Earlier text: A New BookThe International Buddhist Society
AN International Buddhist Society was founded in Mandalay last year, and has entered upon an active propaganda for the extension of Buddhism in all lands. “The hope of all hearts,” says the report of the secretary-general, is that “from this small beginning our work shall extend over the globe, and the earth be brought beneath the canopy of the Conqueror, the Lord of wisdom and of love.” This has been done, so the prospectus of the movement states, in the firm belief that it “will prove a remedy for many of the evils of the present age.” It is interesting to note some of the grounds on which this belief is based. The prospectus says:— The teachings of Buddhism being against the taking of life, their general acceptance would involve the substitution of arbitration for war, of imprisonment for capital punishment, and the abolition of the slaughter of animals—a practice as degrading to those employed in it as it is cruel to helpless creatures. The ethical system of Buddhism further prohibits the use of intoxicating liquors or drugs, one of the chief curses of this age, the use of alcohol alone being responsible for over twenty-five per cent of lunatics in our asylums, to say nothing of its effects on the descendants of those afflicted by this deadly habit. Buddhism, again, is the sole great religion of the world which places men and women on the same footing; many of the great disciples of Buddha were women, and in Burma, where Buddhism is the dominant factor of the national life, women have more freedom than in any other country in the world. The spread of Buddhist tenets would undoubtedly tend to do away with the injurious distinctions of sex that prevail in the West. It will be observed that a considerable basis is afforded in these specifications for an appeal to the æsthetic and moral sensibilities of many people in civilized as well as heathen lands; for many are opposed to the slaughter of animals for food, to the use of alcohol, and to drugs. It is evident, too, that this advantage to Buddhism comes from the fact that the “Christian” powers of the world are not Christian in fact as well as in name. If the truths of Christianity were honored in the practices of professedly Christian people, no opportunity would be given a false religion to claim superiority for itself in the important matter of promoting temperate living. The prospectus points out, further, that Buddhism, in its philosophic aspects, presents “an agnosticism singularly in accordance with the more advanced phases of modern thought.” This is certainly true; for many ideas which belong to the “advanced phases of modern thought” are purely pagan, though in “Christian” lands they assume a Christian guise. It would not be strange therefore if this Buddhist society’s program of implanting Buddhism in the religious soil of the Western world should meet with a considerable degree of success. “Every year,” the prospectus tells us, “more and more, intellectual Western minds are discovering the wrong direction of scientific thought, and adopting the more metaphysical attitude of Buddhism” as being “the only logical and possible explanation of the difficulties that confront us.” And viewed from any other standpoint than that of faith, this seems true enough. But probably pagan ideas will continue to flourish best in civilized lands in the guise of advanced Christianity, embodied in some of the latter-day isms which have taken a Christian name. The advance of paganism under such a guise in the nominally Christian countries of the earth constitutes one of the great perils of these last days. Governor Durbin, of Indiana, accurately defined the situation in a recent speech, in which he said:— No government can endure with the court and the mob seeking to exercise identical functions. Either the supremacy of the law must be established beyond question, or free rein must be given to the fury of riotous assemblages engaged in trampling all law into the dust. Anarchy and constitutional government may not thrive within the same geographical limits. We must ultimately altogether give up the one or the other. If guilty men are to be hanged or burned by “good citizens” to-day under the summary procedure of brute force, then innocent men may be hanged or burned to-morrow by bad citizens operating under the same warrant, because brute force is no respecter of persons or principles, and may as readily be invoked in a bad cause as in a good one. If the mob spirit is to become the national spirit, being contagious, it must either be stamped out or its ultimate supremacy conceded. Then the next step in our political development will be the sway of that dictator who proves himself to be the best leader of mobs. In an editorial under the heading, “The New Slavery,” the New York Times says of the peonage and convict camp systems which exist in parts of the South:— That system is evidently enough a revival of the old slavery, without any of the mitigations which domestic intimacy made in the old slavery. The “convict camp system” in vogue in Georgia is likewise the reproduction of all the horrors and barbarities of the old system, without any of the features which went far to redeem and humanize that system. Peonage in Alabama, convict labor in Georgia, both these systems are slavery at its very worst. Statements like this are sufficient to dispose of an objection sometimes urged against the view held by Seventh-day Adventists, that slavery will exist in the land at the close of probation. Commenting on a recent lynching in Wyoming, which involved the murder of a sheriff by the mob, as well as the killing of two prisoners, the Cleveland Plain Dealer says:— “In short, no sooner is the curtain rung down on a bloody tragedy in Kentucky, or Delaware, or Illinois, than the stage is found set for a similar presentation elsewhere. Mob violence in one form or another is a continuous performance.” The Chicago Tribune remarks that “lynching is fast becoming a habit.” And when lynching becomes the habit of a people, law and order and just government cease to be the habit. Lynching does not belong to government at all, but to anarchy. And the lynching habit, like other habits, is one that grows. At the first, only negroes were lynched, and that for only one crime, of which they were unquestionably guilty. Next negroes began to be lynched for various crimes. Next white men began to be victims of the lynching mob. Next, negroes were lynched who were not known to be guilty of the crime which had aroused the mob, but only suspected of it. And finally, negroes were lynched who were known not to be guilty; the bloodthirst of the mob, once aroused, demanded a victim, though it was one known to be innocent. This is the stage of development which this fast-growing “habit” has reached to-day. Increase of Insanity in England
Some figures on the increase of insanity have recently been compiled in England, to which attention is directed by the press. Conditions there may be worse in this particular than in America and other countries, yet they must represent the general tendency in all civilized lands. The London correspondent of the Chicago Tribune says:— The annual report of the lunacy commissioners shows an enormous increase in madness in England and Wales. In 1859 the number of insane was 36,762, a proportion to the population of 1 in 536. There has been a steady increase up to Jan. 1, 1903, when the insane numbered 113,964, a proportion of 1 to 293 of the population. The rate of increase since 1894 is specially noted, the leap being from 92,067. There never had been such an increase in numbers of insane as in the year ending Dec. 31, 1902, the increase over 1901 being 3,251. The number of persons to become insane in 1902 alone was 22,581, almost 500 weekly. The increase is found almost entirely among pauper lunatics. The increase in 1902 in England was composed of private 188, criminal 48, pauper 3,015. Chief among the causes of this alarming increase is the use of alcoholic drinks, to which twenty-three per cent of all cases of insanity among males is due. The high tension of modern civilized life is also believed to be an important factor, though to what extent is not shown by figures. It is evident that at this rate of increase no very great lapse of time would be required to turn the world into a vast insane asylum, no longer suitable as an abode of rational beings. An Open Letter
By Ellen G. White
SANITARIUM, CAL., July 5, 1903. MY DEAR BRETHREN: Our people far and near need to ask themselves how the Lord regards their neglect of important centers in America. There are many places in this country in which the truth has never been proclaimed. Many years ago there should have been a sanitarium in Washington, D. C. But men have chosen their way in many things, and the places to which the truth should have found entrance, by the establishment of medical missionary work, have been neglected. The Lord has opened this matter to me decidedly. The publishing work that has been carried on in Battle Creek should for the present be carried on near Washington. If after a time the Lord says, Move away from Washington, we are to move. We are pilgrims and strangers in this earth, seeking a better country, even a heavenly. When the Lord tells us to move, we are to obey, however inconvenient and inconsistent such a command may seem to us to be. How shall we answer to God, I ask, for failing to proclaim the truth for this time in the capital of our nation? A representation should have been made there of our truth that would favorably have impressed those who have so much to do with framing the nation's laws. Why have not those who have taken a leading part in medical missionary work been burdened to carry to Washington the message of temperance in eating, drinking, and dressing? There would have been less difficulty in giving the message in this place than in some other places. There are many places that need gospel medical missionary work. Plants should be made in these places. God designs that our sanitariums shall be a means of reaching high and low, rich and poor. They are to be so conducted that by their work attention will be called to the message that God has sent to the world. Many will not heed the call of mercy; nevertheless it is to be given to all, that whosoever will may come to the water of life and drink. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” The truth for this time is to be proclaimed in all parts of the world. If men and women fail to act their part, God will give voices to the stones, and they will proclaim the warning. May God help us to give the stirring message for this time. We have no time now to amuse ourselves with the enemy's sophistry, or to apologize for his work. My brethren, keep off Satan's ground. Do not tamper with what you ought to denounce firmly and boldly in words the meaning of which can not be mistaken. If you tempt Satan to tempt you, you will most assuredly be deceived by his reasoning. If you tamper with that which you ought to denounce, you will fall victims to your own ignorance and folly. God's Word portrays the fate of those who receive not his warnings. They receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved. “For this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” Retribution for past sins comes upon them. Their feet are so entangled in inconsistencies that they can not discern at what they stumble. The gospel of Christ Jesus is of heavenly force. The message for this time is a most decided one. I call upon those to whom God has entrusted his work not to link their arms in the arm of Satan. Do not allow him to make a confidant of you. Keep away from his specious devices. We have great and solemn truths to give to the world, and they are to be proclaimed in no hesitating, limping style. The trumpet is to give a certain sound. Some will come to hear the strange message out of curiosity; others, with a longing to receive true knowledge, asking the question, “What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Thus men came to Christ. And mingling with his hearers were angels in the form of men, making their suggestions, criticizing, misapplying, and misinterpreting the Saviour's words. Christ presented the truth in the form of parables. This was the only way in which he could rebuke sin without causing personal offense. In this time evil angels in the form of men will talk with those who know the truth. They will misinterpret and misconstrue the statements of the messengers of God. The question is asked, Why is it that hearts are not moved by the proclamation of the gospel of Christ? — It is because Satan is linked up with the religionists of to-day. Good seed is sown in the hearts of the hearers, but the soil was not prepared, and the seed does not spring up to bear fruit. The enemy comes with his suggestions and insinuations, and the words of life that were spoken lose their force. Many will hear the message, but will refuse to heed; nevertheless the warning is to be given to all in clear, plain tones. Not only is the truth to be presented in public assemblies; house-to-house work is to be done. Let this work go forward in the name of the Lord. Those who engage in it have the heavenly angels as their companions. They will resist the attacks made by the enemy on those who are co-operating with God. Christ has a message to give to the world through his messengers, which, if received, would change the character of society entirely. The wilderness of thorns and thistles would be changed into a garden of beautiful flowers and fruit-bearing trees. Christ has laid down the conditions of acceptable service. “He that loveth his life shall lose it,” he says; “and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.” It is Christ's method of serving that is of value in God's sight. The service of those who serve in the world's way is worthless; for it is all for self. The selfishness of human nature takes control. They do not serve as Christ has given them example. Let us study the life and death of Christ. Let us do all in our power to work out the plan of God. What tongue can tell, what pen unfold, the mighty results of looking to Jesus and living his life! How few of those claiming to be Christians have any real right to that sacred name! Satan watches eagerly to find Christians off their guard. O that the followers of Christ would remember that eternal vigilance is the price of eternal life! Many have a slumbering faith. Unless they are invigorated, revived, quickened into action, their souls will be lost. Self must die, and Christ must be enthroned in the heart as all and in all. The thoughts must be stayed on him. Then the life will be an honor to his name. The soul will receive power from on high to resist Satan's specious devisings. Have Seventh-day Adventists forgotten the warning given in the sixth chapter of Ephesians? We are engaged in a warfare against the hosts of darkness. Unless we follow our Leader closely, Satan will obtain the victory over us.9 “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” God holds the key of all unknown,
And I am glad.
If other hands should hold the key,
Or if he trusted it to me,
I might be sad. What if to-morrow's cares were here,
Without the rest?
'Tis better to unlock the day,
And as the hours swing open, say,
“Thy will be best.” The very dimness of my sight
Makes me secure;
For, groping in my misty way,
I feel his hand, I hear him say,
“My help is sure.” I can not read his future plan,
But this I know:
I have the smiling of his face,
And all the refuge of his grace,
While here below. Enough. This covers all my want,
And so I rest.
For what I can not, he can see,
And in his care I sure shall be
Forever blest. It was forty days after Christ was raised from the dead before the disciples were in condition to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. During this time the Saviour gave them a chance to study his life, and really to learn his relation to them. Then it was ten days after he ascended to heaven before the day of Pentecost. He left them to examine themselves, and when their hearts were cleansed so that he could come in, then the Holy Spirit came like a rushing wind, and sat on their heads as cloven tongues of fire, giving them a special commission to go to all the world and preach the gospel. I expect we shall see something of that kind again, and somebody will experience it. When God does that to us, what will it do? There are many texts in the Bible showing what it will do. I love to read John 14:26 because I believe it, and because I have experienced it in my own heart: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.” Now do we believe that, my brethren? He will bring things to your remembrance; that is, he will strengthen your memory. The Holy Spirit will do it. Just as surely as God has spoken the word, he will do it. Why does he not do it, then, you say? I answer, Because you do not believe it. A few days ago I was looking over some old personal Testimonies that I have, and I came across one that was written to me when it was difficult for me to retain anything in my mind, because I became confused so easily. It was about the time that Sister White first went to Australia. I had forgotten all about that Testimony, but in it were these words: “The Holy Spirit will make your memory as strong as it ever has been in the past.” I praise God that he has done this very thing for me. He is willing to do it for you, and for all the sons and daughters of Adam who will consecrate their lives to him. The best thing you can do is to study the Word until you have trained the mind to believe it. The mind needs to be educated in divine things, just as a child’s mind has to be trained to know the alphabet. Some of the world’s wisest philosophers at the present time do not know the first letter of the Christian religion. We want the mind trained to believe what God says, and when he tells us ten times over that he will give us the Holy Spirit, we want to believe it. If we do not believe it, there is trouble somewhere, and we should find where it is, then put it away, so that we may receive the Holy Spirit. God longs to give it to us. Another thing that the Holy Spirit will do: in John 20:20, 22, we read, “And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. . . . And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Do you think they received it? When the Saviour said that to them, the Holy Spirit did come on them to a certain extent. “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45. You remember how the Saviour appeared to his disciples first, then to the two on their way to Emmaus; you know that he walked all the way, and opened to them the Scriptures, from Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms, concerning his work, his death and resurrection, and then when they came to Emmaus, how they constrained him to come in and tarry with them overnight. You remember how they urged him, even after he made as if he would go farther. The Saviour never comes where he is not wanted. He holds out the blessings, and if they are not wanted, he does not come in. And, too, you remember that when their eyes were opened so that they knew him, and he had vanished from their sight, they said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?” That was receiving the Holy Ghost. He opened their understandings so that they could comprehend the old theory that they had ever believed concerning the mission of Christ, so that it was really a new truth to them. Their eyes were opened. So in these last days, when the Holy Spirit is poured out, those who receive it will say, “Did not our hearts burn within us?” Their understandings will be opened to know the truth for this time. The Holy Spirit will do more. It will bring peace, and joy, and love. It will change the heart, and there is a greater miracle in the change of the heart than in a resurrection from the dead; for a changed heart means the bringing into subjection of the old man, and the creation of a new one: whereas, when a man is raised from the dead, God speaks the word, and it is done. There is a reality in the religion of Jesus Christ that is not in the world—something that the schools of the world can not give, because it comes from God himself. My dear friends; shall we have it? Shall we take it? But so many say, “I have sinned.” What of it? Stop your sinning, and go to believing. If the truth you have believed10 is from heaven, begin to act on it. The very first word in the commission is, “Go”—go to every nation under heaven. Mark has the same commission, and in it we are told to whom to go,—to every creature in all the world. That means your next-door neighbor; that means the largest cities; that means the smallest hamlet; that means to darkest India, and all the foreign fields. Brethren, you have no business to have the name of Christian if you live for this world, for yourselves. It is too late—it is altogether too late in this day—to think of it. The Lord is coming, and we are to prepare for that event by uniting with Christ in giving the light to others. Let us be lights, and not be planning how to make ourselves a home, and all that, but rather plan how we can help to carry out God’s purposes in the earth. I am so thankful, my brethren, that I have a personal acquaintance with my Saviour, and this we all may have. When we walk in the light of the truth that he has given us, we become channels through which he can work. I have kept the Sabbath for over fifty years, and I have seen many souls shipwrecked on the rocks of skepticism, and my soul is drawn out this morning in a longing desire to say something, or do something, that will help such ones; but where the heart is closed because of unbelief, the Lord can not come in to help. These are times when we need to be held by an anchor, and anchoring in Jesus Christ is anchoring in the truth of God. It is to see Christ in the truth and in the circumstances that surround us. Christian experience means to see Christ always in everything. The soul that can see Christ is the one that is anchored. The waves may lift the buoy up, and roll it around this way and that, but it always comes back to its original resting place; for it is anchored fast. God has helped us in our work in the great city of New York. We have sought him for his Spirit, and have received it. Every opening of his providence that we see, and every success that crowns our efforts, makes us long for more. This morning my soul goes out after God. I desire that my life shall be a likeness of my Saviour; I want to see him as clearly as Moses did. The word that God spoke to Moses, Moses believed. When the children of Israel were hedged about by the high mountains and the Red Sea, God said to Moses: “Go forward!” Moses did not stop to say: “Lord, if you just divide these waters, we will gladly go through.” No, he did not say that, but he acted on God’s command, stretched out his rod over the waters, and right there in that warm climate, the waters froze. It was the coldest walk the children of Israel ever had in the wilderness. In the simplicity of his heart, Moses did not know anything better than to believe just what God said; and the people of God that have been hid in him in all ages have not known anything only to obey him, and when he said to go forward, they went. One more text: “I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” How many?—“All flesh.” Does that mean the sinner? Then the sinner will get the Holy Spirit. How will the sinner get it? The Lord sends a message by his people to the sinner, and puts his Spirit upon the sinner to accept that message. Thus the sinner is not without the Spirit. Then since this is so, can you not expect that when you get the Holy Spirit, somebody will be saved. When the Lord sends a man out to preach, there are some who are to be saved. And thus the work will go forward until the end. But so many of us lack faith; we see the difficulties that are in the way. And there are great difficulties, and they will increase more and more. For as the prophet says: “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses?” Shall we not rather have our anchor so securely fastened that none of the storms of life will move us from our moorings? Another text: “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Zech. 10:1. Suppose I am laboring in New York, and you are laboring somewhere else, and we pray for rain; the Lord says he will send it. “Every one grass in the field.” Now what does that mean? Put one other text with it, and you will see what it means, without any comment of mine: “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty [not a little sprinkling now and then], and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” Now notice the next verse: “And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.” If you have ever been in California, and have seen the irrigating ditches that run through the dry ground, and how green the grass is, and how the willows spring up along their banks, and how dry and parched everything is away from the watercourses, you can appreciate this. What we need is such a relation to God that he can pour upon us his Holy Spirit. And now the next verse: “One shall say, I am the Lord’s; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.” Dr. Paulson wrote us from Chicago about a woman who had written to him regarding the temperance question. This woman came to my wife and said, “I would like to have you give me readings on temperance, but I am settled in my faith. I do not want to change my faith.” My wife told her that she would be glad to give her readings on temperance, and the woman was delighted with a reading given her on Bible temperance. She came another day, and my wife had another reading with her. And she kept coming; but during all this time not a word was said on any point that would unsettle her faith, but books were loaned her, giving the truth clearly. One day she said: “People say that you keep the seventh day as the Sabbath. I would like to know some of your reasons for doing so.” A few days later she came to us, and said, “I am so distressed about the Sabbath!” Then we began readings with her on one point and then another, till finally we came to the sanctuary question; and we found that from books which she had read, she was more intelligent on it than some were who had taken lessons for months. She became greatly exercised, and wanted us to pray for her, and the result was that in a little while she accepted the Sabbath, and now she is thoroughly grounded in all the truth. When God says, “Go forward,” then in the name of God go forward; and if there are obstacles in the way, as there will be, just remember that we are dealing with our Saviour, who has promised ten times over that he will give us his Holy Spirit. Another thing the Holy Spirit will do: it will give you wisdom and grace; it will give you every good thing; and do you want anything more than that? You will get everything that is good. In Matt. 7:11 we have a parallel scripture to this, where, instead of saying that he will give us the Holy Spirit, he says that he will give us all good things. Then all “good things” is equivalent to the Holy Spirit; so when you have the Holy Spirit, you have everything that is good. That is the kind of Saviour we have. These are some of the promises to those whose souls are thirsty, like the dry ground that can not be satisfied without moisture; and that moisture must be the Spirit of the living God. May the Lord add his blessing. O my brethren and sisters! who of us are going to stand? I ask, in the name of the Lord, who of us are going to stand? There are souls here that will shine in glory, and it is quite probable that there are souls that will suffer the plagues. It is quite probable that there are souls that will come up in the second resurrection, and some that will come up in the first resurrection. Where will you be? Where shall I be? May God help us to make our peace with him. Do not rest if there is a cloud that obscures your sky. Take hold of God by living faith. When God put his bow in the heavens, he said, “I will look upon it,” and therein is his glory. His presence is its silver lining. There is a rainbow to every cloud, but you may not always see it. Through the prophet Isaiah he says he will cast all sins behind his back. When this is done, can he see them?—No. One thing more about this whole matter, and that is, God forgets something. It is as much a mark of infinity for God to forget my sins as it is to forgive them; and I bless God for that. Brethren, look out! If you criticize your brethren, it may be that you will criticize some whose sins God has forgotten. The best way is not to criticize at all, but go forward, doing the work that he has given you to do, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Nicodemus and the New Birth
NICODEMUS stood very high; he was one of the church dignitaries; he stood as high as any man in Jerusalem, except the high priest himself. He belonged to the seventy rulers of the Jews; he was a doctor of divinity, and taught the law. There is not one word of Scripture against him; he was a man who stood out before the whole nation as a pure and spotless character. What does Christ say to him? “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.”—N. Y. Christian Advocate. Precious Personal Experiences
By D. T. Bourdeau
EXPERIENCE is knowledge obtained in obeying the truth while passing through trials. This knowledge is infinitely more precious than mere theoretical and intellectual knowledge, because it is the basis of genuine hope, of that hope which “maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Rom. 5: 3-5. It is attended with the sweets and blessedness resulting from testing the truth by practicing it in affliction. Such as do this, see the preciousness of the truth as they could not possibly see it if they simply possessed a theory of the truth. They see this through the cheering and approving blessings consequent on obeying the truth under most trying circumstances. Experience is what we need in order to pass through the fiery ordeals awaiting us in the near future. But we should remember that we can never obtain experience if we are disposed to shun the very trials through which it is secured; for without trials there can be no genuine experience. Trials are suffered to come upon us to show us the weak points of our character, that we may overcome them by conforming more fully to the truth, through which we are to be sanctified. As we progress in the formation of Christian character, and, consequently, in sanctification, the Lord blesses us, so we can say, How beautiful is the character God would have us form, and how precious are the truths and Spirit through which that character is to be wrought out! Experience may be truly said to be multiple. In other words, we are to obtain several experiences in passing through various trials in the work of forming righteous characters. In view of this fact, should we not, with Paul, “glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Rom. 5: 3-5), and with James count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations, knowing that the trying of our faith worketh patience? James 1: 2-4. With sadness did I with others learn of the burning of our Sanitarium, and see the main building of the Review and Herald reduced to ashes; but as I have reflected upon these calamities, inquired into their meaning, and prayed to God to overrule them to his glory, the heavy gloom that hovered over my spirits has been dissipated by the settled conviction that with humility and consecration on11 the part of our managers and on the part of our people, we would yet see these sad events, through the great mercy and infinite wisdom of him whose counsels are unsearchable, result in greater blessings and victories than would have been realized had they never occurred. Let our prayers still ascend to the throne of grace, that God may bless with grace and wisdom those who have the special management of these institutions, that these glorious results may appear to the joy of all who have the cause of God at heart. In doing this and in cherishing this hope, I have enjoyed great freedom in the Lord. I believe that the removal of the Review and Herald and of the office of the General Conference to a more prominent center, will give greater publicity to our message and work, and will be made eminently subservient to the carrying forward of the work of the last gospel message far more expeditiously than in the past. Experience has taught us that with our laborers a change of fields has, in many cases, been an advantage, both to the laborers and to the cause. Why may not this be true with regard to our publishing institution, which by being placed at or near some great center, may gather freshness and increased power and influence, while being a greater blessing to its new neighbors and new constituents and patrons than it could have been under former circumstances? And why may not the contemplated change prove to be a great blessing to those who have so long had this institution in their midst, in that it will give them the precious opportunity of nobly exemplifying the law of equal love for others through self-denial for their sakes, that others may share in some of the blessedness that they have so long enjoyed? May we all pray that God will lead those upon whom it will devolve to locate the Review and Herald Publishing Company, to choose and decide in harmony with his will, so that we shall have reason to rejoice in standing by what is done. I firmly believe that God will lead in so important a matter, and I enjoy my faith as if the thing were already realized. One blessed experience that God has given Mrs. Bourdeau and me since I reported last, has been to dispose of our humble home in Battle Creek, that we might go where we could be more useful, sustain our daughter in her medical work, and again take up our evangelistic work as in former years, and before I was held in Battle Creek by an accident that God in his wise providence suffered to come upon me. It was right for us to spend a season in Battle Creek to educate our children; but we felt that the time had come for us to sell, and leave that city. In this God heard our importunate prayers, and wrought miraculously, for which we praise him, asking him to give to others in Battle Creek a similar experience. Of late I have been meditating on the power of godliness that transforms the character, and causes the truth received in the heart and practically carried out in the life, to advance the closing work of salvation among men. Brethren, let us by faith and full consecration to God, lay hold of this power, and magnify the riches of grace in laboring for those outside the ark of safety, that we may hasten the return of our blessed Lord; enjoy abiding peace even when passing through fiery trials, and have the refreshings of the latter rain. This is our privilege. God wants us to improve upon it and enjoy its blessedness now, that the whole earth may soon be lightened with the glory and power of the third angel’s message, and that God may cut his work short in righteousness in the earth. Rom. 9:28. We must have this power of godliness now, that Christ may be fully formed in us, and that we may hasten to do the work he has assigned us. About forty-three years ago, before we had a regular conference organized, I made a trip with our beloved and lamented brother, Elder G. W. Sperry, visiting the few companies and scattered believers in New England. One morning upon awakening with the Spirit of God resting upon him, this brother said to me, “I have had a wonderful dream. I saw the angels going west, and then they returned east with mighty power. It was the loud cry of the third angel. And the work soon wound up in glorious triumph.” If Brother Sperry were here, he would discern that the last part of his dream is being fulfilled. Do we discern this as being in perfect consonance with the sure word of prophecy? Never was my interest in the closing gospel work for mankind as intense as it now is. My faith, hope, and courage as to the more rapid advancement of this work and its near and final consummation, increase as I gather the numerous evidences that the end is imminent. Surely we can now lift up our heads and look up, knowing that our redemption is indeed very near. Luke 21:28. As never before we can now behold by faith Jesus hastening to finish his mediatorial work for saint and sinner, that he may soon return to our earth to take his people to their heavenly home. Shall we not co-operate with him in the final work of preparation? It is too late for us to plan and act as if we were going to make a long stay on earth. Let us sacrifice for the salvation of others, and lay up treasures where thieves can not break in. With so glorious a prospect before us, is it not better to sacrifice for God and his cause than to hide our talents in the earth, to have them perish with it and with us in the day of God’s just wrath that hasteth greatly?