Earlier text: THE TWO-HORNED BEAST"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." Titus ii, 11-14. There has ever been a marked difference between the true people of God and an unbelieving world; they have ever been peculiar. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Lot and Abraham were peculiar in their day. Moses made a peculiar choice "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin." The history of Elijah and all the prophets is indeed peculiar—what an "example of suffering, afflictions and patience!" He who took man's nature, lived an example to the church, died for a lost world, and now lives in heaven to intercede for poor sinners, was so peculiar that the professedly pious of the age of his mission, could coolly say, "He hath a devil." And in pointing out the peculiar condition, trials and afflictions of his devoted followers he says: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." Matt. xxiv, 9. In all his teachings we may learn that the prevailing spirit of this world is in direct opposition to the spirit of the gospel, and that in order to be saved, the Christian must pursue an entirely different course from that pursued by the world. This will make him peculiar. "Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able." Luke xiii, 23, 24. "For wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because, strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Matt. vii, 13, 14. Of the multitude of professors, a few only are bending their lonely foot-steps in the narrow way to life, while the mass, hand in hand with the world, are rushing down the broad way to destruction. The plain truths of the gospel separate one from the world, and when received in the heart, they take away the love of worldly honors, pride and uncertain riches, elevate the affections, and place them on Christ, and the certain treasures of the Christian's eternal home. He who has received Christ and his plain teachings, leaves the broad road of sin, turns round, and now walks the narrow path to life. He now loves what he once hated, and hates what he once loved. An entire change is wrought, and another course is pursued. Thank Heaven! Religion is something more than a cloak thrown over a cold, unsubdued heart. It will do something for a poor, selfish, hard-hearted, hell-deserving sinner; yes, it will do everything for him. By the aid of its matchless power, the old man with his deeds may be put off and the new man put on. All who thus put on Christ, and as they received the Lord, so walk in him, will be peculiar. We will now call attention to some of the peculiarities of God's people mentioned in the text at the head of this article. 1. "Looking for that blessed hope," the glorious appearing of Christ. It is not only the hope of the gospel, but it is the blessed hope. There are many hopes entertained by professors of Christianity, yet there is only one hope set before us in the gospel. It is the second advent of Christ. All that the Christian may hope of a bright, eternal future, hangs on the doctrine of the coming of the Lord. Without his second coming there can be no resurrection, and no restitution of all things to their Eden perfection and glory. The Great Restorer, at his first advent, shed his own blood to redeem us from our sins, and now stands to plead our cause and blot out sins; but he is coming to call the sleeping blood-washed throng from the tomb, change the living saints, and make all things new. Blessed hope, indeed! But notwithstanding the blessedness of this hope, taught on almost every page of the Book of God, but few professed Christians cherish it. The very time has come when men will not endure sound doctrine, but are, by their false teachers, turned from the truth to such fables as the world's conversion, return of the Jews, spiritual coming of Christ, at death or at conversion; no literal, but a spiritual resurrection; and the saints' eternal inheritance, not "under the whole heavens," [Dan. vii,] but "beyond the bounds of time and space!" In this day of fables, to embrace the tangible, the "blessed hope" of the gospel, makes one very peculiar. One might suppose that the glorious appearing of Christ would be a theme of the greatest delight to the Christian, that he would be enraptured with the news of Christ's soon return. Certainly if he really loves his Lord, he would be glad to see him. But the majority of the church put off his coming, seem to be unhappy on hearing of his coming, scorn the idea of his coming soon, and many scoff at those who rejoice in his coming, so that those who are "looking for that blessed hope," are indeed, peculiar. 2. "Denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts" is another peculiarity of God's people who are looking for the glorious appearing of Christ. This is a pleasure-loving, pride-gratifying, self-indulging age. Pride must be gratified in fashionable and expensive dress, the appetite must be indulged with the rich dainties of the times, and the vain pleasures of the world must be pursued at the expense of the soul. They who "deny ungodliness and worldly lust," will be peculiar. Their dress will be plain (it may be neat without following all the fashions of the day) and they will "take heed" lest their hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, or gratifying the appetite, and feasting on rich and unhealthy food. In fact, they will deny themselves of what the world lusts after. They will live a life of scriptural self-denial and abstinence. For this they will be lightly esteemed and reproached by the world and ungodly professors. The prophet, looking forward to the perils of the last days, saw the condition of God's peculiar people, and has written: "And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth: and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey." Isa. lix, 14, 15. 3. To "live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world," is another distinguishing mark of God's peculiar people. They will not be seen in the seat of the scornful, nor join in the social circle of the proud and the gay, but will walk softly and mournfully before the Lord. The Master was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. See him spending all night in prayer, then weeping at the grave of Lazarus. His true disciples will be at the foot of the cross. Their path will be strewed with tears, as they sigh and cry for the abominations done in the land, instead of joining the vain amusements of the day. Such will be pointed at as deluded and very peculiar. But, says the Apostle, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God," &c 2 Pet. iii, 11, 12. 4. "Who gave himself for us," says Paul, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people," &c. Being redeemed from all iniquity, and purified, is another important distinguishing mark of that peculiar people who are looking for the "blessed hope." Sin, or "iniquity" is the transgression of the law. From this, God's peculiar people will be redeemed and purified by the blood of Christ, in keeping the law of God. Hence, the third angel announces the fact:—"Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." Those who step out from the beaten path of First-day-Keeping, and observe the fourth commandment, so that it may be said of them, "Here are they that keep [nine? no, all of] the commandments of God," is considered indeed peculiar. How singular is the eyes of the worldling, the proud and the gay, to retire from the hum of business, and rest and worship on the seventh day; and then on First-day commence the labors of the week, and toil on while church bells are ringing, and the proud and the gay are pressing their way to the place where God is professedly worshiped. The Apostle's mirror is all-important in this work of special purification. He says: "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness, and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be an hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in the glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." James ii, 21-25. Here the "perfect law of liberty," called in Chapter ii, 8, the "royal law," which is the ten commandments of the great God, is illustrated by a mirror. With the aid of a mirror a man may readily see the imperfections of his face, or his dress; so he that "looketh into the perfect law of liberty" may see the imperfections of his moral condition in the sight of Heaven; and if he continueth therein, and does all the commandments of that law, he will be "blessed in his deed." That law is the standard of moral character. Those who continue to look into it, and obey its righteous precepts, through the blood of a crucified Saviour, may be redeemed from all iniquity, and made pure, meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. 5. God's peculiar people are "zealous of good works." "Blessed are they that do his commandments," says the True Witness. "But be ye doers of the word," says James, "and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." "This man shall be blessed in his deed." "I will show thee my faith by my works." "Faith without works is dead." "And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. xxii, 12. 6. Another peculiar trait of those who are looking for the blessed hope, is, they are ZEALOUS of good works. They see much to do, and but little time to do it in. They are ready to sacrifice pleasure, ease and worldly treasures for the salvation of others around them. Jesus died for the ungodly, for his enemies. There was not one selfish act connected with his mission and ministry. All was pure benevolence. The real Christian actuated by the same69 principle, zealously engaged in good works for the salvation of others is viewed by a selfish world as very peculiar. We have noticed some of the peculiarities of the people of God who are being prepared for the coming and kingdom of Christ, and shall now leave the subject for the consideration of those who would be "redeemed from all iniquity," and be "without fault before the throne of God." "REMEMBER the Sabbath-day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath-day and hallowed it." Ex. xx, 8-11. THOSE who teach that there is no Sabbath for the gospel dispensation, are requested to give us one plain text from the New Testament that teaches that the seventh-day Sabbath has been abolished. When any one will do this, we will notice it in the REVIEW. Inferences from 2 Cor. iii; Rom. xiv; Col. ii, 14-17, which do not mention the Sabbath of the Lord, should not be allowed in a case like this. God gave the Sabbath law in the plainest language possible; and no man should be convinced that it has been abolished, unless he can find inspired testimony as positive and plain. We teach the Weekly Sabbath of the Bible, the Sabbath of both Testaments. Let those who assert that it is abolished, produce one plain text to prove their assertion. This is a reasonable request. Will they produce the text? ANOTHER REQUEST!
By Editor
THOSE who teach that the Sabbath has been changed from the seventh to the first day of the week, are requested to give us one text from the New Testament that teaches such a change; or the example of Christ and the Apostles, recorded in the New Testament, favoring such a change. When any one will point out such a text and such example, it shall be given in the REVIEW. THE SANCTUARY.
By Uriah Smith
WHAT is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? Thus saith the Lord God, I will make this proverb to cease. . . . The days are at hand and the effect of every vision. Eze. xii, 22, 23. The history of the Advent movement as it stands in the past is well understood. All are acquainted with the expectations of those who were looking for the Lord at the end of the 2300 days, and their grievous disappointment at the passing of that time in 1844. What was the cause of that disappointment is the great question which has arisen in the minds of all those who were interested in the Advent faith. And there have been found multitudes, who, not willing to wait patiently the solution of the mystery, not content to rest till God should prove his "own interpreter," and make all plain, have been ready to deny the hand of God in their past experience, and exclaim, The days are prolonged and every vision faileth. But there are others who have lived on, unwilling to deny the Divine Agency in the past movement, in whose minds this question may even yet remain unanswered; who see as yet no good reason, why, at that time they did not realize their hope. Let us then examine, briefly, the reasons on which those hopes were based. It is well known that the main pillar on which rested the proclamation of time, was the great prophetic chain of 2300 days, given to the Prophet, in Dan. viii. In the vision of that chapter, four things were presented to the Prophet: the ram, the he goat, the little horn, and the period of 2300 days. Daniel sought for the meaning of the vision, and Gabriel was commanded to make him understand it. Verses 15, 16. He therefore proceeds to explain the symbols of the ram, he goat and little horn, in plain terms which none could fail to understand; yet, says Daniel, at the end of the chapter, I was astonished at the vision, and none understood it. There was only one point which the Angel had omitted to mention; and that was, Time; hence that was what troubled Daniel, and what none understood. But Gabriel must explain this also; for he had received his commission, Make this man to understand the vision; and he must fulfill it. Therefore he says in chap. ix, 22, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. . . . Understand the matter and consider the vision. He then commences his explanation upon the very point which he omitted in chap. viii; namely, Time. Seventy weeks, said the Angel, are determined, (literally, cut off—Hebrews all admit that the word rendered determined signifies cut off,) upon thy people and upon thy holy city, &c. Verses 25-27. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, unto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks (from the seven weeks, allowed for the building of Jerusalem) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. . . . And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, &c. The first question which arises, is, Are the seventy weeks a part of the 2300 days? We learn that they are from the following facts: 1. The same person whom Daniel saw at the beginning, appears the second time to give him understanding, and refers back to the vision, which can be none other than that of chap. viii. 2. He explains the very point which he there omitted; namely, Time. 3. He informs us that seventy weeks are cut off; and there is no period given from which they can be taken, but the 2300 days. Hence it follows that the seventy weeks are the first 490 days of the 2300, and the two periods commence together. The commencement of the seventy weeks, we are told by the Angel, is from the going forth of a commandment to restore and build Jerusalem; therefore that is the starting point for the 2300 days. But when did the commandment go forth? In Ez. vii, we find a commission to him from king Artaxerxes, and a copy of the letter commencing with these words: "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, . . . I make a decree," &c. This decree gave permission to all the people of Israel of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, and commissioned Ezra to restore the worship of God, and the services of the temple, and to set magistrates and judges who should judge all the people beyond the river, and execute judgment, whether unto death, or to banishment or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. This was in the 7th of Artaxerxes. Verse 8. The 7th of Artaxerxes, as is clearly established, was B. C. 457. For full and explicit testimony on these points, the reader is referred to a work on the Sanctuary and 2300 days, by J. N. Andrews. See also Bliss' Analysis of Sacred Chronology. We have here found a decree which went forth 457 B. C.; but is it the one referred to in Dan. ix.? We will test it by the prophecy Unto the Messiah the Prince, says the prediction, shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks—69 weeks or 483 days. Messiah the Prince is Jesus Christ. Reckoning from 457 B. C., 483 years bring us to A. D. 27, where we find Christ commencing his public ministry, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled." No time can here be referred to, but the 69 weeks which were then fulfilled. This fixes the fact that the days are prophetic; that is, a day for a year. Num. xiv, 34; Eze. iv, 6. We also see that it harmonizes perfectly with the conditions of the prophecy. But further. He was to confirm the covenant with many for one week. (Seven years.) This of course was the last or seventieth week. In the midst (or middle) of this week he was to cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease. The sacrifice and oblation were Jewish ordinances connected with that typical dispensation. Christ did cause them virtually to cease at his crucifixion; for he was their antitype. But was the crucifixion in the midst of the week? We find by a mass of testimony that it took place in the Spring of A. D. 31; and this is just one half of a week or three and a half years from the Autumn of A. D. 27, where consequently the 69 weeks ended and the 70th commenced. Here in the Spring of A. D. 31, the cross is immovably fixed. Three and a half years more remain, the last half of the week, for confirming the covenant; which was done by the apostles—them who heard him. Heb. ii, 3. From the harmony of these applications, we conclude that we have found the true starting point. Let us then take a brief retrospect, and see how we stand. From that decree we trace down through the course of time 483 years, which were to extend to the Messiah the Prince, and we find the Messiah the Prince himself proclaiming, "The time is fulfilled." Pass on three and a half years more to the midst of that week, and behold the cross on Calvary. As the Angel had predicted, the sacrifice and oblation are made to cease; for the great sacrifice, their antitype is offered up: the Messiah is cut off, but not for himself. Three and a half years more pass away, and the Jews have formally rejected Christ and Christianity by persecuting his disciples, the apostles have turned to the Gentiles, [Acts xiii, 46,] the seventy weeks allotted to the Jews and Jerusalem have ended; and we find ourselves in the Autumn of A. D. 34. Thus is the prophecy and the vision of the 2300 days sealed up or made sure; [Dan. ix, 24;] and thus is given into our hand the great key by which to unlock the whole. It is contended by some that the permission given to Nehemiah, in the 20th of Artaxerxes is the decree from which to reckon. To this view, there are, we think, some serious objections. First, we find no privileges granted to Nehemiah or any one since the captivity, as ample as those to Ezra. Second, is it not evident from the first two chapters of Nehemiah; that it was the work of Ezra which he went up to repair? It appears that certain men of Judah came of whom he made inquiries "concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem." And they said unto him, "The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down and the gates thereof are burned with fire." Why was the wall broken down and the gates burned with fire? The facts are these: From the time that Ezra went up, to the last act of Nehemiah in obliging the Jews to put away their strange wives, the work met with continued opposition from the Samaritans; and thus was the prediction fulfilled, "The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." Would it not be improper to refer the language of Nehemiah to the destruction of the city by Nebuchadnezzar, when we recollect that he reduced it to ruins 144 years previous to that time? But there is another view presented by some, which is this: that the wall was not actually built till Nehemiah went up; consequently to him must have been given the decree for the building of Jerusalem. Whether or not the building of the wall was delayed till that time, we shall not now pretend to go, but contend that even if this was the case it affords no argument in favor of the commission to Nehemiah being the decree from which to reckon. The decree from which the seventy weeks were to be dated, not only gave authority for constructing what is called the wall, but for restoring as well as rebuilding the city. Any one must see that Jerusalem is restored when the people return there, re-establish their city polity, and recommence their regular offerings and the observance of their daily worship. For this restoration of Jerusalem the decree granted to Ezra made ample provision. The power of Ezra being unlimited by it, he was empowered to proceed at any time with its construction. And even if there was a delay of thirteen years in the erection of the wall, it is no argument against the validity of the decree which authorized it; for it does not affirm that the wall shall be built in troublous times, as soon as the decree should be given for its construction. All it affirms is, that there would be troublous times when it should be built. Was any decree granted to Nehemiah? We find no evidence of any. Says Nehemiah, (ii, 6) "It pleased the king to send me," &c. There is no evidence that this permission was any thing but verbal. When he had obtained the king's consent, he requested letters from the king to the governors beyond the river, for the means of conveyance to Jerusalem, and one to the keepers of king's forest for timber. A decree would of course have been addressed to him, as was the case with Ezra; but these letters were not so addressed; they were directed to the king's subordinates; they are nowhere called decrees; and if they were they would constitute a series of decrees, and not one decree, as the prophecy contemplated. Of so little importance were they considered by the Holy Spirit that the inspired penman has preserved no copy of them, but simply stated their import. In contrast with these, the decree to Ezra was one decree, and was expressly called a decree. It was directed, not to the king's subordinates, but to Ezra himself; and a full copy of it has come down to the present time. There is no evidence of such a decree's ever being addressed to Nehemiah. The decree having been given to Ezra, all that Nehemiah needed was simply permission to go up and complete what Ezra had begun. Thus he might under the same decree by subsequent permission, go up and build the wall.70 Third, reckoning from Nehemiah's commission, in the 20th of Artaxerxes, B. C. 445-4, and 483 years would expire, A. D. 39-40. These were to extend to the Messiah the Prince. But we find upon examination that the Messiah was revealed thirteen years before; that he had accomplished the work given him to do, had been offered upon the cross, had risen from the tomb and ascended into heaven long before those years expired, which, according to this view, could extend only to his manifestation. That cannot therefore be the date from which to reckon. The baptism of Christ, A. D. 27, and his crucifixion, A. D. 31, are dates which are clearly settled. They are "established by a mass of testimony which cannot be easily invalidated." Now these must be proved to be incorrect, or the world must admit that there can be no other date for the going forth of the commandment to restore Jerusalem, than B. C. 457. It is of no use for men to turn the declarations of prophecy into a lie, and wrest the Scriptures for the sake of a human theory. We see then by all just and true reckoning that the first 490 years of the 2300, terminated in the Autumn of A. D. 34. Hence it is an easy matter to find the termination of the whole period. There yet remain 1810, which added to A. D. 34, bring us to the Autumn of A. D. 1844. There was therefore no discrepancy in the reckoning of time. The days did end, as we then believed they would, in 1844. The promise was that then should the Sanctuary be cleansed. We believed that the earth was the Sanctuary, that it would be cleansed by fire at the revelation of the Lord Jesus; but the Lord did not come, the earth was not burned, and the days ended. Now what is the matter? Has God's Word failed that we did not realize our hope? Has he proved slack concerning his promises? Has he told us what to expect, and then failed to perform it? Before we adopt this conclusion, let us pursue our investigation a little further. The subject of Time being settled, there is left but one more point for consideration; and that is, the Sanctuary. Since the reckoning of time was correct, if an explanation of our disappointment can be found, it must be here. Let us then inquire, What is the Sanctuary? What is the nature of its cleansing, and how is it to be accomplished? Sabbath-Breaking Partnerships
By Editor
From the Sabbath Recorder.
# SABBATH-BREAKING PARTNERSHIPS. We have been sitting with pen in hand for half an hour, or more, pondering upon the best manner of discussing this important subject. It is our wish to discuss it in such a way as will give no offense. We wish, at all events, to say nothing but what will stand the test of truth. We may not succeed in saving the feelings of our brethren, but if we may be instrumental in saving them from their sins, we shall feel that we have not labored in vain. By Sabbath-breaking partnerships we mean those associations for business which involve the breach of the Sabbath on the part of one or more of the firm, or on the part of those in its employ. These associations have multiplied among us, within a few years past, causing not a little anxiety with some as to what will be the final result. There are some, who fear that the result will be most disastrous to the cause of the Sabbath, to say nothing of other unhappy consequences; and they consider it high time that the subject were agitated earnestly, till those who are implicated shall see, either that they are sinning against God, or that their course is justified by the Scriptures of Truth. If we understand the Fourth Commandment, it requires abstinence from labor, not only on the part of the individual himself, but also on the part of all who are in his employ. "Thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant." It makes it a man's duty to control his own household—his farm—his shop—every place, in short, over which his lawful jurisdiction extends, and for the management of which he is in any way responsible. If it is wrong for him to break the Sabbath himself, it is wrong for him to employ others to break it. A person who would employ another to commit an act of murder, is accounted as a murderer himself. He that hires a ruffian to set fire to his neighbor's house, is no less guilty than the ruffian himself. And he that employs another to rob the possessor of his goods, promising to make him a sharer in the spoils, is too flagrantly an accomplice in the crime to stand justified before an honest community. Now, if our inability to see, that he who employs others to break the Sabbath is not just as guilty as if he broke it himself, argues obtuseness of intellect, we hope that somebody will endeavor, by that plainness of speech and simplicity of illustration which cannot fail to impress the dullest understanding, to set the matter in its true light. The Sabbath-keeper by his profession declares that the keeping of Sunday, to the displacement and violation of the day designated as the Sabbath in the Fourth Commandment, is a sin. He believes that the substitution of Sunday for the seventh day was accomplished by the Man of Sin. He hesitates not to say, that to keep Sunday instead of the Sabbath is to symbolize with Popery. He says that it is to make void the commandment of God in order to uphold a human tradition. He enters into controversy upon this point, wherever he goes, and proclaims it to be the duty of all to keep the Sabbath just as God appointed. It is one of the duties enjoined in the Law, he says, and the transgression of the law is sin. But what says the Sabbath-keeper by his business arrangements? An observer of the first day of the week proposes a copartnership, the condition of which is, that the establishment shall do business the Sabbath-day. The Sabbath-keeper consents, on condition that he himself shall be exempt from all active participation in what is done on that day. He consents that his partner shall work, and, of course, that all the employees, servants, or agents, that may be required for the management of the concern, shall work also. Not only so; he consents to receive, and appropriate to his own use, as his lawful property, a portion of the profits that may arise out of this Sabbath labor. In yielding this consent, does he not say that to work on the Sabbath-day is no sin? Does he not flatly contradict his religious profession? For, what is the nature of a copartnership? Does not each member of the firm work for the other? Even admitting that there are no clerks, journeymen, or under-servants of any sort, in the establishment—none but the partners themselves, who of course are equals, and have equal rights—still each one serves the other. For there is no reason why two or more persons should enter into partnership, except the mutual service which they render one another, thereby rendering the profits of the concern greater for each, than if he carried on business by himself alone. Thus, when a Sunday-keeper proposes partnership with an observer of the Sabbath, this is the inducement which he holds out—"I will serve you," says he, "on the Sabbath-day—a very profitable day for business—thereby augmenting your gains much above what they would be, if you were in business by yourself, and should shut up the establishment on that day." The Sabbath-keeper agrees to the proposal, and by that very agreement says, "I consent that you shall work for me on the Sabbath." This, we take it, is the plain, common sense view of the matter. Turn and twist it as we may, we think it comes to this in the end. And if the Sabbath-keeper can thus deliberately say to his partner, "I agree that you shall work for me on the Sabbath," he either flatly contradicts his religious profession, and says that to work on the Sabbath is no sin, or else deliberately makes up his mind to commit sin. Let it not be replied, that the partners, being equal, each one acts for himself, and is responsible for himself. For though each acts for himself, he does not act only for himself. He acts also for the other. He acts for himself in the same sense as the common hired laborer acts for himself, who, though he works for himself in respect to the wages he hopes to receive, works for the man who employs him also. If he is hired to work on the Sabbath-keeper's farm, on the Sabbath-day, or in his shop, or counting-house, there is no sophistry which will make it appear that he acts only for himself. The employer is guilty also. And when the Sunday-keeping member of a business firm manages the business on the Sabbath-day, he does it not only for himself, but for the other also. He is employed, nay, to all intents and purposes, hired, by the other to do it. The act of hiring is not done formally, from week to week, but it enters into the very nature of the contract by which they agree to do business jointly, in partnership. Brethren, is it right—is it a lawful contract? Does it involve nothing of sin against Him who said of the Sabbath-day, "In it thou shalt not do any work; thou, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant?" ANTICIPATIONS OF THE HEAVENLY CITY.
What is there under the old vault of the heavens, and in this old worn earth, which is under the bondage of corruption, groaning and travailing in pain, and shooting out the head, looking, waiting, and longing for the redemption of the sons of God—What is there, I say, that should make me desire to remain here? I expect that new heavens and that new earth, wherein righteousness dwelleth, wherein I shall rest for evermore. I look to get entry into the new Jerusalem,71 at one of those twelve gates, whereupon are written the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. I know that Jesus Christ hath prepared them for me. Why may I not, then, with boldness in his blood, step into that glory, where my Head and Lord hath gone before me? The Gospel of The Kingdom.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness to all nations, then shall the end come. The above passage is often adduced as a prediction which remains to be fulfilled. If it refers to the end of the gospel dispensation, it is evident it cannot be presented as an objection to the immediate expiration of prophetic time. It is also an unanswerable argument, that one thousand years of millennial glory cannot intervene prior to the personal advent of Christ, for when the gospel shall be preached in all the world for a witness [only] to [not the conversion of] all nations, then [immediately] shall the end come. Can any of our readers point to a nation which has not been visited by the gospel? If we inquire of those who are conversant with our missionary operations, "if they know of any nation which never has had the gospel?" they frankly tell you they "do not." At the present time the most, if not all the nations of the earth have been presented with the gospel. If we glance at the four quarters of the globe, we find that Asia, the extreme eastern section, was first illuminated by it. In the first century of the gospel dispensation, Asia, had the light. In the third, Africa was enlightened by its dissemination; then Europe was visited—to her was the gospel proclaimed. America caught the hallowed fire; to her people the Bible has been dispensed—light has been diffused—truth has progressed—the Rocky Mountains are passed—indefatigable missionaries have penetrated the western wilds, and the shores of the Pacific are reached; the isles of the sea have heard the gracious message—the standard of the cross has been raised in every clime, the banner of love has been unfurled in every section of the inhabited world. When the gospel has been preached as a witness, then shall the end come. The far east was first illuminated by the gospel, and westward it has made its way; as it has advanced in the one direction light has increased, and darkness has enshrouded the other. Where light recedes the nations retrograde; where truth prevails, their course is onward. It is a well known fact that the western portions of the globe have been more successfully visited than the eastern,—there much good has resulted from missionary efforts. Or if we view this subject in another light the result is materially the same. The car of missions has been propelled: some portions of the Bible have already been translated into every language known. Since the angel [John saw] has been flying through the "midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach," Missionary, Bible, and other efficient societies have been instituted, and their influence has been everywhere felt. The glad tidings of the kingdom at hand have also reached every shore. The warning has been given. Wherever missionary stations are to be found, Second Advent publications have been forwarded; the midnight cry has been heard. "Behold the Bridegroom cometh," has been preached far and near. Many an ambassador has sounded the alarm. In our own country, the hills of New England, the far west, the sunny south, have heard the message; and distant isles and foreign lands have reverberated the sound. All things have been predicted; all things are manifested; the gospel goes through the whole world; the toil of the human race in our day bears witness; all things are fulfilled which have been prophesied in Scripture. As all up to this day has come to pass, so, what remains shall come to pass. Let us fear the day of judgment. The Lord is about to come. He who came as the Lowly One, shall come as the Exalted One. He who came to be judged, shall come to judge. Let us own the Lowly One, that we may not dread the Exalted One. Let us embrace the Lowly One, that we may long for the Exalted One. For to those that long for him shall he come in grace. They long for him who have held fast the faith of him, and done his commandments; for however unwilling we may be, he will come. Willing or unwilling, he will come. The more free mercies are, the more acceptable they should be to us, and we should be more thankful for them to God.72FORGIVE ME NOT.—It would be singular indeed for poor, helpless, erring and sinful mortals to pray thus; nevertheless many do, in effect, pray this prayer. All do it who do not forgive those who trespass against them, and pray the Lord's prayer; for it says, Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. The spirit of the prayer of such revengeful unforgiving ones is, O Lord, forgive me not; for I do not forgive those who trespass against me! "If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."—Matt. vi, 15.