Earlier text: Historic Proof of the Resurrection of Our LordThe Pattern.
By JOS. CLARKE.
“As it was showed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.” Ex. 27 : 7. “And look that thou make them after their pattern which was showed thee in the mount.” Ex. 25 : 40. It appears that the Lord was very careful in the erection of the sanctuary to have all its parts in proper proportion and place, and to have it all made just like the pattern; that is, a perfect copy of the heavenly sanctuary. God is unchangeable. We therefore learn from this lesson that he is still as particular as in the days of Moses, and that we must heed all his precepts as carefully as possible. We see the mechanic mark out his work with much care and precision, and then how careful he is to follow closely to his plan. Now Christ left his precepts of love and duty in the New Testament, and his servants, the apostles, have been inspired to apply their instructions to the daily life of his people, so that all may have the clear light of revelation upon the paths of life, and need not err in any particular. As the carpenter keeps his eye upon the lines or outlines of his work, and is very careful to follow them in every turn, so the child of God should carefully study the pattern given in the New Testament, and keep those blessed precepts and bright examples continually in sight, and carefully follow them out in life. The Old Testament too, what shall we do with that? Hear the good Gentile apostle Paul: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable,” none of its instruction is out of date, except those shadowy types. “According to the pattern.” Look at the moral law of ten precepts, carefully note its brevity, and its breadth of comprehension; study its outlines, nor dare to vary from any of these precious commands. Do not cut across any of these carefully pencilled words; they were all inscribed by the great Architect. North Pacific Mission.
By I. D. Van Horn
We have just passed through our second quarterly meeting for 1876. It was one that has been a blessing to the cause here. It was well attended by the brethren from the different parts of the valley, and all seemed to take an interest in helping on the cause. We have a T. & M. Society organized as far can be now, with some twenty-two members. Some good has already been done, but from this quarterly meeting on they will be prepared to extend the work a good deal. There are a few who stand out opposed to this work, but they may all work in after a while. Money is so hard to get that it cripples this and other branches of the work very much. During the past winter we have been laboring to strengthen the work and get it in shape to leave this spring. We have succeeded well so far. We have formed an organization at Milton, Oregon, of seventeen members, and we are about to form another organization at Dayton, W. T. We start for that place to-morrow for that purpose. We are laying plans to soon commence work in the Willamette Valley. We shall hope for greater success to crown our efforts there than here. In our work in Dayton and vicinity the past two months, some fifteen have embraced the truth. If these come forward and join the church, as we think the most of them will, there will be enough for quite a little company. We shall hope for health and strength to still continue our work in the cause of the Lord as the way may open before us. Walla Walla, W. T., April 5, 1876. The Intermediate State and Purgatory.
AMONG the reformers, with Luther at their head, the number who denied the immortality of the soul was so great that Calvin wrote a work against them. In his preface he said: “They are said to circulate their follies in a kind of tracts which I have not happened to see.” He is not the only one who has written against the arguments on this subject without examining them. So violent and bitter was his language that he published a second edition, apologizing for the first, acknowledging that there were good men among the teachers of that view. Dr. Priestley said: “It was, however, the firm belief of so many of the reformers of that age, that had it not been for the authority of Calvin, who wrote expressly against it, the doctrine of an intermediate state would, in all probability, have been as effectually exploded as the doctrine of purgatory itself.” ERRORISTS, like the false witnesses against Jesus, do not agree in their testimony. The reason is, truth is ready made, and those who desire it have only to accept it as it is; while the inventive faculties of errorists is taxed, and each is at liberty to fabricate his reasons and build his own position. This accounts for so many reasons for keeping Sunday, to one for keeping the Lord's Sabbath. THE MASTODON
By Adolphus Smith
Recently, at Circleville, N. Y., were found the bones of a mastodon whose dimensions were estimated from known data to be, length, twenty-four feet; height, eleven feet; girth, seventeen feet, and diameter of fore foot, two feet. This animal is a member of an extinct species; and the question of interest is, in what period of the world did he exist, and how came he in the place where his remains were found? The forms of several parts of this monster were traceable in the plastic mould in which he was found embedded. It is evident from this fact that the deposit must have been made before decomposition had so far advanced as to cause a malformation of his members. This deposit, moreover, must have been made by the action of water, and the inundation must have caused the death of the animal. Many individuals of this species have been found in different places, superficially imbedded in the earth; and since none are living at the present time, they must all have been swept away, not by a sectional calamity, but by one that was general and complete; otherwise there is no good reason why individuals of this species should not be found living upon the earth with other species which still exist. That they existed, however, with man upon the earth, is evident from the fact that wounds from arrow heads and other stone implements have been found upon the bones of a few individuals. Admit the Bible account of the deluge, and all is made plain; but deny it, as geologists generally do, and admit the hypothesis of evolution, which compels us to look to a long-continued pre-Adamic state of the earth for an elucidation of the question, and mysticism and uncertainty are thrown over the past. Many years ago a friend of mine dug into a mound near the Genesee river, N. Y., and discovered therein human bones of very large size—a jaw bone that would embrace his own, and a thigh bone, that, when placed beside his own thigh (he was a tall man), extended about four inches beyond his knee. By scraping the soil carefully the forms of fingers and other parts of the body could be traced in the mound. When were these giant bones clothed with flesh and animated with the breath of life? Recently, at Hudsonville, Mich., Bro. Dean of that place found, in an excavation, a piece of pottery spherical in form, and of about three gallons capacity. I saw the place where it had been imbedded—a section of its form could be seen in the bank of the excavation. I examined a piece of this pottery, and found its consistency to be coarse sand and clay, and its thickness about one-fourth of an inch. From its appearance I judged that it had been used as a seething pot. As I broke these pieces and examined their edges, I thought of the many hundred years, perhaps thousands, that had passed since the hands that formed this vessel had been mouldering in the earth, to awake no more till the last trumpet shall re-animate his dust; and of his contemporary people, joyous or sorrowful in all the experience of human life, from the cradle to the grave. Who can tell when they existed, or what their future destiny may be when the grave shall give up its dead? Intelligent Faith.
By Ellen G. White
The Jews were self-deceived. They rejected the teachings of Christ; because he exposed the secrets of their hearts and reproved their sins. They would not come to the light, fearing their deeds would be reproved. They chose darkness rather than light. “This is the condemnation,” said Christ, “that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” The Jews pursued their course of rejecting Christ until, in their self-deceived, deluded state, they thought in crucifying him they were doing God service. This was the result of their refusing light. Very many are in danger of a similar deception. God does not compel any man to believe. He sets light before men, and Satan presents his darkness. While the deceiver is constantly crying, Light is here; Truth is here, Jesus is saying, I am the truth; I have the words of eternal life. If any man follow me he shall not walk in darkness. God gives to us all evidence sufficient to balance our faith on the side of truth. If we surrender to God we will choose the light and reject the darkness. If we desire to maintain the independence of the natural heart and refuse the correction of God, we will, as did the Jews, stubbornly carry out our purposes and our ideas in the face of the plainest evidence, and will be in danger of as great deception as came upon them, and may go to as great lengths in our blind infatuation as they did, and yet flatter ourselves that we are doing work for God. Satan has great power to entangle souls by confusing the minds of those who do not cherish the light and privileges which Providence sends them. Minds which are submitted to Satan’s control are led continually from the light of truth into error and darkness. If you give Satan the least advantage, he will claim more, and will watch the outposts to make the most of any circumstance to advantage his cause and ruin your soul. Christ warned his disciples, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Here is a test. This all can apply if they will. None need to go in uncertainty and doubt. Satan is at hand to suggest a variety of doubts, but if we will open our eyes in faith we will find sufficient evidence for belief. But God will never remove from any man all causes for doubts. Those who love to dwell in the atmosphere of doubt and questioning unbelief can have the unenviable privilege. God gives sufficient evidence for the candid mind to believe. He who turns from the weight of evidence because there are a few things which he cannot make plain to his finite understanding, will be left in the cold, chilling atmosphere of unbelief and questioning doubts, and will make shipwreck of faith. It should not be considered a virtue to be on the side of the doubting rather than on the side of the believing. Jesus never praised unbelief; never commended doubts. He gave to his nation evidences of his Messiah-ship in the miracles he wrought, but there were those who considered it a virtue to doubt, and who would reason these evidences away, and find something in every good work to question and censure. The centurion who desired Christ to come and heal his servant felt unworthy to have Jesus come under his roof, but his faith was so strong in the power of Christ that he entreated him to just say the word and the work would be done. “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” Here Jesus exalted faith in contrast with doubt. He showed that the children of Israel would stumble because of their unbelief, which would lead to the rejection of great light, and would result in their condemnation and overthrow. Thomas declared he would not believe unless he put his finger into the prints of the nails, and thrust his hand into the side of his Lord. Christ gave him the evidence he desired, and then reproved his unbelief. “Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.” In this age of darkness and error, men who profess to be followers of Christ seem to think they are at liberty to receive or reject the servants of the Lord at pleasure, and that they will not be called to account for thus doing. Unbelief and darkness lead them to this. Their sensibilities are blunted by their unbelief. They violate their consciences and become untrue to their own convictions, and weaken themselves in moral power. They think others are as defective in character as themselves. When Christ sent out the twelve he commanded them, “And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide until ye go thence. And when ye come into a house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgment, than for that city.” They were warned to beware of men, for they should be delivered up to the councils and scourged in the synagogues. Men’s hearts are no softer to-day than when Christ was upon the earth. They will do all that is in their power to aid the great adversary in making it as hard as possible for the servants of Christ, just as the people did with Christ when he was upon the earth. They will scourge with the tongue of slander and falsehood. They will criticise, and turn against the servant of God the very efforts he is leading them to make. They will, with their evil surmisings, see fraud and dishonesty where all is right, and where perfect integrity exists. They lay selfish motives to the charge of God’s servants when he himself is leading them, and when they would give even their own lives if God required, and if by so doing they could advance his cause. God’s Word is our standard, but how few follow it. Our religion will be of but little worth to our fellow-men if it is only theoretical and not practical. The influence of the world and of selfishness is carried about by many who profess to be following the Bible. They are alike a cloud chilling the atmosphere in which others move. “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” The greatest triumph given to us by the religion of Christ is control over ourselves. Our natural propensities must be controlled or we can never overcome as Christ overcame. THE weaver at his loom is sitting,
Throws his shuttle to and fro:
Foot and treadle,
Hand and pedal,
Upward, downward,
Hither, thither,
How the weaver makes them go!
As the weaver wills they go! Up and down the web is plying,
And across the woof is flying.
What a rattling!
What a battling!
What a shuffling!
What a scuffling!
As the weaver makes his shuttle
Hither, thither, scud and scuttle. See the mighty Weaver sitting
High in heaven—his loom below;
Up and down the treadles go;
Takes for web the world's long ages,
Takes for woof its kings and sages,
Takes the nobles and their pages,
Takes all stations and all stages:
Thrones are bobbins in his shuttle,
Armies make them scud and scuttle;
Web into the woof must flow,
Up and down the nations go,
As the Weaver wills they go! Calmly see the mighty Weaver
Throw his shuttle to and fro;
'Mid the noise and wild confusion,
Well the Weaver seems to know
What each motion
And commotion,
What each fusion
And confusion,
In the grand result will show! Glorious wonder! what a weaving!
To the dull, beyond believing,
Such no fabled ages know;
* * * * * * 'Tis believed by all believing
That Great God himself is weaving;
Bringing out the world's dark mystery
In the light of Faith and History;
And as web and woof diminish
Comes the grand and glorious finish,
When begin the golden ages
Long foretold by seers and sages!
—National Protestant. There are very few women who need any persuasion or argument to induce them to dress neatly and tastefully when they appear in public, on the street, or at church. The love of admiration and the fear of criticism operate effectively to influence all of us to make as good an appearance as possible when on dress-parade. But there are some who reserve all their fine clothes and manners for exhibition to visitors and strangers, leaving their own families to take what is left after the public is served. Any old dowdy dress is good enough for them to wear while doing the morning's work, and what matters it that their hair is all in papers, unkempt, and frowzy, that there is no collar about the neck, and a general untidiness wraps the whole person as with a garment? There is no one but “home folks” to see, and what is the use of putting on before home folks? The gist of the whole thing lies in those two words—putting on. As though the genuine woman, the inborn lady, saves her genuineness and her ladyhood for occasions, and can't afford to use them all the time. She must “let down” at home and be careless, untidy, unclean, in order that when company comes she can show off to advantage. This is mere sham and mockery, and works a vast deal of mischief in families. To be clean in person, in dress, in conversation, with little regard to the seeming—this is what we want. We may seem all pure to the careless eye without being so, but we cannot be all pure without seeming so. Vice may take the form of virtue, but virtue cannot take the form of vice. The mother who is habitually careless of her dress and her manners at home, and particular about them when she goes abroad, cannot fail to impress upon her family a sense of hollowness and hypocrisy in her character; and this will operate in one of two ways, either to make her children resemble her in these respects, or inspire them with more or less contempt for her weakness. What strangers think of us is of the smallest possible consequence compared with the estimate placed upon us by our children and those with whom we are brought into intimate association. If they love and believe in us, and find in us all things worthy of admiration and imitation, of how little comparative value is the approval of strangers! All true refinement in dress, in manner, in character, is the result of an interior worth and genuineness. A lady arrayed in simple calico is often more attractive and graceful and winning than another in silks and satins and velvets. These do not create refinement or taste in the wearer; they are only the merest framework of the picture, which may be a wretched daub, or a masterpiece. With pretty calico at six and ten cents a yard there is no excuse for untidiness in our women at home. Calicoes may be made with little work, and so as to be washed and ironed with very slight trouble. It is mere folly for a woman who expects to wear every day the calico dress she makes up, to make it in three stories—skirt, overskirt, and basque, with ruffles and puffs and trimmings. A plain wrapper or a sacque and skirt, with bias folds for trimming, is vastly prettier for calico fabrics than more elaborate styles of making. Every time it is washed it is as clean and sweet and fresh as when it was new, and, with a linen collar in the neck, such a dress is good enough for every-day wear, better far than a shabby, woolen dress with soiled and dragged flounces, with torn and tangled fringe, with dirty sleeves and dust grimed into it everywhere. We must live with ourselves all the time, as well when at home as when abroad, and she who really respects herself and would keep on good terms with herself morning, noon, and night, cannot, so far as she is honest and genuine and a hater of shams, neglect to keep her person and dress tidy without injury or suffering of some sort, either to herself or to those around her. After all that may be said about it, tidiness is as much the result of training and habit as of interior necessity, and unless one is careful not to relax the sinews of determination in this respect, the exigencies of every-day life and the natural tendencies to lower the tone below concert pitch will, little by little, cause negligences to creep in, until, indifference to externals gradually increasing, untidy dress at home will be the rule and not the exception.—Ex. Friendship Knows No Task Too Great or Small
THERE is nothing so great that I fear to do for my friend, nor nothing so small that I will disdain to do for him.—Sir Philip Sidney. The Mind Shines in Motion
The fire-fly only shines when on the wing; so it is with the mind; when once we rest we darken. No doubt there are some nettles in the world. There are unpleasant things, sad, hard things that tend to make life smart keenly. But we put far more nettles into the world than are there originally. The real nettles are ourselves, in our own uncomfortable, petulant, sour, selfish dispositions, and they spread their own character over nature. “I HAVE no time to read,” is the common complaint, and especially of women whose occupations are such as to prevent continuous book perusal. They seem to think that because they can not devote as much attention to books as they are compelled to devote to their avocation, that they cannot read anything. But this is a mistake. It isn't the book we finish at a sitting that always does us the most good. Those we devour in the odd moments, half a dozen pages at a time, often give us more satisfaction, and are more thoroughly digested than those we make a particular effort to read. The men who have made their mark in the world have generally been the men who have in boyhood formed the habit of reading at every available moment, whether for five minutes or five hours. It is the habit of reading rather than the time at our command that helps us on the road to learning. Many of the cultivated persons, whose names have been famous as students, have given only two or three hours a day to their books. If we make use of spare minutes in the midst of our work, and read a little, if but a page or a paragraph, we shall find our brains quickening and our toil lightened by just so much increased satisfaction as the book gives us. Nothing helps us along the monotonous daily road so much as fresh and striking thoughts, to be considered while our hands are busy. A new idea from a volume is like oil which reduces the friction of the machinery of life. What we remember from brief glimpses into books, often serves as a stimulus to action, and becomes one of the most precious deposits in the treasury of our recollection. All knowledge is made up of small parts, which would seem insignificant in themselves, but which, taken together, are very valuable weapons for the mind and substantial armor for the soul. “Read anything continuously,” says Dr. Johnson, “and you will be learned.” The odd minutes which we are inclined to waste, if carefully availed of, will, in the long run, make golden hours and days that we shall ever be thankful for.—Scribner. Is Vaccination Prudent? A Doctor Who Says No.
By Dr. C. C. Schieferdeck
Dr. Epps, who acknowledges to have vaccinated 120,000 people during his directorship of the Jenner Institute, in London, finally declares, after a practice of more than a quarter of a century, “Vaccine is a poison; it penetrates as such, and infects all organic systems, so that it acts repressively on the small-pox; it paralyzes the expansive powers of the body, and the pox poison is retained in the mucous membranes.” This testimony is supported by hundreds of other professional authorities, as I can show, and explains readily the fact that new (before unknown) diseases have invaded the internal coating or aggravated existing ones, as, for instance, croup since 1810; abdominal typhus since 1819; cholera since 1830, and diphtherites since 1854. The terrible effect vaccination has had on these scourges can easily be proved. Even the most devoted and prominent defender of vaccination, Dr. Hoffert, exclaims: “Now, after small-pox among children does not any more exist, a great many die of measles, scarlet fever, and similar diseases, which have become more intense and more malignant since vaccination has exercised the pox disease.” I at present will not, for want of space, enter upon the absurdity of the vaccination operation itself, although it is clear that an identical poison delivered into the body should eliminate its twin sister, if it exists already there, or prevent its entrance into organism if it does not exist there. But a word will be allowed about the undeniable possibility of transplantation of other destructive and filthy diseases, such as cancer, tubercle, scrofula, syphilis, etc., for which I can name the highest medical authorities, among whom Dr. Hoffert says: “The vaccinator will, notwithstanding the greatest caution, not always be able to prevent such poisonings.” Dr. Ricord, after years of resistance, at last, in 1865, declared before the Academy of Paris, “Now I do not hesitate to acknowledge the reality of such poisonings.” That the painful observation of continually increasing insanity is connected with vaccination, I finally wish to mention, and refer as proof to the testimony of such eminent men as Kapp, Eulenburg, Erlenmeyer, Otto, Berkhan, and others.—Dr. C. C. SCHIEFERDECK, in the New York Times. —Fresh Indian troubles in the Big Horn country by the Cheyennes are reported. —A proclamation has been recently issued by the Sultan of Zanzibar, forbidding the passage through his territory of slave caravans on their way to the Somali coast. —A bill has passed the California Legislature allowing each Board of Education to select text books for the schools in its own district, and providing that the books selected shall continue in use for six years. —Foreign languages and instrumental music are to be taught in no public schools in this State except in the University, the Normal and High Schools, and the Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind. —The American publishes a statement of one of the passengers of the Hibernian, which arrived April 24, to the effect that among the passengers who landed at Halifax were Don Carlos of Spain and three of his Generals. It is said they are to make a tour of the United States incognito. —The Grand Jury in Washington on Saturday indicted Babcock, Harrington, Whitley, Benton, Miles, Nettleship and Somerville for complicity in the “safe burglary conspiracy.” Warrants were issued for the arrest of each, excepting General Babcock, who appeared and gave bail in the sum of $10,000. —The fact that the emigration from Ireland is much less than it was 10 or 15 years ago, shows that their situation in the old country must be improving, and that the evils of overpopulation have been alleviated by the vast emigration of the past quarter of a century. Only a little more than 50,000 persons emigrated last year. —The third wife of the Khedive of Egypt recently bought a large house in a thickly peopled locality, erected around it a quadrangle of spacious buildings, and gave them into the hands of the Educational Department, in which they were to open a free school for girls, herself to defray all the expenses. The school thus far is a grand success. When it had been opened only four months there were 206 boarders, and 100 day pupils, all Arabs or slaves. It is said that they dress somewhat in English fashion, and sit, not squatting upon the ground, but at desks. —Several weeks since a statement was going the rounds of the papers that the people of North Chili, Monroe Co., N. Y., were getting quite superstitious over an unaccountable sound like music in the air. It was thus described: “About 7 o’clock every morning there can be heard a soft, soughing sound in the air, like the music of an Æolian harp, but of greater volume. This weird music seems to pervade the air for miles. Families living widely apart have heard it at the same hour. At first it was noted with simple curiosity, but its recurrence with such regularity when the air is not disturbed by violent storms has given it a romantic interest. Various theories have been presented, such as the vibration of the telegraph wires, or the sound of a far-distant locomotive whistle toned down and mellowed by distance, or some peculiar condition of the atmosphere, or formation of the ground. But these do not satisfactorily account for it. It is unlike the sound of wires, and too akin to music to be caused by an engine. Some people have averred that the sounds proceed from a certain spot of ground about a mile from the station of North Chili. They describe that the earth vibrates, and that the sound seems to rise and float away skyward.” This week an exchange comes out with an explanation of the whole affair, and says: “The unaccountable strains of music which seemed to float in the air were produced by a new bell which had been put into one of the manufacturing establishments in Spencerport, some six miles distant. It isn’t best to make too much of sensational rumors.” What the American Bible Society Has Done, and is Doing.
The American Bible Society was instituted in May, 1816. It has translated the Scriptures, or parts of them, into nearly sixty different languages; printed and put into circulation an aggregate of twenty-six and a half millions of copies of the Scriptures, in our own and foreign countries; and it has all the various appliances for printing and binding six thousand copies of the Bible per day; or nearly two million copies per year. Bibles and Testaments gratuitously bestowed by the Society, without including those granted to feeble Sunday-schools, Seamen, the Army and Navy of the United States, or those printed at its expense in foreign lands, are over two million volumes. Its pecuniary grants during the last thirty years amount to over one million of dollars. The amount of its donations to feeble auxiliaries in destitute frontier districts since the year 1848, is over three hundred thousand dollars. It has printed and distributed 5,000 copies among the Blind. Without including what its auxiliaries have done, it has granted several hundred thousand volumes among destitute Sabbath-schools. It has given thousands of volumes to immigrants of the Old World. It has thoroughly supplied all the criminal and humane institutions of our country. It has distributed the Scriptures largely among the Roman Catholics, both at home and abroad. It has placed many thousand copies in Hotels and Boarding Houses. It has given millions of copies to the destitute poor of our land. It has distributed many thousands among the Indian Tribes within our borders. And at this very time, millions of hands in Spain, Austria, Italy, Mexico, Brazil, China, and other foreign countries, are stretched out toward the Society for this precious gift of God to man.—Sel. A WRITER in the Sunday-school Times says: “If we were placed before a loom, in which was an intricate piece of weaving, and should attempt, with unskilful hands to weave the web, what marring we should make of the whole plan. But if a master-weaver stood behind us, patiently directing every cast of the shuttle, how different would be the result. How the little threads of light and dark, over which we had been so impatient, would come out beautifully in the pattern. How the work would have been spoiled without them. “So when we grow ruthless over the web of life we are weaving, and would cast out all the little threads of dark, taking the work in our own hands, let us remember what a marring we would make of even a piece of tapestry. How much less knowledge have we of planning a life that may last eternally. Let us try to realize that all these little threads, these small perplexities and vexations which so try us, are really important parts of the grand whole which the Master is working out for us. “What we count the great events of life, the things we prepare for and think of the greatest importance, when they have passed by, often leave but a faint impress. Their influence over us is slight. But it is the little things in our life that are great in their results. Let us learn, then, properly to value them and rightly to improve them. God estimates them not as we do. The eternal principles involved, the results which stretch on forever he brings into the estimate. When we learn to look on the “small things” of life as of his appointment, then will they rise in our minds to their dignity and importance.” “Little by little,” sure and slow,
We fashion our future bliss or woe,
As the present passes away.
Our feet are climbing the pathway bright,
Up to the region of endless light,
Or gliding downward into the night,
“Little by little and day by day.” To Bake Beans.—Prepare them as for stewing, and place them with a large quantity of water in a stone-ware pot in a hot oven. Let the oven cool somewhat after they begin to cook, and bake them from four to six hours rather slowly. Leave out meat and butter, and trim with cream and salt. RELIGIOUS NEWS AND NOTES.
—A New York pawnbroker reports taking in 220 family Bibles since February 1875. —In Scotland the Baptists have more than doubled in the past six years, they have now seventy churches. —The Massachusetts Legislature has rejected the bill for the taxation of church property by a large majority. —Philip Philips, the celebrated Singing Pilgrim, and the British evangelist, Thoburn, have joined hands. They met in India, and are now operating after the manner of Moody and Sankey in Calcutta, and are drawing large congregations. —Until the present century there was but little interest in missions. The first Protestant missionary society was organized in London in 1701, and the first American society in 1810. Now there are over fifty missionary societies. —The failure of Daniel Drew has greatly embarrassed the Theological Seminary at Madison, and the Wesleyan University at Middletown. Mr. Drew's endowment to these seminaries of learning was held in his own hands. He paid the interest promptly—nothing more. It is now some six months since he stopped the payment, and neither the professors' salaries nor the running expenses of those institutions have been met. A DENOMINATION FULL.—Under this caption an exchange says that the Methodists boast that they have “no church without a pastor, and no pastor without a church.” At the last meeting of the Methodist East Conference, applicants were refused admission “for there was no place to put them.” How sad! Would that there were men in our ranks only waiting to find a place to work. How long think you they would be obliged to wait? —The union of different religious denominations which has attracted considerable attention of late, has been heartily endorsed by most bodies; but there is another kind of union not so highly approved. It is illustrated by the following:— “The Brooklyn Presbytery that has just closed its session, finds that something has got to be done. The Lawrence street church and Fort Green, have united. The Remsen street and the South church have united. The Lawrence street, the South, Remsen and Tompkins avenue have been struck from the rolls since the Presbytery last met. Two consolidations and one loss. Two or three difficulties attend consolidations. One is, What shall be done with church property? Another, What is to be done with the pastor? Another, who shall disband? Already the Clinton street church have two houses on their hands, with very little prospect of a sale. The Elm Place Congregational church is in the same situation. Other congregations are likewise. Six or seven prominent houses of worship contain only a fragment of a congregation, and the question of union or dissolution has got to be met.” Obituary Notices.
By M. G. KELLOGG
"I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death." Hosea 13:14. DIED, in San Jose, April 18, 1876, of quick consumption, Bro. Charles A. Wilson, aged 26 years. Bro. Wilson was baptized at camp-meeting last fall. He often spoke of the future, and died in hope of salvation through Christ. He was formerly of Viroqua, Vernon Co., Wis. J. H. WAGGONER
By John H. Waggoner
DIED, in Napa City, Cal., April 27, 1876,
Nora P. B. Myers, aged 15 years and 7 months. Sister Nora was converted to the truth in March, 1874, under the labors of Bro. E. R. Jones, in Athens, Calhoun Co., Michigan. She was baptized at the camp-meeting in Battle Creek in August of that year. Soon after that meeting, the family removed to California, partly on account of the state of her health, which had been very poor for several years. She seemed steadily to improve until the last camp-meeting in Marin Co., Cal., when she over-exerted herself in climbing the hills which surround the camp-ground, and took cold, from which time she declined until her death. She was zealous for the truth, and conscientious in observing the Sabbath. She suffered very much at times, but when her pains were most severe, she would fall into a peaceful, quiet frame under the influence of prayer. She bore all with patience, and often praised God in the midst of her sufferings. We laid her in the grave, feeling that she needed rest, and consoled by the blessed hope of soon seeing her, when the Life-giver appears, free from all the ills of mortal life. The Hands that Can Make Good Bread.
By Wm. T. Hornaday
You may talk to me of accomplished girls
With “hands as white as the lily;”
And of melting blue eyes, and auburn curls,
But I think that decidedly silly,
But when any one mentions a lady’s hands,
The question pops into my head,
Not of their beauty and golden bands,
But, Can they make good bread? There are hands that are skillful with pencil and brush,
And can paint a landscape or face;
That can write sweet notes, and color a blush,
With the greatest beauty and grace,
Perhaps you will call me a gluttonous churl,
But, for one, I prefer instead,
A matter-of-fact and sensible girl,
With hands that can make good bread. There are hands that can play the piano with ease,
And finger the lively guitar;
Can crochet and embroider, and all such as these—
More worthless than useful by far.
These are all very pleasing to ear and to eye,
But when you come to be fed,
You will find no hands beneath the sky
Like those that can make good bread.
—Wm. T. Hornaday.