p. 501 | Signs of the Times, Vol. 7, No. 42. (11/10/1881)

LOVERS OF LAW.

SOME people have strange ideas of the use of laws, either human or divine. A lawyer in Chicago who believes that Guiteau, the most execrable of assassins, may be cleared on technicalities, has expressed a willingness to assist in his defense—not because he cares anything for Guiteau, but because he loves the law!

But it is not the law as a terror to evil doers that he loves; not the law to protect life and property; not the law to uphold government and conserve human rights. Oh no; it is the law full of catches and quibbles that enables the thief and the murderer to escape the claims of justice. In this sense he loves the law. But such love of the law is an advertisement to every degraded villain that, however vile his life may be, however great his depredations upon the rights and lives of his fellow men, he is sure to find able defenders

among those who love the law which he holds under his feet! Wondrous love of the law. Would it not be well for some of these men to learn to love the law as a praise to them that do well, and not as a defense to evil-doers? Is it a victory of law to set the murderous renegade at large to further prey upon his fellow-men? If this is the highest use of law—and such it is in the estimation of some of the legal profession—then it will soon become necessary to find a substitute for law to give security to life.

The man is mistaken. He does not love the law. With all his legal acquirements he knows neither the meaning nor object of law. Such ideas as he expresses are calculated to bring the law into contempt, whereas it should be respected by all classes. To be respected it must be made worthy of respect, which few seem anxious to make it at present.

THE CHANGE OF THE SABBATH.

By John Nevins Andrews

It is now proper that we inquire concerning the Sabbath of the Lord in these ages in which the foundation of the great apostasy was laid. The very same work that undermined the Sabbath and the law of God, laid the foundation of the Romish apostasy. It does not appear that the change of the Sabbath to Sunday was contemplated by those who first made Sunday a day of religious assemblies. Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, were thus honored with very nearly equal honors. But as the work spread to the gentiles, and as the first love of the disciples was succeeded by a spirit of seeking convenience and worldly good, it was perfectly natural that they should prefer that one of the three festivals to which they had ever been accustomed, and which was, indeed, the day of general observance by their fellow-men. And when this day was established by the authority of Constantine, and hallowed by the act of Pope Sylvester, it was not strange that it should effectually supplant the ancient Sabbath. Sunday was observed as a voluntary festival, while the Sabbath of the Lord was cherished as a divine institution; but, when the Sunday festival became strong enough, then it attempted the utter destruction of the Sabbath. Giesler thus states the position of those two days in the early church:

“While the Jewish Christians of Palestine retained the entire Mosaic law, and consequently the Jewish festivals, the gentile Christians observed also THE SABBATH and the passover, with reference to the last scenes of Jesus’ life, but without Jewish superstition. In addition to these, Sunday, as the day of Christ’s resurrection, was devoted to religious services.”—Ecclesiastical History, vol. i, chap. ii, sec. 30.

Morer speaks thus, concerning the Sabbath at this time:

“The primitive Christians had a great veneration for the Sabbath, and spent the day in devotion and sermons. And it is not to be doubted but they derived this practice from the apostles themselves.”—Morer’s Lord’s Day, p. 189.

Here is a further statement of the case by Coleman:

“The last day of the week was strictly kept in connection with that of the first day, for a long time after the overthrow of the temple and its worship. Down even to the fifth century, the observance of the Jewish Sabbath was continued in the Christian church, but with a rigor and solemnity gradually diminishing, until it was wholly discontinued.”—Ancient Christianity, chap. xxvi, sec. 2.

It thus appears evident that the Sabbath of the Lord was long observed, even by the body of the Christian church. And though they had regard to the first day of the week, yet it was a long time before this became a sacred day. Thus the same writer further states the case:

“During the early ages of the church, it was never entitled ‘the Sabbath,’ this word being confined to the seventh day of the week, the Jewish Sabbath, which, as we have already said, continued to be observed for several centuries by the converts to Christianity.”—Id.

This historian thus states the utter lack of divine authority for the change from the seventh to the first day of the week:

“No law or precept appears to have been given by Christ or the apostles, either for the abrogation of the Jewish Sabbath, or the institution of the Lord’s day, or the substitution of the first for the seventh day of the week.”—Id.

This is a very important acknowledgment for a first-day historian. It does not very well accord with Mosheim’s statement that the observance of Sunday “was founded upon the express appointment of the apostles.” Now let us listen while this historian relates how the Sabbath of the Lord was crowded out of position, and superseded by a day which he acknowledges had no divine warrant for its observance. Thus he states the facts:

“The observance of the Lord’s day was ordered while yet the Sabbath of the Jews was continued; nor was the latter superseded until the former had acquired the same solemnity and importance which belonged at first to that great day which God originally ordained and blessed. . . . But in time, after the Lord’s day was fully established, the observance of the Sabbath of the Jews was gradually discontinued, and was finally denounced as heretical.”—Id. Ib.

This is a very extraordinary statement. Were it made by an observer of the Sabbath, it might be suspected of being unfairly stated. Coming from an observer of the first day of the week, it is open to no such suspicion. The period of five hundred years was sufficient to work a marvelous change in the relative position of these two days. At the commencement of that period, the one stood in its strength, a divine institution, clothed with the majesty of the law of God, and the other was only a voluntary festival, having no support in the law of God, or the precepts of the apostles. At the end of this period, the law of God itself had become of little authority, even in the professed church of Christ; the observance of the Sabbath had become heretical, and its right even to exist at all was vehemently disputed; while the first day of the week had become the Lord’s day, and was clothed with the authority of the civil law of the empire, and backed by the authority of the church now far advanced in the work of apostasy.

The following testimony of Bishop Jeremy Taylor, though expressing his opinion concerning the abrogation of the fourth commandment, is nevertheless an explicit statement of the continued observance of the Sabbath for several centuries. He says:

“The Lord’s day did not succeed in the place of the Sabbath; but the Sabbath was wholly abrogated, and the Lord’s day was merely an ecclesiastical institution. It was not introduced by virtue of the fourth commandment, because they, for almost three hundred years together, kept that day which was in that commandment; but they did it, also, without any opinion of prime obligation; and, therefore, they did not suppose it moral.”—Ductor Dubitantium, part i, book ii, chap. ii, sec. 51.

Here, also, is the testimony of another competent witness, who, though an observer of Sunday, and a believer in the abrogation of the Sabbath, makes a very plain and express statement respecting the observance of the Sabbath by the early church. It is Edward Brerewood, professor in Gresham College, London, who speaks thus:

“The ancient Sabbath did remain, and was observed, together with the celebration of the Lord’s day, by the Christians of the east church, above three hundred years after our Saviour’s death; and, besides that, no other day, for more hundred years than I spoke of before, was known in the church by the name of Sabbath, but that. Let the collection thereof, and conclusion of all, be this: the Sabbath of the seventh day, as teaching the obligation of God’s solemn worship to it, was ceremonial; that Sabbath was religiously observed in the east church three hundred years after our Saviour’s passion. That church being a great part of Christendom, and having the apostles’ doctrine and example to instruct them, would have restrained it if it had been deadly.”—Learned Treatise of the Sabbath, p. 77, edition of 1631.

Even after the enactment of Constantine’s Sunday law, in A. D. 321, the Sabbath of the Lord again rallied, and its observance became very general. Thus Prof. Stuart writes of the period between Constantine’s edict and the council of Laodicea, A. D. 364. He says:

“The practice of it [the keeping of the Sabbath] was continued by Christians who were jealous for the honor of the Mosaic law, and finally became, as we have seen, predominant throughout Christendom. It was supposed at length that the fourth commandment did require the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath [not merely a seventh part of time], and reasoning as Christians of the present day are wont to do; viz., that all which belongs to the ten commandments was immutable and perpetual, the churches in general came gradually to regard the seventh-day Sabbath as altogether sacred.”—Appendix to Gurney’s History of the Sabbath, pp. 115, 116.

Now it was time for the advocates of Sunday to come to the rescue. And this they did at the council of Laodicea, A. D. 364. Here an awful curse was pronounced upon those who should observe the Sabbath and should not observe Sunday. William Prynne, in his “Dissertation on the Lord’s Sabbath,” pp. 34, 44, edition of 1633, thus states the action of this council:

“The seventh-day Sabbath was solemnized by Christ, the apostles, and primitive Christians, till the Laodicean council did in a manner quite abolish the observation of it. . . . The council of Laodicea, A. D. 364, first settled the observation of the Lord’s day, and prohibited the keeping of the Jewish Sabbath under an anathema.”

But even at this time, Sunday labor was considered perfectly lawful. Thus Dr. Heylyn, in his “History of the Sabbath,” part ii, chap. iii, sec. 9, speaking of the latter part of the fourth century, says:

“St. Chrysostom confessed it to be lawful for a man to look to his worldly business on the Lord’s day, after the congregation was dismissed.”

Dr. Francis White, bishop of Ely, thus testifies concerning Sunday labor at the beginning of the fifth century:

“In St. Jerome’s days, and in the very place where he was residing, the devoted Christians did ordinarily work upon the Lord’s day, when the service of the church was ended.”—Treatise of the Sabbath, p. 219.

St. Augustine was the cotemporary of Jerome, and he gives a summary of the reasons which were urged at that time for Sunday observance, as follows:

“It appears from the sacred Scriptures, that this day was a solemn one; it was the first day of the age, that is, of the existence of our world; in it the elements of the world were formed; on it the angels were created; on it Christ rose also from the dead; on it the Holy Spirit descended from Heaven upon the apostles, as manna had done in the wilderness. For these, and other such circumstances, the Lord’s day is distinguished; and therefore the holy doctors of the church have decreed that all the glory of the Jewish Sabbath is transferred to it. Let us, therefore, keep the Lord’s day as the ancients were commanded to do the Sabbath.”—Cox’s Sabbath Laws, p. 284.

St. Augustine did not regard the Sunday festival as a divine institution. He gave the credit of the work, not to Christ or his inspired apostles, but to the holy doctors of the church, who, of their own accord, had transferred the glory of the ancient Sabbath to the venerable day of the sun. Of the fifth and sixth centuries, Heylyn bears the following testimony:

“The faithful, being united better than before, became more uniform in matters of devotion; and, in that uniformity, did agree together to give the Lord’s day all the honors of an holy festival. Yet was not this done all at once, but by degrees; the fifth and sixth centuries being fully spent before it came unto that height which hath since continued. The emperors and the prelates in these times had the same affections; both [being] earnest to advance this day above all others; and to the edicts of the one, and to the ecclesiastical constitutions of the other, it stands indebted for many of those privileges and exemptions which it still enjoyeth.”—History of the Sabbath, part ii, chap. iv, sec. 1.

But the first day of the week had not yet acquired the title of Sabbath. Thus Brerewood bears testimony:

“The name of the Sabbath remained appropriated to the old Sabbath; and was never attributed to the Lord’s day, not for many hundred years after our Saviour’s time.”—Learned Treatise of the Sabbath, edition of 1631.

And Dr. Heylyn, in his “History of the Sabbath,” part ii, chap. ii, sec. 12, says of the term Sabbath in the ancient church:

“The Saturday is called amongst them by no other name than that which formerly it had, the Sabbath. So that whenever, for a thousand years and upwards, we meet with Sabbatum in any writer of what name soever, it must be understood of no day but Saturday.”

Of Sunday labor in the eastern church, Heylyn says:

“It was near nine hundred years from our Saviour’s birth, before restraint of husbandry on this day had been first thought of in the East; and probably being thus restrained, did find no more obedience then than it had done before in the western parts.”—History of the Sabbath, part ii, chap. v, sec. 6.

Of Sunday labor in the western church, Dr. Francis White, bishop of Ely, in his “Treatise of the Sabbath-day,” pp. 217, 218, thus testifies:

“The Catholic church, for more than six hundred years after Christ, permitted labor, and gave license to many Christian people to work upon the Lord’s day, at such hours as they were not commanded to be present at the public worship by the precept of the church.”

J. N. A.

A Physician’s Bill Paid by Bequest

By John Nevins Andrews

A PHYSICIAN'S bill was paid in an extraordinary way at Wheeling, W. Va., lately. An aged lady who had become reduced in circumstances, and was very much depressed by apprehension of impending want, committed suicide on March 25. She owed a bill of $17 to her physician, and having no money to discharge it, she executed a will bequeathing her body to him in payment. The strange mixture of regard for her obligations to man, and her recklessness of the commands of God, was manifested in a remarkable way, but the same characteristics displayed in other forms are by no means uncommon.

The Missionary.

By S. N. Haskell

CANVASSING AND THE MINISTRY.

WHEN the multitude flocked to the Saviour to hear his gracious words, he sent out seventy, two and two, before his face, and he said unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest. Matt. 9:37, 38; Luke 10:1, 2. That which was true at the time of the first advent of our Lord is emphatically true just preceding the second advent, when God sends “a famine in the land, not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” Not that there will be any lack for teachers, for in the last days there will be heaps of them. 2 Tim. 4:3. “After their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears.” Quite a contrast with this are our Saviour’s words to pray for “laborers.” It is laborers that are wanted, men and women who can reach the hearts of the people and can build up the cause of God.

Intellectual culture and personal appearance will please the people, and when devotion and the spirit of God are combined with them they will serve as a successful avenue to hearts. But what is needed to-day in the work of God are laborers, men of experience who know how to adapt themselves to the work so as to instruct and edify. Men may preach and yet not edify. The ear may be pleased and the character not molded. Says the prophet: “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them.” Again he says, “And lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument, for they hear thy words, but they do them not.”

There are hundreds of young men among us who could become successful workers in the cause of Christ, had they the proper experience, a practical education, one which is not received from books merely. There are hundreds of men who walk our streets, who have a good education, but are mere clogs in society, drifting with the current, without any definite object before them, and without any knowledge how, or even a desire, to put their education to a useful end.

We need drilled men, those who have gained a knowledge by experience, and there is no better school for this than colportage or canvassing. There are many individuals in our midst who could take our works and sell them and become successful canvassers. Our Association should have a subscription department where men could be employed to canvass for such works as are not denominational, and thus partly or wholly pay their way. While doing this, a successful missionary work might accompany their labors. We want health missionaries. The “Home Hand-Book” can be handled by some to advantage, while others can use smaller works. We have a canvasser for this work in the East who leaves in her track more light than some ministers. Some have embraced the truth, and a good impression is made wherever she goes. The people like her, and when their ears are once gained their hearts are easily reached, and denominational works are read with interest. A brother was employed as a nurse; he recommended simple hygienic remedies with which he happened to be acquainted, and his kindness and attention to the sick enlisted their interest. The family embraced the truth, others became interested, nearly all signed the teetotal pledge, a missionary society was formed and a church of twenty-three raised up, while an extensive interest has been awakened in the surrounding country. There is also a prospect that if this brother keeps humble he may become a useful minister. He now has a ministerial license.

Another brother in canvassing for the “Home Hand-Book” obtained over one hundred subscribers within two months, and during the same time and an additional month, over two hundred subscribers were obtained for Good Health, besides distributing a large amount of our health literature and denominational tracts. By becoming successful canvassers they learn how to reach and mold the people. Colportage and canvassing are looked upon in a wrong light. If the object be to enlighten the people, and the publications used be such as will enlighten and elevate the morals of the people, then the calling is an honorable one and God’s blessing can be as earnestly sought and expected as by him who enters the sacred desk. Conscientious, God-fearing young men and women are wanted to enter this work; and cities and villages all over the country should be thus entered. It not only scatters rays of light everywhere, but it educates those who enter upon this work in a manner that they can be trusted with God’s work to build up and take charge of churches and Conferences. This work in no wise should be belittled. It is as important in its particular relation to the cause of God as the work of the minister. Those entering this work should not be the floating, irresponsible portion of society, but men and women of mind and intellectual culture, those of refinement who love the cause of their Divine Lord. Our field is the world and there is room for thousands of such persons. They should seek first to have their lips touched with a live coal from the altar, and their iniquity purged. Shall we not see scores preparing themselves to enlist their whole souls in this cause? We call for volunteers, and our prayer is that God will raise up laborers for the great work before us.

S. N. HASKELL.

Darlaston, England

By John Norton Loughborough

DARLASTON, ENGLAND. THOSE who have read the lives of John or Charles Wesley well remember the account of their persecutions from the mob at Wednesburg, Staffordshire, and how Charles, being taken by the mob at Walsall near Birmingham, was carried by them to Wednesburg and Darlaston, being in their hands for more than an hour. Although the mob met him intent on killing him, his mild and kind course in talking with them caused even their captain, who approached with his sword drawn, to retreat in silence.

I came from Southampton to this place Oct. 7. Leaving the train at Wednesburg I walked, with a friend who met me, to Darlaston, one and one half miles. In doing this we passed over the route that the mob carried Charles Wesley, and to the point where John met him. John said, "From the usage they had given Charles' clothing, while in their hands, he looked very much like a martyr." Their earnest labors and sufferings in these parts have borne fruits that remain. In this town are two large Methodist Chapels, the Wesleyan and the Primitive Methodist. These are both well filled with worshipers. In fact the main strength of dissenters at this point is Methodism. On Sunday morning last I listened to an earnest discourse given in the Wesleyan Chapel, and in the afternoon, by request, I spoke for nearly half an hour to their Sunday-school of over two hundred scholars. In the evening I commenced a series of meetings in the "Public Hall" in the town with an attendance of over one hundred persons. A home has been kindly offered me with a family who have been reading our publications with interest.

Our work at Southampton is still making some advancement and we are gaining interested readers of our papers all the time. A fortnight since we learned of a free reading-room for sailors at the harbor of Odessa, Southern Russia, on the shore of the Black sea. Odessa is the great outlet for the vast quantities of grain raised in Southern Russia. A large proportion of this grain comes to England, and so many of her ships are attracted to that port. The harbor is some little distance from the city. The English Consul at Odessa found the sailors exposed to many temptations to evil by having no suitable place of resort near the ships. He had much difficulty in settling drunken quarrels, etc. He proposed to the English residents of the city the erection of a "Sailors Home" at the port. His proposition called forth a ready response of the needed means. A building has accordingly been constructed with three separate departments; one for captains, one for officers, and one for seamen. A man and his wife are paid £80 (about $400) per year to keep the building in order. Twenty beds are always kept in readiness for any disabled or destitute seamen, and meals are served for those in need. Stamps and writing materials are kept for the accommodation of the guests. A reading-room is attached where books and papers are furnished. The expenses of the institution are met by voluntary contributions, chiefly from captains of vessels visiting that port. As a rule with themselves they each give on entering the port five roubles, about $2.50 American money. Captains have also the privilege of furnishing books or papers to the reading-room.

A captain, who visited the port of Southampton with grain, while his ship was in port became much interested in reading our publications and kindly offered to place some in the reading-room at Odessa. We made up quite a parcel for him, consisting of one of our ship libraries, some back volumes of the Review, Signs, Instructor, True Missionary, and nearly one year's numbers of Good Health. He cheerfully accepted these to be placed in the Odessa English Sailor's Reading-room.

As the result of posting Signs and Catalogues, orders for books and subscriptions for Signs still continue to come to our depository. A paper seems to be an indispensable auxiliary to our work in this mission. We hope our American brethren will either continue the one thousand Signs per week for 1882, or permit a paper to be started here; either a monthly, or an eight page semi-monthly, of magazine form.

Bro. Ings and the friends at Southampton are pushing on the work at the depository while I make an effort in the "midland counties" of England. Still pray for us. Our hope is in God. He is our help and our strength in this work. He has himself said, "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. Darlaston, Eng., Oct. 11, 1881.

UPPER COLUMBIA TRACT SOCIETY.

The first quarterly meeting of this society for current year, was held at Milton, Oregon, 10 A.M., Oct. 16, 1881. The president in the chair. Singing was followed by prayer by W. I. Goodwin.

Minutes of the last quarterly meeting were read and approved.

Wm. Russell, Mary L. Hughes, and Ambrose Johnson were chosen as a Committee on Resolutions.

After the agents had read their reports, the secretaries of the Milton V. M. and the State T. and M. Societies read respectively, the following tables:—

REPORT OF MILTON V. M. SOCIETY, QUARTER ENDING SEPT. 30, 1881.


Families visited	26
Letters written	35
“ rec'd	13
SIGNS mailed	3 13
“ given away	55
Other periodicals	254
Pages Tracts, etc., loaned	158
Pages tracts, etc., given away	13,455
Annuals distributed	1
Subscribers obtained	1
Cash on V. M. donation	3.60

M. L. Hughes, Sec.

REPORT OF LABOR FOR QUARTER ENDING OCT. 1, 1881.

Districts	No. of Members	No. Reports Returned	No. of Members Added	No. Members Dismissed	Missionary Visits	No. of Letters Written	No. Signs taken in Clubs	Review	SIGNS	Instructor	College Record
No. 1	26	10	1	7	15	11	32			1
“ 2	25	18		2	2	30	12		8	10
“ 3	45	29	1		29	36	22	1	4	2	1
Ag'nts	3	3			155	71		5	1	1	1
Total	99	60	2	9	201	148	66	6	13	14	2

Distribution of Reading Matter. | Cash Received.

Districts	Pages Tracts and Pamphlets Distributed	Periodicals Distributed	Annuals Distributed	Donations to Tract Fund and for Membership	Sales	Periodicals	T. and M. Reserve Fund	Total
No. 1	2004	297		$ 1 70		$ 2 50		$ 4 20
“ 2	3596	258	9	9 40		6 50	$ 13 50	29 40
“ 3	13613	622	3	12 30	$ 6 10	19 00	9 50	46 90
Ag'nts	867	79		6 50	14 25	14 95		35 70
Total	20080	1251	12	$29 90	$20 35	$42 95	$23 00	$116 20

DIRECTORS.

DISTRICT No. 1—B. F. Winkler, Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, W. T.

DISTRICT No. 2—Ambrose Johnson, Dayton, Columbia County, W. T.

DISTRICT No. 3—G. H. Beck, Milton, Umatilla County, Oregon.

The question, “How shall we preserve the Reserve Fund?” was considered and answered as follows:—

1. A considerable amount has been loaned to purchase present stock of books, etc.

2. Our library is worth more than it cost.

3. The value of tracts donated should be more than equaled by personal donations, for—

4. As our work increases, our missionary bank—the Reserve Fund—should increase its capital.

Temperance.

CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND TEMPERANCE SOCIETY.

THE second annual session of the Cal. H. and T. Society was held at Sacramento in connection with the camp-meeting. The first meeting was called October 16, at 6 p. m. Several stirring temperance pieces were sung, after which prayer was offered by Eld. Israel. The president gave a brief history of temperance work among us, to advance which the organization of the American Health and Temperance Society was effected about three years ago.

The report of the annual meeting of the society held at Alameda was then read and approved.

Elder Van Horn followed with interesting remarks upon the temperance question, considering it somewhat from a Bible stand-point, after which the following committees were appointed: On Nominations Elder J. H. Waggoner, A. Mason, and I. Morrison; On Resolutions, Elder Wm. Healey, Eld. J. D. Rice, and Dr. E. J. Waggoner.

A second meeting was held Oct. 22, at 5 p. m. After singing, and prayer by Eld. Waggoner, the minutes of the previous meeting were read, also the following report showing the standing and work of the society:—

Total number of members 1,601. Of these 1,045 have signed the Teetotal pledge, 677 full and 368 pledge members; 326 have signed the second or Anti-Rum and Tobacco pledge, 290 pledge and 36 full members; 230 have signed the third or Anti-Whisky pledge, 205 pledge and 25 full members. The number added during the year has been 466; 94 full and 124 pledge Teetotal; 12 full and 154 pledge Anti-Rum and Tobacco; and 9 full and 73 pledge Anti-Whisky members. About 350 sample copies of Good Health have been sent to other temperance societies, and with many of these have been sent letters explaining our position and work in the temperance cause, also circulars advertising our health and temperance publications.

TREASURER'S REPORT.

RECEIPTS.

Cash on hand Sept. 23, 1880…….$21 48 " received on Fees……………… 29 75 " " " Dues……………… 8 40—$59 63

DISBURSEMENTS.

Paid Gen. Association………….$38 25 " Incidentals…………………… 10 60 Cash on Hand…………………… 10 78—$59 63 The Society owes SIGNS Office…… 1 30 " " " Gen. Association. 6 25— 7 55 Cash on Hand……………………$10 78 Assets………………………… 3 23

The Committee on Resolutions submitted the following:—

WHEREAS, Temperance is a Christian grace, and necessary for our happiness here as well as hereafter, Resolved, That we give earnest attention to this work and its claims upon us.

WHEREAS, We are not our own, but all we have and are belongs to God, and in the use of tobacco, tea, and coffee, we see a useless expenditure of means, and a diminishing of our God-given strength, Resolved, That we conscientiously abstain from the use of those articles.

WHEREAS, Our health is affected by the food we eat, and as there is a tendency in society to prepare many unnecessary and unhygienic kinds of food, Resolved, That we will endeavor to be careful in our habits of living, that they be simple and in harmony with the laws of health.

These resolutions were adopted, each being considered separately, and considerable interest manifested. Several spoke to the second and third resolutions. Dr. Waggoner remarked upon the erroneous idea which he had heard expressed, that a dismissal from the society was equivalent to absolving one from his obligation to keep his pledge. The pledge is a solemn vow before God, that with his help we will abstain from certain injurious articles. Nothing can release any one from his obligation. If any one professes himself unable to keep the pledge, it is either because God is not able or willing to help, or the individual has not asked his help. The latter can be the only reason. When the third resolution passed, a rising vote was taken from all present, when those who had already signed the pledge, were requested to be seated, and the remainder were invited to sign the pledge. Twenty-one responded to the invitation, all signing the Teetotal pledge.

The Committee on Nominations reported the names of the former officers as officers for the ensuing year. An amendment was made to the motion sustaining this, and the name of Dr. E. J. Waggoner submitted for President, and that of Mrs. Jessie F. Waggoner for Secretary and Treasurer. These with C. H. Jones as Vice-President were unanimously elected as officers of the society. S. N. HASKELL, Pres. B. C. STICKNEY, Sec.

TOBACCO STATISTICS.

CIGAR MANUFACTORIES, ETC.

SOME people talk a great deal about ministers and the cost of keeping them, paying their house rent, table expenses, and other items of salary. Did such croakers ever think that it costs $35,000,000 to pay the salary of American lawyers, that $12,000,000 are paid out annually to keep our criminals, and $10,000,000 to keep the dogs in the midst of us alive, while only $6,000,000 are spent annually to keep the thousands of preachers in the United States? These are facts, and statistics will show them to be facts. What one thing exerts such a mighty influence in keeping the Republic from falling to pieces and the nation from becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah, as the Bible and ministers? Skeptic—croaker—tell us?

The number of cigars sold on Broadway, New York, is estimated at 20,000 daily. Of these, one-twentieth part cost thirty cents, one-fifth twenty-five cents, two-fifths fifteen cents, and three-twentieths ten cents. Thus Broadway spends upon its cigars $3,300 per day, or $2,050,850 per year. It is estimated that in the city of New York 75,000,000 cigars are consumed yearly, the total cost of which is $9,650,000. Add to this the amount annually expended for pipes and tobacco, and we have an aggregate of ten and a half millions as New York's yearly account with retailers of the weed. The 75,000,000 cigars if laid end to end, would extend one and a half times across the Atlantic, or, if laid side by side, would build quite a wall of cigars from New York to Albany.

In the manufacture of the article there are 946 firms engaged. These firms are in so many instances unworthy of credit, that the government, in order to secure the fulfillment of the provisions of the law, requires of them penal bonds, which at present amount to $7,947,000. There are some 4,000 machines, such as cutters, presses, snuff-mills, etc. The State which has the most of the manufactories of that filth is North Carolina, the number being 191; Virginia follows, with 178. The number of persons engaged in manufacturing cigars is 10,827, and they give bonds in the sum of $21,374,000. The minimum of a cigar manufacturer's bond is $500, with an additional sum of $100 for every registered cigar-maker employed. Of these, New York has 2,896; Pennsylvania, 2,543; Illinois, 553; Maryland, 327.

The gratification of our depraved appetites costs a far larger sum than would support all our poor-houses, feed and clothe our poor, fill the treasuries of our great Christian missionary societies, and carry on all our schemes of education. It is a little thing, seemingly, but the aggregate is fearful to contemplate.

We have pauper families, it has been ascertained, which have spent more than a thousand dollars on tobacco, counting principal and interest. We have genteel clerks who spend annually from one to five hundred dollars on cigars. We have a chief magistrate who, on a late back trip from Boston to New York, with his suite, smoked a hundred dollars' worth of cigars. Who pays this bill? Do Boston gentlemen pay it, or the State of Massachusetts? Can we reverence a smoking volcano as chief magistrate?—Tract.

SECOND MEETING

5. Additional pledges are being received, the gifts are encouraging, and we expect the fund to be enlarged as our necessities may require. Adjourned.

SECOND MEETING

The house was called to order, reading of the minutes of previous meeting was waived, and Sr. M. O. Beck read a part of a series of letters, in which it was shown that two members of the Walla Walla society had, by correspondence, assisted in causing a company of eight or nine souls to decide in favor of the truth.

The Treasurer read the following report:—

RECEIPTS.

Cash on hand July 1, 1881 . . . $30.50 " Rec'd from districts . . . . . . 57.50 " " on Reserve Fund . . . . . 23.00 " " from agents . . . . . 35.70—146.70.

DISBURSEMENTS.

Paid to SIGNS office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71.20 " " Review " . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.50 " for postage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Cash on hand . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.50—93.20

The Committee on Resolutions reported:—

Resolved, That an expression of thankfulness is due to our Master for prosperity attending our feeble efforts in this branch of the cause since our last meeting.

WHEREAS, Our V. M. workers have already heard of souls rejoicing in this light, as a result, in part, of their efforts, therefore

Resolved, That we request our Vigilant Societies to increase their efforts, and our officers to try to effect the organization of other like bodies.

Resolved, That we are thankful to God for the restoration of sister Colcord to health, and to still co-operate with us in this great work.

Resolved, That we express entire confidence in our leaders, and pledge ourselves to heartily support them in the future, as in the past. Adjourned.

G. W. COLCORD, Pres. MRS. G. W. COLCORD, Sec.

OUR DYNAMITE.

THE discovery of dynamite on board of British steamers in the harbor of Liverpool has alarmed the English shipping world. Matters are complicated by the facts coming out that the infernal machines were made at Peoria, Ill., and that there is a Fenian plan to blow up all the British shipping. A clock is made which after running six or twenty-four hours will strike a cap, and an explosion follows that will blow to pieces the largest steamer. This is a deliberate plan for murdering thousands who never heard of the questions at issue between the Irish patriot and his government. It would be the same atrocious deed if the fuse were made for six years instead of as many hours. The British government very justly asks this country's aid to suppress such murderous work. Our authorities will probably do as requested.

And yet we authorize the making, not of infernal machines but drinks, which in from six hours to as many years will rob and afterwards kill. The length of the fuse counts nothing as to the murderous design or effect. The government plans for this, and authorizes it, and divides the profits, first with the manufacturer or importer, and then with the retailer. Living men can remember when the entire annual expenses of our government were less than the sum it now receives for permission to make and sell intoxicating drinks. We are flooding our own land and stocking the world with liquid dynamite, which in a single year does more harm to life than Irish hate of England has ever done. Our government will probably engage in the hunt for the shop of some poor fanatic at Peoria, and never once think of the Peoria distilleries. England proposes to join us in taking the mote out of the national eye so as to look up the microscopic offenders who make dynamite machines; we invite both governments to cast out the beam from the eye of power so as to see the gigantic scale of murders planned by our license system.—Golden Censer.

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