It is a well-settled principle, sanctioned by the customs of all nations, no matter what their religious belief may be, that some rest is needed from the usual occupations of life. Universally it has been determined that one day in seven should be devoted to rest and recreation, and in this country the majority of the people have decided that Sunday, or the first day of the week, should be thus set apart. If kept within proper bounds, no harm can result from this system; but yet it should always be remembered that the proper object of government is to protect the lives and property of all its citizens, and not to determine whether one day is holier than another.
Among our people there is great diversity of sentiment on this question. A very large portion believe that all the days of the week are alike, and that no one day is holier than another; and thus believing, they are unwilling to treat Sunday with more respect than any other day. The Jews, who are entitled to have their opinions respected as well as any other class of citizens, believe that the fourth commandment of the decalogue obliges them to observe Saturday, or the seventh day of the week, as a holy day. One denomination of Christians, the Adventists, who are most excellent citizens, believe with the Jews in the religious observance of Saturday. On the other hand, most Christians believe that the Jewish Sabbath is abolished, and that Sunday should be substituted for it. The Jewish government enforced religious observance, but I believe it will be an evil day for us when it is made the duty of government to coerce our citizens into religious observances.
It is not the duty of our government to determine whether one religious view is true or another false; its province is to deal with civil questions, not religious ones. Under our government every man has the right to choose his own religion and to observe it in his own way, so long as he does not invade the rights of others. That class of our citizens who so zealously contend for the religious observance of Sunday appear to believe that its non-observance is a violation of the law of God. They also seem to believe that it is the duty of the legislative authority to determine what are the laws of God. If their views are correct, then this country will yet become the theater of as bitter religious controversies as the world has ever witnessed. To prevent such an evil our national Constitution has prohibited any legislative body from defining what is the divine law, and has guaranteed to every citizen freedom of conscience and liberty of religious belief.
If the observance of a holy day is to become a part of our civil institutions, then consistency would demand that the mails should not be carried or delivered on Sunday; that our armies should be prohibited from moving, and that our men-of-war lie-to on that day. Nay, if it is the duty of government to enforce religious observances, it must, if consistent, go further and provide for the erection of Christian churches, the maintenance of ministers of the gospel, and the compulsory attendance of people on the places of public worship.
Such theories have scourged and desolated some of the fairest countries on earth, and if the people of this country do not wish to suffer a repetition of the religious persecutions of former centuries, they must determinedly resist every effort to foist religious observances on our civil institutions.
If it is any citizen's duty to observe Sunday in a religious way, it is because of his relations to God, and a man's duties to God should never come under the dictation or control of a civil government. If a person performs a religious duty, such as the observance of Sunday, in a manner acceptable to God, it must be a willing service; if it is not a voluntary act on his part it can neither be productive of benefit to him nor acceptable to God. But government can never compel a willing obedience; it can only enforce an outward compliance, and hence, if we allow government to enforce a strict observance of Sunday, we surrender our religious freedom without obtaining any of the objects for which the surrender is made.—Evening News.
The Bible and its Foes.
If collected from the earliest times to the present day, infidel books would occupy far more than a thousand times the space of the one volume against which they are directed, and would certainly be much more numerous than all the works that all other “sacred” books ever had the honor of provoking, either for or against them. If all these books were placed in one library, and this single one set on a table in the middle of it, and a stranger were told that this book—affirmed to be, for the most part, the work of a number of unlearned and obscure men belonging to a despised nation called the Jews—had drawn upon itself, for its exposure, confutation, and destruction, this multitude of volumes, I imagine he would be inclined to say: “Then I presume this little book was annihilated long ago; though how it could be needful to write a thousandth part so much for any such purpose, I cannot comprehend. For if the book be what its authors say, surely it should not be difficult to show it to be so; and if so, what wonderful madness to write all these volumes.” How surprised would he then be to learn that they were felt not to be enough; that similar works were being multiplied every day, and never more actively than at the present time; and still to no purpose in disabusing mankind of this same frenzy! He would learn, indeed, that so far from accomplishing the object, the new volumes are little more than necessary to replace those of this fruitful, yet fruitless, literature, which is continually sinking into oblivion.
But the volume itself survives both friends and foes. Without being able to speak one word on its own behalf but what it has already said; without any power of explanation or rejoinder, in deprecation of the attacks made upon it, or to assist those who defend it, it passes along the ages in majestic silence. Impassive amidst all this tumult of controversy, in which it takes no part, it might be likened to some great ship floating down a mighty river like the Amazon or Orinoco, the shores of which are inhabited by various savage tribes. From every little creek or inlet, from every petty port or bay, sally flotillas of canoes, some seemingly friendly and some seemingly hostile, filled with warriors, in all the terrors of war paint, and their artillery of bows and arrows. They are hostile tribes; and soon turning their weapons against one another assail each other with great fury and mutual loss. Meantime, the noble vessel silently moves on through the scene of confusion, without deigning to alter its course or to fire a shot; perhaps here and there a seaman casts a compassionate glance from the lofty bulwarks, and wonders at the hardihood of those who come to assail his leviathan.—Roger's Superhuman Origin of the Bible.
Excuses.
By Chas. L. Boyd
Many, when led to notice a fault or sin, acknowledge the transgression, but commence at once to justify themselves. But what is sin? “Sin is the transgression of the law.” Then whosoever sins against God transgresses his law. What does the law contain? We are told to “fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.” If circumstances are such as to justify a person in committing an act, it is not a sin.
If this reasoning is correct, it is plain that for sin there is no excuse. Through ignorance we may make mistakes, but we are not speaking of mistakes. We present to the people the law of God. They acknowledge its claims, that it is like its Author, unchanged and unchangeable. We then call their attention to the fourth commandment. Now their ideas in reference to the immutability of that law are changed. The observance of the Sabbath conflicts with established customs, and they ask, “Has not the law been changed? or will not some other way do as well?” A sacrifice must be made and their customs changed, or some other way must be devised. Great efforts have been made and long researches have been undertaken, to find some authority for establishing Sunday observance on a Bible basis. These attempts have all failed. Sin being the transgression of the law, those who break the law are of necessity sinners, either ignorantly or willfully.
Excuses for Sunday-keeping are soon framed. “To keep the Sabbath will interfere with my business, with my influence in the church and community, and with my privileges in many ways.” But how is it with Sabbath-keepers? Come into our social meetings. Here is a confession: “I treated Bro. A. very unkindly, but he provoked me.” “I have neglected meetings, but the weather was bad.” “I attended a place of amusement, or permitted my children to go, but I thought it not very wrong.” “I have not spoken a word in honor of Jesus or to promote his cause; for the world has lulled me to sleep.” What a terrible state to be in! Our fellow-men going to ruin, and we too sleepy to warn them of their alarming condition!
There was a time when almost all nations were guilty of breaking the second and seventh commandments. This was especially true of those sitting at the head of the nations. At this time of moral darkness the king of a powerful nation was overcome by temptation. A servant of God was sent to point out his sin. He first presented to him a parallel case. Justice shall be administered, is the decree. Says the prophet, “Thou art the man.” The king saw his sin. The victorious warrior, the mighty monarch, bowed his head in humble contrition, acknowledged his guilt, offered no apology, but entreated the seer to pray for his forgiveness, and most humbly called on God to blot out his transgression. Other monarchs would have marched the reprover to the dungeon or the scaffold; other men would have made many excuses, but instead of trying to conceal his guilt, King David composed hymns to be sung in public assemblies, and by future generations, pointing out his weakness in yielding to temptation, and his guilt in the sight of God and man, without an excuse or an apology for his crime. Here is a case from which we can learn a lesson.
May God help us to see our faults, and instead of covering them by justification confess to God and man, wash in the fountain open for all penitent sinners, and make clean work for eternal life. CHAS. L. BOYD.
Waiting for the Crowd
“I am waiting for the crowd,” was the answer given by a little boy on his way to school, when asked why he did not go directly there instead of waiting for a number of his schoolmates who were some distance in the rear. He waited, and the consequence was he was too late for school.
“Waiting for the crowd” is not a common expression in language, but it is a frequent occurrence. And the result of waiting is oftentimes a more serious disadvantage to the waiting ones than being a few minutes too late for school.
Of all influences, the one belonging to the crowd seems to enjoy a supremacy. What the majority of persons advocate and believe is generally conceded, to be the truth. Many persons are deterred from doing their duty by waiting for a favorable opinion from the crowd. This waiting prevents a discontinuation of many vile practices and customs among civilized nations; it prevents the abolition of hideous, deforming, and degenerating fashions, which cause more mental and bodily disquietude among the members of both sexes than things and subjects of more importance.
Good resolutions are rendered worthless by waiting for a crowd of favorable circumstances to carry them out. Many hearts are troubled and brains perplexed because the comforts and good things of life do not come in crowds. A healthy and moderate quantity is not sufficient for some persons’ estimate of necessity, though it is for their digestive organs and general well-being. Public opinion is but the opinion of the crowd; and how fickle it is, yet what homage is paid to it, and how many wait for it and are injured by the waiting, both in business and social relations.
Waiting for minutes to come in crowds, instead of one at a time, leaves many at the end of life poor and ignorant, who might have been educated, in a measure, and wealthy; it prevents the cultivation of the faculties which God has given them. A man may be made wealthy or famous by the crowd; and, if he be not careful, he will, eventually, be made poor and infamous by the same power. A tale of scandal told by the crowd will be rendered credible, though it be false, to the most incredulous. Valuable truths, if not advocated by the crowd, are almost worthless.
Yet, like many other subjects, this one concerning a crowd has its bright side. Who could wish that the flowers would not bloom in crowds, that they would bloom one at a time, that each would wait until its predecessor saw fit to wither and die before it exposed its beauty to the world? The rose tree is never so beautiful as when crowded with its fragrant flowers. Crowds of blades of grass render the fields beautiful in summer, and crowds of leaves produce the cool shade so grateful to the toilworn and weary.
There is nothing in nature that suffers so much from crowding, and waiting for the crowd as human beings. Even the trees of the forest, numerous as they are, seem to have room enough to live and thrive without interfering with the movements or impeding the progress of one another.—Sel.
ALL FOR GOOD.
When Bernard Gilpin was on his way to London, to be tried before the Romish party, he broke his leg by a fall, which put a stop for some time to his journey. The person in whose custody he was, took occasion to retort upon him an observation he used frequently to make, that “nothing happens to the people of God but what is intended for their good,” asking him whether he thought his broken leg was so. He answered meekly, that he made no question but it was. And so it proved; for before he was able to travel, Queen Mary died. Being thus providentially rescued, he returned to Houghton through crowds of people, expressing the utmost joy, and blessing God for his deliverance.
Reflections by the Way.
By James White
We are now nearing the Rocky Mountains. We have been on the Union Pacific from Omaha twenty-four hours, and in two hours our train is due at Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming. Thus far, our journey has been very pleasant. There is no dust by reason of recent rains, neither is there excess of heat or cold. And what time has not been spent in sleeping, which has been fully one-half since we left Battle Creek in consequence of being short of time for sleep the ten days previous, we have occupied in reflecting upon the
WANTS OF THE CAUSE.
During the past six months, our labors have extended from the Pacific to the Atlantic, as far north as Minnesota and Maine, and as far south as Missouri and Southern Illinois. And it is apparent that the greatest want of the cause is men of God, to preach the word, and labor for the conversion of men and women to Christ and the truth. The destitution of real laborers among us as a people is very great. In some of our Conferences credentials are given year after year to men who have been doing next to nothing, and very few young men are entering the work. This course of things goes too far toward giving the impression that it is a small thing to fill the ministry of the last message, and that but little should be expected of those who enter upon it. These things are hindering young men of moral worth and energy, and are against us.
And it is a painful fact that we as a people have been letting some of the best talent slip through our fingers. For want of the very best school in the land, which by the help of God the Battle Creek College shall be, not a few of our young people have patronized other schools where they have lost interest in the present truth, and to-day are hardly within our reach. Others, who should now be in the ministry, or preparing for it, or be connected with some working department of the cause, have left their homes to seek positions in the world, and, to say the least of many of them, they are lost to the cause at present.
And what gives this matter a most painful aspect is that these are generally the most enterprising and talented of our youth, the very ones the Lord wants in his cause. The fact is well-nigh heart-rending that in the older fields, such as New England and New York, the general gatherings at our camp-meetings are made up of persons of middle and advanced ages, while the young, in whom we should hope for the future, yield to the claims of this world.
The more promising young ladies among our people are pressed to give their hands in marriage at an early age, and many of them are overwhelmed with the cares and toils of household duties before they have matured to real womanhood. And these, who might be laborers and shining lights to the world, are nearly lost to the cause, destined to spend the little time of probation left them in the perpetual rounds of the narrow home. And many of our young men marry before they have any well-defined plans for the future—before they have proved themselves capable of filling any important position, and later sometimes find themselves disappointed in choice, and thereby embarrassed and hindered from preparing themselves to fill important positions in the cause. Some of these, after throwing away five or more years of the best of life, seek the ministry with a helpless family on their hands. Under these circumstances it is exceedingly hard for them to become full-grown ministers. Indeed, if the church ventures to give them encouragement, a great and doubtful burden is sometimes taken on.
The world with its deceptive power is holding our people, young and old, back from the duties of the present hour. It can hardly be expected that our young people will consecrate themselves to the Lord, give up the world, and devote their lives to the work of God, while their parents still hold their own energies in devotion to the interests of this life to such a degree as to deprive themselves of many of the means of grace. What is wanted, and what must be in order for the cause to move forward as would please God, is a general turning to the Lord by repentance, confession, and a spirit of sacrifice.
OUR SCHOOL.
There is no want of means among our people to carry forward the several enterprises at this time. Hundreds of men among us have grown wealthy since they embraced the doctrines of S. D. Adventists. And there are no good reasons why the debt still remaining on our College should not be lifted, and ten thousand dollars more raised before New-Years, to purchase much needed apparatus, and to give free tuition to those young men who should be urged to enter the ministry, but are hindered for want of means. Our people are making a terrible mistake in relation to our school. That debt must be lifted. Our school must possess all real advantages and be the best in our country. Our most promising young men and women from the Atlantic to the Pacific should be induced to fill our College rooms, and hastened to active service in the cause of God. We are losing time in this matter. While our people are sleeping over it, Satan is stealing a march upon us, and is securing to himself and the world precious talent which should be sanctified to the cause of Christ.
Neither is there want of ability among S. D. Adventists. From the very nature of our specific message, based upon the prophetic word and the moral code, it is an appeal to the moral and the intellectual, and necessarily develops the higher order of mind and talent. Fortunately we have not our share of the superficial and dashy; while our ranks are largely made up of people of conscientious, reasoning, God-fearing minds which need urging to their proper position. That a large proportion of our male membership are first-class mechanics is remarkable. This may be accounted for in the perfection with which the great doctrines pertaining to life and salvation harmonize as taught by our people.
Again, the children of our people are, or should be, separated from the corrupting influences of this fast age, and their minds are comparatively free from that false and feverish excitement which is dwarfing and belittling the intellect of those who are carried away by the follies of our time. God save and bless our dear youth! At school they excel because in addition to a good mental inheritance they are in a healthy mental condition to attend to, and make rapid progress in, their studies.
And again, the priceless doctrine of Christian temperance, so fully diffused among our people, is of the highest physical, and, consequently, mental, benefit to our young people. Their parents rejoice in the great physical improvement, the mental clearness, and buoyancy of spirit obtained by adopting improved habits of life. How much greater benefits may be realized on youthful constitutions and minds! With these advantages our young people should and will excel. It is really a disgrace to our people to do a second-class job at anything. God and his cause call for our best talent, and demand immediate, energetic action of all our people. We have beat the world in publishing, and a little time will show that we can equally excel in health institutions and schools.
It is of no use to talk to us of accomplishing the great work demanded of our people with second-class talent in a corner. May the spirit of still broader plans be diffused among the friends of the cause everywhere, and may energetic, united action follow. We shall be glad to hear from the presidents of our State Conferences, and other interested persons, relative to the foregoing, at Oakland, Cal. As our train shall speed its way to the Pacific, we shall endeavor to continue our train of reflections for other numbers of the REVIEW, of which the foregoing is but the beginning.
J. W.
Battle Creek.
By Uriah Smith
LEAVING the N. Y. camp-ground Monday evening, Sept. 13, in company with Bro. and sister White, we reached Battle Creek, Tuesday, the 15th. As Bro. and sister W. designed to leave for California the 16th, they had only 48 hours to spend there, but had about two weeks' business in connection with the institutions at Battle Creek to accomplish in that time. This did not promise them much rest preparatory to their long journey to California.
But an interest soon arose overshadowing in importance all business considerations, and that was the spiritual condition of the church. Meetings were held Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and the interest had then arisen to such a degree that Bro. and sister W. felt unwilling to leave it. They therefore concluded to remain over Sabbath and take the cars the evening following.
For the benefit of the young, some of whom were falling into the snare of the devil, the effort was especially directed. Some of the church felt the importance of making the most of this timely visit of the servants of the Lord, having once more the benefit of their experience and labors before their long absence on the Pacific Coast, and took hold to second their efforts. The Spirit of God was present to help. The hearts of the young were powerfully wrought upon. Many who had never made a profession, and for some of whom but little hope could be entertained, so wayward were the tendencies they manifested, made a move. The servants of the Lord were led out in exhortations as powerful and labors as earnest as any we have ever heard or witnessed. It was a visitation of the Spirit such as any people are rarely blessed with.
Meetings were held Thursday evening, Friday morning, the evening commencing the Sabbath, Sabbath morning, forenoon, and afternoon. At the conclusion of the afternoon service, twenty-three were baptized by Bro. W. in the Kalamazoo, which has witnessed so many scenes of this kind, yet none so remarkable as this. With but few exceptions, the ages of those baptized ranged from 12 to 17. This was an astonishing result to reach in so short a time. Yet we believe a genuine commencement of the work has been made, which may be cultivated to permanent and most happy results.
A responsibility is thrown upon the church which we hope will be realized by them. These lambs of the flock are to be cared for and taught self-reliance and an individual experience in the Christian life. They are now in a position to be led forward to positions of stability and usefulness in this work. We pray that this duty may not be neglected.
The experience of the past few months in B. C. can but have opened the blindest eyes to the fearful effects of the spirit of recklessness, insubordination, and complaint and murmuring against those who are bearing the responsibilities of the cause, which has prevailed with some. Such a spirit very easily affects and leavens the whole mass, and especially the young. Some are fully aroused to the evil of this thing, and fired with a determination that in the fort at Battle Creek it shall hereafter find no quarter.
No further evidence could be needed that God is with his servants. Only with his help could they endure such intense and unremitting labors as those to which they willingly and cheerfully subject themselves in behalf of the cause of truth and perishing souls. Only with his help could they labor with such power and such marked success. Yes, God is with them; and this fact ought to shame the murmurer and caviler out of his nefarious work. Yet with all this evidence there are some who seem to think, or act as though they thought, that the cause would not be safe unless they watched these veterans in the message, to criticize, object, and steady them in their labors. And some will hold themselves aloof from the cause for fear that they will, contrary to both theory and experience, have too much power in their hands. We wait to see on the part of these some such work of the Lord as we see in the hands of Bro. and sister W. We want to see them laboring with such zeal for the good of souls, to rescue and build up the cause. And we want to see such marked operations of the Spirit of God in connection with their labors as we have just witnessed in Battle Creek. But significantly enough, these things do not appear on that side of the house. It will be well for us to look facts in the face, and take our stand as those who have some idea of what pertains to the spirit and work of true Christianity.
U. S.
The Flint Camp-Meeting.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
I ARRIVED upon the camp-ground Friday morning. The weather was rather wet and cold, and it continued so during most of the meeting. Probably this prevented some from attending. The outside attendance was not very large; yet perhaps about a hundred attended all the meetings. On Sunday several hundred came, though it rained much of the day.
A good work has been done in Flint the past summer by Brn. Jones and Lamson. About seventy-five have come out on the truth. This meeting has strengthened them much. They took an active part in our meetings, several were baptized, and a number decided to keep the Sabbath who had not before committed themselves. Among them were Bro. and Sr. Betts, the first couple I married, which ceremony I performed some ten years ago in Tuscola County. The seed of truth was not lost, though it has been a long time coming up.
Bro. Smith came Sunday morning with a good report from Battle Creek. Brn. Jones and Burrill also assisted in preaching. The Lord gave good freedom in presenting the truth. The social meetings were all good and encouraging. A large number remarked that this was the first camp-meeting they had attended; some, that they had never heard an Adventist sermon before; and many stated that they had but recently embraced the truth. This shows that the truth is spreading in this section.
Sabbath afternoon two or three tent companies joined in prayer and social meetings. All reported most excellent seasons. One or more was converted in most of the meetings. About sixty of the brethren and sisters from Tuscola and Gratiot Counties met in the Vassar tent. Nearly all of these embraced the truth under the labors of myself and Bro. Van Horn when we first began to preach ten and eleven years ago. Those were very happy years in my experience, and these friends have always seemed dearer to me than any others; hence this meeting was a precious privilege to me. I rejoiced to see so many still faithful to God. But many have gone down to the silent grave to rest from their toils. But the saddest of all is that some have fallen under the power of the enemy. As we recalled the memories of the past on this occasion the tears would come thick and fast. For two hours we talked and wept together like children. Every soul was deeply moved. I believe no one present will ever forget that meeting.
Monday morning we came together at nine. Our meeting continued over three hours, so that we had no sermon. To me at least this was by far the best meeting I have attended for many a month. After earnest and touching remarks had been made by several preachers, a call was made for those to come forward who would break away from sin and go with God’s people. It was a most solemn place. The Spirit of God seemed to be moving upon the entire audience. Nearly every one was in tears. One after another came forward with the deepest emotion and weeping. Many of them were young men and women between fifteen and twenty-five years of age, the sons and daughters of Sabbath-keepers. The joy of their parents was inexpressible. Besides these, a large number of men and women came forward to take their stand for Christ and for the Sabbath for the first time. In all, there were about one hundred who thus came to seek God. As near as I could learn, not less than a dozen here took their stand for the first time to keep the Lord’s Sabbath. This alone was worth all the labor of our meetings.
Besides these, fifty or more here started in the service of God for the first time. The others were those who had become more or less backslidden, but who now returned to God and to their place and duty in the work. Bro. Fisher made a most touching confession, and an appeal to sinners which melted the stoutest hearts. An hour or two was spent in listening to the testimonies of these persons who had come forward. In the afternoon about thirty gave in their names for baptism. Nineteen of these were examined and taken into the different churches, and then they were baptized by Bro. Jones. The others will be baptized in a few days, as it was more convenient for them to wait.
Tuesday morning, at our parting meeting, Bro. A. O. Burrill was ordained to the work of the ministry. Thus closes another good camp-meeting. We feel sure that fruits of it will appear in the kingdom. It has greatly encouraged me to labor on, tired or not, with much or little apparent success, trusting in God for fruit by and by.
I was deeply impressed with the fact that there is a very large number of young persons, the children of our old Sabbath-keepers in Michigan, who have been brought up to keep the Sabbath and respect the truth, but who have never been converted to the Lord. Now their consciences are tender and their morals are uncorrupted. A little judicious labor would bring them to Christ and into the church. If this is not soon done they will leave their homes, and go out to form associations that will lead them away from the Sabbath and the truth forever. It was really distressing to have to resist the many earnest entreaties from different churches for a little labor among them in this and other directions. I hope it may be possible for some one to do this work soon.
D. M. CANRIGHT.
The South as a Field of Labor.
By George I. Butler
The providence of God seems to be opening up fields of labor in various parts of our own country and of the world for the spread of the present truth in a wonderful manner. Indeed, these openings become almost a matter of embarrassment in view of the scarcity of laborers to fill them. But this state of things is much more encouraging than the reverse would be. Were there no places where labor bestowed promised any good results, and nobody desired to hear us, then we might be justified in feeling despondent. But when there are many openings for labor, and precious souls are ready to rejoice in the truth, we ought to be encouraged to make most energetic efforts.
I have been laboring this season nearly as far south as this truth has ever been preached, and have been surrounded by southern people. Though I am of northern birth and education, and am thus exposed to the prejudices arising from that cause which are usually supposed to exist among the southern people, I have never found warmer friends than I have in many of them. If I can judge correctly, there are thousands of true hearts ready to receive the truth all through these Southern States among those whom we northern people have thought the truth could never reach. Some of my most interested hearers this season, and some of my warmest friends, were men whose sympathies were with the South during the last war, or who actually served on that side in the southern army. They have hearts that respond to the truth, and they seem to love it as well as any persons I have ever met.
The longer we live, and the more we associate with people, the more clearly we shall see that prejudice causes many of the difficulties which exist among them. A person who never moves out of his own little circle forms narrow views of things, and comes to think he can trust none but a few of his own special friends. But the man with broad views and more generous impulses will find kindred souls here and there all through this world of ours. Let us grant that these are few in comparison with the great mass of mankind, and that possibly the proportion may be greater in some places than others; still, wherever they are, the truth of God must reach them. The field is the world. The message is to many “peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”
The providence of God seems to be specially preparing the way for the spread of the truth in the South, if I can discern the character of passing events. It would have been difficult, years ago, when the feeling between the two sections was so bitter over the slavery question, to have disseminated our views in the Southern States. The abolition of slavery, and the events of the last ten years, have done much to change this. There has been, to a great extent, a mixing together and a breaking down of the old sectional lines. The last year or two the tendency in this direction has been very marked. And as we approach the great centennial year, 1876, the old patriotic feeling concerning our one great country is kindling from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, and all parts of the country are being affected by it.
Any one who has read the papers the present season cannot have forgotten the enthusiasm in Boston over the presence of leading southerners at the anniversaries of the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill. Many of them were most earnest enemies of the North during the war, but their presence was most heartily cheered of any.
The speeches of leading generals in the rebellion, such as Gen. Forrest’s, breathing a spirit of conciliation, and a desire to forget old differences and accept the situation, are a plain omen in this direction. Even Jefferson Davis, who was so exceedingly unpopular a few years ago that the boys in every village were singing about hanging him on a “sour apple tree,” is now being invited to make public addresses at fairs and other large gatherings at many places in the North. This is a great evidence of the strength of the current in the direction of conciliation. I think it is safe to say that before the close of another year, public sentiment will be such that the former bitterness and acrimony between the two sections will have largely disappeared.
The way is now opened for the advance of the truth anywhere in the South. There is not enough of sectional hate to hinder it to any great extent. I feel sure there are many noble spirits there who would receive it if properly presented. The southern people are more cordial and hospitable generally than our northern people. I see no reason, but the scarcity of laborers, to hinder the truth from being successfully propagated in any of the Southern States. I see in all these recent movements in the nation the breaking down of the barriers which have hitherto stood in the way. And I firmly believe that the providence of God is in this, that the way may be prepared for the loud cry of the third angel’s message. Thus God is opening up avenues of access to the people in various parts of our country and the world. May we be ready to fill them to the best of our ability as he prepares the way by his opening providence, till the earth shall be lightened with the glory of the coming dawn.