"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Thus reads the first commandment of the law of God, and calls every man face to face with himself and with God. God made us, he gives us life and breath and all things richly to enjoy. In him we live and move and have our being. And the fact that he has created all things is given by those already redeemed, and who dwell in his presence, as the one great reason why he is worthy to receive the honor of all. For in their worship of him they say, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Rev. 4:11. To do the things which please God is the purpose of man's creation, and whoever does not please God, frustrates the purpose of his creation. But all have displeased him; all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Rom. 3:12, 18. "We have turned every one to his own way." Isa. 53:6.
God's way is the only right way, for "thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go." Isa. 48:17. But instead of going in this, the right way, because the way of God, all men have chosen their own way, and that way is one in which the Lord cannot delight. It is not the way of his commandments, and cannot be the way of peace. Peace, whether in this world or in any other, whether in time or in eternity, is found only in the way of the commandments of God; for these contain the whole duty of man. And therefore the Lord exclaims, "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea." Isa. 48:18.
When men knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but "became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Here is the root of all idolatry—vanity and pride of opinion, men setting their opinions against God's truth. And, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools," and the further they went the worse they became, and finally became so blinded by their own foolish vanity that they thought themselves wise even when descended so low as to change "the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things." The descent was gradual of course. Men did not forget God in a single day or night so that the next day they made an image and worshiped it. Men did not deliberately turn right away from God, whom they knew, and go at once to making graven images. In their vanity they professed to be wiser than God. In their own eyes their knowledge surpassed the knowledge of God; consequently they glorified him not as God, but glorified themselves instead, and, as their own knowledge, in their view, surpassed his, it came to pass that they had neither room nor use for God in their calculations, and so every one turned to his own way and the natural and inevitable consequence was that they became "filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful."
Nor are we to suppose that men at the first were any worse, or any more prone to idolatry, than they are now. They were men, that is all. The trouble was that they forsook God, and refused to be guided by him. And where men do that the result will always be the same. There is nothing in science, nor in the wisdom of this world, that will keep men from idolatry, and its consequent wickedness. It is faith in God, trust in his word, and conformity to his will—it is this alone that is the preventive of idolatry. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," is the command, which, when obeyed, is the surety against all idolatry. And whatever is allowed to draw away from God the supreme affection and trust of the soul, thereby takes the place of God in the heart, and to so yield the affection or the trust is a denial of God, and is idolatry. The affirmative form of the commandment is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength."
Of course, in this land there is not that practice of idolatry which is shown in all its gross and degrading forms, nor even such as is practiced in the worship of the heavenly bodies; nevertheless there is idolatry, and abundance of it, and some of the forms under which it is practiced we are now going to search out by the word of God. Says Job:—
"If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much; if I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand; this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for I should have denied the God that is above." Chap. 31:24-28.
Here are several things mentioned, and to do any one of them is declared to be to deny the God that is above. 1. To allow the heart to be secretly enticed by the glory or beauty of the sun or the moon, and the mouth to kiss the hand in token of respect or homage, is to deny the God that is above. 2. To rejoice because one's wealth is great, and because his hand has gathered much, is to deny the God that is above. 3. For a person to allow himself to make gold his hope, or to make that his confidence, is to deny the God that is above.
No one will deny but that to do the first of these would be idolatry; none would deny but that that would be indeed to deny the God that is above; no one would deny that that would be a violation of the first commandment; none would deny that that would be sin. But for a person to do that would be no more idolatry, no more a denial of God, and no more sin, than it is to rejoice because your wealth is great, and because your hand has gathered much. It is no more idolatrous to allow the heart to be secretly enticed by the brightness of the sun or the moon, than it is to allow it to be secretly enticed by the brightness of pieces of silver or gold. Yet today there are multitudes who rejoice because their wealth is great and because their hand has gathered much, and so deny the God that is above. There are multitudes more who grieve because their wealth is not great, and because their hand has not gotten much, and so make gold their aim, their hope, their confidence, and so deny the God that is above. Their hope, their confidence, their trust is in riches and not in God, and so money takes the place of God—money is their god.409
But God's charge to one class of these, those who are rich, is this: "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." 1 Tim. 6:17-19.
To the other class God says: "They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Tim. 6:9, 10. But to all who would fear God he says: "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life." For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. 1 Tim. 6:11, 12; Mark 10:24, 25.
"Oh!" says everyone on his own behalf, "I do not trust in riches." Try yourself and see. Apply to yourself the test that Jesus put upon the young man, and see whether you love God or your riches most. "Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me." If that were demanded of you personally to-day by the Master, how would you stand the test? Would you stand it any better than the young man did? If not, then is your trust in God or in your wealth? Luke says that when that young man heard this, "he was very sorrowful; for he was very rich." Notice, his sorrow seems to have been graduated on the scale of his riches. He was very sorrowful, because he was very rich. Perhaps if he had simply been rich, he would only have been sorrowful, yet even in that case his trust in his riches would have denied the God who is above. While had he been poor, as Matthew the publican, or as the fishermen who plied their nets on the waters of Galilee, he doubtless would have been glad of the call of the Saviour, and would have followed instantly.
The Saviour gave us a parable on this very subject (Luke 12:15-21) when he told of that rich man whose ground brought forth plentifully, and he had no room to bestow his fruits and goods; and he said he would pull down his barns and build greater and there bestow his goods, and then would say to himself, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?" What was it that God said to him? "Thou fool." What is it the fool says? "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." Exactly. This man was saying, in effect, that there is no God. He was trusting in his riches, and denying the God that is above. "So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Therefore, "take heed and beware of covetousness" for "covetousness is idolatry," and "a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."
Nor yet do we want to run to the other extreme and unmeasuredly denounce riches, and money, and whatever bears any semblance to means. It is not in money that the evil lies. Human society cannot exist without money of some sort. There must be some circulating medium. It may be silver or gold, paper or leather, brass or copper, with some device stamped upon it. But whatever it is, it is money; and in the place where it is used, he who has the most of it will be the richest. Money is not the root of all evil. Of itself it is not an evil at all. It is the love of money that is the root of all evil. It is not a sin to have money; it is a sin to love it. It is not a sin even to have much; it is a sin to love, or to trust in, what we have, whether it be little or much. It is not the rich alone who fall into temptation, and a snare, and into foolish and hurtful lusts; but it is "they that will be rich"—they who all the time have their aim at being rich, who have their eyes on that, and who tend all their efforts toward that, who lay awake nights scheming for it, who spend their lives to attain the unattainable; for "he that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase."
It is not a sin to be rich. Abraham, the friend of God, "was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." Gen. 13:2. Job likewise was one of the richest men of his day. Yet neither of these holy men trusted in their riches, nor rejoiced because their wealth was great. They trusted in the living God, and remembered that it was he who gave them power to get wealth. Read in the thirty-first chapter of Job, how he looked upon his wealth—always as only a means of blessing the poor, the needy, the fatherless, and the widow. The sin is not in being rich; it is in trusting in it, putting confidence in it, rejoicing in it, and being proud of it, and highminded because of it. That is to deny the God that is above. "Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God," . . . "and thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God; for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." Deut. 8:11, 17, 18. Trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God, holding all subject to his call, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. For thou shalt love no other god but him, and him with all the heart, and all the soul, with all the mind, and with all the strength. J.
THE BAPTISM OF FIRE.
To the multitude who had come to the banks of Jordan to be baptized, John the Baptist said: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Matt. 3:11. There is no question but that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was administered on the day of Pentecost, although it is not probable that John had special reference to that occasion. That was simply a notable example of what John said should take place. All believers in Christ must be baptized with the Spirit, and must "walk in the Spirit," if they share the final reward. But many people suppose that the baptism of fire was also administered on the day of Pentecost, which is a grave error.
The next verse plainly indicates what was meant by the baptism of fire: "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into his garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." This shows that although the words of verse 11 were addressed to all the multitude, John did not mean that all should receive both the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the baptism of fire. He might baptize them all with water, and thus they might all be counted by men as followers of Christ; but He who should come after, would have his fan in his hand, and would thoroughly purge his floor, saving the wheat, and burning up the chaff in the fire. This is the meaning of John's words. The expression, "He will thoroughly purge his floor," shows that especial reference is made here to those who, by baptism, have professed to be Christ's. It was well understood by all that those who did not profess to be Christ's would be destroyed, but here they are shown that a profession alone is not sufficient, because the floor will be purged.
Now there was no baptism of fire on the day of Pentecost. It is true that "there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them" (Acts 2:3), but this was not a baptism of fire. In the first place it is not said that there was actual fire present, but something which had the appearance of fire. Secondly, even if it had been fire, it would not have constituted a baptism of fire, for baptism is not administered in that way. Baptism means immersion, or an overwhelming. The disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit, because "it filled all the house where they were sitting." They were completely submerged in the Spirit. And the cloven tongues like fire formed a part of this manifestation of the Spirit.
But who will receive the baptism of fire? All those who do not receive the Spirit, or who, having once received it, do not walk in it. They will be buried up in that fire that shall burn as an oven. In Rev. 20:10; 21:8 it is said that the wicked shall have their part in a "lake of fire." The whole earth will be melted (2 Peter 3:10) with the fervent heat, and will present the appearance of a sea of liquid fire. "And the works that are therein shall be burned up." The destruction of the wicked in this lake of fire may, without doing violence to language, fitly be called a baptism. In this lake of fire they will be submerged, and will be consumed root and branch.
Thus John was speaking of two baptisms,—one which saves and one which destroys. And since he was talking, not to certain individuals whose destiny he might foresee, but was talking to the multitude collectively, some of whom would be saved, and some lost, he could truthfully say to them collectively, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." Some of them would receive one baptism, and some the other.
There are some well-meaning persons who pray to be baptized with fire; and there are hymns which call for the baptism of fire. Such prayers and hymns cannot but cause a shudder to one who knows what the baptism of fire will be. Let us pray above all things for the baptism of the Spirit, but let us pray most earnestly to be saved from the baptism of fire.
NOTES FROM THE NORWAY CAMP-GROUND.
By D. A. Robinson
THE camp-meeting here opened last evening with an attendance from the outside of about three hundred. This is the first camp-meeting ever held in Europe, and of course is a novel affair for the people here.
The camp is located at Moss, a village of eight thousand inhabitants. This place is six Norwegian or forty-two English miles from Christiania, where our office of publication for this country is located. The encampment is on an island, which is about four miles long and three miles wide. This island was formerly connected with the main-land, but about forty years ago a channel was cut across a narrow neck of land, thus separating it from the main-land. Through this channel vessels now pass. A bridge, however, still connects the island with the main-land.
Elders Haskell and Waggoner just from America are here; Sister White, Elder Matteson, and others came this afternoon from Denmark, and Elders White and Whitney are expected from Germany soon. Elder Conradi, with whose imprisonment in Russia the readers of the SIGNS are familiar, is here also.
It seems somewhat novel to attend a camp-meeting and go through the evening service410without artificial lights, but there is no necessity for them here at this season of the year; for the sun does not set till after nine o'clock, and the twilight continues much longer than in America. On a clear night one can easily read the SIGNS by the twilight as late as half past ten o'clock.
The truth has evidently come to stay in Norway, and already there are a goodly number rejoicing in it. Camp-meeting will mark a new era in the work here, and will no doubt be a source of strength to the cause in this part of the great harvest field.
D. A. ROBINSON.
Moss, Norway.
FROM MOSS, NORWAY.
By Stephen N. Haskell
JUNE 2 we left London for Norway, to attend the European Council, stopping one day with Brother Lane at Great Grimsby, and taking the boat Friday at Hull. Arrived at Christiania Monday, June 6. We left Brethren Waggoner, Robinson, and Boyd by the stuff, while Brother Durland and self went in search of the printing-office located here, which we readily found. We took breakfast with Brother Clausen, and after resting under his hospitable roof, and going through the printing-office, we went aboard the boat which was to convey us to Moss, about forty miles distant, where the camp-meeting was to be held.
Christiania is at the head of Fuorden River, which is virtually a bay. The city contains about 130,000 inhabitants. Like all other European cities, many things of interest are to be seen, among others the king's palace, which is open to visitors at certain seasons.
The coast-line to Moss is mountainous, and romantic in the extreme, nothing being discernible but rocks, save here and there the shrubbery, clinging in the crevices. Back upon the upland are bodies of fresh water, streams that come dashing down over the rocks, and valleys which are under cultivation. In the various nooks and recesses on the rocky coast are houses, of which it may be truthfully said they are founded upon the rock. All along the coast were rocks painted white, indicating the presence of an iron bolt and ring, to which the fishing "smacks" may fasten, the water being deep even to the shore, and the mountains rising almost perpendicularly out of the sea. Where the buildings are, however, may be seen paths winding back into the country, and to the summit of the highlands, and here and there, where admissible, a wagon road.
There are also many ice slides for conveying ice from the fresh water bodies on the uplands to large storehouses erected near the sea, from which it is taken in ships to London and other markets, some, we were told, having been sent to New York. As we passed along, we could see the large cakes of ice winding down the slides connecting the storehouses and the vessels.
Our course lay along numerous islands, upon many of which nothing was discernible but bare rocks. The entire coast of Norway, about 1,100 miles long, is dotted by myriads of these islets, among which vessels of large size wind their way to the North Cape, a place which is much visited by the summer tourists. Here it is that the sun is seen for three months continuously. It rises and sets, however, the only difference being that instead of going out of sight, the sun passes around the horizon, and then comes up again the same as in other parts of the world.
Even where we are, at Moss, the sun does not set until 9:20 P. M. in the longest day, and rises at 2:40 A. M., twilight continuing nearly all night. As the setting of the sun is caused by the revolution of the earth, there is no portion of the globe where the days are not thus reckoned; and the seventh revolution is as clearly indicated by the sun in one place as another, demonstrating the fact that God made the sun to rule the day. While at the cape it is hazy at night, here at Moss it is twilight; and in America it is darker, there being scarcely any twilight. The moon shines brightly in the far North just as it does in lower latitudes. With just as much propriety might it be said that the revolution of the earth will not measure the months, days, and years in the new earth (Isa. 66:22, 23), because "the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days," as to say that because it is not as dark in one place as it is in another, we must lose our reckoning, and cannot tell which day the seventh day is.
David must have understood this when he wrote the 19th psalm: "In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." And then in the next verse he adds, "The law of the Lord is perfect."
We arrived at Moss in the evening, and the following morning met Brethren O. A. Olsen and L. R. Conradi. Next Thursday we expect Sister White and party, comprising Brethren White, Whitney, and others. The camp-meeting begins to-morrow.
S. N. H.
Moss, Norway, June 7, 1887.
The Missionary.
By W. H. Reynolds
MISSIONS.
WORKER, look up and see
How many fields there be
Fallow and bare;
Go, labor with thy might,
Ere comes thine own life's night;
Sow good seed there.
Though oft thy heart may bleed,
Still sow the precious seed
All waters by.
Its growth you cannot see,
All may not garnered be
Before you die.
Thou know'st not which will grow,
Nor should'st thou choose to know
The laborer's pay.
It may be prosperous years,
It may be groans and tears;
"Choose thou the way."
Then sow the precious seed
Where there is greatest need,
Counting no cost;
Water it with thy tears
Even through weary years—
Nothing is lost.
Thou shalt, the Scriptures say,
In God's own time and way,
Reap thy reward.
Joyful thy feet shall come
To the great harvest home,
Praising the Lord.
—W. H. Reynolds.
The Commentary.
SANCTIFICATION.
1. WHAT is sanctification?—It is a work of the grace of God upon the believing heart.1 Cor. 6:11.
2. How does Webster define the term?—"Sanctification as applied to a moral agent, signifies to cleanse from corruption; to purify from sin; to make holy by detaching the affections from the world and its defilements, and exalting them to a supreme love of God."—Webster.
3. Is this work of grace necessary to salvation?—Yes, "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." See 1 Cor. 6:9, 10.
4. Is sanctification enjoined in the Old Testament scriptures?
"Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am the Lord your God." Lev. 20:7.
5. What is said on this subject in the next verse?
"And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them; I am the Lord which sanctify you." Verse 8.
6. How do you reconcile the injunction, "sanctify yourselves," with the declaration, "I am the Lord which sanctify you"?—God has provided the means whereby we may be sanctified, and he requires us to make use of the same.
7. What is the will of God with reference to this important change?
"Wash ye, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isa. 1:16-18.
8. How did the Saviour show especial interest for this work of grace upon the hearts of his disciples?
"Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." John 17:17.
9. What did he do in order that his disciples might be sanctified?
"And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." Verse 19.
10. What does the term "sanctify" here mean as applied to Jesus?—"I consecrate and devote myself to death."—Adam Clarke.
11. Did this prayer embrace any besides those who were his disciples at this time?
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." Verse 20.
12. Then if we are true believers, did not he pray for our sanctification?—Certainly.
13. Should any Christian be satisfied without growth in grace and knowledge in the Saviour?
"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen." 2 Peter 3:17, 18.
14. How may our peace and happiness be greatly increased?
"Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord." 2 Peter 1:2.
15. What does Peter say about adding to our faith?
"And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." Verses 5-8.411
16. Into what state will we drift if we neglect a growth in grace?—The preciousness of the joy of pardoned sins will fade from the mind. Verse 9.
17. What unspeakable blessings are promised to those who ascend the ladder of sanctification as here set forth, till the last round shall have been reached?
"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." Verses 10, 11.
18. How did he speak of his duty to them and of their knowledge and decision?
"Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth." Verse 12.
19. What caution is afterward given?
"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." 2 Peter 3:17.
CANVASSING IN THE NORTHWEST.
By E. M. Morrison
At the beginning of the North Pacific and the Upper Columbia camp-meetings, which have just closed, not a single agent could be found in all this vast territory taking orders for our subscription books; but during the progress of these two meetings, the importance of the canvassing work, and the amount of good that may be done by the increased circulation of our denominational books, were so deeply impressed upon the minds of all by talks from Elder R. A. Underwood, Elder E. W. Farnsworth, and others, that all present seemed to feel the necessity of doing something to advance this branch of the work. Several who had thought of going out as ministers decided to labor in this capacity instead. Classes were organized and daily instruction was given in the canvassing work.
In harmony with the recommendations of the International Tract and Missionary Society, the Tract and Missionary Societies in these two Conferences passed resolutions providing for a thorough and a systematic way of conducting the canvassing business. B. C. Taber was appointed general agent to take the lead in this work in the North Pacific Conference, and B. F. Winkler was appointed by the Upper Columbia Conference as general agent for that society. Brother Taber has had a wide experience in the book business while engaged in work for other publishing houses, and the schooling he obtained while with them will, we believe, with the Lord's blessing, make him abundantly successful in instructing others to handle our publications. Brother Winkler has been quite a successful salesman, though never a canvasser. He seems deeply in earnest and we believe he will succeed.
Success has indeed already begun to attend the efforts put forth at these meetings to revive the canvassing work. The North Pacific Conference has over a score of men at work, and the Upper Columbia (a small Conference) nearly half as many. These agents are reporting orders by the hundreds notwithstanding they have scarcely begun. Brother Miller took thirty orders for "Marvel of Nations" in four days. Brother Cline took fifteen orders for "Great Controversy" in three days last week. Others also are doing remarkably well.
Surely God's hand is in this work, and he is blessing the people here in the Northwest with abundant crops and prosperous business, thus preparing the way for the canvassers by enabling the people to buy books more freely than heretofore.
We are truly glad to see these societies taking hold of this work in such good earnest while there is peace and prosperity, and our prayer is that God's blessing may attend all their efforts, and that his Spirit may go before and prepare the minds and hearts of the people to receive the precious truth carried to them by the canvassers, not only here, but all over the wide harvest field.
E. M. MORRISON,
Pacific Press, Oakland, Cal.
Honesty and Christian Character
"HONESTY," someone has said, "will not save a man." It is conceded that faith in Christ as our Redeemer, and a cheerful compliance with his will, is what saves. But his will requires "truth in the inward part." Our motives and purposes must not only be pure, but we must be honest in business. We must "do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God." Honesty, then, is a trait of Christian character from which we must not part if we expect to live with Christ in Heaven.—Methodist Recorder.
HUMBOLDT COUNTY.
By John Norton Loughborough
FROM June 14 to the 28th I was with our people in Humboldt County. Sabbath and first-day, the 18th and 19th, I was at Eureka, and was pleased to find so goodly a number to meet together. Several of this company took their stand at the time of Brother Owen's meetings last spring. I held two services, and enjoyed an interesting Sabbath-school. If this church still strives to press together, and build each other up, I do not see why it may not continue to be a growing church.
I spent one day at Arcata visiting with a few of the members. Several being away from the place, I had no meeting. They have a fine house of worship, and would be glad indeed of an increase of membership. It has been their lot to pass through affliction, two of their active members, Sister Baxter and Sister Howard, having fallen asleep within the last eighteen months. A few are still striving to 'hold the fort.'
The 20th and 21st I was at Hydesville, where Brother Kent and Brother Hare have the tent erected. This is a place of about two hundred inhabitants, situated near to Eel River. On the evening of the 21st I had the privilege of addressing about seventy-five people, and the brethren tell me that their congregations have averaged larger than the attendance to any religious meetings in the place for years. The people are attentive to the word spoken, and there are many opportunities to visit and become acquainted with the people. We expect there will be a few from Hydesville who will obey God in keeping all of his commandments. At this place I met a man who, with his companion, heard the truth preached in Sonoma County eighteen years ago this summer. He says that all this time his mind has been troubled in reference to these things. Now that they have opportunity to hear again they feel it their duty to move out and obey. May the Lord strengthen them thus to do.
From the 24th to the 26th I was with the company in Ferndale. While there it was my privilege to hold six meetings. This church has passed through some severe trials of late, and strong have been the efforts of Satan to scatter and divide them. From this they are now making an earnest effort to rally. May the Lord cement their hearts by his truth and spirit.
Having now visited most of our people in the county, I find it is the mind of all that the Humboldt County camp-meeting be held in Eureka, August 11-22. It is appointed so in this number of the SIGNS. May the Lord grant that this camp-meeting may be made a source of great good to the cause in Humboldt County. To this end we would request all our people in the county to spend Sabbath, August 6, as a day of fasting and prayer to God for his blessing upon the meeting. J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.