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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 14, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 37, No. 13.

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Significant Items.

By F. A. B.

At a convention of Y. M. C. Association's recently held at Boston Highlands, the following question was discussed: “How can we best combat the growing infidelity of the present day?”
Rev. S. E. Upham said “the question assumed that infidelity, which was a denial of revelation and the need of a Redeemer was everywhere spreading.”
Rev. Mr. Collier “believed that infidelity was assuming a new phase—endeavoring to sap the foundation of Christianity by imitating the evangelical methods of work.”
Rev. Dr. Gardner, of Charlestown, Mass., in a sermon during the past autumn, said in regard to Sunday-keeping, “It is time for Christians individually, and for Christian churches and Christian associations, in their united strength to arise for the defense of the Gibraltar of our religion.”
“A solemn high mass was celebrated this morning in St. Patrick's Cathedral, for the repose of the soul of Archbishop Hughes, who died some years ago.” Special dispatch to Boston Herald, from New York, Jan. 3.
“Memorial tablets, in honor of George Washington and Robert E. Lee, have been placed on either side of the chancel of Christ's church, Alexandria, Va.”
The Clinton Avenue Methodist church, now in course of construction in Newark, is to be supplied with conveniences and luxuries, and all the modern improvements. Adjoining the vestry is to be built a church parlor, which is to be furnished like a modern drawing-room, with a piano and elegant furniture. Beneath this room will be situated the church kitchen with a hotel range, and all the conveniences for getting up “big dinners.”
The church bar room is not spoken of in the above, yet no doubt will be soon another “modern convenience.”
Also the “wine cellar,” “big dinners,” would be meager affairs without a score or so of different wines of ancient vintage.
Peace and war. Under this head the Boston Journal of Chemistry, says:—
“Is it probable that the nations of the earth will ever sheath the sword and cease to war against each other, and that all national disputes and difficulties will be settled by diplomacy or a congress of nations? In the light of past and present experience, in view of the exhibition of the murderous spirit exhibited so palpably in the occurrences of the times, it must be confessed that there is strong probability that wars will continue so long as human beings exist.
“Twenty or more years ago, we had the honor of being elected as one of the delegates to represent this country in the great Peace Congress held at Berlin, and at that time, in the last days of a long interval of peace, it did seem as if advancing Christianity, science, literature, art, humanity, national comity, everything was conspiring to place a ban upon war. The kings and emperors of Europe, the great statesmen and diplomatists, looked favorably upon every effort to create an overpowering public sentiment against war. The gentlemen composing the congress in Germany were treated with every mark of respect, and a strong hope was expressed by war-making powers at home and abroad, that the era of continued peace had dawned upon the earth. But alas! what have we seen and experienced during the past quarter of a century? Seven important wars have occurred; at least six millions of nominally Christian people have marched upon the field of strife, and probably one and a half millions of men have fallen victims to insatiate cruel war. This is a dreadful record for a period of time extending over only a quarter of the nineteenth century.
“We have recently read over again an old book—Crevier's History of the Roman Emperors, which is the bloody record of a race of men who cursed the world by their presence. Those men rioted in carnage, reveled amid the desolation of ruined cities and empires; but they were heathen. How much better, more human, more open to pity, are we than the men of pagan Rome? Look at poor France at the present time, bleeding, starving, and filled with the wailings of anguished widows and orphans! What more did the cruel Romans do in their Gallic wars? What more could they do than storm cities, murder and pillage the people, and place them in a condition of starvation? O tempora! O mores!”
F. A. B.
New Ipswich, N. Y.