Earlier text: Christ's MinistryThe Discussion in Portland, Me.
QUESTION. The Seventh-day Sabbath observed by God's people prior to the crucifixion of Christ, is still binding upon mankind. Affirmative, M. E. Cornell. Negative, T. M. Preble. Cornell. If Eld. P. cannot get the Crisis open for the discussion of the Sabbath question, how does he expect we can get it open. We are willing to open our columns; they are not. He has had a long series of articles in our paper, all that he can probably get, unless he can get their paper open for an equally fair discussion. I expected his brother ministers would come right up here and help him, and endorse him, as he has been the leading man among them on the Sabbath question. Eld. C. here made an argument on 1 Cor. xvi, 1, 2, setting forth the teaching of that scripture. Reads a quotation from History of the Sabbath in relation to Justin Martyr, to offset Preble's quotation from that author. Reads Neander's testimony concerning Sunday, Hist. of Sabbath, p. 204. Rallies Eld. P. back to the Bible. Reads Martin Luther's testimony in regard to the fathers, and what Adam Clarke says on the same subject. Hist. Sab. pp. 198-200. You can find testimony in the early church for sprinkling and image worship. My proof that the Scriptures thoroughly furnish a man unto all good works, stands with a host of my other arguments yet unanswered. Preble. I should think that my brother was in the negative, trying to disprove everything that I say, testimony of history and all. He has not touched some thirty passages that I have brought up. In regard to the discussion, if the Lord lets me live, and I get money enough to do it, it will be in print before long. I got about one thousand pages prepared in review of History of the Sabbath, but owing to the high price of paper, &c., I have cut it down to 350, and I do not know but I shall cut it down one or two hundred more. Eld. C. refers to 1 Cor. xvi, and says it means to lay by him in store; so say I. I did not bring that up to show that they worshiped on that day, but that they labored on the seventh day. Neander renounced his opinion in regard to Sunday, revised his earliest edition and threw it all away, and declared that he wished that it was burned. The Sabbath is an institution, no work at all about it; so the Bible furnishing unto all good works, is nothing. Eld. P. here returned to his articles and filled out his time by reading. Cornell. Would like to have Eld. P. remember the main points upon which the question rests, instead of complaining of him as being behind. Refers again to his fundamental arguments, oft-repeated but yet unanswered, because they cannot be answered. Sustains his assertion that Preble declared that those who keep the seventh day Sabbath, crucify the Son of God afresh, &c. The argument is good of the law as well as of the Sabbath. They stand or fall together. In this speech, Bro. C. introduced another new and conclusive argument based on the style of the sacred historian. Every writer has his style. And it was the style of Luke, the writer of the Acts, when an act was customary on the part of any one, to say that that was his custom, or manner, as shown in the following instance: “And, as his custom was, he [Christ] went into the synagogue,” &c. Luke iv, 16. “And Paul, as his manner was,” &c. Acts xvii, 2; xviii, 4. Luke is the only one who makes mention of a religious meeting on the first day of the week. It is claimed that Luke meant to teach that the disciples regularly met on that day. Now if this is so, his style would have led him to say that it was their custom or manner. How easily he could have said in Acts xx, 7, “Now upon the first day of the week, when the disciples, as their custom was, had met together to break bread,” &c. And he should have said so more particularly when laying the foundation of a new institution. Preble. I shall come to the proof that the Sabbath is changed pretty soon, I shall attend to that this evening. There is a battery that will be opened by and by. Goes back again to his article and reads. If we find any testimony of the right to change the law, we have the change. Christ had a right to change the Sabbath, as he was Lord of the Sabbath day. I introduce him as our first witness. Cornell. Every letter of the New-Testament scriptures was written in this dispensation. The first writer who took up his pen to write, did so about eight years this side of the crucifixion of Christ. It was written therefore after the dispensation had fully commenced, was written by inspiration, and for the men of this dispensation, and as our guide. Therefore the terms of the New Testament are the inspired terms that we are to use in this dispensation. From these premises Bro. C. drew forth another conclusive argument based on the use of the term Sabbath as applied to the seventh day in the New Testament. The seventh day is called the Sabbath fifty-nine times. Inspiration in the N. T. speaks of the first day of the week eight times; but never calls it holy time, nor applies any other title of sacredness whatever. Hence it is entitled to no such distinction. This argument is parallel to one on the immorality of the soul, which Adventists generally consider good; namely, the soul is not immortal because it is never so called in the Bible. So the first day is not the Sabbath, because the Bible nowhere calls it such. The patriarchs had a commandment for the Sabbath; for Ex. xvi, shows that there was a commandment before Sinai. I admit that the old covenant is done away; but the Sabbath existed before that covenant, and independent of it. Moral laws are commanded because they are binding; but ceremonial laws are binding because they are commanded. Christ's having power to change the Sabbath does not prove that he did it. Let him find the text. Meeting with the disciples does not prove anything; for Christ met with them on other days besides the first day. He met with them for forty days. Preble. About the word Sabbath he misapprehends a little. It appears that the word Sabbath was the word used by the apostles, though it is not in the English translation. The eight times in which we have the expression, first day of the week, the word is sabbaton. It is in the original, and he knows it is there. [After indulging in a few more remarks on points too often introduced already about the patriarchs, no command for 2500 years, first occurrence of Sabbath in Ex. xvi, the right of Christ to change it, Webster's definition of Sunday and Sabbath, and a quotation from Justin Martyr's dialogue with Trypho, the Jew, he laid. Now I come to an argument. At this announcement, we expected the before-threatened battery; but instead of bringing out anything new, he only turned back and treated us to some more of his articles.] Cornell. Right to enact laws does not prove the act. So with the assumed right of Christ to change the Sabbath. Paul says that he kept back nothing that was profitable; then why has he not said something about the change of the Sabbath? Keeping the commandments of God, Sabbath with the rest, is among the good works unto which the Scriptures thoroughly furnish us. The law written upon the heart is God's law, not a new law. Jer. xxxi. Bro. C. here made an argument on the atonement, showing that Christ must plead his blood over the very law that was transgressed in the former dispensation, in order to take away the sin of that dispensation; for the atonement there made was only typical. Preble. Fills up most of his time in this speech reading again from his articles in the Crisis. Cornell. Makes an argument on Matt. v, 17, showing the perpetuity of the moral law. Reads from Matt. xv, how the scribes and Pharisees transgressed, and made void the commandments of God by their tradition, showing that Sunday-keeping was an exact parallel to the sin so severely rebuked in the Pharisees. Preble. When Christ fulfills a law, of course it does not fail. Fills out his time by reading again from his articles. Cornell. Refers to the circumstances attending the giving of the moral law. There is a significance to whatever God does. The first tables of stone were broken; Moses prepared the second tables, and God wrote on them the same words that were on the first. It has been thought by some that the breaking of the tables represented the change of dispensations. Moses preparing the second tables represents the sinner preparing his heart for the divine impress. Now what law was written upon the second tables of stone? Answer. The very same law that was written upon the first. So with the sinner's heart: the same law written upon the tables is now upon the Christian's heart. The negative says that the fourth commandment is written upon his heart. Now I want to know how it reads as written upon his heart, and in obedience to which he is keeping the first-day of the week. I ask him to tell us. Eld. C. here introduced an argument in relation to shadow and substance, showing that as Eld. P. holds the Sabbath to be a shadow or type of our future rest, and yet has the Sabbath jogged over from the seventh to the first day, there must be according to his view, a corresponding jog over in the Christian's rest! Introduces the monument argument. Creation is a great monument that God has set up. The Sabbath is the inscription upon it, showing whose power is displayed. Has the monument been torn down and the inscription erased or changed? Christ never took the first-day into his lips. Preble. The fourth commandment on my heart, reads just as it did in the tables of stone, exactly, word for word. The first day of the week has become he seventh. 1 Cor. xvi, 2, proves that the six working days ended with the seventh day. God never sanctified any particular day except in Gen. ii. Accuses Eld. C. of perverting Matt. v. An answer may be found in Rom. iv; fulfilling the righteousness of Christ. I have shown from the types and otherwise, that the seventh day has been changed to the first day of the week. Now to the word and testimony in relation to this. Reads from Reeve's translation of Justin Martyr and Tertullian, and says, Here are arguments that are worth having. Reads further from Tertullian and Peter Heylyn. Cornell. If the fourth commandment on Preble's heart reads just as it did on the tables of stone, it means just exactly what it did there. This is all that we claim. Admit that the fourth commandment has come over unchanged and is now written on the heart just as it read on the tables of stone, and we ask no more. Makes a pointed application to Sunday-keeping of the declaration of Solomon, Men “have sought out many inventions;” Eccl. vii, 29; and of the prophet, that they have “hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” Jer. ii, 13. Preble. Expresses some surprise at the arguments of the affirmative, and after a few scattering remarks on points not new, returns to his quotations from historical authors. Cornell. Reads a scorching testimony from Heylyn completely rebutting all Eld. P.'s quotations from that author. Asks Eld. P. if God rested on the day of the week he now keeps for the Sabbath; followed by a short argument on the fact that God will not accept of substitutes. We must worship in the way of his own appointing. Preble. Endeavors to bolster up his construction of Heylyn's testimony. Returns to history, dealing principally with the testimony of Mosheim. Cornell. Takes up Preble's fatal admission that the fourth commandment on his heart reads just as it did in the former dispensation, on the tables of stone, and announces to the congregation, that he is now going to preach a short sermon from Preble's heart, from which he proceeded to give a comprehensive view of the Sabbath question, taking the fourth commandment as a text. Sabbath-keepers know what a mighty fortress of truth can be reared on that foundation. Of course Bro. C. could not complete his examination of the subject in a twenty-minute speech. Preble. Regrets that so much of his time has been taken up69 during the discussion correcting mistakes. Claims that one quarter of it has been spent in this way. Makes a few more remarks on 1 Cor. xvi, 2, and some other points, introducing no new arguments. Cornell. Continues his sermon from Preble's heart. Preble. Remarks about there being no commandment for 2500 years from creation for the observance of the Sabbath; yet admits that God might have told Adam how to observe it, and he might have taught it for about a thousand years. Reads from Jone's church history to prove principally that the Waldenses kept the first day of the week. The two closing speeches were but the summing up of the arguments advanced on each side. Thus closed the discussion, having continued through eight sessions of two hours each, giving to the disputants twenty-four speeches apiece. In Eld. P.'s statement concerning Neander, he fell into the following mistake: Neander's testimony concerning Sunday, that Sunday was always only a human ordinance, &c., occurs in his complete history of the first three centuries of the Christian church, translated by Rose. The work to which Eld. P. referred was a subsequent work by Neander, more condensed and general in its character, embracing the entire history of the church to the time of the writer, and translated by Torrey. It was the first volume of this latter work that Neander revised to such an extent as to render a new publication necessary. But the publisher says nothing about his having renounced his views of Sunday-keeping, regretting that they were ever published, and wishing that the books were burned, &c., nor anything of the kind. Eld. P. must have read history through very curiously-colored goggles, to have found room for even such an inference. The last evening the congregation was much larger than at any preceding session of the discussion. It was before this audience that Bro. C. preached with good effect his sermon from Preble's heart. He showed the utter absurdity of keeping the first day of the week, under the pretense of obeying the commandment which enjoins the seventh. All, no matter how set their prejudices, or bleared their theological vision, must have seen and felt the force of this. We advertised in the beginning of this report, that we should indulge in no boasting. The reader now has a summary of the arguments before him, and he can judge for himself in what plight Sunday-keeping came out of the encounter. Close of the Discussion.
By Editor
THIS number brings us to the close of the discussion in Portland. From what is written the reader can get a tolerably full idea of the relative strength of the two sides. We are not conscious of having omitted anything essential to a correct understanding of the debate, nor of having set forth anything in a false or colored light. Some of Eld. P.'s bold and reckless assertions can be accounted for only on the ground that as the light in a person becomes darkness, the more presumptuous he grows. And in view of his utterly groundless arguments, it was not without a shudder that we heard him self-confidently declare near the close of the discussion, that he would risk ten thousand souls, if he had them, on the truthfulness of his position. His deception in this matter seems to be complete; and we could but think of the language of Paul, concerning those upon whom there is sent strong delusion that they should believe a lie. One noticeable feature of the discussion was the attempt on the part of Eld. P. to change the issue to a discussion of the merits of Bro. Andrews' History of the Sabbath; and after this had signally failed, the effort on every possible occasion, to traduce, vilify and throw contempt upon that work. And this feeling is not confined to Eld. P. It is common to all classes of the opposition, especially in the East. The query arises why this work is made the object of so much bitterness. Answer. It is because it is making more Sabbath-keepers than almost any other agency at work. Hence there is an intense feeling all through the no-law, Sunday, pope and pagan combination, that it must by some means be broken down. Where there is great fluttering, it is certain that somebody is hit. This opposition must be especially gratifying to the author of that History, as it truly is to us. The door is now open for them to test this matter, if they dare step in and risk their cause in fair and open encounter. A review of this History is announced. A thousand pages were prepared. It is cut down to three hundred and fifty. It will probably be cut down two hundred more, says the reviewer. We shall then, out of the thousand pages, have one hundred and fifty left, in review of a work of three hundred and forty! We often hear the expression, "Coming out of the little end of the horn." It would perhaps be too cruel to say that there is anything that looks like that here. The points made against the History during the discussion, may be summed up as follows: 1. A few sentences omitted from a quotation from Morer, indicated by dots, and not essential to the idea the author had in hand. 2. The declaration that Neander had renounced his views concerning Sunday, and wished the work containing it burned. In making which assertion it is shown that Eld. P. had in view entirely another work than that from which the author of the History quoted; and even in that work nothing is said about any change of sentiment on the part of Neander. 3. Testimony concerning Dionysius of Soter's time A. D. 170, which Eld. P. erroneously supposed was Dionysius the Areopagite of Paul's time. 4. A construction given to some testimony from Heylyn which was entirely demolished by counter testimony from the same author. 5. An instance where the punctuation in an extract was changed from a colon to a semicolon. 6. A few expressions of contempt, unworthy a high-minded opponent, and which we will not do him the injury to repeat. Objections to Taking the Review.
An exchange prints the following from one of its correspondents. We imagine they are about such reasons as should be given by those who refuse to take the Review. "We should have far more hope for a man, both in this world and the other, if he would come out plainly and say, 'I tell you frankly, Mr. Agent, I don't want your paper; it's good enough, I guess, but I am too stingy to take it. I am tied down to the world; I grovel in the dirt; all my thoughts are carnal; and I would rather see my family brought up uncouth and unlearned, than give two dollars for any body's paper. I hope, Mr. Agent, you will eat as small a dinner as possible, and get off from my premises, and never be caught back here with your story about papers, and books, and missions, and Sabbath-schools, and all these modern delusions. I want you and every body else plainly to understand that I don't intend to be bothered with such trash as newspapers, books, and Bibles. They cost money and make folks go decent, and such things don't suit me.'" A Significant Item
By Editor
A SIGNIFICANT ITEM. The last Independent, under the heading “Installation Declined,” has the following: “A council was called lately at Upton, Mass., to install Rev. S. O. Dyer as pastor of the church to which he has been preaching as a supply. But the council declined the service, on account of the imperfectness of his views with regard to the final state of the wicked. This question needs a thorough theological examination. The best way to deal with it by councils is also an important inquiry.” If straws tell which way the wind blows we judge that the “Rev. S. O. Dyer” is on the right track in relation to the destiny of the wicked. At any rate it is evident that he cannot endorse the popular views on this subject. And we are glad that somebody is beginning to get his eyes open far enough to see that “this question needs a thorough theological examination.” If it don't, where is there need of anything? But let it be a common-sense examination, according to the Bible; for popular theology and the Bible, are frequently found now-a-days, to be two very different things. Report from Bro. Cornell.
By M. E. Cornell
OUR new meeting-house at Norridgewock, Maine, was dedicated Dec. 9 and 10. These meetings were interesting and profitable. Many rejoiced with us in the privilege of assembling in so comfortable and commodious a house. The house cost about $2000, and is in debt only about $300. The Lord has prospered the work in a wonderful manner. The work was commenced in a very unfavorable time of the year, and was prosecuted in the midst of much opposition. It was built with free-will offerings, and carried through with harmony and general good feeling. Some of the people who reported that our workmen had quarreled and left the job, and that the building would be only fit for a barn or a railroad depot, must be somewhat astonished to see the best finished house in town, completed in the short space of nine weeks. This house, will no doubt, be a great benefit to the cause, being located at a central point among the surrounding churches, and friends of the cause. We have just organized a Sabbath-School with 36 scholars and eight classes, in which much interest is manifested by both parents and children. Next Sabbath we organize a large Bible Class, which we hope will be a blessing. They propose to go through the History of the Sabbath for their first lessons. We are rejoiced to hear a good report from several places in Maine. New friends are being raised up, and we begin to see fruit of labor that we had supposed was bestowed in vain. It is being gathered after many days. We rejoice in every sign of prosperity in the cause here and in every place; and with good courage we labor on in hope of life. Norridgewock, Me., Jan. 15, 1866. Real and Glorious Prospects.
By J. Sawyer
WHATEVER depths or difficulties we still anxiously behold lying before us, if we were only in the vigorous exercise of a true and lively faith, we might easily surmount them all, and leave them behind us. For faith substantiates what is hoped for, and evidences the things which are not seen. What is it that makes us tremble? Is it even the waves of death itself? Let us embark only in the sweet promise of the Saviour, "I will come again and receive you to myself," and we have already surmounted these. Is it the storm of temptation? Let us commit the keeping of body, soul and spirit to him who has promised that he will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it;" and the severest and most violent temptations will thus become powerless to us. Does the remainder of our innate corruptions dismay us so that we are ready to ask, How shall we become perfectly holy? let us reflect that Christ is "made of God unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Are we disposed to entertain anxious presentiments of temporal and spiritual troubles? Let us remember that each day is ordered by almighty and everlasting love, and brings with it that measure of the bitter and the sweet, which, according to the judgment of infinite Wisdom, is the most conducive to our true peace and welfare. What glorious prospects are placed before us, and how real they are to every sincere member of Christ! Those whose hearts are set upon gaining, by Divine strength, a complete victory over their innate corruptions, may rest assured of their final triumph, and say with the Psalmist, "I will behold thy face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in thy likeness." Psa. xvii, 15.—Copied for Review from Elijah the Tishbite by J. Sawyer. THE celebrated John Foster thus describes a bigot: "He sees religion, not as a sphere, but a line, and it is a line in which he is moving. He is like an African buffalo—sees right forward, but nothing on the right or left. He would not perceive a legion of angels or devils at the distance of ten yards on the one side or on the other." BRO. WHITE: Although no sincere professing Christian will raise the question, "Shall we do evil that good may come," yet it is not always so clear what is good and what is evil. Having some doubts on the following points, I will submit them to be considered in the Review: 1. Should a Seventh-day Adventist contribute of the means that God has given him for the support of the popular preaching of the gospel in the absence of any other? 2. Should a Seventh-day Adventist send his children to the Sunday-school, or take part in its management, where there is no Sabbath-school? 3. Should a people professing to be guided by the "law and the testimony," send their children to the Sabbath-school without any authority from the Scriptures for so doing? 4. Should any Christian engage in any worldly pursuit however needful and honorable, that will necessarily break down the family altar, and keep him away from his family for a week at a time? Yours seeking for the whole truth.
JOHN MCMILLAN. REMARKS. We publish the above questions, not so much for the purpose of answering them, as of saying to all whom it may concern, that it is out of our power to answer such questions understandingly. We showed these queries at the time they were received to a good brother, who in his short reply so completely covered the whole ground, and so exactly expressed our own mind, that we will give his words. Said he, "I could answer those questions very readily for myself, but I cannot for another." This is so because the answer must very much depend upon circumstances of which we know nothing. We do not know, for instance, the spirit and temper of the community in which you live. We do not know what points are at issue between you. We do not know how such a step as supporting their preaching and sending your children to the Sunday-school would be regarded by them; whether as an act of consistency, or a surrender of your principles. And we do not know what disposition they would have, to take advantage of such steps to use them against you, or to embitter the minds of your children against your faith. All these things, we think, must come into the account, and according to these with the best light he can get, each person must decide these matters for himself. In regard to the 3d and 4th questions, however, we would say, first, that we think that by all means believers should send their children to Sabbath-school where they have one, until they can find some scripture against it; and second, in the absence of the husband, it is the duty of the wife (if there is no other proper person), to keep up regular family worship. —ED. Women, Look Here!
By Editor
If it were justifiable to use hard words at all, the writer hereof would think it excusable when he hears women complaining of all the ills conceivable, and sees them go into the streets, or out to walk with only thin shoes and thin cotton stockings on their feet, and knows they have no adequate protection for their limbs. But that is not the worst feature. It is far worse to see them send their children out equally exposed. It is murder in the first degree. We happen to know some women who have recovered health by learning how to make themselves comfortable—how to clothe their persons so as to keep the temperature of all parts of the body uniform. And we have known scores of poor women who went prematurely to their last rest because they never learned the comfort of being warmly clad. There are plenty of inhuman mothers left, who will sacrifice a child's health in order that she may "look pretty," or look as well as somebody's else child does. There are very few days pass that we do not see illustrations of this criminal vanity that not only make our heart ache, but bitter words come into our mouth. Feeling thus, we want the women who read the Rural to carefully peruse the following from the pen of Dr. Dio Lewis: It is sound common sense. It is truth. 'During the damp and cold season deficient dress of the feet and legs is a fruitful source of disease. The head, throat, and liver are perhaps the most frequent sufferers. The legs and feet are far from the central part of the body. They are not in great mass like the trunk, but extended and enveloped by the atmosphere. Besides, they are near the damp, cold earth. For these and other reasons, they require extra covering. If we would secure the highest physiological conditions, we must give our extremities more dress than the body. We men wear upon our legs, in the coldest season, but two thicknesses of cloth. The body has at least six. Women put on them four thicknesses under the shawl, which with its various doublings, furnishes several more—then, over all, thick, padded furs: while the legs have one thickness of cotton under a balloon. 'They constantly come to me about their headache, palpitation of the heart, and congestion of the liver. Yesterday one said to me, 'All my blood is in my head and chest. My head and chest go bumpety-bump, and my heart goes bumpety-bump.' I asked, 'How are your feet?' 'Chunks of ice,' she replied. I said to her, 'If you so dress your legs and feet that the blood can't get down into them, where can it go? It can't go out visiting. It must stay in the system somewhere. Of course the chest and head must have an excessive quantity. So they go bumpety-bump, and so they must go, until you dress your legs and feet, in such a way that they shall get their share of blood. In the coldest season of the year I leave Boston for a bit of a tour before the lyceum—going as far as Philadelphia, and riding much in the night without an overcoat; but I give my legs two or three times their usual dress. During the coldest weather, men may wear, in addition to their usual drawers, a pair of chamois-skin drawers with great advantage. When we ride in a sleigh, or the cars, where do we suffer? In our legs, of course. Give me warm legs and feet, and I'll hardly thank you for an overcoat.' 'My dear madam, have you a headache, a sore throat, palpitation of the heart, congestion of the liver, or indigestion? Wear one, two, or three pairs of warm woolen stockings, and thick, warm shoes, with more or less reduction in the amount of dress about your body, and you will obtain the same relief permanently that you would derive temporarily from a warm foot-bath. 'I must not forget to say that a thin layer of India-rubber cemented upon the boot-sole will do much to keep the bottoms of our feet dry and warm.' "So I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy; and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done." Eccl. viii, 10. WRAPT in a Christless shroud,
He sleeps the Christless sleep;
Above him the eternal cloud,
Beneath, the fiery deep. Laid in a Christless tomb,
There, bound with felon-chain,
He waits the terrors of his doom,
The judgment and the pain. Oh, Christless shroud, how cold,
How dark, oh, Christless tomb!
Oh, grief that never can grow old,
Oh, endless, hopeless doom! Oh, Christless sleep, how sad!
What waking shalt thou know?
For thee no star, no dawning glad,
Only the blackest woe! To rocks and hills in vain
Shall be the sinner's call;
Oh, day of wrath, and death, and pain,
The lost soul's funeral. O Christless soul awake
Ere thy last sleep begin!
O Christ, the sleeper's slumbers break,
Burst thou the bands of sin! When Shall We Meet Them?
By Sarah J. Wakeling
Those dear ones, who have fallen asleep in death? Will it be when we lay off this mortal body, and our immortal spirits pass away to Heaven, or the land of spirits? If this is our hope it is a false one; for its foundation is faulty. But when shall we meet them if not at death? Let us listen for a moment to Paul as he is comforting his Thessalonian brethren. "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others, which have no hope." He would not have us ignorant concerning those dear ones, those whom we loved so tenderly who have been torn from our embrace by the cruel hand of death; and he would also comfort those who weep, by pointing them to a hope. Are our friends to lie forever in the deep, dark grave? Ah, no. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also, which sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him." Are our friends now in Heaven? Shall we look forward to death as the time to meet them there? Again the answer is, No. "For the Lord himself shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds; to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Then it is to the coming of Jesus we are to look for the reunion of the saints. It is then we shall meet on the fair banks of the beautiful river of life. Then our earthly friendships will be made immortal, and our glad voices unite in singing the songs of Zion. Together we'll tune our golden harps, and cast our crowns at Jesus' feet. Then the glorious music shall resound through Heaven, and the golden arches echo back the mellow notes to ravish our delighted ears. With the Evangelist let us pray, "Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly." Yours, looking for Jesus.
SARAH J. WAKELING.
Merrillsville, St. Clair Co., Mich. WHEN Bulstrode Whitlock was embarked as Cromwell's envoy to Sweden, in 1653, he was much disturbed in mind, as he rested in Harwich on the preceding night, which was very stormy, while he reflected on the distracted state of the nation. It happened that a confidential servant slept in an adjacent bed, who, finding that his master could not sleep, at length said: "Pray, sir, will you give me leave to ask you a question?" "Pray, sir, don't you think that God governed the world very well before you came into it?" "And pray, sir, don't you think that He will govern it quite as well when you are gone out of it?" "Then, sir, pray excuse me, but don't you think you may trust Him to govern it quite as well as long as you live?" To this question Whitlock had nothing to reply; but turning about, soon fell fast asleep till he was summoned to embark. Persecution of Union Men in Georgia
Aleck Stephens, if we may credit a dispatch in the Tribune, has written a letter to some one in Washington, in which he states that the condition and persecutions of Union men in Georgia are at this time vastly worse than during the days of rebellion. Two things a master commits to his servant's care, saith one,—the child and the child's clothes. It will be a poor excuse for the servant to say, at his master's return, "Sir, here are all the child's clothes, neat and clean, but the child is lost." Much so with the account that many will give to God of their souls and bodies at the great day: "Lord, here is my body; I was very grateful for it; I neglected nothing that belonged to its content and welfare; but as for my soul, that is lost and cast away forever—I took little care and thought about it."—Flavel. Sister M. A. Nugent, of New Orleans, La., writes to a friend from whom she had received books and letters through which she has been led to embrace the truth. From the letter we take the liberty to make the following extract: I am reading the "Prophecy of Daniel." I cannot express my gratitude to you for sending me those good books. I have never read anything to compare with them. I feel to praise God that although I am deprived of the privilege of being with those of like precious faith, I have those books to read. How often I wish I was where I could be with those of like faith. I am heart-sick of this city, with all its perverting influences, and associations. However I must be submissive to the will of God, and trust he will keep me at all times. I thank the Lord that I have heard this precious truth, and that he ever gave me a heart to receive and love it. I feel to praise God for what he has done for one so unworthy as I am. My prayer is, that his holy Spirit may guide and keep me at all times. I receive the Review and Instructor regularly. They are the best papers I have ever read.
MARY A. NUGENT. Sister S. A. Snyder writes from Dallas, Pa.: I have been passing through affliction, having been called to lay a loved mother in the grave. But I can look forward to the resurrection when I shall meet her again. It has been about five years since I commenced to keep the Sabbath, and I have never been sorry. I suppose I am the only one in the county of Luzerne, and I do not know that I shall be the means of converting any one; but through the grace of God I mean to hold out; for in keeping the commandments of God there is great reward. With many other lonely ones I can say that the Review is my only preacher; and I could not well do without it Sister M. F. Dibble writes from China, N. Y.: It is just one year since I was enlightened in regard to the requirements of the commandments of God, since which time I have been endeavoring to keep them all, to the best of my ability, and I know I have been blest in so doing. Yet I feel that a very close search, and diligent watchfulness are continually necessary that I fail not in the very first short command. I have stood alone in this place, yet not lonely, while I have had the testimony of both Testaments at hand, the Spirit of God within, the welcome visits of the Review, and other precious works of like faith. I feel to call upon my soul and all within me to praise God for the blessings of the past year. My husband had felt too that I had gone back into Judaism, and had embraced sentiments inconsistent for Christians in this enlightened age. But he was disarmed of all his prejudice at the Nile Conference. Since that time he has been searching for truth, and to my surprise and great joy I found he had resolved to commence with the first Sabbath of 1866, to serve God by keeping all his commandments. We felt that we received the blessing of God while we worshiped, being agreed as touching the law of God. There are others here that seem almost persuaded to embrace present truth. Pray ye that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into his vineyard. Bro. A. J. Marsh writes from Tuscarora Center, N. Y.: I have lately removed from Tuscola Co., Mich., where I embraced the third message under the preaching of Brn. Van Horn and Canright. But although now separated from those of like kindred faith it shall not hinder myself and companion from keeping the Bible Sabbath. Though all around us desecrate God's holy day, and trample his law under their feet, we will try to escape the awful denunciations of the third angel's message, live out the present truth, and get ready for the coming Saviour. I hope the time is not far distant when some faithful messenger will come this way.