BUT how does Dr. Akers prove that at the exodus Israel gave up the Paradisaical Sabbath and adopted in its stead the day next preceding it? He does not assert that this change is expressly stated in the Bible. But he proceeds to count the exact number of days from creation to the sixteenth day of the month Abib of that year that Israel left Egypt. Having done this, he finds that this sixteenth day of Abib was the seventh day of the week in regular succession from the seventh day on which God rested in the beginning. But the day before this, viz., the fifteenth of the month, by divine direction the children of Israel went forth out of Egypt, taking "their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders." Ex. 12:34. And they journeyed that day from Rameses to Succoth. Ex. 12:37; Num. 33:3-5. But Dr. Akers asserts that this day on which they marched from Rameses to Succoth (carrying on their shoulders their dough and their kneading troughs bound up in their clothes), viz., the 15th day of Abib, was the first Sabbath of the new order. So that the day of their departure out of Egypt being thus observed as the Sabbath by divine direction, the next day, which was the true seventh day in regular succession from the day of the Creator's rest, was thenceforward reckoned the first day of the week; and the previous day, the sixth day of the week being established as the seventh day, was ever afterward observed as such by Israel. Whence it is that the Jews have Saturday, the true sixth day of the week, for their Sabbath; while Sunday, the Christian Sabbath, is God's hallowed rest-day, the true seventh day of the week.
Thus the children of Israel first took up their peculiar Sabbath, which was the sixth day of the week as they had previously reckoned it, on the fifteenth day of the first month, being the very day that they left Egypt, and God so ordered the year that ever afterward the fifteenth day of the first month did recur upon the Jewish Sabbath, or Saturday. And the day which follows it, being our Sunday, or Christian Sabbath, is the seventh day of the week from creation down.
But how does Dr. A. so exactly count the weeks from Genesis 1 to Exodus 12, that he can tell to a day how much time elapsed from the rest-day of the Creator in Eden, to the first day of unleavened bread in Egypt? How does he establish with certainty even the number of years, to say nothing of the exact number of days?
1. He does not do this by using the chronology of the Hebrew Scriptures; for he discards this as utterly unreliable.
2. But, in the place of the Hebrew chronology, he adopts that of the Septuagint, a Greek translation of the Old Testament made at Alexandria in Egypt, some two or three centuries before Christ.
3. Nevertheless he confesses the Septuagint to have various errors in its numbers. Thus he says: "The Septuagint numbers, like the dates of other copies of the inspired testimony, have been subject more or less, to alterations; and, therefore, they may sometimes need correction."—Biblical Chronology, p. 16.
4. This is a most important confession. Dr. A. undertakes to tell the age of the world to a day at the time of the exodus. To do this he discards the numbers in the Hebrew Scriptures, and adopts those of the Septuagint, and at the same time confesses that the Septuagint sometimes needs correction itself. How about establishing the age of the world to a day by a standard that needs itself to be corrected before it will even give the number of years correctly?
5. It is worthy of observation that of the nineteen periods which make up the chronology of the world, from creation to the exodus, all but five are different in the Septuagint from the same numbers in the Hebrew Scriptures. And it is further to be noticed that the Septuagint makes twenty periods instead of nineteen, by inserting the name of Cainan between that of Arphaxad and that of Salah (Gen. 11:12); and it ascribes to him the period of 130 years! Moreover, the space from the creation to the exodus, which the Hebrew Scriptures make to be 2513 years, the Septuagint makes to be 3899, a difference of 1386 years! Certainly, a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, which from creation to the exodus differs from the original in its reckoning of chronological dates to the extent of 1386 years, ought to have great evidence of correctness before it supersedes that original.
6. But while Dr. Akers, in determining the age of the world to a day, adopts as his standard the Septuagint version of the Scriptures, he gives evidence that he sees the need of correcting this standard. For the Septuagint chronology makes Methuselah survive the flood some fourteen years! Compare Gen. 7:7; 8:18; 1 Pet. 3:20. He remedies this remarkable error by following those copies of the Septuagint, which, in the case of Methuselah, conform to the numbers of the Hebrew Scriptures. But surely these things are quite sufficient to evince that whoever claims to give the age of the world to a day, even from Adam to Moses, puts forth a most unreasonable pretension, particularly when he attempts to establish that claim by setting aside the numbers of the Hebrew text, and adopting in their stead those of the Septuagint, though constrained to acknowledge that the Septuagint has been subject to alterations, and that it therefore needs some corrections!
But Dr. Akers has unbounded confidence in determining the exact age of the world, even to a day. Thus he affirms that the world was 7400 years old on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 1855. (Biblical Chronology, p. 8.) He fixes the resurrection of Christ on Sunday, March 28, A. D. 28, in the year of the world 5573. During this time, he says there were just 2,035,369 days. (Biblical Chronology, p. 31.)
The age of the world at the commencement of the Christian era is given by Dr. Akers to a day. Thus he says:—
"A. M. stands for the year of the world. This era began, according to the chronology here adopted, 5545 years, 3 months, and 19 days, before the common era of Christianity."—Biblical Chronology, p. 41.
Dr. Akers thus claims to give exact results, even to a day, covering the entire period, not merely from the creation to the exodus, but even to the resurrection of Christ, and also thence to the present time. He frames a system of chronology unlike that of any other writer on the subject. He sets aside the Hebrew original and takes the Septuagint translation, which he acknowledges sometimes needs correcting, and which differs from the Hebrew text in the space from the creation to the exodus to the amount of 1386 years. And in the entire period from the creation to the Christian era, it differs 1426 years! Dr. Akers does, therefore, assert the Hebrew records to be utterly unreliable, at least for a great portion of this space! And he corrects them by the Septuagint, which he acknowledges sometimes needs itself to be corrected! But he is not inadequate to the task! The Hebrew numbers he corrects by the Septuagint, and the Septuagint by such authorities as he decides to correct where the Septuagint is in error!
But that which seems to be the most extraordinary feature of the case is this: Dr. Akers can reckon the whole time from creation to the present time so accurately that he can tell the present age of the world to a day! And he can so exactly count the time from the first Sabbath in Eden to the first day of unleavened bread in Egypt, that he is absolutely certain that that day was the original Sabbath! And he is able to continue this exact reckoning to the day of Christ's resurrection, which, by Dr. Akers' count, is the two million, thirty-five thousand, three hundred and sixty-ninth (2,035,369th) day from creation! Now if this sum be divided by seven, the number of days in a week, it will give just two hundred and ninety thousand, seven hundred and sixty-seven (290,767) weeks as the result; thus showing that the day of the resurrection of Christ was the seventh day of the week from the creation of the world!
But the reader will ask what we are to do with the fact that the day which Dr. Akers has proved by exact count from creation to be the seventh day of the week, is by four inspired writers called "FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK"? Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1, 2, 9; Luke 23:56; 24:1; John 20:1, 19. This is the very question which Dr. Akers has written his large book to answer. His reckoning of the number of days, he is confident, is absolutely right. So that must stand, and Sunday is the seventh day of the week from the creation of the world! But were not Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, inspired men? And do they not call this day "first day of the week"? What if they do? Shall that prove that Dr. Akers is incorrect in his reckoning even to the extent of just one day? No, indeed! The thing is impossible!
But the four evangelists say that this day was "the first day of the week," and three of them state distinctly that the Sabbath was the day previous. How then can Dr. A. boldly assert that the day called first day of the week in the New Testament is the true seventh day, and the real Sabbath of the Lord? He does not assert that the four evangelists told a downright falsehood. He does not even mean to insinuate that they were uninspired men. But he does mean to stand to his exact count of the days from creation, whereby he has proved to his own satisfaction that Sunday is the seventh day. There must be some way, therefore, discovered to reconcile the evangelists with this accurate count of the days, or they will be convicted of a very grave error!
J. N. A.
(To be Continued.)
The Closing Messages of the Gospel.
By R. F. Cottrell
NUMBER FOUR.
THESE messages may properly be called judgment messages; because the first announces the time of the judgment, and the third presents a test to the living, (the righteous among whom shall be translated without death,) which is the rule by which the dead shall be judged—the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. Eccl. 12:13, 14; Rom. 2:12.
They may also be called advent messages; because they are to be followed immediately by the advent of Christ. Verse 14. And it is evident that those who proclaim them will believe that the advent is at hand. They are the warnings that must precede the advent, therefore the coming of Christ will be the theme of those who preach them.
I have claimed that the Adventists of 1844 announced the first message in fulfillment of this prophecy. They believed that this was the work in which they were engaged, as the following quotations from their writings will show. The Voice of Truth, extra, of December, 1844, referring to Rev. 14, said: "The everlasting gospel, as described in verses 6 and 7, has been preached unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." Again, "No case can be more clearly demonstrated with facts than that this message has been borne to every nation and tongue under heaven, within the few past years."
Eld. J. V. Himes, in a tract on prophecy entitled, Our Specific Work, said: "The proclamation of an everlasting gospel—'The hour of his judgment is come,'—(Rev. 14:6, 7,) is the leading advent proclamation." Of this he further says: "The proclamation above stated has been heard. The world can bear testimony to this. The cry, 'The hour of his judgment come,' sounded through all Christendom. The multitudes heard, and scoffed, or trembled."
To show that the preaching of the message was of sufficient extent to fulfill the terms of the prophecy, I give the following quotations.
J. Litch, in his lecture on Matt. 24, Advent Herald, November 23, 1850, says that 'Joseph Wolfe has visited and proclaimed the gospel of 'the kingdom,' in the four quarters of the globe, to Protestants, Catholics, Mohammedans, Jews, and pagans.'
'The great American movement on this subject, and the diffusion of information with regard to it, within the last ten years, is too well known to need extended remarks in this place. Neither labor nor sacrifice was regarded in the wide and rapid extension of the good news of the kingdom, as far as the English language could make it known. It was sent to the four quarters of the globe, and to the islands of the sea, upon the wings of all the winds.'
E. R. Pinney, in his Exposition of Matthew Twenty-four, published in the year 1848, says: 'As early as 1842, second advent publications had been sent to every missionary station in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, both sides of the Rocky Mountains. We find this doctrine in Tartary, about twenty-five years ago, and the time for the coming of Christ to be in 1844. This fact is obtained from an Irish missionary in Tartary, to whom the question was put by a Tartar priest, when Christ would come the second time. And he made answer that he knew nothing at all about it. The Tartar priest expressed great surprise at such an answer from a missionary who had come to teach them the doctrines of the Bible, and remarked 'that he thought everybody might know that who had a Bible.' The Tartar priest then gave his views, stating that Christ, he thought, would come about A. D. 1844. The missionary wrote home a statement of the facts, which was published in the Irish Magazine, in 1821. The commanders of our vessels, and the sailors, tell us they touch at no point where they find this proclamation has not preceded them, and frequent inquiries respecting it are made of them.'
The Advent Shield, Vol. I., No. 1, pp. 86, 87, says: 'We look upon the proclamation which has been made, as being the cry of the angel who proclaimed, 'The hour of his judgment come.' Rev. 14:6, 7. It is a sound which is to reach all nations; it is the proclamation of 'the everlasting gospel,' or 'this gospel of the kingdom.' In one shape or other, this cry has gone abroad through the earth wherever human beings are found, and we have had opportunity to hear of the fact. Within the last six years, publications treating on the subject have been sent to nearly every English and American missionary station on the globe; to all, at least, to which we have had access.'
The Signs of the Times, for Feb. 14, 1844, says: 'A brother, the captain of a vessel now in England, writes his friends that his vessel lay at Newport, in Wales, forty days on account of storms, during which time a continued concourse of individuals thronged him to inquire about the coming of the Lord, having heard that he was an Adventist. Among these were ministers and laymen that received the truth gladly, and embraced it with all their heart.'
Eld. R. Hutchinson, Midnight Cry Oct. 5. 1843, says: 'I send about 1,500 copies of the Voice of Elijah [an Advent paper], to Europe every fortnight, besides what I scatter over the Provinces. This I have done regularly for the last five months. The result, eternity will unfold.'
Speaking of Eld. Hutchinson, and of his Voice of Elijah, F. G. Brown says: 'He has forwarded them to the Canadas, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, New Foundland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Germany, Constantinople, Rome, &c., &c.'
'But it will be asked, Is the news that such a truth is preached a sufficient proclamation to fulfill the prophecy? Rev. 14:6, 7; Matt. 24:14. The answer is, If it was sufficient in the days of the apostles, it is now. That it was then, is clear from Acts 19:8-10, where Paul preached or taught in Ephesus two years, so that all they in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord Jesus. They could not all have heard a sermon, but they heard the sound of the gospel. In this sense I have no doubt but the gospel of the kingdom is preached in all the world.'
About eighteen hundred years ago God promised, through his servant, that this message should be proclaimed to the inhabitants of the earth. The generation now living can testify that it has been fulfilled. The promise has been redeemed. What shall we do? Shall we acknowledge the receipt? just as we do with our fellow-men, when they redeem their promises?
There are thousands, and their number is constantly increasing, who profess the faith that the advent of Christ is imminent—that it may occur at any time; and yet they do not refer us to signs and prophecies fulfilled to prove that it is so, because the promises of God have been fulfilled by the appearing of those things which were foretold as taking place before the advent.
To such we say, and to all others, The word of God promises us a message on time, the hour of judgment, before the coming of the Lord; and this was not to be the last warning and message of grace to the world. If that promise has been fulfilled, and if the message of 'the third angel,' Rev. 14:9, is now being heard, the coming of Christ may be imminent indeed. But if the first of these three proclamations has not yet been heard, all will be compelled to wait for that. The Lord will not come till that is proclaimed; for all his promises must and will be redeemed.
Obedience From Love
MANY are under obedience, more out of necessity than of love to God; and such are pained by the restraint, and easily repine.
The Christian's Revenge.
OBADIAH LAWSON and Watt Dood were neighbors. Dood was the oldest settler, and from his youth up had entertained a singular hatred against Quakers. Therefore, when he was informed that Lawson, a regular disciple of that class of people, had purchased the next farm to his, he declared he would make him glad to move away again. Accordingly a system of petty annoyances was commenced by him, and every time one of Lawson's hogs chanced to stray upon Dood's place, he was beset by men and dogs and most savagely abused. Things went on thus for nearly a year, but the Quaker, a man of decidedly peace principles, appeared in no way to resent the injuries received at the hands of his spiteful neighbor. Matters, however, were drawing to a crisis, for Dood, more enraged than ever at the quiet of Obadiah, made oath that he would do something before long to wake up the spunk of Lawson. Chance favored his design. The Quaker had a high blooded filly, just four years old, which he had been very careful in raising. Lawson took great pride in this animal, and had refused a large sum of money for her.
One evening, a little after sundown, as Watt Dood was passing around his cornfield, he discovered the filly feeding in the little strip of prairie land that separated the two farms, and he conceived the fiendish design of throwing off two or three rails of his fence, that the horse might get into his corn during the night. He did so; and the next morning, bright and early, he shouldered his rifle and left the house. Not long after his absence a hired man whom he had recently employed, heard the echo of his gun, and in a few minutes Dood, considerably excited and out of breath, came hurrying to the house, where he stated he had shot and wounded a buck, that the herd had attacked him, and that he hardly escaped with his life.
This story was credited by all but the newly-employed hand, who had a dislike to Watt, and, from his manner, suspected that something was wrong. He therefore slipped quietly away from the house, and going through the field in the direction of the shot, he suddenly came upon Lawson's filly stretched upon the earth, with a bullet hole through the head, from which the warm blood was still oozing. The animal was still warm, and could not have been killed an hour. He hastened back to the dwelling of Dood, who met him in the yard and demanded somewhat roughly, where he had been. "I've been to see if your bullet made sure work of Mr. Lawson's filly," was the instant retort. Watt paled for a moment, but recollecting himself he fiercely shouted, "Do you dare to say that I killed her?" "How do you know she is dead?" replied the man. Dood bit his lip, hesitated a moment, and then walked into the house.
A couple of days passed by, and the morning of the third one had broken, as the hired man met Lawson riding in search of his filly. A few words of explanation ensued, when with a heavy heart the Quaker turned his horse and rode home, where he informed the people of the fate of his filly. No threat of recrimination escaped him; he did not even go to law to recover damages, but calmly awaited his plan and hour of revenge. It came at last.
Watt Dood had a Durham heifer, for which he paid a heavy price, and upon which he counted to make great gains. One morning, just as Obadiah was sitting down to breakfast, his eldest son came in with the information that neighbor Dood's heifer had broken down the fence, entered the yard, and after eating most of the cabbages, had trampled the well-made beds, and the vegetables they contained, out of all shape—a mischief impossible to repair. "And what did thee do with her, Jacob?" quietly asked Obadiah. "I put her in the farmyard." "Did thee beat her?" "I never struck her a blow." "Right, Jacob, right. Sit down to thy breakfast, and when done eating I will attend to the heifer."
Shortly after he had finished his repast, Lawson mounted a horse, and rode over to Dood's who was sitting on the porch in front of the house, and who, as he beheld the Quaker dismount, supposed he was coming to demand pay for his filly, and secretly swore he would have to go to law for it, if he did. "Good morning, neighbor Dood; how is thy family?" exclaimed Obadiah, as he mounted the steps and seated himself in a chair. "All well, I believe," was the reply. "I have a small affair to settle with thee this morning, and I came rather early." "So I suppose," growled Watt. "This morning my son found thy Durham heifer in my garden, where she destroyed a good deal." "And what did he do with her?" demanded Dood, his brow darkening. "And what would thee have done with her, had she been my heifer in thy garden?" asked Obadiah. "I'd have shot her," retorted Watt, madly, "as I suppose you have done; but we are even now; heifer for filly is only 'tit for tat.'" "Neighbor Dood, thou knowest me not, if thou thinkest I would harm a hair of thy heifer's back. She is in my farm-yard, and not even a blow has been struck, where thee can get her at any time. I know thee shot my filly, but the evil one prompted thee to do it, and I lay no evil to my heart against my neighbor. I came to tell thee where thy heifer is, and now I'll go home."
Obadiah rose from the chair and was about to descend the steps, when he was stopped by Watt, who hastily asked "What was your filly worth?" "A hundred dollars is what I asked for her," replied Obadiah. "Wait." And Dood rushed into the house, whence he soon returned with some gold. "Here's the price of your filly, and hereafter let there be a pleasantness between us."
Obadiah mounted his horse and rode home with a lighter heart, and from that day to this, Dood has been as good a neighbor as one could wish to have, being completely reformed by the returning of good for evil.—Sel.
A Mother's Error
HARRY ENDFORD'S usually bright, handsome face was disfigured by having his cheek terribly swollen. All night he had suffered intensely with a defective tooth, and the camphor and creosote his mother had applied brought no relief.
"Harry," said Mrs. Endford, pityingly, "I must take you to Dr. Hilton. He will stop the pain at once."
"O, dear! no, mamma," exclaimed Harry, quickly; "I don't want to go the dentist's. He'll pull my tooth, I know he will."
"No, he shan't, Harry; he will cure it right off."
After pondering, Harry decided to accompany his mother to the dentist's. He was nearly mad with pain, and was willing to accept any possibility of relief. Having gained her son's consent, Mrs. Endford wrote the following:—
DR. HILTON: I shall bring my son, Harry, to your office. He has an ulcerated tooth, which I am sure will have to be extracted. Please resort to a little artifice to hide your intention. He is a nervous, timid boy, and thereby will be spared the dread which would be to him more than pain.
Very truly yours,
E. A. ENDFORD.
A little later Harry and his mother were inside the dentist's office. He examined the tooth carefully.
"It is a very bad tooth," he said.
"You are going to pull it?" questioned Harry, giving his face a quick, searching glance.
"I will put something on it that will cause the pain entirely to cease in a short time," replied Dr. Hilton, evasively.
He poured a few drops of a dark liquid from a bottle on a bit of cotton, and taking it up with his forceps, he said to Harry:
"Open your mouth wide, now, and let me lay this on the tooth."
Harry opened his mouth; but in an instant the treacherous forceps had tight hold of his tooth, and it was extracted and in Dr. Hilton's hand before he had the slightest suspicion of his intention.
"What! you haven't pulled it out?" said Harry, greatly astonished.
"Yes, I have. You didn't feel it much, did you?"
"You have cheated me!" returned Harry, with an angry, flushed face. "You told me you were going to put something on to stop the pain."
"I did. These forceps are the truest pain killer I know," laughed the dentist.
"Well, it's all over now," said Mrs. Endford, "and the tooth will never ache again. Are you not glad?"
Tears sprang into Harry's eyes.
"You knew all about it, mother," said Harry, bitterly. "You knew Dr. Hilton was going to pull my tooth when you brought me here. You are always cheating me, you are; but you can't do it many more times. I've got you learned," defiantly.
Who was it Harry so well understood? His mother, to whom he owed his existence, and whose tender, loving care he constantly received. And yet her influence over his young, pliant mind was nearly gone. Why? Because again and again in the management of her son she had resorted to artifice and dissimulation.
Poor Harry! There was a rankling wound in his heart. Through deception he had been saved the fear he would have experienced from having the tooth extracted; but poison and bitterness had sprung up in his heart far exceeding physical pain. His moral nature had received a lasting blight.
Mothers, my story is true. If you wish to be loved and honored by your children, deal honestly by them. Never deceive them, or tell the fractional part of a lie.—Zion's Herald.
The Home Circle.
By -N. Y. Dispatch.
PSALM OF CHEERFULNESS.
OH! my brother, oh! my sister;
Ye of fellow human kind,
Ye whom wrong, or care, or sorrow,
Brings a troubled, tortured mind,
Tho' ye bow beneath the burden
Pressing hard to bear you down,
Listen to this holy lesson—
Never murmur, never frown.
Wrong—the inner heart it woundeth,
And 'tis cruel as the grave,
But will bitterness or anger
Soothe the smart its fury gave?
No! my brother, no! my sister,
They will ne'er one pang beguile,
Better, then, it is to bear it,
And rebuke it with a smile.
Care—the weary heart oppresseth,
Often 'tis a galling load,
But will fretting, or will frowning,
Ease the burden, smooth the road?
No! my brother, no! my sister,
Never for a moment's wile,
Better, better, then, be cheerful,
And repel it with a smile.
Grief—oh, yes, the heart it wringeth—
'Tis a bitter thing to bear,
But will sad or stern repining
Ease the weary woes ye wear?
No! my brother, no! my sister,
Listen not to passion's wile,
This is wisdom's holy lesson—
Meet your sorrows with a smile.
Yes! howe'er it seemeth grievous,
'Tis a pure and potent charm,
Meek and cheerful resignation
Can the bitterest woes disarm;
Yes!, my brother, yes! my sister,
Can the weariest cares beguile,
Can the sorest sorrows lighten,
Never scowl, then—better smile.
For the smile upon your features
Soon will learn to reach the heart
By its own sweet sunny art;
Soon, aye, can the heart of ocean
Be with grievous storm opprest,
When no wild and angry motion
Mars its bosom's glassy rest.
Listen, then, my brother, sister,
And when aught shall weigh you down,
Firmly give your weakness battle,
And refuse to wear a frown!
Glorious is that noble spirit,
That uncrush'd in trouble's night,
Still amidst the deepest darkness,
Smileth and createth light.
-N. Y. Dispatch.
The Light of a Cheerful Face.
THERE is no greater every-day virtue than cheerfulness. This quality in man among men is like sunshine to the day, or gentle, renewing moisture to parched herbs. The light of a cheerful face diffuses itself, and communicates the happy spirit that inspires it. The sourest temper must sweeten in the atmosphere of continuous good-humor. As well might fog, and cloud, and vapor hope to cling to the sun-illumined landscape, as blues and moroseness to combat jovial speech and exhilarating laughter. Be cheerful always. There is no path but will be easier traveled, no loads but will be lighter, no shadow on heart or brain but will lift sooner in presence of a determined cheerfulness. It may at times, seem difficult for the happiest tempered to keep the countenance of peace and content, but the difficulty will vanish when we consider that sullen gloom and passionate despair do nothing but multiply thorns and thicken sorrows. Ill comes to us as providentially as good—and is a good, if we rightly apply its lessons; why not, then, cheerfully accept the ill, and thus blunt its apparent sting? Cheerfulness ought to be the fruit of philosophy—much more of Christianity. What is gained by peevishness or fretfulness—by perverse sadness or sullenness? If we are ill, let us be cheered by the trust that we shall soon be in health; if misfortune befall us, let us be cheered by hopeful visions of better fortune. Cultivate cheerfulness, if only for personal profit. You will do and bear every duty and burden better by being cheerful. It will be your consoler in solitude and your passport in society. Genuine cheerfulness is an almost certain index of a happy mind.
The Rich Man’s Contentment
He is the only rich man who has learned to be content with what he has.
Meetings at Tuscola
Tuscola, Mich.
We closed our meetings in this place last night. Gave in all twenty-seven discourses. Thirteen signed the covenant, two of whom had been keeping the Sabbath. Some others have promised to obey the truth, and still others are almost persuaded. Obtained ten subscribers for the SIGNS. Eight joined the T. and M. society. R. J. LAWRENCE, May 22. Wm. OSTRANDER.
Damascus, Oregon.
By Alonzo T. Jones
ON May 1st, I went to Damascus, Clackamas county, and stayed over the following Sabbath, then went about six miles southeast to Eagle Creek, and spent ten days with a good attendance at all of the meetings, though the weather was very rainy.
From Eagle Creek I went about twelve miles north over into Powells Valley, Multnomah county, and spent a week at Cedar school-house, and Sunday, the 18th, at Orient school-house. In this neighborhood I found the deepest interest that I have seen for a long time. There are no fewer than five school districts within a radius of about four miles, and in all of these there are many who want to hear fully of these things. I know of no place where labor could be spent more profitably than right here.
On Sunday, May 25, we organized a church of eleven members at Damascus, Oregon. They adopted the tithing covenant.
Salem, May 28. ALONZO T. JONES.
Reports from the Field.
By John Norton Loughborough
Southampton, England.
"Commit thy way unto the Lord, and he shall direct thy paths." "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy steps." Such are the words of inspiration, and such is our experience here. That same Providence that prevented our taking passage on the ship Homer, which I now learn directly from the Warren company, is lost, has opened the way in securing the most desirable site for our tent. Only those who have tried to procure a central position for a tent in such large cities as New York, Boston, Detroit, or Cincinnati, can appreciate our difficulty in procuring a similar site in a city three hundred years old, where most of the vacant lots are beautiful public parks or gentlemen's lawns, fenced with iron palings, "not to be let for any purpose, at any price."
Bar Gate, the northern entrance to Old Southampton into the then "walled village," is now about the center of the city. A lot one half mile from Bar Gate was let two days last season for a circus tent at an expense of $60. It is an elevated spot and left a tent too much exposed to the wind for our purpose. We found another lot two and one half miles north of Bar Gate which we could obtain for $25.00 for two months; but it was too far from the borough. We have prayed over the matter, confidently believing that the providence of God would indicate the proper spot as soon as we had favorable weather. Meanwhile, we have tried to obtain almost every vacant lot excepting one. New buildings are being erected all around that one, and on it stood a sign, reading, "To be let for one thousand years." I passed it many times and said, There is no use in asking for that. The owner is an infidel, but a special friend of the gentleman who constructed our tent. We decided, however, that we must get that lot or none in this vicinity. What was our astonishment, upon application, to find the gentleman more than willing to let it, even anxious that we should have it, only asking $1.25 per week for two months, or longer if we wished.
We are told it is the best location for such a meeting in the whole city; and, looking over the situation, we believe it to be such.
Our first service in the tent will be held to-morrow, Sunday, May 18, at 3.30 P. M. I have given appointments for five sermons a week—two on Sunday, and one each on the evenings of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. These, with Sabbath service and Sabbath-school, are probably all I should undertake alone. I consider that our public mission here is now just opening. We earnestly sought God to-day in our Sabbath meeting, and received the assurance that if we move out humbly relying on him, our labors will not be in vain.
Since my last report I have received, from different parties in England, donations toward the purchase of the tent amounting to $40. I have received, in all, up to present writing $110.00, nearly one-fourth the cost of the tent.
We desire the prayers of God's people, that, above all, his hand may be seen in the work here. J. N. Loughborough.
May 17, 1879.
North Bloomfield, Ohio.
By Dudley Marvin Canright
Came to North Bloomfield, Friday, May 23, and held meetings till Sunday evening. Sabbath, I spoke for over an hour with much freedom. We then invited those who wanted to start in the Christian life, those who desired baptism, and those who wished to unite with the church, to come forward; nineteen responded. All these then arose and spoke, several for the first time. In the afternoon, these were examined, and one by one taken into the church. Six of the number had previously been baptized; one was received by letter, and eleven by baptism. A fanatic from another town was rejected. Sunday, I spoke on the tithing system. Nearly all had subscribed to it six months ago, and God is already greatly blessing them for it, both spiritually and temporally. The others voted to do the same now. Then we called for pledges for their local tract society, to pay up its debt and raise a good fund to work with in the future. Over $150.00 was promptly pledged, quite a share of which was paid down. Their debt of $27 was paid. They have on hand $70 worth of books, and will now have a capital of about $130 besides, with which to work. This is the way we wish to do in every church in the State; then our tract work will move off with vigor. Bro. Underwood has been with me in these meetings. D. M. Canright.
Tomah and Mauston, Wis.
By G. C. Tenney
MAY 9-18, I spent with the church near Tomah. Bro. Decker's visit here in February was timely, and his meetings produced a good effect. A good interest has since been maintained. During the time I was there I held eighteen meetings, and visited from house to house. Sabbath, the 17th, four were baptized. We also attended the ordinances. Seven united with the church, and three others desired the prayers of God's people, and declared their intentions to lead Christian lives hereafter. All these persons are heads of families, and seven of them are husbands whose wives are already in the truth.
I spent four days, the following week, with the little church near Mauston. They have had no preaching for nearly two years. I found them all faithfully trying to carry out the truth, though surrounded by bitter opposition. Six members have been added to their number during this time, and others will soon unite with them.
G. C. TENNEY.
Ravenna, Michigan Meetings
Ravenna, Mich.
MAY 17, 18, I had the privilege of being with this people. They are among the first fruits of my labors in Michigan. I have been absent from them nearly two years, during which time, though they have passed through severe trials, none of them have given up the truth. On Sabbath our brethren came in from Wright, and the house was filled to overflowing. Two good souls took their stand for the truth while we were there.
A. O. BURRILL.
Virginia.
Virginia.
By I. Sanborn
Sunday, May 25, we closed our meetings four miles west of Mt. Jackson, which had continued during one week. Eight are now keeping the Sabbath. Three were baptized to-day. We organized a Sabbath-school. They will send for the Instructor as soon as the money can be raised. They are to have prayer and social meetings hereafter.
I. Sanborn.
Lindley, New York.
By David T. Fero
I CLOSED my labors with the people in this place, May 14. There are now fifteen Sabbath-keepers in the immediate vicinity, and others at a distance who will meet with them. They have regular Sabbath meetings, a weekly prayer-meeting, and a Sabbath-school. The brethren are generally poor; yet they bought the library of Sr. White's writings, and added to it the "History of the Sabbath" by Bro. Andrews. A general move was made in giving up tobacco, and all expressed a determination to be faithful, by the help of the Lord.
D. T. FERO.
Meeker Co., Minn.
By G. A. Carlstedt
I HAVE held seventeen meetings in two weeks, five miles south of Litchfield, a place called Round Lake. The Lord has been present with his Spirit. Ten Swedes have embraced the truth, and many more are convinced. I have hope of some of these. I have obtained six subscribers for the Harold.
May 27. G. A. CARLSTEDT.
What Children and Pigs Need
Dr. BELLOWS says: "So perfectly ignorant are people generally of the laws of nature that they give to their pigs the food which their children need to develop muscle and brain, and give their children what their pigs need to develop fat."
How to Treat a Bruise.
The usual applications employed for a bruise of any kind are arnica, camphor, alcohol, pain-killer or some kind of liniment or patent compound. Any one of these, or all together, is not one-half so efficient as a very simple remedy which may be very promptly applied in almost all cases. A hot fomentation will do more to relieve the pain, tenderness, and swelling of a bruise than any other means. If applied immediately after the injury occurs, it will very often prevent swelling altogether, entirely relieve the pain, and prevent discoloration. Contusions of the head and face are very successfully treated by the fomentation. If the application is made with sufficient promptness after the injury, very little discoloration will occur, even in contusions of the eye.
Vegetable Diet for Drunkenness.
Charles Napier, an Englishman of good standing in science, has been testing the theory that alcoholic drink is compatible with animal food, but not with farinaceous. He announces, as the practical result of many experiments, that a vegetable diet is a remarkable help to the cure of drunkenness. He mentions the case of an old man, whose constitution had been shattered by repeated attacks of delirium tremens, and who was cured of his appetite for liquor in seven months by eschewing meat.