THE Chicago Journal after remarking that statistics in the national census bureau show that, in round numbers, $750,000,000 is yearly spent in the United States for intoxicating liquors, and that that amount "would rebuild Chicago three times every year, better and more magnificently then she stands to-day," proceeds to say:—
But the cost of liquor-drinking is not altogether in money; it costs immensely in other directions and entails injuries and heartaches that are quite beyond the figures of the arithmetic accurately to compute. Four-fifths of all the inmates of our jails, prisons, penitentiaries, and reformatories are brought there, directly or indirectly, by strong drink. There are 500,000 of these whisky criminals in the United States to-day; every institution that is open for their reception is full of them, and the number is rapidly increasing. Then there are 800,000 insane persons, idiots, helpless inebriates, and paupers in the poor-houses and charitable institutions of the country, costing the tax-payers $100,000,000 per annum.
But this is not all. Much of the criminality, especially street brawls and murders, which costs the public so much money, is directly traceable to this one parent vice of drinking too much.
Nor is this all. No pen but the recording angel's is able truthfully to portray the sorrow that is inflicted upon loving hearts by this infernal habit of drinking stimulants. No class is so high in the social scale that it is not dragged down by it, and no class is so poor and degraded that it is not made more inhuman and miserable by it. A drunken parent bestows a curse upon his offspring, even to the third and fourth generations. Science shows how vice of any kind vitiates the blood, and, although it may skip one generation, it is certain to crop out farther down the stream. A dead drunkard often reaches out his hand from the grave, and, with his skeleton fingers, palsies the brain of his descendants, and sends them, like so many jabbering idiots, to the insane asylum to be supported by charity.
No. The liquor traffic must be characterized as an unmixed curse, viewed from any standpoint whatever, and as such it does not pay.—Kankakee Gazette.
Governing the Passions
LET not any one say that he cannot govern his passions, nor "hinder" them from breaking out and carrying him to action; for what he can do before a prince or a great man, he can do alone, or in the presence of God, if he will
Keep Down the Temperature.
THE prevalence of pneumonia this winter has been fearful. In New York and yet more in Brooklyn the mortality from this disease has been so great as to cause several eminent physicians to regard it as epidemic. March and April are commonly the months in which it is most prevalent, but this year it came earlier and proved very deadly. The following about the causes of it, and the way to ward it off, coming from Dr. Wm. A. Hammond, is well worth reading and heeding:—
"The great trouble with people in this country is that they will persist in living in overheated rooms. And what is the consequence? When it is necessary for them to go out, the great difference in the exterior temperature strikes upon their organization, the cold penetrates them and pneumonia kills them. Even without going into the streets, persons inhabiting very warm rooms may contract a fatal cold when passing into the halls that are not heated. I have known such cases. Particularly in country houses is this true, where the rooms are heated and the halls are not. To avoid pneumonia people should take good care of themselves; I don't mean by staying at home and making themselves as comfortable as possible, but by taking outdoor exercise and making their habits regular. Many suppose that when the winter is severe, and the atmosphere is what is termed "bracing," then the mortality is not great. But this is a mistake, for a severe winter kills at both ends—kills off the very old and the very young. There is less mortality in a mild winter. Now, to avoid the danger of taking cold, I would recommend people to keep their houses only moderately warm. I keep my apartment at a temperature of sixty-four degrees, and yet I have visitors who come in and complain of the cold, because they are used to a higher temperature at home. I would also advise people to abstain from alcohol, especially in damp weather, for much drinking predisposes to pneumonia. I have known the case of a public man who died from this disease, but the disease had the breach opened for it by his indulgence in alcohol. As to the age at which one is liable, or not liable, I should say that a man under 60, with good habits, ought to be able to resist its inroads. Over 60 years of age any one may be subject to it."—Sel.
Everlasting Punishment.
By Editor
THE following we clip from an exchange. It was not intended for us, but for some correspondent of the paper in which it appeared. But as we do firmly believe in the resurrection of the wicked we will show our opinion:—
"Will some brother who believes in the resurrection of wicked persons from the dead please answer this: If there can be no punishment without consciousness, how can there be everlasting punishment without everlasting consciousness? 'These shall go away into everlasting punishment,' etc.
This question appears to be based on the presumption that there may be punishment without consciousness. We think it would be difficult to prove that this is the case. To test the querist's position we will suppose a case. The law of the State declares that the murderer shall be punished with death by hanging. Now a man commits murder, and to avoid the disgrace of an execution he commits suicide. This seems to finally dispose of the case. But no; a counselor suggests that the law must have its due; that consciousness is not necessary to punishment; and therefore the law will be honored and satisfied by hanging the dead man! It would doubtless take a long time to convince a court or a community that there would be any justice or good sense in such a proceeding. "But why not?" the proposer argues, "you call hanging the extreme penalty of the law. If you hang the living man he will be conscious of the pain only an instant; the effect is practically the same whether he is hanged alive or dead."
But the fallacy of that position is so evident that no one would consent to waste his time in arguing it down.
But now arises another theorist. He says that the object of the law was the death of the criminal, and it makes no matter by what means his death is brought about; that he is already dead, and, therefore the law has had its due—the penalty has virtually been suffered. But this is another fallacy. The law prescribes by whom and by what means the penalty of death shall be inflicted; and death self-inflicted, or inflicted by some other person than the officer appointed, or by some other means than those named in the law, is not the penalty of the law at all. If it were, then every criminal hanged by a mob would suffer the penalty of the law, which would make the hanging by the mob a legal proceeding, which is an absurdity.
By these illustrations we learn: (1) That there can be no punishment without consciousness on the part of the subject thereof. (2) That in the infliction of the death penalty, even of eternal death, it is impossible that consciousness should eternally continue. (3) That the mere fact that a man is dead is no evidence that the extreme penalty of the law has been inflicted upon him.
The people of the generations past, with few exceptions, are now dead. This includes all classes, the just and the unjust. Now they who deny that the unjust will be raised from the dead, affirm that the very fact that they are dead proves that they have suffered the penalty of the law. We say it is no proof at all. The affirmation is contrary to reason and to the principles of justice, and to the most explicit statements of the Scriptures. 1. It is contrary to reason and to justice, for, if they have suffered the penalty of the law in suffering natural death, then the righteous (who have died in like manner, and in many cases under more distressing circumstances than the wicked) have also suffered the penalty of the law. And if so, they were never forgiven their sins; for it is only mockery to tell a man that he is pardoned, and then inflict upon him the penalty of the law just as it is inflicted upon the impenitent or unpardoned. We bring this indictment against the non-resurrection theory, that it admits of no pardon of sin.
2. It is contrary to the explicit declarations of the Scriptures, for they say that the unjust are reserved to the day of judgment to be punished; that there will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust; that one class will come forth to the resurrection of life, and the other to the resurrection of damnation; that the day of judgment and of the perdition of ungodly men is in "the day of the Lord," which is yet future.
The truth is, that all classes and all ages, without any distinction, die the present or natural death, not as the penalty of their personal sins, but, solely because they inherited a mortal, perishable nature from Adam. All his posterity suffer death with him, because he was shut out from the tree of life, and they also with him. And the gospel system does not present as the object of our probation the present life and the present or natural death, but eternal life and the second death.
We may speak further on this question hereafter.
Unlawful Use of the Greek.
By Editor
WE have no sympathy with the declaration of the poet, "A little learning is a dangerous thing." A little learning is better than none. Whether one have much or little it may be abused to his own injury and to the injury of others. "Knowledge is power," and it is well worth possessing; but its possession brings responsibility, and for this we shall be brought into judgment.
It is an old saying that "figures will not lie;" but it has been well remarked that a man can tell many crooked and dangerous things with the use of figures. The Bible is God's word of truth; yet many times it is quoted in behalf of error, and made to do service in causes or to ends quite foreign to the intention of the writers. But such a use of the language of the Holy Spirit is attended with a fearful responsibility.
In the California Christian Advocate of May 4 is a communication from a Mr. A. F. Trousdale, hailing from Hill's Ferry. We read it with much surprise, and wondered how it ever found a place in the Advocate; for, though the editor has shown strong prejudice against us as a denomination, he could not fail to know that Mr. Trousdale had committed great blunders in the Greek, and his reputation as an editor and a "D. D." would hardly permit the publication of such things. But the editorial correspondence reminded us that he is a delegate to the General Conference now in session in Philadelphia, and so he stands fully acquitted in the case. Mr. Trousdale writes:—
"During the present controversy between Adventists and the various Christian denominations, whom they accuse of wearing 'the mark of the beast in their foreheads,' because they observe the first day of the week as the Sabbath of the Lord, instead of the last, I fail to notice any allusion whatever to the one great fact that definitely and most conclusively settles the whole matter in controversy, viz.: Every one of the four Evangelists, writing under the guide of the Holy Ghost, testifies that the first day of the week as we have it in our English translation is 'the Sabbath' in the original. Hence, it is certain that Adventists, in attacking the Christian Sabbath, challenge the testimony of all the four divinely inspired Evangelists."
Mr. T. confesses that he has no scholarship in the original, but endeavors to break the force of the confession by saying:—
"Before I left Illinois, I was forced into a controversy with Campbellites and Mormons, in which I had occasion to refer to the Greek Testament. I applied first to a Methodist preacher who had a copy of the Greek and professed to understand the language, and also to an Old School Presbyterian minister. They both read the account of the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, and in every instance it was the Sabbath, or Sabbaton. I could see that the orthography was the same.
After I came to California, I was thrown among Adventists, and heard them deny the plainest declarations of Scripture. I went to a Presbyterian minister, and inquired if he had a copy of the Greek Testament. He had one, and read just as I recollected. He had failed to notice it until I called his attention to it. Recently I have called the attention of Brother Callaway, our preacher in charge, to the subject. He, it seems, had never noticed it."
1. We deny that Adventists accuse the denominations of wearing the mark of the beast by keeping the first day of the week. They always point to that part of Rev. 13, 14, as unfulfilled prophecy. Mr. T. should become better acquainted with the faith of the Seventh-day Adventists before he tries to define their position.
2. If he has not noticed any allusion to the fact that the original for week is Sabbatone, then he must be exceedingly ignorant of the state of "the present controversy between the Adventists" and others on the Sabbath question, for it has been prominently noticed in our publications—in this paper, for instance,—and we have a tract for sale at this office on that subject, of 20 pages, in which every phase of the matter is noticed.
3. If he means to inform us that the Methodist minister and the Presbyterian minister and "Brother Callaway" did not know that Sabbatone was used in the several passages which are translated "the first day of the week," then he greatly increases our astonishment, for it is about equivalent to saying that they had never looked into their Greek Testaments where the resurrection of Christ is recorded.
4. But if he means to say that these ministers had never noticed what he styles a "great fact," namely, that our translation is incorrect, and that instead of being rendered "the first day of the week" the passages should be rendered "the Sabbath," then we are not at all surprised, for it has never yet been noticed by any one who could make any just claim to scholarship. It was not noticed by such careful and able critics as Dr. Clarke and Dr. Barnes. Why should we be surprised that they never noticed "a fact" which never had any existence? But if the fact did exist, then we should be greatly surprised that such scholars did not notice it.
5. Mr. Trousdale says he could "see that the orthography was the same." "Here is wisdom," indeed! A man settles a great controversy, deciding what is the proper reading of a Greek text by the "orthography" of a word, without any knowledge of or regard to what the Lexicons say of the word, or the grammatical construction of the text. But Mr. T. is not the first discoverer of this wonderful fact. A few years ago a man was so persistent in his claim on the same point, that the subject was referred to the faculty of a college who decided against him, and in favor of our English translation. We have just looked at eight versions, including the Revised, the Syriac, the Diaglott, and the New Testament in Hebrew, and each and all give it as our English Authorized translation has it, "the first day of the week."
6. All the Lexicons, and Commentaries on the Greek text justify the translation; indeed, as before remarked, no one who has any just claim to scholarship would think of denying the correctness of the common version.297Now a query to Mr. T., and those who may with him be captivated with the sound of a word of which he does not know the construction in a sentence: In such passages as Acts 20:7, and 1 Cor. 16:2, if the word should be rendered Sabbath, how do you learn that any reference is made to the first day of the week? If it means "the Sabbath," and should be so translated in these texts, then it cannot also mean "the first day of the week," for the word cannot carry the two meanings under the same grammatical construction.
"A little learning" is not very good; no learning is worse; but presumption in dealing with God's word is worst of all.
It is not necessary that we give a criticism on the Greek of the texts in question; where all the versions and the Lexicons are agreed, there is no room for doubt. The following from Lexicons of the New Testament are quite sufficient. On the word sabbaton Greenfield gives as one definition: "A period of seven days, a week, sing. and pl. Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:9, et al." And Robinson more fully says: "2. Meton., a sabbath, put for the interval from Sabbath to Sabbath; hence a se'nnight, week, so equiv. Luke 18:2. Elsewhere only after numerals marking the days of the week. Mark 16:9, prote (hemera) sabbaton. Plur. Matt. 28:1, eis mian sabbatone. Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2."
Thus Mr. Trousdale can see that the Seventh-day Adventists do not challenge the testimony of the Evangelists; they do not conflict with the words of inspiration, but rest upon them with all confidence. They are well acquainted with that which he claims as a wonderful discovery, but which we know to be a mere cavil, and which has often been shown to be such. To him we can say, "We wot that through ignorance ye did it" (Acts 3:17). Thus ends our controversy with him. But we shall anxiously wait to see whether the Advocate will do itself the justice to repudiate the unscriptural position of its over-zealous correspondent, or let the impression cast by the article go forth to deceive others who may be as ignorant of the facts as that correspondent was.
One-Sided Religion.
By Editor
IN that most wonderful of all the Psalms the writer said: “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.” Ps. 119:6. And again he said: “Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” Verse 165. The law of God is fundamental; if the foundation be well laid, the superstructure will be more easily constructed, and will be well proportioned. To have respect unto all the commandments of God is a rare thing among men. Very bad men will do some very good things, but a mixture of good and bad actions will never form a good character. Unto the time of Adam's fall he had acted only with reverence to God and to his authority, but one departure from the path of right ruined everything.
Looking at the multitude of denominations of professed Christians we find that, among them all, almost everything in the holy Scriptures is accepted; for the truth which one rejects, another receives; and so, in going the rounds, we shall find about all the truth somewhere. This is the bright side of the view. On the other side, every truth in the Bible is rejected by them; for that particular truth which one accepts, another rejects; and so amongst them all the whole truth of God is ignored. A well-balanced, whole-hearted Christian, having respect to every truth of the Bible, is not so readily found as many might suppose.
And some make a sweeping, wholesale riddance of much of the Bible, and build upon a foundation after their own hearts. The Romanists have forgotten their father Abraham, and virtually rejected Christ, and build their church on Peter and the virgin Mary. The “Disciples” follow hard after them, rejecting the Old Testament entirely, and even the words of Jesus, because they were all written and spoken before the day of Pentecost! As their teachers and their models they accept only the apostles, shutting their eyes to the apostolic observation that the church is “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner.” Eph. 2:20. Having only one side of the foundation, of necessity they have but a narrow, one-sided superstructure, quite different from the building which is “fitly framed together,” resting on “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”
And so we might trace the defection from some truth in nearly every denomination in the land. As in old time, the priests are become “partial in the law.” Mal. 2:9. Jehovah did not give his precepts in just the proper form to suit somebody's opinions and predilections; and, in somebody's estimation there were incorporated some “non-essentials” in the gospel. It suits some people far better to be judges of the law than doers of it. James 4:11. But their judgment will one day be reversed; the law will be turned against them by the “one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy,” and they who have assumed to be judges of the law “shall be judged by the law.” Rom. 2:12; Eccl. 12:13, 14; James 2:11, 12.
A plausible plea may be put forth in behalf of the sincerity of these discriminators against the truth of God, but with that we are not dealing at present; we are but calling attention to the facts, the existence of which cannot be denied. We would suggest, however, that very few will be entitled to the benefit of that plea in the day of account, for there are very few who appear to feel the infinite importance of the message which the eternal One has sent to his creatures; very few who, laying aside all of self and self-will, “tremble at his word.” Isa. 66:1, 2. We have many times observed that people are not so tender in their regard for the Bible as they are for their opinions of the Bible. When have we been reminded of the words uttered by Gerret Smith, who said that he had noticed that people did not often study the Bible to learn what they ought to do; but they first decided what they wanted to do, and then studied the Bible to find something to justify themselves in their course! We do not say that people understand their motives in these things; many do not stop to consider the difference between the book and their opinions of the book; but we fear that “in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men,” it will be found that selfishness is the spring of much that passes for piety and religion in this world.
We had no idea of penning all these reflections when we sat down to notice the remarks of a minister, which have just come to our hands. And toward him, individually, though unknown to us, we have only the very kindest feelings, because he is just feeling after the truth, and we cannot expect that he will have clear discernment of the relations or of the relative importance of different truths. Writing to an esteemed brother upon the subject of conditional immortality, he said:—
“The scriptural idea of the great truth of ‘eternal life only in Christ,’ has been brought into disrepute in this section, by being earnestly advocated by people who couple with it so many other notions relating to the seventh day, baptism, etc. It seems hard to present a special truth like this, without connecting it with some other pet idea more or less unscriptural.”
Now for every one who objects to our coupling the Sabbath and baptism with the doctrine of life only in Christ, we will produce ten who say they would not so seriously object to our views of the Sabbath, baptism, etc., if we did not couple with them the highly objectionable theories of the non-immortality of the soul, and the final destruction of the impenitent. We could please all classes by dropping everything and consenting to be nobodies!
The first, great, primary truth, underlying all other truths, is the law of God; and in this we find the seventh-day Sabbath. Because man violated the law and became a sinner, the gospel was introduced, of which baptism is a part. The Sabbath and baptism unscriptural notions! And this from a Presbyterian minister. What next will “theology” produce? We knew a somewhat well-known and very popular minister who, on the occasion of our preaching on baptism in the city of his residence, publicly expressed his thankfulness that, in his ministry of three years in that place, he had never preached on baptism. So far as we knew or could learn, he never preached on any other Bible doctrine. The opinions of the philosophers engrossed his attention. Philip (Acts 8), and Paul, and Silas (Acts 16) pursued a course far different from this. But Philip, and Paul, and Silas, and their co-laborers, were far behind “the advanced Christian thought” of the present age.
The subject of the non-immortality of the soul is important; it is practical just as far as it is made an antidote to the deceptions of Spiritualism. But some rob it of this characteristic, as this writer seems to. The following are his words:—
“I am in considerable uncertainty as to the actual state of the ‘dead in Christ.’ That they are in the full possession of all the blessings of the gospel, promised to the believer as the reward of grace, I cannot believe, for that is distinctly promised as something to be given at ‘the revelation of our Lord and Saviour.’ That they are utterly ‘non-existent’ I cannot believe, for that would, to my mind, destroy their identity.”
If the mind of God were as limited in power as the human mind, we have no doubt that the identity of all the dead would be lost; nay, more, the dead would all be utterly lost, for a resurrection of the dead is incomprehensible to us—entirely beyond the scope of our reason. We have heard philosophers declare in what identity consists, but we have never known one who could make good his declaration, because they all introduce something either unphilosophical or else defective in the knowledge of “the Scriptures and the power of God.” We suppose the writer here quoted means by “utterly non-existent,” to be utterly dead. We think they are dead, and without a resurrection they are “perished;” their faith and service would be “vain,” and of no “advantage.” 1 Cor. 15:16–32. As the Scriptures say, and as he quotes, these are the “dead in Christ;” and being so they “know not anything.” Eccl. 9:5. They have no remembrance of God, Ps. 6:5; they are in sheol, in the dark, and in the land of forgetfulness; 88:12; they “praise not the Lord;” 115:17; Isa. 38:18, 19, etc.
But if the dead are not utterly dead (which is to say, if death does not altogether mean death!), then who shall say that they may not or cannot come back and “rap” or “communicate” with their living friends? Where is the practical benefit of the doctrine, in that light? What is the use, then, of “coupling” it with such practical duties as the Sabbath, baptism, etc? Who will answer this?
The only answer that can be made to this question, is that the doctrine “vindicates the ways of God.” But we fail to see it. If the first death does not destroy consciousness; if there is something in man which has the power to survive it, how will it be known that it will not survive the second death also. Who, then, shall put any limit to the “forever and ever” in which that something may be tormented?
But if the “uncertainty” expressed admits in full the truthfulness of the texts above quoted; if the writer does not believe that the dead are sufficiently alive to know something, and that they exist only in the purpose of God “who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were,” Rom. 4:17, then we are in agreement with him; then his faith in the doctrine has reached a point where the wiles of Satan will not be able to assail him successfully. Anything short of this robs the resurrection of its glory, and the doctrine of “life only in Christ” of its certainty and power.
The Macedonian Cry in Europe.
By D. T. Bourdeau
ONE of the strongest evidences that the message will soon do its work, is the fact that calls for help are multiplying even in Europe. There are ten openings for preaching the message among the French in Europe where there was one when I arrived in Switzerland seven months since. The prospects now are that I shall have to go to France within two months. The following is a sample of the interesting letters coming in from that country:—
"I told you that I should speak to you of two discussions that I have had with our evangelist, Mr. Thomas. We met at his house Sunday night—two of my friends and myself—to speak on the sanctification of the first day. In this first interview I was nearly shaken in my convictions in favor of the seventh day. I then received the first four volumes of Les Signes des Temps, read with attention, and noted down the passages in favor of the seventh day. I then asked for a second interview before the same witnesses, and the word of God triumphed. Mr. Thomas himself acknowledged that there was not a syllable of Scripture authorizing to observe the first day instead of the seventh.
"I asked my employer the permission of resting on the seventh day. He stubbornly refused. The way opened for me to buy a house. I bought it. I desire very much to see Mr. D. T. Bourdeau, and give him a warm shake of the hand, and he would see for himself whether there are not persons here who would receive present truth. He would also give me counsels299I am without experience, yet I would labor for the Master. Mr. B. could lecture in my house, and perhaps he could obtain the temple." God prepare us to follow his opening providence.
F. P. BADAUT.
P. Bress, Saone et Loire, France, April 8.
My post-office address is Pasquart 79, Bienne, Switzerland. D. T. BOURDEAU.
The Missionary.
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
City Missions.
WE are receiving good reports from nearly all of the city missions which have been established. The fact is being demonstrated that our publications can be sold in the cities and on board of ships.
If the same prosperity attends Chicago Mission which has of late, it will erelong become nearly self-sustaining by the sales of our publications by those who are acting as missionaries.
We hear nothing but encouraging reports from Buffalo. Brother Whitney writes that the work opens up well, and already the interest is such that two missionaries find all that they can do with interested parties. They are now taking steps to open a mission in Albany; in Syracuse they have already commenced. The brethren in the Pennsylvania Conference are preparing to enter Philadelphia, which is the most important city in this State and ranks as second in the United States.
If present arrangements of our brethren are carried out, including Brooklyn, with New York and excepting Baltimore, missions will be established in the ten largest cities of the United States, also numerous smaller ones, before the autumn of 1884.
The work is progressing in Boston. A young brother, who has had but little experience, is meeting with good success in the missionary work in Boston, especially on ships. He is making numerous sales of our publications and distributing old periodicals. In a letter ordering a quantity of "Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation," and "United States in Prophecy," also tracts, he writes: "I have had some very interesting experiences and I can see the leading hand of the Lord in his work; the truth is onward. Last night I had an interesting talk with the captain of a Norwegian vessel and sold him 'Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation,' and one to the captain of another vessel of the same kind."
From a private letter written to his aunt, we take the liberty to make the following quotation:
"The last three or four Sundays I have been holding Bible-readings. One Sunday I held three. Brother Israel was here last Sunday and held readings, and I went with him. One young man especially, with whom I held a Bible-reading upon the Sabbath and who changed the Sabbath, I am particularly interested in. I sold him 'United States in Prophecy,' and he was quite deeply stirred on the Sabbath question. He said he could see that it was right and that we had the proof on our side, 'But,' said he, 'how can a person in my circumstances keep it?' He is a German and is just about my age, and I should judge him to be a Christian young man. He seemed much affected over the subject. I saw him last Friday, and was with him nearly three hours when I held the reading. Began at four and stayed till seven in the evening. I was afraid I had overdone the matter, as he didn't want to hear on the 'United States in Prophecy.' He said he was wholly convinced on the Sabbath question. I spent about one and one-half or two hours with him yesterday and talked about the 'United States in Prophecy.' But I must leave the results with God alone; he can open the way for him. He is well educated, and can translate the English into the German."
"I spent one evening talking with the captain of a Norwegian vessel. I really wish Eld. Haskell or Robinson could come down here and see him, and have a talk with him. He is very much interested in the study of Prophecy. In some way he had obtained our works and wrote on to Elder Uriah Smith for the 'United States in Prophecy,' and has translated it into his own language; he has not had it printed yet, and his manuscript is at home in Norway. He invited me to come again and talk with him. I believe the Lord is opening the way for the spread of his truth in the whole earth. Such things greatly encourage me. I have several Bible-readings to hold now, as many as five or six ahead. Hold one Friday and two Sunday."
S. N. HASKELL.
The Cause is Onward.
By B. R. Nordyke
THE reports which we receive from the workers in their respective fields of labor are very encouraging. The colporters and canvassers in the State of New York are doing some effective work; they have entered the cities of Auburn, Cortland, Homer, and Syracuse; they have sent us a liberal list of yearly subscribers from each of these cities, and are still adding more names to their list each week. The mission lately opened in Buffalo, N. Y., uses fifty copies of the SIGNS per week, and are doing some good missionary work. Sister Addie S. Bowen, the efficient State agent for N. Y., Miss May Taylor, Assistant Secretary, and Eld. E. W. Whitney, have by persistent effort and well planned work, increased their State club from 450 to 1,000 copies.
The Ohio society has opened a State repository at Clyde, and ordered a club of 200 SIGNS to start with, as they have just commenced active operation. They also expect to increase their club to 1,000 copies, as they have voted to furnish Kentucky with 500 copies, and intend to make a thorough canvass of Ohio during this summer.
The workers in Iowa have entered the capital of the State, and are making a good canvass. One would almost think they had taken the city by storm, judging from the long list of yearly subscribers to the SIGNS which the State agent is sending in. They are also doing good work in Council Bluffs, Mt. Pleasant, Smithland, State Center, and other portions of the State.
Kansas has established a mission at Lawrence, preparatory to the State camp-meeting, which commences May 21, and has eight or ten colporters at work there. After the camp-meeting, a repository will be opened at Fort Scott, to be followed by a thorough canvass of the State.
Regarding California, comment is unnecessary; she has always done her part, and as the workers are entering their fields with renewed zeal and courage—after attending the excellent Oakland meetings—we know we can depend upon this State to largely increase her list of readers.
For genuine business and good work we must commend Minnesota as the "banner" State; she has not allowed a single club to be discontinued. She has not only renewed every club, but has increased the number of copies taken in the clubs, and in some cases has more than doubled the former number.
Michigan has ordered a State club of 700, in addition to the large clubs taken by the Battle Creek Vigilant Missionary Society. The State agent writes that they intend to enlarge their club soon, as they want to put the SIGNS into the hands of every family in Michigan.
The Pennsylvania society has increased her State club to 750 copies, and is doing good missionary work.
Nebraska took the lead last year in the SIGNS work, and she is preparing to do more this summer than last. Other States will have to look to their laurels.
The time has now come when we should enter the cities more largely with our missionary and canvassing work, and as some of those who have tried it have met with success, and as we have received so many encouraging letters, we thought a few of the items would be encouraging to workers in other fields, as well as interesting to our readers in general.
B. R. NORDYKE.
Pacific Coast Council.
By Charles L. Boyd
LAST year it was decided to hold an annual council in the interest of the cause west of the Rocky Mountains. A most important period in the history of our work is now reached. Soon "He that shall come will come and will not tarry." An almost incredible tide of immigration is flooding to this western border land. Among this living human tide must be many souls who would gladly comply with the conditions of salvation, and escape the trouble which is soon to come upon the world.
To some one is committed the sacred trust of presenting to these, with others who have been longer here, the light of the third angel's message. With an abundance of laborers and means we might dispense with system, but with a lack of each, such means should be devised as will enable us to accomplish the greatest amount of good with our present means and forces. This cannot be accomplished without union of action, together with the guiding influence of the Spirit of God.
We are assured that in a multitude of counselors there is safety; and are also promised that the united prayers of God's people shall bring wisdom from Heaven. To prove these promises, to obtain help from God, and from each other, the Pacific Coast Council will be held at Sellwood, near Portland, June 19-30. This is the most central point between California and Idaho and the Upper Columbia Conference. A goodly number from California is expected. It is very important that delegates and representative men from the different churches and companies, from the Upper Columbia Conference, and from Idaho, shall be present.
The editor of the SIGNS, Sister White, Elders Loughborough, White, Corliss, Colcord, and other ministering brethren are expected, and we want to receive all possible benefit of their labors.
Come, to make known the wants of your respective localities, to aid others with your counsel, and especially to receive a fresh baptism from on high.
CHAS. L. BOYD.