Second advent library

_-6.246 nscrunn xvi. ~'come agreat river, and encompassed t.he whole land.Every quarter of the globe are drinking at this fountainor stream of knowle ge, and the youth are taught tntrim their lamps. And when the bridegroom shall come,may we not reasonably hope that the thousands of theyoung'men and voung women who haveassisted ingiving light to others, may be found having oil in theirvesse s, and their lamps trimmed and burninv, and theylooking and waiting for the coming of their lliaster, thatwhen he comes the may rise to meet him in the air,with ten thousand ofytheir pupils, who will the newsingsong in the New Jerusalem forever and ever. Searchdiligently, my young friends, and see to it that ye believein this word, "which is able to make you wiseunto salvation."5. Tract societies are of much use, and arean edicientmeans to help trim the lamps; like snutfers that takeaway the preventives to the light,so are tracts. Theytake away from the mind the that thousandsprejudicehave against reading the word o God. They removethose rooted and groundless opinions which many havethat they cannot understand the Bible; they serve toexcite the mind to this kind of reading; they enlightenthe understanding into some scriptural truths; they arepioneers, in many instances, to conversion; theycan besent where the word of God cannot at first be received;in one word, they are the harbingers of light, the forerunnersof the Bible. And in this, too, all men in thisprobationary state seem to be more or lessengaged,from the king on the throne down to the poor peasantin the cottage, writing, folding, transporting,paying, printing, or reading, these silent ittle messengers of thevirgins' lamp. "Then all those virginsarose andtrimmed their lamps." Has not God's hand been seenin all this? Yes, glory be to him who hath disposedthe hearts of men to work the work that God bids them,and to fulfil the blessed word which he hath giventhem. This institution -took its rise about t.he sametime with t.he Bible society.'1'emperance societies. These serve one purposein trimming the lamps and preparing the way for the