118
ZION’S LANDMARKS.
that they still love sin, and hence
cannot possibly be Christians. Chris-
:ians hate sin, because they have
already had their fill of it. “Ye
that love the Lord, bate evil.” (Psl.
: 10.) The disciples once return
ed to Christ rejoicing because the
devils were subject to them through
:iis name, but he rebuked them and
said, “notwithstanding, in this rejoice
not, that the spirits are subject unto
you, but rather rejoice because your
names are written in Heaven.” In
"ike manner the brethren are not to
i’e]oiCQ\nyieldin(j to evil temptations,
because Christ said, “watch and
pray that ye enter not into tempta
tion.” And Paul said, “Charity re-
oiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth
n tlie truth.” If persons feel an in
ward aversion to ^yielding to the
.'-eductions of Satan, it is an evidence
that they do not belong to his family.
When under conviction, while up
on my knees trying to pray, wicked
oaths were suggestel, and I clinched
my teeth to keep them from being ut
tered. Perhaps, some may conclude
that this was a mere recurrence of
my former habit, but this is not the
case, for at no time during my life,
nas an oath escaped my lips. This
temptation was new to rut^, for, I loid
ahvays believed that a man could
govern his thoughts, and pray wlien
he pleased.
I now' “count it all joy” that I
was made subject to this harassing
of Satan, because this was the first
thing that ever taught mo the ex
ceeding sinfulness of my heart. No
Altman being could have made me
believe that oaths were in my^ heart,
for they had hitherto remained torpid,
like a snake in the winter season.
I am glad that my eondiiion was
made known to me, otherwiso, I
should have gone to the bar of God,
claiming a scat in lieaven, on the
grounds that I had cast out devils in
the name of the Lord.
[to UE COSTiXUED. ]
Yours in Christ.
JAMES S. DAMEEON.
Macomu, Ii.t., 3800.
Wanting' About Zion.
Twku-'tji A'l.sriA
Jh'otlie)' Jio-dtiuhumei' :—(in niyy
return to this distressed city I found !
iier condition to bo nobetlci- than it!
was when I took mv leave of her last, i
1 ’ 1
ami I tiiought that in some rc-pcets, i
her case was even vnore liopeless.-—
Not only had very many of Jicr
watchmen, or those who asgiimcd to.
be such, forsaken her interests, and
wore either asleep at their posts of
duty, or had fled at the approach of
danger ; hut some of them were even
joined wdth the enemies of Zion and
forming leagues of friendship and
affinity wutli those that secretly
sought her ruin. These false watch
men, these pretended friends to the
city, I found to be engaged in trying
to blind the eyes of the inhabitants
to the danger they Avere in, crying
“Peace, Peac e,” Avhen their danger
was iminent; saying, “Go up and
prosper,” Avhen their King had told
them that they should fall in battle.
Although her enemies were multiply
ing on every hand, and using all man
ner of artifice and sorcery to deceive
and ensnare the inhabitants, and to
induce them to compromise the hon
or, the laws and authority of their
King, yet these “false shepherds,”
these watchmen Avho “divined for
money” Avere ready to capitulate with
the enemy on terms detrimental to
the interest and honor of the King.
But Avhile her dangers Avere thus
thickening, and the inhabitants Avere
being Iel astray by these enemies to
Zion, these “Avolves in sheep’s clotlm
ing,” those faithful servants Avhom I
saAV in my last visit, still cried in the
name of their King, with many tears
and entreaties, to the subjects of
their King, saying, “BeAvare of false
prophets, Avhich come unto you in
sheep’s clothing, but iuAvardly they
are ravening Avolves.” (Math. 7 :15.)
“Take heed that no man deceive
you,” “for many false prophets shall
arise, and shall deceive many.” (ch.
24.) “Return, thou backsliding Is
rael, saith the Lord; and I Avill not
cause my anger to fall upon you.”
(Jer. 3 : 12.) “O my people, they
Avhich lead thee cause thee to err,
and destroy the Avay of thy paths.”
(Isa. 8 : 12.) “Wherefore come out
from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord, and touch not the
unclean thing, and I Avill receive
you ; and Avill be a Father unto you,
and yo shall be my sons and daugh
ters, saith the Lord iUmighty.” (2
Cor. 6 : 17, 18.) “Behold, I stand
at the door, and knock : if any man
hear my voice, and open the door, I
Avill come in to him, and Avill sup
Avitli him, :md he Avith me.” (Rgaa
3 : 20.) “Even from the davs of
youi’ hitbers xa are gone uav; y from
mine onlinanccs, and 'nave not kept
tlicm. Betuvn unto me, anti I will
return unto you, saith the Lord of
hosts. (Math. 3 ; 7.) Thus did
these faithful servants Avarn, and en
treat, and exhort the inhabitants to
return to their allegiance to their
King, that they might avert the im
pending calamities that Avere about
to fall upon the ungiateful and re
bellious city. WTiile these true ser
vants Avere thus bearing testimony to
the truth, they Avere clothed in sack
cloth, and sat in ashes many days,
beAvailing the sad condition of the
city. One of them declared to the
disobedient inhabitants, in the bitter
ness of his soul, saying, “I take you
to record this day, that I am pure
from the blood of all men, for I have
not shunned to declare unto you all
the counsel of God.” (Acts 20 : 26,
27.) But after the larger portion
had been led astray and beAvitched
by false teachers, and bad rejected
their King and his laws, and joined
themselves to the enemies of Zion ;
the King spake to his true Avatchmen,
saying, “Ephriam is joined to idols ;
lei; him alone.” (Hosea 4 : 17. “Let
them alone : they be blind leaders of
the blind. And if the blind lead the
blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
(Math. 15 : 14.) Noav I saAv, Avhile
in the city at this time, that an open
rupture and division were ineAutable,
betAvecn the true friends of the King
and those Avho had pretended to be
such ; and the Avay the division Avas
finally brought about, Avas about as
folloAVS: When the true servants
become convinced of the evil designs
o
of those Avho had been crying Peace,
Peace, AAdiiie they Avere lying in Avait
to deceive, they became more decided
in their defence of the laAvs of Zion,
and of her King, and refused to submit
any longer to the rebellious course of
these impostors; and this course
droAm these deceivers to assume more
openly their belligerent attitude
against the King of Zion and his
subjects. The deceivers noAV made
open Avar against the King’s serAmnts,
and mustered all their force, and arm
ed themselves to the teeth to destroy
the memory of Zion and lier King
from the earth. And for a Avhilc it ap-
pear.ed as though they Avould succeed.
They Avorried and annoyed the citis
zens much, putting many of them to
death, and even attempted to storm
the very battlements of the city.—
The inhabitants for a time Avere much
discouraged, their patience Avell nigh
Avorn out, and their .strength nearly'
exhausted ; but tliis state of things!
arose from a Avant of proper fore-1
sight and prudence on their part.— |
They had gone into the conliict Avith- ^
out instructions from headquartersy
and had even left some of their prin
cipal weapons behind, and hence they
Avere at times, driven bv their ene-
niics. But in their distress they sent
up to headquarters a cry for help,
for instructions and for arms. Thcf-
Captain of the hosts of Zion came
doAA'n among them, and by his Avord
of command, and by his presence, in
spired them Avith ncAV courage ; and
he also distributed SAvords (old Jeru
salem blades) among them that had
failed to provide themselves Avith
that Aveapon from the armory. Thus
equipped and commanded, they rc-
neAved the attack Avith confidence in
their Captain and in their Aveapons,
crying, “The SAvord of the Lord, and
of Gideon,” (.Judges 7 : 18.) During'
the hottest of the battle, Avbioh raged
long and fiercely, the King himself
passed along the lines of his Avarriors
on a Avliite horse, vrith a sharp tivo-
edged SAvord proceeding out of Ids
mouth, and his countenance Avas like
tlie sun shineth in his strength. Be
fore his face, and that of his host,
the enemy fell on heaps, and the bat
tle Avas turned aAA'ay from the gates
of Zion, and the armies of the aliens
Avere put to flight. Noav went up a
shout of A'ictory that made the Avails
of'Zion ring. “Lift up your heads,
0 ye gates, and be lift up, ye
everlasting doors, and the King of
glory shall come in. Who is this
King of glory ? Tlie Lord strong
and mighty, the Lord mighty in bat
tle.” (Psl. 24r: 7, 8.) “Thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory,
through OUT Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Cor. 15 ; 57.) “Blessing, and
honor, and glory, and poAver, be unto
him that sitteth upon the throne.”
(Rev. 5 : 18.)
After the battle was over, and a
victory Ar’on over the enemies of Zion,
and the faithful servants of the Kinir
had returned to their respective places
in the city, the King had them called
together in a conspicuous place, and
by orders fromUieadquarters caused
to be read the folloAving proclama
tion for their encouragement and in
struction, to Avit: “Hear, 0 .Israel i
Not for thy righteousness, nor for
the uprightness of thy heart dost
thou posssss this land; but for the
Avickedness of these nations doth tlu-
Lord drive them out from before thee.
L'ndorstand therefore, that the Loial
thy God giveth thee not litis good
land to possess it for thy righteous
ness ; for thou art a stiff-necked peo
ple.” (Dcut. 9 : I, 5, 6.) Remember