The Portland daily press., 1878-09-10

An invitation was given for the people to
come forward for prayers and several respond
ed, thus expressing their determination to seek
the glory of the other life
AS the hours of the seventh day Sabbath
waned away and the last rays of the setting sun
Lit up the west with mingled colors OF crimson
and gold, the worshippers left their tents and
assembled under the lofty old trees to engage
in solemn prayer Soon the strong, full har-
mony OF singing voices bore the evening hymn
'from earth to heaven" and then one and all
bowed the knee in alteration. 70 an observer
standing above the encampment the scene was
grandiy impressive. The glow of lingering
sunlight as it rested on the clouds above,
seemed:
"A path of glory opening in the west,
Aogoden Chimes and islands OF the blest.''
After singing "Hold the Fort" the congre-
CATION were again seated and Elder Farms
worth spoke upon the subject which forms the
peculiar feature of faith of this denomination;
and as the Sabbath question has been recently
discussed in the PRESS, we think its readers
will be pleased to learn the arguments and
views OF this people concerning it.
The text used was "And the Sabbath was
made for man and not man for the Sabbath
Mark ii, y. The preacher remarked that
prejudice was like cork in bottle, it " ould
let nothing in and let nothing out" He urged
the people to lay aside their preconceived opin-
ions and listen candidy to the Bible view of
the question. The great reason why seventh
day Adventists observe Saturday as the Sab
bath is because they believe in the perpetuity
of the law of God If one commandment is
binding, they all are. If nine-tenths of the
law is good, it all is.
The word man 10 the text embraces the whole
human race. If Adam was a Jew, then the
Sabbath is Jewish and we are all Jews. The
words Jewish Sabbath cannot be found in the
Bible The Sabbath was made 1000 years be-
FIRE Jew existed.
The common argument for first day observ-
ance is that the Sabbath was changed when
Christ rose from the dead. Let us see. The
first day of the week is mentioned but eight
times In the New Testament-Matt. xviii, l;
Mark xvi, 1-2; Luke..xxiii, Sc; John Xxx, 1, 10;
Acts Xxx, z; Cor. xvi, 2. Three of those texts
The night as it drew on was one Of unusual
loneliness. The great moon looked through the
trees, the stars twinkied above and the hang
ing lanterns glimmered in the darkness. The
murmuring pines and naples stood lndistinct
in the moonlight and the whole erclmpment
seemed pheasant land
Elder Farnsworth spoke in the evening upon
the subject of conversion, using Acts iii, 10, as
a text. The great boon of salvation suspends
on conversion; therefore, Its importance can
not be over-estimated. The text refutes the
idea of universal salvation. God uses means
in bringing about his ends. In thinking of
eternal things men should use judgment and
reason and not be moved by excitement. The
universal idea of conversion in compra-
hended 10 the words "COme to Jesus" We
think it means something more Before tell
ing man to 60 for the doctor it is necessary
to convince him that he is sick, so before urg-
ing men to seek the great physician, they must
be made to understand their need of His heal
ing power Conversion implies Rodly sorrow
and a turning away from sin. One of the
means used in conversion is the law of God,
Ps. xix, 10. The law defines sin, LIST John iii,
4, and the gospel provides remedy. The law
and the gospel 60 hand in hand. There is no
saving power in the law The looking-glass
shows the impurities on the face but water
must be used to cleanse its unoleanliness, SO
Gods great mirror-his law-shows the defects
In mans n oral character, but the gospel must
come in before the man can be made pure.
Future obedience cannot atone for past sin.
The blood of Christ alone can make white the
record of the past. Repentance must be ac-
companied with change of life. No one
could find fault with the principles advocated
by the speaker.
This forenoon at 10 o'clock Elder Smith spoke
upon the subject of the sanctuary. The sauct-
uary of the old GOV enant was ty of the
sanctuary in the new covenant. which is in
heaven. The. heavenly sanctuary is like the
earthly, in that it has q service of priesthood,
Heb. xviii, IL, and contains the law Cor testa-
ment), Heb. tx, 4. The prophetic period men
toned in Dan. viii, IA, reaches to the cleansing
of the sanctuary. The great Advent move.
ment of 1874 was based on that period. 1t was
supposed that the earth was the sanctuary and
its cleansing must be performed by the fires of
the last day The argument concerning the
period of time brought to view was critically
ex amined BY men of the highest culture and
no flaws could be iscovered in it. We believe
their computation of the time was correct, but
think they mistook the event. The cleansing
of the sanctuary according to the type, must
be work that takes place in heaven, Heb g.
The mediation of Christ in both the holes of
heavenly sanctuary was dwelt upon and the re-
lation that the children Of men sustain to their
great High Priest was explained. 1t was
shown that the closing work in the heavenly
sanctuary is now going on, and that when it is
completed mercy W i'll no more be offered man.
1t is impossible to give in brief report all the
points made by the speaker. Elder Smith is
powerful reasoner on tbs prophecies and can
hold tue close attention of his audience. He
ipYitad his hearers to examing the word of God