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Review and Herald, Vol. 41, No. 22.

AMUSEMENTS FOR CHILDREN
Earlier text: TESTIMONY OF THE EARLY FATHERS TO THE FIRST-DAY SABBATH

Systematic Effort.

By Stephen N. Haskell

A UNITED effort is necessary for success in every enterprise. The moral of the story concerning a newly married man's throwing one end of a rope over his house and his wife and himself pulling on opposite ends, is as true now as ever. They were unsuccessful in removing it until both pulled in the same direction, then it was easily effected. “In union there is strength,” is as true in spiritual things as in temporal. The Saviour says that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven. And where there are many interested in accomplishing any one specific work, system is necessary to prevent confusion and insure success. Organization is but a term used to signify systematic effort. To arrange a system and then expect the system itself will accomplish the work without the spirit of the object to be obtained, would be folly in the extreme. Either of the two extremes has ever proved a failure in the cause of God. To lack a living faith in, and not possess the spirit of, the cause in which we are engaged, however good the system, results in a dry form. This is seen in the various denominations around us. It is equally fatal to possess zeal and lack order. Where this is the case, confusion is sure to follow, and discouragement is brought upon those who have the cause at heart.
The cause of present truth is of sufficient importance to enlist the sympathy and energy of every child of God, and it has reached a point where it is arresting the attention of the candid, the world over, and God-fearing men and women are embracing it and uniting their interests for its promulgation. None can say that we have reached that state of perfection where a certain round of duty is all that is required. But there must be a reaching forth unto those things which are before, a pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, if we, at the close of our earthly career, can exclaim, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, and henceforth there is a crown laid up for me, &c.
In individual experience, there are new victories to gain daily, points to make in advance of where we now are, if we would develop that perfection of Christian principles which is so clearly set forth in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is also true of us as a people. The truth, as yet, has not accomplished in the earth all that God designed it should. The world must be warned. The facilities to accomplish this must increase. We, as a people, cannot throw off these responsibilities until God releases us. The “well done” is said to those who have done the work God designed them to do, and to no others.
Any system that will bring the people of God into a position where they individually will feel the burden of this work, and then move in harmony, will forward this work and thus glorify God. Men, women, and the young, should feel a responsibility of casting an influence on the Lord’s side. Children can be so educated as to feel an interest in the cause of Christ. None can be mere spectators. All must feel some of the inspiring influence of the spirit of truth to lead them to activity and consecration, or else they will be wanting in the day of Judgment. When the cloud moves, all should move together, like a well-disciplined army. If the battle goes hard, let every person lift, and lift together.
This can be done by adopting a system which will place responsibilities upon proper persons to especially call the attention of each individual to the wants of the cause. Thus all show their interest by their prayers, their sympathy, and in giving of their means, and distributing the rays of light from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from nation to nation. And wherever there are men to whom God has committed his precious, saving truth, they should feel that the cause is one, and that they have a personal interest in it.
I am acquainted with children from six to ten years of age who are anxious to earn and save their pennies. Were you to ask them what for, they would say, To put into the missionary cause, or for widows and orphan children, or some enterprise connected with the cause of God, and they would utterly refuse to buy candies and such nicknacks as children usually buy. The tract and missionary work properly carried out as it is being adopted by Seventh-day Adventists will not only give all an opportunity to show their interest, but they can judiciously scatter the rays of light that are now shining in such a manner as will inspire confidence among the people everywhere. The work of God will prosper, and will triumph gloriously, when men and women lose their hold on this world, venture to consecrate themselves to God and unite their interest more firmly to exert all their influence for the upbuilding of Christ’s precious cause. It is not to fill some great calling in the eyes of the world, but to be faithful in the sphere of action the providence of God has assigned us. It is to move when God speaks, and do what we can, and do that well.
As far as the truth is concerned, we are a unit, and what we now plead for is a united action, that will call into activity the energies of the soul, and develop the talents that have long been buried. And although the numbers are as small as Gideon’s army after being reduced, yet the truth, accompanied by God’s Holy Spirit, will triumph and bear off the victory.
S. N. HASKELL.

The Kingdom of Christ.—No. 2.

By John Harvey Waggoner

The second number of Mr. Treat’s articles would have been noticed before, but the Record containing it was not received at the Review Office, and it had to be procured.
In this he assumes that “Adventism contravenes” the entire New Testament in regard to the establishment and history of the kingdom of Christ. He quotes 1 Cor. 15: 23–28, calling it a historic fact, which he says we seek to evade. They who are entirely ignorant of our views, may be made to believe that we seek to evade the testimony of this text; no others can be. I will notice his reasoning and its consequences.
He affirms that our view of this passage, namely, that it is “the kingdom of grace” which is to be “delivered up,” cannot be true, because “after the coming of Christ there will be no longer a kingdom of grace.” Even so; but this is fatal to his theory. When Christ comes, “he shall have delivered up the kingdom,” which is to say that before Christ comes he leaves the throne of the Father, where he now sits as mediator, or priest after the order of Melchisedec, and the offer of grace is withdrawn. Of this throne, Mr. Treat again says: “The throne which Christ to-day occupies, is that throne whose foundations were laid in uncreated light.”
This being so, it follows that those scriptures which speak of a kingdom as being “overturned,” “set up,” and “restored,” cannot refer to that throne and rule; and also, that when Christ shall leave that throne, as Mr. Treat admits he will, he will then deliver up that kingdom, and the Father alone will thenceforth occupy the throne of original and eternal power and glory, which is now occupied jointly by the Father and Son. And this will exactly fulfill 1 Cor. 15: 23–28.
His next statement in this connection is more unhappy. He says: “There is no intimation in this, nor any other passage of Scripture, that Christ will receive a second kingdom after he has delivered up all power in Heaven and in earth.”
Let us see. In Ps. 110: 1, the Father says to the Son, “Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” He is sitting there at the present time, and his enemies are not yet made his footstool. The apostle speaks of his being exalted to the right hand of God, and “from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.” Heb. 10: 13. Mr. Treat says he received “all power” when he was raised from the dead. A comparison of the scriptures here quoted shows that this “all power” is of a special kind, as related to the special work of the gospel—of granting repentance and the remission of sins; and that there is another form of power which he is expecting to receive when he leaves his Father’s right hand, as priest. There is no remission of sin—no priestly work, connected with the authority which he then receives over his enemies. On any other view than that held by “Adventists,” it is not possible that “the kingdoms of this world” should become the kingdoms of Christ under the seventh trumpet. Rev. 11: 15. For how can he have “all power,” in an unlimited or unrestricted sense, as Eld. Treat teaches, and still be expecting till the Father subjects his enemies unto him? And what reason is there in the assertion that he will possess “all power” in such unlimited sense, until “all things” are “put under him”?
The next point I notice is most decisive. Mr. Treat confesses that Christ’s present reign will “end” at his second coming. But I have before quoted the scriptures which speak of Christ’s receiving a kingdom in which his reign has “no end.” Are these reigns one and the same?
The Scriptures speak of Christ’s own throne, and that of his Father. Mr. Treat says there is and will be but one.
The Scriptures say that Christ’s present reign on his Father’s throne will end. Mr. Treat admits that.
The Scriptures say that Christ will receive the throne of his father David (not that “whose foundations were laid in uncreated light”), upon which he will reign forever; his dominion will not pass away; and the saints will with him inherit this everlasting kingdom “forever, even forever and ever.” And so Adventists hold. But here is Mr. Treat’s dilemma. He denies that there are two thrones, and two kingdoms. He denies that Christ receives another dominion when he leaves the throne of his Father in Heaven. Of course, he denies all those scriptures which speak of the “everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” and of his unending reign.
It is easy to see that the Discipleism of Mr. Treat “contravenes” the Bible doctrine of the kingdom, and that it ignores the presence and authority of Jehovah, the Father, in the gospel. “The gospel of Christ” cannot, with them, be also “the gospel of God.” Mr. T. speaks as follows:—
“The Son delivers up the kingdom, and becomes ‘subject.’ Which means that he who was the obedient agent by whom God made the worlds; by whom and for whom all things were made that were created, and without whom nothing was made that exists; shall again become submissive to the supreme will of God.”
If Mr. Treat does not hold that the Son is not now submissive to the will of the Father, I would be pleased to have an explanation of the above. The reader will remember the quotation I before made from Mr. Treat, that “The law was abolished that our allegiance might be transferred from God to Christ.” And again, in this article, he speaks of “the precise date at which” Christ is to become “submissive to the supreme will of the Father.”
All Bible readers (except Disciples) accept the union of the Father and Son in the work of redemption; that the Son now acts as “mediator between God and man.” Of course, he who occupies a throne cannot be called a “subject” of that throne, though he may be carrying out strictly the will of Him who has called him to its joint occupancy. But when Christ leaves that throne—when he delivers up that kingdom—he will of course become “subject” to that throne, and receive a kingdom and dominion subordinate to that, which will be without end. Christ is not now occupying “the throne of his father David,” but that of his Father, God. David’s kingdom and throne were subverted, and overturned, and needed to be “set up,” or restored; but not so the throne of God. Mr. Treat’s Disciple theory is irreconcilably opposed to the Bible.
His next point is that Adventists dishonor Christ by limiting his reign to this earth, where he has all power in Heaven and earth. But Mr. Treat well knows that we accord to the Saviour “all power in Heaven and earth,” while he is on the throne of his Father in Heaven. Here we are not in fault; indeed, there is no great disagreement between us as to the extent of his present reign. His next or future reign will be limited. But if we dishonor Christ by giving him only a limited dominion after he leaves the throne of his Father, what shall be thought of Eld. Treat, who gives him none at all? We hold, as the Scriptures largely testify, that Christ will “reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” But Eld. Treat says, “Here we have the precise date at which the reign of Christ is to end.” His description of Christ’s “kingdom whose limits are bounded only by the illimitable,” applies to the present, which we agree must end. But the future reign of Christ, which is “bounded only by” eternity, he ignores entirely. And the “irreconcilable difficulty” of which he speaks, is all on the side of Discipleism—not of Adventism.
Having placed our views before the reader, and in contrast with those of Eld. Treat, we are prepared to appreciate the following statement of his:—
“I charge Adventism with flatly contradicting this important passage in all of its specifications. Just where the apostle says the ‘Son becomes subject,’ they say, ‘Not so; you are mistaken, Paul!’ The Son does not become subject; nor does God become all in all. On the contrary, at that time the Son receives authority, and ascends his throne to reign a thousand years, or ‘to all eternity,’ just as the whim of a soul-sleeper prefers.”
The reader is invited to judge which of us contradicts the Scriptures, on this subject. I might think that ignorance of our faith prompted the above misrepresentation, had I not heard the truth fully set forth before Eld. Treat, in his debate with Bro. Lane, on the kingdom. Indeed, he has betrayed himself in this quotation, for he makes Adventists to say Christ receives his throne, and all know that we believe that he receives it as a gift from the Father, and that it is not the eternal and universal throne which he now occupies; of course it is subordinate to that, and so fulfills the prediction of 1 Cor. 15: 23–28.
I care nothing for the epithet of “soul-sleeper;” it may even appear excusable on his part to use it, for all who are acquainted with his locality, know that he passes current for “a Campbellite” among all the neighboring denominations, and he is only treating us as all his neighbors treat him. Possibly he enjoys it.
J. H. WAGGONER.

Evidences of Truth.

By R. F. Cottrell

The stability of our work has been mentioned as an evidence of the truthfulness of our position. As prophecies are being fulfilled, light is increasing, as foretold, and consequently, there is progress in the cause and work of God. But progress in truth is not made by overturning past positions, but by adding truth to truth. In the divine plan, one event follows another in the prescribed order, and the work of God moves forward, step by step, as light advances; so that those who are in the light, and hold a position in present truth, can look back upon the steps that have led them to their present position, and see a glorious path behind them, made luminous with the light of prophecy fulfilled. “The pathway of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” But while it shines more and more as we advance, it shines no less on the past. The light of the present does not make the past darkness.
But there are those who profess to be walking in the increasing light, who leave a dark trail behind them. With them, the light of to-day extinguishes the light of yesterday. The past is repudiated as darkness and error. They were all wrong yesterday, but to-day they are all right. Their present position destroys every position they have occupied in the past. Such are the Timeists. Their work resembles the work of men that would think to build a bridge by taking up the plank behind them and laying it before, or, rather, by taking up the plank they stand on, and standing upon nothing while they lay it in advance.
If we are very near the second advent, it is time for the advent messages of Rev. 14 to be proclaimed; and if it is time they should be proclaimed, they are being proclaimed; for, in the providence of God, they cannot fail of their fulfilment at the proper time. Therefore, those who can truly claim to be Adventists, having a position in present truth, can point out their position in the fulfilment of these messages. The experience and work of the true people of God were here laid down in prophecy 1800 years ago; so that there is no need of a mistake.
The evidences from the prophecies, and their fulfilment, show conclusively that we are in the last days, and, consequently, that the advent is at hand. The three messages have been announced in their order; therefore, all that is necessary in order to know that the last message of probation is being fulfilled, is to believe the word and providence of God. And the steady progress of the work from its small beginning, and its stability, mark it as the work of God. It commends itself to the humble and discerning mind, as bearing the impress of the God of truth, who knows the end from the beginning. The humble seekers after truth will, ere long, see this truth. It does not require a superior order of intellect to apprehend the truth and the evidences on which it is based. Bible truth and salvation are for the common people. The ordinary mind, disposed to believe, can see the evidences, so as to believe for itself, and so obtains that salvation that comes by faith; while the great and the learned are liable to overlook the evidences and die in unbelief. The believer and the obedient shall be saved.
R. F. COTTRELL.

Objections to the Sabbath Answered.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

TWENTIETH OBJECTION.

Having answered the objections founded in the New Testament, before leaving this subject, I will take up one in the Old Testament. It is as follows: “The Sabbath was given to the Jews, at the coming out of Egypt, as a memorial of that deliverance, and hence did not exist before that time, and pertains only to the Jewish nation. Deut. 5: 15: “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm; therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.”
Answer. Without further examination, there would appear to be some force in this objection, but we think a few other texts will remove the difficulty. The law of the Sabbath, as originally given by God upon Mount Sinai, in tables of stone, when they first came out of Egypt, does not contain this language, but does give the reason on which the Sabbath commandment was founded, as follows: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.” Ex. 20: 11.
From this it is plain that the Sabbath institution rests upon the act of God in creating our earth in six days, and resting upon the seventh. This, the Lord says, is the reason why he gave the Sabbath, and why they were to keep it. There was no reference made to their deliverance from Egypt. But forty years after God gave the ten commandments, and just before Moses died, he called all Israel together, and rehearsed to them, from beginning to end, God’s dealings with them during the forty years. Among the rest, he repeats the ten commandments, not verbatim, but in substance, varying, some of them more, others less. When he comes to the Sabbath commandment, Deut. 5: 12, he says, “Keep the Sabbath day, to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.” Thus will be seen that he refers back to the commandment previously given, as the authority for keeping the Sabbath, and then closes his instruction on that point, thus: “And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm; therefore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.” Verse 15.
Now the question was simply this: Was Moses giving the foundation and the reason on which the Sabbath was based? or was he simply naming an additional reason why the Jews in particular should obey God in keeping the Sabbath, as he had commanded them? I understand the latter to be the truth in the case.
They had been down in Egypt, bondmen, where they were not at liberty to obey God in all his requirements, and probably it had been especially hard for them to keep the Sabbath; now they were delivered from that bondage, were free men, and could serve God at full liberty, and keep the Sabbath just as he required them. By thus delivering them from bondage, God had brought them under especial obligation to obey him; hence Moses urges upon them obedience to those commandments, the Sabbath with the rest, by reminding them of this fact.
A few quotations will show that Moses frequently urges this reason why they should keep all the other commandments: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in mete-yard, in weight, or in measures. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have; I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them; I am the Lord.” Lev. 19: 35–37. Here the reader will notice that God required them to deal honestly in weight, in measure, in judgment, &c.; and then to urge this upon them, he says, “I am the Lord your God which brought you out of the land of Egypt, therefore shall ye observe all my statutes,” &c. Now will any one argue that men were not under obligation to deal justly in measures, weight, and judgment, before God brought the Jews out of Egypt? None will claim this.
Take another case. Lev. 11: 45: “For I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God; ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” Here the Lord says, I have brought you up out of the Egypt, therefore shall ye be holy. Were they not under obligation to be holy before he brought them out of Egypt? or were only those who were thus delivered under obligation to be holy? This is too absurd for any one to argue; and yet God gives the same reason why they should be holy, as he does why they should keep the Sabbath, viz., because he brought them out of Egypt. The simple fact is manifestly this: In Egypt, they were oppressed and surrounded with idolatry, and all manner of wickedness; but now God had delivered them, and given them especial instruction with regard to his worship, therefore they should be very careful to obey him now.
Take one more case, Deut. 15: 12–15. Here the Lord instructs them to deal mercifully with their servants, and says they shall do this because he delivered them out of Egypt. See Deut. 15: 12. After naming a number of things which they should do, the Lord says: “And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt; and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.” The same language is used in Deut. 24: 17, 18: “Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge; but thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee thence; therefore I command thee to do this thing.” Did the duty of dealing mercifully with the stranger, or fatherless, and the widow, originate with their coming out of Egypt? Did not that duty exist before? and does it not now? And yet of these duties the Lord says, You shall remember that I brought you out of Egypt; therefore I command thee to do this thing—the very language that is used with regard to the Sabbath. So again in verses 19–22, of the same chapter, the Lord names several more duties which they shall perform—and urges it upon them with this language: “And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt; therefore I command thee to do this thing.”
Many more examples we might give where this language is used by the Lord with regard to the observance of different precepts. The reader will see that not only the Sabbath commandment, but almost every one of God’s commandments, is urged upon the Jews with the very same reason that is attached to the Sabbath commandment, viz., I delivered you out of Egypt; therefore you shall do this thing, that, and the other; yet none will claim that the observing of these other moral commandments was designed to be a memorial of their deliverance from Egypt, because God names this as a reason why they should do it. We believe that the candid reader will see that the same fact is true with regard to the Sabbath.
D. M. CANRIGHT.

The Tract Society

By Jos. Clarke

MARKS a new era in the progress of the cause of present truth. Not only is it good in its influence upon the world, but it must also impart new life to those who labor in the enterprise.
The interests of the Review, Health Reformer, and Instructor, being also intrusted to this society, greatly extends its responsibilities and its usefulness.
The plan of making the church a working, responsible body, and intrusting it with its own financial affairs and interests, and thus cultivating in the church an interest and an intimate knowledge of its condition and doings, not only saves a large per cent to the Association, but it insures itself to a certain extent against incidental losses and errors.
The plan of a free colportage, also, is a mighty lever in the work if it is improved; no doubt many will be happy to find in this work a sphere of usefulness opened to them, which will just suit their tastes and humble, yet laudable, desire to be useful.
It is to be feared that the indifference generally prevailing on religious subjects, will manifest itself here; and many will let the golden moments pass unimproved, and many a tract will lie idle on the shelf which should be circulating. Many will be too busy to work for the glory of God and the salvation of their fellow-men. Dear reader, let us set ourselves resolutely and devotedly at the work of God. Let us arouse ourselves from our lethargy and actively engage in the work of saving souls.
Have you come to the conclusion to wait till you fully overcome before you engage in this work? Perhaps this is the very thing you need to help you in the work of overcoming. “He that watereth shall be watered also himself.” — Prov. 11 : 25.
It is a blessed thing to do good, to labor for souls, to spend time and means in the work, to labor gratuitously, to labor faithfully in the fear of God; it will do you good to lose a day, or a part of a day, from your business occasionally, or as often as possible, if there is the least hope of doing good to a fellow-creature.
We must meet our neighbors in the final day of accounts. There it will be seen if we have neglected to give them timely warning. We have in these tracts an instrumentality which is powerful, and one which we can use to good effect.
Shall this enterprise lag for want of energy and zeal in the church? God forbid! no, let every one who has a neighbor see that he does not perish for lack of knowledge. Let us, every one, work from the position he occupies in a circle around him, and let this circle continue to enlarge, until the circles meet each other.
It is not an irksome task to labor for God. No work is so pleasant, no work brings to us such sacred joy and peace, no work pays so well as God's work. Who will refuse to work in so noble a cause? JOS. CLARKE.

Missouri and Kansas Camp-Meeting.

By Smith Sharp

DOUBTLESS most of the readers of the REVIEW have seen the appointment for the Missouri and Kansas Camp-meeting, and I write this merely to insist that our brethren in this Conference make an extra exertion to attend this meeting. The General Conference have done all they could for us since this Conference was organized, and I do not wonder that they begin to feel that their efforts are not very highly appreciated, and have sent us no one as a missionary this year. Still they propose to send labor for the camp-meeting, and shall we not show that we have some interest by laying aside our home cares and coming out to spend a few days in a camp in trying to get our hearts deep enough into this work to prompt us to go to work and put our Conference on a better financial basis? This will be an important meeting, and it does seem to me that nothing but absolute impossibilities should keep any one from attending.
Many of us have been acquainted before coming here, and used to go long distances to attend these yearly gatherings of the children of God. Can we not show that since coming here, the world has not taken up all our thoughts, but that we still have a disposition to lay aside our cares and meet together to worship God? As I write this, the names of many that I once met with in camp-meeting in Iowa that are now living in this Conference come to my mind, besides the names of many that I have seen in the REVIEW with whom I have no personal acquaintance, and many that I have heard of, but have never seen; and I earnestly hope to see them at this meeting. Let us stop our work for a short time and come to seek God. SMITH SHARP. Centerville, Kansas.

“Without Me ye Can Do Nothing.” John 15: 5.

By N. Orcutt

This language of the Saviour has a broad application—covers the whole ground of present duty. We can do nothing without him. We must abide in him, and have him abide in us. To insure this, we must be faithful in the discharge of every duty. We must not be men and women of one idea, unless that “idea” be to stand complete in all the will of God, “always abounding in the work of the Lord,” in all its branches. Each day, each hour, brings its work, and to that work applies the language of Christ above quoted.
And is there not danger that we may fail, at times, to take this comprehensive view of the great work before us? We may not conclude that, by contributing of our means to support the cause, we are released from the obligation to exemplify the truth in our lives, and so let our light shine; or that, by engaging in the important work of distributing publications, we shall be justified in the neglect of other duties, equally important and obligatory. This last-mentioned work should be engaged in with ardor and zeal; but that zeal should be according to knowledge, a knowledge of the divine will, a knowledge that shall impress our minds with the importance of gathering every ray of light, improving every means of grace, discharging every duty. And we must engage in this work, as well as in the discharge of all other duties, with a sense of our entire dependence upon God, and the necessity of his blessing, to insure success. Paul may plant, Apollos may water, but neither can give the increase. None but our Heavenly Father can insure the fruitful harvest. We must be in a position where our influence will gather with Christ, where, in answer to prayer, the Lord will bless our efforts, where he will work with us, and where, in humility, with grateful hearts, we may ascribe to him all the glory resulting from the effort.
We should consider ourselves released from no branch of the work that has heretofore devolved upon us. Our personal efforts to overcome must be pressed with all the powers of our being. We must have clean hands and pure hearts. We must offer even our “bodies a living sacrifice”—have our whole beings purified, elevated, refined, and finally sanctified by and through the truth, that we may be able to “worship him in spirit and in truth.” Those who, without this earnest, individual work, think to labor effectually and successfully in the tract and missionary field, evidently have made a grave mistake. And this work can only be accomplished by faithful, patient, continued effort—by persistent labor in all the branches of the cause, relying upon God for help, while we avail ourselves of every aid he has placed within our reach.
We should not shrink from labor and hardship. Exercise gives strength. In helping others, we help ourselves. While we carry the light to them, it shines with increasing luster on our path. The more we do for God and his cause, the larger measure of his blessing we shall enjoy. And every effort, thus put forth, will aid, in the strength and experience gained, to fit us for a larger measure of usefulness for time to come.
Then while we gladly, earnestly, lay hold of this new branch of the great and closing work, let us ever remember that it is but part of the great whole. Let us never relax our efforts where we have labored or can labor for God and the truth. But rather let us accept this work as another aid to help us to develop a character and gain an experience that shall fit us to labor more successfully in the Master’s service, to stand in the time of trouble before us, and, finally, with the 144,000, to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Bearing in mind always that our individual interests are inseparably connected with the interests of the cause, taking hold of this branch of the work, in the strength of the Lord, with a determined purpose to succeed, working always in harmony with the plan and “purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,” we cannot fail.
N. Orcutt. Jamaica, Vt., April, 1873.

R. F. COTTRELL

By Roswell F. Cottrell

Work.

THERE is plenty of work to be done in the cause of the Lord. There is opportunity for all to work that will. The question is, Do we wish to share in the work? The Lord will give us a chance to show what is in our hearts. Are we desirous to invest something in his cause? or, are we chiefly desirous to provide for ourselves the things that pertain to the present life? Where are our affections?
Do we want good wages? The Lord offers the best. “He that reapeth, receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit to life eternal.” Have we faith enough to trust him? or do we think the world will pay better? He is rich. The earth is his, and the cattle on a thousand hills.
Do we wish to invest capital where it will bring the highest interest? The Lord offers infinitely the highest. Here are different branches of the work, the Publishing Association, the Institute, the school, and the Tract and Missionary Association, in which all can do something. A special call for the school is now in order. Do you lack confidence? I have learned that this is the cause of the Lord, that his providence is guiding it, and that it is safe to trust his guiding hand. Are there too many calls? None too many for our good. The Lord is not needy, but he is giving us opportunity to show the proof of our love. He desires, above all things, that we may have a faith that will prepare us for translation. We want some of that same kind of faith that caused Abraham to lay his son upon the altar. He gives us work for our good; will we do it?

R. F. COTTRELL

Result of the Constitutional Amendment.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

The Christian Union of Feb. 26, 1873, has the following sound words touching the proposed Constitutional Amendment. It clearly indicates just what the final result of that movement will be when actually carried out:—
“The method of the National Association is antagonistic to the spirit of American civil liberty. Every argument which has been or can be used in favor of the theological amendment of the Constitution, has been used a thousand times, just as logically, for the union of Church and State. Moreover, every one of these arguments would justify prosecution in the courts of the land for opinion’s sake. Suppose that you have carried your amendment. Instantly you have revolutionized the civil spirit of this Republic. From the moment of your victory, you make the holding of certain theological opinions, different from your own, an offense indictable in our courts and punishable in our prisons. When you have gained so much, what have you left of American liberty?”
“Both as Christians and as patriots, therefore, we solemnly protest against the measure now in agitation. It is a measure in every way evil. Its success would be fatal at once to religion and to freedom in America.”
D. M. CANRIGHT.

A Small Audience.

ONE of the Saviour's most delightful discourses, second only to the sermon on the Mount, is that delivered at Jacob's Well to but one listener—and that one a poor despised Samaritan woman. It encourages the heart of a minister, of course, to be able to preach to multitudes—often it fosters vanity and pride. But let him not count it condescension, when the occasion calls for it, to speak the truths of the Gospel to solitary listeners, or to “two or three,” gathered together in the name of Jesus. For he that converteth one sinner from the error of his way, saves a soul from death, and hides a multitude of sins.—Sel.

Do Good Without Expecting Gratitude

NEVER do a good action from the expectation of gratitude. If gratitude follow, so much the better, you are so much into pocket; but, gratitude or not, always do the good action when the opportunity presents itself.
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