Notes by the Way by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA · Sep 4, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 36.

Notes by the Way.

By Editor

WHILE at the convention in Mt. Vernon, O., the American Catholic Federation meeting was held in Indianapolis. Not being able to attend at the beginning, Brother C. M. Snow, formerly of the SIGNS editorial staff, now of the Review and Herald, kindly consented to report the meeting for both papers, our readers know with what excellent success. Of this great movement we shall have more to say hereafter.

LEAVING Mt. Vernon the evening of July 20, for the capital of the nation, the dark part of the journey was passed in Ohio and West Virginia, the light part down the historic Potomac Valley, past Harper’s Ferry, thru the great gap in the Blue Ridge, seemingly made by some great convulsion of nature, as tho the pent-up waters of the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah had ruptured the mountains to make a pathway to the sea. We reached Washington shortly after noon, and enjoyed greatly the warm hospitality of friends, as we did not the warm weather, while we were there.

WE visited the beautiful new sanitarium in Takoma Park, recently finished and already enjoying good patronage. Dr Kress is physician in charge, and Mrs. G. A. Irwin is the matron. Within it is pleasant and genial, and the environments are beautiful and restful. It is entered on all sides, the most imposing of which overlooks the Sligo, whose silver clear waters wind thru the wooded valley. There is rest and help in the Sanitarium for the sick and weary, and we were glad to learn that it is already, even at this season, on a paying basis. We are not saying this for entertainment, for we neither ate, slept, or took treatment within its peaceful walls.

SCHOOL, of course, was not in session. The buildings are waiting for a new program this fall, the opening of the Foreign Mission Training Seminary, designed solely to better fit otherwise qualified, devoted men and women in the shortest possible time to enter the mission field they have chosen. This is a new, great step, and we believe great results will follow for God and His message. This school will take the tried and valued products of our other schools, and help, by especially qualified teachers, to pass them on better fitted to the great, needy fields in the “regions beyond.”

Notes by the Way.

(Continued from page 9.)

THE printing plant of the Review and Herald, an imposing building of three stories and basement, is full of work to overflowing. In this we rejoice. It is good to see every press of our publishing houses engaged in doing the most important work of the times, that of giving to the world God's great Threefold Message of Revelation 14. We were glad to meet here old friends and fellow workers, and to partake of their hospitality.

IN Washington we secured very fine photos, views, information, etc., of public buildings, which we shall use in future issues of the SIGNS for the benefit of our readers; and this is also true of Philadelphia, New York, and other cities at which we called. At New York we visited a tent-meeting which Elder C. H. Edwards, the president of the Greater New York Conference was holding, assisted by able ministerial help, at 149th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. In many of these lectures stereopticons are used with good effect. There are, if we remember rightly, four such series of meetings holding in New York City at the present time. But what are these among so many? Surely this conference needs support and encouragement in its great, needy field.

WE visited two churches in New York State; namely, South Russell and Olcott, and spoke twice on each occasion. Our heart was burdened for these souls whom we had known for long years, and we have been deeply impressed with these thoughts:

Three of the great desiderata of the Christian life, three essentials to its success, are the daily feeding on the word of God, the seeking of Him by earnest prayer in all times of need, and the using of His blessings in helping others. If we fail in these, the cares and pleasures of this world will harden the heart and leave it barren, despairing, and hopeless. Another thought ever forced itself upon us as we recalled the scenes of boyhood days, and that is, that everything in this sinful world is subject to change. Men are born and live and die. They may have acquired riches and competence; they die, and it is left to others who spend it. One old friend and neighbor so labored, finding life so full of cares that he had little time to give to the life beyond. Yet he was a good man and respected as the world goes. The only daughter married a man unworthy, and recently committed suicide. How much better would have been a tranquil life with trust in God, even tho possessing little of this world's goods, than to possess all this world can give, yet die poor of the true riches.

LEAVING Chicago, August 8, we reached Boulder, Colo., August 10. Passing thru Kansas City, we had a half-hour's conversation with Brother W. R. Beatty of our Kansas City branch. Everything there was flourishing, all were well, and the office full of work. We greatly appreciated this meeting.

Sunday evening we spoke to a large and attentive audience on the faith necessary for this time. Here also we visited the large sanitarium of the Central West. Great improvements have been made since we visited it about seven years ago. Efforts have been put forth to destroy it thru its enemies and ill-advised friends, but it is to-day stronger than ever—stronger financially, stronger medically, stronger morally. The efforts against it have met with disastrous defeat.

All the rooms in the main building and cottages are filled with a splendid class of appreciative guests, many tents are full, and several rooms are rented from private parties. There are about 125 guests at present. Its mountain-water supply is pure and abundant. Its great green lawn, with its pond of living water, is a constant beauty to the eye and an enjoyable rest to the weary. Its atmosphere is of the best which the Rockies afford, and its service by devoted, skilled, willing Christian men and women is most excellent. Said one gentleman who had been to Battle Creek and elsewhere, "I think I know the sanitariums very well, but I never had better treatment than I am getting here." A short time ago a lady was sent to Boulder physicians given up by the experts of Denver. She was then sent to the sanitarium to die on their hands. That very night an operation was performed which greatly relieved her. As soon as she was strong enough, another was performed. In a few weeks she returned home well. This case, more critical than the average, is yet typical of many. Boulder Sanitarium deserves support. May it continue to prosper.

In Denver, we called upon Elder and Mrs. Mead McGuire, at the tract society. Found there also the State agent, Brother Job. The book work is prospering finely, and the courage of all the workers is good. We were urged to remain to the camp-meeting soon to be held, but work for the coming numbers of the SIGNS prevented.

IN Denver there was agitation over the labor troubles. The telegraphers' strike was already greatly affecting business, and the strike of railway men for an extra two cents an hour on the Colorado Southern centered in Denver, and when we left was threatening to involve the country, tho hoping it would be checked by the Denver and Rio Grande. Boulder is a town on the Colorado Southern. The night before we reached there a fire was kindled about midnight in an empty car by some evil-disposed person, and it spread rapidly, burning the freight depot and many freight-cars. Two cars loaded with dynamite stood on the track, one containing about 2,500 pounds and the other about four tons. The fire reached the former, exploded the dynamite, and well-nigh wrecked the town. All surrounding buildings were greatly damaged, many cars blown to pieces, nearly all the plate-glass windows in the business section of the town broken, and four deaths, at last account, resulting. The second car at a little distance, strange to say, was not exploded by the detonation of the first, and daring men ran it out of the yard some distance away.

Most of the citizens of Boulder, when the explosion occurred thought it an earthquake, and the lighting up of the hills by the giant powder, wonderfully grand and beautiful, those describe it who saw it, impressed some with the thought that the day of judgment had come. But not so the children of light.

This loss of life and awful loss of property were the result of twofold lawlessness. According to law, no such an amount of dynamite should have been in the town. "Not to exceed a hundred pounds in any one place," reads the municipal ordinance, a citizen told us. Yet here were five tons stored right in the town limits by the law-breaking railway corporation. This might have done no harm had not equally lawless enemies, declared by some to be the strikers, by the strikers, the detectives of the railway, set fire to the cars. The next night but one another incendiary fire occurred, consuming a large cement and brick factory, while close by were great oil-tanks, which, if they had caught, would have greatly menaced the city. There is bad blood and plenty of it in the Rocky Mountain region. In the fierce struggle between labor and capital, men have grown desperate and devilish. This has been clearly elicited by the Haywood trial, wherever the guilt may lie.

ONE of the sad things connected with these strikes is that at this writing there seems no door of relief. The Denver Post frantically calls upon the chamber of commerce of that city to act, do something, and in the interest of the public, endeavor to bring the various parties to terms. This of the railway strike. Of the telegraphers' strike it says:

"The country has never faced a more dangerous predicament. Men are wondering when and how the danger is to be passed. There seems to be no effort to bring about peace. Officers with the telegraph companies are stolidly indifferent to action. No overtures have been offered; none anticipated. And all the while the operators stand unyielding. They were never more earnest, they say."

A few weeks ago conservative men were telling us there could be no panic or financial backset in the path of prosperity we were so placidly pursuing. A few non-union laborers in a telegraph-office and the business of the country is paralyzed. What the end will be, we know not. It may mean government interference. It may mean a dictatorship or a practical monarchy. It may mean revolution. But this it does mean: Man has all thru the ages demonstrated and is demonstrating that he can devise no government worthy to persist or that can persist. Soon Christ will come and take to Himself His great power, and reign in righteousness over a people "all righteous." All others will perish with the governments in which they continued to hope. "The fittest will survive." "Right is eternal might." "The true gain is the long gain." "Hope thou in God."