| 58 even the Islands of the Sea have been saluted with the sound of the everlasting gospel, and have listened with intense anxiety to the glad tidings of great joy, which have been communicated to them by the servants of God; and thousands have been made to rejoice in the fullness of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour [Savior], Jesus Christ, through their instrumentality.
These things cheer us, and fill our hearts with gratitude to him who has said "that he would set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the Islands of the Sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Which work he has commenced, and called upon many fishers to fish them, [the children of Israel,] and after will send, saith the Lord, for many hunters and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Many of those fishers and hunters have gone forth to accomplish the mission, whereunto God has called them, and we almost daily hear of their success in the ministry, and of the great blessing and joy which they receive, while performing their Master's will:-while others, within the circle of our acquaintance, who have received the same high and holy calling, tarry at home; some to prepare places and provision for their families, while they shall be absent, warning men every where to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is promised unto all those who believe in Christ and obey his commandments. And again, there are some few, (we are sorry to have it to say,) who, instead of magnifying their calling, as becomes men of God, spend a good share of their time in idleness, and vain and foolish conversation, which propehteth nothing; but rather brings leanness and barrenness of soul; which is plainly to be seen in those of whom we are speaking, by the bad examples which they set, in squandering a portion of their time at public places, where poison is dealt to the unwary, and those of intemperate habits;and perhaps they occasionally yea, we fear, too often partake of the baneful cup; notwithstanding it is in direct opposition to the word of the Lord, given in the word of wisdom, as also, to the better feelings of man, If this was the only act of intemperence [intemperance] which has come under our observation, we should have been content to let the subject pass, for the present, with the foregoing remarks: but as there are other evil practices, which are calculated to retard the progress of the saint, in his spiritual walk, we feel it our duty to give them a brief notice at this time; such as the use of tobacco and other intoxicating nauseates, which tend to destroy the influence of the Holy Spirit, as it dwells not in unholy temples, but is an inmate of the bosom of those who live by every word which poceeds [proceeds] from the mouth of God.
Better, for better, would it be for those, who thus suffer the best of their days to pass unoccupied, and they led away by the allurements of the world and the temptations of satan, to the comission [commission] of acts of unrighteousness, and indulge themselves in evil and unholy practices, were they vigorously engaged in the cause which they have espoused, proclaiming the everlasting gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and warning them to flee from the wrath to come; being instant in season and out of season, prepared at all times to go to the assistance of their fellow
(page 58) |
