Earlier text: A CHANGE OR ABOLITION OF GOD’S LAW IS UNREASONABLEThe Temptation of Christ.
By Ellen G. White
There are many who fail to distinguish between the rashness of presumption and the intelligent confidence of faith. Satan thought that by his temptations he could delude the world’s Redeemer, to make one bold move in manifesting his divine power, to create a sensation, and to surprise all by the wonderful display of the power of his Father in preserving him from injury. He suggested that Christ should appear in his real character, and by this masterpiece of power, establish his right to the confidence and faith of the people, that he was indeed the Saviour of the world. If Christ had been deceived by Satan’s temptations, and had exercised his miraculous power to relieve himself from difficulty, he would have broken the contract made with his Father, to be a probationer in behalf of the race. It was a difficult task for the Prince of Life to carry out the plan which he had undertaken for the salvation of man, in clothing his divinity with humanity. He had received honor in the heavenly courts, and was familiar with absolute power. It was as difficult for him to keep the level of humanity as it is for men to rise above the low level of their depraved natures, and be partakers of the divine nature. Christ was put to the closest test, requiring the strength of all his faculties to resist the inclination when in danger, to use his power to deliver himself from peril, and triumph over the power of the prince of darkness. Satan showed his knowledge of the weak points of the human heart, and put forth his utmost power to take advantage of the weakness of the humanity which Christ had assumed in order to overcome his temptations on man’s account. God has given man precious promises upon conditions of faith and obedience; but they are not to sustain him in any rash act. If men needlessly place themselves in peril, and go where God does not require them to go, and self-confidently expose themselves to danger, disregarding the dictates of reason, God will not work a miracle to relieve them. He will not send his angels to preserve any from being burned if they choose to place themselves in the fire. Adam was not deceived by the serpent, as was Eve, and it was inexcusable in Adam to rashly transgress God’s positive command. Adam was presumptuous because his wife had sinned. He could not see what would become of Eve. He was sad, troubled, and tempted. He listened to Eve’s recital of the words of the serpent, and his constancy and integrity began to waver. Doubts arose in his mind in regard to whether God did mean just as he said. He rashly ate the tempting fruit. Spiritualists make the path to hell most attractive. Spirits of darkness are clothed by these deceptive teachers in pure robes of Heaven, and they have power to deceive those not fortified with Bible truth. Vain philosophy is employed in representing the path to hell as a path of safety. With the imagination highly wrought, and voices musically turned, they picture the broad road as one of happiness and glory. Ambition holds before deluded souls, as Satan presented to Eve, a freedom and bliss for them to enjoy which they never conceived was possible. Men are praised who have traveled the broad path to hell, and after they die are exalted to the highest positions in the eternal world. Satan, clothed in robes of brightness, appearing like an exalted angel, tempted the world’s Redeemer without success. But as he comes to man robed as an angel of light he has better success. He covers his hideous purposes, and succeeds too well in deluding the unwary who are not firmly anchored upon eternal truth. Riches, power, genius, eloquence, pride, perverted reason, and passion, are enlisted as Satan’s agents in doing his work in making the broad road attractive, strewing it with tempting flowers. But every word they have spoken against the world’s Redeemer will be reflected back upon them, and will one day burn into their guilty souls like molten lead. They will be overwhelmed with terror and shame as they behold the exalted one coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then shall the bold defier, who lifted himself up against the Son of God, see himself in the true blackness of his character. The sight of the inexpressible glory of the Son of God will be intensely painful to those whose characters are stained with sin. The pure light and glory emanating from Christ will awaken remorse, shame, and terror. They will send forth wails of anguish to the rocks and mountains, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” Spiritualists claim superior light and power. They have opened the door and invited the prince of darkness in, and have made him their honored guest. They have allied themselves to the powers of darkness which are developing in these last days in signs and wonders, that if it were possible they would deceive the very elect. Spiritualists claim that they can do greater miracles than Christ did. Satan made the same boasts to Christ. Because the Son of God had linked himself to the weakness of humanity, to be tempted in all points like as man should be tempted, Satan triumphed over him, and taunted him. He boasted of his superior strength, and dared him to open a controversy with him. Spiritualists are increasing in numbers. They will come to men who have the truth as Satan came to Christ, tempting them to manifest their power and work miracles, and give evidence of their being favored of God, and of their being the people who have the truth. Satan said to Christ, “If thou be the Son of God, command these stones that they be made bread.” Herod and Pilate asked Christ to work miracles when he was on trial for his life. Their curiosity was aroused, but Christ did not work a miracle to gratify them. Spiritualists will press the matter to engage in controversy with ministers who teach the truth. If they decline, they will dare them. They will quote Scripture, as did Satan to Christ. “Prove all things,” say they. But their idea of proving is to listen to their deceptive reasonings, and to attend their circles. But in their gatherings, the angels of darkness assume the forms of dead friends, and communicate with them as angels of light. Their loved ones will appear in robes of light, as familiar to the sight as when they were upon the earth. They will teach them, and converse with them. And many will be deceived by this wonderful display of Satan’s power. The only safety for the people of God is to be thoroughly conversant with their Bibles, and be intelligent upon the reasons of our faith in regard to the sleep of the dead. Satan is a cunning foe. And it is not difficult for the evil angels to represent both saints and sinners who have died, and make these representations visible to human eyes. These manifestations will be more frequent, and developments of a more startling character will appear as we near the close of time. We need not be astonished at anything in the line of deceptions to allure the unwary, and deceive, if possible, the very elect. Spiritualists quote, “Prove all things.” But God has, for the benefit of his people who live amid the perils of the last days, proved this class, and given the result of his proving. 2 Thess. 2:9-12: “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Take Time to Think,
By A. C. S.
In America, especially, most people seem to be in a great hurry. How great the bustle and commotion! What intense strife in the effort to reach some good! Why this universal hurry? Why such headlong, rushing haste! O fellow-traveler, stop and think a moment! Take time to think. Think calmly. Whence are you? and whither tending? What is to be the result of all this thoughtless haste? Are you intently seeking the highest good? May you not miss it for want of careful thought and sober inquiry? Are you seeking the world’s greatest interest—its eternal salvation? May you not mistake the best ways and means for lack of proper reflection and investigation? Are you seeking Heaven? Think much and prayerfully, lest you miss the direction and wander in the wrong road. Is the time short? Think the more carefully and run understandingly, lest if you miss the right way, you have not time to find it again. Are the elements already on fire? Prayerfully, with calm caution, study your guide-book, lest you miss the narrow path, and in rushing from fires behind plunge into hotter elements before! “Think on these things.” Take time to think. Be in earnest. Be zealous. Be vigilant and very active. But make haste deliberately, thoughtfully, slowly. Thousands of persons have professed Christ and assumed the church relation, moved, no doubt, by proper religious emotions and sympathies, and praiseworthy sentiments, incited by some true and real religious experiences, induced by an apprehension of truth then present and applicable to them, and have ever since run with great haste in the light of the first experiences. But they have rested their doctrine, belief, faith, hope, and prospects, entirely upon the little truth at first perceived, and hence have failed to advance from faith to faith, from light to light, from joy to joy (2 Pet. 1:5–12), and have entirely failed to apprehend the truths applicable to them in the different stages and periods of life’s development and history. Hence, such persons are no stronger, no wiser, no better, as Christians, than when first born to grace. Thousands of well-meaning, sincere persons seem never to have had a conception that anything beyond first impressions, first apprehensions, and first experiences, were possible in Christian life, or that it was possible to discover new truths; and hence, though ever zealously hurrying to and fro, remain relatively stationary in faith and hope. Other thousands seem equally ready to run after any and all lights, and any and all calls, whether they be lights from above or from below, or whether the calls be the voice of God or the voice of the deceiver, seeming intent only to run in haste. There are others still who started in the Christian course with sincere, honest purposes, who are pursuing with great zeal, not even the one light or truth first perceived, but prejudice, ambition, or some other selfish interest, blindly. And, oh! what agitations in the church, what commotions, what asperities and strifes result! Calamities all the more disastrous because of the intense zeal and haste of pursuit! Thousands of persons of honest purposes, sincere intentions, actuated by religious emotions and moral sentiments entirely praiseworthy, are following the lead of poor—not to say blind—guides to religious faith and doctrines, just because they do not take time to think with sufficient care to apprehend the truth. The writer of these lines, having been led to adopt the high spiritualistic or figurative interpretations and renderings of scriptures—though sincerely desiring to walk in the light of truth in all good conscience—for a period of thirty years, in the midst of an intensely busy and hurried life—has failed to apprehend correctly some of the most important truths of revelation, especially the present truths, applicable to our day and age, and as a logical consequence of the teaching of the schools, has, for a quarter of a century, denied the literal second coming of Christ, the literal resurrection of the body, the literal Judgment, and the literal destruction of the world by fire, &c., until an enforced leisure has recently given him time for quiet re-reading and calm thinking. Now, it seems marvelously strange that any sincere, intelligent mind should fail to apprehend such plain truths. Now, my prayer is that the “present truth” apprehended may not only make me “wise unto salvation,” and “established,” but a better man. This is the criterion by which to try ourselves as to whether we have sincerely accepted any truth apprehended. Does it make us wiser, stronger, and better? Hurrying pilgrim traveler, stop and think! “Think on these things.” Have not you, too, made some mistakes? Oh! take time to think! May not you, too, be blindly following error—the false logic of blind teachers? May not you be actuated by mere prejudice or a false ambition? Mere unconsciousness of error, or blindness, or prejudice against truth, will not suffice. Mere sincerity of anxious pursuit in the Christian race is not all that is required. We need to run in the light of truth. God’s will is that we should be wholly right. Nor will merely great zeal in the Master’s cause suffice for the Christian soldier. The efficient weapons of our warfare must be burnished truths. Nor of truths will the old ones always suffice. Some things which are true at one time are not at another. The preaching of a coming flood was at one time present truth, but has ceased to be such now. Not every truth most important at any one time is most important at all times. Some truths are absolute and universal; some are relative—applicable at particular periods of time, for special purposes to combat special errors, and achieve special victories. The efficient soldier must use the most improved and sharpest instruments—those adapted to his time. And he who shall attempt to achieve the victories demanded in this “time of the end” by the use of the old-time truths, is as unwise as he who should attempt to capture the fortress of Gibraltar to-day by the use of the sling, the war club, and other primeval weapons. Not even the old tried and absolute truths are sufficient. But God has prepared us weapons for this special age, this “day of his preparation.” Let us apprehend them, and learn to wield them with directness and power; then shall victory be ours, and the laurels and crowns ours in the day of triumph. “Think on these things.” Friend, no longer willingly or thoughtlessly walk in darkness and inefficient weakness, while the means of strength and efficiency are within your reach, means which in your great hurry you pass by; but stop and think, and grasp them; wield them deliberately, striking—not at random, too hurriedly, but with direct aim and straight, strong blows, and God will give you great victories! “Think on these things.” Take time to think, that you may apprehend the true light—the present truth, in these last days revealed of God, that you may do effective service in proclaiming the soon coming of our Lord. A. C. S. Vows are things to be remembered. The practice of making them is common. In “stress of weather” sinners make large promises. But when the storm-cloud is folded up, and the sun appears, they are apt to forget their solemn obligations. And God's people making vows in time of trouble, or amid some marvelous displays of divine power, have often treacherous memories, when the times of exigency and of heart tenderness are past. But these things are registered on high. God is not forgetful of human vows. The archbishop of Cologne, being asked by the Emperor Sigismund how to attain true happiness, replied, “Perform when thou art well, what thou promised when thou wast sick.” Let the counsel of inspiration be remembered: “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.” The Coming of Faith.
By S. B. Whitney
“But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.” Gal. 3:25. What are we to understand by the coming of faith? Certainly not the first introduction of faith into the church; “for by it the elders obtained a good report,” and without it, it was as impossible for them to please God as it is for us. Heb. 11:2, 6. Neither can it be said that theirs was not a gospel faith; for it was the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” and the faith by which the just shall now live. Verse 1; chap. 10:38. And the “more excellent sacrifice” of Abel, and the choice of Moses attest a faith that grasped the provisions and promises of the gospel. Verses 4, 24–26. The coming of faith, therefore, in our view, must relate to the time and events connected with the development of the plan of redemption, when its initiatory steps became matters of fact, and the faith of the church, instead of being purely prospective in its character, rested partially upon that which is tangible, and by which its claims could be more confidently asserted. But how does this affect our relation to the moral law of God? It does not alter, but intensifies it; as the necessity of the sacrifice of the Son of God, to meet the demands of that law, and save man from the penalty of its transgression, is no longer imperfectly foreshadowed by the slaughtered victims of former dispensations, but is demonstrated by his actual sufferings and death. Thus faith does not make void the law, but establishes it. Rom. 3:31. We therefore conclude that the schoolmaster is the law which regulated the typical service, which was observed until the coming of faith made it no longer necessary, or even admissible. Value of Iron Bar Made Into Products
A BAR of iron worth $5.50, made into horseshoes, is worth $10.50; made into penknife blades, it is worth $355; made into needles, it is worth $3,285; and made into balance springs for watches, it is worth $250,000. The Law and the Gospel.
By James White
THE BEARING OF CHRIST’S WORDS RELATIVE TO TRUTH AND DUTY IN THE CHRISTIAN AGE, CONSIDERED.
As we come to the New Testament we should attentively consider the bearing which Christ’s public teachings have in respect to truth and duty in the Christian age. The great commission to the eleven, designed to be perpetuated in the Christian ministry to the end of the world, is to the point. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matt. 28:19, 20. We briefly comment on this commission. 1. It was given after the Jewish age was ended, just before the Lord was taken up to Heaven. The Jewish age closed with Christ’s crucifixion, when the hand-writing of Jewish ordinances was “nailed to the cross.” Col. 2:14. The Jewish “sacrifice and oblation” virtually ceased “in the midst of the week,” when Messiah was “cut off.” Dan. 9:26, 27. The death of Christ was the dividing line between the two ages; or, at least, it terminated the typical dispensation. 2. It was forty-two days, at least, after the Jewish age had ended when our Lord gave this commission. The Christian age was before him, hence the commission spoken in the hearing of the eleven was designed for the Christian ministry down to the end of the world. 3. By the authority of this commission, the custom of Christian ministers ever has been, still is, and ever should be until the end of the world, to baptize believers in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 4. In this great commission we read the solemn injunction of the Son of God to the Christian ministry to teach all nations, hence, to perpetuate in the Christian church the doctrines he proclaimed during his public ministry. Therefore, his words relative to the law, or commandments of his Father have all their force of application to the men of the nineteenth century, that they did to those who first heard them. In coming to the New Testament we find the first four chapters of Matthew devoted to a sketch of the genealogy of Christ, Joseph and Mary, the birth of Jesus, Herod’s slaying the children of Bethlehem, the ministry of John the Baptist, the temptation of Christ, and his entering upon his ministry. The fifth chapter opens with the first record of his public instructions. In that memorable sermon upon the mount Christ warns his disciples against the terrible heresy that would soon press its way into the church. The Jews boasted of God, of Abraham, and of the law, but despised and rejected Jesus. The great facts connected with his resurrection were soon to be so convincing that many would believe. And as the Jews were to reject and crucify the Son, while boasting in the law, Christians would run to the opposite and equally fatal heresy of trampling upon the authority of the Father, and despising his law, while receiving Christ and glorying in the gospel. It has ever been Satan’s object to separate, in the faith of the church, the Father and the Son. With the Jews was the cry, The Father, Abraham, the law; but away with Jesus and his gospel. With Christians, the cry was to arise, Christ, the cross, the gospel; but away with the law of the Father. To meet this heresy, ere long to arise in the Christian church, Christ, in his evangelical sermon, appeals to his disciples in the presence of the assembled multitudes in these forcible words:— “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of Heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.” This wonderful declaration of the Son of God needs no comment. The history of the church, showing how loosely, great and apparently good, men have held the law of God, and the present closing controversy respecting its perpetuity, give the warning words of the Son of God especial force. In no case did Christ intimate, during the entire period of his public ministry, that his Father’s law was to be set aside, and that he was to give the church a new moral code to take its place. He disclaims having anything to do with legislating. “Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” John 7:16. “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” Chap. 8:28. “The word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” Chap. 14:24. And speaking of the Son, the Father says, “He shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Deut. 18:18. Another remarkable declaration of the Son of God is his statement of one of the conditions of obtaining eternal life: “If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments.” Matt. 19:17. And when the young man inquired, “Which?” Jesus quoted from the second table of his Father’s moral code, leaving no doubt as to what he meant by the word “commandments.” In this address to the young man, Christ most assuredly gives a practical lesson to his church to be observed during the Christian age. His parting words to the eleven, as he gave to them the great Christian commission, make this point fast, and show it to be the duty of the Christian ministry to repeat in the ears of the people, upon the authority of their high commission, “even unto the end of the world,” “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Many of the teachings of the Son of God pertain to the great principles of moral government which cannot be confined to any one age. As an instance, we cite his words to the tempting lawyer who inquired, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matt. 22:35–40. In this statement, Christ does not introduce new principles. He quotes the first of the two great commandments from Deut. 6:5, and the second from Lev. 19:18. These two commandments are neither Jewish nor Christian in particular. They belong to all ages. They were given to guard the two principles which reach back in the past, and forward into the eternal future, parallel with God’s moral government of created intelligences. On these two commandments, the ten precepts of the moral code, as well as the prophets, had hung since the fall, and ever would hang until the close of human probation. Then let the ministers of Jesus Christ teach all nations, even unto the end of the Christian age, that all ten of the precepts of the divine law hang upon love to God, and love to man. Not even one of them has fallen off. When it can be shown that these principles may be abolished, changed, and amended, then may it be also shown that the ten precepts of the divine law, which hang upon, or grow out of, these eternal principles can be abolished, changed, and amended. But these principles are as changeless as the throne of Heaven, and will endure and run parallel with the eternity of the divine existence. The Christian ministry cannot too highly exalt supreme love to God and love to man. And let it be proclaimed on the authority of the great commission, even unto the end of the world, that “on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” In harmony with the foregoing, the Son of God speaks to the church in Rev. 22:14, in these words: “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” We call attention to facts important to this subject as follows:— 1. Christ is the speaker. These are not the words of John, but of Him who declares in verse 12, “Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me.” It is Christ and not the prophet of Patmos, that is coming to reward the faithful and obedient. The first clause of the inspired book—“The Revelation of Jesus Christ,”—flatly contradicts the title which the compilers of the Bible have placed over the first chapter—“The Revelation of St. John the Divine.” This mistake of the compilers has given rise to the erroneous expression, “John the Revelator.” Inspiration, however, has given the honor to the Son of God which men have given to the prophet John. Christ is the Revelator, the speaker. 2. The commandments here spoken of are not the commandments of the speaker. Christ does not here say, Blessed are they that do my commandments. Neither does he here declare blessings upon those who should keep the commandments of the apostles, But it is “his commandments,” the commandments of his Father, of which the Son of God here speaks. Christians should keep the commandments of Christ and the commandments of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; but they do not reach the sum of Christian duty until it can also be said of them, “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” That Christ here refers to the moral code of ten precepts of Exodus 20, is beyond all conjecture. 3. The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ was written A. D. 96, thirty-five years after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and the day of Pentecost. The Christian church was therefore fully established, and every point to which our opponents look, and argue for the abolition or change of the divine law, was more than thirty years in the past when we hear from Christ by the way of Patmos declaring blessings upon those who keep his Father’s commandments. It was upon the mount of transfiguration that the voice came from the light cloud that overshadowed the enraptured witnesses, saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him.” Christ is the highest authority for Christians. Hear him, O church of Christ, and you his ambassadors, who speak in his stead, and shout his words to the end of the earth, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” J. W. Editorial Correspondence.
By John Nevins Andrews
FURTHER LABORS IN PRUSSIA.
Since my last report our labors have been constant, and we have experienced much of the blessing of God. We have had meetings in different villages as the way has opened, and in every place have seen some tokens for good. I have also been obliged to devote considerable time to the answering of those letters which have been called out by my advertisements for persons interested in the Sabbath of the Lord. On Thursday last, Bro. Ertzenberger and myself returned to Gladbach, and spent the Sabbath and first-day in that city. On Thursday evening we spoke to the brethren on the best methods of carrying forward the work. On Sabbath evening as our first-day Baptist friends were present, I spoke from Rom. 6, concerning the relation between baptism and the law of God. Sabbath forenoon I spoke upon the Sabbath of the Lord. In the afternoon Bro. Ertzenberger spoke upon the choice which Moses made. In the evening I spoke to the brethren on the subject of advertising to find the scattered Sabbath-keepers of Europe. I told them what had been done in this business, thus far, also that when in London Eld. Jones said to me, that he had heard that there were Sabbath-keepers in Holland. I said to them that as they were on the border of Holland I should invite them to meet the expense of this undertaking, and that I should invite the Elberfeld brethren, who live east of the Rhine, and at a considerable distance from Gladbach to undertake the like burden in behalf of Germany. The Gladbach friends responded at once that they would do this with the greatest pleasure. Our meetings on first-day were held in a public hall, and were advertised in the principal paper of the city. Gladbach is a Roman Catholic city, but it has many candid citizens. In the forenoon we had two hundred hearers, and they were persons of intelligence. We were told that the school teachers of the city were generally present. At noon a gentleman who was an entire stranger came and invited us to speak at eight that evening to the church of which he is a member, in a city about twelve miles distant. As we already had three meetings appointed for the day, it seemed at first not possible. But we could get to the place on the cars after our last meeting in Gladbach, and as the invitation seemed like God’s hand opening our way, I could not find it in my heart to refuse. It seems that here is a church of several hundred persons who have no pastor, but who maintain worship themselves, and who seek to walk in the truth as Bible Christians. Just before the afternoon meeting this gentleman informed us that he had forgotten that at eight that evening his church had the Lord’s supper, which would fill the time till nine. He invited us to come at any other time, and promised us a large congregation. Hereafter, if God will, we will know something further of this people. In the afternoon our congregation was much larger than in the forenoon. We had the school teachers again, several, clergyman, some of the wealthiest people of the city, and very many Catholics. There were no base-looking people present. We had great freedom in speaking, both in the forenoon and in the afternoon. But the meeting in the afternoon was one of deep solemnity. The subject was Acts 17:30, 31. I spoke first of the great day of final account, and the people listened as though the subject was wholly new to them. Then, for the special benefit of the Catholics present, I set forth from the word of God the nature of that repentance which God here commands. I showed that it did not consist in punishing one’s self for sins, and then returning again to the same sins, and again squaring the account with self-inflicted punishment; that men who acted thus retained the love of sin all the time in their hearts, and never stood in a position where God could accept them, and never laid the foundation of a virtuous character, such as God proposes to receive into heaven. I showed them that true repentance begins in godly sorrow for sin, and that it produces an entire change of heart and life, and that this class of persons alone would be able to stand in the Judgment. When the meeting closed a business man, who was present in the meeting of the previous evening the son of Sabbath-keeping parents, but not a Sabbath-keeper, came and asked the privilege of meeting the entire expense of advertising in Holland. He wished it to be done in three different papers. He expressed his interest in what he had heard, and I hope this act signifies that he means to have a part in the work as a commandment-keeper. After we returned to our lodgings a first-day Baptist gentleman and his wife called upon us to say that they had that day decided to keep the Sabbath of the Lord. Also that evening a lady who has never observed the Sabbath only in conformity to her mother’s request, came and desired to be baptized saying that she was fully decided to keep the commandments. The evening service was one of prayer and exhortation. Bro. E. filled the time with profit, but from weariness I did not attend. Next morning we called on several families. At the first place we met a Catholic lady who attended our meetings the previous day, and who is anxiously inquiring the way of truth. She had never read the Bible except such parts as she found in her books of instruction. She said that the people were not allowed to have the Bible. We confirmed this fact by inquiring in vain at the book-stores for Catholic Bibles. This lady has begun to learn that repentance and faith precede baptism, and she is very anxious to walk in the truth. But her priest and her family are violently opposing her. We advised her to call often in the family where we then were, and read the word of God for herself. At the next place where we called we found a lady who belongs to the Protestant national church and who believed herself to be a Christian simply because she was sprinkled when a babe! But she listened attentively while Bro. E. explained to her the way of salvation through faith and repentance, how Satan has cursed the world with institutions which make void the institutions of the Almighty, and which lead men astray from God! From Gladbach we returned on Monday as far as the village of Hilden, where we found the brethren had secured a hall for a course of lectures. It is quite well adapted to our purpose, and will accommodate three hundred persons. It will cost about seven dollars a month. This seems to be a providential opening, and as such we accept it. I have now been in Prussia about one month. Our labor has been constant and wearing, but it has been scattered over quite an extensive territory. This has been caused partly by the fact that our friends are thus scattered, and partly because we could get no hall for steady meetings except at ruinous prices. If God will, I shall set out for Switzerland the first of next week, and leave Bro. Ertzenberger to give the course of lectures at Hilden. The time that remains to me in this region I purpose to spend in giving special instruction to the brethren here in practical matters of vital importance. We have already done much of this kind of work. Bro. Ertzenberger has been a very efficient helper. I have spoken nearly every time thus far, because I expected to leave and he expected to remain. But much of the interest of our meetings has been due to his ability to interpret109 into German with readiness, and to the help which he has received from the Spirit of God. The way seems to be open before him to labor successfully in this country and I have great confidence that he will stand in the counsel of God, and that God will bless his labors. I will speak of our finances hereafter. The brethren here will sustain the expenses of the work from this point, and I shall try to have the entire expense of our mission to Germany refunded to the Swiss treasury. I see no lack of disposition on the part of these brethren to do all that is reasonable in their circumstances. Elberfeld, Prussia, March 3, 1875.