The Doctrine of the Immortality of the Soul Subversive of the Truth.—No. 3.
By A. T. J.
THE Judgment is one of the certainties of Bible doctrine. Time and again Jesus sets before us the awful scenes and the all-important decisions of the Judgment. "I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment." Matt. 12:36. "The queen of the South shall rise up in the Judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them; for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the Judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here." Luke 11:31, 32. In the parable of the wheat and tares, in the parable of the marriage of the king's son (Matt. 22:1-14), in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30),—in fact, in all his teaching, the Judgment was made prominent. In Matt. 25:31-46, he sets before us a view of the very Judgment itself.
The Old Testament as well as the New tells of the Judgment. Solomon says: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil." Eccl. 12:13, 14. Daniel says: "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the Judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7:9, 10. Isaiah, David, Job, and other prophets speak of this as well as Solomon and Daniel. Even "Enoch, the seventh from Adam," prophesied of this, saying, "Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute Judgment upon all." Jude 14, 15.
This is not a Judgment that is constantly going on during men's lives and completed at their death, so that then their reward is given whether for good or ill. "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment." Heb. 9:27. Paul "reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" (Acts 24:25), not judgment already come, nor constantly going on. There is a time appointed for the Judgment. "Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead." Acts 17:31. "As many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;" "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." Rom. 2:12, 16. And again: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5:10. It is not that alone that he has done in his direct personal acts for which he must account; he must answer for the fruit of his doings. "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. 17:10.
The time when men shall receive for that which they have done, whether it be good or bad, is at the coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and the end of the world. "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in Heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever. . . . And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldst destroy them which destroy the earth." Rev. 11:15, 18. Again we quote the words of Jude: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." Jude 14, 15. With this agree exactly the words of Christ: "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12. And Paul in his charge to Timothy, and to all ministers of Christ, says: "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick [living] and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word." 2 Tim. 4:1, 2. Peter also says: "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9.
It would be easy to multiply texts from all parts of the Bible on these points, but these must suffice for the present. From these evidences it is plain (1) that there is a time "appointed" for the Judgment; (2) that this is after death; (3) that it is the time of reward to all, for good or evil; (4) that this is called the "day of Judgment;" (5) that it is at the appearing and kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ; (6) that then, and not till then, it is that the righteous receive their reward; (7) and that the "unjust" are "reserved" until that time to be punished, that they are not punished before that great day of Judgment. Yet however plain all this may be, it is equally plain that there is not a single principle of it that the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul does not tend to subvert. For if, at death, righteous men enter immediately into their reward, and the unrighteous go immediately to the place of punishment, then where is there any possible room for the Judgment? unless perhaps the absurd idea be adopted, that men should spend hundreds or thousands of years in happiness or misery, and then be brought to the Judgment to see whether they be worthy of that which they have enjoyed or suffered (!)
For if at death men enter immediately into their reward or punishment, as the case may be, then it follows, if there be any Judgment at all, that instead of there being a time "appointed" "after this" for Judgment, there must necessarily be a judgment constantly going on in the life of such individual, and that that judgment closes at his death, and that he in consequence of judgment passed enters then upon his destiny, whether for good or for ill. It can be seen at a glance that such a view is utterly subversive of the Bible doctrine of the Judgment. If such be the truth, then there can be no such thing as a day of Judgment when the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all, because all are judged as fast as they die; there can be no such thing as Christ judging the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, because all the dead have been judged when they died; there can be no such thing as the "time of the dead that they should be judged" when the seventh angel sounds, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, for all the dead will have been judged before the seventh angel shall have sounded; and there can be no such thing as reserving "the unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished," because by this theory they are sent to punishment as soon as they die; in short, if the doctrine of the immortality of the soul be the truth, the Bible doctrine of the Judgment cannot be the truth. And the time has now come when a choice must be made between them. As for us, we choose the Bible with all its doctrine, and with all that that choice involves.
That we do not misrepresent the popular doctrine of the immortality of the soul when we say that it puts men into Heaven or hell at death, can be proved by any one who will consult the hymn books, or the papers of the religious denominations who believe that doctrine, or listen to the average funeral discourse or revival sermon.
But that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the Bible doctrine of the Judgment is not all. By virtue of that doctrine, men have usurped the seat of the Judge of all, and have arrogated to themselves the prerogative of reading into Heaven whomsoever they see fit. How often we read that such and such a person is in Heaven! But what right has any man to say who is worthy of a place in that bright world? Who knows the heart? None but God alone. He alone it is who pronounces upon the worthiness of men "to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead," and when men take upon themselves to read into Heaven this man or that man, they are simply usurping the awful prerogative of the Most High. And only for belief in the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul, no man would ever think of it. We repeat: It is God alone to whom belongs the right to pronounce that decision. He will pronounce it in every case, but it will be in the Judgment; not at death, but at the resurrection of the dead, and before the assembled universe, and by the voice of the glorious Son of God, who hath loved us and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood; for he "hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." John 5:27-29. Any doctrine that will lead men to thus usurp the prerogative of the Judge of all the earth cannot be the truth. This is exactly what the doctrine of the immortality of the soul does, therefore it cannot be the truth; and as it is subversive of the Bible doctrine of the Judgment, it is not only not the truth, but it is subversive of the truth. A. T. J.
The General Conference.
By Editor
Up to November 25, the General Conference in session at Battle Creek, Mich., had acted upon the following resolutions:—
1. Resolved, That we express our conviction that it is neither consistent nor expedient to receive into our churches those who hold to trine immersion, inasmuch as we consider that such immersion is unscriptural, and its introduction among us can only result in confusion. And further—
2. Resolved, That as very many of those holding to trine immersion speak the German language, we request the Committee on Publications to have a work on the subject prepared in that language.
Whereas, We have a goodly number of men who have been ordained and furnished with credentials on the expectation that they would become efficient laborers, but who from some cause have not developed into regular laborers; therefore—
3. Resolved, That credentials be granted to such only as are willing to devote their time to the work, and are situated so that they can do so; and exceptions to this rule should be very carefully made.
4. Resolved, That great care should be used by our ministers in the selection of church officers, and that no person be ordained to fill offices of trust in God's work who is not sound in faith and practice upon all Bible doctrines as held by Seventh-day Adventists.
Whereas, There is a large Scandinavian population in this country among whom the truth has already made some progress, quite large numbers having already embraced it; and—
Whereas, The laborers are few, the time is short, and much must be done through the circulation of reading matter; therefore—
5. Resolved, (1) That systematic and organized efforts be made to circulate Scandinavian reading matter among these nationalities; (2) that while at this time new and important works are being issued in the Danish-Norwegian and Swedish languages, we would therefore recommend that a department be opened in the office of the Review and Herald to manage the sale, and care for the agencies, of the Scandinavian subscription books.
Resolutions 1 and 2 being read for action, resolution 2 was amended to include a general work on baptism in the German language, which should especially contain the arguments against trine immersion. As amended, the resolutions were adopted, as was also resolution 3.
Resolution 4 was adopted. A motion was made to amend resolution 5 so as to include the German work also; but this amendment was not sustained, because the facilities are not yet apparent to carry it into effect. The resolution as presented was then adopted.
The Committee then offered an additional resolution, as follows:—
Whereas, God has represented a failure to pay tithes as robbery of him, and we have evidence that many in our churches do not pay tithes; and believing that in many cases their failure is the result of ignorance on the subject; therefore—
6. Resolved, That the ministers and the officers of our Conferences and tract societies be instructed to make especial effort to place the pamphlets, "The Tithing System," and "Honor Due to God," in every family of our people, and that we all make continual efforts until all not only become educated on this question, but have a conscience void of offense toward God in this important duty.
On motion, this resolution was freely discussed, and adopted.
7. Resolved, That we hereby express our heartfelt thanks that the "Testimonies to the Church" Nos. 1-30 have been published in four volumes, and thus put into a durable form. And we hereby urge our ministers throughout the wide field to give them as large a circulation as possible. And we further urge all our people to read these volumes, and to induce others to read them, confident that the instruction and wise counsel contained therein will commend them to all classes, and will prove beneficial to all.
Whereas, It sometimes occurs that persons who have been excommunicated from one S. D. A. church, offer themselves as candidates for admittance to another church of S. D. Adventists; therefore—
8. Resolved, That it is a breach of Christian courtesy among churches, and an act of injustice to receive such into church fellowship, until they have first effected a reconciliation with their former brethren.
As many brethren spoke as time permitted, warmly and gratefully indorsing resolution 7; and after some further remarks on the salutary nature of resolution 8, the report was unanimously adopted.
The Conference has voted to take the necessary steps to become incorporated by law as a legal body, capable of holding property. The present Executive Committee, consisting of Geo. I. Butler, S. N. Haskell, O. A. Olsen, W. C. White, and R. A. Underwood, were named as the Incorporating Board of Trustees; but as Elder Haskell was not present, and therefore could not act, Elder U. Smith was nominated to act in his place.
The Missionary.
By Stephen N. Haskell
Present Indications.
It is probable that over the places now occupied by Australia, New Zealand, and the islands that surround them, the waves of the briny deep once rolled, as in other portions of the Pacific Ocean. There are many evidences that this was the case. And disturbances are constantly occurring which show that God's great arsenal is not exhausted. In the bowels of the earth are the elements placed there at creation, that aided in destroying the earth when "all the fountains of the great deep" were "broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened."
Only a few weeks ago an eruption occurred in the vicinity of Navigators' Islands. A vessel passing that way noticed a great rumbling sound. Soon a reef began to rise and fall; it would increase in size and rise higher, and then go down again. The sea also began to boil. Finally the reef became an island, miles in length, and hundreds of feet high. It has since sent out fire and smoke and melted lava, so that it is not desirable for vessels to go near it. One vessel attempted to explore in its vicinity, and had the wind not been favorable at the time, she would have been buried beneath the melted lava shot forth by this mid-ocean volcano. Where this island now rises hundreds of feet above the level of the sea, the water was three hundred fathoms deep before signs of disturbance began to appear.
In different places in the world signs more or less marked are seen. It would seem that nature is convulsed, and is preparing for one dreadful struggle. Islands appear, and islands go out of sight. Within a few years, inhabited islands have been known to sink, and vessels sail without harm over the spot where they once were. We are assured that there will be disturbances in the deep before the Lord shall come again. "The sea and the waves roaring" is one of the signs mentioned by our Saviour which shall cause men's hearts to fail them "for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth." And in connection with his second coming it is said that every island will be moved out of its place.
In such a time as this, "blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust," and has respect to all his commandments. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" it is wisdom to the foolish, and a sure foundation in the day of God.
Since the fall of Adam there has been no time in the history of the world so important as the present; and we cannot make too much haste in sending the last notes of warning to a dying world. We have the providence of God on our side, and his truth to send. Soon, very soon, the printed truth must fall like the leaves of autumn wherever there are people who will be saved in the kingdom of Heaven. Who will invest here? is now the all-important question. Who will follow the example of the worthies in the past who have taken their stand for the truth, and carried it to earth's remotest bounds? The people in many places are prepared for the reception of the truth; but who will carry it? The time has come when such efforts should be made as have never yet been put forth. May the Lord bless his work, and his people who feel the burden of the cause of Christ.
S. N. H.
Atheism, Infidelity, and Christianity
A WORCESTER preacher thus succinctly defines atheism, infidelity, and Christianity: The atheist says, "No God." The theist says, "A God." The Christian says, "My God."
A Word of Kindness
A word of kindness is seldom spoken in vain; it is a seed which even dropped by chance springs up a flower.
Report from Humboldt County, Cal.
By N. C. McClure
WE came to Eureka after the April meeting at Oakland, and having canvassed the city with the fourth volume of "Great Controversy," began tent-meeting about the first of June. About thirty signed the covenant, and at the close of the tent-meetings our camp-meeting was held in Eureka. Elders J. H. Waggoner, Loughborough, Ings, and E. R. Jones were with us during camp-meeting, and the results were good to this people, giving the community a better degree of confidence in this work.
Since camp-meeting, the cause has been onward in its progress. New accessions are being made to our numbers; our members are working on the outside, we have a good and increasing Sabbath-school, and have just begun holding meetings in our new 32x60 ft. meeting-house, which, when completed, will be an honor to the cause and people. This is the third Seventh-day Adventist meeting-house erected in Humboldt County this season, one having been built at Arcata, one on Dow's Prairie, and one in Eureka, making, with the one built at Ferndale two years ago, four in this county.
We are now conducting Bible-readings at private houses and have established a systematic tract work, going from house to house once a week, leaving small packages that are exchanged for others on return visits. We are finding those who will read, and a number of families are becoming interested.
Brother Lamb is now holding meetings at Bay Side, and reports a good interest. We are of good courage in the work. God has blessed the word and labors of his unworthy servants in this county.
The first preaching of present truth in this county was three years ago this winter, and was bitterly opposed by the enemies of the message. There are now over one hundred Sabbath-keepers in Humboldt, three-fourths of whom have come out during the past eighteen months. To God belongs the praise.
Eureka, Dec. 1, 1885. N. C. MCCLURE.
Preaching with Truth and Love
By Atlantic Missionary
In order to preach effectively one must have communion with Christ, whom he preaches, and appreciate the character, needs, and circumstances of his auditors. His eyes must be open upward and outward, and his heart full of truth and love. To preach empty, dry homilies to ignorant, tempted men is a capital offense in the sight of Heaven. It is like feeding the prodigal on husks in a far-off land. Whether it results from ignorance, indolence, heartlessness, or the fear of men, it is equally reprehensible.—Atlantic Missionary.
Christ’s Use of Self-Denial
ALL the moral disciplines that the world has seen have used the instrument of self-denial; but Christ's use of it is peculiar and unique. He teaches that we are to deny ourselves for our own good, to develop and complete ourselves; and for the good of others.
A Lesson for Hard Times.
By Lyman Abbott
IF one of the characters out of Dickens' novels had walked into the room, I could not have been more surprised. It was press day; I was very busy in my sanctum when I heard the door open, and a curious shuffling noise followed, which made me look up a moment from my paper. It was but for a moment; I saw, as I supposed, a crippled beggar, shuffling his way on his knees toward my chair. I waved him away with my hand. "Nothing for you," I said resolutely, a little impatiently, possibly, and turning back to my desk, caught up the broken thread, and wound off the completed sentence from the editorial distaff. But the beggar was not repelled. He answered something; with a divided attention I could not well make out what. "Nothing for you," I repeated, somewhat more vigorously than before. The answer was plain enough this time, and in a tone that commanded attention: "I am no beggar, sir."
I had gotten to the end of my sentence now. Two or three weeks ago I had been studying the parable of the Good Samaritan. Perhaps the recollection of two very pious men who were in so great a hurry that they could not attend to the unfortunate, may have had some influence on me. I laid down my pen and went to the unknown.
He was on his knees; his legs, from his knees to his feet, were useless appendages, which dragged after him and produced the shuffling sound which first attracted my attention. His whole body was disjointed; his arms alternately hung down like the wooden arms of a great toy, and moved about in a grotesque attempt at gesture—like the toy arms when the image is pulled by the string from below. When he spoke, he worked and twisted his head from side to side, and contorted his face with the vigor of his endeavor, as though the words were stored below and could be brought up out of the reluctant throat only by a wrestling and invincible will. But his eye was clear, his brow high, and his whole face, when in repose, not unhandsome.
"I have got something to sell, sir, and it is no humbug, either."
Then I noticed for the first time a leathern bag slung over his shoulder. With a curious spasmodic twist he dove into it, and brought out a tin box labeled Prof. —'s soap, warranted to take out grease spots, etc., etc. In this, as in every other motion, his arms and hands made many attempts before they succeeded in their purpose, like those of a two or three months' old babe that has not yet come into possession of itself.
"What brought you into this condition, my friend?" said I, looking down upon him.
"I was born a cripple, sir," he answered. "But," he added quickly, as though he saw some sympathy in my face and would refuse it, "you must not think that I suffer, for I don't. I have no pain; it is only weakness—weakness of the spine, the doctors tell me; so that I don't have good use of my arms, or legs, or face. But I don't suffer, and I am not unhappy."
I could hardly look in his face when he was speaking, his endeavors were so distressingly labored. I rarely give to beggars; for that reason I am always reluctant to turn away any one, from the gamin who is sweeping the street crossings up, who is endeavoring to earn an honest living. I bought his patent soap, and gave him the price—a quarter. He turned to go away; I should as soon have thought of offering charity to any other independent merchant as to him, but I stopped him with a question. It needed but a very little touch of sympathy to open his heart. He told me his story. I transcribe it here as well as I can; but I am painfully aware that it loses character in the transcription.
"My father was a mechanic. I was always, from my birth, as you see me now. He supported me till I was twenty-eight. But I didn't like it. I wanted to be self-supporting."
I noted a curious feature of his language. It was that of one born in the low ranks, but self-educated by courses of reading outside the literature of his companions. I thought this at the time; it was confirmed by a suggestive hint afterwards.
"I told my father. He laughed at me: 'What can you do?' I told him that he could not always support me; he must die some day, and he had no money. 'The Lord will provide,' said he. But that did not suit me. I resolved if I could not have my own way, I would run away."
There was something pathetically humorous in this picture of a man-boy of twenty-eight running away on his knees from a tyrannical father who despotically insisted on providing for him. Whether he actually did run away or not he did not tell me, and I did not ask him.
"I bought this recipe for soap. At first I hired a man to go around with me and take care of me; but that did not pay. Then I went to a hotel, and hired a porter to dress and undress me. In the day time I took care of myself."
All this, and much more—for I am compressing a long story into a short one—with labored speaking, and with labored listening too; for it was not always quite easy to tell what was the word which the corkscrew brought up. Like an old cork, it was broken and then came up in fragments.
"I never expected to get married; for I never thought that any woman whom I would have would have me. But you know, sir, the old proverb, 'Every Jack has his Gill,' and I found my Gill. And I don't believe there is a man in New York that has a better wife than I have."
From the pride with which he said this, and the love that lighted up his eyes, I could easily believe him. It must be a rare woman that could take such a man for her husband, one that she must dress and undress to the end, as she would a sick child. I resolved at once that if I might I would know that wife.
"And don't you imagine that I am miserable, sir," he added. "I seem so to you because you judge me from your point of view. But I see many a rich and strong man, and I would not exchange with them. I have my advantages, too. Society claims a great deal of you, but it never claims anything of me. I am independent."
Oh, wise philosopher! Is there any philosophy like that of calm content?
"And I enjoy life; because, don't you see, sir, that I have nothing to do but to study how to enjoy it?"
"Do you go to church?" I asked.
"Well, sir, I am a member of the Baptist Church; but since I have moved away from the old church, and gone among strangers, I don't go to church, for I might create a sensation, don't you see?"
Well, yes. I did see. I imagined this creature shuffling up the broad aisle of a fashionable church, or even of an unfashionable chapel, and thought he showed consideration for the worshippers and the preacher.
"There is only one thing I want," he added; "I would like to get into a library."
"A library?" said I. "What could you do in a library?"
"Oh, as a member, I mean, sir," he said. "I would like to get books out to read."
I took down his address, and, with all the inimitable dignity of a gentleman, he invited me to call. Then, with an apology for having taken so much of my time, and an inquiry—for we had exchanged names—whether I was the historian Abbott, he shuffled out of the door. I had hardly got to my seat and my pen in my hand before I heard him shuffling back again. He peered round the corner of the doorway, and with that curious Jack-in-the-box motion of his, held up three fingers. "Third bell," he said; "ring the third bell," and he was off again.
And I sat down and thought; thought of that poor woman who began two years ago by selling her thousand-dollar piano, and last week was found with her clothes and furniture all pawned, and her only flannel garment, the remnant of an old blanket, wrapped around her; thought of that merchant who, eighteen months ago, was contributing to the support of one of our great charities, and is now on it for his family; and here is this cripple, without the right use of his legs, or arms, or hands, or voice, supporting himself and his wife, "happy as a king," and asking charity of no one; and I said I will leave a thread unspun on the editorial distaff till I have written down this lesson for hard times.—Lyman Abbott.
The Home Circle.
By Mary Rowles
QUIETNESS AND ASSURANCE.
God works in silence, and his vast designs
Are brought to pass in quietness and peace;
Unheralded the sun comes forth at morn,
And without tumult on the nations shines;
Unwept again his ministrations cease,
And twilight worlds are born.
The years sweep onward; but their chariot wheels
Vouchsafe no echo to our yearning call.
The swift attendant seasons as they pass
Are shod with silence, and no sound reveals
The rapid hours, whose steps are as the fall
Of snow-flakes on the grass.
In quietness through dreary winter days
The buds of next year's summer take their rest,
Assured of happy waking by and by;
Though long the sweetness of the spring delays,
Though tempests move in wrath from east to west,
They neither strive nor cry.
Patient in long reserve of hidden power,
God's judgments tarry their appointed time;
But from his love, wherein all fullness dwells,
Mute tokens come about us hour by hour,
In silence sweeter than the voiceless chime
Of fragrant lily bells.
The perfect bliss for which his people crave—
The final victory—he sees across
The cloud and sunshine of a thousand years;
While the frail garland on a baby's grave
May circumscribe life's utmost gain and loss
To eyes grown dim with tears!
O troubled heart, no storms of adverse fate,
No wave of circumstance, may overleap
The jasper borders of eternity;
Acquaint thyself with Him, and soon or late
He shall appoint a resting-place for sleep
Wherein no dreams shall be.
He giveth quietness and peace serene
Here and hereafter, unto those who rest
Soul-centered on his own eternal calm;
While sweet assurance, entering realms unseen,
Leads onward to the triumph of the blest,
The white robe and the palm!
—Mary Rowles, in Leisure Hours.
Books Made from Trees
An English paper describes a novel collection of books to be seen near Cassel, Germany. At first glance they appear like rough blocks of wood; but upon closer examination it is found that each is a complete history of the tree which it represents. At the back of the book the bark has been removed from a space large enough to admit the scientific and the common name of the tree as a title. One side is formed from the split wood of the tree, showing its grain and natural fracture; the other shows the wood when worked smooth and varnished. One end shows the grain as left by the saw, and the other the finely polished wood. On opening the book are found the fruit, seeds, leaves, and other products of the tree, the moss which grows on its trunk, and the insects which feed upon the various parts of the tree. To all this is added a well-printed description of the habits, usual location, and manner of growth, of the tree—all forming a complete history of each kind of timber represented.—Sel.
One Cause of Hard Times.
The Boston Traveler says: "It is the overconsumption of whisky that makes the underconsumption of food and clothing in this land of liberty and liquor. The annual bill for bread, meat, and cotton and woolen goods of this great American people foots up a total of about $1,250,000,000. But its annual bill for whisky, beer, and the taxes thereon, is $1,400,000,000. In other words, it drinks $150,000,000 worth more than it eats and wears. And the people who commit this folly every year are amazed that once in a few years they are hard up, and some of them want to hoist the communistic red flag, and destroy everybody else's property because they have wasted their own share of the national substance in rye juice and other riotous fluids."
Health and Temperance.
The Brown God.
A GENTLEMAN informed me a few days ago, that being in attendance at a camp-meeting at Clear Lake, Iowa, last summer, he witnessed a singular occurrence. A man had been seeking the Lord for several days with great earnestness and many tears. He was in terrible distress of mind; but it seemed as though his prayers were unheard, and he was almost at the point of giving up the conflict in despair. When asked whether he had given up everything for Christ's sake, he replied that he had to the best of his knowledge.
Shortly after this, while kneeling, praying and weeping, he was seen to thrust his hand into his pocket, draw out something, and fling it away with loathing and disgust. Immediately he sprang to his feet, praising God and rejoicing in his great salvation. Then some one looked for the object cast away, and lo! it was a piece of tobacco! As soon as he dethroned the brown god, Christ took possession of his heart.
I wonder why Christ would not bless this man clinging to his tobacco! And I wonder, too, if Christ would not give some professors of religion that I know of, if they would get in as deep earnest about their tobacco as this man was, a greater blessing than they can ever have with tobacco in their pockets. We should like to see them try the experiment. After all, it is wiser to never begin the use of tobacco, and then when you seek the Lord this little brown god will not come between you and the blessed Jesus.—S. S. Gem.
Taking the Chances.
THE life-insurance men have to study all sorts of questions, and among them the question of strong drink. It is all "business" with them; they want to find out who will live the longest, so they can see how much profit there will be in insuring their lives at regular rates. If they live long, the company gains by it; if they die early, the company loses money.
This is how the matter has been figured out by Mr. Nelson, a distinguished English insurance man:—
A total abstainer twenty years old has the chance of living until he is sixty-four.
A total abstainer thirty years old has the chance of living until he is sixty-six and one-half.
A total abstainer forty years old has the chance of living until he is sixty-eight and three-fourths.
A moderate drinker twenty years old has a chance of living until he is thirty-five and one-half.
A moderate drinker thirty years old has a chance of living until he is forty-four and three-fourths.
A moderate drinker forty years old has a chance of living until he is fifty-one and two-thirds.
Whose chance would you prefer to take?—Sel.
Poisonous Meat.
At the recent meeting of the National Society of Microscopists in Cleveland, Ohio, a paper of particular interest to the general public was read by Dr. Ditmars, of Champaign, Ill., who has given his attention to examining the beef sent to the markets. After examining hundreds of cattle slaughtered in Chicago, he has decided that cattle slaughtered while in a state of frenzy may prove poisonous. Dr. Ditmars showed drawings of bacteria found in the dried beef that was eaten by several families of Momence, Ill., with such fatal results, and expressed the opinion that the beef was that of cattle killed in a state of frenzy. Dr. Ditmars thinks venison is poisonous if the deer has been chased into a state of frenzy by dogs before being killed.—Sel.
A Striking Contrast.
By Dio Lewis
WE want to show you two animals. One has four legs. They call him a pig. We want you to see him eat. Now when that fellow gets enough, he'll stop. Let us look at another. They call this one a man; he has two legs; he is at breakfast. He looks this way and that. He can't see anything that he wants. Now he tries a mouthful of strong coffee; that won't fetch it. He tries a spoonful of catsup; that's a failure. Now he tries a mixture of mustard and vinegar. At length things begin to work a little, and he is finally able to cram a lot of griddle-cakes and sausage and sausage and griddle-cakes, and two or three cups of strong coffee, into his stomach. Which do you vote for? I vote for the gentleman with four legs.—Dio Lewis.
Whisky Logic Paralleled.
A CERTAIN kind of argument not infrequently used by some politico-economists is burlesqued by Mr. W. S. Gilbert, who, in a letter to the London Times, says: "For my part, I could never quite understand the prejudice against burglars. An unarrested burglar gives employment to innumerable telegraph clerks, police officers, railway officials, and possibly also to surgeons, coroners, undertakers, and monumental masons. As soon as he is in custody, the services of an army of solicitors, barristers, judges, grand and petty jurymen, reporters, governors of jails, and prison warders are called into requisition. Really the burglar does more good than harm."
An Early Inquest in Saco
The earliest inquest in Saco and Biddeford of which there is any record was held on the body of Mary Haile. According to the verdict it seems "that she was accessory to her own death with much eating and drinking, we not having any witnesses that she was forced thereunto."—Biddeford (Me.) Times.
Liquor’s Share in Crime
In Prussia liquor is responsible for the following proportion of crime, according to official statistics: murder, 46 per cent.; manslaughter, 63 per cent.; serious injury to the person, 74 per cent.; lighter injuries, 63 per cent.; resistance to the authorities, 76 per cent.; breach of the peace, 54 per cent.; rape, 60 per cent.; offenses against public morals, 70 per cent.
The Spirit of Liberty
By Sel.
The spirit of liberty is not merely, as some people imagine, a jealousy for our own particular rights, but a respect for the rights of others, and an unwillingness that any man, whether high or low, should be wronged and trampled under foot.