Review and Herald, Vol. 84, No. 32. (8/8/1907)

Review and Herald

Aug 8, 1907

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Aug 8, 1907

The Empty Tomb

The tomb is empty; wouldst thou have it full? Still sadly clasping the unbreathing clay? O, weak in faith; O, slow of heart and dull, To dote on darkness and shut out the day!

Here lay the Holy One, the Christ of God, He who for death gave death, and life for life; Our heavenly kinsman, our true flesh and blood, Victor for us on hell’s dark field of strife.

This was the Bethel where on stony bed, While angels went and came from morn till even, Our truer Jacob laid His weary head— This was to Him the very gate of heaven.

The Conqueror, not the conquered; He to whom The keys of death and of the grave belong, Crossed the cold threshold of the stranger’s tomb— To spoil the spoiler and to bind the strong.

The tomb is empty; so erelong shall be The tombs of all who in this Christ repose; They died with Him who died upon the tree— They live and rise with Him who lived and rose. —Selected.

Publishers’ Page

Conducted by the Department of Circulation of the Review and Herald Publishing Association

The Temperance Number of Life and Health

The September number of Life and Health will be devoted exclusively to temperance. Among the matter proposed for this number the following topics will be presented in a clear, elucidative manner:— Alcohol and Crime; Alcohol and Consumption; Alcohol and Insanity; Alcohol and Natural Selection; Alcohol as a “Destroyer of the Unfit;” Alcohol as a “Remedy for Disease;” “Alcohol: The Sanction for Its Use” (comment on a recent book); Alcoholism and History; Alarm of the Liquor Dealers (at the progress of local option, etc.); Physicians and Alcohol; Absurdity of Moral Suasion and License; Cause of Alcoholism; Beer Ashamed of Its Company; Drink and Degradation; Fermented Communion Wine; God’s Power to Save from the Drink Habit; Food Value of Alcohol; Dangers of Wood-Alcohol; Home Temperance; Temperance Beverages; Milk and Alcohol in Medicine; Patent Medicines as “Booze;” Where Chronic Drunks Come From; Uncle Sam a Partner in Crime; Why Alcohol in Patent Medicine Is Dangerous.

Ready August 15

This Temperance number will be ready to mail on or before August 15. Arrangements should be made at once for it to have a wide circulation, and orders placed as early as possible.

What It Will Do

This number of Life and Health will be a good seller, and it will meet a manifest demand in every community.

It will help to establish our claim of being a temperance people and supporters of every legitimate reform.

It will break down prejudice among the best classes of people, and bring the workers and the denomination many strong friends.

It will convince thousands of their personal responsibility in suppressing the liquor traffic.

It will reveal to the general public the many now unsuspected avenues through which the liquor habit is acquired.

It will strike a strong blow at all the evils of the various intemperate practices.

It will expose the inconsistency of the government’s licensing the liquor traffic, and then enforcing “moral suasion” in the public schools against the use of intoxicants.

It will demonstrate the baleful influence of liquor upon the morals of men and women.

It will impress the importance of home temperance.

It will help the public in discovering the causes of alcoholism.

It will bring to the worker a living wage for his services.

Prices

The retail price of this special Temperance number will be 10 cents a copy. Agents may secure copies to sell at the following rates: 2 to 10 copies, one address, one order, 5 cents a copy; 10 to 24 copies, 4 cents; 25 or more copies, 3 cents,—all post-paid.

The Church-School Readers Nos. 1, 2, and 3

That the new church-school readers—“True Education Readers”—are appreciated, is evident from the fact that almost 4,000 copies of Nos. 1, 2, and 3 have been ordered.

To those who have examined these readers this is no surprise, because of the following facts:—

The first three of these readers puts the child in possession of the complete key to the English language; they also include all the work in language, Bible, spelling, nature study, and physiology that need to be taught up to and including the third grade or school year; they are attractively and appropriately illustrated; they are admirably adapted to home study; they familiarize the child with the most important Bible truths.

The Uncompleted Numbers

The remaining numbers of this series, 4, 5, 6, and 7, are not yet ready, and it is possible they will not be this year. This completed series provides a book for each of the first seven grades or school years.

Representative Opinions

All our leading educators have voluntarily sent to the publishers commendatory testimonials for these books. They class them as “most thoroughly pedagogical and valuable in truth-teaching;” “perfectly adapted to our school work;” “in matter and arrangement the best published;” “convenient in size, printed on good paper, well bound, large type, all of the essential features in the make-up of school-books.”

Free Sample Pages

If any wish to examine the plan of the readers more closely, free sample pages of the books may be secured of the Pacific Press Publishing Co., Mountain View, Cal.

Description and Prices

The books are profusely illustrated and attractively bound. No. 1 contains 204 pages; price, 75 cents, post-paid; No. 2 contains 256 pages, at 75 cents; and No. 3 contains 304 pages, at 90 cents.

Report of Sabbath-School and Young People’s Convention

Printed in Pamphlet Form. Price, 10 cents

There was held in Mount Vernon, Ohio, July 10-20, a convention called to consider interests pertaining to the Sabbath-school and young people’s work. This meeting was attended by over two hundred delegates from all parts of the United States, who came to spend the entire time upon the definite work of these two departments. The meeting has been considered by all who attended one of the best that has been held for many years, and is the first general meeting ever called to consider these lines of work. The results of the convention will surely be to give a new impetus to the work, for the note that rang throughout all the meetings, and was echoed in all the papers and discussions, was the finishing of this work.

It will contain the convention sermon by C. C. Lewis, and also his morning lessons on biographical sketches of Bible characters, which are in themselves worth more than the price of the pamphlet.

The papers presented were well prepared, and the discussions quite fully reported; and these, with the recommendations adopted, will make a complete report of all that occurred at the convention. The pamphlet containing this report ought really to sell for twenty-five cents; but in order that our people may have the benefit of the proceedings, a very low price of ten cents has been made. Thousands of copies should be sold. The report is one that can be used for reference for a long time by those engaged in Sabbath-school and young people’s work, and for this reason a full index has been added, for convenience in readily finding any subject. Those who secure this report will doubtless be better pleased with it than with any report ever secured at the price named. It will be much appreciated, and those who desire it should order early while it can be supplied. Orders may be sent to any State tract society or publishing house.

Spirit of Prophecy

A new and important pamphlet by G. A. Irwin on the subject of the spirit of prophecy, its relation to the law of God, and its place in the plan of salvation.

This little pamphlet of 56 pages is the outgrowth of a series of studies upon the spirit of prophecy in the remnant church, and the relation it sustains to the law of God and his people and work in all ages.

It has been the aim of the writer to treat the subject from a standpoint somewhat different from that in which it has heretofore been treated, and to enter a field not yet fully covered by any other writer, so that this treatise will be a companion and aid to the other writers upon this subject, rather than a rival of them. Its mission is more fully to establish believers upon the law of God and the Testimonies of his Spirit.

Those who have read the manuscript of this pamphlet are highly pleased with it, and give it their hearty recommendation, the two following testimonials being fair samples:—

“Having given a careful reading to the manuscript prepared by Elder G. A. Irwin, entitled ‘The Spirit of Prophecy; Its Relation to the Law of God, and Its Place in the Plan of Salvation,’ I would state that I think it most excellent, and believe its publication and circulation will be productive of much good. “J. N. Loughborough.”

“Your manuscript on ‘The Spirit of Prophecy’ has been read by me with interest and profit. I know of nothing more timely than the publication of such a booklet. It is meat in due season. I trust it may have a wide circulation, and be the means of much good. “Dr. D. H. Kress.”

Price, 5 cents, post-paid.

Orders for any publication mentioned on this page may be sent to any conference tract society, or to Review and Herald Publishing Association, Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C., or Battle Creek, Mich.

Also Pacific Press Publishing Company, Mountain View, Cal.; Portland, Ore.; Kansas City, Mo.; Southern Publishing Association, Nashville, Tenn., and Fort Worth, Tex.

Daily Bread and Daily Work

By Editor

Editorial

Daily Bread and Daily Work

THE prayer for daily bread includes both physical and spiritual food. We are equally dependent upon God for both. Both are given that we may have strength for service. Those who refuse to serve forfeit the right to receive these gifts. “If any man will not work, neither let him eat.” The more earnest the service, the greater need there is of food. Those, therefore, who desire to receive the Living Bread in the fullest measure should seek most earnestly to impart spiritual blessing to others. Daily toil is the price of daily bread.

“Good . . . Good . . . Good”

THE teachings of Jesus are simple, but wonderfully comprehensive. In a brief statement adapted to the minds of the average hearer he presents the fundamental truths of Christian experience. Here is one such statement: “A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things.” We do not make ourselves good or put good treasure into the heart by trying to bring forth good things; but when we have been made good by a power outside of ourselves, and the good treasure has been put into the heart, then we can do nothing good of ourselves, but the sooner we learn the fact and acknowledge it and learn to depend wholly upon Jesus, the better it will be for us. “Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” This law of the natural world holds good in the spiritual world also. “Except a man be born again, he can not see the kingdom of God.” “Make the tree good, and his fruit good;” but the change of nature must precede the change in the fruit. Such is the law of our being.

The Lesson in Our Health Work

Our health principles are an integral part of the message committed to us to give to the world. The body was designed to be the temple of the living God, and those in whose hearts Christ dwells by faith are under obligation not to defile his temple. The disregard of physical laws has greatly increased the suffering brought upon the world through the disregard of spiritual laws, and the message which is to fully restore a people and prepare them for translation must deal with both the body and the soul. This is why sanitariums as well as churches have their place in this work. The good which has been accomplished in relieving suffering, and the number who have been led into a full knowledge of the truth through this channel, are the abundant justification for its maintenance.

There are two ways in which the attempt has been made to prevent the health work from occupying its proper place in this movement. One has been to keep the people as far as possible from accepting and practising the principles of health. This effort has been altogether too successful, and many who have professed faith in this message have been slow in following the light on health reform. This has been a cause of discouragement to those who felt that a special burden had been laid upon them to advocate these principles, and has often made their work harder. It is proper to remember this fact in reviewing the history of the health work. Whatever mistakes have been made in presenting this phase of the truth do not constitute a valid excuse for neglecting to receive and to adopt the truth itself. Those who try to escape from plain duty by hiding behind the mistakes of others will find at last that they have made the fatal mistake.

It seems necessary to emphasize this statement just now, when there is danger of a reaction against the truths of health reform because some health reformers have been reproved for their wrong course. Let it be remembered that right principles are always the same, and that they should not be discarded because some have perverted them. Those who really love the truth will continue to obey the truth, even after it has been brought into reproach.

Again, there has been an attempt to pervert this whole movement by making the principles of health the whole message. This was done by confounding the physical and the spiritual, and by a process of spiritualizing the literal until it was all made to appear as spiritual. Thus the proper care of the body became a religion, and vegetarianism became the creed. Pure food, pure air, and pure water were adopted as the agencies for purifying the heart, and a pharisaical conformity to physical laws was substituted for “the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” In view of this experience, it is important to note the real lesson to be learned from the agencies employed in restoring and preserving health.

Food, air, and water are the principal requisites for maintaining the body in health. The principles of health deal to a large degree with the proper use of these necessities of life. These are the agencies which in various ways and under varied conditions are employed largely in restoring to health those who are suffering. Here is the object-lesson for the restoration of the soul, but the object-lesson must not be confounded with the experience itself. Food, air, and water are the material agencies for the restoration and preservation of the material body, but they can affect only in an indirect way the spiritual nature. When they are correctly interpreted, however, they may teach of him who is the bread of life and the water of life, and whose abounding grace surrounds us like the atmosphere. What pure food and pure air and pure water are to the body, that Christ is to the soul. They may be the means of restoring and preserving the body, but Christ is the only means of restoring and preserving the soul. The healing of the body is the object-lesson for the healing of the soul, but to confound the two, or to attempt to heal the soul by using those agencies which were designed for the healing of

the body, is a perversion of the gospel of Christ, and changes the means of revealing Christ into a means of hiding him from view. This substitutes the visible for the invisible, and inspires confidence in the natural rather than the spiritual.

Let us learn the truth as it is taught in the Scriptures. Here is an experience in the life of Jesus: “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.” A great company was present who needed the services of the Great Physician, and the power of the Lord was there for healing their souls, and to make this clear to them so that they would be left without excuse, the Master then healed the man sick of the palsy, who was let down “into the midst before Jesus.” The way in which this miracle was performed indicated its meaning: “That ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins (he said unto the sick of the palsy), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.” The healing of the body was the object-lesson for the healing of the soul in the forgiveness of sins, but the healing of the body can not be substituted for the healing of the soul.

The case of King Hezekiah will illustrate the principle involved. He had been healed of his sickness, and in Babylon they heard “of the wonder that was done in the land,” and sent messengers to make inquiry concerning it. The purpose of God in this matter was that these ambassadors from Babylon might learn of him as the one who heals the soul, but instead of revealing to them this spiritual truth, Hezekiah showed them “all that was found in his treasures,”—only visible and material things. Thus the lesson of healing the body was lost, and the messengers from Babylon went away without the gospel. What was intended to reveal the gospel was perverted into a means of hiding the gospel.

David understood the true gospel of healing when he prayed, “Lord, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.” Isaiah made known the real agency for healing the soul when he wrote: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: . . . he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” In the cross of Christ is found healing for the soul, and no other agency can take its place.

Such is the lesson in our health work, and every worker should be an interpreter who should make known to those seeking for healing of the body the gospel for the healing of the soul, the spiritual truth which is taught in the agencies for restoring and preserving health. In this way our health work may occupy the place which it should in this advent movement, and do its part in preparing a people for the coming of the Lord.

The Overspreading Curse

By W. A. S.

The rapid development of the pantheistic and spiritualistic philosophy, hailed as “new light” and “new theology,” is a startling sign of the times. It is the old philosophy of heathenism adapted to modern times and perverted Christianity.

Just now a leading exponent of the system is Mr. Campbell, of the London City Temple church. He sets forth the theory of inspiration in every man. He does not like the word pantheism, which some have used in characterizing his teaching; yet he acknowledges that the idea of God immanent in the grass and trees and all creatures might be called a “higher pantheism.” He minimizes doctrinal truth, and makes religion to be the service of humanity. He says:—

We have fallen into the way of thinking that to be Christians, or rather to be religious, we must believe this and that, must hold certain views about the person of Christ, the atonement, the fate of the impenitent, and so on. It is all nonsense. If Jesus were here in the flesh, he would make short work of these falsehoods, or else they would make short work of him. To be religious in the true sense of the word is to be conscious of being God’s instrument for cleansing the world from shame and wrong, and wherever you see a man who is doing this with all his might, you see the true follower of Jesus, whether he calls himself Christian or not.

These ideas are spreading like a plague, and the voice of protest among the evangelical churches is becoming less and less pronounced. They have not the power to cast out this evil influence, which, while professing earnestly to hold to evangelical truth, the same as before, is all the time undermining it. The profession of unchanging loyalty but cloaks the work of tearing down, and gives men a foothold within the churches where they can do the greater damage.

The general progress downward may be measured in the City Temple ministry. Seven years ago, shortly before his death, Dr. Joseph Parker, the lifelong occupant of that pulpit, said:—

We have had our opportunities of meeting God here, of reading the Holy Word, and besieging, as an army might besiege a fortress, the altar, known by its crimson hue; and yet some day a man may arise who will deny the Lord that bought him, who will preach a gospel without a Saviour, a salvation without a cross; then write “Ichabod” upon the portals of the place, and let it be forgotten as a thing of shame, a memorial of unpardonable treason against the throne of God.

Just that kind of teaching is now heard in that pulpit. The public of London recently had its attention called sharply to the change. Inspired by this utterance of Dr. Parker’s, some one secured the services of a sign painter, and early one morning chalked the word “Ichabod” over the portal of the City Temple, in letters a foot or more high. The papers discussed it and photographed it, the multitudes smiled, and others thought seriously; but all recognized the fact that the “new theology” is antagonistic to the old. It does not add to, but overthrows. The glory has indeed departed wherever the pantheistic philosophy gets a place.

Satan is preparing the way for his revelation as the great healer and humanitarian just before the coming of the Lord. The truths of the third angel’s message are specifically designed to meet this last-day deception. That is why, when these same ideas were urged upon Seventh-day Adventists as new light, there was an uncompromising stand made against them throughout the denomination. When the enemy sought to come in like a flood to deceive the very elect, the Spirit of God raised up a standard against the evil thing. The last message of gospel truth and the last deception of the enemy are face to face. We know well what the issue of battle will be; but if we are to triumph with the truth, we must not only put on, but keep on, “the whole armor of God.”

W. A. S.

A Mighty Movement—A Strong Purpose

By C. M. S.

The first business meeting of the American Federation of Catholic Societies at Indianapolis, Ind., occurred on the morning of July 15 at the headquarters of the convention, the assembly hall of the Claypool Hotel. The principal items of business on this occasion were the reading of the annual reports of the national president and the national secretary.

While waiting for the report of a committee, just before the reading of these reports, Archbishop Messmer, of Milwaukee, gave a short impromptu address upon the aims of the Federation. In this address it was made clear that the purpose of this Federation was power to enforce demands. He said: “Until we had the American Federation of Catholic Societies, we had no complete, whole body of Catholics that might come before the American people as a representative body of its Catholic citizens. If we can succeed in making every American Catholic conscious of the duty that he owes to his holy religion as a citizen and member of the church, and make him conscious

of the power that he can wield if he will, then we can accomplish great things. Unless we are conscious of that power, and fully realize the duty we have to perform, we can never succeed.”

The deep underlying purpose of this youthful but powerful organization was clearly revealed in this statement of the archbishop’s. The Catholic laity is to be made conscious of their power; and the purpose of making them conscious of their power is that they may use that power at the behest of the Catholic priesthood to force the acquiescence of the government in any demands which that church may make. This was shown a number of times during the convention, when different speakers declared the purposes of the organization and its determination to “secure its rights.”

The national president, Edward Feeney, stated in his annual report that “Federation has passed the experimental stage, and must now be recognized as one of the great forces of the nation, laboring for the religious, social, and moral conditions of all the people, as well as for the interests of our holy mother church, and our coreligionists. Our dream of Catholic unity will soon be realized.”

The president admitted that there was “only the remotest chance that religion would ever be interfered with in this country.” By that he meant that Catholic religion would not be interfered with here. In view of that fact, the writer wondered why such stress was laid upon the necessity of federation; but it was made clear by the president’s following statement: “We ask no favor of any man, only that our rights before the law in equity be recognized.” Among those “rights,” which they claim, is the right to a division of the public school fund; and from a paragraph in the report of the national secretary, it is evident that they design to turn the force of the Federation upon the securing of that “right.” Instead of taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods (if they are being spoiled); instead of giving the cloak also to the man who demands the coat; instead of turning the other cheek to the smiter to have that smitten also, this mighty organization proposes to see to it that its goods are not spoiled; that neither coat nor cloak is given without adequate compensation; and that not even one of its cheeks be smitten.

“Federation,” said the president, “is bigger than any Catholic society. It is working hand in hand with the clergy for the advancement of the Catholic Church, and incidentally for all the people. We propose to co-operate with our separated brethren [Protestants] for the advancement of any cause that is for the good of all the people. Our friends who differ with us in religion have appreciated the grand work in which we are engaged, and welcome our co-operation in improving the moral tone of our citizens.”

Last year the Federation of American Churches was asking the Catholic Church to join them in works that were for the betterment of society. This year the Catholics are inviting “our separated brethren” to unite with them “for the advancement of any cause that is for the good of all the people.” Both these bodies are agreed that Sunday laws are essential to the moral welfare of all the people. With federated Protestantism working for the enforcement of religious laws upon the people; with federated Catholicism working to the same end, and each eager and anxious to join the other in that work, it is perfectly evident that we shall soon see a mighty movement for religious legislation in this country—a demand backed by a power which our legislators will not dare to resist.

That the officers of the Federation are conscious of the power they will be able to wield in that direction was shown by one of the closing declarations of the president’s report. He said: “The Federation shall be able to ask for and receive the recognition to which so large a proportion of the loyal, patriotic citizenship of this republic is entitled.” That this was no vain boast was shown in the national secretary’s enumeration of the things accomplished by the Federation during the year.

Unlike ordinary political organizations, the American Federation of Catholic Societies “has been most active in carrying out its platform,” according to the statement of the national secretary.

The secretary’s report immediately followed the reading of the report of the president, and was most enthusiastically received by the delegates. One of the first items mentioned in the secretary’s report was the attitude of the Federation toward Sunday labor. There were a number of slaughter-houses in New York City that were operating on Sunday. It was claimed that one half of the men employed there were Catholics, and were being deprived of the privilege of attending mass on Sunday. The president of the Federation had taken up the matter with Secretary Wilson of the Department of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture immediately informed Mr. Feeney that the matter was being taken up with those establishments with a view to their closing, and that he himself was heartily in favor of enforcing “the observance of Sunday by the establishments,” in order “to secure the day as a day of rest for the employees.” A demand backed by a united body of nearly two million members is quite certain to be complied with by the politicians of to-day.

Early in the year many earnest petitions were sent to the United States Senate urging that body to take some action looking toward the amelioration of the terrible condition existing in the Kongo country. At one time it seemed quite likely that the Senate would take action to that end. Suddenly, and without apparent reason, the Senate ceased its activity along that line. The reason is given in the annual report of Mr. Matre, the national secretary of the Federation.

When the officers of the Federation learned that the United States Senate might add the force of its protest to the protests of Christian people against the atrocities practised by the agents of King Leopold in the Kongo, they at once wrote to President Roosevelt and the fifteen senators on the Foreign Relations Committee, demanding that no action be taken in the matter. The federation secretary informed President Roosevelt and the fifteen senators that the organization making this demand had a membership of nearly two million.

Fearing that this might not be sufficient to compel this government to remain quiet concerning the course of the Catholic ruler of the Kongo, the federation officials began a very effective campaign throughout the country to overwhelm the Senate with protests. Letters were sent to the secretaries of all the societies in the Federation, and to influential individuals, asking them to send letters and telegrams of protest to the senators from their respective States. They did so; and there has since that time been no intimation of any likelihood that the Senate of the United States will utter a word of protest against the cruelties practised on the Kongo.

Thus do we see the formation of that power which was to arise in this country to fulfil the prophecy of Revelation 13: “He maketh the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death stroke was healed.”

What power is this that rises up in this country and says to the government, “Thou shalt not,” and is obeyed?—It is the American Federation of Catholic Societies. That same power can just as easily say to this nation, “Thou shalt,” and be obeyed. And when it is ready to make its demand upon the government that the Sunday institution be enforced upon the people, it will have the backing of the Federation of American Churches, which has already signified its willingness to join with the Catholic Church for such a work. If the government was willing to yield in the Kongo matter to the American Federation of Catholic Societies alone, is it likely that it will refuse to yield when the demand is made upon it by the two great organizations combined?

C. M. S.

The Sabbath-School and Young People's Convention

By G. B. Thompson

THIS convention is over, and I have been asked to write a report of it for the REVIEW. I do not feel qualified to tell the story of the deep, spiritual, refreshing experience which those who attended the meeting passed through from the beginning till the close. Reporting such a meeting is like trying to gather up and carry to others the sunbeams which fall across our pathway.

This convention, the first of the kind ever held in the history of our work, was held at the Mount Vernon (Ohio) Academy, July 10-20. The Ohio Conference and the managers of the academy did much to make the session a success by entertaining all the delegates who were present. A large tent was pitched on the campus for the use of the convention.

The attendance was excellent. Over two hundred regular delegates were present, besides a large number who came in from the surrounding churches from time to time. The delegation was gathered from all parts of the United States, and from Canada as well, and consisted of ministers, Sabbath-school and young people's secretaries, principals and teachers in our schools, and representative workers in various lines of our work. Elders Daniells, Irwin, and Spicer, and other members of the General Conference Committee, also the most of the members of the Lake Union Conference Committee, were present during the greater part of the meeting, and rendered good service in behalf of the convention. We were also glad to have Elder M. C. Wilcox, editor of The Signs of the Times, with us during the greater part of the time.

All who attended the meeting were conscious of the special presence of the Holy Spirit. It was the most spiritual meeting, devoted largely to the study of difficult and perplexing problems, that the writer remembers of ever attending. The program was one requiring hard work, and a close study of important questions connected with the organization and work of the Sabbath-school and Young People's Departments, which are such important factors in our cause. But a spirit of deep earnestness, sobriety, and Christian dignity was seen in all the deliberations, and the interest in no way waned till the close. The papers read showed careful and thorough preparation, and were helpful in throwing light upon the various questions before the convention.

The convention was in every sense of the word a missionary gathering. The key-note was the training of our children and youth for service in home and foreign fields. The mission fields of the world were studied. Elder Irwin placed before us the needs of Africa from the standpoint of his recent visit to that needy field. Dr. H. W. Miller, who is home on a short visit, gave some interesting talks on the needs of China and the progress of our work in that field. The writer spoke of India, and the work to be accomplished in that land. The requirements of other needy mission fields were also studied. It is evident from the spirit that characterized this convention that the Lord is laying a burden upon our young people for all these fields, and that they are turning their faces as volunteers to the work in these lands as never before.

The Young People's Department, recently created by the General Conference, was fully organized at this convention. Concerning the name the following was passed:— Resolved, That the young people's organization in the General, union, and local conferences be known as the Young People's Missionary Volunteer Department, and that the organization in the local churches be known as the Seventh-day Adventist Young People's Society of Missionary Volunteers.

This name is expressive of the purpose and work of the department. Careful consideration was also given to the question of who should be members of the local Societies, and the following recommendation was adopted:— We Recommend, That as soon as consistent, our conference young people's secretaries reorganize their Societies under the new name, and that only those who are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and are willing to engage in active service for Christ, be asked to join the new Society.

From this it is seen that only consecrated members of the church are to form a part of this great Missionary Volunteer Movement. These persons are to be set to work for others, both in the church and in the world, and at the same time to be trained for service.

We feel confident that this convention marks a new era in the history and development of our work. No such gathering of young people, and those who are especially interested in this work, has ever before been called together in connection with our work. This means much, and will help greatly in solving the problem of providing help to carry forward our work which is expanding so rapidly in the “regions beyond,” and reaching to the uttermost parts of the earth. The Young People's Department will be a strong factor in our work from now till the close of time. A strong, representative departmental committee has been chosen, with Prof. M. E. Kern as chairman, and Miss Matilda Erickson as secretary. Let all pray that the Lord will greatly bless those who carry the responsibilities of this work.

All who attended this convention, and entered into the true spirit of it, were profoundly convinced that we are near the end of the world, and that the Lord is preparing to do a quick work in the earth, and to finish the work of the third angel's message. God has given us a priceless heritage in the twenty thousand or more youth among us, and plans are now well under way by which these will be rapidly trained and sent into the field to do volunteer service till the work is finished. The following well-known words from the pen of Sister White are significant at this time: “With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Saviour might be carried to the whole world! How soon might the end come,—the end of suffering and sorrow and sin!”

A deep spiritual work was done in many hearts during this meeting. Many were drawn nearer to God, and renewed their consecration to him, and gave themselves for service. Some who attended this meeting are under appointment to foreign fields, and will soon be on their way. Many others volunteered for service in any place to which they might be called.

Our hearts were made glad many times during this meeting, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable for what the Lord wrought, and for the encouraging prospects we see in the work in all parts of the field.

The following text was read at the closing service on the Sabbath, and was given to those who attended the convention as a motto: “And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall show thee; for to the intent that I might show them unto thee art thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.” Eze. 40:4.

G. B. THOMPSON.

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