Signs of the Times, Vol. 6, No. 2.
THE GREAT CONTROVERSY, BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS ANGELS AND SATAN AND HIS ANGELSPage 1
Earlier text: SIGNS OF THE TIMES.—No. 2.ORIGIN OF THE FIRST SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH IN AMERICA.
THE readers of the Signs will be interested in the following narrative, showing how the first church in America which practiced the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath for the fourth commandment, came into existence. It was composed of seven members, five of whom withdrew from a church in Newport, R. I., which observed the first day of the week. The narrative is from the records of that first-day church, and hence cannot be considered as biased in favor of those who turned to the observance of the seventh day. We copy from the Seventh-day Baptist Memorial, Vol. 1, No. 1. The following narrative of the controversy in the First Baptist church in Newport, R. I., was taken from the records of that church, a short time since, by permission of Rev. S. Adlam, the present pastor. Though the records of that church previous to 1700, were lost, yet Mr. John Comer, who was their pastor about one hundred and thirty years ago, took great pains to collect and preserve all authentic information relating to the previous acts of the church; and they are indebted to him for the preservation of this article, which must form an interesting part of the early documentary history of the Seventh-day Baptists in America, as well as of that church on the records of which it is found. A brief and faithful relation of the difference between those of this church and those who withdrew their communion from it, with the causes and reasons of the same. The brethren and sisters were, William Hiscox, Roger Baster, Samuel Hubbard, Tacy Hubbard, Rachel Langworthy; each of whom left the church on the 7th day of December, 1671. Several of the church, viz., those above mentioned, having been in the practice of observing the seventh day as a Sabbath to the Lord for several years—Samuel Hubbard began the 1st of April, 1665; Roger Baster, the 15th April, 1666; Wm Hiscox, 28th April, 1666; Rachel Langworthy, 15th January, 1666; Tacy Hubbard, March 11th, 1665—but still kept their places in the church till four persons, two of the brethren and two of the sisters, viz., Nicholas Wild and his wife, and John Solmon and his wife, the two former of which embraced the seventh day in April, 1665, and the two latter, the 25th of October, 1666, who observed it till the 14th January, 1668, i. e., Nicholas Wild and his wife, and then left it; and John Solmon and his wife, who left it February 20, 1668; which occasioned a very great uneasiness in the other five, which remained steady in that principle; and yet because they both wrote and spoke against it, which grieved them that they could not sit down at the table of the Lord with them, nor with the church because of them; judging they had sinned grievously, since they took it up (as was thought) solidly, but had laid it down rashly; which put those five on many serious thoughts, to consider the ground of their practice, and also what was their duty to do towards them; but finding themselves not as a church, having no power to deal with them as of themselves, without the help of the church, found themselves barred as to proceeding with them, as being but private brethren. So they concluded not to bring the case to the church to judge of the fact, viz., in turning from the observation of the seventh day, being contrary minded as to that; therefore those five sent to England to a church in Bell Lane, July the 3d, 1669, though they had sent a letter before respecting themselves, dated the 6th October, 1665, which was the first they sent, to several churches in the observation of the seventh day, for advice; who, as soon as they could, sent it; but before it came it was a grief to the church to see them forbear sitting down at the table of the Lord, and it was a grief to those five also; which put them upon consideration further, that though these persons had done so evilly (as they conceived), whether that was sufficient ground to leave the church for their sakes that had offended them; the church having then given no offense, but only these four persons. Hereupon they came to that resolution not to leave the church, as well as by the persuasion of Mr. Thomas Gould (the pastor of the church in Boston), who was then here; so they resolved to go on in fellowship as formerly they had done, and therefore signified to the church their unwillingness to leave them, and also told the church, publicly, that they could not have comfortable communion with those four persons that had sinned (as they judged), as they could with the rest of the church. Nevertheless, though dissatisfied, yet they walked as comfortably as they could, though not so comfortably as they should, having still those persons before them which had given such offense to them. And thus, for several months, they walked, with little or no offense from the church; after which the leading or ministering brethren began to declare themselves concerning the ten precepts. As Mr. Tory, preaching from 2 Cor. 3, declared the law to be done away, and the law there intended was the ministration of death, and that only the ministration of the Spirit was now to be attended to, and that the Gentiles had never anything to do with it. After this, Mr. Luker and Mr. Clarke, undertaking to expound on the whole Epistle to the Galatians, made it their work to preach the non-observation of the law, (we conclude not the law moral, but the law ceremonial); and as to the seventh day Sabbaths, they asserted them beggarly elements and rudiments of the world; making little or no difference between ceremonial and moral; seemingly affirming that what was written on tables of stone was done away, as the old covenant with which the Gentiles had nothing to do, and that now we were to hearken to the law written in the fleshly tables of the heart, and not to talk so much of precepts written on a wall; and that the grace of God was sufficient without that, since now we were under the new covenant and the teachings thereof; and that we were undervaluing the Son to take precepts given from the servant. Thus, time after time, doctrines of this nature were delivered, to the great grief of those five, who still observed the seventh-day Sabbath. Hereupon sometimes they proposed, for their satisfaction, to discourse on those things which had been delivered, after the meeting was over. But this grieved many of the church that they should propose anything public; but they were desired to go privately to the elders, and so to have their answers, which they complied with. But the elders maintained what they had publicly asserted, and those persons declared their sentiments, showing that the ten precepts were still as holy, just, good, and spiritual as ever, and so a rule of life, (freely acknowledging, that and as the church, that do and live was taken away from them, though because we live still remained to them as their indispensable duty). And, as to the other duties, they frequently had, which answers were very hard to bear, as that they had left the Son and gone to the servant; this was the answer of some. Others said they were gone to Mount Sinai, among the briars and thorns there, and would bring in a yoke of bondage neither they nor their fathers were able to bear. Hereupon some said, by way of reply, "that they did not plead for any part of the ceremonial law, it being done away by Christ the substance, but for the moral law or ten precepts;" to which Mr. Tory answered, "that he had never read of any such law called the moral law in the Holy Scriptures, the word moral being no Scripture word, and not to be used;" and with some unplesant words said "that their tune was only the fourth precept." To which they answered, "that the whole ten precepts were of equal force with them, and that they did not plead for one without the other." And they, for several years, went on with the church in a half-ish kind of fellowship. Mr. Clark, in his exposition on the Galatians, ofttimes asserted the abolishing of the law, as the old covenant with which the Gentiles had nothing to do, as being only given to the seed of Israel, therefore ought to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ had made us free; yea, he earnestly stood upon this subject the whole of his discourse, preaching against the law and the observers of it as being such as did undervalue the Son in taking precepts from the servant; and by the whole tenor of what was delivered, discovered them to be guilty of retaining very corrupt principles, and bringing heresies into the church. And in the afternoon, Mr. Luker preached on the words given on the Mount—said "they were done away as the elements of the world." And when he ended, Mr. Samuel Hubbard desired to know of him, "whether all that was given on the mountain was done away as beggarly elements and rudiments of the world," saying, "that the ten precepts were there given." Mr. Luker replied, that "he had said no more than what the words had said, and that he knew no difference between it, but that all was alike there intended." Mr. Hiscox then alleged that "the ten words were of a moral nature, and were established by Christ and his apostles in the New Testament; and, being so, they were to be owned and obeyed as part of the law of Christ." To this Mr. Clarke answered, that "it is no new thing for the churches of Christ to have such among them as to bring in such things as these are;" and so in his sermons through the Epistle to the Galatians, he offered to consideration, as though these five had pleaded to bring in the whole law, without making suitable distinction between what was pleaded by them, and what by the Galatians, to get life, &c.; upon which several of the church were much grieved, and said, "if they were in Bro. Hiscox's stand, they must have concluded he had been the man intended in the sermon;" he only of that part being there at that time, it being the day on which the Lord's supper was administered. After it was over, Mr. Hiscox, with a grieved heart, and with tears, stood up and said (being no longer able to contain) that "he desired leave to speak;" which, being granted, he desired Bro. Clarke to "declare in faithfulness, if he or any of those five were such persons as he had been hinting, both as to the church, or to the world, in his sermons, that he would with plainness declare it, and not take such methods from day to day, in the audience of the whole assembly, causing people to imagine they pleaded for circumcision and the whole law." To which Mr. Clarke replied that "it came by course, and that he did not pitch on the subject on any such purpose as he conceived." Then said Mr. Hiscox, "So doth common prayer; must it therefore be read, right or wrong? 'The preacher sought out acceptable words.'" At this time, also, a sister uttered these words, with much concern, "that it is a sad thing, that in such a time as this, when the hand of God is stretched out over us by taking away many by death, that instead of calling sinners to repentance, the whole time, for many days together, was spent in preaching against one another, as if that were the great work of the day," with many more words of the same import. Many more of the church were grieved to see that, though they did not strive to propagate their judgment, but for peace' sake were quiet, yet that would not satisfy, but that the elders must be preaching down the whole law of God in general, and the seventh-day Sabbath in particular. Hereupon Mr. Hiscox desired some to beseech the elders to forbear such kind of preaching, or else they should be put upon that work which they were loth to travel in, viz., to leave the church, if they could not find quietness within. Hereupon, for a few weeks, there was a forbearance; so that they went on in church fellowship and communion with them at the table of the Lord, though many times some of the church would say to them, "that if they were of their minds as to the seventh-day Sabbath, they could not have communed with them that did oppose it;" to which seeming reflection they answered, "that they were loth to separate if they could be quiet." And thus for some years they walked. (To be Continued.) Meditating on God’s Mercies
By Bishop Matthew Simpson
ONE of the old Methodist ministers, in his early days, was at one time despondent, and complained to an old member of the Society of Friends. The latter said to him: "Go into thy closet and meditate; think of any mercy, and praise God for that." He did so; thought first of one and then another of God's mercies, and his heart suddenly burst into praise, and light flowed into his soul ever after. If we thus meditate, we can almost see the Hand that feeds and clothes us; and we can almost see the heavens flash into light with the faces of the angels. — Bishop Simpson. CHRIST'S FOLLOWERS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
By Mrs. E. G. White
THAT religion which leads its subjects to enclose themselves in monastic walls, excluding themselves from their fellow men, and not doing the good they might, cannot be the light of the world. The world is no better for their living in it, because they shed no beams of light in good works. These live for themselves, and bring no glory to the Master, for they hide away from man as though ashamed of the light which they claim to have. The "well done" will not be spoken to this class. Christ is our example. He sought for men wherever he could find them; in private houses, in the public streets, in the synagogues, or by the lake side, that he might let his light shine upon those who in the darkness of error, needed it so much. The messengers of God should labor as Christ labored. They may look to him in faith expecting that he will help them. We cannot trust him too much. We cannot place too high an estimate upon his power and willingness to save to the uttermost all who come unto him. Ministers who are trying to teach others the way to life are not all acquainted with the way themselves. They have not received from Jesus, the light of the world, beams of light to shine forth to others in good works. They are not willing to give up their will and their plans and be led by the divine hand, and thus connect with the Lord of light that they may not walk in darkness. Many will not deny self and lift the cross and follow where Jesus leads. He has said "He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness." When the soul is illuminated by God's Spirit, the whole character is elevated, the mental conceptions are enlarged, and the affections no longer centering upon self, shine forth in good works to others, attracting them to the beauty and brightness of Christ's glory. The dear Saviour loved his disciples. His own heart was grieved and wounded at the disappointment they would experience in the near future, for he knew his steps were already leading in the path to Calvary. He sought opportunities to speak with them alone, without the jealous eyes of the Pharisees upon them. He would tell them plainly in regard to the trials which they must endure for his name's sake. Their physical and moral courage was to endure a severe test and he would prepare them for the ordeal. His lessons to them were at a time of a positive and exacting character. He could make his discourses terribly impressive. He said, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of Heaven." He would have them understand that unless they were guarded, outward forms and a round of ceremonies would take the place of the inner work of the grace of God upon the heart. It was not the sticklers of the law that would be justified, but the doer of the will of our Father which is in Heaven. He said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; for what is a man profited if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his holy angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works." Those teachers who ignore works and would teach that all you have to do is to believe in Christ, are rebuked by the Saviour of the world. Faith is made perfect by works. The cry will come to us from the servers of Mammon: You are too exacting; we cannot be saved by works. Was Christ exacting? He placed the salvation of man, not upon his believing, not upon his profession, but upon his faith made perfect by his works. Doing, and not saying merely, was required of the followers of Christ. Principle is always exacting. Our country claims of fathers and mothers, their sons, the brothers, the husbands, to be given up, to leave their homes for the field of carnage and bloodshed. They must go and face peril, endure privation and hunger, weariness and loneliness; they must make long marches, footsore and weary, through heat of summer and through winter's cold; they run the risk of life. They are compelled to follow the commander. Sometimes they are not even allowed time to eat. And all this severe experience is in consequence of sin. There is an enemy to meet, an enemy to be resisted; enemies of our country will destroy her peace and bring disaster and ruin, unless driven back and repulsed. Conquer or die is the motto. Thus it is with the Christian warfare. We have an enemy which we must meet, who is vigilant; who is not off his guard one moment. The claims of our country are not higher than the claims of God. If hardships are borne and trials are endured by our soldiers fighting in behalf of the country to obtain the mastery and bring into obedience the rebellious, how much more willing should the soldiers of Christ endure privation, self denial, and any taxation for Christ's sake. The captain of our salvation was made perfect through suffering that he might bring many sons and daughters to the Lord. We are standing under the blood-stained banner of the cross of Christ. We are to meet Satan and his host. We must conquer in the name of Jesus or be conquered. Armed with the mind of Christ we shall be more than overcomers. As faithful soldiers of the cross we are not to fight against principalities and powers, but against spiritual wickedness in high places. There is no rest in this war, no release. Obedience and faith must characterize us as Christ's servants. Our Redeemer unfolded before his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the chief priests and elders, and be killed and be raised again from the dead the third day. He was already standing under the shadow of the cross. He fully comprehended the great work he came to do, and he would have his disciples understand the greatness of this work, and the responsibilities which would rest upon them in the performance of their duty in carrying forward his work when he should leave them. The grandeur and glory of the future life is in the thoughts and feelings which exercise the minds of the disciples while they are listening to the words spoken by the great Teacher. If ministers of Christ, who attempt to teach the truth to others, would look constantly to Jesus as to a tried friend, believing in him that he will relieve their necessities and that they will have his sympathy and support, they would find the blessedness and joy that can only come from the Light of the world. This light, shining upon man, quickens the paralized capacities, kindles to a flame the spiritual life. It is the work of Christ to enlighten, to lift up man, darkened and degraded, because the slave of sin, and make him a fit companion of the holy angels in the highest Heavens. He calls men to carry forward his work, not by the words of eloquence and oratory alone, but in letting their light shine forth to others in good works. The love which was exhibited by Christ for fallen man, is the golden chain which binds the believing heart in union with the heart of Christ. Christians connected with him, answer to his claims of willing service to love and labor for the souls for whom he died. Prayer, earnest, humble prayer, offered in faith amid the hours of darkness and gloom, brings light from Heaven to the soul. Peace comes to every heart for every prayer offered in faith. The soul is lifted above the clouds of darkness and error, conflicts and passion. Light, precious light, flashes from the throne of God, and is fitting as feeble man to become God's messengers in shedding light to the world. Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, temptations manfully resisted, meekness, kindness, mercy and love exhibited, are the lights which shine forth in the character before the world, revealing the contrast with the darkness which comes of selfishness and unstrained passion of the natural heart, into which the light of life has never shone. At each large gathering of the people, the disciples of Christ anticipated that the time had come for him to commence his reign as Prince upon the throne of David. As they witnessed his power from day to day in works no other man had ever done or ever could do, they kept hope active in their hearts that he would one day surprise them with an open avowal of his kingly authority. They did not fully renounce the idea that his earthly kingdom would be established, the Roman yoke be broken from their necks, and they enjoy with him great honor and glory. This sermon upon the mount disappointed their expectations of earthly glory. Upon this occasion Christ more clearly revealed the character of his kingdom and the principles which should govern it in the beatitudes. Matt. 5. In this discourse was embodied the principles of the moral law, laying down at once the whole sum and substance of the plan of true religion in specifying the kind of characters which would be essential for the subjects of his kingdom. He that doeth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God, while many who have a form of godliness and not the power, may be content to speak the truth in a spirit of contention, engaging in controversy, talking long and loud in a bitter spirit. Such reflect no light, while the servant of God who has kindled his taper from the divine altar and is obeying the truth, is a living, walking, working representative of the power of the truth upon the heart. He is a living epistle known and read of all men. Such a life is the light of the world; of such Jesus is not ashamed to call them brethren. He will say of them as of Nathanael "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." Those who obey the commandments of God are here represented by Christ as the fit subjects of his kingdom. Blessed are the poor in spirit, who feel that all their hopes of Heaven and happiness depend wholly upon the merit of Christ, that there is no merit or worthiness in them. Happy are they that mourn their own unlikeness to Christ, mourn their own sinfulness and grieve over the sins of their neighbors. These are represented by the prophet of God as the sighing and crying ones because of the abominations done in the land. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed are the merciful and the pure in heart, and happy are the peace-makers. Blessed are they who shall suffer persecution, because they cherish and exemplify in their life these heavenly attributes, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Jesus prayed! The majesty of Heaven prayed! He wept in behalf of man. Prayer, faithful, earnest prayer will move the arm that moves the world. The minister of Christ must pray if he would have the refreshing from the presence of God. The church must pray much if they would walk in the light, as he is in the light. MRS. E. G. WHITE. JESUS AND THE BIBLE.
By George F. Pentecost
"IN the volume of the Book it is written of me." (Heb. 10:7). Commenting on this passage of Scripture, Martin Luther says: "There is but one Book; there is but one Person. That Book is the Bible; that Person is Jesus Christ." In the highest and best sense of the great reformer's thought all devout persons agree with the truth of this noble sentiment. There are many books in the world, and of the making of more good, bad, and indifferent there seems to be no end; but the Scriptures, the Holy Bible, is still, as it ever has been, pre-eminently the Book. Just as Jesus was pre-eminent among the many who bore the same name while he lived, so he is designated in the Greek of the new Testament by the definite article. He was emphatically the Jesus. So the Bible is among other books the Bible. When Sir Walter Scott lay dying, he called to his son-in-law, Mr. Lockhart, and said: "Read to me." "Out of which book, Sir Walter?" said Mr. Lockhart. The dying poet looked at him earnestly for a moment, and then said: "Lockhart, there is but one Book. Read to me out of the Bible." Happy the man who, living or dying, comes to understand that the Bible is the Book in all the world, and that Jesus Christ, of whom the great writers of the Bible wrote, is the only person to whom he can yield his heart and mind in supreme and undivided allegiance. If Jesus Christ was God manifest in the flesh, it is also true that the Bible, in a very high and important sense, is a manifestation of Jesus Christ in the word. The written word is the living stenograph of the Eternal and Incarnate Word, who was made flesh and dwelt among us. It is this fact that makes Christ and the Bible inseparable. Should we take Christ out of the Bible, there would be no book, in any proper sense, left. Should we destroy or deny the authenticity and genuineness of the Bible record, the world is left without Jesus Christ. Thus we come to the practical conclusion that Jesus Christ is the key to the interpretation or understanding of the Bible. In reading its sacred pages, in contemplating its great characters, in unfolding its symbols, in interpreting its types, in reading the history of the chosen people, in making research into its historic pages of creation, as well as in seeking the interpretation of its great prophecies, we need to take Jesus Christ with us as the key to unlock all. He who reads with Jesus as the key will read understandingly and be made wise unto salvation. Otherwise he will only become wise in his own conceits and probably wrest the Scriptures to his own condemnation. From the time God announced in the Garden of Eden that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head (Gen. 3:15), until the time when John cried, in response to the apocalyptic vision, "Even so, come Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20), he is seen to be the great central figure of the Book. As the sun casts a shadow before a body advancing from it, so Jesus, who was a Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and whose goings forth have been from eternal, casts the long line of typical and ceremonial shadows seen in the Old Testament Scriptures before him. These, says the great apostle, were the shadow of good things to come—Jesus the substance of all those good things. OVERCOMING.
By Joseph Clarke
THERE is a principle in overcoming which is often overlooked; it is this; we must overcome as Jesus overcame. (See Rev. 3:21.) It is supposed by many that we are to overcome our sins, before we can ask God for the influences of his Spirit; now the truth is, that the victory that God requires, cannot be attained in our own strength. A person might battle with his sins a thousand years in his own strength and they would still gain upon him; while he would resist one sin, another would come in, and another, and he would find in his motives and principles of action, self coming to the front at every turn; and his efforts would be vain and fruitless as sailing in a balloon against a tempest; thus it often happens that persons attempt confidently a Christian life and losing sight of the true principles of overcoming fail in the attempt. Now how did Jesus overcome? Was it not by having much of the good Spirit of God? He had the Spirit of God without measure or limit; (see John 3:34)—he lived constantly in a higher and elevated position than the people of the world; he had such a degree of the Spirit of God, that never for a moment did he drop to a level with the wicked careless world around; continually he kept before his mind, his high and noble parentage, and the character he had maintained in Heaven, continually he realized his responsibility to his father to do his will and obey his commands, and continually he labored to elevate his fellow-men above the low, groveling carnal things which intoxicate and benumb the moral powers and render man almost a brute. In living above the world, our Lord did not become proud and reserved and unsocial or misanthropic; but his elevation of mind was of that kind, which is possessed by the inhabitants of Heaven; it was accompanied by humility and holy love, so that he was agreeable to all from the peasant to the prince; and childhood and old age alike were charmed by his conversation, and his life: he lived so near to God, and had so much of his Spirit that it became his delight to practice the works of virtue and truth, and holy love; the presence of the Spirit of God in the heart produce the same fruits in the hearts of men that Jesus manifested in his life. Some of these fruits are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and gentleness, goodness, and faith. (Galatians 5:22.) Now the presence of the spirit of God produces these and all other Christian graces; and has the power to lift the soul up out of the old ruts of habit and fix the mind upon God, and cause the heart once opposed to God and hating his character and dreading his power to love him and to admire his works and to love his creatures; the Spirit of God moved upon the elements in the beginning, and brought order out of confusion. (See Gen. 1:2.) So the same Spirit which was active in the creation of all things, is now just as active in restoring order in the heart of man; therefore, says Paul, (Eph. 4:30) Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God. As well may corn and wheat grow without rain and sunshine, as for you or I to overcome a single sin without the aid of his Holy Spirit; therefore to show to man the importance of this principle the apostolic church was planted in the world by the all powerful agency of the Holy Spirit; and when corrupt principles and practices prevailed, the Spirit of God was grieved away from his people, and the man of sin was developed because of a settled habit of unbelief which followed a long course of wrong doing and the prevalence of error. But how shall we overcome? we see from the arguments here adduced, which are certainly founded upon the word of God, that the agency of the Spirit of God is necessary in this work; but how shall we obtain this priceless gift? certainly it is by prayer and supplication; prayer elevates the petitioner in the very act of asking God for his Spirit; but when he feels the Spirit of God in his heart, whispering peace and pardon to his soul, he feels that sin is a vile and hateful thing, and this is a victory that he could not attain in a thousand years in his own strength, but by the power of the Spirit of God, it is gained by prayer and supplication. Here is the very place where watchfulness is needed; for here many have failed to hold their ground; for Satan will come in and say to the soul rejoicing in God, that this is a sanctified state of mind, and he is now out of danger, and so self-complacency comes in, and the Spirit of God is gradually grieved away, and backsliding and apostacy often follow; no; there is no safe place here below, as Jesus was always on the watch against Satan's wiles, so must we be always on guard; the work in us must go on from step to step until our work is done, and all in the Spirit of God. JOSEPH CLARKE. ST. HELENA MISSIONARY SOCIETY.
The following are extracts of letters received by the Society of St. Helena, Cal. A friend in Timber Ridge, Va., writes: "I have received a few copies of the Signs of the Times. Thought it very kind; could not think what friend I had in that far-off country who would be so thoughtful as to send so good a present. We have preserved them; find the reading good; feel much obliged, and would be still obliged for more." From Pembroke Dock, South Wales, England: "It gives me very great pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of three copies of the Signs of the Times. It certainly is a very nice paper, for which I am thankful to you. I quite enjoy them." From Yellow Hill, N. C.: "You will please receive my thanks for the copies of the Signs of the Times. They contain much good and useful knowledge, and I am well pleased with them. I confess my inability to discover error in them. They contain so much of Christ that his people should love to read them." A friend in Harper's Ferry, W. Va.: "I received some copies of your valuable paper, the Signs of the Times. I think them very good, and love to read them." From Gallatin, Tenn.: "I received three copies of the Signs of the Times, which I have given a candid perusal. I find them very interesting; just what we need in the great work of our Heavenly Master." A friend in Lexington, Va., writes: "Your postal has been received, and several copies of the Signs of the Times. I thank you for the kind expressions in your card, and I have been much interested in reading your paper." Many other acknowledgments of the benefit received from the papers have been received by different members of this Society, and all are encouraged to persevere in the work. CAMDEN, OHIO.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
HAVE just closed a five days' meeting here. This is a new church, raised up this year by Eld. St. John and others. They have erected a meeting-house, in which we held our meetings, though it is not completed. This is the third meeting-house we have built in Ohio in 1879, in places where we had no society at the beginning of the year. I judge there are about forty Sabbath-keepers at Camden. They have good meetings and Sabbath-school. Though the roads were very bad, we had a good attendance. Many not of our faith are interested, for whom we hope. We labored principally in the missionary and temperance work, as but little had been done in these branches. It will still require much patient labor to get them well at work judiciously distributing our reading matter, and obtaining subscribers to our periodicals. The only way this can be accomplished is by personal labor with each individual. NEW HARTFORD, MINN.
By N. Battin
HAVE given thirty discourses here to pretty fair audiences. The country is stirred for miles around, but the people are slow in deciding. A few honest souls have obeyed, and others are favorable. At the close of the course of lectures, some of the people engaged one Eld. Dikeman to meet me in a discussion. We discussed the Sabbath question two evenings. His position was very easily met, as he admitted that the law is binding, and maintained the change of the Sabbath. At the close of the discussion, he told the people that if any wanted to keep the seventh day, he had nothing to say against it. Evidently the Elder was very little acquainted with the real position of Sabbatarians when he began the discussion. He was an honorable opponent, far exceeding in fairness what we usually meet. N. BATTIN. MT. ZION, IOWA.
By J. Bartlett
Danbury, where I labored for a while, was a hard field. The town had three dram-shops, and the people did not care to hear the truth, so I went to Mt. Zion. Here the interest was good. Seven, all heads of families, commenced to keep the Sabbath, and I think others will take a stand with us. A Sabbath-school was organized, and they hold Sabbath meetings. J. Bartlett. ST. HELENA, CAL.
By Joseph Harvey Waggoner
JAN. 10, 11, I was in St. Helena. The dedication of the meeting house, appointed for that time, was postponed two weeks, as a very heavy storm of several days had prevented the completion of some work and rendered the traveling difficult. The District Quarterly Meeting was held; also the election of officers of the H. and T. club. Steps were taken to extinguish the remnant of the debt on the house, so as to have it free when dedicated. This was a commendable move. All are of good courage. J. H. WAGGONER. CALHOUN, RICHLAND CO., ILL.
By Charles H. Foster
I HAVE been holding meetings here four weeks. We occupied the school-house three weeks, and it was then closed against us. We have since been holding meetings in private houses. Ten have signed the covenant, but two of whom were keeping the Sabbath before I came here. Several are investigating, some of whom I hope will obey. Regular Sabbath meetings have been established. I have sold $2.90 worth of tracts, and have obtained three new subscribers for the SIGNS and one for the Instructor. C. H. FOSTER. VAN WERT AND DUNKIRK, OHIO.
By G. G. Rupert
MEETINGS at Van Wert closed Dec. 28. The church is now in better condition for working effectively in the tract society, Sabbath-school, and other branches of the cause, than ever in the past. The few additions made during these meetings will be a great help to the society here. Others are interested. Jan. 1, I went to Dunkirk, and stayed two evenings. Obtained four subscribers for the Review, the Signs, and the German paper, and ten copies of the Signs were taken for the missionary work. The outside interest is good. The brethren are live workers. G. G. RUPERT. SEATONSVILLE, KENTUCKY.
By S. Osborn
I HAVE never had a more promising field of labor than this is. The interest is excellent. Fourteen or fifteen have said they would keep the Sabbath; nearly all of these are among the most responsible citizens in the neighborhood. We hold our first Sabbath meeting to-morrow. A young Disciple preacher has taken a bold stand for the truth. I am alone, yet not alone, for God is with me. The people never lose a meeting. My address is Seatonsville, Jefferson Co., Ky., by the way of Fern Creek. S. OSBORN. THE JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN.
By R. F. Cottrell
The fulfillment of prophecy in the advent and mission of Jesus was not sufficient to satisfy the Jews. They asked for a sign in the sky. They were not indulged in this; the word to them was, "They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them;" and "if they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither would they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." A very pious old lady, in the place from which I write, owns that we are keeping the right day, the one mentioned in the fourth commandment, but is praying earnestly that if it is her duty to keep it the Lord will make her sick or lame some Sabbath morning, or in some way make it impossible for her to work on that day, and then she will believe that she ought to turn and keep it. I hope she will obey the word of God, whether he grants her request or not. We should not ask God for a sign whether we should obey his word or not, plainly expressed. But I hope to hear that her convictions have resulted in obedience. If God is willing to wet and dry the fleece for her, I will not object. MEEKNESS, like most other virtues, has certain limits, which it no sooner exceeds than it becomes criminal. Servility of spirit is not gentleness but weakness, and if indulged under the specious appearances it sometimes puts on, will lead to dangerous compliances. They who hear innocence maligned without vindicating it, or religion profaned without resenting it, are wicked, not gentle.