p. 27 | TWO LIVING PICTURES by D. T. Call

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 23, 1879

“TWO LIVING PICTURES.”

By D. T. Call

In the Crisis of Dec. 4, Bro. Couch has the following in an editorial: “ ‘England is relied upon as the most efficient national instrumentality in the speedy conversion of the world,’ and asks the following questions in relation to England’s fitness for the work which theologians have assigned to her: ‘Is the English nation preparing for such a holy, responsible work? Is the nation becoming more pure and Christ-like, so as to warrant the expectation of a great increase of gospel light and power in the enlightenment and conversion of the hundreds of millions now in moral darkness? Is the standard of Christian purity and morality rising or falling? Is it indicating an increase or decrease of evangelizing power?’”

These questions, I fear, must be answered negatively; for if such were the fact, we should see the English world awakening to a realization of the want and misery that exists among the poorer classes of her people, while the more favored ones are rolling in wealth. An increase of spirituality would be indicated by an increased manifestation of benevolence and love. That this is not the condition of affairs at present existing in England is apparent from the following, which we clip from the Terre Haut Express, under the heading, “Two Living Pictures,” and which gives a sad picture of woe and want on the one hand, while on the other it gives us a view of the covetousness and hard-heartedness of both priests and lords, to whom the eyes of the world are looking for the accomplishment of that marvel of grace—the conversion of the world.

“Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Here they are:—

“London, Nov. 20, 1878. Appalling distress and destitution exists among the mechanics and laborers of Sheffield. Hundreds exist in tenements without clothing or furniture, all having been sold or pawned to procure food. They are without fuel, and dependent upon the charity of the neighbors.”

In writing of the poor of England Prof. Kirk, of Edinburgh, says, “There are seventy thousand souls in the east end of London who must emigrate speedily or perish.”

“In the vast hives of industry in Lancashire there are a great number who must also emigrate or die.”

“Now look at this picture.” “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of Heaven.” Here they are also:—

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s salary is.....$76,000 Archbishop of York...............................56,000 Bishop of London.................................50,000 Bishop of Durham.................................40,000 Bishop of Winchester.............................35,000 Bishop of Ely....................................27,000 Six Bishops have each............................25,000 Eight have each..................................22,500 Eight others each................................27,000 Twenty-nine Deans each............................7,700 One hundred and twenty-eight Canons each..........5,000

In the whole united kingdom eight persons own more than 220,000 acres each, and no less than forty-one persons own more than 100,000 acres each. The number of acres held by a few of the largest of the owners is as follows:—

Duke of Sutherland........................1,358,425 acres. Duke of Buccleugh and Queensbury.............459,260 “ Sir James Matheson...........................406,070 “ Earl of Breadalbane..........................372,629 “ Earl of Seafield.............................305,891 “ Duke of Richmond.............................286,407 “ Earl of Fife..................................257,662 “ Alexander Matheson...........................220,433 “ Duke of Athol.................................194,640 “ Duke of Devonshire............................193,121 “ Duke of Northumberland.........................185,515 “ Duke of Argyle................................175,114 “

“Whole districts have been nearly depopulated to make room for game parks, and where millions of sheep were once raised to feed and clothe humanity, only deer are kept to gratify the sporting propensities of an idle aristocracy.”

Ruskin says: “Though England is deafened with spinning wheels, her people have no clothes; though she is black with digging coal, her people have not fuel, and they die of cold; and though she has sold her soul for grain, they die of hunger.”

The above, which I have copied verbatim, gives a sad picture of the “heaped-up treasures” of these last days, and argues ill for the conversion of the world if that work is to be accomplished by British instrumentalities. “Whoso hath this world’s goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” Well may Paul say that in the “last days” “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous.”

If this condition of things exists in England—the Christian nation—God help the rest of the world. Brethren, be patient, stablish your heart, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.—D. T. Call, in Crisis.