NOTES BY THE WAY by M. C. W.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Oct 17, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 42.

NOTES BY THE WAY.

By M. C. W.

LEAVING the old Pine Tree State August 29 we reached the camp-ground at Lyons, N. Y., the morning of the next day. The meeting began in the evening with good attendance.

New York is one of the oldest fields in the Advent message. From Paris, Maine, the Review and Herald was moved first to Saratoga Springs, then to Rochester. Some of the older churches are either extinct or greatly diminished by removals, division, and death; but new ones have sprung up in their place, and the cause of present truth in the old Empire State is onward.

There are now, we believe, about seventy churches in the conference. Four new ones were added, with an aggregate membership of 70. These were Vienna, Norwich, Sidney, Gorham—nuclei, we hope, for still larger companies. Increase in interest and faithfulness was shown by an increase in the tithe of $3,000, making an aggregate sum for the last fiscal year of over $11,608, about $7.75 a member. The increase in offerings to foreign missions amounted to $800, and other offerings to $400. This is an encouraging report because it is a rising report. If the 1,500 members of New York were all adults and all wage-earners it would be discouraging; but it is safe to say that not more than one-half earn wages. The other half are dependent upon the wages of the first. When a full, faithful tithe is paid it may have to be paid in kind. It is often difficult for farmers to convert produce into cash, and we believe that some plan could be devised which would be of mutual benefit to the advancement of the work and to them.

New York Conference puts into the field eleven ordained laborers, and eight bearing ministerial or missionary license. It gave credentials to three each of whom was over 80, one being, we believe, the oldest minister among us, Frederick Wheeler. The other two are C. O. Taylor and H. H. Wilcox.

The general feeling of the conference is manifest somewhat in the resolutions passed. The Missionary Magazine, the Berean Lesson Study, the general plan for helping our educational institutions, were all remembered and thoroughly discussed. The work of canvassing for our good books, the circulation of pamphlets and tracts, the development of home talent, and the vigorous pushing of the Signs of the Times and the Sentinel of Liberty also received attention. The sum of $500 was voted from the State funds for foreign mission work, and a teacher's wages was donated to South Lancaster Academy.

We greatly enjoyed meeting with our brethren in New York State; the field of our early experience. Many since we labored there have laid down their armor and are sleeping in Jesus. Others are laboring for the Master in other fields. But we never lose by giving for God, and the ranks are more than filled by those who come after. The work is onward, and ultimate victory waits a little on before.

After the camp-meeting was over, Pastor G. B. Thompson, the president of the conference, and the writer held a general meeting for the northern part of the State at South Russell. There was a fairly good attendance, and hearts were made glad as they yielded to the Lord and drank in His truth. Both of us were weary, and the meetings were not long continued. We greatly enjoyed these meetings with Brother Thompson. The next Sabbath and Sunday we also held meetings of interest at South Russell.

THUS closed our labors in four conferences in the great East, with its teeming, populous, needy cities. We were warmly, hospitably treated by all. We wish them all God's richest blessing and success in their various fields, till the Master says, "Well done."

NEVER did we appreciate the beneficent beauties and inspiring influences of early life in the country as when we visited early boyhood scenes. The country is greatly different from the city. Nature differs from man. Man made the city; God, the country. The country deals honestly with the boy. Nature does not deceive. She does not soften down the severe cold of winter by a smooth story. She does not make the rugged hill which the boy must climb less steep. The briars wound and pierce, but they give fair warning. The glorious sunshine, the grand old mountains, the limpid lakes, the swift-flowing brooks and more laggard river, the green fields, the almost human trees, the sowing and harvest, all speak with honest tongues, and, dealing with them, the boy knows them to be sincere. He can trust them, and he learns to love honesty and sincerity.

The city teems with men and their works. Often the fronts of buildings, even as those who built them, deceive. Men put on fair exteriors, tell fair stories, to conceal what they truly are. And the boy soon learns the deception, the insincerity, and he himself becomes insincere. He masks the real person. He may have polish and culture; his meeting with men may quicken his wits and make him "smart," but it does not build character. The only hope of the city lad is honest, sincere home training.

"O faithful nature! as life declineth, She grows more dear to this soul of mine; A purer light on her sweet face shineth, A glory deathless, a stamp divine; The trees of earth seem more fair than ever As I think of the tree by the heavenly river, And beauty and sense the joy combine. "For if Thou, O Framer of souls, hast made me Glad through Thy works, as indeed Thou hast, If this gladness and hope have ne'er betrayed me, But are stronger now than in bright days past, Hast Thou not made me to understand A part of the joy of the promised land, And wilt Thou not bring me there at last?"

It is worth noting that in the East dealers were buying up all the old iron possible, consisting of old plows, plow-points, scythes, etc., in order to sell them for the purpose of manufacturing implements of warfare. It is the literal fulfilment of the prophecy that when the day of the Lord is near, plow-shares shall be beaten into swords, and pruning-hooks into spears; in other words, the implements of peaceful husbandry shall be transformed into weapons of destruction. This old iron a few years ago could not be sold at any price; now it is nearly all gathered, and notices are conspicuously posted in the highways by local dealers that the highest prices are paid by Dealer Blank for such material. This is one of the streams which show the strong setting of the current toward Armageddon. Yet men foolishly sleep on, dreaming their false pipe-dream of peace in a world in rebellion against its Maker and Redeemer. Only where Christ reigns is there peace. Only His absolute reign will bring peace to the world.

ON our way to the sunny West we stopped over one day in Battle Creek, stopping at what all classes there call "the San," the short for Sanitarium. It is a Harbor of Rest to many weary hearts. It has brought healing of body, mind, and soul to many in the past, doing glorious work for those who considered it a forlorn hope. It is a pioneer in reforms, physical, medical, and hygienic. Not the least part of its work has been its manufacture of new foods on health lines, especially in nuts, some of which are of great value, and most of which are imitated. We found it, as two months ago, full to overflowing. It is renting from fifty to seventy-five cottages, besides its own large and commodious buildings. May it continue an even more abundant blessing.

WE were present a few minutes at the opening of Battle Creek College, or, rather, training school of workers. About one hundred were in attendance. Excellent remarks were made on the character of their work and the results to be accomplished, by Pastor A. T. Jones, Prof. E. A. Sutherland, and others, emphasizing the fact that true living is giving. May the present year be prospered of God in all the lines of school work and, more than all else, in the development of workers for God.

LEAVING Battle Creek the early morning of the 27th, stopping a few hours in Chicago, we reached Oakland the night of the 30th of September, glad again to meet with our fellow-workers and home friends, and more than ever feeling that in Him alone are our success and ultimate victory, and determined by His grace to make the Signs of the Times better the coming year than ever before. To this end pray for us. M. C. W.