p. 11 | GOD IS EVERYWHERE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 25, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 46.

GOD IS EVERYWHERE.

ALTHO God has a local habitation, where abides the throne of the universe, yet he is not localized. His spirit of life flows out to all the universe, responsive to every prayer and need of his creatures. His children need not to turn their faces toward the sun or toward Mecca; for he is not far from every one of us. The folly of being bound by set human forms is illustrated by the following from George Kennan in a paper on the River Volga, in a recent number of the Independent. He is writing of the little steamer which took him down the great river:—

Religious exercises of some kind are going on almost constantly. Five times a day a mullah (mool-lah), or Mohammedan priest, used to climb up on the bridge of our steamer and call the faithful to prayers. In less than five minutes the whole hurricane-deck would be covered with the prostrate forms of praying Moslems, all lying with their heads toward Mecca, the North Pole of their religious faith. But the river, at times, was very crooked, and the followers of the prophet had a good deal of difficulty in keeping themselves accurately adjusted with reference to the holy city. Every one of them would take off his hat, boots, and weapons, get out his pocket compass, ascertain the direction of Mecca, spread down his prayer-rug, and then kneel, shut his eyes, and begin to pray. In the meantime the steamer would go around a sharp bend in the river, and the next time the worshiper opened his eyes he would find himself, to his horror and amazement, with his back to Mecca and his arms stretched out toward the steppes of Siberia. Of course, God could not be expected to pay the least attention to a prayer that was breathed out in a northeasterly direction when it ought to have been headed southwest by south-half-south. So the disgusted Mohammedan, with a muttered curse upon the crooked rivers and the erratic steamers of the Russian infidel, would get up, consult his pocket compass, turn around his rug, and begin again on a new tack, keeping one eye open meanwhile to see that the man at the wheel did not take an unfair advantage of him and scatter his prayer all over the Russian Empire.

OUR WORK AND WORKERS.

A GENERAL meeting is to be held at Milton Junction, Wis., November 29 to December 5.

At the close of the late Oklahoma camp-meeting, Brethren R. W. Parmele and W. H. White were ordained to the Gospel ministry.

ELDER E. E. FRANKE reports as the visible results of his season's tent effort, amid great opposition, in Brooklyn, N. Y., fifty-one converts, and many others much interested in the truths presented.

THE church at Buffalo, N. Y., was favored on the 30th ult. by the presence of a number of ladies who were in attendance at the National W. C. T. U. Convention in that city. They were Mrs. S. M. I. Henry and several Seventh-day Baptist sisters. Mrs. Henry, by request, addressed the company, and others of the visitors took part in the services.

The Baptist Argus, of Louisville, Ky., of date the 11th inst., says that Dr. J. H. Kellogg, of Battle Creek, Mich., addressed the missionary meeting of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on the previous Monday evening. The reporter says, "His simple narrative of how God leads him in his wonderful work, was one of the most impressive talks we ever heard."

SINCE going to Trinidad, W. I., two years ago, Elder E. W. Webster has baptized sixty-six persons. There are two organized churches on the island, one at Couva and one at Port of Spain, with a total membership of seventy-two. There are a few others of the faith located at other points. There is need of a few faithful families, with moderate means, to engage in some self-supporting business and be a help to these churches.

FROM Field Echoes we clip this report by Sister Alice McEwen, of Chatham, Ontario: "Three of my readers have begun to keep the Sabbath, and there are others who I expect will take their stand soon. We usually sell a number of SIGNS Saturday night. We called the sisters together, and joined ourselves into a Christian Help Band, with Sister Wellman as our president. We are having sewing, kindergarten, and literature departments. Last week we were kept busy making over clothing for the needy."

DURING the recent institute at Allegan, Mich., five persons were baptized. At this meeting a practical test was made of the work of selling the SIGNS and canvassing for subscriptions, and the result was very encouraging. Several of those who were in attendance from other places decided to go to work near their own homes. Herein is a leading point in the question of the general circulation of this pioneer messenger. A discouraging feature of the work in the past has been that so many people think they can not do anything near home.

OF the condition at Graysville (Tenn.) Academy, Elder R. M. Kilgore, after an absence of six months, says: "Some changes are seen here. Several new houses have been built, the meeting-house has been enlarged to more than double its former size, and the academy is well patronized with a fine class of students from different States both north and south. About seventy are enrolled, and others are coming. In this climate, among the mountains, we have no fears of Yellow Jack, while the cities and towns in States south of us are shielding themselves by quarantine regulations."

CONCERNING the special meetings which have been held in the church at Battle Creek, Mich., Elder A. F. Ballenger says in the Review: "The Lord is still searching Jerusalem with the lighted candle of his Word, and those who are waiting for the promise of his Spirit are putting away one sin after another as fast as they are brought to light. The sins of unhealthful and extravagant dress, pride, and self-esteem have been pointed out and repented of. A very noticeable thing connected with the meetings is the plain attire worn by those who attend during the week, and who are seeking the Lord earnestly, as compared with that of those who attend on Sabbath only. The line is being clearly drawn on every point of truth."