Accordingly, in this Gospel, health of body is a Christian grace, and the recovery and the pres ervation of health is a Christian virtue, as it is written, "I wish above all things that thou may est prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospercth (3 John 2).
Purity of body, as well as of spirit, is also an essential clement of this Gospel, because it is written, "Having these promises, clearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves •from all filthiness of the Flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in toe fear of God" (2 Cor. vii;1). Consequently, to bacco in any form, or any kindred thing, can have no place.
Perfect temperance is likewise an essential of this everlasting gospel; for when the great apos tle was heard "concerning the faith in Christ," lie reasoned of "temperance" as well as of "righteous ness" and of "judgment to come" (Acts 25). Wherefore, neither stimulant nor narcotic of any sort can be used by the believer in this everlasting Gospel. Temperance is self-control. Perfect temperance is perfect self-control. The everlasting Gospel aims at nothing short of per fection in all things in Christ Jesus. Therefore, in the total rejection of every kind of stimulant or narcotic, as to the body, and absolute sur render to the Spirit of God, as to the soul, thus being cleansed from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, the believer goes on "perfecting holi ness in the fear of God," prospering and being in health even as his soul prospers; is sanctified wholly, body. soul and spirit, and so is preserved blameless unto the coining of the Lord (t Thess. v :23).
So much in brief for the principles of the Seventh-Day Adventists.
"How far have these principles been found realizable?" To a considerable extent, indeed; though not yet to the extent that our profession demands.
(a) As for the realizing of our principles of temperance, purity and health, and righteousness and holiness, much progress has been made; as we believe every one will agree who understands that in a membership of above fifty thousand, gathered from many nationalities and every con dition of life, even to the lowest enslaved, wrecked and abandoned victim of tobacco, strong drink, opium or morphine, it is almost impossible to find one who uses tobacco, very few who use even tea or coffee, and absolutely none who use any thing stronger than tea or coffee.
(b) As for thd realizing of the original and ultimate purpose of our existence as a separate denomination, that is, the proclaiming of the mes sage of God to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, considerable progress has been made in this also. We have organized conferences in
twenty-eight states of the Union, with churches in all the other states and in the territories; also in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Switzer land, Germany, Denmark, Norway, England, Que bec, and Ontario; churches in Manitoba. Hawaiian Islands, India, Russia, Turkey, Holland, British Guiana, Brazil, Argentina, Chili, in the islands of Trinidad, Jamaica, Ruatan, Pitcairn, Tahiti, Norfolk Islands; and missions in Fiji, Cook Is lands, Tonga, Society Islands, China, India, Nlata• belcland, and Gold Coast. W e have educational institutions—academies or colleges—in Massachu setts, Ohio, Tennessee, Nlichigan, Nebraska, Texas, California, Washington, New South Wales, Cape Colony, Germany, and Denmark; and schools in Hawaiian Islands, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, and Brazil. \Ve have health institutions in Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Cali fornia, Oregon, Mexico, Hawaiian Islands, Samoa, New South Wales, Victoria, Cape Colony, India, and Switzerland. \Ve have publishing houses in New York, Michigan, California. Australia. Cape Colony, Germany, Norway, and England : and from these arc issued publications in more than forty languages.
"How far can these principles be hoped to be in As fur the Christian life itself, the principles can be hoped to be realized even to the absolute perfecting of the individual membership in Christ Jesus (Eph. iv :7, 14). The Dower of God manifested in the everlasting Gos pel is able to save a man from sin, to keep him from sinning, to make him perfect in every good work to do the will of God, and to present him faultless in the presence of God with exceeding joy. This consummation we sincerely expect to see realized in thousands upon thousands of men upon the earth, who thereby shall be pre pared to meet the Lord Jesus in peace when he comes in the clouds of heaven in all his glory.
And as for the proclamation of the message— completely to the earth's bounds—since already our evangelical, educational, health, and publish ing institutions are all established twice clear round the earth—both north and south of the equator,—it will be easy enough for the princi ples to spread from these to the earth's bounds, when all who are connected with all the institu tions shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost as at Pentecost, for which we are constantly praying and waiting. A. T. J.