INTERESTING ITEMS by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jan 20, 1881

INTERESTING ITEMS.

By Editor

[WE copy the following items from the Christian Herald and Signs of Our Times of Nov. 11, 1880. WM. PENNIMAN.]

"Those who are in the habit of drinking alcoholic beverages in cold weather to promote warmth, will do well to consider the following extract from a speech delivered by Lieutenant Schwatka, at the New York Academy of Sciences, on Nov. 1. As to the use of alcohol, Lieutenant Schwatka said that not a drop of ardent spirit of any kind was used on his sled journey of 3,251 miles. On long journeys, ardent spirits could not be carried in bulk without displacing other indispensable articles. Alcohol was not regarded as necessary, and was not considered a good heating agent. On shipboard the general use of alcoholic stimulants was considered bad."

"Nearly three million and a half of letters and packages were received at the Dead Letter Office at Washington during the fiscal year, ending June 30 last, of which 290,000 were held for postage, 2,000 were misdirected, and over 90,000 were not addressed at all. The great mass of the letters and packages contained nothing of value, and over 2,000,000 of this description were destroyed, the senders not being found. Of the remainder, 21,974 contained drafts, checks, notes, etc., of the face value of $1,526,217, and 26,274 contained money amounting to $49,438. Most of the property has been returned to the senders. These particulars ought to make people careful about two things: 1. Addressing their letters; 2. Finding fault when they miss a letter or paper."

"Col. Ingersoll's exposition of the doctrine of forgiveness through the blood of Christ is a striking illustration of 1 Cor. 1:18. In a lecture recently delivered he said that whereas under the Old Testament dispensation a sinner obtained pardon for his sins by sacrificing a sheep, the modern Christian did not take that trouble: he referred to the death of Jesus, and said, 'Charge it! Charge it! He thought that was a mean way of getting forgiveness, and he preferred to make a settlement on his own merits.' It is seldom that a notorious blasphemer makes a statement so precisely true. The humble Christian is devoutly thankful that there is no necessity to make a settlement for his sin in his own merits. He is deeply thankful that the riches of God's grace manifested in the sacrifice of the cross are so abundant that they cover his sins, that he is assured he may plead the sufferings of his Saviour in full discharge of his debt."

In the same paper of Nov. 18, we notice the following: "It is a significant sign of the times that, notwithstanding the recent execution of murderers in New York which attracted so much public attention, there are now in the Tombs prison sixteen homicides awaiting trial for crimes committed during the last few months, and several more are still at large despite the efforts of the detectives. Some of these crimes were peculiarly atrocious, and drink and jealousy are thus most prominent characteristics. It is a long time since the prison has been so full. Those philosophers who hope that education and civilization will eventually reform the world must in the face of such a fact begin to doubt the efficacy of either influence. Earnest Christian laborers will see in it the pressing need of extending the work of the church, and increased effort to shed abroad the spirit of love and the knowledge of the Saviour."