21 December 1893, Volume 13, Number 50.

Exhortation to Prayer.

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What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy seat!
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer.
But wishes to he often there?

Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw.
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
Gives exercise to faith and love.
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel’s side;
But when through weariness they fail’d,
That moment Amalek prevail’d.

Have you no words? Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain,
And till your fellow-creature’s ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To heaven in supplication sent,
Your cheerful song would oftener be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”

From Cowper’s Poems.

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AN EXHORTATION.

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Dear Readers of the Trumpet: A few weeks ago, there appeared in these columns an earnest appeal to the household of faith, in the line of liberality, setting forth the urgent needs of the gospel work in its vari­ous financial demands. The writer said that there would probably be but very little more mention made to the saints on this subject through the TRUMPET. I would cheerfully keep silent, were it not for the burning love in my heart for you all. Humbly ac­knowledging my duty to you all, for the welfare of your souls I write you these few lines. I simply wish to emphasize what has been written, and keep in your remembrance the earn­est demand of God upon your souls. The absolute necessity of concentrat­ed effort in labor, prayers, means and every ransomed power of soul and body, is unmistakably upon us. Many of you dear ones in your comfortable and quiet homes do not comprehend this as we do, who are out in the midst of the fiery conflict. It would do you much good in this respect were you to come and live with some of us for a few weeks, and learn more of real gospel work. My brethren, some of you who are entrusted with this world’s goods, might be preach­ing thousands of sermons all over the world, and be the means of the salva­tion of many souls, who will otherwise go down to destruction. Some are saying to yourselves and us, “I have no talent to preach. God never call­ed me to do that,” and thus excuse yourselves and settle down into in­difference, thinking you are justifiable in spending your time laboring for the perishable things of this world. Others of you who have felt the unmistakable call of God to “Go,” are excusing yourselves by saying, “I am in debt,” and others say I must first pay my debts before I can give any­thing toward the gospel. Brethren, it is right to pay your debts, but are you taking God’s way for it? Many of you own 80, or 160, or 200 acres of land and are in debt; you have been laboring hard for some years to pay off the mortgage and keep up your interest and taxes, and likely to-day, are no farther ahead than you were a few years ago. This ought to con­vince you that you are not pleasing God.

Suppose that you are as much in­volved now as you were three years ago. This shows that you have been spending three years of your precious life and labor for merely nothing. Do you think that pleases God? No my brother, you cannot afford to do so. Another may have been doing the very same, even though not owning any land but merely trying to pay his debts for his stock or farming machinery, and laboring year after year but getting nothing ahead. Now there is a sad mistake in most of these cases. Those owning more land than is paid for, should dispose of enough of it to pay their debts. Those owning stock or other property should do the same, and get rid of this encumbrance that keeps them bound hand and foot.

Dear saints, let us strip for the race; lay aside these dead weights and get to work for God. Some of you who are weighted down, ought to be out preaching; others, ought to be farming for the gospel, and thus preaching just as effectually as though you were out personally in the work. You cannot keep saved and labor to make money for yourselves, or hoard it up for your children. No my breth­ren, you cannot please God by so doing. Possibly some of you are lean in your souls just now, and wonder what is the matter.

Examine yourselves and see if some of these things are not in the way. God is calling you to sacrifice your time, means and all, and hold it in trust at his command. Are you true to your trust? You consecrated when at the altar for heart purity, your ALL TO GOD. You laid it on the altar then; is it there yet? You answer, yes. Do you show it by your actions? God knows, so do you. Oh! my broth­er, it ought not only to be on the altar yet, but the consuming process should have been going on, and you should have been shouting glory, as the sac­rifice keeps diminishing into sweet incense, and ascending up to God. Now I will say more, in the fear of God. You would be shocked if some one of us were to say, we are out in the gospel work, and preaching for our bread and butter. Truly you would have reason to seriously doubt our salvation, for God gives us no right to preach for such a selfish ob­ject.

My brother, have you any more right to spend time and labor for your bread and butter than I have? You say you are sanctified; well, thank God for it. But if so, your time is just as much the Lord’s as mine, and you have no right to it whatever. You have no more right to farm, or raise stock, or chop wood for your living than I have to preach for that object; but we must do all that we do for the glory of God. Oh my dear brethren! these are solemn truths. God justly demands our all. The world is ripe for judgment. What will a little farm, or a few city lots, or some fine stock, or any other earthly treasure be worth, when the flames of God’s wrath sweeps the earth. Not only so, but my dear people, these golden oppor­tunities for spreading the gospel will soon cease. Our Christian liberties are liable to be taken from us soon by the man of sin, and our little earthly property confiscated; you will lament bitterly over this, in such an event, when you will remember these solemn entreaties to contribute of your earth­ly store to the spread of the gospel now.

Cut loose, my brother, disentangle yourself and get some of this worldly pitch off your hands, so you can spend your time for God and turn over your year’s earnings to his cause, instead of the banker add money king. Why should you keep under such tyranny? Ask God to help you get free from these yokes and revolutionize your financial matters, so you may enjoy the luxury of giving unto God, that which belongs to him. Those who are out of debt and hold in trust God’s means, will surely grieve the Holy Spirit and lose their experience by withholding, for God demands his own. Those who are yet encumbered will lose nothing by contributing to the gospel, for God will greatly mul­tiply your seed sown and increase the fruit of your labor.

Now dear saints, this plea is not for the support of any man on earth, but for the immediate spread of the gospel. Those whom God sends out to preach he supports, and no one needs to ask for a penny from earthly source. But we see the great demand for the gospel in tract form, and wings given to the flying roll,” to carry it to thousands of homes, and missions established in every city where the millions of perishing souls may hear the pure truth through holy literature and daily preaching. All this demands your earthly means, my brother, as well as your labor and prayers. The world never witnessed such an urgent time as now. Our forefathers never had such opportun­ities as we. Let us wisely make use of all this, for the time is at hand. The Bridegroom is at the door. Hap­py are they who, when the Lord comes, shall find so doing.

J. W. Byers.

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HOW TO MAKE MONEY.

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THE heading of this article may attract the attention of many, I write this for the benefit of those who would like to give something to advance God’s cause, but never have anything to give; no surplus to use in the rescuing of perishing souls, or the pushing forward of the work of the Lord.

I want to tell you how to make money for God. Did you ever think of it in this way? The reason why you never have anything for God is because you have been working for yourself, plowing, sowing and reaping all for yourself; buying, selling, trad­ing, etc. all for yourself. You have not made calculations to dedicate the income of one acre of your crop, out of your one hundred acres, wholly to God; not one animal out of your flock or herd. You have run your busi­ness hit and miss for yourself, and you do not see why you are not pros­pering. You look back over your past life when you spent ten dollars for tobacco each year, and the same for coffee and other superfluities for the table. You went to shows, fairs, frolics, and spent from twenty-five to fifty dollars each year, and perhaps twenty-five dollars for dootor bills and medicine, and a large expense for unnecessary clothing, changeable apparel, and superfluous trimmings. You only pass a little space over the bill and it exceeds one hundred dol­lars each year, and you say God has wonderfully saved you from all these expenses, but what do you do with your money? You squeeze out ten dollars a year at fifty-cent dribs and then think the Lord is getting big interest.

Oh, that people would live for God, work for God, farm for God, make money for God and keep self killed out! There are a few saints in the land that are living for God, and they al­ways have a little of the Lord’s money on hand to use for his glory, and they have enough to eat and wear. They have a bright and happy face, strong faith in God and a clear, steady ex­perience. And why is it? They have ceased to live for self.

If you want to prosper, live a self- sacrificing life. When you plant your crop according as you purpose in your heart, consecrate a certain number of acres wholly to the service of the Master, and do not make foolish trades and dispose of what you have dedicated to the Lord, but use it for the Lord only, and just as the Lord dictates. I am perfectly satisfied, if you will consecrate to make some money for God, that after it is made, he will show you how to use it most for his glory.

Although I have seen money dealt out too freely to young preachers and workers, and it generally works about the same with them, that over-feeding does for a hunting dog, viz., does not hunt good. May the Lord give wisdom in all things.

Some people excuse themselves and say, If I could only collect what others owe me, I would have some­thing for God. It is generally your own fault, putting confidence in the flesh and leaving loop-holes in your business transactions, when the Word says, “be diligent in business,” and “put no confidence in the flesh.” Others say, I would give but I am in debt so, and everything is under mort­gage. How do you manage your business? Always stretching yourself beyond your measure. You buy more stock than you have money to pay for, then give a mortgage, feed the stock, pay off interest and mort­gage, then buy more land than you can pay for, give mortgage, and pay interest, and finally worry through, but must then build a fine house and a new barn on borrowed capital and give a new mortgage. And by the time the same is paid off, buy some more stock to buy some more land, but always in debt, paying interest, etc. and never have anything for God or the advancement of his cause in any way. You will die in debt to money loaners; having robbed God of his own, and the devil will close in his mortgage and where will you be? Whereas you might have laid up in store for yourself a good foundation against the time to come. Such peo­ple generally, when sending off for a minister say, We all want you to come, and if you will tell us on which train you are coming, we will meet you at the depot. Not saying one word about means to pay car fare, and if anything is hinted on that line the plea is, we are poor in this world’s goods. But the Bible says, “the poor have the gospel preached to them.” And so it is; but it is where the preacher is, and not where it is impossible for him to go.

I do not speak thus as being in want; but dear reader, if you knew of the many thousands starving for the true bread of life and are crying, Send us the gospel; and of the poor preachers that have large families that they are taking from place to place, trying to fill those earnest calls, with not one selfish motive; pressed to extreme privation and want, to clear their conscience and rescue souls. If you could only know their situation your prayer would be, Lord help me make money for thee. But sad, sad! many will read these words and say, I have heard the like all my life. If so, you will be speechless at the judgment bar; for you have been faithfully warned. “Will a man rob God?” Have you done what you could? or have you robbed God? He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. And if ye have not been faith­ful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? God forbid that these words will fall among stones. For he that being often reproved, and hardeneth his neck shall be destroyed suddenly, and that without remedy.

Geo. L. Cole.

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TRUSTING IN GOD.

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To day I feel to praise God for all his goodness. I am glad that I can testify to the honor and glory of God, that he keeps my body, as well as my soul. I feel we cannot say too much about his healing power, in instilling this principle of God in the minds of the people. Dear readers, I have had this confidence in God for over five years. Christ has been our physician all this time. We have a family of four children, of which two have never tasted of the dregs of medicine. I have had a great many clear demon­strations, proofs of the power of God in our family, also in our neighbor­hood there are perhaps twenty-five living witnesses to the same, men, women and children. Let us put on the whole armor of faith, and fight the good fight of faith, for faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Yea, it was by this, the elders obtained a good report. Dear readers, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us. For the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up. Listen! Matt. 18:19, we read, if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anyhing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Can we not bring our in­firmities to him? Yea he says, the leaves of the trees are for the healing of the nations. His store-house is full and overflowing, and he has made the language so strong even in the plural, “nations.” This is for you and me and as many as will come to the fountain of life. Whosoever will, let him come. Know ye not of the fate of Uzza, when he failed to trust God, and put his arm forth to steady the ark? God forbid that we should be guilty of the same, for without faith it is impossible to please God. He has made the way so plain that none need fail. Trust! Trust! Amen. Your brother in Christ, 

A. D. Mathews.

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Hartsells, Ala.

Dear Saints: I feel that the Lord is leading me to write my testimony. Praise his holy name! This leaves me saved in Jesus, for which I give him all the glory. He has forgiven my sins, and I am saved from all un­cleanness, cursing and jesting, and all that is not pleasing in the eye of God. I desire all God’s holy ones to pray for me, I am not wholly sanctified. May God help us to sow the good seed that shall bring forth good fruit to everlasting life. Your brother in the faith,

Henry Patterson.

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Frisco, Ark.

Dear Saints of God: This morn­ing finds me saved through the truth. Have been a reader of the GOSPEL TRUMPET for four or five years. I praise God that such a paper ever fell into our hands. A couple of them happened to come here to this office, and the postmaster gave them to some of the brethren, and several, of us signed for the paper, and I know that it has been a great help to the saints at this place. I have thought many a time that it was the hand of God that sent those papers to this of­fice. I believe it has been the means of some of God’s little ones standing firm on the word of God, while we have had everything that is not of God almost, to contend against. Now I believe God has a little church planted here to stay, on the top of the Boston Mountain. I ask an in­terest in the prayers of God’s people for us at this place, that we may all be true to God. Your sister, saved by power divine,

Emmaline Reed.

Page 2

THE GOSPEL TRUMPET.

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A WEEKLY HOLINESS JOURNAL.

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DEFINITE, RADICAL, ANTI-SECTARIAN.
Sent Forth in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the Purity and Unity of His Church;
the Defence of ALL His Truth;
And the Destruction of Sect Babylon.

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PUBLISHED AT GRAND JUNCTION, MICH.

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D. S. WARNER, – Editor.

E. E. BYBUM, – Office Editor.

E. E. BYBUM and S. MICHELS, – Publishers.

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TERMS, $1.00 Per Year In Advance.

FREE TO THE POOR.

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Entered at the Post Office at Grand Junction, Van Buren Co., Mich.. as second class matter.

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NOTICE.

All business communications, moneys, &c. must be addressed to Gospel Trumpet, to insure credit; otherwise we will not be responsible.

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NOTICE.

A commission of 20 per cent will be given on each new cash subscriber, to all who will labor for the Gospel Trumpet. We make this offer so as to help the brethren that are in the field, as well as the circulation of the paper.

Parties desiring papers to canvass with, should notify us regularly of their address.

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NOTICE.

How to Send Money. – Remit by Post Office Order or Postal Note. Where these cannot be procured, send by Express Order. Registered Letter or small amounts in stamps.

Change of Address. – Subscribers wishing their address changed, must be sure to give their former, as well as their new address.

Missing Papers. – It occasionally happens that numbers of our papers sent to our subscribers are lost or stolen in the mails. In case you do not receive yours when due, after waiting a sufficient length of time, write us a card, and we will gladly send one in place of the missing number.

When you write, be sure to give your full address, name, post-office, county and state.

Should there be a mistake at any time, write us at once, and we will gladly rectify the same.

Address all letters to Gospel Trumpet. Grand Junction, Mich.

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THE SHINNING LIGHT.

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An interesting paper for children. Illustrated. It should be in every family where there are children. Only 25 cents a year. Address,

THE SHINING LIGHT.,
Grand Junction, Mich.

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BOOKS AND TRACTS.

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Babylon is Fallen. 10 cts. a dozen
What Church should I Join?
Sects.
The Master’s Call.
A Wonderful Deliverance.
Little Things. hundred.
Questions for Sunday Keepers.
The Apostasy.
Repent and Believe the Gospel!
The Doctrine of Healing.
Why are you not a Christian?
Poison.
Lost and Found.

Marriage and Divorce.

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A tract of 32 pages, giving the inspired word of God on the subject. Price 5 cents.

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The Ordinances of the New Testament.

A TRACT, BY WM. G. SCHELL.

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Setting forth the ordinances of the scriptures in clear light, showing which are abolished, and which are still in vogue. Single copy 5 cts. Per dozen 45 cts.

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Must we Sin?

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A conversation, giving Bible proofs that we must live free from sin, containing 48 pages. Single copy 2 cts. Per dozen, 20 cts. Per hundred. $1.50

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The Church of God.

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A tract containing 32 pages, proving what is the Church and what is not the Church of God. Price single copy 10 cents. Per dozen 80 cents.

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The Great Tobacco Sin.

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It contains 30 pages, with a neat cover. We will send these tracts to any one sending us postage at the rate of one cent for three tracts. Always state just how many you wish sent.

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The Sabbath Tract.

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This tract contains 63 pages giving the word of God on the subject of the Sabbath. It overthrows Saturday keeping and proves that the first day of the week is the proper day to keep. Price 10 cts.

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Questions and Answers on the Church

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is a tract containing four letters with many questions concerning the church, and the difference between the true church and sectism. Following these letters are the answers to the same, giving much scriptural light on many difficult points of doctrine. Price one cent each.

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What is the Soul?

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Or 100 scriptures proving that man possesses a spiritual and immortal clement called the Soul, the Spirit, and the Inner Man, which goes to God at the death of the body. The same also proved by the early Church History.

By D. S. Warner.

PRICE Single copy . . . . . . . . . . $ .10
(Per dozen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
(Per hundred . . . . . . . . 5.00

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The Bible Readings.

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Bible readings or references on about 100 subjects. Price 75 cts. each.

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Holiness Bible Subjects.

BY H. C. WICKERSHAM.

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A book containing 100 subjects with scriptures, concordance, definitions to subjects. Setting forth the true church, its doctrine, its ordinances and its fruits. The fall of Babylon and the coming of the evening light. Illustrated, 376 pages, neatly bound in cloth. Single copy $1.00.

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Anthems from the Throne.

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This book contains 148 songs. 90 with music. About all new. When sung in the Spirit of God these songs will be found glorious. They hymn the precious present truth, and the gospel standard of salvation. Send in your orders for ANTHEMS FROM THE THRONE and start the songs of praise anew.

PRICE (Manilla . . . . . . . . . . $0.25
(Cloth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.40
(Per dozen . . . . . . . . $2.40 & $3.60

Tracts for free distribution from ten to twenty cents a hundred.

DIVINE HEALING OF SOUL AND BODY.

—By E. E. Bynum.—

Part I. teaches the way of salvation, and how to get saved.

Part II. gives Bible teaching on the healing of the body.

Part III. consists of testimonies from those who have been healed in these last days.

By following the instructions given in this book the

SINNER

will be enabled to find deliverance from sin; the

BELIEVER

reach the highest attainments of a Christian life, and the

SICK AND AFFLICTED

be healed of their infirmities, and made well. It contains 248 pages. Cloth binding 75 cts. Paper cover 25 cts.

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BIBLICAL TRACE OF THE CHURCH.

By W. G. Schell.

A new book just published; tracing the church in prophecy from her birth to the end of time. It shows that the prophets have foretold the greatest trials and triumphs of the church in the whole Christian Era, and describes the age in which we are now living. It also contains a brief history of more than 400 Protestant denominations. 248 pages. Paper cover 35 cents; per dozen $3.15. Cloth binding 75 cents; per dozen $6.75.

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Echoes from Glory.

A new Song Book, 220 pages, words and music, with instruction to those who desire to learn to sing by note. It contains many new and beautiful songs. Price 50cts. each; $5.00 a dozen.

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The Boys Companion.

—BY E. E. BYRUM. —

This is a neat little volume with interesting chapters, to the boys, concerning the Secret Vice and other bad habits and their effects.

EVERY BOY NEEDS ADVICE

and warning in time, and too often parents fail to give the needed instruction until too late.

THE BOOK IS ILLUSTRATED

with suitable pictures which are aimed to leave a vivid impression upon the young minds and turn them from the downward road to a pure life.

It also contains testimonies and experiences from those who are

INMATES OF THE STATES PRISON.

Boys of every age should have one of these books to read. Make some boy a present of one to place in his library.

Price, paper cover 25 cents, per dozen $2.00. Cloth binding 40 cents, per dozen $3.20.

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Masonic Salvation.

BY FRED HUSTED.

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A small work lately published con­taining the articles published some time ago in the GOSPEL TRUMPET in addition to a chapter on “Masonic Tradition.” It shows up Masonry from a Bible standpoint. Paper cov­er 15 cts., cloth 35 cts.

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LIST OF MONEY LETTERS NOT OTHERWISE RECEIPTED.

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Josephus Russell, M. J. Houghton, Mrs. Maggia Brown, H. M. Gilbert, W. W. Steven­son, Jno. Stage, Wm. Wilkin, Chester J. Beals, Jennie C. Rutty, Mary Heldenbrand, James Worbois.

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Requests for Prayer.

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Pray for H. Shaughter, Montrose, Kan., who is afflicted with sciatic rheumatism.

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My wife is very sick with typhoid fever, and we desire the prayers of the saints of God that she may be healed to his glory, and for the bene­fit of others.

Jesse Drowley.

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Nannie Sharum writes that she de­sires prayer in her behalf that she may be healed of LaGrippe, and the hindrance removed if there is any­thing in the way of her being healed.

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Dear Trumpet Readers; I have been afflicted for five years and doc­tors have failed to cure me. I have given my case into the hands of the Lord, and he has in a measure healed me, but I have a cough yet. Please pray for me Thursday, Dec. 21.

Matilda Starrett,

Marianna, Ark.

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Call for Meeting.

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May the Lord direct some of his chosen ones here, to Edgewood, Clay­ton Co., Ia., where the true gospel has never been preached.

J. C. Hosin,

Box 51.

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There will be a meeting at the Avrand school house nine miles south of Marshall, Mich., beginning Dec. 23. and continue as long as the Lord wills. All are invited. Bro. Charley Eldridge and Allie R. Fisher are re­quested to come. Come on the C. J. & M. and M. C. R. R. Notify me and parties will be met at Marshall, Dec. 22.

D. Sutherland.

Tekonsha, Mich.

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Harper, Kan., Dec. 13, 1893.

We are praying that God will send some of his true ministers here to preach the word in all its purity. Cannot Bro. Henry or Bro. Haynes come, or whosoever the Lord sends. Come filled with the Holy Spirit, able to cope with all kinds of spirits. Ad­dress to      

Howard Tomlin.

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EDITORIAL.

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There will be an ordinance meet­ing on Christmas at the camp ground near here, and we are expecting a good meeting in the name of the Lord.

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The cloth edition of “The Boy’s Companion” is now ready. It is a very neat little volume with marble edges, which we believe every boy will take delight in reading, and hav­ing in his library. Price 40 cents.

Also the cloth books, “Masonic Salvation,” are now ready. Price 35 cents.

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Neosho Falls, Kan., Dec. 10, 1893.

Dear Readers of the Trumpet: My letter in the TRUMPET of Dec. 7 was headed, through some mistake, Neosba Falls, Mo., when it should have read Neosho Falls, Kan. where we want a camp meeting established, in a beautiful grove just across the Neosho river from town, in easy walk­ing distance from the SantaFe and M. K. & T. depots. We have thought and prayed a great deal about this matter, yet we leave it all at the dear feet of Jesus. Your sister in Christ,

M. Ella Sain.

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INSTANTLY HEALED.

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Dear Bro. Byrum: The sister for whom we requested prayers a few weeks ago for her healing, who had a dislocated spine, was instantly healed the 14th of Nov. Oh praise the Lord for his mighty healing power! She got out of bed and went to work as soon as she was healed. Your sister, fully saved in Jesus,

Mrs. S. E. Daugherty.

Attica, Kan.

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CHILDREN’S HOME.

Grand Junction, Mich., Dec. 16, 1893.

Dearly Beloved Saints, Greet­ing in Jesus’ name: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. I feel led of the Lord to write a few lines to you of the wonderful dealings of the Lord with us at the Home and school. The Lord moved on me last fall at the Assembly meeting, to build a house for meeting and school. He gave me the plan how it should be. Being satisfied that it was of the Lord, I did not hesitate, but moved at once in the name of the Lord. Having only seven dollars to begin the work with, I moved, trusting the Lord. He graciously supplied our needs for the table and some money for the building. The total cost of the material was $390. Labor all donated. The busi­ness men who sold me the material cheerfully waited on me until the house was done, and now it is due and we lack $230 of paying for it. Any one interested in this great work and feel led to assist, can glorify God in the aid of this work. Anyone having means to spare until about June 20, I feel the Lord will enable me to refund the money. Who can trust the Lord? Some have written to me that they could furnish the means, if they were satisfied that the security was all right. Well I can say that I am the Lord’s, and all I have is his. Of course it is reasonable for strang­ers to enquire after a man’s reputa­tion and ability and his responsibility. Well I can say, the God I serve, and who owns me and all I have, has proved true, and I dare recommend him as able to do for us above that we can ask or think, I do not write to move upon your sympathies, but believe among God’s stewards, there is money enough to pay up this in­debtedness, and prosper this Home to his name’s glory. Dearly beloved if you could realize the responsibility we are taking upon us in this Home, giving our time and means. Having a farm of eighty acres, the proceeds of which we give to the Home, and if the Lord would send us a buyer, we would gladly use the means for the upbuilding of this great work. Now I will leave this with you and the Lord. If any one can help us please let me know at once. The Lord is blessing the school. He having led dear Brother Orr out in the gospel work, Brother Clarence Dewey takes the school. The Lord seems to be well pleased with the change. Sister Della Gardner is teaching the primary classes. May the Lord bless and supply all their needs. Brother Dewey refused $40 per month, preferring to donate his time in teaching the children at the Home, and I pray God to make duty plain to those who send their children here. The meeting here has been one of great good, several were gloriously saved, and are rejoicing in the Lord. Pray for the success of the work. From your brother, saved and under the blood,

S. Michels.

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News from the Field.

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Claypool, Ind., Dec. 12, 1893.

Gospel Trumpet: We commenced meetings at this place last Friday evening. We have good attendance and good order. The Lord is work­ing in this place. Last evening Bro. Speck and company were with us. As there are many saints around this country who would be glad to attend the meeting here, I think it best to make a note of it in the TRUMPET, to let them know we are here and ex­pect to labor in this part of the state for some time to come. We would be glad to have the saints from a dis­tance meet with us here. Yours in Christ,         

A. B. Palmer.

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Renfroe, Miss., Dec. 5, 1893.

Dear Saints and Faithful in Christ Jesus: May great grace be upon you all. I am glad to report victory for king Jesus. And victory in my soul over all the power of the enemy. Praise the Lord! I just re­turned from meeting of seventeen days in Neshoba Co. We met with some very great opposition, but the King was on our side and gave vic­tory. Praise the Lord! I want to correspond with some of the Lord’s host that will come to help us here in the work of the Master. We want some one who is strong in faith. The work has been hindered in the South. I expect to start to Louisiana about the 20th of this month. Pray much for me and the work here. I am Out to do the whole will of the Master in all things. Yours in the war for God,

R. H. Owens.

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Marquand, Mo., Dec. 10, 1893.

Dear Saints of God: The grace of God be with you all. We arrived in the vicinity of Marquand last night, and this (Sunday) morning drove in and preached in one of the sect meet­ing houses to quite a good attend­ance of people, many of whom gave good attention. About three years ago Bro. Bolds and Sister Mattie were locked out of the same house after only a few services. But the Lord used those few sermons to stir the people up to reading their Bibles. Now there are a good number who are friendly to the truth, and though we find some very strong opposition from ungodly professors, we are look­ing to God in full faith that a good work will be done. We ask you dear saints on reading this to send up an earnest prayer with us that God will work mightily here. We wish to give God the glory for the healing of our little one who became afflicted with chills from a stay down in the swamps. The Lord gave us quite a test of faith, but praise God, the trial of faith, has been a great blessing to us, and we realize that it has settled us deeper in consecration and trust. The Lord has furnished us with a spring-wagon and horse to travel with through the winter and spring, for which we praise him. Let all who wish to write us direct to Marquand. Yours in the love and fellowship of the gospel,

R. M. and L. Haynes.

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Butler, Pa., Dec. 11, 1893.

To the Dear Saints, Greeting: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for his great love and continued blessings upon us, his unworthy children. We returned to this place on Friday, the 8th. I found the little church standing firm, and reigning as kings without us. Contrary to the predictions, and doubt­less, the heart wishes of the enemies of the present truth, Jesus the great head of the church and chief Shepherd of the flock, is demonstrating the fact, that he is able to keep his child­ren who are saved out of the world into the whole truth, without the pres­ence of his messengers. Some of the dear ones who have come our of sectism confess, that to be left wholly upon the Lord without a preacher to lean upon, has proved the very best thing for their spiritual advancement. And so it always proves beneficial for the children of God to be cast upon the keeping power of God alone, ex­cept when he sees best to send them ministerial visitations. Organizations formed by preachers, can only subsist as long as upheld by preachers. But he that “buildeth all things” in his own house, is able also to uphold the same. Praise his name!

Well our labors at Fern and vicin­ity, were not in vain in the Lord. Among the first to obey the gospel, were dear ones from Fertigs neigh­borhood, five miles north of Fern, where the two young men died so near together; the last of which we preached the funeral. There were a few there holding on to the Lord, but weak in faith and not in proper fellowship, and not even having meet­ings. But they all sought the Lord with the whole heart; difficulties were removed out of the way; the joy of salvation and spirit of fellowship was restored. Several were restored who had known the Lord, and went on to perfection; and dear Brother Davis, the father of the young men that God, in his great mercy saved so near the end of life, was also saved by the infinite grace and power of God, the last day of our stay at Fern. So the Lord has raised up quite a blessed little church at Fertigs, with others promised to seek God. Oh! that they may all “walk worthy of the voca­tion wherewith they are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long- suffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

The blessed little church at Fern, was also increased with the increase of God. A few were restored and sanctified wholly to God. Two were saved out of sectism, and were made joyful in the spiritual house of God. And all confessed much benefit and advancement in the spirit of God, in knowledge, wisdom and power.

While there, we went ten miles west and held meetings one week near Hill City, where lives Brother Sylvester Lineman and family, separ­ated unto the Lord. We found the people very kind and some inclined to receive the truth. But the build­ing being cold, and our time limited, we could not remain long enough to accomplish present results. But we hope some one will be able there, through God, to raise up a church for his name.

From there, we made a short visit with the little ones at Fertigs, and then returned to Fern again for a short time. Had a precious ordinance meeting and three were buried with Christ in baptism, by dear Brother Schreiber. Dec. 5, much of the day was spent in meeting. Some small causes of discord were removed and the perfect unity of the Spirit restor­ed, and the power of God came down upon our souls, and there was great joy in heaven and on earth. Oh how important to keep the unity of the Spirit! Though the saints here are very dear, a very small matter pre­vented the perfect flow of the spirit of God, and after all was clear, we were constrained to think that had it been so at the beginning, many more souls might have been saved. Oh! let every child of God everywhere, give all diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace, that the work of salvation be unhindered.

We shall never forget our stay with these beloved saints. We were pleasantly homed in rooms forming a part of their house of worship, where the dear ones brought us in abundantly of the fruits of the earth, supplying all our needs. God bless and reward all their kindness for Christ’s sake.

Wednesday morning, Dec. 7, nearly all the beloved came together to bid us farewell. Oh how sweet this holy love and fellowship in the gathered remnant of the Lord! Brother Jas. Lineman and wife, and Mother Line-

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man brought us with sled and sleigh to dear Brother S. B. Heeter’s near Turkey City. We found the dear brother in great suffering, as he has been most of the time since severely hurt, nine months ago. Many pray­ers had been offered in his behalf, and at different times he was relieved and greatly blessed of the Lord. But his faith had never firmly grasp­ed an actual healing. Upon this visit, his faith was much built up and more definitely centered on the promises of God, and he seemed rapidly im­proving. We hope his faith will continue firm, and soon lead him forth triumphant, working for the Lord; as his whole heart longs to do. Pray for him. dear saints.

Dec. 7, met with dear Brothers Schell and Warren in meeting at Last Foxhurg. A large school-room was filled to the utmost, and the pros­pects are good for a work of divine grace to be wrought there.

We have had four services with the church here in Butler, and meet again to night, and the Lord willing, go on our way to Pittsburg, Pa. to join the Floating Bethel crew, where we ex­pect to go into winter quarters, and active warfare for Jesus. Pray for us. Yours in the love of Jesus,

W. B. Shreiber, Warner and Co.

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Adams, Iowa, Dec. 11, 1893.

Dear Trumpet Readers: We are able to report that we are still saved and kept by divine power. Meetings at Adams and Nichols closed. A seed-sowing time in the most barren desert we have ever seen. Bro. Wil­son starts tomorrow for Missouri. We go to Wilton, Iowa tomorrow to begin meetings some seven miles north of that place. Expect to re­main within a radius of fifteen miles for some six or eight weeks. Will be glad to have Bro. Henry join us and make his way westward, as we are likely on his route. Pray for us all.

LATER.

Wilton Junction, Iowa.

Dear Trumpet Readers: The work just commenced here a couple of days ago. Those who contem­plate writing to us, address us as above in care of Newton Ayers. Will likely go from here to Fairport, Muscatine Co., Iowa. We are saved to the uttermost, all on the altar to do God’s will.

F. and A. Husted.

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Windsor, Mo.

To the Gospel Trumpet, Greet­ing: May God’s richest blessings rest upon all his dear children. Amen. Our last report was from Hiawatha, Kan. From there we went to Au­burn, Neb. Had a good meeting, but few came, on account of sect preju­dice. God worked and a few dear souls were brought back into a clear experience, and the saints strength­ened and edified. From there we went to Pawnee, Neb., and held meet­ing near two weeks with good success. A few had already got light on divine healing and on sanctification, and had separated themselves from the U. P. sect, and most of them heard the Word gladly and seemed to get a real benefit. We were very kindly received by them. May God bless them. Also a few were reclaimed. Praise the Lord! Sister Rena Carmichel, one of our Co-laborers re­mained at her home near that place, while Bro. G. L. and myself came home on a visit to see our dear moth­er, but expect to be out in the field soon again, the Lord willing. Will likely go to Kansas from here. Pray much for us, and God’s work in the west. From your humble saved sis­ter and brother, kept by the power of God. Amen.

Mary and G. L. Cole.

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Dora, Mo., Dec. 2, 1893.

Dear Saints: May grace be mul­tiplied unto you all. I am praising the dear Lord for full salvation and victory over the devil. Glory to God! The meeting at Alice, Texas Co., closed with grand victory on the Lord’s side. There were quite a num­ber saved, of whom was Bro. John Black, who was a minister of the Good Way sect. But praise the dear Lord, when the thundering tones of the pure gospel reached his ears, he denounced the man-made institution, and came home to Zion and embraced the evening light, with a mighty shout of glory in his soul. Also Sis­ter Sadie McDaniel was a worker of what is known as the Mission Wor­kers, in Denver, Colo. When she heard the word preached in the pow­er of the Holy Ghost, received it with joy and much praise to the Lord! From there we came to Dora and met Bro. and Sister Spears at their home, and praising the dear Lord for his keeping and healing power. Commenced meeting here the night of the 16th of November. There has been much opposition against the work. Sectism is trembling and ral­lying all of their forces against the truth, but praise God, his chidren follow him, for they know his voice. Praise God, the children of God know that the voice that cries out for sectism and division, is not the voice of the good Shepherd. Meeting is going on here yet in the name of Jesus. Dear Bro. McKin­ley has gone home. May the Lord bless him and lead him back to us again if it be his will. May God bless all of the saints. Amen. Pray much for me and the work at this place. Your brother saved and sanctified through and through,

W. J. Gosvener.

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Grant’s Pass, Ore., Dec. 12, 1893.

Dear Brethren: May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ abide with you forever, is my prayer. I am still rejoicing in a full and complete sal­vation. Hallelujah! We have been laboring for some time in Woodburn. for the Lord. We had some very precious meetings. It was very hard to get the people out to meeting, for they loved pleasure more than God, and the weather so bad that we had small congregations. There were some saved, and others renewed their consecrations. And much seed was sown, which we hope will fall on good ground and spring up and bear fruit in due time. At the close of the meeting we had a glorious feast. There were eight that partook of the ordinances of God’s house. And some that never witnessed a meeting like that before. Oh! how blessed it is to obey God’s commandments! If you know these things happy are ye if ye do them. Praise the Lord! And as dear Brother Green is going to remain there for a few months, I felt the Lord leading me south into new fields where the evening light has never been preached. I bade the dear saints farewell and took my leave on Monday, the nth. Now dear ones, remember me. For I am all alone with Jesus; no one to help me sing but Jesus; no one to help me fight the battles but Jesus.

“Alone with Jesus in the storm,
He’ll keep us from all fear and harm;
If we but trust him day by day,
Although it be a stormy way.

Alone with Jesus hour by hour,
Preserved by his almighty power,
And when the storms of life are o’er,
With thee we’ll dwell forevermore.”

But Jesus is all and in all. Glory be to his name! He has all power in heaven and in earth. He will never leave nor forsake us. Pray for me, and the work here. If any one around here or farther south wishes meeting and wants me to come, please address me at Woodburn, or Grant’s Pass, Oregon. Your brother, saved and sanctified wholly, all consecrated to do God’s will,

Michael Stover, Jr.

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Cholmondeley, Malphus, Cheshire, Eng., Dec. 4, 1893.

Dear Saints of God scattered abroad. Greeting: God bless you all abundantly. I can, by the power of God, report through the TRUMPET perfect victory, not only for myself but for others also. I left Liverpool the 7th of Nov. and came to this place in the name of the Lord, a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles from Liverpool. The way being opened up through some of dear Bro. and Sister Croasdell’s friends. I began meeting the evening of the 8th; God granting sweeping victory from the first over all the power of the enemy. Here we found a few honest souls who were willing to walk in the light, who had got disgusted with the dead formality of professors some years ago, and had come out from among them, but had not understood they were not to take a stone out of her for a foundation; and for lack of pro­per teaching had taken stones for a foundation. So God especially an­ointed us to go through the gates, gather out the stones and lift up the standard, and when they saw the Zion of God set forth in the simplicity of the gospel, the honest souls returned to Zion with songs and everlasting joy. Among those who were deliv­ered were dear Bro’s Brereton, Shenton, Stockton, Thomas and Walker. These brethren have been preaching before, I presume to all the light they had, whom we trust will keep their covenant with God and reject all tra­ditions of men contrary to the word of God, and let God qualify them and send them forth as sons of thunder in the evening light. There are many others also who have accepted the truth and been made free, and we believe the time is in the near future when the saints of God in this locality will have a meeting house of their own to worship God in, in the beauty of holiness. God bless them for their kindness to us, in administering so abundantly to our wants.

We were very thankful to God for the privilege of meeting dear Bro. Achor. After his arrival at Liverpool, came down and helped me a while, whom the Lord used much in preach­ing the truth. Again we were joyfully surprised at the coming of Sister Croasdell and Sister Shoffner, who stopped a few days at one of Sister Croasdell’s friends, near where we were holding meeting. Who also added much to the fire in preaching, and wonderful testimonies. We con­tinued the meeting a few days, after which we all with some of the some of the saints from the country returned to Liverpool, where we attended, which seemed to be one of the most precious little ordinance meeting we were ever at. In which twenty-seven saints took part. I stopped two days at the saints’ home and again took the train for this place, where I expect soon a company to join me. In which by the grace of God we intend to press the battle to the gates, in search of the lost sheep. Truly this is the Lord’s time and all that God lacks of doing a short work on the earth is faith and obedience on the part of his people. A faith that stops the mouths of gainsayers and works righteousness in the hearts of mankind. And I pray God that all his preachers will keep their censers filled with fire, and open their mouths wide and let the thunder sound and the awful Spirit flame, until Babylon will be left des­olate without an inhabitant. By con­tinuing in supplication and prayers, and keeping where God can trust me with his mighty power, I will do my part to fill Great Britain with the doctrine of Jesus Christ. And as for means to carry on the work, we have the keys of the kingdom that unlocks the bank of heaven that supplies our wants, according to his riches in glory. So we will not see nor hear, nor know anything else but victory in the name of Jesus Christ. Until our soul breaks the cable and takes its happy flight, to wear a crown with all who love his appearing. Let all the saints pray for the work here. Yours in Christ,

J. W. Daugherty.

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THY TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL.

Psa. 119:129.

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Vera, Ill.

Dear Saints: I have been afflicted for the last fifteen years with heart disease, and other afflictions. The Lord has healed me of all my afflic­tions. I praise God, who saves me from all sin. Your sister, saved and kept by the power of God,

Sarah E. Crotser.

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Dushville, Mich.

Dear Saints: As the dear Lord is leading, I will tell what the Lord is doing for me. I do praise the Lord for saving my soul. And I am kept by the power of God through faith. I am so glad that God is my refuge. In him will I trust. I am so glad that nine years ago the light of the gos­pel shone upon my heart, and God brought me out of one of the daugh­ters of old Mother Rome and God enabled me to cross over into the land of Canaan where milk and hon­ey flow. I do rejoice to day that my name is written in heaven and not on the earth. O praise God for deliver­ance! My heart says, Praise the Lord, and all that is within me praise the Lord. Some have departed from the faith, so there are but three or four of God’s little ones here to meet in Father’s name. The devil has the people so rocked to sleep, they will not come out to hear the straight word preached, so we find them heap­ing to themselves teachers, having itching ears. Praise our God for saving, keeping and healing power! I am standing on the sea of glass, and reigning in this life with one Christ Jesus. I do love to read the TRUMPET. I have been in the furnace of trials, but glory be to Jesus for vic­tory! Purified, made white, then tried. Oh! dear sinners, turn to Jesus; do not delay, for the time is short, and your soul not saved. To day if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For as death finds you, so will the judgment. God is my shepherd, I shall not want. He leadeth along still waters and green pastures. From a sister, wholly sanctified. Pray much for me that I may keep at the feet of Jesus.

Mary A. Smith.

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Sheridan, Ok.

Dear Saints: I feel it a blessed privilege to tell what the Lord has done for me. Eight years ago last June, the Lord sanctified me wholly, and ever since, I have found him ready to do abundantly above what I was able to ask. I do praise the Lord for the firmness he implanted in my soul when he sanctified me. As they were singing, “I will follow thee my Sav­ior,” there was a hearty amen in my soul to every word. I knew I would have much to contend with, as my husband was one of the bitterest holi­ness fighters I ever heard of. Then the thoughts of Jesus and what he endured even unto the very last, came to my mind, and I knew it was enough for the disciple to be as his Lord, or the servant as his master; though after years of the severest tests that husband could impose on his wife, and being exposed to a severe cold, and being wet several times, it has result­ed in heart disease and dropsy. And thinking I had endured enough sor­row and was hampered so as to be prevented from doing much good, I also thought perhaps my death might work repentance upon my husband. So I failed to carry out James 5:13, 15, until death seemed to be very near. Still I was willing to go. All at once there seemed to be a difference in the atmosphere; it appeared to be the loveliest that I had ever breathed; and these words passed through my mind, “Be not over anxious to die.” Then I thought, could I drink freely of this lovely atmosphere, I would soon be well. Early next morning a dear saint called on me and told me they were praying for me last night. Dear saints, in the name of Jesus, do continue to pray for the sick, the afflicted, and those in distress; for I know through experience, God can change even the air we breathe. Long had I suffered with encumbered feelings through dropsy having such a hold on me, and during afternoons and nights my fever would rage. I could find no drink to satisfy my thirst. So my youngest daughter insisted on me staying with her. There the saints came, prayed for me according to James 5:13, 15, and the Lord greatly blessed me with my natural taste, (which I had lost for about two months), and with a good appetite. And I feel so greatly blessed and sleeping so good without fever, relish­ing both food and drink. But I did a nice little washing next day, rode three and one-half miles over a very rough road, and still continued to work, attending to milk and cleaning things; went up and down cellar sev­eral times, until I was exhausted. So  aches and pains came on me heavy, and the dropsy still lingers. But all glory to God, he has not permitted the fever to return nor my appetite or taste to depart, Pray for me. Your sister in Christ,

S. E. Hunt.

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OBITUARIES.

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Thomas M. Harris was born in June 14. 1845. died at Decatur, Mich., Dec. 8, 1893; aged forty-eight years, five months, and twenty-three days. His life and death give us reason to hope that he is with the Lord. He said since last spring he had prayed to God every day, had confessed his sins and believed God accepted him. He leaves a saved wife and several children, some saved and hopeful in a day of meeting with all in glory. Funeral service by

C. Orr.

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Teegarden, Ind., Dec. 15, 1893.

Sister Mary J. Barnes was born in Richland Co., Ohio, Aug. 18, 1843. Was united in marriage to Isaac M. Anglin, Sept. 1, 1863. Her death oc­curred on the morning of Dec. 8, 1893, after three years of sickness and at times of great suffering. Aged fifty years, three months and twenty days. She became converted to God at the age of fourteen years, and lived a true devoted Christian life. A few months ago she was much blessed of God in hearing the evening light preached, and accepting the same, and declaring her freedom. She has been a faithful worker in the church of the living God. She leaves a hus­band, one daughter and two sons to mourn their loss; but their loss is her gain, for she has gone to a mansion in glory, where sorrow and afflictions are not known. May God bless and comfort the bereaved family, and keep them faithful, that they may meet in heaven. There was quite a large gathering of people at the fun­eral, who listened very attentively to the word. Text Psa. 116:15. Funeral services by      

S. P. Strang.

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Marquand, Mo.

Bro. F. M. Newton departed this life at his home near Poplar Bluff, Mo, Dec. 3, 1893: aged fifty-eight years, eight months and nine days. He lived in sin till a few weeks before his death, but had for several months been under deep conviction, which seized his soul upon seeing the power of God manifest in raising his sister from the grasp of death after physi­cians had pronounded her beyond help. A few weeks before his death while we were holding meeting near his home he consecrated himself to the service of God and seemed to re­joice firmly in hope. May the Lord direct the hearts of the dear wife and unsaved children to seek God and live ready for his call. Funeral ser­vices by

J. C. Barker and R. M. Haynes.

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Marquand, Mo.

Bro. David Delashmit died at his home in Poplar Bluff, Mo., Dec. 5, 1893; aged forty-two years. He, like Bro. Newton, lived in sin till his last days. When near the end of his life he sent for the saints to come and talk and pray with him. He was deeply in earnest, seeking the Lord, but seemed unable to grasp the prom­ise firmly by faith till just at the end. After he could no longer speak he raised his hands and pointed toward heaven with a smile, then clapping his hands joyfully he folded them across his breast as if going to rest, and fell asleep in Jesus. May the Lord bless the wife and children with salvation. They are left in very needy circumstances. The wife has prom­ised to seek God and we believe she will find peace in him.

Lay them gently down to rest,
Their one short hour is done;
They only found the joys of life
With life’s departing sun.

Though long their burdened spirits groped
In Nature’s gloomy night,
The eve of life was glorious with
The blessed “evening light.”

The light their closing eyes beheld
Though so divinely fair,
Is but a foretaste of the bliss
They’re now enjoying there.

Funeral services by

R. M. Haynes.

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THE MINISTERS OF GOD SEE EYE TO EYE.

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WE continue our investigation of points upon which all God’s dear ministers have not all come to a full understanding, by taking up the word

HADES

which involves the subject of the inter­mediate state. Let it be remembered that this is also a point that does not materially affect uniformity in any principle of prac­tical righteousness, nor in the present truth, it being wholly a matter relating to the future. Nevertheless it being a scrip­tural word.it is our privilege to understand its meaning, and so come to a uniformity of knowledge respecting it, and by conse­quence, harmony of teaching.

There is certainly a great mistake in the rendering in the Common Version, of two very distinct words into our English word hell. Namely, gehenna and hades. The first denotes the place of final and ever­lasting punishment for the wicked; while the word we are now considering never is so used. But it is the receptacle of all the spirits of the departed, between this life and the resurrection of the body. The word occurs just eleven times in the New Testament; it is rendered “hell” ten times, and once “grave.” That we may see at a glance, the use of the word, we will here present its every occurrence together in the New Testament.

  1. And thou, Capernaum, which art ex­alted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. — Matt. 11:23.
  2. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. — Matt. 16:18.
  3. And thou, Capernaum, which art ex­alted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. — Luke 10:15.
  4. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. — Luke 16:23
  5. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. — Acts 2:26, 27.
  6. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. — Acts 2:31.
  7. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. — Rev. 1:18.
  8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. — Rev. 6:8.
  9. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. — Rev. 20:13.
  10. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. — Rev. 20:14.
  11. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? — 1 Cor. 15:55.

Let us now briefly consider the words in all those texts. The first will not apply to the grave; for surely the mind of infi­nite wisdom would not compare or couple together the height of heaven and the depth of a grave. The expression doubt­less signifies that as that city had exalted itself high in pride, it should soon fall to decay, and like a spirit, go down into the unseen world, it should be brought down into the depth and pass from view. On the above text Rotherham adds a foot note, in which he says, “Hades and Gehen­na should not be confounded.” If then it does not mean hell, the same as Gehenna, nor yet the grave, what does it mean? We answer, and the Word will make it plain, it means the “unseen world” of disem­bodied spirits. When spoken of as the lot of the proud and wicked, as in the above case, it means cut off from the earth, and hopelessly perished.

  1. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church of God. Here we will let George Campbell explain. “It is by death, and by it alone, that the spirits en­ter into hades. The gates of hades is there­fore a very natural periphrasis for death; insomuch, that without any positive evi­dence, we should naturally conclude this to be the meaning of the phrase. But we have sufficient evidence, both sacred and profane, that this is the meaning. The phrase occurs in the Septuagint — the Old Testament translated into Greek — in Isa. 38:10. “I shall go to the gates of the grave,” — Hebrew Sheol, Greek hades — It follows, “I am deprived of the residue of my years.” Nothing can be plainer than that pulai hazon here means death. In other words, “I shall die and be deprived of the residue of my years. But the phrase is the same as a literal version of that used by our Lord. Our translators did not like to make Hezekiah, who was a good man, speak as if he thought himself going to hell, and have therefore rendered it grave.”

It is true that we have been taught that the “gates of hell” signified the counsels of wicked spirits. We had accepted the idea, having heard or read it somewhere, and having supposed that the word “hell” in this place was from gehenna. But since learning that it is hades, we clearly see that Mr. Campbell’s view is the correct one. The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church; namely, that institution found­ed by the Lord Jesus, the “New Man” into which Christ had breathed his own life, shall live forever. To the end of time it shall never become extinct on earth.

We have often had the occasion to thank God for the very deep and fine points of truth brought out by the exquisite knowl­edge of this translator in the Greek text. Since penning the above conclusion that the text under consideration means the church shall live forever, we looked again into his notes and find these words, “To say then, that the gates of hades shall not prevail against the church, is in other words to, say, it shall never die, it shall never be extinct.” “But what should we call the gates of death? Not death itself, surely. They must be diseases; for through these we are brought to death. And many direful diseases has the church been af­flicted with, if the introduction of the grossest errors, the most superstitious practices, and senseless disputes, are to be accounted as such; but they have not hitherto proved mortal, and we have reason to believe never shall.”

God’s church, being a spiritual body, the idea of her death would very naturally be expressed by the figure of speech of her passage through the gates of hades, to the unseen world of Spirits. In such case the gates of hades would have occasion to re­joice over having swallowed her up. But she shall never die, hence the gates of hell shall not exult over her passage down into oblivion. Bless God, the Spirit witnesseth to our heart that this is the correct mean­ing. How often, in quoting the words of Christ in Matt. 16:18 in the view that the gates of hell meant the counsel of gehen­na — hell — we have been compelled to feel the force of the fact that those powers of darkness actually have prevailed against her. And we have been compelled to modify the statement of Christ by saying the counsels of the pit shall not utterly or finally prevail, so as to extinguish her. But would Christ say that the infernal powers should not prevail against her, when it had already been foretold in prophecy right to the reverse? For, says Daniel, “I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them.” Dan. 7:22. “And by him the daily sacri­fice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary — his church — was cast down.” “And it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practiced and prospered.” Dan. 8:12, 13. “And they shall pollute the sanc­tuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” Dan. 11:31.

These and other prophecies, both in the Old and New Testament, and also the tacts of their fulfillment might be brought forward as a direct contradiction of the words of our Lord, if the gates of hell be interpreted as the plots of the infernal regions. But while the counsels of gehen­na have prevailed against her, the gates of hades have not. And Christ said the lat­ter, but not the former. So when we give the words of the Lord their true and dis­tinct meaning, and do not confound hades with gehenna, — hell — they are strictly true, and need no apology.

The third occurrence of hades in Luke 10:15, is used in the same manner as the first, hence needs no separate explanation.

  1. “In hell — hades — he lifted up his eyes.” Here hades cannot mean the final place of torment into which the wicked will be cast in the day of judgment, for that time had not yet arrived; for he had five brethren yet in this world on probation. Nor can it mean the grave, for there the lifeless dust does not see, feel, nor converse. But it does mean just what hades always means, namely, as translated by the Bible Union version, “the under-world,” or as defined in Young’s Concordance and by Greek scholars generally, the “unseen world,” the place of all spirits after death. The fact that the rich man was already, tormented by the flames of hell does not prove that he was already in the infernal lake. If, as we have often heard wicked men confess, that this life was already a hell to them, what but actual tormenting flames of hell could express the wretched­ness of a soul disembodied, and fully awake to its guilt and eternal doom? As sinners feel the flames of hell already kindled in their bosoms here, how much more there, in the open arena of spirit condition, hence under the more awful and searching eye of God; and withal, the last ray of hope having expired, and their slumbering memory awakened to all their folly and sins of the past, and despair paints the only picture of the future.

We also see, in this important narrative of the Savior, in which he so plainly brings conscious “immortality to light,” that there are two apartments to hades, one for the wicked, the other for the righteous. The first is called tartarus, the second Abra­ham’s bosom, and between the two there is a deep, impassable gulf, or abyss. Though we have learned those things, by the help of the Lord, from the word, we are strengthened by the researches of the most competent scholarship. Let us here quote you again from Geo. Campbell. Af­ter speaking of the place of good spirits being called paradise — a place of delight, he says, “To denote the same state, they sometimes used the phrase, Abraham’s bosom, a metaphor borrowed from the man­ner in which they reclined at meals; but, on the other hand, to express the unhappy situation of the wicked in that intermedi­ate state, they do not seem to have de­clined the use of the word tartarus. 2 Pet. 2:4. The word is not gehenna, for that comes after judgment, but tartarus, which is, as it were, the prison, of hades, wherein criminals are kept till the general judg­ment. It was comprehended under hades as a part of it.” “According to this ex­plication, the rich man and Lazarus were both in hades, though in very different situations.” “Each had his place in the receptacle of departed spirits.” “Though they are said to be a great distance from each other, they are still within sight and hearing, so as to be able to converse together.” This would have been too gross a violation of probability, if the one were considered as inhabiting the highest heav­ens, and the others as placed in the infer­nal regions.”

In the same way Josephus informs us that the Jews understood hades as being the abode of all departed spirits until the day of judgment. And that an abyss separates between the two apartments, called Abraham’s bosom, and tartarus.

  1. “Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover, also, my flesh shall rest in hope. Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell: — hades — neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Acts 2:26, 27.

Here is a use of the word hades that can­not reasonably be applied in any other way than in the fact of an intermediate state for all the spirits of men. We know that Christ never went into hell, the place of torments; and we also know his soul did not go into a grave. A dear brother whom we esteem very highly in love, wrote us since the publication of the treatise on the soul, say­ing, “I always believed and taught that ‘hell,’ in the above text meant the grave.” But in the case of the rich man, he applied it to the final place of punishment. But, my dear brethren, we assure you that our limited acquaintance with the original lan­guage chosen by the Lord to record his last will and testament, is no such a vague and confused medium of conveying thought, that the same, word should in one place mean a grave, and in another the lake of future and everlasting punishment. But such would be the case If hades in Luke 16:23 denoted hell, and in Acts 2:27 and 31 the grave; for the words in both records are the same. Any competent judge of the Greek language will tell you that it is one of the most perfect ever in use. That every word had, in a remarkable degree, its distinct meaning, and every thing was indicated by its appropriate word. Surely Christ has given very clear warning of that awful place of torments into which the wicked will be turned in the day of judg­ment, by the use of the word gehenna. But hades should never have been rendered hell; but it has its specific meaning also. What is it? In the language of George Campbell we affirm that the intermediate abode of all spirits between this life and the day of judgment, “and nothing else will agree with its use, wherever it occurs.” My dear brethren, if we wish to see eye to eye, and teach uniformly, we must look into things more narrowly than to hold and teach a thing simply because we “al­ways thought it meant so.” For that which we always thought is generally what we were educated into back in Babylon. Moreover we should procure a Young’s Concordance, which not only gives us every word in the Bible, but also its orig­inal word, with its English definition. But we need not so much rely upon the defi­nition as upon the use of the word. For instance, take the word hades. In Luke 16:23 we might conclude it means the future hell, though even there the specifi­cations do not all agree with that idea. In some other places it would make sense to translate it grave, but in the case of the rich man and other places, grave is out of the question. Then we must look for a meaning that will harmonize with its use wherever found. And we repeat that that is only found in the intermediate state. In fact the single record in Acts 2:27 and 31 cannot be consistently interpreted in any other way. If we say it means the grave, as our brother, and perhaps others, have too carelessly concluded, then you teach the heathenish and Adventist doctrine, that the soul of man is nothing distinct from the body, and all but his breath goes down into the grave. For in both the above scriptures there is a clear distinction made between the flesh and soul of Chirst, and it was only the soul that went into hades at his death. Yea it is very clearly re­corded that his “flesh rested in hope,” and did not “see corruption,” decomposition, “because his soul was not left in hades.” “He [David] seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, [hades] neither his flesh did see corruption.” Surely there is no possible chance here to attach the idea of grave to hades, unless we identify the soul with the flesh. And even this we cannot do by any possible fair interpreta­tion; for both soul and flesh are spoken of as distinct from each other. But only his soul was in hades, while his body rested in hope in the tomb. Did not decompose because it was reanimated by the re-entrance of the soul.

The quotation from David is found in Psa. 16:9, 10. The Hebrew word for hell in that passage, is Sheol, which we are told by the learned, corresponds perfectly in meaning with the Greek, hades. Let us examine a few instances of Sheol. “A fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn to the lowest hell.” — Deut. 32:22. The word Sheol is here used, metaphorically. And since the ancients supposed the un­der world to be below or in the depth of the earth, the expression meant that his wrath would burn to the depth of the earth. Surely there would be no pro­priety in saying his wrath would burn to the deepest grave, where only the dust reposed which was once the mere instru­ment of the soul’s sins. Again we quote from Job 11:7-9. — “Canst thou by search­ing find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; — Sheol, hades — what canst thou know? The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.” This very clearly refutes the idea that Sheol means the grave. Any one can see that the few feet depth of a grave would not be grooped among such immense distances as the height of heav­en, the extent of the earth and sea, all of which were in Job’s time unknown, and supposed immeasurable. What man in his senses would say, “Ye can no more comprehend the Deity, than ye can dis­cover the height of the firmament, or measure the depth of a grave.” In Psa. 139:8; Amos 9:2, 3, and in other places Sheol for depth is compared with heaven for height. In the last passage we have a double contrast. The top of Carmel, a very high mountain, is properly contrasted with the bottom of the sea, but to heaven, which is inconceivably higher than any mountain, Sheol, which was conceived to be the lowest thing in the world, is con­trasted. And this Hebrew word Sheol, so perfectly corresponds with hades that the seventy, in translating the Old Testament into the Greek Septuagint, out of seventy- three times that it occurs they translated it hades seventy times. See article on hades in the Emphatic Diaglott.

Before passing to our next instance, of the word, we call your attention to two things more, first in Rom. 10:6, 7. The apostle uses languages that corroborates what is recorded in Psa. 16, and Acts 2, concerning Christ’s soul being in the deep underworld. “The righteousness which is by faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heav­en? (that is, to bring Christ down from above); or Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.”) That is, saying faith is attended with no impossibilities. It need not scale the heavens, nor yet explore the profound regions of the departed spirits to find Christ, but the object of our faith is near us. The word here rendered “deep” is abussos, defined in Young’s Concordance — “very deep place.” Geo. Campbell says the word means “a pit or gulf, if not bottomless, at least of an inde­terminable depth.” Thus the use other words describe the place of Christ’s soul before raised from the dead, in exact har­mony with the meaning of hades: Thank God, our Savior did not remain in the un­seen world of spirits, nor has he abandoned the earth while seated at the right hand of his Father in heaven.

The other point of which we wish to speak in this connection is this, the soul of Christ went to the same place that the souls of other men go; hence he said to the pardoned thief on the cross, “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

No. 7. “And have the keys of hell, (hades) and of death.” — Rev. 1:18. It is reasonable to believe that Christ here meant to say that he has the keys of the under-world, the place of all departed spirits. First, because, had it alluded to the grave it would have very likely been in the plural. There are many graves but one hades, one abode for all spirits. Sec­ond, natural death only has power over the body. So the words of Christ assert his power over both the body, that has been decomposed by death, and the soul that has gone into the world of spirits. In other words he has the keys to unlock the graves, where death has laid the body low, and to unlock hades and bring forth the spirits.

No. 8. “And I looked, and behold, a pale horse; — the papal power that was the instigation of millions of saints being mar­tyred — and his name that sat on him was death; and hell (hades) followed with him: and power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” — Rev. 6:8.

This is an awful picture of that hell-de­stroying power that is described as being “drunk with the blood of the saints. Hades followed with him. Wherever this persecu­ting power spread abroad there, the spirit of many passed to that abode of the spir­its. It does not mean grave, for again it is singular. The martyrs were not all buried in one grave, but their spirits all went to one hades. Neither can the word mean hell, the place of final torments, be­cause those “killed with the sword,” etc., here spoken of were the true saints and martyrs of God.

  1. “And the sea gave up the dead (bodies) which were in it; and death — that power which reduces the body to the dust of the earth, — and hell (hades) deliv­ered up the dead which were in them.” Here again the word clearly agrees with the meaning we have found in it all along.
  2. “And death and hell (hades) were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” — Rev. 20:14. On this pas­sage we will allow Mr. Geo. Campbell to speak. “We have another clear proof that hades denotes the intermediate state of souls between death and the general resurrection. In the Apocalypse (xx, 14) we learn, that death and hades, by our translators rendered hell as usual, shall, immediately after the general judgment, “be cast into the lake.” In other words, the death which consists of the separation of the soul from the body, and the state of souls intervening between death and the judgment shall be no more. To the wicked these shall be succeeded by a more terrible death, the damnation of Gehenna, hell properly so called. Indeed in this sa­cred book, the commencement (or the time of men’s entrance into) as well as the destruction of this intermediate state are so clearly marked, as to render it almost impossible to mistake them. In chapter 6:8, we learn, that hades follows close at the heels of death; and from the other passage quoted, that both are involved in one common ruin at the universal judg­ment. Whereas, if we interpret hades, hell, in the Christian sense of the word the the whole passage is rendered nonsense. Hell is represented as being cast into hell; for so the lake of fire, which is denomina­ted “the second death, is universally in­terpreted.”
  3. We have now come to the last instance of the word under consideration, and the only place where, in our common version, it is translated grave. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, (hades) where is thy victory?” — 1 Cor. 15:55. Since, in the article of death, the spirit goes to God who gave it, and the dust returns to the dust, that departure can be spoken of as either going to the place of departed spirits, or to the place of the body’s decay. But there are good reasons why hades in this text, refers to the receptacle of the soul, and not, as translated, the grave. The apostle simply conveys the idea that “immortality being brought to light by the gospel;” the precious fact that, “wheth­er we wake or whether we sleep” — i. e., in or out of the body — we shall live together with Christ.” — 1 Thess. 5:10. And “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” in a more glorious sense than is enjoyed “while at home in the body,” these tacts now being clearly revealed, neither “death,” which brings the body to the grave, nor hades, the abode of the spirit, have any dread upon the Chris­tian’s mind. And in fact God “giveth us the victory” over all that pertains to our dissolution.” If hades, in the above text, meant the grave, there were no triumph expressed in the text for the soul at all; but, correctly translated, the exultation relates to both soul and body. “O death — which only kills the body — where is thy sting? O hades — where goes the soul to rest with Christ — where is thy victory?” The word death, containing within it the idea of the body’s decomposition, the word grave were superfluous, but how beautiful and full the meaning when the latter term is properly translated so as to express, the bright prospect of the soul, beyond the decline of the body.

We have now considered every place in the New Testament where the word hades occurs, and find in every case it is either declared to be the place where all spirits go immediately after death, or the ideas associated with -it favor that meaning. Many other scriptures teach the same in­termediate state, but we will close this long article by another extract from our favorite translator, Mr. Campbell. Vol­ume 1, page 174. “Let it be observed, that Keber, the Hebrew word for grave or sepulcher, is never rendered in the ancient translation ( the Greek Septuagint) hades, but taphos, or some equivalent term. Sheol, on the contrary, is never rendered taphos — grave — but always hades. Nor is — Sheol, or hades — ever construed with daplo, or any verb which signifies to bury, a thing almost inevitable, in words so frequently occurring, if it had ever properly signified a grave. This itself shows that these words were never confounded. I observe farther, that hades, as well as the corre­sponding Hebrew word (sheol) is always singular in meaning as well as in form: the word for grave is often plural. The former never admits the possessive pro­nouns, being the receptacle of all the dead, and therefore incapable of an appropria­tion to individuals. Where the disposal of the body or corpse is spoken of, taphos, or some equivalent term, is the name of its depository. When mention is made of the spirit after death, its abode is hades. Add to this, that in hades all the dead are represented as present, without exception. The case is quite different with the graves or sepulchers. Thus Isaiah represents, very beautifully and poetically, a great and sudden desolation that would be brought upon the earth, saying, Hades, which is in the common version, “Hell, hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure.” — Isa. 5:14, Hades alone is conceived to contain them all, though the graves in which their bod­ies were deposited might be innumerable. Again, in the song of triumph on the fall of the king of Babylon, “Hell (Sheol, or hades) from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.” — Isa. 14:9. Thus, in hades, all the monarchs and nobles, not of one family or race, but of the whole earth, are assembled. Yet their sepulchers are as distant from one another as the nations they governed. As is well observed by Castalio, those are represented as in hades whose carcasses were denied the honor of sepulture.

This is an important fact. Examine again the eleven instances of hades in the New Testament. The word is never in a plural form. There is only one hades. When multitudes of people fall by the hand of death, their bodies fill as many graves. But for the reception of their spirits, “hades — one place only — hath opened her mouth.” This word therefore cannot be the grave, for it is but one, and their men are yet conscious, see and hear. It cannot mean hell, for into it both good and bad go, and even Christ’s soul was there. But as everything goes to show, it is the place of all spirits until the gen­eral resurrection.

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Cawker City, Kan.

Dear Saints and Trumpet Read­ers: I feel led to write my testimony. I am happy; my soul is filled with the love of God. I am happy to know that God doeth all things well. Praise him that he died that we might live. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Bless God for free salvation that fills the soul and heals the body! Praise his holy name! I am saved from all sins, and I am sanctified through the will of the Father. I am so happy to read so many testimonies of God’s true saints. Pray for us.

Susanna Strand.

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