Dear Brother Thomas: —I am yet in pursuit of knowledge, in which pursuit I find more enjoyment and peace of mind than in all the pleasures and traditions of the world.

I, and my companion have recently been baptised into the "one hope" for which Paul declared he was bound with chains, and are striving to cultivate that disposition which so much abounded in Abraham. Although the spirit is willing, yet we are burdened with "sinful flesh," which is naturally weak and rebellious, besides the outward influence of the world, which requires us to be "wise as serpents and harmless as the doves." We have forsaken the world, in all its forms, as much as possible, according to the knowledge we have received; but its frowns and persecutions we cannot leave behind: knowing, however, that the truth will eventually prevail, we thank God and take courage, hoping that he will give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The truth, in this place, appears to be on the increase; but generally the non-professors appear to be the most accessible; such as have no parties to build up; but some who know the truth are slow to obey it, rather following politics and worldly pursuits, than giving up all for Jesus.

I send you $10 to appropriate to the truth as you think best. I wish the Herald continued, for it is accomplishing a good work; though slow, it is sure.

I should like to ask you a number of questions; but as you are so much plied with them, I shall only ask one, which, if you see fit, you will please answer.

Christ said to his disciples, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when tho hast shut the door, pray to the Father who seeth in secret, and He shall reward thee openly. This language, so strong and positive, appears to me to forbid public praying; but I cannot fairly reconcile the matter, seeing that some of the ancient worthies made public prayers.

Yours, in the bonds of love and pursuit of the truth,

ENOS JACOBS.

Ogle Illinois, December 4, 1854.

REMARK.

The language referred to, prescribed an opposite course to that of "the pious," who, in our Lord’s time, as in this, made much ostentatious prayer, that they might get a reputation for piety with men, though regardless of the obedience required by the law. The prayers of the disobedient are worth nothing; and such are the prayers paraded before the world. The matter and manner of them are both unscriptural, and not to be imitated by the taught of God.

Public prayer, however, as well as private, was the practice of the original Christians, as appears from Acts 16: 13, 16. "On the Sabbath day," says Luke, "we went out of Philippi to a river side, where prayer was wont to be made." There he and Paul met with Lydia and others, and spoke to their conviction, and baptised them. They then accompanied her to her house, where they abode. Afterwards, he says, "And it came to pass as we went to prayer, &c." Public was made at the Oratory, and they went to join in it; thereby sanctioning it as proper to be done.

EDITOR.

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Dear Brother: —I have not received the August number of Volume 4, which was a great disappointment from the fact, that of all periodicals, I consider the Herald the most valuable; and from which, I can truly say, I have received a great deal of benefit, for which I tender you my warmest thanks (as I cannot do more at present), and that the Lord may grant you an abundant entrance into his everlasting Kingdom is the prayer of

Yours respectfully,

C. H. COFFIN.

Adrian, Michigan, December 24, 1854.

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Dr. Thomas: —You will doubtless recollect receiving a letter from me in July last, for the purpose of eliciting truth concerning "the faith once delivered to the Saints;" and that you referred me to No. 2, Volume 2 of the Herald, where you said you had written at length on the subject: but as I had never seen it, I could not avail myself of the benefit of your exposition. However, I studied the Heralds we had, which convinced me that I was not justified before God; and comparing them with the word, I found they agreed with it; and therefore, without conferring with flesh and blood, I was immersed "into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," in reference to the things covenanted to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and, if I continue in well-doing unto the end, I have assurance of hope that I shall realise the promises with them, and all the faithful, at His appearing, "whose right it is to reign." And that you may be preserved blameless unto his coming, is the hope of one who will ever feel under obligations to you for the understanding of the gospel preached to Abraham.

Yours in tribulation,

E. L. COFFIN.

Adrian, Michigan, December 24, 1854.

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Dear Sir: —Very much of the matter contained in your paper I am highly pleased with; especially your interpretations of the prophets, and your views of the Millennium, or Age to Come. There are a few points on which I am obliged to disagree with you; but I am much interested and benefited by reading your paper, and want you to continue to send it.

Very respectfully yours,

ISAAC BELL.

Weedsport, N. Y., January 2, 1855.

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Brother Thomas: —I think you gave a very fair account of what transpired at Fine Creek. Mr. Coleman has passed through our neighbourhood since, and said, "you called him a liar several times that day." Though present, I did not hear it. He says also, that you are a very weak man, and he, wished he had nothing else to do but to follow you up in your preachings to put you down, which he could do very easily. He says, that he understands the prophecies as well as you; and then said again, that no one could understand them till they were fulfilled; and that he intended to come over, and "preach to us the good old Jerusalem gospel;" but he has not yet appeared. If all your opponents were like him on that day, their blind onsets would afford you good opportunities for creating an interest in the truth you advocate.

Yours in the Hope,

R. K. BOWLES.

Louisa, Va., January 5, 1855.

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In regard to our weakness, we would remind Mr. Coleman of Paul’s words, who says, that "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound them that are mighty; that no flesh should glory in His presence." If he understand the prophets so well, it is a great pity he has so long hid his light under a bushel; if he would just uncover it, and let it shine forth, his contemporaries might learn something of sky-kingdomism that has not yet been dreamed of in their philosophy!

We congratulate brother Harris in being so well and speedily rid of his neighbour; for we understand he has decamped from Powhattan and pitched his tent in Albermarle. "The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous is bold as a lion."

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My Dear Friend: —We have, doubtless, now arrived at the beginning of the Time of the End; but to behold with Christian firmness the dread scenery that must rapidly roll down the current of the present eventful era, or to be prepared to stand with confidence before the Son of Man at his glorious "appearing and kingdom," is, alas! a lesson which myriads of professing Christians, have, if possible, yet to learn.

I have abundance of correspondence testifying that your onerous labours in the cause of our Divine Master are properly valued and approved by many humble-minded "hidden ones" belonging to the true "Israel of God;" and who, doubtless, will add to the lustre of that "crown of life" which you will receive from His righteous hands in that "great day." Let this, therefore, encourage you, my Christian brother, to persevere in the holy enterprise which you have been called to engage in; seeing likewise that the morning redness now appears on the tops of the mountains in the East, which ere long will become radiant by the glorious presence of our Redeemer, King, and Creator.

Yours very faithfully,

RICHARD ROBERTSON.

89 Grange Road, Bermondsey, England December 20, 1854.

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