Earlier text: A VISION OF THE YEARS5.—SAMUEL AND THE WOMAN OF ENDOR.
By Roswell Fenner Cottrell
1. WHAT is said of Samuel? 2. Have the dead knowledge? 3. Are the dead aware of the condition of the living? “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.” Job 14:21. 4. Are they, then, guardian angels to the living? 5. Did Saul in his distress inquire of the Lord? “And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.” 1 Sam. 28:6. 6. Then what did Saul say? “Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit.” Verse 7. 7. What had God said about such persons? “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them.” Lev. 19:31. 8. How does the Lord regard such persons? “All that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.” Deut. 18:12. 9. What is the prophet’s reply to those who propose to seek to familiar spirits? “Should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” Isa. 8:19. 10. Are the revelations from familiar spirits reliable? “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Verse 20. 11. What was one of the counts in the indictment for which Saul was slain? “For asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it.” 1 Chron. 10:13. 12. Since the Lord would not answer Saul in his own appointed way, is it to be believed that he would answer him through an agency which was an abomination to him? and was not Saul doing the very thing that God had forbidden? 13. What did Saul request of the woman? 14. Did she get a real communication? “And when the woman saw Samuel, she . . . spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.” Verse 12. 15. Did he see anything? or did he have to ask her what she saw? He asked, “What seest thou?” Verse 13. “I saw gods ascending out of the earth.”—Ib. 17. Was he obliged to ask how the apparition looked? “And he said unto her, What form is he of?” Verse 14. 18. He saw nothing. How did he “perceive that it was Samuel”? “She said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle.”—Ib. 19. Saul “stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.” Was it before the real or a bogus Samuel? “And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?” Verse 15. 20. Did those sinners have power to disturb the repose of the man of God? Did his body really come out of the grave? or was it his spirit which came up out of the earth? In those ancient times, did the people understand that the dead were sleeping in the dust? “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” Dan. 12:2. 21. Did Paul teach that the dead in Christ are asleep? “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” 1 Thess. 4:14. 22. What does the apostle mean by this? “The dead in Christ shall rise.” Verse 16. 23. Now which is the more reasonable, that those sinners, engaged in that which God had expressly forbidden, really disquieted the sleeping prophet and had him present with them, thus favoring their nefarious work, or that a fallen angel, a demon, was there personating and counterfeiting Samuel, and saying what he supposed he would say were he present? 24. Did the communicating spirit truly relate Saul’s past course, and truly predict his death on the morrow? See 1 Sam. 28:17–19. 25. Can the spirits of devils work miracles when God permits? “They are the spirits of devils working miracles.” Rev. 16:14. 26. If Samuel went to heaven at death, according to modern current theology, what good promise did he make to Saul and his sons? “To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me.” 1 Sam. 28:19. 27. Where were they with Samuel the next day?—In the state of death. The prediction proved true. “So Saul died, and his three sons, . . . that same day.” 1 Sam. 31:6. 28. If familiar spirits tell some truth, and work miracles, are we bound to believe all they say? “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa. 8:20. 29. In case signs and wonders verify the predictions of a prophet, should we follow his teachings without bringing them to the test of God’s law? “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.” Deut. 13:1–4. 30. Will great signs and wonders be wrought to deceive? “There shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt. 24:24. The friends of Sunday in this country will feel like giving three cheers to their Canadian friends for their promptness in arresting Sunday desecrators in the Dominion. The troubles in the North-west have naturally caused a great deal of excitement throughout all the eastern portion of Canada. Men have been waiting for the news hour by hour. Under these circumstances some enterprising publishers of Toronto introduced a Sunday issue of their journals. The intention to do this coming to the attention of the police, the following notice was served upon them on Saturday, April 4:— CHIEF CONSTABLE'S OFFICE, TORONTO, Apr. 4, '85.
Sir:—My attention having been called to the announcement made in some of the city papers of the intention on their part to sell and dispose of an issue of their journals on Sunday (to-morrow), I wish to inform you that such a course is in direct contravention of the Lord's Day Act and render all such offenders liable to arrest and prosecution, and upon conviction to fine and imprisonment. I have the honor to be, sir,
“Your obedient servant,
J. C. Draper, Chief Constable, Toronto.” Most of the publishers issued their papers nevertheless, and were promptly notified on Monday morning to appear in the Police Court. Several boys who were selling copies were also arrested. The Future of the Sabbath Question.
Evidence is every day accumulating that the question is destined to agitate more and more the public mind, till it becomes the leading question in the political as well as in the religious world. The Christian Statesman of April 23, remarks:— “Whoever would understand the most important forces now working in nominally Christian nations must study carefully the movements affecting the popular observance and the legal safety of the Lord’s day [Sunday]. The present confused and broken state of opinion and practice on this subject cannot continue. Either the secular spirit will carry communities that are called Christian away into a practical abandonment of the day, or we shall have a reformation.” The difficulty under which the Sunday question is unconsciously revealed in these words, opinion and practice is broken and divided on the subject. Why?—Because there is not a particle of proof for the institution; hence there is no standard to which to appeal to regulate men’s opinions and practices in this matter. There is no way in which the trouble can be remedied, and to this it will come: Put through some enactment on the subject; and then by rack and thumb-screw crush the consciences of men into conformity, as the papal church did during the Dark Ages. The Inter Ocean thus neatly draws a parallel between the morality of the ten commandments and the standard followed by most people in religious as well as secular society at the present time. And it does not damage the commandments any either:— “The anxiety of some people to get hold of the revised edition of the Old Testament almost leads to the conclusion that they are expecting two or three of the old ten commandments to drop out, so as to adapt the book to this easy-going age.” Immediate Satisfaction Versus Lasting Results
—It makes all the difference between great and small minds, whether they work for immediate satisfaction or for lasting results. The insect mind works for the current moment, oblivious of the future; the wise man plans for the distant as well as for to-day. Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, for he had respect to the recompense of reward. The Church: Laying Hands on Unqualified Candidates
By J. H. W.
Reference has been made to the wrong of laying hands suddenly, inconsiderately, or unwisely, upon any one who may thereby be placed in position in the church of God. And we ought to extend the consideration to the injury which may be done by unwisely encouraging any one to take upon himself any sacred office for which he has not the proper qualifications. The principle is the same whether it be applied to a local elder or a minister. Such an action is injurious to the church, to the individual, and of course to the cause of Christianity. A man once solicited a license to preach. At one Conference he was put off, as none but himself believed that he had any duty in that direction. At the next Conference he was yet more persistent; and one of the elders remarked that such cases were hard to cure without a trial, and advised to give him license, as a license for one year would probably put an end to his asking. Unfortunately, as we thought, this advice was followed.281 The man had a family, and a home for them; a farm, with plenty of fruit, and a comfortable living, having unbounded confidence in his success if he could have a suitable field, he came and moved to a newly settled section of the country. But his efforts to preach were complete failures, and, as is too often the case, he ascribed his failures to every cause but the right one. He became involved in some difficulty with one of the believers, and thereafter devoted all his time to vindicating himself and to showing that they were all wrong. He paraded these matters before every congregation that he met, until all became disgusted with his course. The last we saw him, the money for which he sold his farm was all gone; his family were destitute of the necessaries of life; he was complaining of everybody—individuals with whom he got into trouble; church members because they would not uphold him and condemn the others; and of the Conference because they suffered him to expend all his means and did not come to his support. And in this condition there was not much more hope that he would ever live a Christian life than there was that he would ever become a successful minister. Indeed, he said that he alone was to blame for the sadness of his condition, because the Conference always give licentiates to understand that the giving of a license is only a trial, an experiment, not to be considered as a pledge of much, if any, support. But this is not altogether a view of the case. By giving him a license we strengthened his conviction that it was his duty to preach, and increased his confidence in his own ability, as he was caused to think that we saw in him those qualities which he imagined in himself. His worldly matters were deranged, and his family brought to destitution; the churches in the field of his work were disheartened and weakened; and the cause was reproached before the world, as he was taken as its representative, there under the sanction of the Conference, with a license under it. All this might have been avoided by a more judicious and consistent course; by proper counsel and refusing to give license. For instance: A young man apparently had a call to the ministry. And it appeared advisable to him, having the oversight of the work, to send him to a field somewhat distant. And if he were in that field it was suggested that it would be well to have him ordained, that he might meet the wants of the cause in every phase in which it was presented. Some expressed doubts of the wisdom of the course suggested, but the suggestion was acted upon. He was ordained and sent into the field. His case differed from that of the other man, as he had ability as a speaker, and under a judicious course of instruction and training he might become a useful laborer. But he was elated with the dignity of the position suddenly thrust upon him. He was puffed up, haughty and overbearing in demeanor, and injured the cause wherever he went. He soon became restive under the counsel of the officers of the Conference, and unwisely chose his own ways and methods of labor. After some time spent in useless labor, when all distrusted his ability to fill the position he occupied, we advised him to go to a new place, secure a hearing, and hold on there until he had raised up a church and established it in the truth. Only in that way could he satisfactorily settle the question of his call to the ministry. His reply to this remark gave us the clue to his entire failure. He said, “That question was settled when I was ordained.” The shipwreck of his faith, after shaking the confidence of many in the stability and nature of our work, and especially in the correctness of our Conference organizations. The whole amount of the injury to individuals, to the churches, and to the cause by this one injudicious act of laying hands only on this man, will never be known to us until the great day shall reveal the secrets of all hearts. A certain church held an election, and chose for elder a man who had been some time a professor of the faith, who appeared to have abounding zeal, of whom this particular church knew but little, and had not been long a resident of that place. We were present. We had the most friendly feeling toward the man, but were firmly convinced that the church had acted unwisely,—that he was not fitted to serve them in the position to which they had chosen him. Under such circumstances it sometimes becomes a serious question what course the attending minister should pursue. In this case we knew that the individual elected was sensitive, and it would have been hazardous to say to the church that they had made a mistake. He would have settled back in complete discouragement and attracted sympathizers to blame us for his overthrow. Upon reflection we decided to waive the ordination, and absent ourselves from the place for a few weeks, that the case might develop itself. On our return we found that no argument was needed to convince the church that they had acted indiscreetly. Already the elder elect was at variance with the members, and it was painfully evident that the prosperity of the church depended upon a reversal of their action. When he laid before us his complaint against the church—for he was the first to complain—we advised him to decline the office. As he had not been ordained, and as he had convincing proof that he could not serve them acceptably, we told him that he had it in his power to give an easy solution to the difficulty, by declining the office, and requesting them to elect another. And then he further proved his unfitness to bear responsibility in the church by utterly refusing to take this advice. Had he accepted it and acted upon it, he would have raised himself in the estimation of his brethren, and restored good feeling in the church. But his refusal to do so widened the breach between them, and they were compelled to rescind the vote by which he was elected. This leads us to speak of another error which often obtains in the churches. Brethren sometimes feel that because it is their privilege to choose their officers, therefore it is an infringement on their rights to offer advice in regard to their choice. Had the church, or the leading brethren, consulted us in the matter, we could have given them information which would have saved them from all this trouble. But they did not consult us; they asked no advice; and we could give them none, because we had no means of knowing whom they were about to choose. In order to act freely in our choice it is not necessary to vote blindly, to be moved by caprice or humor, or by some personal feeling. All should act as intelligently as possible, having in view the honor of God and the best interests of his cause. And they should seek the best information and advice they can get in order to thus act. These instances are quite sufficient to illustrate and enforce the lesson which we have before us: “Lay hands suddenly on no man; neither be partaker of other men's sins.” If we do that which naturally tends to lead others to injure themselves, their brethren, and the cause of truth, we are to some degree responsible for the injury so done. Again the apostle says: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men.” But in order to fulfill this injunction we must know that they are faithful; they must be proved. And what is true of the elder, in this respect, is true also of the deacon. He should be a man of experience, a man of judgment; not excitable, not one whose judgment is easily swayed from the right, and whose sympathies are easily perverted. Such weaknesses in a deacon are often as dangerous to the peace and prosperity of the church as they are in an elder. As will be seen in the consideration of their qualifications, the deacons have often to deal with some of the most difficult and delicate questions which come before the officers of the church. The duties of the clerk are more easily defined; and his qualifications are more easily determined than those of either of the other officers. They are such as almost every intelligent person, capable of transacting ordinary business, may be supposed to possess. Yet we are sorry to say that, as a general thing, the duties of church clerks are most sadly neglected, or very imperfectly done. We have found comparatively few, in all our travels, whose books gave satisfactory knowledge of the doings and the standing of their respective churches; few who are prompt and thorough in making their reports to the Conference. We shall be highly pleased if our efforts shall cause an improvement in this respect. J. H. W. THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT DAY.
What a historical study will be the work of the thousand years! Then every plan, purpose, and act of rebellion against God, from the beginning of the defection in heaven by the apostasy of Satan, to the last acts of wicked men at the close of time, will come under review; and the record will contain no imperfections through the lack of data, forgetfulness, or misjudgment, on the part of the historians; but all the records will be full to the minutest act, and absolutely true, just as each scene transpired; and everything will appear in its true light. The work of examining the records contained in the books of God’s remembrance, will solve to the minds of the saints many providences which have seemed to them dark and mysterious. For God will then lay open the hidden springs of human conduct, and bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart. 1 Cor. 4:5. Then will such scriptures as Matt. 12:41 and Luke 11:31, 32, have their application. For the course of those who have diligently used the comparatively small measure of light which has been granted them, will come up to condemn those who have been favored with greater light and rejected it. And so, likewise, the course of those who have been cut off in their sins, but who would have repented had as great light been given them as was granted to those who lived at a later time, will come up in this examination to condemn most fearfully those who have had the example of their fate, and had seen greater light than they, and yet have not repented. Matt. 11:21, 23; Luke 10:12. But notwithstanding wicked men have been cut off in their sins, and have lived ungodly, they will come up in the Judgment just the same, for the complete punishment of their own sins. But their cases will be more tolerable in the Judgment than that of those who have had the example of their punishment before their eyes, and have had far greater light than they were favored with, and yet refused to repent. Matt. 10:15; 11:22, 24; Luke 10:12, 14. Thus even the mitigating circumstances are taken into the account of the Judgment of the wicked as certainly as are those of an aggravating character. Thus will God show himself to be in the highest sense just and righteous. The thousand years at length expire, the examination of the records of the actions of all evil doers is completed, and sentence written according to their deeds. It now remains that the sentence be executed. To accomplish this, it appears that just before the thousand years expire, the holy city with its immortal inhabitants descends to our earth, and rests upon a place prepared for it. See Zech. 14:4, 5; Rev. 21:2. And when the thousand years reach their full termination, the wicked dead hear the voice of the Son of God, and come forth from their graves. John 5:28, 29. It is then that the “unjust” have their “resurrection.” Acts 24:15. Then the “rest of the dead” live “again.” Rev. 20:5. They come forth from the depths of the ocean, and from the caverns of the earth; for the sea gives up the dead which are in it, and hades gives them up also; and they come forth alive, for death itself gives them up. Rev. 20:13. This resurrection of the unnumbered hosts of the wicked, removes from Satan the restrictions under which he has labored during the thousand years, while the wicked have all been in their graves, and the righteous all in heaven, so that he has had no one to practice his deceptions upon. The coming forth of the wicked to be again for a “little season” under his influence, constitutes the “loosing” of Satan; for he now has opportunity to work again among his deceived followers. And he commences just where he left off when he was bound and cast into the bottomless pit—that is, was confined to this desolated earth—at the beginning of the thousand years. He had then gathered the nations to the battle of the great day; but in the midst of the commotion he was suddenly taken, and his followers were destroyed. This was indeed the beginning of the end with them; but the great battle could not then go on to the complete destruction of Satan and all his children; for the measure of their punishment had not then been determined. Hence the destruction is confined simply to the living wicked, and consists in depriving them only of this present life. A lake of fire sufficient for the purpose is made the instrument of this destruction, foreshadowing what will follow at the end of the thousand years. But right at this point the battle is suspended, and the work of the lake of fire is arrested, that the depth of guilt and the consequent measure of punishment belonging to every guilty being may be determined before his final destruction; and for this purpose the thousand years’ Judgment by Christ and the saints is now thrown in. At the end of the thousand years, the wicked, having been “many days” in the “prison”—the grave—are now “visited,” that is, are brought forth to their destruction. Isa. 24:21, 22; Eze. 38:8, 9. This making alive again of the wicked is embraced in the statement made by the apostle Paul that “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Cor. 15:22. It was a necessary part of the great plan of salvation, which Christ in engaging to carry out, pledged himself to perform, that all men should be made alive again from the Adamic death, that they might give account of themselves to God, and then pass to a destiny determined, not by Adam’s sin, but by their own actions. Satan, perhaps causing them to believe that he is the one who has given them their new life, true to his nature, begins to deceive them again. He incites them to come up around the “camp of the saints” (the city of God, the New Jerusalem which has then come down from heaven), for the purpose of its capture. Thus by the direct action of Satan, all the wicked, with himself at their head, stand in the presence of Christ, for the execution of the Judgment. Paul assures us that all men will stand before the Judgment seat of Christ, to receive for the deeds done in the body both good and evil; and as the righteous stand in his presence immediately after they are made immortal, and receive according to their labor, it follows—that those who stand before him to receive recompense for their evil deeds, must be the wicked who thus appear before him in the second resurrection. And now for the first time all the members of the human family are congregated together in one vast assembly. The wicked see the righteous within the city—the kingdom of God—and realize that they themselves are thrust out (Luke 13:28); and when they come to comprehend in some degree the mercy which they have slighted, and the infinite sacrifice made for their salvation in the death of God’s only Son, and remember their persistent continuance in sin till he could bear with them no longer, every knee will bow in deepest abasement, acknowledging that God is just, and that their ruin was caused by themselves alone, while the throne of God is forever clear. We may safely conclude that in this company will be many who have gone down to their graves self-deceived, who will come up in the second resurrection, really expecting to be saved, and all unaware that it is the resurrection of the unjust; and to this class doubtless our Lord’s words have reference: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matt. 7:22, 23. Both classes, the righteous and the wicked, now behold the final results of faithful obedience, and of persistent sin—the one crowned with everlasting life, the other ready to perish forever; and as they comprehend the situation they will with one mind and voice declare, “Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.” Ps. 58:11. The terrible moment for them has now come when they must hear the Son of God pronounce the sentence, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels.” Matt. 25:41. As the whole human family are there assembled, so every sin which has ever been committed is there represented also, the wicked and evil angels bearing their own sins, and Satan bearing his own and all the sins of the righteous also. And now, according to the example of Sodom and Gomorrah, fire comes down from God out of heaven and devours them. Gen. 19:24–28; 2 Pet. 2:6; 3:7; Rev. 20:9. The lake of fire again appears as at the beginning of the thousand years, more potent and wide-spread, now enveloping the whole earth, and seizing even the elements themselves. This is the “perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Pet. 3:7. And thus the earth itself becomes the “gehenna”—hell—of the second death. This is the lake of fire in which they will suffer the second death. The furnace fires fed by the breath of the Almighty, “like a stream of brimstone” (Isa. 30:33), glow hotter and more fiercely. The elements themselves melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. 3:10. The earth becomes a molten liquid mass; and the New Jerusalem rides upon the glowing waves of that fiery sea, as once it rode upon the angry waves of the flood, when the world was destroyed by water. Then the prophetic question can be answered: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly.” Isa. 33:14, 15. Yes, the righteous can endure the scene. There is safety in the city; and the saints can then, according to another declaration of the prophet, go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men who have transgressed against the Lord, “where their worm dieth not and their fire is not quenched.” Isa. 66:24. Meanwhile the fury of the fiery storm increases till the earth itself is reduced to a gaseous condition, and thus becoming invisible, seems to flee away from the face of Him who sits upon the great white throne, who is doubtless God the Father. Rev. 20:11. The city will seem for a time to be suspended in heaven, with no visible resting place. But He that sitteth upon the throne utters the glorious promise, “BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW!” Rev. 21:5. And then these purified elements, with the last traces of sin and the curse purged out of them, are brought by God’s re-creating power together again, and earth assumes its renewed form of more than pristine majesty and glory. The New Jerusalem takes its place as the metropolis of the new earth; and the glory of God shall fill the earth as the waters fill the sea. The saints shall bear the glorious image of the second Adam, and live through endless ages. Throughout all the universe, from planet to planet, from sun to sun, from the center to the utmost limits of the creative works, peace and righteousness and beauty and life and joy shall then reign supreme. And there shall be no discordant note in the “music of the spheres.” And then shall be heard that anthem which John declares shall ascend from every intelligence, of “blessing and honor and glory and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Sin being thus destroyed, and all the agents of sin from first to last, from highest to lowest, being swept out of existence, this evil principle shall never rise again to mar the handiwork of God. Its terrible history shall drift away, a little speck upon the illimitable past, the remembrance and the lesson of it remaining. And the universe shall be as clean and pure as it was before sin’s polluting presence found lodgment in the mind of Satan. Then in its full glory will the reward prepared for the saints be entered upon: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Then will our Lord and Saviour take the throne of David to reign over Israel forever and GOD SHALL BE ALL IN ALL. THE OBJECT OF OUR CAMP-MEETINGS.
By Stephen N. Haskell
The object of the camp-meetings is to get the truth before those not of our faith, as well as to benefit our own people. For either purpose these meetings are important. They afford the only opportunity that many of our people have to hear the living preacher, and not a few make great sacrifices to attend them. During the year our papers are the only preaching that they have; and some do not have the privilege of attending even a social meeting with those of like faith, during this long interval. What they hear at the camp-meetings is food for them a long time. These meetings also give a mold to the cause in the vicinity where they are held, and to a large degree they determine the character of the work in the several Conferences during the year. The officers for the various State Conference organizations are usually elected at this time, and other important business transacted which is of special interest to our brethren and sisters. These meetings should also be made seasons of instruction at which the cause in its several phases should be presented, and the best methods of laboring in connection with them set forth. No pains should be spared in making these seasons profitable to those who have any desire to labor in the cause of God. We are living in an important time, when every effort possible should be put forth to prepare a people to stand in the time of trouble which is just before us. Those who have been most intimately connected with the cause, and have had the deepest experience in divine things of any among us, usually attend these meetings; and the discourses given partake more of a practical than of a doctrinal nature. The wants of the cause are also presented, and an opportunity is afforded to learn more of the nature of our work than can be learned in other meetings. Those not of our faith are frequently interested in much of this instruction. Many of them have read our publications, and have thus learned of our views and become interested in them. Our publications have been distributed everywhere, and it is by this means that the public generally are becoming interested to learn of our work. It is upon these occasions, therefore, that special efforts should be put forth to seek God. It was on the day of Pentecost that God came near and poured out of his Spirit, and three thousand were converted. This was the largest meeting of the kind that had ever been held by the disciples, and they had been together seeking God ten days. The object of our camp-meetings, briefly stated, is to encourage and strengthen our people in the work of God, particularly to impart the necessary instruction to those who desire to labor in the cause, and to spread the knowledge of the truth as extensively as possible. WHERE SHOULD THEY BE HELD?
Having stated the object of the camp-meetings, this question is easily answered. They should be held where the largest attendance can be secured. The success which has attended those held in our largest cities the past few years sustains this position. In some instances there has been a failure in securing a large attendance, in consequence of holding the meeting a mile or two out of the city, or so far away that the people could not walk, nor ride on the horse cars. The more accessible the location to the public, the better. If the meetings must be held some distance out of the city, it is better to go out far enough that people can obtain cheap excursion tickets by rail to the ground. In this case they should always be held on the line of some principal railroad, that would consider it an object to accommodate the public by running their trains so that persons can attend service in the forenoon, afternoon, or evening, and return home. On this point it is necessary to say but little, as our experience in the past has taught that grounds that are easy of access, dry, and otherwise pleasantly located, are the most desirable. Groves are far more pleasant than open fields; but it is usually impossible to secure them in cities. For this reason more camp-meetings are held where there is not a tree or shrub than in groves; but a large tent to be used as an auditorium is necessary. Its size should be in proportion to the demands of the place and circumstances of the meeting. We would say to our brethren, Locate your meetings where a large attendance can be secured, and then prepare to accommodate all who come. PREPARATION FOR THE MEETING.
Wherever the location, prepare the way first by a canvass of the locality where the meeting is to be282 held. In cities this will require quite a number of active workers. When the time of the meeting arrives, the plan of distributing quite a number of camp-meeting Signs supplements has been found to be a successful one. These can be printed at the Signs Office, and sent out with the paper. In addition to these, have a sufficient quantity printed to circulate over a large extent of territory. Some Conferences have used as many as twelve thousand in one season. The experience of those Conferences that have made advertising a study, has taught them that it is better not to scatter handbills or posters until a week before the meeting. At that time they also begin to insert articles in the city papers, stating where the meeting is to be held, describing the grounds, and giving such particulars as are of interest to the general reader. The best and most popular papers in the city should be selected. Advertising the meeting in this manner, a few days before it begins, if it is done properly, will never fail of securing an attendance, providing the meeting is held in a proper place. The grounds should be arranged to present a neat, tidy appearance. Nothing should be seen that would indicate a “don’t care for looks” spirit. The tents should be pitched in line and in some regular order. Our God is a God of order. No one will fail to recognize this fact if he will read carefully his directions to the Israelites, after he had brought them out of the land of Egypt, with respect to the arrangement of their tents. The private walks for ladies and gentlemen should be so arranged that no trouble can arise in connection with them. This is very important. Lives may be sacrificed in consequence of a lack of sanitary regulations in such matters. Upon this point consult Deut. 23:12-14. God anciently gave special directions upon this point, and he is no less particular now. It would be well for those who design to prepare grounds for camp-meetings, to study the plan God anciently gave his people with respect to their tents and surroundings; not that it can always be followed in every particular, but much can be learned as to how God regards these things. Make ready for the great King to come into your midst; seek him to come, believe that he will come, and he will not disappoint you. Courage and Independence in Rising Above Religious Custom
—I have found nothing yet which requires more courage and independence than to rise a little but decidedly above the par of the religious world around us. Surely the way in which we commonly go on is not the way of self-denial and sacrifice and cross-bearing which the New Testament talks of.—Dr. J. W. Alexander.