BRO. SMITH: I read the Review with increasing interest, and find satisfaction and comfort in its pages, especially the communications from the dear saints scattered abroad. I have often wished I could express my feelings to them in return, but a sense of my inability to edify has prevented me. But if others should refrain for a similar reason, we should lose much that is interesting to the church, as calculated to do good. It is the duty of every one to do what they can, and not withhold their offering because it is small.
I have read the evidence adduced that we are in the Laodicean state of the church, and it looks very conclusive to me that it is so. If I was at all sceptical on that point, my own experience would have been very convincing. I often felt alarmed that such a listless feeling pervaded my mind, and frequently resolved to rise in the strength of Israel's God; but my resolutions "like the morning cloud and early dew soon passed away." But when the message came, it was accompanied by the Spirit and power of God. I humbly trust that by the assisting grace of God I have felt the rebuke, heeded the chastisement, and by zealous repentance am striving for the gold, the white
raiment, and eye-salve, that I may shun that awful threatening, "I will spew you out of my mouth."
My dear brethren and sisters, let us come up to this last work. It appears to me we have no more time to dally away. God has borne with us until we can reasonably expect it no longer. Let the time past suffice that we have been at ease in Zion; God has pronounced a woe against such. How secure! Knew not that we were poor, miserable, blind and naked. How good the Lord is to give us this timely admonition. Truly we may count his long-suffering salvation.
Our position is so clearly defined in the Bible, and the evidence is so conclusive that we have had the first, second, and we are now in the third angel's message, which brings to light our duty to keep the Sabbath, that we have rested too secure—feeling that we were "rich, increased in goods, and had need of nothing." I praise God that he has not taken his holy Spirit from me. I feel daily to renew my covenant with him, and my choice to serve him. I regret that so much of my time has run to waste. It was seven years last January since I commenced to keep the holy Sabbath. Though I have enjoyed much of the presence and Spirit of the Lord, yet I feel that I have not lived up to my high privilege. I cannot rest satisfied without an abiding evidence that my ways please God. Why is it not our privilege as much as it was Enoch's, who walked with God and was not, for God took him? We who are looking for our Lord ought to be ready for translation at any moment. This is a great work, but no more than we have power to perform, because God requires it, and we have the assurance from the blessed Word that he will assist us. "He will give grace and glory and withhold no good thing from those that walk uprightly."
O let us all be awake to this all-absorbing subject. How sad, how deplorable, for any that have been in the Advent movement, passed through the Angels' messages, felt the spirit of consecration that was so universal in 1843-4, now at this late hour to fall back for the want of heeding the counsel of the true Witness. O may we hear his voice while he is knocking, open the door that he may come in and sup with us and we with him. What condescension! Still further, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne." O my heart says, Praise the Lord for the prospect of soon seeing Jesus as he is, and the promise of being made like him. Let us faithfully hold fast our confidence, steadfast even unto the end.
Yours in hope.
P. M. BATES.
Fairhaven, Mass., July 19th, 1857
LOIS J. RICHMOND
By Lois J. Richmond
From Sister Richmond.
Bro. Smith : I feel to rejoice and praise the Lord for what I hear and see of the onward progress of the cause of truth. Truly we have been passing through a dark and trying time, and we have needed much of the patience of the saints ; but praise the Lord, the morning begins to dawn. Already have we seen some rays of light, which is an unmistakable evidence of the near approach of day. The Third Angel's Message is waxing louder and louder, and soon will the earth be lightened with its glory. Truth is mighty and will prevail. It is destined to triumph over all the powers of darkness and error. I have felt much encouraged and strengthened since the Lancaster tent-meeting. The truth which was there presented, with the exhortations and admonitions given, was meat in due season to my soul. The impression it there made upon my mind has not as yet passed away, and my prayer to God is that it never may until my whole being is entirely consecrated to the service of God. My soul hungers and thirsts for righteousness, and never can I be satisfied until I am filled with the fullness of God. I believe it is the duty and privilege of the child of God to be even as his Word commands ; to live in obedience to every requirement. For this I mean to strive until I attain to that for which I seek, holiness of heart, without which no man shall see the Lord. I want to be an overcomer. I want to open the door of my heart that Jesus may have full possession there, and by his grace assisting me I will endeavor to clear all the rubbish away from the door of my heart and bid the heavenly guest a welcome in. I desire no higher honor in this world than that of welcoming the Saviour into my heart to sup with me and I with him. Do we realize, my brethren and sisters, that the King of glory is knocking at the door of our hearts for admission, and must he knock in vain? Will you not listen to his entreaties and arise and clear away the rubbish and bid him welcome in? The Lord grant that you may, is the prayer of your unworthy sister.
LOIS J. RICHMOND
Ashfield, Mass., July 25th, 1857.
D. J. FRISBIE
By D. J. Frisbie
From Sister Frisbie.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: Are we living in the judgment hour, and must our cases soon peradventure be brought before the Father in review, and must we be judged according to our works, whether they be good or whether they be evil? And for every idle word that men shall speak, must they give account thereof in the day of judgment? Solemn thought! and yet how little heeded, how little realized by many of us! Seeing we are looking for these things what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness. O that our eyes might be anointed with eye-salve, that we might see our true condition and confess all our sins while Jesus is now pleading for us!
Ofttimes while searching my heart and seeing the depravity of my nature, I have been brought to realize somewhat the feelings of the Apostle when he cried out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death! Truly, were we left dependent on the arm of flesh for salvation, we might well despair; but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through his name we may come boldly to a throne of grace and find help in every time of need. Then let us watch and pray, let us take heed to our words for by our words we are to be justified and by our words we are to be condemned. Speak not evil one of another, brethren; for he that speaketh evil of his brother judgeth the law. If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man. Then let us put away all evil speaking, and may our fruits be the peaceable fruits of righteousness.
Ah, solemn thought, and is it true,
Is now the judgment in review,
Upon each saint that sleeps?
Not one of them hath he forgot—
To Daniel, standing in his lot,
The Lord his promise keeps.
Yes, soon our cases he'll decide;
Who then among us can abide
His scrutinizing eye?
Our thoughts, our words, our actions here
Must all before him soon appear,
Naught then will he pass by.
Then may we, Lord thy favor gain,
Our sins blot out, our names retain,
May grace to us abound.
And when the storm of wrath is come,
When all thy saints are gathered home,
May we with them be found.
D. J. FRISBIE
Battle Creek, Mich.
Extracts from Letters.
Bro. Ahel Tuttle writes from Sandy Creek, N. Y., July 26th, 1857: "I love my paper, and think were I compelled to do without it or do more for it, I should try to do the latter; and I think this is the mind of many. Our prayer is that the publishing department may be sustained, both with wisdom from on high, and pecuniary aid from the church. I believe that means will not be wanting when our hearts get fully in the work."
Forgiveness Seventy Times Seven
Christ will certainly extend his acts of forgiveness, as far as he commanded Peter, even to seventy times seven; this should encourage hope, not feed presumption.
Receipts.
Annexed to each receipt in the following list, is the Volume and Number of the Review and Herald to which the money receipted pays If money for the paper is not in due time acknowledged, immediate notice of the omission should then be given.
FOR REVIEW AND HERALD.
Jos. Catlin $1,00,xi,1. L. J. Richmond 1,00,xii,1. C. Bates 1,00,xi,14. J. Bartholf 2,00,xi,1. Sr. Phillips (for R. Beckwith) 0,50,xii,1. R. M. Morris 1,00,xi,13. A friend (for A. Munson) 1,00,x,13. C. Holiday 1,00,xi,14. D. Thompson 2,00,x,1. A. Tuttle 2,00,xi,1. Sr. Cooley (for J. Dickey) 0,25,xi,1. Wm. C. Negus 0,30,xi,1. G. L. Cobb 1,00,xi,14. A. Marvin 1,00,x,12. J. Brezee 1,00,x,12.
FOR REVIEW TO POOR.—J. Bartholf $0,90.
FOR BOOK FUND.—Ch. in Mill Grove, N. Y. $9,50. A. W. Coles $1.
FOR MICH. TENT.—Wm. C. Negus $1.
Books Sent.—M. J. Bartholf, Wis., R. M. Morris, Wis., D. C. Demarest, N. Y., Mrs. S. Eastman, N. Y., Geo. W. Washburn, Me., J. Fishell, jr., Mich.
Tent Meeting in Barre, Mass.
By E. L. Barr
OUR Tent-meeting at Barre closed July 19th, it being the first effort made with the Tent since Bro. White was with us.
Our Tent was pitched on the farm of Otis Grant, about a mile and a half from Barre Center, where we were kindly furnished with whatever we needed by paying for the same. The notice was not so extensively given as we intended, although we were glad to learn on our arrival at the place that the Editor of the public Journal published at Barre had aided us in the work by noticing a handbill posted up in another place.
This was a new place, where the present truth had never been preached, and it soon became evident that the Devil designed that it never should be, excepting to those that he had already secured for himself. A goodly number of the saints were present, having traveled some twenty-five or thirty miles to reach the meeting. Our first prayer-meeting, Sabbath morn, was indeed a time of refreshing to many of the saints. The great Head of the church honored our meeting with his approving smiles.
The gathering was not large, probably not near as large as it would have been had it not been for the lectures of two celebrated Spiritualists on First-day at the village, on the kingdoms of this world, and setting forth the Republic of the U. S. as eventually to become the kingdom of God.
We were blessed with much freedom in presenting the truth, being sustained by the grace of God through the prayers of the faithful, self-sacrificing saints. Some listened attentively to the word spoken, while good order was observed by those in and near the Tent for which we would praise the name of our God who suffered no man to do us harm. After we closed our last 5 o'clock meeting, while we were striking our Tent and preparing to leave, we were a little annoyed by the conversation of a few fellows somewhat of the character of those that vexed the soul of the righteous just previous to the destruction of Sodom.
Bro. Smith from N. H. was with us and helped us on First-day. On the whole we do not believe this effort will be labor lost. We therefore leave it with our heavenly Father with a fixed determination by his grace to toil on in unison with his people until the war is over.
E. L. BARR.
The Grand Traverse Hoax.
By Editor
Our readers will remember that we promised, in No. 4, to lay before them whatever information might be gained concerning the reported wonders of Spiritualism, said to have occurred at Grand Traverse, Mich., namely, bringing the putrid body of a woman seven months dead from her grave &c. Information has come to light, by which it appears that it is an unmitigated hoax. The Editor of one of the papers that aided in giving circulation to the reports in question, received the following letter from the Post Master of that place:
“GRAND TRAVERSE, [Michigan,] June 2.
“Mr. ——————: Sir—I now write to inform you the story you sent is false; there are no such persons in or about Grand Traverse as are mentioned in said story. I have received and answered letters on this subject from nearly every State in the Union, and have a large package of letters now for James Taylor, Dr. John Morton, &c. There never have been any such persons here at all, therefore there is no truth in the matter. Report says, the Editor of the Grand Rapids Inquirer wrote and published said story for his own diversion.
H. C. Furman, P. M.”
Clarke on Spiritualism.
“That the spirits of the dead might and did appear, was a doctrine held by the greatest and holiest of men that ever existed; and a doctrine which the cavilers, free-thinkers and bound-thinkers of different ages have never been able to disprove.” Clarke on Matt. xiv, 26.
Well, then, we inquire, if this be so, when an agency manifests itself, and claims to be the spirit of some departed friend, have we any reason to deny the claim? Has any one who believes the above testimony any ground for denying that the manifestations of modern Spiritualism are produced by the spirits of the dead? Not an inch. We appeal then to the followers of Clarke to know what they will do. Will they admit the truthfulness of Spiritualism, the legitimate conclusion of their own teaching, or will they reform their theology? The only alternative before professed christendom, we still contend as we have contended, is to renounce their belief in regard to dead men, or become open Spiritualists.
If our advice would be good for any thing with those of whom the Apostle speaks in 2 Tim. iii & iv, we would advise them not to become Spiritualists. Do we then advise them to remain where they are, and as they are, doggedly resisting a work for which their own teaching has laid a broad foundation? No. This would be more absurd in them still. What then? We say let them retrace the steps they have taken in error, go back to the Bible, acknowledge that a dead man is dead, and knows no more than the Bible says he does. Eccl. ix, 5.
Because a man has taken one step in error which makes necessary another, we do not say that on this account he should take that second step, but let him retrace the first. In this way only can the wrong move be remedied.
Tent Meeting in Findlay, Ohio.
By M. E. Cornell
Bro. Smith: Our meeting here is now fairly under way. The interest is rising every day. They take off the books as fast as we can make change. Our tent is not near large enough to hold the people. The Post Master of the village of Gilboa, sixteen miles from this place, is urging us very hard to go there; says the people are all waked up to hear. This begins to seem like Michigan. Our labors heretofore have been in hard ground, where much hard labor was required to accomplish very little. But here the people are hungry for the truth, and we are much encouraged. Praise the Lord. The subject of the two-horned beast has stirred up the people wonderfully. This evening a Methodist minister undertakes to show that we misapply the prophecy of the two-horned beast. He has heard but one lecture. More anon.
M. E. Cornell.
Findlay, O., July 27th, 1857.
A P P O I N T M E N T S.
By E. L. Barr
THERE will be a Tent-meeting at West Wilton, N. H., commencing Aug. 29th, and continuing as long as the cause may demand.
Will the churches in Vt. and N. H. send us a large delegation at this meeting, and especially of that class qualified to labor in word and in doctrine. Let as many others come prepared to take care of themselves as can conveniently, and let none stay away who may see it duty to come for fear of being burdensome to others. We hope to see a large gathering here of those that love the blessed cause more than every earthly consideration, and are willing to sacrifice all for eternal life.
E. L. BARR.
Lancaster, Mass., July 23d, 1857.
P. S. This meeting is designed for a general gathering of the saints to secure united action in carrying forward the work, whether by Tent operation or otherwise.
E. L. B.
Tent Meetings in Wisconsin.
By James White
Bro. Hart and myself have designed holding a series of Tent-meetings in Wisconsin, to commence Aug. 21st. We expected Bro. Ingraham would join us in these meetings. But we hear that Bro. Loughborough is called to Iowa on account of sickness, so that Bro. Ingraham will join Bro. Hart in the Illinois Tent. And at present, duties connected with the Office, and the prosperity of the church here, forbid our leaving for Wisconsin as soon as we anticipated. When the way opens for us to go to Wisconsin, we shall endeavor to give the brethren timely notice through the Review.
JAMES WHITE.
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