p. 740 | The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 61, No. 47 (Tuesday, November 25, 1884)

The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald

Tuesday, November 25, 1884

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Tuesday, November 25, 1884

NOTES OF TRAVEL

By Ellen G. White

BY MRS. E. G. WHITE.

PORTLAND, ME.

We reached Portland about ten o’clock Tuesday evening, Sept. 9. Wednesday we rode twelve miles to Gorham to visit my sister, who has been an invalid six years from acute rheumatism. The suffering one awakened sorrow and called out deep sympathy; but we could do nothing to stay the progress of disease. We could only pray for and with her, and leave her in the hands of a compassionate Redeemer.

While in Portland, in company with Sr. McOmber, I visited localities of special interest in connection with my early life, among them the spot where I met with the accident that has made me a life-long invalid. This misfortune which for a time seemed so bitter and was so hard to bear, has proved to be a blessing in disguise. The cruel blow which blighted the joys of earth, was the means of turning my eyes to heaven. I might never have known Jesus, had not the sorrow that clouded my early years led me to seek comfort in him.

I have read of a little bird that while his cage is full of light never sings the songs his master would teach him. He will listen, and learn a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master covers his cage, and then, in the dark, he listens to the one song he is to sing. He tries and tries again to sing that song, until it is learned, and he breaks forth in perfect melody; and then the cage is uncovered, and ever after he can sing it in the light. Thus God deals with his creatures. He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the deep shadows of affliction, we can sing it ever afterward.

I passed the spot where the house once stood where Jesus revealed himself to me in power, and I seemed to see his blessed face beaming upon me in divine love and gentleness. I also visited my early home, and the house where my first vision was given me; but railroad buildings have crowded out many dwellings that used to stand in this locality. In the chamber of the last-mentioned house, I once passed a night of anguish at the thought that I must go out and relate to others the things that God had presented before me. I shrank from this work in timidity and fear; the cross seemed so heavy that it would crush me. How clearly I remembered the experience of forty years ago, when my light went out in darkness because I was unwilling to lift this cross, and refused to be obedient. I shall never forget the agony of my soul when I felt the frown of God upon me. I was urged to attend a meeting in my father’s house. The brethren and sisters bore me in the arms of their faith to a pitying Redeemer. I surrendered my will, feeling that I would do anything if the Lord would once more let his light shine upon me. I was delivered from darkness and despair, and restored to the favor of Heaven. I then lifted my cross, and have not since tried to exchange it for a lighter one.

It has been my lot to be chastened by affliction, which has had a softening and subduing influence, removing enmity from my heart, and filling it with sympathy and love. My life of bereavement, pain, and suffering has not been without precious revelations of the presence of my Saviour. My eyes have been attracted to the heavens that shine in beauty above us; I have obtained glimpses of the eternal world and of the exceeding great reward. When all has seemed dark, there has been a rift in the clouds, and sunbeams from the throne have dispersed the gloom. God would not have any of us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts. He would have us look up to catch the rainbow of promise, and reflect light to others.

Oh, the blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern him. He longs to clasp our hands firmly, while we cling to him in simple faith, imploring him to guide us. It is our privilege to rejoice in God. If we will let the comfort and peace of Jesus into our lives, we shall be kept close to his great heart of love.

I felt the deepest interest in the meeting in Portland, where my childhood and youth were passed. Some of my old school-mates made themselves known to me on the ground. I also met a number of relatives who were my neighbors forty years ago. It afforded me great pleasure to meet and greet these old friends.

Strict order was observed on the ground. At nine or half past, the bell was rung for retiring, and after that no meeting or loud talking was allowed. At five, at the sound of the bell, the camp was astir, preparing for the morning meeting in the pavilion. I was gratified to see the full attendance at this early hour.

The practice which prevails in camp-meetings held by some denominations, of continuing the meetings to a late hour, some even spending the night in praying and shouting is not conducive to the spiritual advancement of the worshipers. I have been told that in several instances persons have been taken from these meetings so excited that they were considered fit subjects for an insane asylum. This has caused many to decide never to attend a camp-meeting; but on attending those held by our people, they are forced to admit that they can see nothing objectionable in them. They say that the order is fully as good as that observed in houses of worship in the cities.

Body and mind need rest, that the mind may not become unbalanced and excited from being subjected to a constant strain. In our camp-meetings great pains is taken in Bible-readings and sermons to make important points of truth so clear that none need to be in ignorance. And good and regular sleep should be secured, that the mind may be clear, and in the best condition possible to weigh the arguments presented and to decide between truth and error.

Wednesday evening the Lord gave me strength to bear my testimony. What emotions filled my heart as I stood before the people of my native city. It was here that I received my first impressions in regard to the speedy, personal coming of our Lord. Here my father’s family, including myself, were excluded from the Methodist church for cherishing this blessed hope. I knew there were none in the congregation who had been active workers in the message of the first and second angels. And yet this city was favored with special light and privileges in the great movement of 1842-4. A large company accepted the faith, and rejoiced in the glad tidings that Jesus was soon coming. Many more would have taken their position with the waiting, watching ones, had not the ministers warned them against attending the Adventist meetings, telling them that it was as great a sin to listen to these doctrines as to attend a theater.

A few paragraphs from a letter written in reference to the revival in Portland under Father Miller’s labors will give a good idea of

the character of his work. At the time, he was “lecturing to crowded congregations in the Casco-street church on his favorite theme, the end of the world and the literal reign of Christ for one thousand years.” Eld. L. D. Fleming wrote of these meetings:—

“Things here are moving powerfully. Last evening about two hundred requested prayers, and the interest seems constantly increasing. The whole city seems agitated. Bro. Miller’s lectures have not the least effect to frighten people; they are far from it. The great alarm is among those who do not come near them. Many who stay away and oppose, seem excited, and perhaps alarmed; but those who candidly hear are far from excitement or alarm.”

“The interest awakened by his lectures is of the most deliberate and dispassionate kind; though this is the greatest revival I ever saw; yet there is the least passionate excitement about it. It seems to take a deep hold on the main part of the community. What produces the effect is this: Bro. Miller simply takes the sword of the Spirit, unsheathed, and lays its sharp edge on the naked heart, and it cuts; that is all. Before the edge of this mighty weapon, infidelity falls and Universalism withers; false foundations vanish, and Babel’s merchants wonder. It seems to me that this must be a little the nearest to apostolic revivals of anything that modern times have witnessed.”

A little later he wrote:—

“There has probably never been so much religious interest among the inhabitants of this place, generally, as at present; and Mr. Miller must be regarded, directly, or indirectly, as the instrument, although many, no doubt, will deny it, as some are very unwilling to admit that a good work of God can follow his labors; and yet we have the most indubitable evidence that this is the work of the Lord. It is worthy of note that in the present instance there has been, comparatively, nothing like mechanical effort. There has been nothing like passionate excitement. If there has been excitement, it has been out of doors, among such as did not attend Bro. Miller’s lectures.”

“At some of our meetings since Bro. Miller left, as many as two hundred and fifty, it has been estimated, have expressed a desire for religion by coming forward for prayers; and probably between one and two hundred have professed conversion at our meetings; and now the fire is being kindled through this whole city and all the adjacent country. A number of rumsellers have turned their shops into meeting-rooms, and these places that were once devoted to intemperance and revelry are now devoted to prayer and praise. Others have abandoned the traffic entirely, and are converted to God. One or two gambling establishments, I am informed, are entirely broken up. Infidels, deists, and Universalists have been converted. Prayer-meetings have been established in every part of the city by the different denominations or by individuals, and at almost every hour. Being down in the business part of our city on the 4th inst., I was conducted into a room over one of the banks, where I found about thirty or forty men, of different denominations, engaged in prayer, with one accord, at about eleven o’clock in the daytime.”

“In short, it would be almost impossible to give an adequate idea of the interest now felt in the city. There is nothing like extravagant excitement, but an almost universal solemnity on the minds of all the people. One of the principal booksellers informed me that he had sold more Bibles in one month since Mr. Miller came here than in any four months previous. A member of an orthodox church informed me that if Mr. Miller would now return, he would probably be admitted into any orthodox house of worship, and he expressed a strong desire for his return to our city.”

These statements I know to be true. And as under the first and second angels’ messages the truth was proclaimed without excitement or extravagance, so the work goes forward under the message of the third angel. The discourses on the Portland camp-ground were not of an emotional character, but appealed to the intellect; and many listened with deep interest to the evidences of our faith. Some, like the noble Bereans, began to search the Scriptures prayerfully to see if these things are so. Others were unmoved; they were content with their position and doctrines, and did not wish to make any change.

Some passed our tent talking of the meetings. All expressed a favorable opinion, and acknowledged that a great deal of good instruction was given, which, if heeded, would prove a lasting benefit. One inquired, with considerable earnestness, “Well, what do you think of the Sabbath question, and the statement that the first-day Sabbath is a papal institution?” The answer came, “As for the Sabbath, I pay no attention to that. I just let the arguments go into one ear and out of the other. Why, the whole world keeps Sunday.”

Here is a message from God presenting Bible evidence that they are keeping holy a common working day; that they are reverencing an institution of the papacy instead of the one established by Jehovah; and they care not whether it is genuine or spurious as long as the world accepts it. If Jesus were on earth, he could say of them, as he did of the Pharisees of old, “In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Well did the prophet say, “This people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Said Christ, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Again he said, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.” The light of truth is going forth like a burning lamp, and those who love the light will not walk in darkness. They will study the Scriptures, that they may know of a surety that they are listening to the voice of the true Shepherd, and not that of a stranger.

Those who are engaged in proclaiming the third angel’s message are searching the Scriptures upon the same plan that Father Miller adopted. In the little book entitled “Views of the Prophecies and Prophetic Chronology,” Father Miller gives the following simple but intelligent and important rules for Bible study and interpretation:—

“1. Every word must have its proper bearing on the subject presented in the Bible; 2. All Scripture is necessary, and may be understood by diligent application and study; 3. Nothing revealed in Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering; 4. To understand doctrine, bring all the scriptures together on the subject you wish to know, then let every word have its proper influence; and if you can form your theory without a contradiction, you cannot be in error; 5. Scripture must be its own expositor, since it is a rule of itself. If I depend on a teacher to expound to me, and he should guess at its meaning, or desire to have it so on account of his sectarian creed, or to be thought wise, then his guessing, desire, creed, or wisdom is my rule, and not the Bible.”

The above is a portion of these rules; and in our study of the Bible we shall all do well to heed the principles set forth.

Genuine faith is founded on the Scriptures; but Satan uses so many devices to wrest the Scriptures and bring in error, that great care is needed if one would know what they really do teach. It is one of the great delusions of this time to dwell much upon feeling, and to claim honesty while ignoring the plain utterances of the word of God because that word does not coincide with feeling. Many have no foundation for their faith but emotion. Their religion consists in excitement; when that ceases, their faith is gone. Feeling may be chaff, but the word of God is the wheat. And “what,” says the prophet, “is the chaff to the wheat?”

None will be condemned for not heeding light and knowledge that they never had, and they could not obtain. But many refuse to obey the truth that is presented to them by Christ’s ambassadors, because they wish to conform to the world’s standard; and the truth that has reached their understanding, the light that has shone in the soul, will condemn them in the Judgment. In these last days we have the accumulated light that has been shining through all the ages, and we shall be held correspondingly responsible. The path of holiness is not on a level with the world; it is a way cast up. If we walk in this way, if we run in the way of the Lord’s commandments, we shall find that the “path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

EVEN SO COME, LORD JESUS. REV. 22:20.

By L. D. Santee

BY ELD. L. D. SANTEE.

I sit alone in the evening, The toils of the day are done, And I pray the prayer of the waiting, “Lord Jesus, quickly come.” The shadows of night grow deeper, The children have gone to rest, The head of each childish sleeper Has the snowy pillow pressed.

My prayer through all the ages Has been uttered o’er and o’er By those who were burdened with sorrow And bound in fetters sore. It was prayed by martyrs of Jesus, Who counted the world but loss, And for Him who ever sees us Carried the heavy cross.

I sigh as I think of the shadows, That darken the waiting ones, Of the thorns that lie in the pathway Before the glad words, “well done.” But the gloom and the shadows descending Will not for aye abide; Even now is our life work ending, Now is the eventide.

So I pray the prayer of ages, With mingled hope and fear; For the advent foretold by sages, I believe to be almost here. I long to hear the blessed, “Servant of God, well done;” So I kneel, and I cry to heaven, “Lord Jesus, quickly come.”

THE TEMPLE IN HEAVEN.

By W. H. Littlejohn

BY ELD. W. H. LITTLEJOHN.

THE TALK ABOUT ASCENSION ROBES CONTINUED.

Mr. Biblist.—“As we separated last evening, I believe that I promised to prove to Mr. Clerical that the stories so widely circulated to the effect that Mr. Miller and his followers put on ascension robes in 1844, were wholly without foundation; or, to put it a little stronger, that they were born originally of that disposition to scandalize great religious movements, which has been manifested in all ages. That the Miller movement was marred in a few instances by excesses on the part of a very few of its adherents, no doubt is true. If it were not, it would have been an exception to the rule that holds in regard to great awakenings generally. Even the presence and example of Christ were not sufficient to repress altogether the tendency in his disciples in that direction. On one occasion even John and James were ready to call down fire to consume the inhabitants

of a certain Samaritan village because they were not ready to receive the Master with open arms. Sixteen centuries later, Luther was greatly annoyed, and the Reformation scandalized, by the fanatical folly of the Anabaptists, who held just enough of the principles of the Reformation to make the latter responsible in the eyes of its enemies for their acts. At one time their frenzy culminated in the murder of one of their number, it being confidently expected that the individual thus sacrificed would be restored to life again in answer to prayer. It was to men of this class that the great Reformer once said, ‘I will rap that spirit on the snout.’ Wesley in his day was greatly irritated by those who transformed his doctrine of ‘perfect love’ into the odious theory of ‘perfectionism.’

“So I might go on; but I think that I have given a sufficient number of illustrations to establish the proposition that the presence of fanaticism among the adherents of a religious movement is compatible with the theory that the movement itself is of God, provided that there is in it moral power strong enough to resist and overcome ultimately all such tendencies. Do not get the impression, however, that I have made this argument for the purpose of apologizing for the wearing of ascension robes by Mr. Miller and his associates. That such robes were never put on by the parties in question, I am ready to demonstrate by the most indubitable evidence. In the first place, the charge is ridiculous on its very face. It is simply preposterous to suppose that men possessing good common sense could be induced to do so silly a thing; much more so, that persons of such marked intellectual ability as Mr. Miller and his more prominent co-laborers could be persuaded to participate in so silly a performance. Think of it for a moment. Why, the very idea of wearing cotton ascension robes to heaven is so absurd that the merest tyro in the Scriptures would at once discover its untenableness. The Apostle says in one place that ‘flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.’ In another place he declares, ‘Behold, I will show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.’ These scriptures teach distinctly that nothing that has upon it even the remotest taint of sin or that has in any way been connected with its history, can by any possibility enter into heaven. Even the bodies of the saints are to undergo a change which will eliminate from them every trace of corruption before they can share that destiny. Mr. Miller knew this and taught it in the most emphatic manner. The texts that I have quoted were repeated and elaborated by him probably a thousand times during the ten years of his public ministry. I repeat, therefore, that it is simply absurd to suppose that he could have been guilty of the folly in question. Had he been, his theory and his practice would have been diametrically opposed to each other. To preach at one moment that the ‘elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up,’ and in the next, to argue that ‘cotton ascension robes’ would furnish an exception to the general rule, would be an inconsistency so gross that while it might have been perpetrated by Mr. Miller’s slanderers, it never could have been enacted by Miller himself.”

Mr. Clerical.—“It don’t make any difference what you say, sir; I know that he and his friends did put on ascension robes.”

Mr. B.—“Alas, sir, I fear that there is too much truth in the first part of your declaration. You admit that you never saw an Adventist of 1844 attired in an ascension robe, and that you have never met with a person who had seen one thus arrayed. I have made an argument to prove that in the very nature of the circumstances it could not have taken place, and the only reply that you make is, that you do not ‘care what I say.’ Like those who for forty years have been engaged in a persistent effort to smirch the character of Mr. Miller, you seem to be bent upon believing any and everything that would damage the reputation of that great and good man, however preposterous in itself. It is not impossible that what I am about to say may be entirely thrown away on you; but I shall nevertheless proceed now to introduce on the point in question testimony of a personal nature, which will show that my reasoning from general principles was correct.”

“It is universally admitted that, other things being equal, a man’s friends are better judges of his motives, and more reliable authority in determining what his acts have been, than are his enemies. The former are agreed that the ascension robe stories were utterly without foundation. If Maud will hand me from my library yonder a volume entitled ‘Life Incidents,’ I will read you a couple of extracts that are in point. The authors of both of them were prominent preachers in the Miller movement. The first which you will find in the work that Maud has just handed to me was penned by Eld. James White, whose life and labors the book records. I will begin to read on page 310: ‘There are hundreds of ministers in the United States who, if disturbed in the quiet possession of the ears of the people by the proclamation of the unpopular truths of the third message in their vicinity, would take delight in repeating the old threadbare falsehoods concerning ascension robes, and the like, to cut off the influence of the servants of God. In almost every place where our ministers give discourses upon the second coming of Christ, and the necessary preparation for that event, they have to labor against the prejudices of the people, caused by reports of the inconsistencies of Adventists; one of which is, that at a point of expectation in the past, many of them did prepare robes of white linen, and put them on ready to ascend and meet their coming Lord.”

“While all sane persons, who have any knowledge of what the Holy Scriptures do teach of the necessary preparation to meet the Lord as he shall descend from heaven, will agree that to prepare a literal white robe made of cloth as a fitting preparation for the transit from earth to heaven, from mortality to immortality, must be an indication of downright insanity, none will see in such an act evidences of criminality. But I do not believe that anything of the kind ever occurred. I have been actively engaged in the proclamation of the second advent for more than twenty-five years, and have traveled and preached in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Canada, and have not met a person who has seen an Adventist thus attired, or one that was able to give better proofs that anything of the kind ever did occur than vague reports. I have never found the place where the thing occurred. It was always in the next town, county, or State.”

“Again; reports in relation to this matter, and slanders of a similar nature, have a hundred times been denied in Second-Advent periodicals, and proofs have been called for of the truthfulness of these statements. No one has been able to produce the proofs. But still the tongue of slander takes delight in repeating the old threadbare falsehood.”

“The second extract was taken originally from the ‘History of the Rise and Progress of Adventism,’ and is found in ‘Life Incidents,’ on page 314. The author of that history was Eld. Josiah Litch. He was an able writer, and took an active part in the advent movement of 1844. He says: ‘Those periods came and passed with no unusual occurrence. As soon as they had gone by, a flood of scoffing, reviling, and persecution burst forth, not from the infidel world so much, but from the professed friends of the Saviour,—the most idle and foolish stories of ascension robes, and going out into graveyards to watch, going to the tops of houses, etc., etc. These were repeated again and again, both from pulpit and press, until the public were, many of them at least, almost persuaded to believe them true. How or where they originated, except in willful falsehood, we cannot devise. Some of the reports of that character, we happen to know, originated with professed ministers of the gospel, who gave date and place when there was not a word of truth in the whole story. Others must have originated in a similar way.’”

“I hope, Mr. Clerical, that you will not in the day of final account be found associated with the class of ministers to which Eld. Litch alludes. So far as the past is concerned, the plea of ignorance might be pleaded in your defense; but hereafter any repetition by you of the ascension robe scandal could be regarded as nothing less than willful misrepresentation. The testimony of two such men as Elds. James White and Josiah Litch on the point before us, will be received as conclusive by every candid individual. Their veracity was above impeachment, and their sources of information complete. One more fact, and this branch of the subject must be dismissed.”

“In the REVIEW AND HERALD for April 14, 1868, the following paragraph appeared: ‘Fifty dollars reward is offered to any person who will present unquestionable proofs of the truthfulness of the statements that believers in the second advent of Christ, on the day of expectation did put on ascension robes. Those who can produce such proofs, are requested to forward them immediately to the writer [Eld. James White] at Greenville, Montcalm Co., Mich., and receive fifty dollars by return mail.’ The REVIEW AND HERALD is the organ of Seventh-day Adventists. By inserting this reward in its columns, the public were generally apprised of the offer made. An opportunity was thus presented to all those who were willing to testify on oath that they had ever seen an Adventist attired in ascension robes, to do so. Had the ascension robes stories been true, there were thousands then living who were competent to make oath to their correctness. While it is natural to suppose that some, could they have done so consistently, would have made the necessary affidavits for the mere love of truth, it is certain that those who hated Adventists, and those who were greedy for gain would not have failed to respond when so favorable an opportunity was given either for the venting of spite or the acquisition of money.”

Maud.—“What I want to know, father, is whether any one ever got the fifty dollars.”

Mr. B.—“No, Maud; they were never paid over to any one, and simply because no one ever made the necessary proofs. There were some who, like Mr. Clerical here, insisted despite all the evidence to the contrary, that ascension robes were really worn by the Adventists in 1844; but none of them save one man ever ventured to carry out the conditions of the reward by offering the required testimony.”

Maud.—“How did that man come out, father?”

Mr. B.—“Just as you might have anticipated, my daughter. In endeavoring to prove that Mr. Miller and his friends were all fools, he demonstrated the fact most clearly that he himself had been most sadly duped. He said that he knew that Adventists did wear ascension robes in 1844 because he saw two young ladies actually engaged in making such robes. When interrogated as to how he knew that the articles in question were really ascension robes, he replied, that he knew it because the young ladies told him so. Fortunately, all the parties were living and the facts were easily reached. It turned out, upon examination,

that the two young ladies to whom he referred were at the time in question engaged in making night-dresses, and that the gentleman who claimed the fifty dollars was by them regarded as somewhat impertinent because of the persistence with which he plied them with questions respecting that which they were doing; and so they jokingly gave him to understand that they were making ascension robes. When these representations were made to those who had the charge in the matter of the reward, you can imagine the result. The whole thing was dropped, the applicant retiring a wiser if not a better man. From that time to this, ascension robe stories have been at a discount with those who knew the facts and whose malice did not exceed their honesty.”

Mr. C.—“You will pardon me, Mr. Biblist, if I withdraw. I have just bethought me of an appointment that I have at this hour. I bid you all good evening.”

Mr. Thoughtful.—“I am very thankful, Mr. Biblist, for your talk this evening. I have always believed that the ascension robe stories were gross scandals, and now I know that they are. There is one point further connected with the Miller movement that I would like to have you discuss; and that is, the mistake in regard to the coming of the Lord.”

Mr. B.—“That will be the next thing in order. I will speak of it to-morrow night.”

GRAINS OF GOLD.

By Isadore Sutherland Miner

BY ISADORE SUTHERLAND MINER.

Stored in the heart of a wave-washed rock, Were the glistening grains of gold; But no hand held the key To its mystery, And none might its wealth unfold.

But the years passed on with their beating storms, And the waves dashed on in their glee, Till their constant wear Lay the treasure bare, That the eyes of man might see.

The hands of man wrest the spoil revealed, From the rock so bare and brown; And the workmen see, From the dross set free, A glittering, golden crown.

Thus in the depths of the human heart, Lie the grains of gold in trust, Till the sorrows of years, The erosion of tears, Wear away the rocky crust.

And then from the clouds in pitying love, The great Master's hand reaches down, With tenderest care, Gleans the metal rare, And fashions a golden crown,—

A crown that shall shine when earthly crowns fade, Whose jewels are lasting and bright; And he lays it away, Till the soul, freed from clay, Shall revel in glorious light.

AN ANSWERED PRAYER.

By Marianne Farningham

“Oh! give me a message of quiet,” I asked in my morning prayer; “For the turbulent trouble within me Is more than I can bear. Around there is strife and discord, And the storms that do not cease, And the whirl of the world is on me— Thou only canst give me peace.”

I opened the old, old Bible And looked at a page of Psalms, Till the wintry sea of my trouble Was smoothed by its summer calms. For the words that have helped so many, And the pages that seemed most dear, Seemed new in their power to comfort, And they brought me my word of cheer.

Like music of solemn singing These words came down to me: “The Lord is slow to anger, And of mercy great is he; Each generation praiseth His work of long renown; The Lord upholdeth all that fall, And raiseth the bowed down.”

That gave me the strength I wanted; I knew the Lord was nigh; All that was making me sorry Would be better by-and-by. I had but to wait in patience, And keep at my Father's side, And nothing would really hurt me, Whatever might betide.

—Marianne Farningham.

SOME GOOD POINTS ON TRAINING CHILDREN.

By S. in Interior

AND now, dear Interior, you have started an experience meeting: Everybody will want to tell what she would do if her child climbed trees, and teased, and didn’t mind. Mrs. Starrett says that “when you have children of your own, all your fine theories vanish.” Not all, I hope. There are a few main theories that can be carried out; for instance: I used to say that I would not suffer disobedience, disrespect toward parents, or teasing in a child, and after bringing up four of my own, I say there is no need of it. Such evils, I believe, are the parents’ fault. In the family in which I grew up, I never saw these faults, though I do not remember ever seeing any one punished on account of them. I do not remember that I was made to obey, but I was expected to obey, and to be respectful, and I cannot recall ever thinking of being the contrary. None of us were teasing or whining, either. We had no temptation to be, and we knew it would not be tolerated. We strolled off day after day, in the woods and by the shore, picking winter-green, flowers, pennyroyal (children will pick anything), picking up shells and even pretty stones. Nobody worried us, and said, “What did you want to bring home all that stuff for?” They admired it all, and—when we forgot it, threw it away. We had a beautiful time every day. Why should we be disagreeable? No children in the world have happier or better times than my four. Whatever they can do for a good time, they are allowed to. Then when it is No, it is No, and they understand that there is a reason for it. Sometimes they know the reason, and sometimes not, but there is an end of it. Where is the trouble about that,—if you begin right? The nearest approach to a teaser is our youngest. For more than a year he was so sick that no one expected him to live. What could we do but “humor” him? Poor little sufferer! His own good sense and ours will soon set him right, now that he is well. He got his mind “set” on something that we did not think best, and was mourning over it a little to his sister, a little older. She set him straight by saying, “I s’pose you know you won’t get anything by teasing, when it isn’t ‘best,’ don’t you?” There it is in a nutshell. Years ago in some book, I got this idea, and it is effectual.—S. in Interior.

“THE BOND OF PERFECTNESS.” COL. 3 : 14.

By N. J. Bowers

BY N. J. BOWERS.

CHARITY, or love, is this bond. Now what is a bond? It is that which binds. It ties and makes fast. It has the sense of a seal. Isa. 8 : 16. “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” That to which a seal is attached becomes valid and safe. The seal is the assurance that that upon which it is placed is good and up to the standard of requirement. So love is the bond or seal of Christian perfection. This is what makes our profession genuine, that stamps it as valid. Love was at the beginning of human redemption. John 3 : 16. Love sent Jesus from the skies. We should love him who first loved us.

How is this bond of our perfection made manifest? Not by willful self-righteousness, but by willing obedience. John 14 : 15. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” 1 John 5 : 2, 3. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments : and his commandments are not grievous.” How do we know our perfection is genuine, then? Answer : By keeping God’s commandments. What are God’s commandments? Deut. 4 : 13 : “And he declared unto you his covenant which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments ; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.” This is the law of the Lord, conceived in his mind, spoken by his voice, and written by his finger. This law is perfect. Ps. 19 : 7 ; Jas. 1 : 25 ; 2 : 12. Here is the law of perfection. By this law our perfection must be measured. A perfect moral character is formed by perfect moral action. Perfect moral action must be gauged by a perfect moral rule or law. This law speaks out from its bosom, “The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do any work.” Reader, look well to your bond. Does your perfection ignore this voice? If it does, by the word of the living God, it is a delusion. It will fail you when you are weighed in the Judgment scales.

—Let your religion be seen rather than heard. A lighthouse sounds no drum, beats no gong ; yet far over the waters its friendly light is seen by the mariner.

FAMILY DUTIES.

By Dean Vaughan

It may be said, and with as much truth as is generally to be found in a paradox, that man made the State, but that God made the family. Of the last clause, at all events, there can be no denial—God made the family. It is the unit of society itself. According to the state of the homes of a town, or of a country, is the state of the place, and the state of the nation. I do not think that I err in noticing a decided diminution of respect and reverence inside the walls of homes within the limits of the half century to which my observation is restricted. I believe that an independence of act and speech, of conduct and manner, is now claimed, and now conceded between parents and children, whether sons or daughters, which would not have been dreamed of in the earlier years of this century.

“The mystery of lawlessness doth already work” in the midst of us here, while we are, perhaps, deploring the state of society abroad and thanking God that we are not as other nations are. If we would keep in any sense at the head of the nations, as the country of free institutions, of willing loyalty, of strong family ties, above all, of a pure and enlightened faith, we must look to homes. We must see that the relationship—the primary, the aboriginal relationship—of parents and children is exercised with all authority, and with all obedience.—Dean Vaughan.

"CAN'T YOU FORGIVE ME?"

THERE are two great mistakes made by parents, one is to remit threatened punishment for little or no reason, and the other is to stubbornly refuse to modify it, no matter what occurs. It is related of a minister, whose son had done a wrong and confessed it, that he sentenced him to three days on bread and water. For two days the lad bore it well. On the morning of the third day he asked the boy how he liked his fare. He said, “I can eat it very well, papa, but I don't much like it. Can't you forgive me, papa?” “No, sir, I cannot; my word has passed, and you must take your three days, as I told you.” The boy repeated, “But really, can't you forgive me, papa?” “No, I cannot break my word.” The boy said, “Then, papa, how could you say the Lord's prayer this morning?” The father ordered the fare to be changed, and said he had heard a better sermon than he had ever preached himself.—Golden Censer.

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