p. 47 | Review and Herald, Vol. 44, No. 6. (7/21/1874)

An Apology.

BEING of the opinion that Eld. J. N. Andrews has now finished his review of my book entitled, “The First-Day Sabbath,” if I can be allowed the privilege, I wish to have the following statements published in the columns of the REVIEW.

That Eld. Andrews has found some mistakes in my book, is true; and I very much regret that such errors were committed. I thank Eld. A., however, for pointing them out, as it will give me an opportunity to correct them if I publish another edition.

But I cannot plead guilty to the charge of having designedly perverted the language of any author from which I quoted; no, not so much as in one word, letter, comma, or quotation mark.

Those who have read my book, know that a great many quotations are made from different authors. The exact way that those errors occurred in quoting from Sylvester Bliss, Daniel Whitby, or others, I cannot tell. But during the time I was writing the book, we had a great deal of sickness in our family; and finally my wife died during that time. And wishing to publish the work as soon as possible, I employed two good copyists, which copied about one hundred pages of the book. Now, whether I, or my copyists, made the mistakes, and they were overlooked in the reading of the copy; or whether the errors were committed when the MS. was cut down, by my consent, after it went into the hands of the compositors, I cannot tell.

All things considered, it is a wonder to me that no more mistakes were committed.

But this one thing I do know, that, all the errors which were found in my work by Eld. Andrews, which appeared like garbling, or misrepresenting authors, were purely accidental.

I deem it just to myself, and also to the readers of the REVIEW, to make the above statements; and it will greatly oblige me, if this communication can be published in the same paper where Eld. Andrews’ criticisms appeared.

T. M. PREBLE.

Hyde Park, Mass., July 4, 1874.

REMARKS: When Eld. Preble’s book first appeared, I judged after a careful examination of it that there was no occasion for a reply to it from myself. But as my continued silence gave opportunity for some to reproach the Sabbath cause, I decided to give it a careful answer in all its arguments, and in all its charges. I began with his Biblical argument, intending to close with his charges. But when I had nearly finished this part of his book, the death of my dear wife caused me to suspend for a season all attempts to write. When I was able to resume writing, providential circumstances clearly indicated that I should give my time and strength to the completion of the new edition of the History of the Sabbath. But just as soon as I had completed that labor, I took up Eld. Preble’s charges against the veracity of the first edition of my History. I wrote a series of articles for the REVIEW in which I stated and answered every accusation against that work. This series was published in the REVIEW till all but the last three of the articles had been given. But as the REVIEW was then going to 10,000 new subscribers on trial, and as it was thought of great importance to get into that volume a full statement of our doctrinal views, it was decided by those whose judgment I highly respect that no more space could be allowed to my articles of this series, because, though important to myself personally, they were of no special importance to the mass of the readers of the REVIEW. The three articles which conclude the series do, however, lie in the Office of publication and can be given hereafter if occasion justifies.

One of the charges there noticed I will here state, as it has been deemed a decisive proof of dishonesty on my part. It is that in quoting from D’Aubigné respecting Carlstadt, a semicolon is found where D’Aubigné used a period. But the entire manuscript of my first edition of the History of the Sabbath was carefully preserved, and is now in my library at Lancaster, Mass. That manuscript has the period and not the semicolon, and it is open to inspection from Eld. P. or any of his friends, to judge whether it has ever been tampered with. The truth is, it was simply a typographical error which in some way escaped the eye of the proof reader. I have no love for controversy and no personal ill will toward Eld. Preble. The reader will find a concise statement of the points to which Eld. Preble refers in the REVIEW for Dec. 9, 1873.

J. N. ANDREWS.

Rochester, N. Y., July 9, 1874.

A Fire Engine Moral.

I stood silently near an engine, and learned a lesson. It was in the line, out of the way of the fire, but the hose was in its place. The engineer was a quiet, reliable-looking man, and there he stood. He seemed to be doing so little; he said nothing; there was no running and shouting, “Fire! fire! there is a fire! put it out! come and help! Don’t you see? Fire! Fire!”

But there was the “steamer” in perfect order, bright and clean, and it worked like a living, conscious, thing. Its short, quick strokes were like pulsations; now and then it seemed to slacken a little, and then it started up with renewed vigor, and we knew that far off, at the other end of the line of hose its work told.

The engineer was quiet and calm; now he opened the door and looked at the fire; now he touched a valve when the pressure was too great, and let the steam escape; now he added more fuel; now he raked out some ashes. And another man with oil touched the machine here and there, where the friction was fiercest.

They did not look at the fire, did not go near, and yet they were doing their utmost. You might have said they took no interest in it, that they were wanting in feeling; there were plenty of people who made more talk, and lamented for the poor man who was losing his all, perhaps; but after all, who was doing most?

There is a story running about which applies fairly as a hint when men ask questions as to that which does not concern them.

“There was a man in (say New Jersey or anywhere) who made a large fortune. Do you know how he made it?”

“No.”

“By minding his own business.”

I thought of this at the fire, and from all I took the lesson of which I spoke, in Christian work.

“Blessed is he that shall stand in his lot, in the end of the days.”

We want more Christians like these men at the engines, who shall steadily and earnestly do their part and attend to their own business, with no special talk, but a great deal of work.—Sel.

Let them Alone.

SUPPOSE you are slandered and abused; suppose your friends turn away from you; what then? You can make ten new ones by minding your own business and serving God, where you can regain five old ones by quarreling with your enemies for their confidence. Let them alone; keep about your Master’s work; and by-and-by they will come back, with tears in their eyes, confessing how they have been misled and have wronged you. The world is wide enough for earnest souls; if men elbow and crowd you from your rightful place, go out and find another and a better one. If they persecute you in one city, flee into another; if they lie about you, do not stop to bandy epithets, or waste time over it; every livman who serves God must encounter Satan’s lies; but if you keep on the track you will out-travel the slanderer’s falsehoods, and if you hurry you will distance the devil and his dust.—The Christian.

What a Trifle May Hide.

A LITTLE boy held a sixpence near his eye, and said, “O mother! it is bigger than the room!” and when he drew it still nearer, he exclaimed, “O mother! it is bigger than all outdoors!” And in just that way the worldling hides God, and Christ, and judgment, and eternity, from view, behind some paltry pleasure, some trifling joy, or some small possession which shall perish with the using, and pass away with all earth’s lusts and glory in the approaching day of God Almighty.

WATCH for little opportunities of pleasing, and put little annoyances out of the way.

Obituary Notices.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.”

Died, in Hartland, Livingston Co., Mich., June 2, 1874, of consumption, our dear sister Arvilla, wife of Bro. Elkanah Stone, aged thirty-seven years and ten months. She leaves a husband and three children to mourn their loss.

“When the morn of glory breaking, Shall light the tomb, Beautiful will be thy waking, In fadeless bloom.”

M. E. Lockwood.

Died, in Sullivan Co., Mo., June 21, 1874, Mary Jane Sodders, daughter of J. B. and M. J. Alexander, aged twenty-five years, eight months, and four days. She requested her brothers and sisters to meet her in Heaven, and died leaving a bright evidence that all was well. Her disease was consumption.

Joseph B. Alexander. Mahala J. Alexander.

Business Department.

Not slothful in Business. Rom. 12:11.

A blue cross on the margin of your paper signifies that your subscription will expire in two weeks, and that an earnest invitation is extended to you to renew at once.

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Cash Received on Account.

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Michigan Conference Fund.

Greenville $50.00, Hillsdale $2.00, Monroe Center 8.60.

Michigan T. & M. Society.

Dist. No. 6, $35.50.

Danish Monthly.

John Olive $2.00, Mary Harlow 25c.

Book Fund.

E B B $1.00.

Books Sent by Freight.

Smith Sharp, Lawrence, Kan., via Rock Island R. R., $45.07.

S. D. A. Educational Society.

$25.00 EACH. M B Cyphers, Smith Clark.

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$2.50. M H Brown.

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The Michigan Conference

Appointments.

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of Heaven is at hand

Services in Chicago, every Sabbath (seventh day), at 269 West Erie St. All Sabbath-keepers spending a Sabbath in Chicago are invited to attend.

The Michigan Conference.

The Michigan Conference will hold its next annual session in connection with the camp-meeting at Battle Creek, commencing Aug. 6, 1874. Delegates should be on the ground the first day of the meeting. Let the church officers make their reports in season; also let the S. B. treasurers make an effort to meet their pledges. We hope the friends of the cause will make an especial effort to attend this meeting prepared to work for the Lord.

E. H. Root, Mich.; M. S. Merriam, Conf.; H. Lindsay, Com.

The Health Reform Institute.

The stockholders of the Health Reform Institute will hold their eighth annual meeting at Battle Creek, Mich., in connection with the camp-meeting, Friday, Aug. 7, 1874, at 9 o’clock A. M., for the election of officers, and for the transaction of any other business that may come before the meeting.

Stockholders who cannot attend will please see that their stock is represented by proxy if they have not already made provision of this kind.

James White, Ira Abbey, Geo. J. Butler, Harmon Lindsay, Benn Auten, E. B. Gaskill, M. S. Merriam, Directors.

S. D. A. P. Association.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association will hold its fifteenth annual session on the camp-ground at Battle Creek, Aug. 11, 1874, at 9 o’clock A. M., for the election of officers, and for the transaction of any other business that may come before the meeting.

James White, Harmon Lindsay, V. A. Merriam, C. W. Comings, Geo. J. Butler, S. N. Haskell, M. S. Merriam, Trustees.

The T. & M. Society of Michigan will hold its next annual session in connection with the camp-meeting at Battle Creek. We hope the district secretaries will send their reports to the State secretary, Anna M. Driscall, Battle Creek, Mich., at least one week before the camp-meeting.

E. H. Root.

Maine Conference.

The Maine Conference will hold its next annual session in connection with the camp-meeting at Skowhegan, one mile above Pishon’s Ferry, where it was held last year, commencing Sept. 3, 1874, and holding over the 7th.

Let all of our churches and companies where S. B. is organized send their delegates to this Conference, and let all see that their S. B. is paid up to the last quarter. Let the S. B. treasurers see that their quarterly reports are sent to the State Conference secretary, Timothy Bryant, North Jay, Me., in season, so that we may have a correct report of the financial standing of the Conference. We want to see a general gathering of the brethren and sisters on the old camp-ground this fall. Let no one stay at home that possibly can attend.

J. B. Goodrich, Maine; G. W. Barker, Conf.; Wm. Morton, Conf.

Quarterly Meetings in Minnesota.


TENHASSEN,	Aug. 1, 2.
Sibley, Iowa,	8, 9.
Mankato, Minn.,	15, 16.
Hutchinson,	22, 23.
Litchfield,	29, 30.

Harrison Grant.

At Curtis Corner, Rhode Island, Aug. 1, and 2. I appoint here because it is most central. If the brethren think best they can change the location, and have it where it will best accommodate the friends in that State. S. N. Haskell.

The Maine T. & M. Society will hold its next annual meeting on the camp-ground in Skowhegan, Sept. 3–7. Dist. No. 1 will hold its quarterly meeting in connection with the annual meeting. Let all see that their reports are sent in season, so that a full report can be made of all that has been done for the last quarter. District Nos. 2 and 3 should hold their quarterly meetings at least two weeks previous, and their reports sent to the State secretary.

J. B. Goodrich, Pres.

Soldier Valley, Iowa, Aug. 1, 2. Belvidere, 8, 9. Decatur, Neb., 15, 16. There will be opportunity for baptism, for any who may desire it, at each of these meetings.

H. Nicola.

General quarterly meeting of the Iowa and Nebraska T. and M. Society at Knoxville, Iowa, August 29 and 30. Let each director see that his district is properly represented. Hope there will be a general rally at this meeting, and that the blessing of God may attend it.

H. Nicola.

Quarterly meeting of the T. and M. Society of N. Y. and Pa., Dist. No. 9, at Hornby, Steuben Co., N. Y., the first Sabbath and Sunday in August. All the members are requested to report.

J. Lindsay, Director.

Monthly meeting at Armada, Mich., August 1 and 2. Sister churches are invited to attend this meeting. Another opportunity will be had for baptism.

D. H. Lamson.

Quarterly meeting of Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., and vicinity, at Nashville, about four miles west of Perrysburg station on N. Y. and Erie R. R., first Sabbath and first-day in August. Brethren and sisters of Cattaraugus Co., let us all take new interest in this work.

B. B. Warren.

Quarterly meeting of the T. & M. Society for district No. 2 of the N. Y. & Pa. Conference at Roosevelt, N. Y., on the 8th and 9th of August, 1874. A general attendance is expected. Please send in reports in time for the meeting. Monthly meeting at the same time and place.

Daniel Bowe, Director.

To the Brethren and Sisters in Maine.

By J. B. Goodrich

The time of our camp-meeting is drawing near, and many of you are so situated that you hear but little or no preaching during the year, and some of you who have embraced the truth by reading have never heard the living preacher. Now is your time to commence to make arrangements to attend the camp-meeting. There will be some of our most able ministers present to preach the word, who have the cause of God at heart; and how encouraging it would be to them, after coming a long distance from the West, to see us all on the ground the first day and remain until its close. We all need the strength and encouragement that can be derived by attending this meeting, and none that possibly can attend can afford to stay away.

Come to work in the vineyard of the Lord and labor for the salvation of souls. Do not be satisfied by saying, I would like to attend the camp-meeting this fall; but make an effort to be there. Do not let a few vain things of this world keep you away. The love of this world will cheat thousands out of eternal life, and they will be made to realize the fact when it is too late to repent.

The signs of the times clearly show that we are living near the end, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. “Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” But now is the time to show our faith by our works, and by works is faith made perfect.

We want to see the best camp-meeting this fall that we have ever had; and if all will come up and engage in the work in earnest, the Lord will bless and crown our efforts with success.

Let the tents all be erected on Wednesday, Sept. 2, so that all may be ready to commence with the first meeting, and there be no disturbance on the ground. J. B. GOODRICH.

July 7, 1874.

Spiritualism.

By Editor

We commence this week a very important series of articles on the subject of spiritualism. This last, fatal delusion is fast drawing on to the climax of its deceptive power. Let every one thoroughly inform himself in reference to its diabolical character, and so be forearmed against it.

Next Term of School.

It is decided to commence the next term of our school

MONDAY, AUGUST 24,

the week following the camp-meeting.

The Religious Amendment.

From an article published in the Index from one of its correspondents, we take the following paragraph:—

“It is firmly believed by many, that with the aid of the Young Men's Christian Association, which is to Protestantism what Jesuitism is to the Catholic church, she will make, in due time, when her plans are all completed and understood by her agents, a Herculean effort to incorporate the religious amendment into the Constitution of the United States. And when we see what amazing power an eloquent and zealous man, like Henry Ward Beecher, can exert on the masses of church people, the thought is alarming that a dozen such, co-operating with each other, might revolutionize the religious public, and lead them, even through blood, to put God, and Christ, and the Bible into the Constitution, or to die in the attempt.”

Turkey and Persia.

By Uriah Smith

TURKEY rests upon a foundation which has become throughout so weak and shaky that a disturbance anywhere may bring on the final catastrophe to that nation. There are indications of trouble in various directions, but none of a more threatening aspect than has lately appeared between that power and Persia. True to the prophecy that “tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him,” Dan. 11:44, it is worthy of notice that while Russia on the north is threatening Turkey, now a provocation comes from Persia lying on the east. Late papers contain the following announcement:—

The relations between Turkey and Persia are not friendly. It appears that the Persian government has refused to compel the return to Turkish territory of a tribe numbering two thousand families, which has been subject to the Porte, but who escaped across the Persian frontier, and that a number of Turks have been seized and maltreated by a band of Persian pilgrims. The Turkish government threatens to force Persia to give up the persons who have abused its subjects, and to surrender the revolting tribe. Unless an accommodation is speedily effected, the relations between the two countries will become critical.” U. S.

Catholic Church and the Coming Storm

FREDERICK KAPP, a member of the German Legislature, said before that body, in Berlin, a few days ago: “At the present moment, it depends only on the Catholic church of the United States to determine when it will begin its war on the Government and on Protestantism.” There is a storm coming!

Railroads in the United States.

By Uriah Smith

In the “Manual of the Railroads of the United States for 1874-75, by H. V. Poor, it is stated that the total length of railroad lines in operation in 1873 was 66,237 miles. In 1872 there were 57,323 miles, and in 1871, only 44,614, showing an increase in the two years since 1871, of 21,623 miles.

U. S.

Bible Investigator: Second Number Received and Noticed

We have received the second number of the Bible Investigator, published by Amos Sanford, Columbus, Kansas. It is a neatly-printed monthly, 16 pp. magazine form, and claims to be devoted to the investigation of all Bible truth, without regard to sects, creeds, parties, or traditions. Two points of truth, at least, are made prominent in its columns, the soon coming of Christ, and the unconscious state of the dead. Terms, 75c per year, in advance.

Editors Decline Article on the Holy Spirit

By H. G. B.

H. G. B.: In answer to your inquiry why your article on the “Nature and Office Work of the Holy Spirit” was not published in the Review, we would say, that we think that subject is one which very few persons are qualified to discuss to edification and profit.

Mailing Address for Rudd, Bourdeau, and Andrews

The P. O. address of Adam Rudd, Eld. D. T. Bourdeau, and Eld. R. F. Andrews will be, till further notice, Kankakee City, Ill.

A Request.

We earnestly request Bro. and sister White to attend our Maine Camp-meeting this fall if consistent with duty. MAINE CONF. COM.

Change of Post Office Address for Kansas Workers

By J. H. Rogers; C. H. Chaffee

Our P. O. address will be Beloit, Mitchell Co., Kansas, till further notice. J. H. Rogers, C. H. Chaffee.

CAMP-MEETING COMMITTEE

Notice.

Those wishing to rent tents for the N. Y. camp-meeting will please send their orders immediately to B. L. Whitney, Kirkville, Onondaga Co., N. Y., stating size and number wanted. It will be absolutely necessary to be prompt in the matter in order that the tents may be secured in season.

CAMP-MEETING COMMITTEE

Scandal

The story is told of a woman who freely used her tongue to the scandal of others, and made confession to the priest of what she had done. He gave her a ripe thistle top, and told her to go out in various directions to scatter the seeds one by one. Wondering at the penance, she obeyed, and then returned and told her confessor. To her amazement, he bade her go back and gather the scattered seeds; and when she objected that it would be impossible, he replied that it would be still more difficult to gather up and destroy all evil reports which she circulated about others. Any thoughtless, careless child can scatter a handful of thistle seeds before the wind in a moment, but the strongest, wisest man cannot gather them again.

Special Notice.—General Conference.

By Gen. Conference Committee

The General Conference of S. D. Adventists will hold its thirteenth annual session in connection with the Michigan camp-meeting. At the request of the New York brethren, their camp-meeting has been changed as noticed in this paper, to give them more time for preparation. This gives an extra week for the meeting in Michigan, which it is proposed to fill up by a continuation of the camp-meeting, a session of the General Conference and a meeting of the Publishing Association. Let the State Conferences at once appoint their delegates to this meeting, and furnish them with the requisite reports to bring. Let the brethren from Michigan, and all others, come prepared and determined to stay through to Aug. 17. The recent warm and dry weather has so hastened the wheat and oat harvest that they will be past before the meeting. And eleven days, considering the momentous truth we have, and the abounding indications that we stand upon the very threshold of the great work of this message, can be well spent in religious communion one with another, in learning the situation, in considering the responsibilities and duties of this hour, and in seeking from the armory of Heaven the requisite equipment for the work before us. Important matters will come up for consideration. Come and make this precious occasion the means of the greatest possible amount of good. GEN. CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

Western New York Quarterly Meeting at Lancaster

By W. H. Eggleston

The quarterly meeting for Western New York will be held in connection with the quarterly meeting of the T. & M. Society of Dist. No. 1 at Lancaster, August 9 and 10, 1874. It being the last meeting of this district before our State Conference, full reports from all the churches are desired. W. H. EGGLESTON, Director.