burdens, and to unite in patiently carrying out plans which those of experience might devise.

Those who moved to Battle Creek for this object, came with the best of intentions, and made sacrifices; but the difficulties attending the work, and the constant attacks of the powers of darkness, proved too much for them. It was a very trying position for these brethren, who were farmers at home. Like most of our brethren who are successful farmers, enjoying the quiet of their accustomed business, they did not comprehend the difficulties at this common point of attack, supposing that almost any one would be equal to the work here. Our own mistakes and errors in the experience of the past, while endeavoring to push the work in the face of a thousand difficulties, lead us to sympathize with those brethren who found the work at Battle Creek too much for them. They failed where others will probably fail, in taking the work in their own hands, without properly counseling with those who had long carried the burdens.

The prejudicial influence against the work at Battle Creek, which has been cast upon the minds of the brethren abroad in consequence of the failure of those who came to help in the work, is cruel and unjust. The Judgment will present this matter in its true character. God would have given these men grace, and wisdom to help bear the burdens at Battle Creek, had they stood in his counsel, and obeyed the testimonies of his Spirit.

And now, after an experience of a quarter of a century, we come to the deliberate conclusion that there is not a more sacrificing, burden-bearing, and devoted people in our ranks, than the church at Battle Creek. And taking as representatives those who came to help in the work

at Battle Creek, it is hard to believe that those whom they represented would do as well at headquarters as the members of the Battle Creek church have done. In justice to the members of this church and to meet existing prejudices abroad, we make the foregoing statements, with a heart of love for the general cause, and of pity and forgiveness toward the erring.

In going the rounds of the camp-meetings we have robbed the church at Battle Creek, and our institutions located at this point, of that labor and counsel which was needed at the heart of the work. And when we have returned to this people, worn and weary, we have entered upon this work to great disadvantage. We now

identify our interest with this people in hope of finding that repose with them, and in God, that will enable us to finish the work he has for us to do.

CHAPTER XVI.

LEADERSHIP.

IN the providence of God, we have been permitted to bear a part in the work of the last message from its commencement. And it has

fallen to our lot to lead out in the publishing work, church organization, systematic benevolence, and to take an active part in bringing our institutions into existence, and also in their management. The success which has attended the several branches of the great work, has come from the direct providence of God. This has given our people confidence in our plans and our general management. Some, taking extreme positions upon the subject of leadership, have been ready

to acknowledge us as the leader of this people. This position, however, we have never for a moment accepted. Those who in all honesty took this position, did not clearly see the subject in all its bearings upon a people that might consent to be led, and upon the one who might accept the position of leader.

The leadership question, and the scriptural form of church organization and discipline, have been subjects of discussion in the Christian church for centuries. These are matters upon which men may have committed very grave errors in the past, and those who commit similar ones in our time should not be too severely censured.

Early in the history of our cause, at a time when distracting influences were at work among us, we took a decided position upon the subject of unity in the church of Christ. We have often repeated the statement that there is not a single apology in all the New Testament for the existing want of unity of sentiment and action in the professed churches of Christ. Our Lord prayed that his followers might be one, as he was one with the Father.

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I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." John 17:

15-21. And Paul, in his epistle to the church at Rome, praying that unity might exist with them according to Christ Jesus, doubtless refers to Christ's prayer that his people might be one.

"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Rom. 15:5, 6. He appeals to the church at Philippi in these stirring words:

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; . but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Phil. 2:1-5. He exhorts the church at Corinth :

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." 1 Cor. 1:10.

"Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." 2 Cor. 13:11. In connection with Paul's finally, we give Peter's, in these words:

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Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise blessing,

knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers.'

The testimonies of Mrs. W., in harmony with this position, were constantly appealing to our people upon the subject of unity; and the position has been generally adopted, that no one of our preachers should advance new views without counseling with his brethren in the ministry. God greatly blessed our united efforts, which have done much to educate our people upon the subject, and to secure the unparalleled unity of sentiment and action that exists among us.

At the General Conference held at Battle Creek, April, 1861, we spoke upon the resurrection, as set forth in the fifteenth chapter of Paul's first epistle to the church at Corinth. The strong tendency with many members of the popular churches, to surrender the time-honored doctrine of the literal resurrection of the dead, led us to speak upon the subject before such representative men as Elders Andrews, Waggoner, Loughborough, and Smith. We had adopted the view that it was not necessary to a resurrection that the same particles of matter which constitute the mortal man should enter into the immortal being; and that the identity between the present mortal and the immortal is not in matter, but in organization.

We were happy to know that the position taken relieved the subject of the resurrection from the difficulties of the identical-particles-ofmatter theory, urged by skeptics, which difficul