UPON entering the cars a few days ago, I took my place in a double seat occupied by two gentlemanly looking men, one of whom proved to be an old friend and distant relative, while in the other, after a formal introduction, I recognized one for whom, in former days, I had formed a sincere attachment as pastor of the church which I then attended. In the course of conversation, the subject of religion was introduced, and upon hearing of my faith he was “surprised to learn that any one could so far depart from his early teaching as to embrace such a sleepy doctrine.” Then, to show his disapprobation, and perhaps to create a laugh at my expense, he indulged in some very sarcastic remarks unbecoming a minister of the gospel, in which the other participated by remarking, with a shade of derision in his manner: “Father got the same notion in his head awhile ago, but I laughed him out of it.”
Thought I, What a fatal avowal to meet unrepented of in the Judgment! Such an acknowledgment may be made here in a boastful manner, but scorn and contempt will give place to shame and remorse when the heinousness of such a sin is made apparent to all, especially the guilty, to whom it will be revealed with overwhelming distinctness. And how much more aggravated will such an action appear when it involves ridicule against parents, and even threats of abandonment in old age, as I afterward learned was a fact in the above case.
But this is only one of many instances which might be cited to show the tendency of the time, and the manner of proceeding, when arguments fail, to drive people from the truth and cause them to drag out a miserable existence, and finally to lose eternal life. Such a course only tends to confirm the statement so often made that some would rather see souls lost than to see them saved under a faith different from their own.
This truly is an age when “truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey” to every artifice of the enemy, in which to be successful he will practice through mediums standing high in the estimation of the world, and sometimes, sad to say, of the church; yet there is a responsibility attending the reception of a knowledge of the truth which can never be thrown off by those who receive it, though opposition may arise in the form of satire and derision. God calls for men and women to be steadfast and immovable in the right, which will require principle in every decision, and courage to persevere in every movement.
The cause of truth should be more dear than any earthly object besides, that when assailed on account of our choice we may say, with the firmness of one anciently, “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Josh. 24: 15. Just as long as we maintain this position the Lord will be with us to comfort and sustain in every trial (see 2 Chron. 15: 2; Ps. 37: 25), and we may be able with the apostle to affirm that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” J. O. CORLISS.
HOLDING THE WINDS, AND DRYING UP THE RIVER EUPHRATES
By S. B. W.
Last-Day Tokens.—No. 2.
HOLDING THE WINDS, AND DRYING UP THE RIVER EUPHRATES.
FROM recent news it appears that there is more trouble in Turkey, and that the “Eastern Question” is being agitated again to some extent. The following from the N. Y. Witness, of Aug. 26, shows how the thing is to be disposed of for the present, and what is expected to be the ultimate result of these matters; though the writer misapprehends the means by which it is to be accomplished, and what its concomitants will be:—
“‘GRAPES OF THISTLES.’”
“The ‘Great Powers’ are perfectly agreed that the Eastern question must not be raised at the present time, which is another way of stating that they are not in accord about the method of settling it on any other basis than the established one. So the existence of Turkism in Europe will be prolonged till some understanding can be reached about the division of the sick man's inheritance. Meanwhile it is hoped that the administrative reform which has, so far, been a mere pretence, will be made a reality. This is a clear case of expecting grapes of thistles. The administrative machinery of Turkey is so hopelessly debased and corrupt that the only way to reform it is to reform it out of existence.”
S. B. W.
The Lord on Our Side.
By Roswell F. Cottrell
It is good to have the Lord on our side. Said the psalmist, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us; then they had swallowed us up quick.” Nothing else is equal to having the Lord on our side; but in order to have him on our side, we must take our position on his side. He will not forsake his truth and righteousness and come over to our side; but if we take position with his truth, if we love his will and yield obedience to it, he will certainly be on our side to defend us. He is strong and able to help us. He is a strong tower, into which the righteous run and are safe.
In the great day which is a very little in the future, all other refuge will fail. Nothing can shelter us, but the protecting power of the Almighty. Then it will be good to know that we have chosen the way of the Lord—that we are on his side, and consequently he is on ours. “The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” 2 Chron. 15:2. Here is encouragement. Who will accept the terms, and be found on the Lord’s side? To such he will be a shield. They shall be safe in the time of trouble. The Lord of hosts will be on their side; and he is stronger than all his foes and ours. By his assisting favor I will be on his side. Will you, reader? Make your choice while you may. Be decided. Do not delay. Soon it will be too late—too late to gain Heaven—too late to exhort others and save them. Let us redeem the time.
R. F. COTTRELL.
The Gospel.
By A. S. Hutchins
The work of the gospel ever has been, and ever will be, a work both of separation and of union. Those who receive the gospel and take upon themselves the duties it enjoins, must separate themselves from the world. It is also true that they must and will separate themselves from those who oppose God’s truth, though such may profess to love and serve him.
In the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles, we learn that God visited them “to take out of them a people for his name.” Acts 15:14. Christ speaks with great distinctness on this point: “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” Matt. 10:34–36.
These are the words of the Prince of Peace—one who knew well the force of every word spoken. Now, we ask, if former organizations and fraternities are severed for light, truth, and duty’s sake, where lies the fault? In those who gladly accept the plain teachings of the sacred Scriptures, or those who reject them?
An easy illustration may help the mind here: We suppose friend A has four sons. In the morning he requires them to go into the field and perform each one a certain and reasonable amount of labor, the work to be done being in two different localities. These youths are charged not to separate, but labor together, performing the work in one locality first, and then together go and complete it in the other. In good time and in a proper manner the duties are closed at the first point, when one says, “We will proceed agreeably to direction to the other place.” Three raise their objections to this, persistently refusing to go. The purpose of the first is fixed. He proceeds to perform his share of the work, while the voices of the others are ringing in his ears, “You will get the punishment, while we shall be free; for father’s orders were not to separate. You have left us, while we remain firm and fixed on the ground where we started.”
If one can decide which would here meet the approval of the parent, we may decide with equal clearness who will receive the approval of our Heavenly Father when we separate from former brethren and unite heart and hand on the great principles of present truth. God has made precious promises to such. See Micah 4:6, 7.
A. S. HUTCHINS.
Religious Faith Sounds Deepest Under Trial
MANY of the chords of religion are untouched in times of prosperity when they are fanned by balmy zephyrs and regaled by rare perfumes, but when God plays upon them with violent tempests, then the deeper tones sound forth, and they roll out majestic strains of music.
The Decay of Romanism.
WHAT WAS Rome in 1790, and what is it now? Within these eighty years the Church-State and the temporal power of the German Episcopate have been dissolved. The possessions of the church in France, Spain, and Italy, have been sold as national property. Everywhere has Protestant heresy obtained civil rights. Protestant chapels flourish in Rome as well as in Madrid; the Protestant clergyman walks about unmolested, and disseminates his Bibles by thousands and tens of thousands. Had not—since Napoleon's Consulate in France, and in the other Catholic and Protestant States since the Congress of Vienna—political power steadily stood up for the church; had not, after 1848, political reaction leagued itself with ecclesiastical reaction; had we done what the spokesmen of Ultramontanism now so earnestly, so persistently demand—left the church to herself—the veil of the temple had long since been rent asunder.
The German Catholic movement of 1840 by no means foundered on Peter's rock; it was first hindered, then repressed, and finally strangled, through police measures, by State persecution. To the church's advantage, in the very heat of the contest, a pope pronounced from the pulpit the word “Reform”—a pope who at that time loved that his name should be connected with that of Ganganelli. The infallible Pope Pius IX. was in the year 1849 the ideal of Italian Liberals whom to-day he curses. The transformation which the world then hoped for at the hands of the Roman Catholic Church already cast widely before it its majestic shadow. “Wherefore secede from a church which intends to make its peace with modern culture and society?” so said quiet, thoughtful people—and remained. The Syllabus, the “Non Possumus,” and the Infallibility Dogma were necessary to prove that between modern society and Rome nothing real or durable can exist except war.
Roman Catholicism is being surely driven to take up that position which fifteen hundred years ago perishing heathendom occupied with regard to ambitious Christendom. It is the religion of the uneducated. . . . So long as Rome could dispose of the secular arm in her service, and the night of ignorance beshrouded the world, her mastery was easy. No intelligence was required to burn dissidents. The conflict in which we are now engaged in Germany derives the desperation of its character only from the fact that the State has too long favored and furthered the aggressions of the church. . . . The Liberals over-estimate the strength of their adversary. In the end, this battle must become a battle of intelligence; and upon that territory the Jesuits, ghostly as well as worldly, with all their dogmas and the miracles of the saints to boot, cannot but quickly come to grief.
Let Roman Catholicism look which way it will, it can claim as its own no great man of learning, no great poet or painter. Its most distinguished theologians have fallen away from it; the absolute contradiction in which, sillily enough, it has set itself against modern discovery and natural science, presses it hardly even upon its own special field—theology. No man of learning can approach the Bible now-a-days in the naive manner with which the book was wont to be interpreted at the beginning of this century. . . . The sorties of Ultramontane journals and orators against the professors of theology are well-known; but how much is wanting ere one of the partisans of Infallibility shall equal or surpass Dollinger in erudition! When they throw dirt at an artist like Kaulbach they truly manifest a vulgar vigor; but they cannot set up against him a painter of equal eminence. There were once a Catholic erudition, a Catholic poetry, a Catholic school of painting and music; but they exist no longer. The last blossoms on the life-tree of Catholicism were Manzoni, Chateaubriand, and De Maistre.—Berlin National Zeitung.
A. C. BOURDEAU
By A. C. Bourdeau
Canada.
Since we pitched our tent in Bolton, P. Q., the 3d inst., I have given seventeen lectures. The weather is very rainy and cold, yet the meetings are well attended. This is the first time that a canvas tent was ever pitched in this Dominion by S. D. Adventists for a course of lectures; and, at first, some feared that we were a strange set; but they soon changed their minds about us, and became more and more interested in the truths spoken. Many are heard to say, “We have never heard so much Bible truth preached before.” Three preachers have come to hear us, two of whom say they have heard the truth.
Since last Sunday morning, have spoken on the third message (Rev. 14), God’s law, the Bible Sabbath, Sabbath in prophecy, and the sealing. Last evening, when I asked those in the congregation who believed that Sunday was the Sabbath, or Lord’s day, according to the Scriptures, to arise, not one arose. But several arose to manifest their belief that “the seventh day is the Sabbath.” Shall continue to give lectures and visit families. Some have come quite a distance to our meetings, and the way is opening in several places to give lectures in halls, schoolhouses, etc. Truly, if we will work we shall find enough to do. The Lord helping, we are well able to surmount obstacles and trials by the way. Pray for us.
A. C. BOURDEAU
Knowlton, P. Q., Sept. 15, 1875.
Kentucky and Tennessee Meetings Report
By S. Osborn
Kentucky.
My last report was made at the close of the Hammondsville meeting, which it became necessary to suspend on account of the constant rain.
July 31 and Aug. 1, met with the Sabbath-keepers at Locust Grove. The Lord blessed, both in preaching and in social meetings. One more signed the covenant to keep all of God's commandments.
Aug. 4, commenced a protracted effort at Powder Mills. Brethren and sisters were present from Locust Grove, and aided much. The meeting increased in interest until the close. Sunday, the 8th, after a discourse on baptism, four were baptized. In the evening we had our farewell meeting. All present seemed much affected. There were more Sabbath-keepers present at this meeting than were ever before assembled in this State. Their heartfelt confessions and their streaming eyes told of the work of the Spirit upon their hearts. I never was in a meeting where the power of God was more sensibly felt. Praise his name!
Worn in body and mind, I rested one day, and then started for Edgefield Junction, Tenn. The Sabbath-keepers there had had no preaching for about two years. Found the young very much discouraged. After speaking the first evening, I felt that my work there was for the Sabbath-keepers especially. I stayed until the 18th, laboring in prayer and social meetings, and giving close, practical discourses, until it was apparent to all that the Lord was moving upon hearts. Those that were discouraged made hearty confessions. It was truly affecting to see them plead with their unconverted friends. One brother and his wife came twenty-eight miles through the mud, traveling nearly all of one night to reach the place before the Sabbath. It was the first time they had ever heard a Seventh-day Adventist preach, and they drank in the precious truths of the third message with joy and eagerness. On first-day they were buried in baptism, giving every evidence of genuine conversion.
Can not some aid be sent to Tennessee. Why cannot Bro. Butler or Bro. R. M. Kilgore come and spend the fall and winter in that State? Where are the consecrated young men who want to get an experience for themselves? The Sabbath-keepers there are as willing to aid the cause financially as they are anywhere in the north. But the drought last year and the rain this year have made the crops a failure, and they are embarrassed financially. I pray that the Lord will move the General Conference Committee to send this dear people help.
While at this place, I learned that there were Sabbath-keepers in Ohio Co., Ky., near the falls of Rough. On my way from Tennessee, I met with the few at Locust Grove on the 21st; and on the 22d, in company with Bro. Barr, started on horseback for Ohio Co., Ky. Found five keeping the Sabbath, who were convinced by reading. Began lectures on the 25th. I never saw people more anxious to hear. I lectured in the daytime and evenings too, until nature gave way, and I suffered for eight days with a severe attack of chills and fever. I gave twelve discourses before I was obliged to give up. The people were very kind, and willing to do all they could for me, but they knew nothing of hygienic treatment. Quinine is their only remedy. By the aid of Bro. Porter, who had acquired some knowledge of our treatment by reading the Reformer, and the blessing of the Lord, the fever was broken, and on the 9th I rode ten miles to the cars. I rested at Bro. Barr's one night, and then rode 26 miles to Powder Mills. We had a very good meeting. Sunday I baptized nine. Two of them were colored people. This was the most joyous baptismal scene I ever witnessed. At this place twenty-two signed the covenant, and many more will soon. They have a good Sabbath-school and meeting every Sabbath. They have taken subscriptions to build a church.
I reached home the 16th very much worn. I do not know how long I can endure laboring alone so constantly. May the Lord direct the mind of some consecrated minister to come South. S. OSBORN.
Lynn, Greenup Co., Ky., Sept. 18, 1875.
Rolla, Missouri.
By George I. Butler
It may possibly interest some to learn how the cause prospers in this distant quarter of the field. It will be remembered that Bro. Nelson W. Allen and myself came here with the tent in the beginning of the season, and that at the last report some sixteen or eighteen had signified their intention to keep the Sabbath. Since that time, our experience has been peculiar. We have continued here much longer than we intended. But there never has seemed to be a time when we could feel clear to leave, as quite a number seemed almost decided, and there was still a good interest to hear.
From the first, there has been great opposition, and efforts have been made from all quarters to keep the people away from the tent. There have been public efforts against us from the pulpit, and insinuations have been made by ministers of the gospel that it was not a respectable place to go. But the fact was, some of the most respectable people in the place were constant attendants, and not a single disorderly act of any consequence was seen there during the whole season.
After a while, however, the local clergy got tired of attacking us and left us in quiet, as they found to their cost they were hurting themselves more than us. Since that time, several from abroad have come in on purpose to break our influence. One Disciple minister came and preached night after night. The people soon got sick of hearing him, and many of his own church would not attend his meetings. He said he “had been fighting this doctrine for fifteen years, and was going to keep on fighting it, and when he could do so no longer, he would stand off and make mouths at it.” He stated this in the pulpit. Our interest continued good. We knew, however, that the Disciple church were trying to get some one from a distance who they thought would be sufficient for the task of destroying our influence here.
About this time, I went to the General Conference, and it was over three weeks before I came back. Bro. Allen continued meetings alone as he had strength during my absence, and kept up the interest very well. When I returned, I found Dr. A. G. Lucas here fighting us with all his might. He had given five or six sermons, and was evidently intending to do his best to hurt us. They had sent some two or three hundred miles for him, and their most prominent member here stated in public before he came that he did not suppose there was a man in the United States better prepared to show up our views than he was. Dr. L. is an old debater, and ten or twelve years ago held three debates with Elds. Cornell and Snook, so he was pretty thoroughly posted. The people greatly desired him to speak one evening and hear me speak the next; but he would not consent to this, so I commenced reviewing his discourses. Bro. Allen took notes of his sermons at the court-house, and I reviewed at the tent. This did not please him, as I took the larger part of the congregation with me. This continued several days. He found he was gaining nothing in this way, so he put out a hand-bill concerning: “S. D. Adventists and Mrs. E. G. White.” In his discourse he made many statements which were untrue, and did his best to bring us into contempt and derision, getting his inspiration, partially at least, from Mr. Carver and Miles Grant. We put out a hand-bill the following day, in which we stated that his discourse would be reviewed and his false statements exposed. His whole effort only hurt himself and his own influence.
At last, seeing he could accomplish nothing this way, he sent me a written challenge for a discussion. I had thought I never would engage in discussions with any one. I have such a distaste for them that I have always been careful not to throw out banters for them. I never had held one in my life, while he was old in the business. But circumstances were such that I saw no other way. We had been contending against opposition every step of the way, and now to decline when squarely challenged, I felt would jeopardize the cause in this whole section of country, and our young friends would never hear the last of it. The people voted for the discussion, and I finally consented.
The discussion is just closed, after holding eight continuous nights, most of the sessions being two and a half hours in length. The subjects of the Sabbath, the first-day, the state of the dead, the end of the wicked, and spiritual gifts, have been canvassed. We feel that God has given us a glorious victory on every one of these questions. On some of them, I think I never saw a disputant so badly worried. He is a shrewd, keen, wily man, ready to attempt any advantage, whether fair or otherwise. But his dodging and throwing dust did not save him in the eyes of the community. All our friends feel greatly pleased over the result, while we have made many friends from those who were prejudiced against us, and many of his own partizans have admitted his defeat. Some of his members have said that this debate was the worst thing for them they could have had. I think I never felt more free in speaking than in this debate. I know the Lord helped me to show up his sophistries, and make the truth stand out clearly. My great effort was to make the weight of evidence in favor of the truth appear, rather than to follow his dodges and quibbles. The debate has decided several, and the prospect of good from it, I think, is great. We were morally forced into this fight, and now I think they will leave us in peace to close up our work here, and go to other fields. Of all the debates I have ever attended, I think this is the most decisive victory, on the whole, in the eyes of the community. So, as the result of his three weeks’ effort against the truth here, after coming two or three hundred miles, and laboring very hard, he leaves our friends doubled in number, the present truth standing firmer and clearer than ever, and his own adherents discouraged.
The Lord has been greatly blessing us, and to him be all the praise. As nearly as I can learn now, there are from twenty-five to thirty keeping the Sabbath here and near here as the result of our efforts in this place this summer. We shall stay here but a short time to close up the work as well as we can, and then I shall return to Iowa to labor. I never felt to more highly appreciate the strength of our positions, and the privilege of laboring in this cause, than now.
Bro. Allen has greatly assisted me in taking notes and in other ways. God is blessing him. His health has been very poor, so that probably he will work with his hands to recover his health. When I first returned he was unfit to labor at all, but we believe God has heard prayer in his behalf, and he has been steadily gaining ever since. My health and courage are good.
GEO. I. BUTLER.
Rolla, Mo., Sept. 16, 1873.
Marquette Co., Wis.
By John Matteson
During the past month, I have labored in Chicago, Racine, and Raymond. Our brethren in Chicago lost five members in the storm of the 19th of April. That was the night when those who say they are Adventists and are not, professed to be waiting for the glorious appearing of our Lord. Yet we know some who carefully locked their stores and put the keys into their pockets when they went out to meet the Lord. On returning, they were glad to find everything safe.
These time-setters are in general the bitterest enemies of the law of God. They are not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. They advocate also trine immersion. Mr. Thurman has written a book on this subject. He assures us that all the Jews were baptized unto the Father in the cloud. (The Bible says they were baptized unto Moses. 1 Cor. 10.) This was their first immersion. Afterward, says Mr. Thurman, John the Baptist baptized all the Jews, without an exception, in the river Jordan. This was the second dipping, which was unto the Son. Finally, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles immersed the believing Jews unto the Holy Spirit. Therefore, says Mr. Thurman, we Gentiles must also be dipped three times to make out one baptism or dipping. Yet not with intervals of 1500 and 3½ years.
Having laid this curious foundation, they can see very clearly that Matt. 28 teaches three dippings in one dipping or baptism, and not one baptism in three names.
I think nothing so clearly shows the error of trine immersion as those texts which speak of being buried with Christ by baptism into his death. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death,” &c. We cannot be baptized or immersed into the Father’s death; for the Father has never died. Neither can we be planted with the Holy Spirit in the likeness of his death nor be raised in the likeness of his resurrection; for the Holy Spirit has never died, neither has he been raised from the dead. Christ only has died for our sins, therefore we can only be buried with Christ by baptism into his death. But this burial or immersion can be performed in the name of the Father and Holy Spirit as well as in the name of Christ.
We had some additions in Chicago to make up for the loss. Four believers were baptized into the death of Christ. Seven new members were added to the church. Several others have commenced to obey the truth. The church was encouraged and edified by the grace of God.
The 4th and 5th of this month we had quarterly meeting in Oakland. Friends from abroad came in and the house was filled. A Norwegian brother and his wife were buried with Christ in baptism.
Next Sabbath we visited Bro. Decker, who was preaching in the tent at Oxbow, Rock Co., sixteen miles from Oakland. It was rather cold, yet a goodly number of hearers gathered on the Sabbath and evening following. First-day forenoon, about three hundred came together. They listened with good attention to the word preached. After this meeting, one brother was baptized.103
In the afternoon, we attended the Methodist preaching and class-meeting. The preacher warned his hearers against observing days and months, and seeking salvation through the law. After the sermon, the members spoke freely in the class. Most of them were in favor of the Adventists. One was in doubt which day we ought to keep, but wanted to know the truth. Another had fully decided to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, whatever be the consequences. Another, a lady, had been full of prejudice, but it had all passed away. She had found that the Adventists loved the same Jesus whom she loved. Others spoke of the second coming of Christ being near and rejoiced in the fact. All who had been in the tent assured their class-leader that they had found food for their spiritual life there as well as in their own meetings, and they wanted to praise God for all the light he would give them.
We remarked that our hope of salvation is in Christ alone, and that there is no other name given under heaven whereby men can be saved; that the law of God is not given to us as a means of justification, but to show what is right and wrong; that as far as the Sabbath is concerned, the Methodists observe exactly as many days in a week as we do. We keep one day holy as a Sabbath, and they keep one also. I stated that we would not debate this question, but every one could search for himself; that, for convenience, we would rather have the first day the Sabbath than the seventh; but it was our conscientious conviction that the seventh day was the only holy Sabbath of the Bible; and for this reason we could not omit to keep it holy; that we all had one God and Father, one Saviour, one Bible, and one Heaven, where God would gather all his dear children. Therefore, we ought to love one another, to bear with one another, and to be followers of God as dear children. The Spirit of God was in our midst, and all seemed to be edified.
In the evening, a large congregation gathered in the tent. Some Irish Catholics came to disturb us. Several of them were under the influence of liquor. They made considerable noise during the meeting; but Bro. Decker dealt very kindly with them, and this checked them somewhat. After about half an hour of noisy demonstrations, they left without injury to the tent. There is a good prospect of raising up a church in this vicinity.
I am now in the vicinity of Harrisville, where some Danish families desire to be instructed in the truth.
John Matteson.
Sept. 17, 1875.
AFTERWARD
By Sel.
Now, the sowing and the weeping,
Working hard and waiting long;
Afterward, the golden reaping,
Harvest home, and grateful song.
Now, the pruning, sharp, unsparing,
Scattered blossom, bleeding shoot;
Afterward, the plenteous bearing
Of the Master's pleasant fruit.
Now, the plunge, the briny burden,
Blind, faint, groping in the sea;
Afterward, the pearly guerdon
That shall make the diver free.
Now, the long and toilsome duty
Stone by stone to carve and bring;
Afterward, the perfect beauty
Of the palace of the King.
Now, the tuning and the tension,
Wailing minors, discord strong;
Afterward, the grand ascension
Of the Alleluia song.
Now, the spirit conflict-riven,
Wounded heart, unequal strife;
Afterward, the triumph given,
And the victor's crown of life.
Now, the training strange and lowly,
Unexplained and tedious now;
Afterward, the service holy,
And the Master's—“Enter thou!”
—Sel.
Northern Iowa Tent.
By C. A. Washburn; F. A. Barlow
OUR meetings have closed at Monona, and the tent has been taken down and housed for the winter near Waukon. Owing to the frequent storms of rain and wind, our meetings were broken up. Our tent was once blown down, and there being no place for us to hold meetings at Monona, we concluded to commence here (Rossville), ten miles north of Monona. Commenced here the same day that we stored away the tent, Sept. 16. We have a good interest. Held our first meetings in a school-house, but that being too small the Baptists gave us permission to use their church, which is a large and commodious building. Now the Methodists have tendered us the use of their church. We hope that much good may be done here. Three embraced the Sabbath at Monona. For the present our address will be Rossville, Allamakee Co., Iowa.
C. A. WASHBURN,
F. A. BARLOW.
The Fourteenth Annual Session of the N. Y. and Pa. Conference.
By B. L. Whitney; S. B. Whitney
This meeting was held, according to appointment, on the camp-ground near Rome, commencing Sept. 9, 1875. Five ministers were present, and eighteen churches presented twenty-two delegates. Delegates were received from five additional churches without credentials. Brn. White and Smith were also present and were invited to participate in the discussion of business.
The reading of the minutes of the last session called forth remarks from Bro. White which gave relief to the minds of some of the brethren upon the points alluded to.
By vote of the Conference, the president appointed the several committees as follows: On Nominations, Hiram Edson, H. Hilliard, A. M. Green. On Resolutions, Uriah Smith, S. B. Whitney, Jacob Wilbur. On credentials, Jas. White, Uriah Smith, S. B. Whitney. Auditors, Wm. Coats, D. B. Green, A. H. Hall, Thos. Smith, W. H. Eggleston, Daniel Howe.
The treasurer’s report showed receipts to the amount of three thousand eight hundred and forty-one dollars and thirty-two cts. ($3841.32), and expenditures amounting to seven hundred and twenty-three dollars and twenty-five cts. ($723.25), leaving a balance of three thousand one hundred and eighteen dollars and seven cts. ($3118.07).
The following names were presented and ratified by the Conference as officers for the ensuing year: President, B. L. Whitney; Conference Committee, P. Z. Kinne, S. N. Walsworth; Secretary, S. B. Whitney, Litchfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y.; Treasurer, Chas. E. Green, Sacket’s Harbor, Jefferson Co., N. Y.
The following resolutions were adopted:
Resolved, 1. That, notwithstanding the embarrassments under which we have labored in this State, we hereby express increased confidence in the truth, in the working of this cause, and in its future prosperity and final triumph.
2. That, in common with our brethren in all the States, we rejoice in the prosperity which we now behold attending the cause in various parts of the field, and we recognize in this sufficient reason for new encouragement in the work, and for taking hold of the promulgation of the truth with increasing zeal.
3. That while we regret that so little labor is bestowed in this State, and that the cause is in so languishing a condition in our midst, we will not slack our hands from the financial support of the cause, but will move forward in the discharge of all Christian duties, praying the Lord of the harvest to raise up more laborers to go forth into this wide and inviting field.
4. That with deepest gratitude we acknowledge the hand of God in favoring us with the labors of Bro. and Sr. White and Bro. Smith in this meeting, by which the light and relief we stood in pressing need of have been brought us; and we hereby express our obligation to our brethren of the Conference Committee for their interest and zeal in bringing this about.
5. That, while we deeply regret the necessity of such testimony as has been given us by Sr. White, it is our opinion that the papers read before the meeting on the morning of Sept. 13 should be published in a pamphlet of one thousand copies at the expense of the Conference, and circulated in the Conference at the discretion of the Conference Committee.
The last two resolutions were approved by a unanimous rising vote of the congregation.
Upon recommendation of the Committee on Credentials, Bro. Jacob Wilbur and B. L. Whitney were set apart for the gospel ministry, after which, credentials were given to Bro. R. F. Cottrell, S. B. Whitney, J. N. Andrews, C. B. Reynolds, C. O. Taylor, F. Wheeler, Jacob Wilbur, B. L. Whitney, and a license to Bro. A. H. Hall. For want of time to properly consider cases of others, they were referred to the Conference Committee for licenses. The auditor’s report showed appropriations amounting in the aggregate to one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven dollars and sixty-seven cts. (1867.67).
Voted, To use the same ground next year.
Voted, That the President appoint the Camp-meeting Committee; whereupon W. H. Eggleston, Wm. Brown, and E. W. Whitney were named as such Committee.
The Secretary was instructed by a unanimous rising vote to present a written expression of thanks from the entire meeting to Mr. Wright, the owner of the grounds, for his courteous and generous bearing.
Voted, That the Conference bear Bro. Kinne’s expenses to the New England Camp-meeting.
Voted, To publish these minutes in the REVIEW.
Adjourned indefinitely.
B. L. WHITNEY, Pres.
S. B. WHITNEY, Sec.
The Iowa and Neb. T. & M. Society.
By H. Nicola; C. G. Johnston
THIS Society convened in quarterly meeting at State Center, Sept. 4, 5, 1875, with only a partial representation present.
The secretary made the following report of work done since the last meeting, which is only partial, many districts not reporting:—
No. of districts, 11; No. of districts represented, 7; No. of families visited, 90; letters written, 129; subscriptions for Voice, 10; Reformer, 15; Youth’s Instructor, 3; REVIEW, 11; Signs of Times, 4. Papers distributed, 364; pages of tracts distributed, 52,913.
Money received on memberships, $10.00
“ “ donations, $38.25
“ “ book sales, 2.65
Total, $50.90
The following resolutions were adopted as the sentiment of the meeting:—
Whereas, The reports from the different districts have been very deficient, therefore,
Resolved, That the directors be, and they hereby are, instructed to urge upon the librarians and members the necessity of each member’s reporting; and they are further instructed to make a specialty of seeing that they have complete reports from their respective districts.
Resolved, That the directors be, and they hereby are, instructed to report to the next quarterly meeting the feelings of the brethren of their respective districts as to holding camp-meeting in the fall of the year.
On motion the following resolution was adopted:—
Whereas, The evidences of the soon coming of the Lord are brightening around us and forcing themselves upon us; therefore,
Resolved, That we enter upon the missionary work with renewed energy, and urge upon the brethren the necessity of so doing.
The next quarterly meeting was appointed to be held at Marion, Linn Co., Iowa, December 4, 5, 1875.