Religious and Educational Notes
By Editor
As having an important bearing on this Sunday question, we hope our readers will not pass by the article from the pen of our senior editor, entitled, "Making Trouble." WE call the attention of our readers to an interesting series of articles begun in this number on that most interesting chapter—Matthew 24. They are from the pen of the late Elder J. H. Waggoner, and were first published in the Review and Herald of Battle Creek, Michigan. They are republished by request. We bespeak for them a careful reading. THE Baptist Sentinel is a bright, aggressive little weekly, published at Tacoma, W. T., and stands guard over the Baptist faith. But in its issue of August 1, forgetting the good old Baptist faith of primitive times in this country, it too, is calling for a Sunday law. That is, the Baptist Sentinel wants an institution of the Church protected by the State. Does our contemporary call this Baptist doctrine? So did not Roger Williams. WE have had the pleasure of welcoming to our shores four young brethren from New Zealand, Edgar Caro, Frank Lyndon, George Wisner, and Thomas Skinner, by name. The three former are on their way to Battle Creek College, the latter to Healdsburg College, to fit themselves for acceptable labor in the cause of God. The three first-named are fruits of Elder Daniells' labors at Napier about three months ago. Brother Skinner embraced the truth about two years since. May God bestow his Spirit upon these young men. THE greatest physical blessing is good health, and next to this, I place good facilities for regaining health when it has been lost or impaired. Thus the Rural Health Retreat, at St. Helena, this State, has proved an inestimable blessing to very many, the writer among the number. It was my misfortune some two years since to be sick, and I went to the Retreat for treatment, where I was greatly benefited. Since then I have greatly desired to revisit the institution which had for several weeks been a real home for me. During the next to the last week in August, I enjoyed that privilege, and that under more favorable conditions than before. This time I went more for rest and recuperation, and found the place all that could reasonably be desired in that direction. The water cannot be excelled, the surroundings are pleasant, the climate as nearly perfect as anywhere in the State, the board faultless, and the attendants most kind and attentive. Altogether I feel safe in saying that for either rest or treatment the Retreat has no superiors on this coast, and but few equals anywhere. WE are glad to welcome back to our office our co-laborer, Bro. C. P. Bollman. He has been on the sick list for the last two weeks. Bro. B. needed rest, but he prefers to take it in some other way. WHAT in the world does the Daily Examiner mean by the heading of "The Seventh Day" in referring to the organization of the Sabbath Union of California in its issue of August 23. The American Sabbath Union and the California Sabbath Union as well as all other auxiliaries of the American Sabbath Union are Sunday unions. They are not for the "protection" of "the seventh day," but "the first day." "The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." America never had a Sabbath. THE Pope has, it is stated, excommunicated King Humbert of Italy for participation in the dedication of the Bruno monument June 9 last. Thus it appears that in the eyes of the Pope about the greatest crime anyone can commit is to differ from Rome in religious opinion. True, Bruno was an infidel, but doubtless it was Romish error that made him so, and papal intolerance was shown in putting him to death just as much as in burning other heretics. To Rome everything is infidelity except Romanism. ON the whole the Herald of Truth ought to be satisfied with the amount of free advertising we have given it this week. These sophistries to which we have replied are current ones, and often deceive the unwary. We hope our readers will become wise unto salvation in these matters. We also hope that the Herald will become instructed in the way of truth and justice more perfectly. More reverence for God's law, and more of the power of the gospel of Christ will help our contemporary much in seeing the true animus of Sunday laws. Why should the Herald of "Truth" care to use the weapons that are "carnal?" We have received a neatly printed catalogue of the South Lancaster (Mass.) Academy, for the year of 1889-90. This school combines the industrial with the intellectual, and has demonstrated that the combination is a success. It makes a specialty of religious instruction. Many young men and women have been converted by its instruction and influences, and have since done good work in the cause of God. The Academy is located in a quiet country village about thirty-five miles west of Boston and two miles from Clinton, a town of over eleven thousand inhabitants. Care and interest are shown in the physical, moral, and spiritual welfare of the youth, as well as in their intellectual growth. Expenses are very moderate. The school starts in this year with a complete faculty, of which Prof. George W. Caviness is principal. May the institution grow and prosper. It should have the support of our people in the East. For terms, etc., address the principal, South Lancaster, Mass. "Ho DEUTEROS THANATOS, OR THE SECOND DEATH," is the title of a little poem of fifty pages which we received some time ago from the author, an orthodox minister of "fifty years' standing," published by C. W. Bardeen, Syracuse, N. Y. We meant to have noticed it before, but want of time has prevented as thorough an examination as we desired. The author has felt bound by his convictions of duty to depart from the so-called orthodox teaching that death, the wages of sin, is "eternal life in misery," and has accepted the Bible doctrine of life through Christ. He says: "It is from no vain aspirations of authorship, but it is rather the earnest promptings of religious convictions that urge the writer to add his humble testimonial to a long-dishonored truth." The argument is placed in the form of rhyme, not without poetic merit, in order to more readily attract the reader. The subject is treated under various subheadings, and is both logical and forcible. We do not know as we could agree with the interpretation of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, and with some expressions in the work; but on the whole we heartily wish it God-speed in its noble mission of "justifying the ways of God to men," and in pointing them to Christ our life. Address publisher, as above. AN Eastern religious paper in commenting upon Bishop Lyman's discovery that "eating peanuts will cure insomnia" says:— "What is needed just now is a nut that will keep people awake for a half-hour during the delivery of the sermon. Some ministers would be glad to keep their congregations supplied with such nuts the year through." We would modestly suggest that if the pastors of sleepy congregations would only preach now as Paul preached before Felix their hearers would not fall asleep in the short space of thirty minutes; on the contrary we verily believe that many of them would be really converted and turn to the living God. THE Rev. P. J. Popoff, in the N. Y. Independent of August 15, says that the report that the Czar "had totally suppressed the Lutheran Church in Russia" is doubtless a falsehood. Russian papers seem to indicate that it is the "parochial societies for assistance to the poor," which are connected with the Lutheran Churches, that have been suppressed by the Russian government. These societies have never been sanctioned by the government, and are really inimical to it; therefore their suppression. We opine, however, that it is difficult to do anything, even to carry on the commonest enterprise, without colliding with the government at some point. THE current number of the Pacific Health Journal is up to its usual standard of excellence. Practical, sensible, useful are its articles always. Among its forty-five articles, anecdotes and poems, in its seven different departments, we mention: Food for Infants; Diphtheria a Century Ago; The Toilet; A Lesson for the Times; Tuberculosis, Its Contagious Nature; The Opium Habit; What Shall We Eat? Home-Making; Useful Recipes, etc. It is a journal well worth its price, one dollar a year. Address, Pacific Health Journal, Twelfth and Castro Streets, Oakland, Cal.