LAST week the Bible question which we noticed was, "How are the dead raised up?" To that question we gave the Bible answer. In immediate connection with that question is this one, "With what body do they come?" The whole verse reads: "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" 1 Cor. 15:35.791
This is an important question or the Bible would not ask it. It is one which we have a right to study or it would not be presented thus in the Bible. And the Bible having asked the question, we believe that the Bible answers it, because God does not trifle with men. The Bible is his revelation to man, and in it God has laid before us that which it is important and for our good to know. We have yet found no question asked in the Bible which is not answered by the Bible, unless it be of those questions which carry the answers in themselves. This question is not an exception. The Bible answers the question as to with what body the dead come when they are raised up. And, like all the other questions which we have examined, the Bible is the only place where the correct answer to this question can be found. And what the Bible says on the subject must settle the matter at once, for that is the truth, and nothing contrary to it can be.
Remember that the subject of the whole chapter in which this question is found is the resurrection of the dead. In verse 20, we read, "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept." The first-fruits was the sample, and of the best of the great harvest that was to follow. There is to be a harvest of the earth. Of those who shall be gathered from the earth into the everlasting garner of God, Christ is the sample. His glorious resurrection body is the sample, the pattern of all that shall be received by him from the earth. For says the Scripture, he "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Phil. 3:21. And "we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John 3:2.
But Christ says, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell [the grave] and of death." Rev. 1:18. And that same body that died on the cross; that same body that was pierced with the Roman spear; and that was laid in Joseph's new tomb; that same body came forth from the tomb and lived again. That same body that died came forth from the dead. And so really was it so that he could say to them who had been with him before his death, "Handle me and see that it is I myself." "Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side." And when he came forth from the dead, the napkins which had enwrapped his sacred head, and the linen clothes that had been about his holy form, were laid in places by themselves, while every vestige of the body was gone from the sepulcher. Thus the Saviour rose from the dead with the same body that died. He, says the Scripture, is "the first-fruits," the sample, of those who shall come from the dead. Therefore, the dead come from the dead with the body that died, only that in the case of those who are Christ's, the body will be immortal as his glorious body instead of the mortal body that was laid in the grave.
This is clearly stated by the scripture in Isaiah 26:19: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Now, how could it be possible for the "dead body" of any person to arise unless it be the body that died? Yet bear in mind that when the dead body—the body that died—arises, if it be the body of a righteous person, it arises immortal instead of mortal as it died. For says the Scripture, "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Cor. 15:51-54.
Next the Scripture uses a simile to illustrate this. Death and burial are likened to the sowing of grain. And so we read, "That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die; and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain; but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body." Verses 36-38. As, therefore, death and burial are likened to the sowing of seed, and as God giveth to every seed his own body, it is plain by this word that when the one who has died is quickened, is made to live again,—to every one is given his own body; not the body of some one else nor some other body, but "his own body." When Christ was brought again from the dead he came with "his own body." As he was the sample of all the harvest, so every one who shall be brought from the dead will come as he did, and as the Scripture declares, with "his own body."
But the Scripture carries the subject yet farther. "All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds." Verse 39. And as God gives to every seed—every person—his own body, it follows that when men's flesh is sown, it will be men's flesh and not beasts, nor birds, nor fishes' flesh, that will be raised at the resurrection of the dead.
Again says the Scripture: "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another." Verse 40. Every person will have his own body, but it will be immortalized and glorified so that its nature and capabilities will as far transcend our bodies at present as the glory of Heaven transcends the earth. For "there is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars, for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." Notice in all this that it is the same thing that is sown that is raised. "It is sown," "it is raised." The man who died is raised from the dead. The body that is sown, that body is raised, for God giveth to every seed "his own body." Yet it is a changed body; changed from mortal to immortal, from corruptible to incorruptible, from weakness to power, from natural to spiritual, from dishonor to glory, for Christ "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."
We know that many attempt to apply scientific tests to the resurrection of the dead, as nowadays they do to every phase of revelation, and in the application of these scientific tests they cannot see how the dead can be raised, they cannot see how the body can be brought again from the dust. But it is not a scientific question at all. It is not susceptible of scientific tests. It is solely a question of the power of God, and science cannot touch it.
Yet it is said that though it be not itself a question of science, it must be according to science, for God cannot violate his own laws. It is not becoming for any one to say that what God says he will do, would be contrary to science. It may be indeed that it would be contrary to what man knows of science; it might be against man's ideas of philosophy. But does it follow that therefore it must be contrary to the science or the philosophy of the universe as known to God? We think not, for of a truth there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamed of in our philosophy. We do not believe that God is obliged to raise the dead according to men's ideas of science or philosophy. Jevons justly says:—
"We perpetually find ourselves in the position of finite minds attempting infinite problems, and can we be sure that where we see contradiction an Infinite Intelligence might not discover perfect logical harmony?"
As for the idea that "God cannot violate his own laws," we put the thing just the other way, that as God is the source of all law, it is impossible that anything which he should do could be a violation of law.
We know that a piece of lead, or any other metal except gold or silver, can be transformed by heat in contact with air, into a powder or species of ashes or lime. Those ashes can then be taken and heated in a crucible with some grains of wheat, and the metal will be seen rising from its ashes and reassuming its original form and properties. And if chemistry can do this, faith says that though the human body be reduced to ashes or to the dust of earth, the power of God can cause the body to arise from its ashes, and to re-assume its original form; and that this renewed form will be immortal, spiritual, and glorious, according to the working whereby the Christ-God is able to subdue all things unto himself. The Bible question is, "With what body do they come?" The Bible answer is, God giveth it a body as pleaseth him, and to every seed (every person) "his own body."
A Pagan Paradise.
By J.
IN its notes on the Sunday-school lesson the Advance of November 18 says:—
"Hades is the place of departed souls, without reference to their character or condition. Paradise and Gehenna, or hell, are both in hades."
Can it really be that hell and paradise are both in the same place? If that be so, it either cannot be a very bad thing to be in hell, or else it cannot be a very nice thing after all to be in paradise. Or is hades such a large country that it can contain both paradise and the lake of fire—for gehenna is the lake of fire—and yet they be so far apart that the misery of the one cannot detract from the happiness of the other? The Advance says that "paradise and gehenna, or hell, are both in hades." But where is hades? The Advance leaves us totally in the dark on this point. True we are told what it is, —"the place of departed souls,"—but we should like to know where it is.
Does the Advance agree with Josephus that "Hades is a place in the world not regularly finished; a subterranean [under-ground] region, where the light of this world does not shine; from which circumstance, that in this place the light does not shine, it cannot be but there must be in it perpetual darkness"?—Discourse on Hades.
As Josephus, like the Advance, says that "in this region there is a certain place set apart, as a lake of unquenchable fire," and that is gehenna or hell; and as Josephus speaks of another part of this under-ground region, this hades, and describes it in such a way as to correspond to the Advance's suggestion of paradise, we think perhaps the Advance has in view the very place that Josephus describes. If so, will the Advance tell its readers just what place "in the world" it is.
By the way, the thought just occurs to us that as Mr. Peloubet in his "Select Notes" on the international lessons, gravely informs the Sunday-schools of the land, on the lesson for January 9, 1887, that "A most able argument has been presented by President Warren of Boston University, in his late book, 'Paradise Found,' in favor of the north pole as the site of Eden;" and as the Advance oracularly declares that paradise and gehenna or hell are both in hades; it must be that hades is at the north pole. That being the case it would necessarily follow that gehenna is at the north pole, which would hardly correspond with the idea of the temperature that is generally supposed to be the special characteristic of hell. It does, however, exactly correspond to what we were taught in Sunday-school in our youth. For, when a child, the writer of this article was actually taught in an "orthodox" "evangelical" Sunday-school that the gnashing of teeth of the lost was really the chattering of the teeth from shivering in the excessive cold of the place of departed souls. When such stuff as this, and that of the Advance, is seriously taught in the Sunday-schools, then how far removed is the Christian world792from downright paganism on the subject of the place and state of the dead?
The Bible deals in no such nonsense. Neither paradise nor gehenna is in hades. Hades, in the New Testament, as well as sheol in the Old, is the place of the dead. But that place is in the grave, in the dust of the earth. For at the resurrection that is where they are found. "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." Dan. 12:2. "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26:19. "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection." Matt. 27:52, 53. "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth." John 5:28, 29. According to the word of God, the grave, the dust of the earth, is the place of the dead.
The tree of life is in the midst of paradise. Rev. 2:7. But the tree of life is on either side of the river of life, and the river of life proceeds "out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Therefore, according to the word of God, paradise is in the presence of the throne of God.
Gehenna or hell,—the lake of fire,—is not found until the judgment of the great day, "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him." Matt. 25:31, 41. And when gehenna is kindled, it is when, at the end of the millennium, the devil and the wicked of all the earth go up on the breadth of the earth, and compass the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city; and fire comes down from God out of Heaven and devours them. Rev. 20:7-9. There it is, and then it is, and not till then, that gehenna is found.
It is most devoutly to be wished that the word of God, instead of pagan superstition, could be taught in the Sunday-schools. J.
Justification and Salvation.
By John Harvey Kellogg
It is said that Martin Luther rejected the letter of James, because he thought it disagreed with Paul's letter to the Romans on the doctrine of justification. It is not surprising that Luther, just emerging from the darkness of Roman superstition regarding the merit of church rituals, should take extreme ground in the other direction, and feel alarmed at what appeared to be a dangerous error in the letter of James on justification by works. But the present generation of Protestants ought to be able to take a more calm and consistent view of these letters. There is no discrepancy between the teachings of Paul and James; but there is, even to this day, a sad misunderstanding of what Paul really teaches. We propose to show that the modern "holiness" teachers argue concerning sanctification exactly as Paul does concerning justification.
It must be admitted that at first view, or on a superficial reading, of the writings of Paul and James, there seems to be a contradiction between the letter of James and that of Paul to the Romans. Paul says that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, or without works. James says a man is not justified by faith alone without works. Can these be harmonized? They can; and their harmony may be easily shown.
Carefully examining the argument of Paul we find that he was discoursing of the sinful condition of the human race, and of the utter inability of a sinner to relieve himself by the law. The law is a rule of right; of course it condemns all wrong. Some find fault with the law because it condemns, but will not justify, the sinner. But for this very fact we respect it and love it. We could not respect a law which justified wrong-doing. It condemns the sinner only because he deserves condemnation. In this it does right. The wrong is in the transgressor—not in the law. Now Paul affirms that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." And then he immediately presents the remedy. This is the blood of Christ, and faith in his blood. As Christ is the gift of God's love (John 3:16), justification is "freely by his grace." But the subject of the argument is not for a moment lost sight of, though it is strangely overlooked by many modern theorists. He is speaking of sinners condemned, and therefore the justification of which he speaks is "for the remission of sins that are past." In this is found the solution of the apparent difficulty; Paul speaks to the Romans of justification from past sins; James does not; he has quite another subject for his discourse.
It must be evident to all that our present or future conduct has no influence over our past life. Present obedience meets only a present demand, and we can do no more than our duty to-day. It is required of us, every moment of our lives, to love the Lord our God with all our heart. Less than this is short of duty, but more than this we cannot do. Now if we fail to love the Lord with all our heart to-day, can we make amends by loving him with more than all the heart to-morrow? The idea is absurd. Man can do nothing whatever toward relieving himself of the burden of guilt for past sins. Therefore in regard to remission of sins that are past, justification is, and of necessity must be, without the deeds of the law—entirely outside of our own works. "Freely by his grace."
James, to the contrary, says not one word about the remission of past sin. He is speaking of what is necessary to the formation of character. And his remarks on this subject are as evidently true as are those of Paul on the subject of remission. We can form character by our actions as regards the present and future; but we cannot reform the past. That is gone, beyond our control. We must all give assent to that which James says as readily as we assent to that which Paul says. A rich man's prayer for the suffering poor will doubtless be accepted, but only just as far as he puts forth an effort to relieve their sufferings. All must accept the truth that "faith without works is dead, being alone;" that it is better to show our faith by our works than to assert our faith without works.
Paul, so far from contradicting this, asserts the same thing in the very strongest terms; stronger, if possible, than the expression of James. No writer in the Bible pleads for obedience and good works more vehemently than does Paul. Thus in Phil. 2:12: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." How Martin Luther could reject the letter of James and accept this, we cannot understand. Nor can we understand how the modern "holiness" teachers can take the ground which they do, in the face of such exhortations or injunctions as this of Paul to the Philippians, except on the ground of the well-known fact that hobby-riders seldom realize the necessity of being consistent.
Now if the question is asked, Why did not Paul speak in Rom. 3:28 as he did in Phil. 2:12? the answer is at hand: He was speaking on another subject. It was because he made the just and proper distinction between justification and salvation. Justification is not of or by works; it only fits a person for working; it places him where he can work to divine acceptance. But if he refuses or neglects to work, he forfeits his justification, and falls from the grace whereby he was "freely justified." Justification is for past sins, or for their remission; salvation is future, and is conditioned upon "patient continuance in well-doing." Rom. 2:7.
It must be remembered that justification, referred to in these remarks, is in the sense used by Paul, that is, a releasing from the condemnation of sin. James uses the word in quite another sense: as showing one's self to be right, or conforming to justice. Though Webster gives his third definition as the "theological" one, his second is equally so, namely, "To pronounce free from guilt, or blame; to absolve; to clear." Now it is evident that James does not use the word "justify" in this sense at all. Webster's first definition will exactly meet the case, namely: "To prove or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or duty." This explanation is necessary to prevent misunderstanding of the term as used by the two writers.
Now we are prepared to examine the error of the "perfectionists." A writer on holiness recently gave as one means "to prevent the spread of holiness" among the people, the following: "Imbue them with the idea that they are to be holy by striving to do right, to keep the law of God." This position is unscriptural; it is not evangelical. We would supplement it with this statement: If you would spread fanaticism among the people; if you would fasten upon them the chains of "antinomian delusion," imbue them with the idea that they can be holy without obedience to God's commandments; that they can be good without doing good. The words of the apostle John are very appropriate here: "Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." 1 John 3:7.
Holiness is by obedience. But these modern "holiness" teachers make no just distinction between justification and sanctification. As we have before remarked, they treat sanctification precisely as Paul treats justification in his letter to the Romans. Paul says that justification is without works, or without the deeds of the law. They say that holiness is without works—without the deeds of the law. But their declaration is contrary to the Scriptures; contrary to every principle of justice and of government. Again they make sanctification and salvation identical; but Paul's idea of "working out your own salvation" is, in their estimation, a great error, and to be greatly avoided. Their ideas of the gospel of salvation are partial or one-sided. The gospel makes provision for the past and for the future. For the past it offers justification or remission; for the future, it takes away the carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God, and leads to obedience to the law. For the past it absolves from sin; for the future it prevents sin. If it does not this it does nothing to prepare us to stand in the Judgment of the great day. To prevent sin is to prevent the transgression of the law, "for sin is the transgression of the law." Now if a sense of duty to obey God's commandments is detrimental to holiness, then a sense of license to transgress the commandments of God must lead to an increase of holiness. But transgression is sin; and, hence, in this modern holiness system, sin and holiness are closely allied; they are nearly convertible terms. We do not wish to be unjust, or even severe. But what else can we say when it is boldly avowed that the idea of being holy by obedience to God's law is detrimental to the cause of holiness?
But they might say they believe in obedience, but not in holiness acquired by obedience. We give them the benefit of our own supposition, and then declare the position unscriptural. We repeat the quotations: "Work out your own salvation." "He that doeth righteousness is righteous." "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." We will examine this point more particularly. As concerning moral character, holiness, sanctity, and purity mean the same thing. The Saviour prayed thus to his Father: "Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth." John 17:17. We inquire, What is necessary to fulfill this prayer? No man can be sanctified by merely hearing the truth. To the contrary, a knowledge of the truth increases the condemnation of the hearer if he does not accept it. Neither is a man sanctified by merely believing the9truth. Many are convinced of the truth, and really believe it, but it has no influence on their lives, and they are not benefited by it; their faith is dead and profitless. Peter shows how the work is accomplished: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth." 1 Peter 1:22. It is obedience which purifies or sanctifies. In obedience to the word of God the prayer of the Saviour is answered in us. To sanctify the disciples of Jesus through the truth, is to lead them to obey the truth.
Of course it is understood that no one pleads for obedience independent of faith in Christ. Justifying faith is that which leads to obedience and enables us to obey, or to do good works. To teach obedience as the means of justification from past sins would indeed frustrate justifying grace; for obedience can answer no demand of past shortcomings. If the "holiness" teachers would apply their declarations to unconverted sinners and to the subject of justification, no one could reasonably dissent. But as applied to sanctification they are every way unscriptural, fanatical, and subversive of true Bible morality.
Santa Barbara County
By Roderick S. Owen
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.—After the camp-meeting at Santa Ana, I went to Santa Barbara City, where I held meetings with the Sabbath-keepers of that place. The brethren of Goleta also met with them. A good interest was manifested. One point which we tried to impress upon them was the importance of heeding the Testimonies. Believing them to be of God and of special importance for this time, how dare we live in either willful ignorance or disregard of their teaching? As a result almost all of them ordered complete sets of the Testimonies, and pledged in the presence of God to faithfully follow their teachings. And all can testify that the Lord blessed them even in making the resolution. And as an excellent evidence of the practical benefit of carrying out the resolution, it may be stated that with an experience of only two weeks one brother was heard to remark that it was not half as easy for him to get mad as it used to be. We left them rejoicing in the hope of being among the overcomers at the appearing of our blessed Saviour. May God keep and continue to bless them is my prayer. Book orders were taken amounting to $65. Roderick S. Owen.
PUBLISHING WORK AMONG THE MAORIES
By Stephen Nelson Haskell
The Third Angel's Message in New Zealand.—No. 5.
PUBLISHING WORK AMONG THE MAORIES.
IN the preceding articles we have briefly alluded to the Maories, the original inhabitants of New Zealand, speaking of their general character and mentioning the fact that the truth is already finding its way among them. Some further particulars may be of interest to the reader. It is estimated that there were over a half a million of them when the island was first discovered, but in this as well as in other colonies, civilization has greatly reduced their numbers.
There seems to be something in civilization which greatly increases the mortality among uncivilized people. Perhaps one of the things contributing to this, is the change in their clothing, and the adoption, in part at least, of the European dress. The Maories especially were very desirous of patterning after the English manners, and to be dressed as a European was among them the highest honor, that of being king excepted.
At first, for a number of years, there existed nothing but peace and good-will between the natives and the white men. But their desire to imitate the latter in dress, etc., led them to make great sacrifices to secure the coveted clothing, blankets, agricultural implements, and other improvements of civilization. All of these things had been furnished by the Government and supplied to the missionaries for free distribution among the natives, but some of the missionaries took advantage of their ignorance, and oftentimes for a fish-hook, or a blanket, the natives would exchange a piece of land, sometimes an entire valley, bordering on a bay, or some desirable location, which by his sagacity the white man knew would sometime become valuable and command a large price.
By such methods, the Maories were greatly wronged by unscrupulous white men. In process of time, others still more unprincipled came to the colony and began to settle, and as there were more men than women among these pioneer settlers, many of them married among the Maories. Some of them engaged in the sale of liquor, and pursued a course that was greatly condemned by the missionaries, and others who were laboring for the good of the Maories, thus bringing about a bitter feeling between the two factions of whites. Those who had intermarried with the Maories tried to prejudice them against the missionaries by magnifying the injuries which the latter had done in defrauding them of their land. This course led to strife, and the missionary stations were burned, the natives ever after being suspicious of anything bearing the name of missionary.
The Hare family, as we have noted, sustained nothing but friendly relations with the Maories, both in their business transactions and their efforts to better them religiously, and so exerted quite an influence over them. When we were in New Zealand, the plan was formulated to have a paper published in the Maori language, the paper to consist of four pages, devoted to extracts from our temperance works, Bible-readings, cuts, and stories from the Instructor, and other matter of interest. Cuts to appear on the first page have already been sent to Australia. One difficulty we could see, and that was to secure the interest and co-operation of those who were competent to translate, so many of the old missionaries, who understood the language thoroughly, having died, or removed to other fields. It was thought that if we could publish such a paper, and scatter it gratuitously among the Maori people, at present numbering about 50,000, most of whom nominally profess Christianity, it might lead them to become interested in the truth.
It was found that friends, and even those who made no profession of religion, felt an interest in the work, and were willing to donate toward the expense of such an undertaking. We felt quite sure that sufficient means would be given before we commenced publication, to carry the expense for a year, and we only lacked a competent translator. There was one gentleman who had formerly taken an active interest in the Maories, having affected a translation of the Bible into their language, and who was also interested in the temperance work. His aid was solicited. We might further say that the Maori language is very simple, containing about fourteen letters, though many of the words are very difficult to pronounce by one who is unaccustomed to the sound of their letters. Each syllable ends with a vowel, giving the words a sound very peculiar to the English ear, though very musical when spoken by one understanding the language. From a letter written Oct. 10 by Brother Hare, I copy the following:—
"I have seen our friend, Mr. D., who lives at the North Shore. I have visited him about six times, leaving him some Bible Echoes, and to my great surprise he is one with us as regards the law, and Sabbath question, and he has offered to translate any of our tracts into the Maori language, and, best of all, he has agreed to do it free. As he is getting old, and is at present engaged in a new revision of the Maori Bible, I am going to have him translate a few of our tracts as a standby. I hope when I write next time, to be able to say more relative to the poor Maories."
It is evident that erelong the time will come when we shall have a Maori paper. For many reasons this paper could be published at Auckland better than at Melbourne, but the circumstances connected with this feature of the work only indicate the fact that God has gone before his people, and wherever he has a people his Providence favors every effort to get the truth to them.
Laborers are what are needed at the present time. Our brethren who have long believed the truth should freely pledge of their means to sustain the work, and where this is not done, God's Providence raises up men who will freely give to the work, even those who have but recently embraced the truth. We can but feel that the time has come that our faith in every respect should be practical. Whatever the word of God assures us is true, and whatever God has promised to accomplish by his truth, we should believe and act as though it was really so.
There is one habit among the Maories, which is fast loosing its hold upon them, the heathen practice of tattooing themselves. Formerly all those of the royal family, and the aristocracy, were tattooed, but it is not very frequently done at the present time, though some of the young men and women still continue the disfiguring process. The custom was to cover the entire face and all other visible parts of the body, with the hideous-looking figures, which, to the eye of civilization, are anything but pleasing and desirable. The mode of procedure was to take a sharp stone, cutting into the flesh and following by an application of black coloring material, which on their copper-colored skin presents a most horrible appearance. The women are tattooed on their lower lip, three marks, running from the lower part of the lip10under the chin. Sometimes the upper lip is also marked. The operation is so severe that only a small surface can be tattooed at once, so it takes some time for a chief or leading man to become sufficiently marked to indicate his high position.
They have a system of bringing to justice those who violate their laws, which is novel, but greatly preferred among them to the English method. They are a very moral people. The violation of the seventh commandment is treated with the greatest severity. The man is forever ostracized, and his property confiscated and given to the abused party. Any complaint of theft or robbery must be carried to the chief, who calls a council. No one is allowed to make their accusations standing, but must remain seated, as they say people are liable to get excited when standing. At first they have a smoke and a social talk, and after they have become friendly, the grievances are presented, with the evidence. The chief then makes an examination of the evidence and renders a decision. The decisions in such cases oftentimes very much exceed justice, the person wronged receiving much more than his loss had been.
They have also very curious customs in reference to the dead, though these have changed very much since the advent of the white man among them. One custom was to leave at the foot of a tree near the place of burial, the implements used by the deceased. They had a superstitious idea that any one who would take these would contract the same disease which caused the person's death. This idea was dispelled by the white man, who would steal articles from their burial places and of course did not suffer as was anticipated by the natives. This custom accordingly was largely given up, as also many other superstitious notions, because of the course of the white men toward them.
We cannot but feel that in the day of God there will be a large number of these natives gathered among those who will believe his truth, and stand upon Mount Zion. We can only say, may God speed the time, when out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, there will be gathered representatives, observing God's commandments, and who will finally inherit the kingdom prepared for the people of the Most High.
S. N. H.
The Missionary.
By H. A. St. John
California.
NAPA.—Since returning from camp-meeting I have spent one Sabbath with the Napa church. We tried to encourage them in the good work of preparing to hear the well done when Jesus comes.
KNIGHT'S VALLEY.—We spent about three weeks in Knight's Valley, about seven miles from Calistoga, endeavoring to instruct a few souls in the present truth, by visiting, and speaking in the school-house, evenings. Five souls decided to obey the commandments, and signed the covenant. They take ten copies of the Instructor and six lesson books for the little ones, and will begin the study of the Holy Scriptures at once.
CALISTOGA.—The remainder of our time has been mostly spent in visiting and holding meetings in Calistoga. Most of those who accepted the truth when the tent was here are still holding on, and growing in the grace and knowledge of God. We have baptized four adults, and almost completed an organization of seventeen members. We hope others will be added soon. The financial strength of this society is hardly sufficient at present to warrant an attempt to erect a house of worship, which is very much needed. Two rooms of a private house are used for the meetings, and these are barely sufficient to accommodate the believers and their children, giving us no opportunity to do much by way of preaching to the public. The Sabbath-school seems to be flourishing. Some have begun to pay tithes, and a reaching out for the salvation of others is manifest to some degree. May these dear souls grow up into Jesus Christ, their living head in all things, is our earnest prayer. H. A. ST. JOHN.