Help! Help!

In almost every letter we receive from the travelling [traveling] Elders, strong solicitations are made for other Elders to come to their assistance, as the work of the Lord is pressing its way into almost all parts of the land; from city to city, from town to town, and from neighborhood to neighborhood:

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 intemperance [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 proceeds [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

laborers, when called upon, in such strong terms, for help.

We sincerely hope, for the sake of the elders, and the cause of truth, that this will be the last time we shall be under the painful necessity of noticing those evils of which we have spoken; but rather, that we may have the gratification of seeing every man stand in his proper place approved.

We give in this number a list of Agents, for the Times and Seasons; they are men in whom we repose the utmost confidence, as far as our acquaintance extends: The most of them are ministers of the Lord Jesus, sent forth to proclaim the ever lasting gospel to the nations of the earth; their exertions have been untiring, in endeavoring to build up and establish the kingdom of God; they with many difficulties and privations, and stood the test of persecution thus far, while the press, the powerful engine for diffusing truth to the ends of the earth, which supports the same cause with themselves, has labored, and toiled under the most trying circumstances possible, and has been thrice destroyed by the enemies of truth; but, brethren and friends, the press is again endeavoring to rear itself; and inasmuch, as it is your object to publish the glad tidings of salvation, and diffuse light and intelligence to the human family, the press is with you, your cause then, is the cause of the press, and we have only to say, we want your aid, we want your influence, and also the influence of every lover of truth and righteousness, that the press may be established on a sure bases; that while you are lifting up the warning voice according to your abilities, that the press may strengthen your hands, by sending forth light, and penetrating all parts of the earth with its testimony; which testimony, we hope will grow brighter and brighter, and never cease, until the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord; and vice shall have taken its exit to its own place, and truth and peace, shall have commenced its universal reign throughout the vast empire of God.