.

Otsego, Mich., Dec. 14th, 1856.

Worshiping Though Few in Number

Bro. P. Robinson, writes from Catlin Center, N. Y.: "We are trying to live by every word of God. Though few in number, we meet twice in the week to worship him, and we feel thankful for the measure of his Spirit we enjoy."

A Request for Preaching Brethren

Bro. N. Davis, writes from Sullivan, Ind.: "We wish some of the preaching brethren to make it in their way to call on us, and labor with us as some of our friends wish to know more of the faith which we set forth."

The Cause in Prosperous Condition

Bro. I. C. Vaughn, writes from Hillsdale, Mich.: "The cause here is in a prosperous condition. Truth will prevail over all opposition."

The Rage for Fiction.

By Albany Spectator

"I WANT a paper that has long stories in it," said a young lady, and she added, "I don't want a paper for anything else." Poor girl! much to be pitied, and a pitiful appearance she will make through life, at the present rate. She wants nothing serious, no acquaintance with the history of her times, nothing intellectual, nothing but newspaper novels! Empty heads they must be that can find room every week, for some ten columns of a sham story. Yet these are the heads for which the weekly press toils and groans, throwing off by the ten thousands its sheets of shallow, insipid and disgusting fiction; and for this, an amount of money is paid, which a good, sound literature utterly fails to command. Yes, Christian fathers and mothers buy this vile trash for their sons and daughters, and so minister to their ignorance and destitution of all taste and fitness for life's duties. Doubtless, the periodical press does more than any other one instrumentality, to decide the opinions, habits of thought, and general character of the age. A family will very soon begin to show a sympathy with its weekly paper, and parent and child will soon begin assimilating to it in sentiment and feeling; and as families are, so is the community at large. Blind and stupid, therefore, yea, worse, are those parents who tolerate in their houses a class of papers which are good for nothing, made up of the writings of silly, ignorant scribblers, who would be "at the foot" in a town school, much more in a school of good morals. Such are the teachers of half the present generation.—Albany Spectator.

SELECTIONS.

By Chris. Spiritualist

Reformers.

Was not Jesus and his disciples, the Waldenses and Albigenses, in the valleys of Piedmont, Luther and Melanchthon, in Germany, Zuingle, in Switzerland; Cranmer, Ridley, and Latimer, in England, all esteemed as skeptics and free-thinkers in their day, and were they not? Were not all these heterodox in their opinions?

Was not Hunter, in physiology; Thompson, Priessnitz, and Hahnemann, in medicine; Gall, Spurzheim, and Combe, in metaphysics and ethics, and the leaders of every religious sect in its commencement, skeptics as to former belief? Had not their minds outgrown popular ideas, and were they wrong, in the true dignity of their manhood, for asserting and maintaining what they esteemed as truth, though voted heretical by the popular will, and persecuted by the church and priesthood?

Have not these heretical reformers been the true benefactors of their race?

Was not every true reformer in advance of, and persecuted by, his age?

Has not truth, ye proud ones, ever been born in a manger?

Did not Caiaphas sit in Moses' seat while Christ went wandering over the plains of Galilee, "without where to lay his head?"

Has not truth been presented in every age, and are not her lovely and benign features still seen among us, seeking to benefit her persecutors, for ever blessing, and continually crying amidst her cruel persecutors, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do?"

Is it wrong to love her? Is it a crime to respect what is respectable, esteem what is estimable, admire what is admirable, and love that which is so lovely?

Is not the life of Jesus typical of the history of truth in every age?

Is not truth continually persecuted, reviled, spit upon, killed, yet lives forever?

Will mankind ever become earnest seekers after truth, instead of zealous advocates of favorite preconceived and stereotyped opinions?

Will men ever cease to take for granted that their opinions are correct?

Who will advocate truth independent of prejudice?

* [Chris. Spiritualist.

Begin with God—Be Sure You Do It

BEGIN WITH GOD—BE SURE YOU DO IT.—Make his service the first thing always, especially in the morning. Never, never to bustle about in worldly matters, till you bow the knee imploringly, with strong, very strong importunity. Besiege a mercy-seat for protection. Buckle on the whole armor, especially the shield of faith. It is exceedingly dangerous for a man to enter a battle-field unarmed, defenceless. This world is a battle-field, an enemy’s country, darts are flying thick and fast on every side.

Begin with God, seek first his aid and his righteousness, his salvation. Bow the knee in humble, fervent supplications, as you rise from your couch. Ask God to bless you, keep you, sanctify you, hold up your going that your footsteps slip not; and be sure not to forget to bless Zion.

Furthermore, when the hour comes, gather your family, your little ones and great ones, servants and all. Open the big book, the blessed book; read, sing, pray. See, too, that all things are done right, decently and in order. Get your soul alive in the fire, full of love, and you will be able, by faith, continually to ward off the fiery darts of Satan all the day, and praise God at setting sun.

“Have not time!” Brother, what do you mean? “Have not time!” Whose is time? Whose? Is time yours, or God’s, which? What have you that you can call your own, any thing? Exactly nothing. Your time, your talents, your property, your all, are God’s purchased with blood!

Talk about time, you can no more dispense with reading God’s word, secret and family prayers, than you can do without food. Better a thousand times defer your meals, your breakfast, dinner and supper, than neglect God.—Golden Rule.

All Things Become New

"I understand," said John Sunday, the converted Indian chief, to a congregation which he was called to address at Plymouth, England, in the year 1837, "that many of you are disappointed because I have not brought my Indian dress with me. Perhaps if I had it on you would be afraid of me. Do you wish to know how I dressed when I was a pagan Indian? I will tell you. My face was covered with red paint. I stuck feathers in my hair. I wore a blanket and leggins. I had silver ornaments on my breast, a rifle on my shoulder, a tomahawk and scalping-knife in my belt. That was my dress then. Do you wish to know why I wear it no longer? You will find the cause in 2 Cor. v, 17. 'Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away: behold, all things are new.' When I became a Christian, feathers and paint 'passed away.' I gave my silver ornaments to the mission cause. Scalping-knife 'done away.' That, my tomahawk, (holding up a copy of the ten commandments, in the Ojibwa language.) Blanket 'done away.' 'Behold,' he exclaimed in a manner in which simplicity and dignity of character were combined, 'behold, all things are become new!'"

Perils of Daily Life

If man could see The perils and diseases that he elbows Each day he walks a mile, which catch at him, Which fall behind and graze him as he passes, Then would he know that life's a single pilgrim, Fighting unarmed amidst a thousand soldiers.

Religious Worship and Human Infirmity

By Mosheim

Some accommodation to the infirmities of mankind, some prudent instances of condesension to their invincible prejudices, are necessary in ecclesiastical as well as in civil institutions; but they must be of such a nature, as not to inspire ideas, or encourage prejudices, incompatible with just sentiments of the great object of religious worship, and of the fundamental truths which God has imparted by reason and revelation to the human race.—Moshiem.

Religious Belief.

I ENVY no quality of mind or intellect in others, be it genius, power, wit, or fancy; but, if I could choose what would be most delightful, and I believe most useful, to me, I should prefer a firm religious belief to every other blessing. For it makes life a discipline of goodness; creates new hopes when all earthly hopes vanish; and throws over the decay, the destruction, of existence, the most gorgeous of all lights; awakens life even in death, and from corruption and decay calls up beauty and divinity; makes an instrument of fortune, and shame the ladder of ascent to paradise; and, far above all combinations of earthly hopes, calls up the most delightful visions of palms and amaranths, the gardens of the blest, the security of everlasting joys, where the sensualist and the skeptic view only gloom, decay, annihilation, and despair.—Sir Humphrey Davy.

It is easy to exclude the noon-tide light by closing the eyes; and it is easy to resist the clearest truth, by hardening the heart against it.—Keith.

SOLID devotions resemble the rivers which run under the earth, they steal from the eyes of the world to seek the eyes of God; and it often happens, that those of whom we speak least on earth, are best known in Heaven.—Caussin.

Notice.

By Raymond F. Cottrell

To the brethren interested in the New York Tent, I would say that, at the Tent Meeting at Barre, N. Y., in Sept. last, we commenced a subscription to the Tent Fund for the ensuing year. Those who wish to aid in this matter can send in their pledges, due on the first of June, and the first of Sept. next. Some may doubt the propriety of pledging, and think that the laborers with the Tent should go out trusting in the Lord, but the plan pursued last year gives all an opportunity of trusting in him. My address is Mill Grove, Erie Co., N. Y.

R. F. COTTRELL.

Explanation.

By Merritt Elijah Cornell

My notice of meetings at Three Rivers was so indefinite, (being written in haste,) that there is a chance to infer that the exercise of the Spiritual lecturer was in the public congregation. Having some fears that I had moved wrong in accepting the offer of a hall dedicated to Spiritualism, and that he would be influenced and break up the meeting, I went to his store privately and gave him the Bible testimony in regard to Satan's last work, and seeing that he was perfectly under Satan's control, I was clear to take up my appointment, as stated in Review last week.

M. E. CORNELL.

A Contribution Toward Cancelling the Office Debt

By Editor

Bro. J. Dorcas writes from Fremont, Ohio: “I send you the $10 which I proposed, as one of twenty, towards cancelling the Office debt; but I see no taking hold of this matter by the Brn. Say to them that if they do not, I will make arrangements to take all that stock.”

Acts Not Words

A New England clergyman, enforcing on his congregation the necessity of practical godliness, and contrasting the early Christians with those of the present generation, very properly remarked, "We have too many resolutions, and too little action. 'The Acts of the Apostles,' is the title of one of the Books of the New Testament; their Resolutions have not reached us."

Right Kind of Preaching.

It was a beautiful criticism made by Longinus upon the effect of the speaking of Cicero and Demosthenes. He said the people would go from one of Cicero's orations, exclaiming, "What a beautiful speaker! What a rich, fine voice! What an eloquent man Cicero is!" They talked of Cicero; but when they left Demosthenes, they said, "Let us fight Philip!" Losing sight of the speaker, they were all absorbed in the subject; they thought not of Demosthenes, but of their country. So, dear brethren, let us endeavor to send away from our ministrations the Christian, with his mouth full of the praise—not of "our preacher," but of God; and the sinner not descanting upon the beautiful figures and well turned periods of the discourse, but inquiring with the brokenness of a penitent, "What shall I do to be saved?"—Sel.

APPOINTMENTS.

THERE will be a general Conference held at Boston, Mass., for the mutual benefit of the church and cause in the New England States, commencing Sabbath, Jan. 16th, 1857, and continuing until all business of importance, conducive to the prosperity of the cause, brought before the Conference, shall be disposed of.

A general invitation is extended to the brethren from abroad who feel interested in the advancement of the cause. We hope the churches generally will be represented by those who shall come to help us by their counsel.

The object of this convocation is not to eat and drink nor to see and be seen; but by fasting and prayer and an investigation of truth, devise such means as shall be conducive to the present and ultimate interest of the remnant.

If our bread and water are made sure on the occasion, and that less frequent than usual, we will be satisfied.

The Conference will probably be held in one of the rooms in the Chapman Hall building, Boston. As no brethren live in the City, those coming from abroad on Friday, will find Bro. Paul Folsom, who lives in Charlestown near the foot of Winter Hill, now called Summerville, two and a half miles from Fitchburg Depot. Those wishing for public conveyance from Boston to Summerville, can obtain it at the corner of Summer and Washington Sts., by the Charlestown Neck Line Omnibus, that will take them as far as their station in Summerville. Bro. Folsom lives half a mile further on, towards Winter Hill, in the second house on the left after passing Walnut St. Bro. Hutchins and Philips may be expected.

STEPHEN PIERCE. E. L. BARR. In behalf of Brn. { P. FOLSOM. { O. NICHOLS. { A. WILLEY. { E. P. BURDIT.

Business Items.

By Editor

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Hymns for those who keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. This Hymn Book is designed to promote not only public worship, but also social and family devotions. It is a selection of Hymns expressing the faith and hope of the Church as set forth in the Scriptures of truth, free from the popular errors of the age. The Book contains 352 Pages, 430 Hymns and 76 pieces of Music. Price, 60 cents.—In Morocco, 65 cents.

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The Sanctuary and Twenty-three Hundred Days. by "J. N. A." This work presents a clear exposition of Daniel viii and ix, shows what the Sanctuary is, and the nature of its cleansing. Price 12½ cents.

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Review of Crozier. This work is a faithful review of the No-Sabbath doctrine as set forth in the Advent Harbinger by O. R. L. Crozier. It should be placed in the hands of those who are exposed to that heresy.—Price 6 cents.

The Bible Class. This work contains 52 Lessons on the Law of God and the Faith of Jesus, with questions. It is peculiarly adapted to the wants of those of every age who are unacquainted with our views of these subjects, especially the young.—Bound 25 cents. Paper covers, 15 cents.

The Four Universal Monarchies of the Prophecy of Daniel, and the Kingdom of God, to which is added a condensed view of the 2300 days and the Sanctuary.—Price 8 cents.

The Sabbath. Containing valuable articles on 2 Cor. iii; Col. ii, 14-17, Who is our Lawgiver? The two tills of Matt. v, 18, Consistency, &c.—Price 5 cents.

The Law of God. In this excellent work the testimony of both Testaments relative to the law of God—its knowledge from Creation, its nature and perpetuity—is presented.—Price 12½ cents.

The Truth Found. A Short Argument for the Sabbath, by J. H. W. This is the best condensed work on the Sabbath extant. Price 6 cents.

Sabbath and Advent Miscellany This work is composed of seven small tracts on the Sabbath, Second Advent, &c, and presents a choice variety for those who commence to seek for Bible truth. Price 10 cents.

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The Atonement. This work opens a wide field of Bible truth, and will be found a valuable assistant in the study of the great theme on which it treats.—196 pp.—15 cents.

Man not Immortal: the only Shield against the Seductions of Modern Spiritualism. Without the great truth that man is not immortal, and that the dead know not anything, none are prepared to stand against wicked spirits in high places. We commend this work on the immortality question, as an able discussion of the subject.—148 pp.—12½ cents.

Last Word of the True Church.—Price 7 cents.

Perpetuity of the Royal Law.—Price 5 cents.

An Examination of the Scripture Testimony concerning Man's present condition, and his future Reward or Punishment. By this work is shown the unconscious state of the dead, and the final destiny of the wicked. In this work we consider all objections to the mortality of man and the death of the wicked fairly and fully met. Price 15 cents.

Why Don't you Keep the Sabbath? Extracts from Catholic works.—Price 5 cents.

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Home Here and Home in Heaven, with other poems. This work embraces all those sweet and Scriptural poems written by Annie R. Smith, from the time she embraced the third message till she fell asleep in Jesus.—Price 25 cents. In paper covers, 20 cents.

Time and Prophecy. This work is a poetic comparison of the events of time with the sure word of Prophecy.—Price 20 cents. In paper covers, 12½ cents.

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Address URIAH SMITH, Battle Creek, Mich.