Earlier text: THE LOST SHEEP.ANIMAL FOOD USED IN THE CITIES.
By J. H. W.
Some time ago we published an extract from a Toledo paper on the abuse of cattle going to the eastern market, and their consequent unfitness for food. The following is an extract from remarks on that subject by Mr. Henry Bergh, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, made before the Farmers Club at N. Y. City, as reported in the Tribune. People eat such food because they stifle reason and consult only a depraved appetite. How few, alas, consult right and duty in eating! J. H. W. “Notwithstanding the astonishing apathy or reckless indifference to it, there is no subject affecting the temporal well-being which deserves as serious consideration as the mode of transporting cattle, destined for human food, to market. I venture to declare that not one person out of five thousand pauses to reflect on the probable health and general physical condition at the time of the death of the animal he is about to dine on. Were he to do so, or, what is still better, were he to journey to the West as far as Chicago, and after observing the cattle-yards there, and the manner of treating the helpless brute consigned to the care of beings wearing the form of men, but possessed of the instinct of devils, then take passage back to this city on a cattle-train, and note the accumulating tortures heaped upon these inoffending prisoners, even to the moment when the unfeeling butcher murders what little of life remains to these feverish, bruised, maddened animals—were he to do this, I say, I hazard little in affirming that his appetite for such kinds of animal food would receive a shock not to be forgotten for the remainder of his days. From the confines of Texas even to the wharves of the metropolis are these creatures—the offspring, like ourselves, of Omnipotent power—doomed to endure on foot the ceaseless motion of the train, deprived of food and water from four even to six days, as I have been informed, exposed to the blazing rays of the summer’s sun, and the freezing blasts of the winter’s wind, with no spirit to care for them but the soul of stinted avarice. And yet, gentlemen, the directors and owners of these mobile inquisitions—they that hold in their hands the powers of affording to these poor wretches the nourishment which God and nature declares indispensable—wickedly and meanly trusting to chance or the power of animal endurance, day after day and year after year inflict these dreadful torments on uncomplaining brutes, and thus endanger not only the health but the moral and mental attributes of mankind. For what end? To add still greater luxuries to their already pampered existence. If there be any doubt on this subject, let the skeptic take passage, as three of the society’s agents have done, and observe the fearful treatment inflicted on the helpless and submissive victims of mammon. Having done this, notice the brutal manner of overloading them in this city, the clubbing and breaking of legs and horns! Go with such as can stand to the cattle-yards where they are imprisoned, still deprived of food and water, left without shelter from either sun or storm. And finally, if you have the courage and the nerve to witness the last act in the barbarous tragedy, go to the shambles and look at the supreme and concluding torments which the monsters heap upon the creatures which the day following appear as food upon our tables.” RELATIVE OBLIGATION TO GOD AND MAN.
By Adolphus Smith
As a people, we have adopted a system of benevolence, approved of the Lord, and sufficient, I believe, in carrying forward the great work of preparing a people to receive the seal of the living God. By this system, the necessity for donation parties, ever a curse to the church, is obviated, as are also gift enterprises, lotteries, personal donations, as the reward of catering to the unsanctified human heart, &c. But, though our system of benevolence is as perfect as can well be devised, it is not an easy matter to bring all Sabbath-keepers into harmonious working within its traces. Some profess to approve of the system, who, nevertheless, practically give it little credence. Satan, if possible, will so disarrange our business, as that to pay our benevolence were seemingly impossible. I have a dollar in my hand and duty says, “Pay your benevolence;” but Satan says, “You are owing that amount to A., and although it is not due just yet, unless you pay it now, it may bother you to get hold of another dollar in time to meet your obligation.” For a moment I yield, but while on my way to see A., the tempter says, “Your flour is nearly gone, and your family may suffer before you can get another dollar.” But conscience says, “You have some flour on hand, and many other things to make your family comfortable; you have health also, and an unfailing friend in Christ, who, if you serve him faithfully, will ever provide for you; pay your benevolence.” I decide to pay one-half dollar. But before I have time to act upon my resolution, my money is gone; my debt undischarged; my family unsupplied, and my s. b. unpaid. I persuade myself to think I will have some more money in a few days, and then I will not only pay up my s. b. dues, but I will pay for some time in advance. Now, I do not say that the above is true, in all points, of any Sabbath-keeper, but I have only given it as a sample of the persistent cunning of the tempter in leading the unstable Christian away from manifest duty. There is no debt that we are under so solemn obligation to discharge as that we owe to God. If we are unable to meet our obligations at times specified, let us compromise with our creditors, ever observing to pay into the Lord’s treasury in a ratio exceeding, if possible, but never falling below, that paid to our373earthly creditors. God, who holdeth the winds in his hand, and whose are the storm, the distilling dew, and the rays of light and heat, is able to prosper us, or to withhold prosperity, as he sees will be for our good, or the glory of his name. If we do not pay our s. b. until we can spare the money just as well as not, we shall never pay at all. Unless we shut our eyes against beholding, and our ears against hearing, of the wants of the flesh, we shall never lay up aught in the heavenly treasure; we shall never be rich in faith toward God. “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” If we have failed to pay our s. b. in any time past, and though we pay our present dues, yet the past, as an honest debt, must be cancelled (unless, perchance, God in his displeasure has wrested from us our earthly treasure, which we, to our hurt, have prized above our heavenly, and rendered us unable to pay), before we can stand approved in the sight of Heaven. Let us show that we love the cause of God not only in word, but in deed.”
ADOLPHUS SMITH.
Ottawa Co., Mich. KIND REPROOFS.
By M. Wilcox
How best shall I reprove my brother's sin
If he hath done amiss in any way?
Shall I not seek his soul to kindly win?
Or shall I harshly drive him still away? Shall I assume the right to pierce his heart?
To quench his light already growing dim?
Or shall I gently act a nobler part,
And render what I would receive from him? Lord, grant me first my own defects to see,
And let my eyes be clear from every beam.
And then, whate'er another's failings be,
My own will ever still the greatest seem. No erring heart is won by words unkind,
Or softened by reproach and cruel scorn;
But gentle words from out a heart refined
May teach that heart to know and feel its wrong. Then let me ne'er reprove except in love,
That a brother's grief may humbly share;
And help him onward toward our home above,
For strife or discord cannot enter there. IRREVERENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD.
By S. M. Crosby
Is it possible that there is irreverence by any in the house of God? I fear, though sad, and solemn, it is yet too true. How grieved God and holy angels must be at such a scene. I have long felt that the blessings of God cannot and will not rest upon us, as long as such things exist among us. I have often felt sad to see so little interest manifested, and so little reverence paid, when assembled together on the Sabbath, to worship God, and also at our weekly prayer-meeting. Do we not grieve away the Holy Spirit by such a course? I answer, Yes. Some may say, it is only the children, and we should not make such an ado about it. I would ask, Is it any the less wrong, because the children are the parties concerned, and some of them professing to be Christians, and Sabbath-keepers’ children too? No; the sin is just as grievous in the sight of God. But I will appeal to parents. Are we entirely clear of guilt in this matter? Have we instructed our children as we should, in regard to these things, striving to impress their minds with the duty they owe to their heavenly Father, and the respect and honor due their parents, and brethren and sisters in the church? How perplexing and embarrassing, while striving to worship God in singing, praying, or speaking of his goodness, to hear some whispering, or see others reading, and still worse, to see those that should be better employed, mimicking every word or motion made by those engaged in speaking. If our brother, or sister, as the case may be, has not been doing just as he or she should, how much better to go to them personally and admonish them, than to wound their feelings in that manner. How long will this state of things exist? Is not the truth of the third angel’s message of sufficient importance to rivet our whole attention? It seems to me, that if we really believe what we profess, that Jesus is soon coming, and that death is pronounced upon those that obey not God’s commands, we would strive more earnestly to have our daily walk and conversation correspond therewith. A great responsibility I feel is resting upon us. We are not standing still. We are wielding a great influence, either for good or evil. Let us not retard our progress in the divine life, but pray earnestly that God would help us to honor and glorify him in our bodies and spirits which are his. I feel that there is a great lack somewhere, and that it is high time that we awake from this state of lethargy; that we reform in this point as well as others. This we can do if we seek help from him that is mighty and able to save. Without that help we shall fail of eternal life. Parents and children, let us seriously consider this matter and ask the forgiveness of our heavenly Father, and our brothers, or sisters that we have offended or wounded in any way. We are commanded that whatsoever is done should be done to the honor and glory of God. How important that we guard well our words, and thoughts, and ways, that we offend not in word or deed; for we read in the word of God that if we offend in one point we are guilty of all. In the language of another, I would say, “Oh! that we might all see through sanctified eyes, and hear through sanctified ears.” I feel that all of us would do well to heed the reproof found in Testimony No. 14. God does not wish us to hear all there is to be heard, nor to see all there is to be seen; but our greatest anxiety should be to remove the beam from our own eye, that we might be enabled to pull the mote from our brother’s eye. Let us, dear parents and children, strive by the help of God to make our calling and election sure, cease watching others and begin the work of being very jealous of ourselves. May God bless these feeble efforts to the good of all that shall peruse these lines, and help us in the future to live nearer to him by walking in newness of life, keeping all God’s commandments and the faith of Jesus, that we may be found among the redeemed when Jesus comes. DREAM OF FREDERICK, THE ELECTOR OF SAXONY.
By Elder A. Snyder
Translated from the German, by Elder A. Snyder. The following remarkable dream of the Elector of Saxony, (Frederick,) I found is Godfried Arnold's Kirchen und Ketzer Historien, (History of the church and Heresies,) printed in Schaffhausen in A. D. 1740; where it was written as having been related by the Elector himself, to his brother Duke John, and his Chancellor E. L. — Here is the dream: “As I was lying upon my bed in the evening, somewhat faint and tired; while I was praying I soon fell asleep and slept soundly, and rested comfortably for about the space of two and a half hours; after which I awoke considerably refreshed. I lay upon my bed, and had all manner of thoughts, and among other things, I reflected how I might fast to the honor of all beloved saints, as well as myself and my courtiers. I also prayed for the poor souls in purgatory, and concluded in my mind to come to their aid and assistance in their flames. I also prayed to God for grace that he might lead me and my counsellors, and my country into all truth, and save us, and that he would control, by his omnipotent power, the evil designs of those who would make our government troublesome. Being filled with such thoughts, soon after midnight, I fell asleep again, and soon commenced dreaming. I dreamed that God sent a monk, with a fine, honest countenance to me; this monk was the Apostle Paul's natural son, and had for his attendants, by God's command, all the beloved saints, who were to bear witness to the monk, that there was no deception in him, but that certainly he was sent from God; that God commanded me to allow this monk to write something upon the chapel of my castle at Wittenburg; that if I would do so, I should never be sorry for it. I told the monk through my Chancellor, that, as God had commanded me to let him write, and as I had such powerful evidence, he might write all that he was commanded to write. Immediately, the monk began to write, and made his letters so large that I could know them here in Schweinitz (at this place, about four miles from Wittenburg the Elector was at the time he had this dream), and used a pen so long that the other end of it reached to Rome, and penetrated into the ear of a lion, which lay there, so forcibly that it came out at the other ear, and then extended still further until it came in contact with the triple crown of his holiness, the Pope, and gave it such a powerful shock that it began to shake and to fall from the head of his holiness. E. L., and myself stood not far from his holiness at the time; and as his crown was falling, I stretched forth my hand to assist him in keeping it in its place. At this I awoke, holding up my arm, a good deal frightened and angry at the monk, because he did not guide his pen more carefully; but upon a little reflection I found it was a dream.” “I was still full of sleep, and soon my eyes were shut again, and I fell into a sound sleep, and before I was aware of it, the same dream appeared to me again, the second time; for I had again to do with the monk. I saw how he continued to write; and with the stump of his pen he kept on stinging the lion and the Pope. At this the lion roared most dreadfully, and the whole city of Rome, and all the ranks and orders in the holy kingdom came running to the place to see what this was. The Pope requested those ranks and orders to restrain the monk, and inform me of the violence he was doing to his holiness, because this monk was in my country. Here I awoke the second time from my dream, and marveled that I had dreamed it again.” “I did not, however, suffer this thing to trouble my mind, but prayed that God would preserve his holiness, the Pope, from all evil; and thus I fell asleep again the third time. The monk appeared to me again, and this time we endeavoured hard to break the monk's pen, and to lead the Pope out of its way; but the more we exerted ourselves to break the pen, the more inflexible it became, and the more it rattled and jarred as though it were iron; it rattled and jarred so much that it hurt my ears, and penetrated my heart. Finally I became vexed and tired of it, and we gave up, and went away, one after another and hid ourselves, fearing that the monk might be able to do more than eat bread, that he might, perhaps, do us some harm. Notwithstanding, I caused to be inquired of the monk, how he came in possession of that wonderful pen, and what was the reason that it was so tough and solid. He answered, that it was taken from an old Bohemian goose, a hundred years ago, and that an old schoolmaster of his had honored him by presenting it to him, requesting him that, because it was a good pen, he should keep it, and use it in remembrance of him, that he himself had tempered it; that the reason why it was so long and strong, was because no man could take away the spirit from it, nor drain the soul out of it, as was the case with other pens. At this he himself was greatly astonished.” “Soon after this a great cry arose, that out of this great pen of the monk, numberless other writing pens had grown in Wittenburg, and that it was amusing to see how learned men strove and contended about it; that part of them thought that, in the course of time, many of these pens would become as inflexible and strong as the one in the monk's hand; and that something remarkable would certainly follow this monk and his pen. I now concluded in my dream (the sooner the better), to have a personal conversation with the monk. I awoke from my dream and found that it was morning. Wondering at my dream, I reflected upon it, and the fact that it was repeated three times in succession, in one night, made a deep impression on my mind.” This dream the Elector dreamed on the night before Luther began to write against Tetzel. The author of the book whence it is taken, interprets it in the following manner: 1. The monk with a fine, honest countenance, is Luther, who caused the triple crown to shake upon the head of the Pope. 2. His being called the natural son of the Apostle Paul, was, because he preached the doctrine of justification by faith, through the mercy of God, with the same energy against popery, as Paul did against those who sought justification by the deeds of the law, in his day. His long pen taken from a Bohemian goose, a hundred years before, refers to John Huss, (for Huss in the Bohemian language means a goose,) who had been burned at a council, held at Constance, a hundred years before, as an arch heretic, and at which time he delivered the following prophecy: “To-day you roast a goose, but a hundred years hence there will come a swan which you will not roast.” This was accomplished one hundred years after the death of Huss, when Luther arose to sing his evangelical Swan-song. 4. That the monk's pen could not be broken, was because its spirit could not be taken away; that is, while God's spirit was with him in the work, through whom Luther not only received courage to commence the great work, but has himself carried it on, and will continue it until the end of time,—no opposition that can be brought against it will be successful.—Church Advocate.