ANALECTA EPISTOLARIA.
AN ASSERTION VERIFIED
Dear Brother, —The three volumes of Elpis Israel arrived safely. We are all exceedingly pleased with the work. C. says he would not take a hundred dollars for his if he could not replace it. He values it higher than all other books, save the Bible, which it renders so intelligible. Oh, how grateful should we be to you for the precious instruction we have received from you by word and writing? But for your instrumentality we should probably have been groping our way along in profound sectarian darkness, looking and praying for the time when no man could say to his neighbour, “Know the Lord;” when the stone “cut out of the mountains without hands” should “fill the whole earth,” and grind the nations to powder, by moral suasion; and in so doing would convert them all, and render them fit subjects for the Messiah’s kingdom! When, lo! utter destruction would have come upon us at unawares! But, we trust, we have seen the truth more perfectly than this; and pray that we may, if not alive at the glorious appearing of the Son of God, have a part in the first resurrection, over whose children “the Second Death hath no power.”
We have great faith in your exposition of the future development of mundane affairs. Well do we recollect your assertion in 1848, contrary to all expectation, that the French Republic would not stand more than four or five years; and how truly have we seen it verified. This, with other indications, have very forcibly impressed us.
May the good Lord guide us, and preserve us all to the glorious appearing of his immaculate Son! And that we may have a part in the resurrection to life, and enjoy his presence as the Light of the New Jerusalem for ever, is the fervent prayer of yours most affectionately in the “One Hope of the calling.”
JOHN OATMAN, SEN.
BASTROP, Texas, March, 1852.
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A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
My Dear Brother, —There is no post-delivery that gives me so much pleasure as that which puts me in possession of your unrivalled periodical. But it grieves me greatly to perceive how inefficient is the patronage it receives. I feel, however, self-condemned that I have myself done no better than hitherto. I request you, therefore, now to forward me three copies of the past volume, being one for each of my children. There are articles in them whose value is far above gold. I have been delighted with them, and have, by their means, apparently enlightened the minds of others. But there it rests at present. Alas for prejudice! You have, however, brought more to the acknowledgment of the truth, than honest old Noah, who, after preaching righteousness a hundred and twenty years, could number only six adherents besides his wife. May we not inquire with Jesus in respect of the gospel of the kingdom, “When the Son of Man comes shall he find faith on the earth?” I have had many disputations, and silenced many disputers of this world, expecting that some fruit would follow; but none appears as yet. As a Baptist who went to Australia from this place some two or three years since, says, in a recent letter concerning the aborigines, that he despaired of their conversion till the Lord came; so may I say of the natives of Linlithgow, of Scotland, yea, of all Britain. They seem all gospel-proof; and the words of Paul are alike applicable to protestant as to papist—
“Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved; for this cause God will send them Strong Delusion that they should believe a lie. That all might be condemned who believe not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Your letter to Kossuth is admirable, and well-timed; but it will not prevent the noble and patriotic Magyar from pursuing his course, any more than your clear elucidation of the gospel of the kingdom will turn men from their false and superstitious notions. But your unwearied and self-denying endeavours must be a great source of satisfaction to your inward man; and, having sowed the good seed, we must wait in hope. Perhaps some great change may take place soon; and I pray you may be spared to see much fruit from your labours ripening for the kingdom. The doctrine you teach is quite new to this generation, whose rust it will take much friction to polish off, that the light of truth may be reflected, although you and I think it so plain and easy to be understood.
I have had a short outline of the gospel of the kingdom sketched out with a view to its publication as a tract. Life is very uncertain, and I have a great desire to leave behind me some mark or demonstration of my attachment to the truth as taught by the prophets and apostles. Many thanks to your writings for directing me to the word of God, by which my mind has been divested of the human tradition which obscured and oppressed it. The title I propose to give is, “The Gospel, or Glad Tidings of the Kingdom of God, briefly exhibited from the statute book of heaven.” I have commenced it in this way—
“Matthew 4: 21. Jesus went about all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the Kingdom.”
“Luke 8: 1. And it came to pass afterwards, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with him.”
“Luke 9: 2. And he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. * * * And they departed and went throughout the towns preaching the gospel, and healing everywhere.”
Then to preach the gospel is to preach the kingdom of God. Therefore, where the kingdom of God is not preached, the gospel is not preached. I then go back to the prophets, beginning with David, and show what the kingdom of God is as preached by Jesus Christ, and afterwards by his apostles.
In conclusion, be not disheartened at the lukewarmness of the Laodiceans; but if it be possible, go on. God in Christ will be your reward. With kind regards to yourself, and the faithful with you, I remain your ever grateful, and, I hope, humble brother in Christ Jesus.
EBENEZER ALLAN.
LINLITHGOW, SCOTLAND, March, 1852.
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ENCOURAGING ALSO.
Dr. Thomas—Dear Brother—After so long time I have found opportunity to write to you, but have neither time nor strength to say much, it being the first effort after two months’ confinement by sickness. I have procured at 234 Wooster Street, New York, two copies of Elpis Israel. I am much pleased with it. There is, I think, more originality in it than in any other book I have read. Why is it that throughout all “Christendom” the prophecies are so strangely neglected? Is it because there is nothing in them to sanction any of the isms of the Gentiles? Your Herald continues to be a rich monthly treat, of which I would on no account be deprived.
I had intended to make some inquiry respecting the financial prospects of the Herald. It ought not and must not be discontinued. Cannot some plan be adopted for its permanent support? How many donors of fifty dollars each will be required to sustain it? If some such course should be thought judicious by you, you may put me down for one fifty. I am very anxious it should be continued, and your pecuniary responsibility diminished, and in some measure relieved.
Write to me on this matter, and believe me your friend and brother.
CAMPBELL WALDO, M. D.
JEKONSHA, CALHOUN, MICHIGAN, November 24, 1852.
REMARKS.
Our friend has no doubt rightly divided the cause of the general neglect of the prophetic writings, which reduce to utter foolishness the faiths which divide, corrupt, and deceive the world. The prophets cannot be understood when scanned through the smoked glasses of pulpit and collegiate divinity. The stand-point of the observer must be on “the word of the kingdom” understood, or he will comprehend nothing of the law and the testimony as he ought to know it. The popular faiths are not located upon this position, but in the low grounds and swamps of the great city, where the fog is too dense to admit the light which shines to the perfect day. Night reigns, with no moon walking in brightness to reflect the radiance of the soon rising Day Star upon their hearts and minds. Surrounding darkness blinds them to the glorious things spoken of Zion by the Spirit of God. Their faiths treat not of these, therefore their ears are deaf, and their eyes are closed against them. There is no affinity between the hope of Zion’s children, and the hope of those who have the mark of the beast, and are intoxicated with the cup in the hand of Madam Mystery. They see no sanction in Zion’s hope for the wild, sky-kingdom visions of the carnal mind; which, therefore, not only neglects, but proscribes the study of the sure prophetic word as alike unprofitable and dangerous to one’s sanity and faith. But our strength is Zion’s hope, which is to them weakness and folly. It is consoling, however, to know that it has ever been so. Belial’s strength and wisdom, which is the world’s, has prevailed, and will prevail until the Ancient of Days comes, and makes bare his holy arm. Zion’s weakness and folly will then become strength and wisdom before the world, and extort its admiration and applause. Her sons can well afford to possess their souls in patience: for
They will have a glorious day
When the King of kings comes,
And puts to silence the vain babbling of foolish men against “the Word which he has magnified above all his name.”
It is gratifying to an author when he finds his readers pleased with his lucubrations, especially when he knows that they are of the salt which gives savour to the world. This gratification accumulates upon us, and with the more agreeableness as it is accompanied with the assurance that by our writings men are being disenthralled from the slavery of human tradition, and made free in the bonds of the truth. Look at the instances we are continually recording—opponents converted into earnest believers, who appreciate and desire to sustain the truth. We would avoid the invidiousness of particularising them by name. Our readers are not unmindful of them; and it is with pleasure we are enabled to add our friend and brother, Dr. Waldo, to their number. We gratefully accept his offer in behalf of the truth for which we endure hardship, as good soldiers ought to do. When a believer’s heart opens his purse in aid of the kingdom’s gospel, we rejoice as we would in the succour of a dear friend from some great extremity. The friend is rescued and we are glad. The kingdom’s gospel is the truth, and that truth we love, as our self-sacrifice has clearly shown. Were the advocacy of it to fail for want of “filthy lucre,” our heart would be pierced as with a javelin. But surely this can never be. It certainly will not if all who profess to believe the truth, and have the means, will imitate the liberality of brethren Lemmon and Waldo. Our endeavours will continue to be devoted to the truth so long as the means are furnished us by its friends. When these cease ours will cease, but not till then. Who will strengthen our hands by following the example of these liberal brethren, the sincerity and earnestness of whose convictions are proved by the unconstrained offerings of their own will? The Herald’s expenses for the current year will admit of no promises. The time for action has arrived; and its last words to its friends are, “You must do, or I must die.”
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SPIRITISM.
Dear Brother: —The Campbellite Disciple Church at Antioch, where I had the pleasure of hearing you once some twelve years ago, is dead; and whether it will be brought to life again I cannot say. Several of the members left for California; but some have since returned. There was no one to take the lead in meetings, so that there has been no meeting since. One of the leaders turned Swedenborgian; a few of his brethren followed, and convened with him. We have heard him; but not being able to discern the “internal meaning” of what he outwardly expresses, we find no inducement to attend. If you have read Swedenborg’s works, you know what teaching we had. He is a full believer in the “spirit-knockings,” such as are heard in this quarter of our planet. Some six miles hence they have communications from the “spirit-world,” they say; and great numbers are attracted thither. Some say they get direct communications from departed mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, &c. I have been told that some of the spirit-rappists have called up, or rather called down, the spirit of a worthy sister of ours, who died four years ago in April 1853. She became convinced of the truth that when the Lord Jesus appears in his kingdom, she would awake to everlasting life, and not before. I believe she understand the gospel when she was immersed, expecting to share in the promises made to Abraham, and the others in his Seed, of whom the world is not worthy. Her parents, who are close communion Baptists, regarded me as having converted her to Campbellism. They were mistaken, however; for she was a long way from that powerless form of godliness.
I hope to see you in these parts ere long. Had I the ability of myself to defray your expenses, the want of means should be no obstacle in the way. We are much pleased with the Herald. It is a welcome visitor here. We shall endeavour to assist you in sustaining it. I am pleased to see that some are beginning to appreciate your labours in the gospel, which through your writings have afforded us much light. If the people in this vicinity would peruse them, they would soon be dispossessed of the spirit-knocking demons, which overshadow their intellects with what may be truly styled “the greatest humbug of the age.” With love I remain yours,
In hopes of Eternal Life,
J. D. BENEDICT.
Kenosha, Wisconsin.
