THE following we clip from the San Francisco Chronicle, being an extract from a letter in that paper from its correspondent, noticing various points in Russian River Valley.
"Healdsburg—which should have been named Sotoyome—is perhaps the only town on the coast where two Sundays, or rest days, are observed. Perhaps one-fifth of the population is of what is known as Seventh-day Adventists. These people observe Saturday, or rather from sundown Friday to sunset Saturday. During this time they abstain from all secular pursuits and attend church in their college building. This building and the boarding-house and dormitory are the most conspicuous buildings in town. The grounds are spacious and well laid out, and the college is well attended. Old gray-haired and bearded men, youths, and children may be seen every day, with books in hand, wending their way to the college building. The school is not exclusive, but open to all creeds and sexes. As these people do not observe the Sunday of the Christians, one's ears are greeted on that day with the sound of the hammer and saw, farmers plowing, women washing and decorating clothes lines. One would think a bitter feeling would exist between the different creeds, but such is not the case. One soon becomes accustomed to seeing no day observed exclusively, and accepts it as a matter of course. As a class the Adventists are good citizens, but somewhat against the interests of the section in which they reside, being opposed to raising grapes for wine purposes. In a country adapted to the growth of the vine, this appears somewhat anomalous. They never attend balls, parties, theaters, or church festivals of other denominations, hold none in their own, and are perhaps just a little too exclusive for this world. G. M."
We find no fault at all with this notice. Our people are willing to stand accused of being "somewhat against the interests of the section in which they reside" as far as the wine interest is concerned. But we do not believe it is to the interest of any country to make wine; we do believe that the industry of the people may be turned into a channel which will better, far better, meet the wants of the human kind. And as for exclusiveness, there is nothing from which they exclude themselves that ought to be considered of any value to Christians. It is enough for us if we are found at last in fellowship with those of all ages who "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."