We are a people claiming to be called of God to proclaim to a dying world his last message, that of the third angel of Rev. 14:9-12. God has committed to us a work of immense magnitude and of vast importance. It is to give warning to the world of the near advent of Christ, and to teach the true preparation for that great event. Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, would gladly have lived here; and in addition to the light which they had, behold the things that we see.
If upon men in other ages there was laid a great responsibility, surely upon us there rests a greater. While they had messages from God for the people, and were charged with the responsibility of delivering them faithfully, we have one with which the gospel of Christ culminates. The closing up of God’s great work cannot be of less importance than the beginning; and if those sent by him to commence the work were held responsible for the execution of that which they were commanded to do, surely they who are called upon to finish the work are equally responsible for its completion.
If it was required of them to sacrifice as they did, and to testify to the truth at the loss of all things, can we reasonably suppose there is less required of us, living where we do, with the light we have, and the doom of the whole world about to be witnessed? And do we believe this? Have we really the faith we profess to have? Do we at all feel the dread responsibility under which we are placed? The world has the utmost need to understand that the advent of the Saviour is swiftly approaching and that it will very soon be witnessed.
When God caused this great truth to be brought to our knowledge, he made us debtors to our fellow-men to make known to them what he had given to us. This vast indebtedness is upon us, and it can be discharged only by faithful, self-sacrificing efforts.
Are we not greatly unlike prophets, apostles, and the faithful in other ages, in the execution of our great mission to this perishing world? Oh! this great responsibility! Would to God we could feel it.
We must set ourselves to this work as those who labor to save the perishing, and who think not of their own ease or convenience or comfort. God calls us to labor and not to faint. Dear brethren, let us respond to this call. Our time for labor will soon be past.
CHARLES P. WHITFORD.
Virtue Required to Sustain Good Fortune
It requires greater virtue to sustain good-fortune than bad.
SATISFIED
By Mary A. Davis
“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.”
“He shall be satisfied,”—the Man of sorrows,
Remembering all his wanderings below,—
He who hath drank the bitter cup of anguish,
On man the cup of blessing to bestow;—
Remembering life's long and weary journey
From Bethlehem, the cradle in the stall,
The humble home, the life of patient labor,
The cruel taunts by venomed tongues let fall;
The long fast in the wilderness recalling,
When, in his human weakness, face to face,
He single-handed met the prince of darkness,
And conquered in behalf of all the race;
His wanderings o'er Judah's hills and valleys,
Each night of watching and each toiling day,
The multitudes who claimed his gifts of healing,
Yet from his holy teachings turned away;
The last sad meeting in the upper chamber,
Gethsemane—that form in anguish bowed—
His sleeping followers and the pitying angels,
The base betrayal and the mocking crowd—
By e'en the dearest earthly friend forsaken—
The Judgment Hall, the robe, the thorny crown—
Denied by one he loved, with shameful cursing—
The soldiers in mock homage bowing down;
The last dread scene on Calvary's awful summit—
Demons and men their hellish power unite,
Creation groans, the earth is wrapped in darkness,
And angels veil their faces from the sight.
“He shall be satisfied!” O wondrous tidings!
Surpassing prophet's sight or poet's dream;
O weight of glory infinite! exceeding
The price there paid, the sinner to redeem!
“He shall be satisfied!” not while the darkness
Rests heavily upon earth's blighted plains,
The air resounding with the clash of conflict
And the harsh clanking of the captive's chains;
But when at last these desert plains shall blossom
Fairer than Eden in the long-ago,
The tree of life unfold its leaves of healing,
And from the throne of God life's waters flow;
When sin and death shall be forever vanquished,
And o'er the earth, supreme from zone to zone,
The Prince of peace, the King of kings, triumphant,
In righteousness shall reign on David's throne.
With rapture then the white-robed throng before him
Shall cast their crowns, and worship, at his feet,
Their King, Redeemer, evermore adore him
And chant his praise in anthems glad and sweet.
Freed from each lingering trace of sin's pollution,
And from the blighting curse forever free,
As he beholds his ransomed ones, the Saviour
In them the travail of his soul shall see.
“He shall be satisfied!”—Our God hath spoken,
His word is pledged,—that word which cannot fail;
Almighty power, infinite love, uniting,
Slowly but surely shall at last prevail;—
The mighty conflict of the ages ended,
The traitor and his hosts defeated, slain,
Creation's glorious, perfect plan completed,
Peace, peace, throughout Jehovah's vast domain.
Oh! then the present and the past beholding,
The scene of triumph will the anguish hide,
And all the travail of his soul recalling,
The Lord, our Saviour, will be satisfied.
MARY A. DAVIS.
Battle Creek, Mich.
HE THAT OVERCOMETH.
By John P. Christisen
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7. “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” Rev. 2:11. “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.” Rev. 2:17. “And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers, even as I received of my Father; and I will give him the morning star.” Rev. 2:26–28.
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.” Rev. 3:5. “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name.” Rev. 3:12. “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” Rev. 3:21. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be my son.” Rev. 21:7.
Here are many blessings promised to those that will serve and obey God. Dear brethren and sisters, let us be faithful. Pray for one another, and help each other along in the narrow road, that we may overcome all our evil ways and get nearer to God, that these words may be applied to us at last: “Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Matt. 25:21.
JOHN P. CHRISTISEN.
TOO TRUE.
Rev. W. H. H. Murray is not of those who say “Peace! Peace! when there is no peace!” He, in his Golden Rule, admonishes the churches of danger and duty. “Boston and New England,” he cries out, “are already, in the majority of the population, non-church-going. The church, and hence the word of God, is fast ceasing to be a power over the popular thought and conscience. The average man and woman care little for either. They neither attend the services of the one nor read the other, as a rule. In short, it amounts to just this: young New England is growing up Bible-less. That worst phase of skepticism is being reached—universal and good-natured carelessness touching religious claims and teachings. The skepticism, mark you, is home bred. The ‘scientists’ have nothing to do with it. Its parents are here; its home is here; here it is being nursed. Its mother is bigotry, and stiffness, and coldness, in the administration of our churches. Its father is dry and stupid preaching. The church has, as it were, turned against herself, and, by her own errors and weaknesses, lost her hold on the popular imagination.”
The one hopeful sign is that the church is getting scared. “Hence the feverish competition to secure the presence of noted evangelists. Hence the wild efforts to ‘organize’ local revivals. Hence the Y. M. C. Associations, which are only on the one hand organized protests against the apathy of the churches, and, on the other, a make-shift to keep the young men in religious connection, at least outside, if not inside of the churches.” But those don’t go far enough. The church must improve itself within. “It is for pulpit and pew to come back to the simple gospel of Jesus. Preach theology less, and literature less, and science less, and plain, simple, practical Christianity more. Let the deacons and prominent men in the church quarrel less, and caucus less, and fight less, and live humble, peaceful and godly lives. Let the pews, in the persons of their occupants, advertise less jewelry, fewer camel’s-hair shawls, opera hats, ‘sweet walking habits,’ and dress more simply, as becometh those who come to worship Him ‘who looketh not at the outward appearance, but who looketh at the heart.’”—Exch.
JEALOUSY
By Sir Arthur Helps
Jealousy is such a stupid, illogical passion. Somebody likes you better than me, therefore I am to hate you. Thus jealousy reasons, and seems to forget one of the most obvious facts in life, namely, that one is liked by any person accordingly as one presents a likeable appearance to that person. Nothing can prevent the operation of this natural law. It is no good your urging that you are the father, mother, brother, sister, husband, or lover, of the person by whom you wish to be supremely loved. If you are not lovable to him, or her, all argument, all exhortation, all passion, which is intended to produce love, is thrown away. You can force the outward show, but not the inward feeling. A jealous person will exclaim, “Why don’t you confide in me?” The real answer is, “You are not a person to be confided in;” and all claims for confidence come to nothing when confronted with that important fact. Jealousy is, therefore, the peculiar vice of stupid people.—Sir Arthur Helps.
KEEP your own secrets, if you have any.
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
By James White
Our first parents lost their hold on immortal life, for which they were put on probation. In obedience they soon would have developed righteous characters, been placed beyond the reach of sin, and would have secured endless life in favor with God. In disobedience they and their offspring passed under the sentence and dominion of death. “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Gen. 3:19. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:12.
The death, resurrection, and the ascension, of the Son of God were events of great importance in the plan of human redemption; but with no one of these is the plan finished. The Redeemer was to make two distinct advents to this world. At the first, he lived our example, preached his own gospel, wrought miracles to confirm his divine mission, died our sacrifice, rose from the dead for our justification, and ascended to the Father’s right hand to plead the cause of the repenting sinner. But he will appear in this world the second time to execute other parts of the grand scheme. The plan of redemption in its second stage provides for the resurrection of the just from the dominion of death and the grave to life immortal and eternal.
The moral fitness for the next life must be obtained in this. The change to immortality is not a moral change. It is simply an exchange of the corruptible body for one that will be incorruptible. This second stage in the stupendous work of man’s redemption is expressed by the apostle thus: “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” And the Redeemer will not complete his work of redemption in a manner to leave man invisible and immaterial. When redeemed, the just will stand in all the tangible perfection of Adam’s unfallen manhood, with the exceeding glory of bodies fashioned like unto Christ’s glorious resurrected body. And the doctrine is made prominent in the gospel that the resurrection of Christ is a pledge to the church that all the righteous shall be raised at his second appearing.
In first Corinthians, fifteenth chapter, the apostle bases the doctrine of the resurrection of the righteous dead and the future life of the just, upon the fact that Christ did rise from the dead. The apostle affirms at the opening of the chapter that Christ died, was buried, and “rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Verse 4. He then argues: “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen, and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised, and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Verses 12–19.
Evidently there were those in Paul’s day who denied the resurrection of the dead as there are many who reject the doctrine in our day. But the great events designed to immortalize the sacred fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead were rehearsed in the ears of the people, and kept fresh in the memory of the church. This great truth, that Christ did rise from the dead, and did walk forth from the sepulcher a triumphant victor over death, is the great central fact of the gospel, and constitutes the staple to which all gospel truth is fastened. Paul rests all upon the resurrection of Christ, and states that if he be not risen, his preaching was vain, the faith of the church was vain, they were in their sins, the apostles were false witnesses, and, as the climax, “they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” Remove the grand staple of the resurrection of Christ, and all gospel truth and the hope of the church fall to the ground.
Demons held hellish Jubilee over the tomb where Christ lay in death. Wicked men exulted, but with a degree of trembling caused by the darkening of the sun and rending of the rocks. So the sepulcher was made sure. The great stone which Joseph rolled to the door was sealed, and a watch was set to guard the place. But one of the holy angels that excel in strength came down and rolled away the stone, and the attending glory prostrated the strong sentinels to the ground like dead men. Jesus arose, and, as Paul states, “was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles.” 1 Cor. 15:5–7.
Jesus arose with the marks of the crucifixion in his divine form, that he might be identified as the very person who had the nails driven through his hands and feet, and who had the spear thrust into his side while hanging on the cross. Thomas, who had settled into stubborn unbelief upon witnessing the death of Christ, said, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. When he saw and felt the marks of the crucifixion he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.”
The evidences of Christ’s messiahship and his divinity were such as to carry conviction to all minds, excepting those blinded by error and hardened by sin. And these evidences grew more overwhelming until he left the world from Olivet to appear in the presence of God for sinners. Matthew records a series of these evidences connected with his death and resurrection, which closes the sacred history of his first advent: “And behold the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God.” Matt. 27:51–54.
And not only was Christ in the world forty days after his resurrection, teaching, comforting and confirming the disciples at certain seasons, but during this same period the resurrected worthies of past ages, who came out of their graves after Christ’s resurrection, were mingling with mortal men, and bearing testimony to his resurrection. And when Christ ascended, he took these resurrected ones with him, as affirmed by Paul in these words: “When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive.”Eph. 4:8.
With these evidences of the resurrection of the Son of God before the reader, he will please return with us to Paul’s argument. The apostle illustrates the relation of the resurrection of Christ to that of all his people at his second coming by the beautiful figure of the first-fruits and the harvest, as set forth in the typical law: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order; Christ the first-fruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” Verses 20–23.
The Hebrews were to present to the priest a sheaf of the first ripe grain for him to wave before the Lord to be accepted for them. The sheaf was taken from the first ripe grain, and was called the first-fruits. This sheaf typified the resurrection of Christ, while the remaining grain in the wide harvest field represented the resurrection of all his people at his second coming. And, as the handful of ripe grain that was waved before the Lord was like all the grain that remained in the field until the general harvest, so Christ’s resurrected form was a model of the resurrected bodies of his people.
The order of the resurrection mentioned by the apostle includes only Christ, the first-fruits, and all the saints at his second coming. Forcible indeed is the figure, that as the first ripe grain waved before the Lord was a sample of all the grain that remained in the field until the harvest, so the resurrected body of Christ was a model of the bodies of his people who should remain in the grave until the resurrection of the just at his second coming. “Christ the first-fruits,” says the apostle, “afterwards they that are Christ’s at his coming.”
The testimony of Paul respecting the change to immortality at the second coming of Christ, is to the point: “For our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” Phil. 3:20, 21. Notice two points in the text: First, in the future life, the fashion of the bodies of the redeemed is like the body of the Redeemer; secondly, that the fashioning is done when he comes to raise the dead. “When he shall appear,” writes another apostle, “we shall be like him.” 1 John 3:2.
In all the range of Christian theology, no doctrine is more clearly stated or more forcibly illustrated in the Scriptures than the resurrection of the dead. And yet ministers and people of the several denominations whose creeds maintain the doctrine, are retreating from this stronghold of the Christian faith before the cavils of infidelity respecting the identity of the resurrected body. “It is impossible,” says the skeptic, “for the same particles of matter which composed the human body in this mortal life to compose the immortal body in the future state.” He affirms that particles of matter which compose the body here at any given time, and are gradually thrown off to give place to new matter, may, through the vegetable and animal productions, enter into other human bodies, to pass, by the same process, into still others. He urges that at death, under certain circumstances, the transfer of matter to other human bodies to almost unlimited numbers is highly probable. Hence, he concludes that in the resurrection many might claim the same particles, on the ground that at some period in their mortal existence these very particles had constituted a part of each of them. And as it is not possible for the same particles to hold places in numerous immortal forms at the same time, the skeptic fancies that he has overthrown the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.
The question of the transfer of the same particles from one human body to another we leave for others to argue. However groundless the propositions, and flimsy the arguments of those who labor to build up the transfer supposition, in order to pull down the Bible doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, may be regarded, it will not be denied, that it has tremendous power to remove one of the plainest landmarks of the Christian church in the minds of the thousands who are adopting the spiritual second advent, the spiritual resurrection, and the spiritual reign of Christ.
We sympathize with Paul, who had similar, if not the same, theological follies to meet in his day, that curse the church and the world in our day. In continuation of his argument upon the resurrection, as he touches the identity question, he rebukes the stupid cavillings of his shallow opponents. He says: “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.” 1 Cor. 15:35–38. With what body do the dead come forth is the question under consideration. And the apostle more than intimates that foolishness had been exhibited over the subject.
The question is clearly before us. Will the resurrected body contain the identical particles of matter which composed the mortal body? Or, is it necessary in order to the resurrection of the being, that the same particles should be gathered to make up the immortal body? Does the identity of the immortal being with the corruptible consist in both being composed of the same matter? Or does not their identity rather exist in that organization by which the saints in glory connect the then immortal present with the mortal past, so that they will know themselves, and each other? Finally, is it necessary that a single particle of the old body pass into the new in order that there be a resurrection of the dead?
God formed man of the dust of the ground. And after the transgression he passed this sentence upon Adam: “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Adam was an organized being. After dissolution he passed back to dust again and was no more. This is as true of Paul or of Luther. They passed to dust and do not exist in any other form of matter than that from which man was first created. Open the graves of holy men of God who have slept for centuries, and there cannot be found the least trace of those who were buried there. Their names and their record are in Heaven, and their works follow them on earth, and this is all that remains of them.
The resurrection of the righteous dead is the act by which men are re-organized and brought back from the dust of the earth, with an immortal nature. This is to all intents and purposes a re-creation. And we have not the most distant thought that the Redeemer will search through creation for the identical particles of matter which had composed the mortal body from which to constitute the immortal being. Man was formed from the dust of the earth. After death he returns to dust. At the resurrection he will be brought again from the dust of the ground without respect to that matter of which he had once been composed.
The obvious application of the figure of the grain employed by the apostle to illustrate the resurrection of the dead, fully sustains the foregoing position. The farmer does not harvest the identical wheat which he sows. Long before the new kernel forms, the parent grain has entirely passed into the straw, and the roots of the plant gather from the ground that which produces the new grain. These evident facts in the production of the grain are expressed by Paul in these words: “Thou sowest not that body that shall be.” Although it is not necessary that a single particle of the parent kernel should enter into the new grain, the identity of the old is preserved in the new. If the farmer sows wheat, the harvest is wheat, and this is true of all other grains. So in the resurrection, Paul will be Paul, and Martin Luther will be Martin Luther. And they will be re-organized so as to connect the mortal past with the immortal present. And there with open face beholding the glories of redemption complete, they will recount their toils and perils, and sing of the victories of divine grace which sustained them in their ministry until they had finished their course with joy.
If it be objected, that to re-organize the being at the resurrection with other matter than that which constituted the mortal form would be a re-creation, and not a resurrection, then we reply, that as the form after death returns to dust, the resurrection of the form is to all intents and purposes a re-creation, whether it be re-organized from the matter which composed the mortal form, or from other matter.
But if it still be urged that the resurrected body must be composed of material that made up the mortal body in this life, then we inquire, Will the immortal being contain that matter which was put into the grave, or that which constituted the mortal man at middle age? If the position be taken that the same matter, no more and no less, that was buried in the grave, will be brought into the immortal being, then we invite attention to the fact that men who may be alike in size at middle life frequently become emaciated, or exceedingly full in flesh, and pass into their graves in these conditions. In the resurrection, will some men be immortal skeletons, while others shall be endowed with immortal corpulency?
Should it be thought more consistent to have the immortal body made up of the exact material which composes the mortal form at the age of forty years to find the best proportioned man to be raised from the dead, then we will suppose that this very man lives to the age of seventy-five, until a large portion of his body shall change five times, when he dies and is buried. The resurrection of the man as he stood at forty would have but very little to do with the same man who was put into the grave at seventy-five. The particles of matter which composed this man at forty would be gathered from the four winds of heaven where they had been scattered during the long period of his changes, and the grave where he was buried at seventy-five need not be disturbed.
If the position be taken that it is not necessary in order that there be a resurrection of the dead, that the immortal being be made up wholly of matter which composed the mortal form at any given time in this life, but lest the immortal body be the result of an entire new creation, and not of the resurrection, a portion, more or less, of the old being must help constitute the new, then, according to the distinction made between re-creation and resurrection, the immortal man will be partly resurrected and partly created!
J. W.
INCIDENTS
By John Nevins Andrews
A FEW weeks since, Bro. Ribton of southern Italy, sent me the name of an Italian Baptist friend, residing at Paris, and acquainted with the English language. He requested me to send him all the numbers of our paper, also “Thoughts on Daniel” and “Thoughts on Revelation.” This request was complied with without delay, and several of our best tracts were added to the package77or what there was for him to pay. To this we answered that the books and papers were sent with the hope that he would investigate them, and that there were no charges. A few days since he wrote again stating that he had read the publications with great interest; and he sent twelve names of his personal friends to whom he wished the paper sent as it had been sent to him.
Our friends write us from time to time that they have been sending their own paper to some of their friends, who have become so much interested that they wish to subscribe for themselves. A personal friend has recently visited the city of Paris. By him I sent the last number of our paper to the Young Men’s Christian Association, and asked whether they would receive our paper and place it on file in their reading room. I received an immediate response that they would be pleased to do so. I have therefore sent them all the numbers of our paper. I have also supplied the public reading room at Geneva and at Lausanne from the commencement of our publishing work.
I request Bro. Matteson to write for our French paper a series of articles giving the history of the work among the Danes, Swedes, and Norwegians, of the United States.
I am slowly recovering my strength, and I hope within a few days to resume my work.
J. N. ANDREWS.
Bale, Suisse, Feb. 13, 1877.
CLUBBING THE SIGNS.
By S. N. Haskell
Much has been said and written upon the circulation of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES; and could the importance of this work be felt by all of our brethren and sisters, there would be a universal co-operation which would result in the accomplishment of more than has yet been asked.
Clubbing the SIGNS to churches, and individuals living alone, for the purpose of obtaining interested readers, is not only a successful method of awakening an interest, but will prove a benefit to those taking a part in this work, which cannot be over-estimated. It will call out that close, practical thinking in planning to obtain interested readers, which will mature the judgment in the things of God. The weekly disposal of the SIGNS will not be an impulsive move for a day, and then cease for the year, but the cause of God and the importance of the work will thus be kept before the mind.
We therefore recommend, and even urge, that every company of Seventh-day Adventists who may read these lines adopt the plan of clubbing the SIGNS, that has been repeatedly spoken of in the REVIEW. Also, individuals living alone should take not less than eight copies, which would cost simply one dollar per month. This plan in no way is to take the place of, or conflict with, canvassing in the ordinary way.
The fact that our brethren have sent the REVIEW and the VOICE OF TRUTH to a large circle of friends and acquaintances in the past, many of whom have no interest in the truth, gives rise to the important inquiry, If from eight to fifty copies of the SIGNS are taken,
How can we find interested readers? We reply, (1) Visit your neighbors, and take the SIGNS with you; and in course of conversation, read some interesting articles. Then, when you leave, say, Perhaps you would like to look the paper over? You will leave it for them, then call again, and leave another the next week, and so on until they become interested, or you are fully convinced that it is of no use to do more.
(2) Think up friends of by-gone days; also, interest others to send you names of those who would be likely to read such a paper. Ever be upon the watch to gather addresses of respectable people from every quarter.
(3) If necessary, take names from the various periodicals of the day. In short, think, and study up plans whereby you can obtain the names, and then send a copy for one, two, or three successive weeks, then write a note stating what you have done; and if they are interested in such reading you will send them more. When they become sufficiently interested, and would like to take the paper, if they do not feel free to pay for it, send it at the expense of the Tract Society, or have a copy of those you are taking transferred to them. Any company numbering half a dozen can in this manner procure hundreds of names within a few weeks’ time. It will require continued labor and thought, and that is what we need to give a practical experience in the things of God.
The earth is to be lighted with the glory of the mighty angel which comes down from heaven. Rev. 18:1. There are thousands all around us who must be enlightened upon present truth, and there is no reading matter published by this people that is so well adapted to this purpose as the SIGNS OF THE TIMES.
This work should not be confined to our American people. There are our Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and French brethren and sisters, that should work in the same manner with our publications in their native tongues. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Maine, present excellent fields of labor for this foreign work. In large cities like Boston, Rome, Chicago, the periodicals in these different languages can be used to advantage with those of our own.
We heartily endorse the suggestions of Bro. White for the elders and deacons of each church to co-operate in this work. We are somewhat acquainted with the condition of the missionary cause in each Conference this side of the Rocky Mountains, and we have become satisfied that there is no Conference by which more can be accomplished in proportion to its membership than by the Conference of Michigan. We venture to suggest a plan whereby this work can be speedily effected in Michigan and other States as far as practicable.
(1) Let the president order for each director that number of the SIGNS which would be proper for his district to take, to make out the apportionment for the State.
(2) Let the director at once commence to find how large a club can be formed in each church or company in his district.
(3) Then let him have the number proposed to be taken by each church transferred to it, sending them to one address in each church.
(4) Where individuals live alone, they can have a number sent to them.
(5) Let the monthly-installment plan be adopted to pay for them.
In four cases out of five, among the churches where I have been, the installments have been from ten cents to one dollar per month, and in every instance where they have taken hold of it at all, all have felt it a privilege to do something; and the number taken has exceeded the most sanguine expectations. In no Conference has this plan been more cheerfully entered upon than in Michigan, by those companies which were visited, and before whom the matter was properly presented. Do not be fearful in this, thinking you cannot get rid of your papers. The larger portion of our brethren and sisters want only to know how to work, and they are willing.
Why we suggest that the papers be first sent to the directors is, that it is so late in the season, and it will require a number of weeks to get the SIGNS around. There will be sufficient time for the director to visit each church, and with the co-operation of the elders and leading brethren, ascertain how large clubs can be formed, before the SIGNS will reach them if ordered immediately. Then they can enter upon the work of distributing as soon as the clubs are formed. I design to be in Michigan in a few weeks, and will render all the assistance that is in my power to carry forward this enterprise. It is the work of God; and beneath it is his almighty arm, and he will give it success. Courage! brethren in the Lord, courage! courage! More particulars hereafter.